They averaged just 2.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game combined last season, but sophomores Stacey Poole, Jarrod Polson and senior Eloy Vargas could play a pivotal role in Kentucky’s success this season.The trio didn’t get the most minutes on the team and didn’t light up the stat sheets every game, but neither did Josh Harrellson prior to his senior-year explosion, averaging just 3.6 points and 1.3 points in his sophomore and junior years, respectively.While everyone cites Harrellson’s negative tweet, it was really the work ethic he displayed before, during and after practice that paved the way for his emergence. He got punished for the tweet, yes, but he didn’t have to work as hard as he did in his conditioning, UK head coach John Calipari said.”Following what Josh did, change your body, change your habits, change your attitude towards the game, change your practicing toward the game,” Calipari said. “When all that starts changing, add it to your skill level.”Poole is one such player that fans and coaches alike are hoping can make the jump from his freshman year to sophomore year. The Jacksonville, Fla., native played in 16 games last season and hit a crucial 3-pointer, the first of his career, against Notre Dame that helped spark a Kentucky run. Poole said his game is the same this season, but he’s hungry and his “take-no-prisoners” mentality is a new addition.”My game is the same, it’s just my mentality is to go get it,” Poole said. “I’ve been working on my defense, working on my jump shot because I have to knock down those shots that are open and I have to be able to get stops when I’m on the court. If you can defend it will make it a whole lot easier.”Coming out of high school, Poole was ranked as the fourth-best small forward prospect in the country by Rivals.com. His freshman campaign didn’t register many minutes though, as defense often held him out. In order to turn the corner during his sophomore year, Calipari said he should be seeing Poole in the gym more.”We go out there, (Poole) should be the first one,” Calipari said. “He should be in at night. He should be physically in the greatest shape of his life. He wasn’t last year, he knows that. This is his opportunity now. We don’t have 12 guys here. So fight for time.”He’s a great kid. I’m telling you, we all want him to play. He’s got to go out and do it now.”Calipari compared Poole to some of the guys he coached on the Dominican Republic national team, saying you, personally, have to play your way onto the starting lineup, or off of it – it’s not what he wants.”In my mind, he just has to step up and earn his way, and he can do it,” Calipari said. “He’s got the talent to do it. Now he’s got to go fight.”Vargas is another player that must go fight. After a modest junior campaign, his first under the tutelage of Calipari, the 6-foot-11 forward from the Dominican Republic is looking to break out during his senior season.Vargas showed glimpses of his potential in 2010-11, playing in each of Kentucky’s 38 games. He also made an impact at the tail end of the season, pulling down five rebounds in the Final Four against Connecticut. With another impressive recruiting class entering the fold, Vargas will have to compete with star forward Anthony Davis for playing time. He believes his work with the Dominican team, where he had to face off against NBA players, will help him.”I think (my game has) improved a lot,” Vargas said. “I think I’m more physical like how they told me I need to do, which I think will help me a lot to come back and play against college guys because those guys are 30 or 40 so I think it will be good for me.”That physicality will be key for Vargas, as the Wildcats will face many big men this season, including Vanderbilt’s Festus Ezeli, Florida’s Patric Young and Alabama’s JaMychal Green, among others.The order is tall for Polson to make a significant impact on the floor this season. The former walk-on from Nicholasville, Ky., will be competing against McDonald’s All-America guard Marquis Teague and Twany Beckham for point guard duties. With a year under his belt now, Polson said he feels more comfortable than he did last year.”Coming into a huge program like this, there were a lot of nerves and stuff like that,” Polson said. “I definitely think I’m more comfortable with the team and stuff. I’m in the weight room a lot just trying to get bigger and get my body to where it needs to be to play in the SEC at the D-1 level.”And that is one noticeable change for Polson. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound guard has put on some muscle and recognizes what it takes to be successful at this level. Polson said it’s the little things that really help and whether he’s on the court or not, he can help the freshmen guards and tell them what to expect.Polson said this group of freshmen is more mature than the normal class though, and has a high work ethic with many different pieces that can lead them to their ultimate goal; the national championship.”I definitely think we can do it,” Polson said. “This freshman class is so much more mature than the typical freshman is. I think they know what’s under our belt and I think they’re ready for it.”What Calipari must do now is find out what makes Poole, Vargas and Polson tick and what he needs to do as coach to maximize their potential. While they had modest numbers in 2010-11, a breakthrough from any of the three could be huge for the overall success of the team.”That’s the challenge of coaching: getting young people to understand how hard it will be if you’re to reach your potential,” Calipari said. “There’s only one way to get peace of mind, and that’s do your absolute best. The only person that really knows when (you’re doing your absolute best) is when you look in the mirror.”If you think it’s going to be given to you, if you think it’s easy, you’ll never reach your potential, you’ll never have peace of mind, and you’ll always blame somebody.”