Ernie Pelayo, Offensive Lineman
On how he came to Kentucky?
?My original plan was to stay on the West Coast. I wanted to stay and play in the PAC-10. I had offers from UCLA and Southern Cal and pretty much every school in the PAC-10. Coach Brooks and Coach Hudson did a pretty good job of trying to get me away. It ended up coming down to when I hurt my knee. Some schools kind of backed off and then they came back. Southern Cal wanted me to come on as a walk-on and then I could compete and hopefully get a scholarship. But Coach Brooks and Coach Hudson wanted me on full scholarship. Just the fact that Coach Brooks and his staff never backed off when I hurt my knee showed me that they really wanted me to play here.?
On his knee?
?My knee?s doing good. My rehab?s getting a little more intense, I?ve been jumping around a little more. I?m hoping to be ready by the middle of May, right around finals.?
On if it?s possible to return for spring practices?
?I?ve spoken to the coaches and Coach Brooks felt it would be better not to rush. It would be better to sit out for spring and get in some drills that I can do. But we?re looking at the overall picture. We?re not going to win a national championship in the spring.?
On his position?
?I?ll play tackle. As far as left or right, that?s up to the coaches. I guess it depends on what I can do better ? pass block or run block.?
On playing time?
?That was a major issue. If I had gone to Southern California, I would have had to beat out someone that had already been in the program for two years. They have some great players here that have played, but they graduated Antonio Hall, so there was some availability. There?s some great opportunity to play here.?
B. Jay Parsons, Defensive End
On the adjustment to Kentucky?
?The weather?s a lot different. I have to get used to the weather changing every five minutes. They told me that when I came out here. They said if you don?t like the weather, wait 20 minutes and it will change [laughing]. It snows, it rains, and then it?s nice again. I never know what to look for in the weather.?
On why he chose Kentucky?
?They just had the best overall program to offer. The facilities are great. The classrooms, the education and the C.A.T.S center are really amazing. It?s an opportunity for the athletes to get help with the main part of school, the academics. Football is a part of school but academics comes first.?
?The SEC was an opportunity that I just couldn?t pass up. The teams that are in this conference and just the conference itself are so well known all over the country. This is the place to be.?
On his speed?
?My fastest forty (yard dash) was a 4.6. But that was a hand clock. It wasn?t any kind of laser timer or anything.?
On if playing time factored into his decision to come to UK?
?You really can?t put that into your decision because you never know what your playing time is going to be. That?s not my choice. That?s up to what the coaches see I can do. They can?t promise that when they bring you here.?
On what he knew about Kentucky?
?When I first got the call, I knew that they had gone to seven overtimes against Arkansas. That was about it. But once I was introduced to it and started looking into it, I was really excited to see what I had the opportunity to be a part of.?
On what he envisions for UK?
?I think this program?s going to make a turnaround. The coaches here are serious about what?s going on. They?re instilling a work ethic that I definitely hadn?t seen in the junior college ranks. It?s rough and it?s work, but that?s what I wanted to get into. It doesn?t bother me to work if we?re going to win.?
On what he brings to the table?
?I bring effort. I try to make a play on every play. That?s what I?m supposed to do. I?m supposed to go out there and make plays and that?s what I?m going to try to do. I just want to be in there ? be in the mix. So whatever it takes to get there, I?m going to do.?
