March 29, 2003

Rich Brooks held his first practice as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats with a two-hour, 15-minute workout Saturday afternoon at the Nutter Training Facility.

The Wildcats worked out in helmets, jerseys and shorts in cold, windy conditions on the muddy practice field. There were numerous small-group drills before coming together for a 25-minute offense vs. defense session that concluded the practice.

“We got some productive things done,” Brooks said. “The weather was cold and the field sloppy, but it was better (to practice) outside than inside. We made too many mistakes but the effort was there. This was the first step in trying to build a team. I’ve been very impressed with how they (the players) have handled the transition (to a new coaching staff) in trying to get used to new systems.”

Senior quarterback Jared Lorenzen, noticeably slimmer than last fall, was encouraged by the first practice.

“It turned out really well for the first day in a new offense,” Lorenzen said. “The offense is completely different, with more verbiage, much like the NFL. The biggest challenge is the terminology, but it’s already getting easier.”

Lorenzen also was asked about his thoughts about the offensive system that new coordinator Ron Hudson brought from Kansas State.

“Look at what they did at Kansas State,” Lorenzen said of KSU, which led the nation in scoring in 1998 (48 ppg) and was second nationally in 2002 (44.8 ppg). “This offense puts points on the board. It’s a fun and interesting offense.”

The Wildcats return to the practice field Monday at 2:25 p.m. with another non-pads practice. The team will strap on the pads Wednesday.