By Brent IngramAs a freshman, Kentucky utilized Kaelon Fox in just about every position on the field except goalkeeper. Now, entering his sophomore season, UK head coach Johan Cedergren is hoping that a firm positional role for Fox will help the standout from Louisville’s St. Xavier High School. A 6-foot-2, 155-pounder, Fox is firmly entrenched as a center back, alongside 6-foot-3 sophomore Jordan Wilson. The duo helps the Wildcats boast the potential for a dynamic defensive squad, with outside back Charlie Reymann also in his second year as an everyday starter. As a freshman, Fox started eight games and played in 19 of UK’s 20 games, totaling two goals and one assist, firing 29 shots. He saw starts on the backline, in the midfield and as an attacking player. “I learned that college soccer is a difficult game,” Fox said. “Coming in as a true defender and having to play forward, midfield and some defense last year, it gave me more knowledge how certain players move on and off the ball, how forwards move on and off the ball. It gave me more of an insight into how to properly defend those attacking players. It developed me more as a center back.”Fox netted his first career goal at Xavier, before adding a tally in UK’s win over Florida Atlantic. He also added an assist vs. IPFW and had at least four shots in four games, including a six-shot effort vs. South Carolina. After spending the spring playing on the backline with Wilson and Reymann, the three have formed a solid chemistry. With UK sophomore Alex Bumpus suffering a season-ending injury in the offseason, it means that the backline will feature a new face at the outside back position opposite Reymann. “It is really good to have chemistry between your backline, because if you don’t things can break down and that is not what you want from your back four and your keeper. Jordan, Charlie and I, the chemistry between us on and off the field is great. It just comes down to having each other’s back on the field. When Jordan or Charlie steps up in the attack, we have the ability to cover for them. If someone gets beat off the ball, having their back there. I know Jordan and Charlie have my back. It is a great comfort feeling knowing we are there for each other.”With the backline supported by three veteran starters and a goalkeeper that Cedergren considers “one of the three best goalkeepers in the country” in Callum Irving, Kentucky will be anchored by its defending unit. “Johan tells us that defense wins championships,” Fox said. “That is a true statement. Having chemistry on the backline is great. Jordan, Charlie and I played the whole spring together on the backline which helped us with the chemistry. The defense that we have this year can be really great. We just have to keep building on it game after game.”While his defense will be a strength on the 2014 roster, Cedergren is going to count on Fox and Wilson to provide some scoring threats on set pieces with their size, physicality and athleticism.”It is going to be pretty important,” Fox said about the backline coming up on set pieces. “Johan wants our center backs to get four or five set-piece goals. We need to get our goals-per game up a little bit.”Kentucky opens its 2014 season Friday at 7 p.m. at Wright State. The Wildcats will debut the sparkling new Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex on Sunday with a twinbill with the women’s soccer program, with UK taking on Belmont at 5 p.m.