Even compared to his fellow newcomers in UK’s record-setting 2014 recruiting class, junior-college transfer Ryan Flannigan is facing lofty expectations.Playing linebacker — one of the thinnest positions on the roster — Flannigan is projected by many as an immediate contributor.Flannigan isn’t shying away from his potential importance — he came to Kentucky in part because of the prospect of early playing time — but he also knows he has a long way to go.”I figured I was pretty important,” Flannigan said on the first day of fall camp, “but I’m not important if I don’t know what I’m doing.”On that front, Flannigan is playing catchup. Twenty-six of his 27 fellow newcomers were on campus over the summer, but Flannigan only arrived this past weekend. He missed out on the time his teammates spent in the film room and Mark Stoops confirmed Flannigan is behind.”I’m just trying to learn each positon at the linebacker position, take it day by day,” the former Blinn College standout said. “I felt like today I did pretty good learning the new stuff. So, first day, it was great, I’d say.”Had it not been for all the work Flannigan logged this summer, he might have been singing a different tune. Flannigan, aware of what he was missing in UK’s High Performance strength and conditioning program, put himself through a rigorous running routine.”I didn’t want to be out of breath and not conditioned well and stuff like that,” Flannigan said. “I just really wanted to stay in shape because I knew there’s a lot of running in the SEC and I knew I had to get my running right. So I just ran a lot. A lot a lot. And I lifted weights too.”When he wasn’t training at his high school in Missouri City, Texas, you likely would have found Flannigan either eating or studying film defensive coordinator and linebackers coach D.J. Eliot sent him. Based on that independent film study, Eliot would then ask Flannigan questions over the phone.”He quizzed me,” Flannigan said. “I passed a couple of tests. But yeah, he quizzed me. Coach Eliot’s been great. I’m happy to have him as a coach. He stuck with me all through the summer. He didn’t just leave me out to dry. He made sure I knew everything I needed to know and he just said I need to execute my job.”On day one, Flannigan lined up at weakside linebacker. Early returns were positive.”Did a good job,” Eliot said. “He’s very athletic, caught on quick. It’s what he needed to do, so I was impressed with him on the first day.”Still, Flannigan has lots of work ahead. To get it done, he plans to call on the help of anyone who will answer.”I’m asking linebackers, defensive line,” Flannigan said. “I mean, (anything) I’m confused with I’m asking everybody I can, everybody I can get my hands on I’m asking questions because I know that’s the only way to get better. They know the defense and I don’t and I have to stick with somebody that knows it.”Though he’ll use every resource available to him, Flannigan knows Eliot is his best bet.”It’s not going to be easy, but we will get it done,” Flannigan said. “I will stay in Coach’s pocket, I’ll stay in his hip and we’re going to get it done.”