Standards High for UK in Spring Practice
Nearly 30 years into his career, Mark Stoops still loves coaching football.
Because of that, spring practice is made for him.
“It’s really just pure fun,” Stoops said. “You know, because you could work extremely hard and then go watch the film, and then try to get them better without the game planning involved.”
There’s nothing quite like the competition that fall Saturdays bring, but getting there is a grind. The spring, of course, still comes with lots of hard work, but in a much more relaxed setting. That gives Stoops and staff a chance to focus on why they got into the business to begin with: helping their players improve.
“You know, it’s just fundamental playing the game, and that’s what you enjoy so much about the spring is just working with your players and just making them better,” Stoops said. “I think that’s why we all like it because we have time.”
UK opened the 2018 edition of spring ball on Monday with the first of 15 practices in the coming weeks bright and early in the morning. After a long winter in the weight room, the Wildcats finally were able to get back on the field as they work to build on a second consecutive bowl trip last season.
“I feel like our team worked extremely hard for seven weeks,” Stoops said. “I think we’re bigger, we’re stronger. I think that’s evident. We have some experience in certain positions and inexperienced in others, but overall, a really solid first day. I loved their attitude. I loved their effort. I think we have an opportunity to do some good things.”
Optimism is natural with 10 starters returning on defense and 18 overall, and it’s only increased with the way the offseason has gone so far. Josh Allen and Mike Edwards got it off to a good start by announcing their decisions to return for their senior seasons and the momentum has continued with the weight-room work the Cats have done.
In general, UK looks a much bigger team, with Allen leading the way. The outside linebacker is now listed at a stout 252 pounds.
“You see Josh holding his weight and I think that’s one of the reasons why he came back, just to be mature and to be able to handle 250, 255 easily,” Stoops said. “He’s handling that right now. He looks phenomenal. He still has great explosiveness.”
Playing behind Allen last year was talented true freshman Josh Paschal, but Paschal has moved inside to defensive end. He’s also up to a listed weight of 278 pounds thanks to his own work in the weight room – and “a couple biscuits,” according to Stoops.
“I feel like we have some guys at outside backer with some experience and he’s a guy that’s hard not to play,” Stoops said. “He needs to be on the field playing for us. He’s definitely one of our best 11. Just because we have some depth at outside backer, you don’t want him sitting there on the sidelines next to me. You want him out there playing and he came to me, actually, because he knows we’ve talked about this, and he said, ‘Coach, I believe that I could help the team and we’re better off if I move inside.’ I said, ‘Well, then, let’s get eatin’.’ “
Paschal is still a young player, but one with meaningful experience playing in the Southeastern Conference. UK now has a roster filled with those kinds of players, which only makes the spring that much more fun for Stoops.
“It’s really much more enjoyable to have guys with some experience, there’s no question about that, because they can pick things up,” Stoops said. “When they make mistakes, they understand. It’s really important to make those players from good to great, and I think we have some good players and it’s time to get them to go to great and that’s where the details come in play.”
The word “great” is heard often around the Joe Craft Football Training Facility these days. The Cats have worked hard to reach the sustained level of success of last two seasons, but another seven-win year is not the goal.
“Our standard is different right now,” offensive coordinator Eddie Gran said. “We’ve kind of talked about being great. There’s no reason why we can’t. The difference between expectations and standards—expectations are out here. It’s about our standards. Right now, they’re holding up to those standards and they’re leading it. They’re doing it. We’re so much further ahead in terms of guys that are leading. We’ve got a handful, and they’re coaching them.”
Leadership, more often than not, fell to quarterback Stephen Johnson and linebacker Courtney Love last season. Now, with Johnson and Love having completed their eligibility, a bigger group has taken ownership. That’s allowing Stoops, Gran and the rest of the staff to do even more teaching.
“They’re running the show right now,” Gran said. “We’re coaching offense. We’re having an opportunity to really work on the little things and the details.”
Injury update
Three players entered spring recovering from injuries and will not participate: tight end C.J. Conrad, wide receiver Dorian Baker and cornerback Derrick Baity. Quarterback Walker Wood is not yet 100 percent after being held out last season, but did return to practice on Monday.
Junior tight Justin Rigg and senior cornerback Chris Westry collided at practice on Monday and Rigg was transported to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a lacerated spleen. News since the diagnosis has been positive and a full recovery is expected, but he remains in the hospital on Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the spring. Westry, meanwhile, will likely miss the rest of the week following the collision.
