After two weeks of preseason practice, it is apparent that the 2006 edition of the Kentucky secondary is filled with young and talented defensive backs.
Secondary coach Steve Brown is pleased with how the newcomers are learning and is eager to see them excel in the defensive scheme.
?There was a point where they had to do a lot of learning,? Brown said. ?They were not moving too fast (when practice began). Now they are becoming more and more comfortable with the defense and their assignments, which allows them to make plays. Every play that the newcomers get, it gives them a chance to practice the assignments and experience the speed of the game.?
The veterans are impressed with the athletic ability in this edition of the UK secondary.
?The secondary is going to be young, but honestly this is the most speed and athleticism on the team that I have seen since I have been here,? junior strong safety Roger Williams said. ?Every position has depth three-deep. The young guys have lots of talent and are eager to learn.?
The talented newcomers are expected to contribute more to the corner position, as Williams and sophomore free safety Marcus McClinton look to anchor the safety spots.
?Marcus and Roger are doing everything we ask of them,? Brown said. ?We ask a lot of our safeties, as far as communicating on the field plus being a leader on and off the field and Roger and Marcus are doing that. They are leading by example and really helping some of these young players learn the system.?
McClinton looks to return to form after suffering a knee injury which sidelined him for the majority of the 2005 season.
?I feel like this team has a lot of poise and is capable of great things,? McClinton said. ?The secondary is going to know their assignments and communicate well among each other. We want to create a lot of turnovers and always swarm to the football.?
McClinton, who recorded 27 tackles and one interception during his freshman campaign in 2004, thinks that the youngsters can benefit from the older players leadership.
?Some of the young guys have a lot of talent,? McClinton detailed. ?They are definitely going to contribute to the team. They just need to listen to the coaches and veterans and always try to improve.?
Among the young players competing for the starting cornerback spots are freshmen Trevard Lindley, Paul Warford, Jordan Nevels, and E.J. Adams, as well as junior-college transfer Ahmad Grigsby. Lindley had a strong spring practice and has established himself as a frontrunner for one of the corner positions.
?Trevard?s learning curve is going real well. He is working hard on his technique and working really hard at the things that will make him a successful player,? Brown said.
Several returning letterman also look to crack the rotation, among those are Shomari Moore, Jarrell Williams, and Karl Booker. Booker, a fifth-year senior, has seen action all over the Wildcat secondary during his career and looks to lead the young group of corners on the field.
?I expect this to be a fun year,? Booker said. ?I definitely expect us to come out and compete at a high level. We have a lot of young talent on the team and the competition for playing time is making everyone better.?
Booker, who boasts two interceptions during his career, spent the last season lining up at free safety after the unfortunate knee injury to McClinton.
?I played a little cornerback here my sophomore year and I always felt really good at corner,? Booker said. ?I played some safety in the past and I was just happy to be able to contribute to the team. I do feel a little more comfortable at corner and feel like I can make lots of plays there and help the team.?
Regardless of which talented players take the field against Louisville September 3, one thing is certain — Brown has lots from which to choose.
Kentucky Preview on Turner South Channel: A preview of the Kentucky football team will be televised on the Turner South channel on Wed. Aug. 16 at 10:30 p.m., Thu. Aug. 17 at 2:30 p.m., and Sun. Aug. 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Rafael Little Featured on Aaron?s Football Saturdays: Rafael Little and his friendship with James Kennedy, the man who inspired the movie ?Radio,? will be featured on an upcoming episode of ?Aaron?s Football Saturdays.?
The show will air on the following stations that serve Kentucky markets:
Bowling Green, KY – WBKO – Sat. Aug. 19, 2 p.m. CDT
Cincinnati, OH – WSTR – Sat. Aug. 19, 1 p.m. EDT
The show is produced by Lincoln Financial Sports (formerly Jefferson-Pilot Sports) and is syndicated throughout the South. For a complete list of stations, go to website lfsports.com.
Lincoln Financial SEC Preview Coming Up: The hour-long Southeastern Conference Football Preview Show, produced and syndicated by Lincoln Financial Sports (formerly Jefferson-Pilot), will be televised around the South in the coming weeks.
The show will air on the following stations that serve Kentucky markets. For a complete list of stations, go to website lfsports.com.
Bowling Green, KY – WBKO – Sun. Aug. 27, noon CDT
Charleston, WV – WSAZ – Sat. Aug. 26, 1 p.m. EDT
Evansville, IN – WTVW – Sun. Aug. 27, 5 p.m. CDT
Lexington, KY – WKYT – Sun. Aug. 27, 6 p.m. EDT
Louisville, KY – WAVE – Sat. Aug. 26, 1 p.m. EDT
Paducah, KY – WQWQ – Sat. Aug. 26, 6:30 p.m. CDT
