The results of the off-season strength program have been tabulated and the Wildcats’ hard work in the weight room has paid off in improved numbers in all three of the major lifts — the bench press, squat lift, and power clean.
In the bench press, 44 percent of the team has lifted at least 325 pounds, up four percent over a year ago. The top bench pressers include offensive guard Trai Williams (480 pounds), offensive guard Christian Johnson (460), and defensive tackle Jason Leger (435).
In the squat lift, 31 percent of the team has hefted at least 500 pounds, up from 29.8 percent last year. The best squatters have been defensive tackle Myron Pryor (700 pounds), defensive end Dominic Lewis (645), and defensive tackles Jason Leger and Ventrell Jenkins (640 each).
Lewis is the team leader in the power clean with 380 pounds, followed by center Travis Slaydon, linebacker Mikhail Mabry, and defensive end Nii Adjei Oninku (340 each). As a team, 32.3 percent of the Wildcats have lifted at least 300, up from 31.1 percent this time a year ago.
The lifting champions in each position group, totaling all three lifts, including offensive guard Trai Williams (1,400 pounds), fullback Terrell Bankhead (1,240), quarterback Andre’ Woodson (1,010), tight end Tyler Sexton (1,260), wide receiver Dicky Lyons (1,060), defensive tackle Myron Pryor (1,425), linebacker Terry Clayton (1,370), cornerback Shomari Moore (1,115), with long snapper Jason Dickerson (1,115) representing the specialists.
In the pound-for-pound category, comparing total lifts to body weight, the top lifters are Moore, Bankhead, cornerback David Jones, linebacker Wesley Woodyard, and tailback Rafael Little.
Overall team quickness appears to be improving as well. In the 20-yard shuttle run, 32.9 percent of the team clocks at less than 4.32 seconds, improved from 26 percent last year.
Player Report: The Kentucky football team officially reported on Friday, although most of the players had been on campus all summer. The players were sized for equipment, underwent physicals and had other orientation activities. On Saturday, the team will practice for the first time.
Ventrell Jenkins squatting 585 lbs.
Joe Schuler squatting 540 lbs.
Michael Aitcheson squatting 600 lbs.
Team lateral agilities
Wesley Woodyard and Joe Schuler running the agility bags
Joe Schuler flipping tires
David Jones on the agility hoops
Team conditioning
Strength coach Marc Hill watches the team run
