UK Offense Drives With New Carr, Coaching Staff Realigned
The Kentucky offense will be driving with the help of a new Carr this spring.
Gerald Carr, a veteran of both the collegiate and professional ranks, joined the UK staff in February and will coach the Wildcat running backs.
Carr came to UK from Indiana, where he was passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Hoosiers. He guided quarterback Antwaan Randle El, who gained first-team All-America honors and broke numerous NCAA records.
Carr has a good mix of collegiate and professional experience. His collegiate credits include stints at Washington State, Arizona, North Carolina, and Wake Forest, featuring three bowl appearances with the Tar Heels and one with the Demon Deacons. In the pro ranks, he spent four seasons with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and one year with the Carolina Cobras of Arena Football.
“Gerald is a veteran Division I coach with an NFL background, which is an attractive combination for our players and potential recruits,” Coach Guy Morriss said. “He is a high-energy, positive person and is an extremely knowledgeable offensive coach. Gerald also comes with an excellent reputation as a recruiter. I believe he will be a good fit for our staff. He fits the model of what we are looking for –good people first, and a good coach second.”Following the hiring of Carr, Morriss realigned his coaching staff.
Joining Carr on offense are Brent Pease (coordinator/quarterbacks), Harold Jackson (wide receivers), Chris Lancaster (offensive line), and graduate assistant John Schlarman (tight ends). Lancaster moved from defense, where he had been coaching the defensive ends.
The revamped defensive staff is led by coordinator/linebackers coach John Goodner, Tommy Adams (tackles), Mark Nelson (ends), Larry Hoefer (safeties), and Wesley McGriff (defensive backs). Nelson and McGriff switched from offense, where they had coached the tight ends and running backs, respectively. Nelson also will continue in his role as special teams coordinator.
“These position changes are logical moves for us,” said Morriss, who will be giving up his day-to-day responsibility of coaching the offensive line. “We had an opening at defensive backs and Coach McGriff is an excellent secondary coach. Mark Nelson coached Toronto’s defensive line when they won the Grey Cup. Coach Lancaster has been an offensive line coach for most of his career.”
Coaching Staff Has Professional Flavor
Five members of the Kentucky coaching staff – including Head Coach Guy Morriss – have played and/or coached professional football. The staff totals 70 years of pro football experience, including 45 playing seasons and 25 years in coaching.
Morriss is an 18-year NFL veteran, 15 as a player and three as a coach. He went to two Super Bowls and earned All-Pro honors.
Harold Jackson also was an All-Pro during his 16 playing seasons and still ranks as one of the leading receivers in NFL history. He also coached 10 years in the NFL and one year of Arena Football.
Brent Pease played three years for the NFL’s Houston Oilers, then played four more seasons in the Canadian Football League, World League (now NFL Europe), and in Arena Football.
Gerald Carr coached four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and also put in a year in Arena Football.
Mark Nelson played seven years in the Canadian Football League. He also coached five years in the CFL, winning two Grey Cup championships, and was named CFL Special Teams Coach of the Year.
First Look at Juco Transfers
Spring practice will feature UK’s first look at a pair of junior college transfers, along with two transfers from four-year schools who are now eligible.
Kamaal Ahmad (6-2, 239 pounds) will compete at an inside linebacker position. He came to UK from Northeast Oklahoma A&M junior college, where he showed excellent ability but was hampered by a high ankle sprain last season. He redshirted as a freshman and retains three years of eligibility.
Chris Bernard was a second-team junior college All-American at Saddleback College. Last season, he caught 61 passes for 857 yards and eight touchdowns. He caught 15 passes for 284 yards and three TDs as a freshman and was named to the all-conference team both seasons.
Two transfers from four-year schools completed their season of residency last fall and will be eligible in the 2002 season.
Defensive end Vincent “Sweet Pea” Burns (6-2, 261) transferred from Northern Arizona, where he had 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, and an interception during his freshman season in 2000. He was impressive in practice last fall and enters spring practice as a starter at defensive end.
Sophomore Travis Atwell is in the mix at free safety. He transferred from Toledo, where he redshirted as a quarterback during the 2000 season.
Offense Led by Veteran Line
The UK offense will be fronted by a veteran line in 2002, with five returnees who have been full- or part-time starters during their careers.
Senior guard Keith Chatelain started at center in 2000 and started at guard last season until hampered by injury. Junior Antonio Hall has been a fixture at right tackle the past two seasons.
