Clay Hammer : Besides the great fishing. Why did you chose Kentucky?
Randy Sanders : I’ve always thought Lexington would be a good place to live and it was a school I’ve liked since high school. So far it’s lived up to my expectations.
jstamper : First, I’d like to say I think you are a awesome coach and hope you are in Blue&White for a long time!! This spring did the defense seem to challenge our offense more than last year? If so what, in your opinion, was the main difference?? Thanks Coach. GO BIG BLUE.
Randy Sanders : There’s no question our defense is improving. They were young last year and this season they will be a year stronger and more experienced. I have no doubt that Coach Brown and the defensive staff will have those guys playing well.
Bill D : Coach Sanders, Its great to have you here at Kentucky. Could you discuss with us how often A. Woodson will be able to look down field, being our O-line is young and thin. Will we have to use a short passing game this year. Thanks Coach, the staff is doing an outstanding job.
Randy Sanders : There’s no question our O-line will be much younger than last year but we do feel like they are talented. Regardless of how good the offensive line is, you have to control pass rush by using screens and running the football at times when the defense expects a pass. Sometimes those calls are unpopoular but they’re often necessary to control the pass rush.
eric : what state,do you think is the best for recruiting for kentucky
Randy Sanders : Obviously it’s very important for us to do well in our home state. High school football is important in Kentucky and it seems to me the quality of players coming out of Kentucky high schools has improved.
john : given your success with recruiting at tennesee, do you see high profile recruits wanting to play for the big blue?
Randy Sanders : I see no reason why they wouldn’t. We have a great university, a great city to recruit to and a outstanding coaching staff that cares about their players. Combine that with our fan support and there’s no reason why we can’t appeal to the best players out there.
Dave : Do you see Curtis Pulley staying at the quarterback position during his redshirt season and on into 2008, or will that just depend on the play of Fidler and Hartline?
Randy Sanders : Not only does it depend on Will and Mike but it also depends on Curtis and how he responds to next year. He’s a talented player that we want in our program. Exactly what role has yet to be determined.
Kevin : I know predictions are usually off-limits for coaches, but I wondered if you would estimate where this team could be in 5 years. . .BCS maybe? And do you feel this group of juniors and seniors are very special compared to other teams you have coached? Thanks for your time. We BELIEVE!!
Randy Sanders : You’re right, predictions are off limits. But I definitely feel that this program is headed in the right direction. Our goal is to win championships.
ononuk : Coach, it’s a historical fact that we have come up short on the gridiron much more often than not. The caliber of players has the biggest impact on success. What radical changes in recruiting at UK are going to bring us an SEC contender?
Randy Sanders : Hopefully the most radical change will be the fact that we won eight games last year and we can build on the momentum of last season in recruiting. Kids like to win games and want to play for a winning program.
BigBlueCatFan : Hi coach Sanders. Is Mike Hartline or Will Fidler ready to backup Andre? Will they continue to get a lot of snaps with the first team this Fall? Are Will and Mike very similar or do they have different strengths and weeknesses? Thanks and I’ll see you this Fall at Commonwealth Stadium.
Randy Sanders : Mike and Will are both good young prospects but we still have work to do before they’re close to Andre’s level. In fall, Andre’ will obviously get most of the work with the first team because we have to start preparing to play games.
Jason : It is amazing what you got from Andre last season. Not many people saw it coming. Do you believe that he will improve enough to be a first round pick? Also, how much more of a challenge is it to have the title of Recruiting Coordinator?
Randy Sanders : From my experience there’s no real way of predicting what will happen in the draft. I think it’s possible that Andre’ could be a first round pick but much of that is determined not only by his ability but by who else is in the draft and how many teams need a quarterback. Being the recruiting coordinator does add more responsibility and is something I take very seriously. But it won’t take away from my role as a QB coach.
Brian from Owensboro : Good morning coach. Andre Woodson did a great job last season. Is it possible we could see an even better Andre Woodson this Fall?
Randy Sanders : There’s no question that Andre’ will be a better player next season. His challenge and mine is to take his improvement and make it be reflected in the number of wins we have next season.
Tim : How do you think woodson improved during the spring and what do you think he needs to work on.
Randy Sanders : Woodson improved his overall understanding of the offense and really made strides as a leader. I also think he made some improvements with his drops and his footwork in the pocket.
Steve R : If a young quarterback doesn’t have some of the necessary skills, which attributes do you feel you can develop given the time?
Randy Sanders : The easiest thing to develop is their thought process and decision making. No one can lose a game faster than a quarterback so you have to get them to be able to make smart decisions with the ball to help us win games.
Steve R : Coach, your experience with great players is impressive. What do you look for in a young quarterback?
Randy Sanders : Obviously he has to have the ability to throw the football. Beyond that, athletic ability is good but the ability to think fast and react on the run is critical. Things happen fast on gameday and a guy has to be able to respond to what he sees.
Jesse : Given all of the QB’s that you have worked with over the years, with Peyton Manning probably being #1, where does Woodson rank in your book?
Randy Sanders : Based on his junior season, he has a chance to rank really high on that list. I’ll be better prepared to answer that after next season.
Blake Hopkins : we all know who the starting quarterback will be, as in andre, but who is running the backup spot and how close might they be to taking the starting spot if woodson gets injured
Randy Sanders : We still have a good competition going between Will Fidler and Mike Hartline. Both made strides in spring practice but neither one has taken the lead for the backup job. I think that they will be ready but hopefully Andre’ will stay healthy.
scott : what do you think Andre’s weakest part of his game is?
Randy Sanders : Probably his running ability. He has athleticism and he can run, but I certainly wouldn’t call that a strength of his.
ukathletics.com : Thanks to Coach Sanders for his time and flexibility of his schedule. Next Tuesday’s live chat will be with running backs coach Larry Brinson.
Randy Sanders : Thanks for writing in with your questions. I’ve really enjoyed the last year at Kentucky and I’m looking forward to many more. We’ll see you all at Commonwealth Stadium this fall. Go Cats!
