Tunnel vision can be a good thing in sports. Tuning out the outside world and zeroing in on the task at hand is a trait that many of the best share. Although UK’s defense under co-defensive coordinator Rick Minter is certainly capable of that kind of focus, it’s not the approach they always choose.As fall camp drags on, Minter refuses to let his team get lost in self-pity in the face of long days, strenuous practices and demanding workouts. The Wildcats may be working nearly every waking hour to prepare for the upcoming season, but Minter is sure to remind them that they are playing a game they all love. This year, Minter has a dramatic example he can use to make that point in his own meeting room. “We’ve got a guy in our room now that’s been in the military,” Minter said. “I said ‘you put life in perspective: ask him if what we’re doing is tough.'” The player he is referring to is defensive lineman James McDevitt, a senior transfer from Southern Mississippi. Before returning to school to play college football, the Mobile, Ala. native served in the United States Army, fighting in the War in Iraq in 2005-06. Having an example like that is a reminder to keep things in perspective, particularly when a tragic event like the death of 30 Americans in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on Aug. 6 takes place.”That means that life isn’t as bad as they thought it was,” Minter said. “I always try to remind our kids about a lot of things that are happening around the world. I remind our kids about how our nation lost 30 guys the other day in a tragic SEALs event and I said ‘put it in perspective.'”With something like that in the back of your mind, spending all day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. in practice, meetings and workouts doesn’t seem nearly as difficult to cope with, but that doesn’t make it easy or any less important to what UK is trying to accomplish on the field. With the adrenaline pumping over the first days of camp, bringing the requisite intensity is easy. The true test comes as camp wears on and players start to hope for the end to come. Especially in a system that demands that players play with such a high level of speed and aggressiveness, the lessons learned during fall camp will pay dividends if the team responds.”You can get mental fatigue as much as physical fatigue and our system is as taxing as any,” Minter said. “We just fight through it and that’s part of mental toughness: learning when you’re tired when you’re in meeting at night. We’re putting them through the grind and we don’t deny that. That’s what fall camp is all about and I appreciate their efforts. They’re trying hard and we keep forging on.”After the team’s first two-a-day last week, Minter preached the importance of mental fortitude and was pleased with his defense in that respect.”Fall camp is about mental toughness as much as physical toughness,” Minter said. “The strong endure both mentally and physically and that’s what we’re trying to push our guys to. Today is the first day of two-a-days and we don’t have that many in our structure, but I thought the kids really did a good job pushing themselves through today and that’s a good sign.”Senior middle linebacker Ronnie Sneed agreed that the mental aspect of two-a-days is the most taxing.”(It’s probably more difficult from) a mental perspective,” Sneed said. “Physically it’s always tough, but coming back and shaking off that stiffness from that first practice and knowing that you have another practice to go might wear on you (mentally). You just have to fight through it.”Minter isn’t the only one taking an active role in making sure the team perseveres. Most of UK’s top defensive contributors return from last year and all know how important camp is. They aren’t afraid to let the young players know about it.”The good news on defense is that we’ve got six, seven, eight guys that are seniors,” Minter said. “This is their last go-round and their legacy, their imprint on this program is contingent upon how others help them reach their team goals. I think our older guys are doing a pretty darn good job of bringing the young ones along.”Sneed is one of those seniors. He’s more than willing to be vocal in his leadership, but he also knows that leading by example is just as powerful.”You just have to pull them along,” Sneed said. “This is what we have to do to get better. You try to lead by example. You try not to have any backtalk. When coach says we’re going out here for another practice or when we have an extra meeting, you just say ‘OK’ and the younger guys watch that and they follow.”Also helping to pull the defense along is an offensive line that leaves little room for error. Returning four of five starters, including star guards Larry Warford and Stuart Hines, UK’s front line is its strongest unit. Slacking off is not a luxury anyone on the defense can afford, because the offensive line will knock them backwards if they do.”It’s really good because it gives us good competition,” Sneed said. “When you have a veteran offensive line like we have, it helps us from the standpoint of knowing that we’re playing a good opponent every day. When we go out on Saturday’s we won’t face anyone better because I feel like we have one of the better offensive lines in the SEC. We know that we’re practicing against the best and it will convert on the field.”Minter said that the offense, led by the line, exerted its will over the first few days of camp. He has been pleased with how his defense has rebounded. That back-and-forth is an important part of offensive and defensive philosophies that are highly compatible.”I love the physicality that (offensive line coach) Mike Summers and (tight ends coach Greg Nord) are trying to create on the edges and up front and that is only going to make us survive and get better,” Minter said. “I’ve always said that the only good teams around are ones that have a complementary philosophy and the offense and defense are always, not only competing, but helping each other.”