(Aug. 17, 2000) — The Kentucky football team pushed its way through a one-hour, 50-minute practice Thursday afternoon, August 17, in hot and steamy conditions at the Nutter Training Center.
The Kentucky coaching staff ends most practices with the “bandit drill,” which features the first-team offense against the first-team defense. To this point of preseason practice, most bandit drills have seemed to be fairly even, with the offensive and defensive units each making its share of good plays. Thursday afternoon, however, it was a different story. The defensive unit stymied the offense most of the time, including interceptions by cornerbacks Nick Heald, Eric Kelly, and Octavius Bond, and safety Patrick Wiggins.
“Were coming together,” defensive backs coach Tim Keane said after practice. “We have some experience and most of these guys have played together two or three years. They believe in each other and have learned to trust each other. Its not an I defense, its a we defense.”
The tentative starting lineup includes senior cornerbacks Kenneth Grant and Eric Kelly, senior strong safety Willie Gary, and junior free safety Anthony Wajda, a second-team All-SEC performer last season. In addition, there are talented, experienced backups available with sophomore cornerback Derrick Tatum, junior safety Patrick Wiggins, and sophomore safeties David Johnson and Quentus Cumby.
There is one change in the lineup to this point as Grant has been nursing an ankle sprain. Gary has moved to cornerback in Grants spot and Wiggins has moved into Garys role at strong safety.
“In the past, when we lost somebody wed start looking to pull a receiver away from the offense,” Keane said. “Now we have backup help. Thats also enabled Coach Major (defensive coordinator Mike Major) to make changes in the defense because we have more bodies. That means so much in calling (defensive) plays.”
Although his current secondary is well-stocked with veterans, Keane also is excited about the future of his three freshman cornerbacks Leonard Burress, Earven Flowers, and Claude Sagaille.
“Im glad we recruited those young guys,” Keane said. “All three can run and they have a great chance (to be outstanding players) before they leave here. Before they leave, youre going to know their names, not just their numbers.”
Kentucky Football Calendar:
Aug. 18 – Practice, 10 a.m., 3 p.m., 8:30 p.m.
Aug. 19 – Practice, 1:30 p.m.
Aug. 20 – Off
Aug. 21 – Practice, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Aug. 22 – Practice, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Aug. 23 – Classes begin, practice at 2 p.m.
JP Sports SEC Pre-Season TV Show Set to Air
Jefferson-Pilot Sports, which televises the “SEC Game of the Week” throughout the South, also airs a 30-minute SEC pre-season preview of the 2000 season. The show may be seen in the following stations that serve Kentucky markets:
Charleston, W. V. WSAZ Sat. Aug. 26, 12:30 p.m. ETCincinnati, Ohio WBQC Sat. Sept. 2, 11:30 a.m. ETEvansville, Ind. WTVW Sat. Aug. 26, 5:30 p.m. CTHazard, Ky. WYMT Sat. Aug 19, 12:30 p.m. ETLexington, Ky. WKYT Sat. Aug. 19, 12:30 p.m. ETLouisville, Ky. WAVE Sun. Aug. 27, 1:00 p.m. ETNashville, Tenn. WSMV Sat. Aug. 26, noon CTPaducah, Ky. KFVS Sun. Aug. 27, 12:30 p.m. CT