Injuries forced junior center Nick Seitze, sophomore guard Jason Rollins, and sophomore tackle Matt Huff into service last year. That season of experience should prove fruitful.
All totaled, the five returnees have handled 53 starting assignments in their careers. After the starters, however, experience drops off significantly, as none of the other linemen has extensive playing experience.
Position Changes
As the spring begins, the coaching staff plans a trio of position changes.
Sophomore Daniel Burnett moves from the defensive line to offense and will be tried at right tackle. Sophomore Mike Williams moves from cornerback to outside safety, where he is penciled in as a starter at the beginning of spring drills. Another change on defense involves the move of redshirt freshman Trey Mielsch from linebacker to defensive end.
Johnson, Smith Depart Early for NFL
Kentucky will miss the services of defensive end Dennis Johnson and tight end Derek Smith, who gave up their final season of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft.
Johnson was picked the “Best Defensive Player” in the SEC by The Southeastern Post after leading the league in quarterback sacks, tackles for loss, and fumbles caused last season. Smith was a consensus first-team All-SEC performer during the 2000 season.
Johnson and Smith are the third and fourth players in school history to declare early for the NFL Draft. Running back Moe Williams left UK after the 1995 season and is a six-year pro veteran. Quarterback Tim Couch left after the 1998 season and was the first pick of the ’99 draft by the Cleveland Browns.
Injury Situation
Several players will miss spring practice or have limited participation while they rehabilitate injuries sustained last season.
Offensive tackle Matt Huff, cornerback Warren Wilson, and linebacker Ronnie Riley will be held out of spring practice. Several players will have limited activity, each according to his level of recovery. Those players are long snapper Coleman Barnes, cornerback Derrick Tatum, defensive tackles Dewayne Robertson and Ellery Moore, offensive tackle Antonio Hall, and tight end Chase Harp.
What They’ve Written About the Wildcats
“He (Guy Morriss) deserves a second season after taking over the program under the most unfavorable conditions imaginable. Morriss’ team plays with emotion and optimism. The defense is improving. The offense seeks balance. Morriss seems to have a plan.”
— Rick Bozich, Louisville Courier-Journal
“But despite a rough start that included a rash of injuries, Morriss kept his team together and competitive down the stretch.The Wildcats had Tennessee, which is now in a position to play for the national championship, on the ropes before a late fumble let the Vols off the hook in a 38-35 loss. The Cats also lost narrow decisions to three bowl-eligible teams: LSU, Georgia, and Mississippi.”
— Chip Cosby, Lexington Herald-Leader
“Kentucky gridiron coach Guy Morriss is likeable just because … Because he works hard. He took over a corrupted, crippled, decaying program and dug in, injecting discipline and dedication from day one forward … never once making excuses or complaining …
“Because his injury-cursed team was competitive … Kentucky was only a field goal shy of beating Mississippi State (14-17), a last-second defensive stop of beating LSU (25-29), and a frivolous interference flag or fumble shy of beating Tennessee (35-38) …
“Because of the way he handled the dual-quarterback system. Morriss showed that he was the man, he had to be. He was firm and firmly in control, and so things flowed fairly well. For the most part, Morriss knew when to hold ’em, knew when to fold ’em — thus permitting Boyd to learn and Lorenzen to blossom.
“Because the fans like him and the players love him, with the latter being more indicative of success, and with the understanding that that kind of love and respect are synonymous. The team spoke out in favor of Morriss throughout the season. And after all the team chose Morriss from the beginning and would no doubt choose to keep him — ask anyone who plays for him. That’s called cohesion …
“Because he is honest, and honesty is catchy. Refreshing to hear a UK football coach, in post-game press conferences, answer, ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I messed up’ and know that deep down he doesn’t think otherwise. Morriss accepted all of the fault and none of the credit. That’s courteous, that’s class. (Also refreshing.) As is how he arrived at the post-game news conferences in a coat and tie, even though everyone knew he often wasn’t in the mood for either.
“Because he didn’t change and won’t. Becoming a head coach will often alter afellah ego-wise. And most head coaches undergo some drastic transformation when their win-loss record becomes heavily weighted on either side. But Morriss is a professional.
“Because he is a football man to the core. And he has surrounded himself with a football-to-the-core staff. And he listens to them. What a concept.”
— Jeff Zurcher, Ace Magazine
