Football
Stoops Optimistic as Spring Practice Begins

Stoops Optimistic as Spring Practice Begins

by Tim Letcher

From the outside, it might be difficult to see the reasons for optimism the Kentucky football program. Even after a 10-3 season and a Citrus Bowl win over Penn State, the obstacles that this season’s Cats must climb will be very significant.

Gone is National Defensive Player of the Year Josh Allen, along with seven other starters on defense. Another half-dozen starters are gone from the offensive side of the ball. But UK head coach Mark Stoops is undaunted by the task ahead of him and his team.

“There are quite a few players we must replace, but I feel good about what we have on campus and the talent we have here, especially their work ethic and attitudes,” Stoops said after Monday’s first practice of the spring. “We know that there is an awful lot of work to do. It’s good that we have a lot of time, 14 more spring practices, and we look to improve every day.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Brad White steps into the defensive coordinator position after coaching outside linebackers last year. White and Stoops must find a way to replace the eight starters who are gone from last year’s team. Despite the losses in personnel, Stoops likes the continuity that White brings to the defense.

“That’s why you want to start from promoting within, so you can build within and keep that consistency, with our staff and our defensive staff and defensive players,” Stoops said. “It was a relatively easy transition. Our players have so much respect for Brad White because of what he’s done and how detailed he is.  It’s a lot of fun.”

One area of improvement that Stoops mentioned, on more than one occasion during Monday’s press conference, was better play at the quarterback position. Last season’s starter, Terry Wilson, returns after throwing for 1,889 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Stoops knows that Wilson’s progression will be key for the 2019 Cats.

“Just improvement in all areas fundamentally for him,” Stoops said. “It starts with him fundamentally playing the game and studying fundamentals and being more efficient and more accurate. Coach (Darin) Hinshaw and (Wilson) have watched a lot of film and were out there today really working on fundamentals. I think being more comfortable in the offense having a full year under his belt is growth.”

Lynn Bowden, Jr., returns as one of Wilson’s primary targets at wide receiver, but Stoops hopes to see others step forward this season.

“We would like to get (Bowden) the ball more and I believe we will, but you also need other guys to step up,” Stoops said. “You have heard me talk about that and the outside wide receiver position, we have to improve. We have quite a few guys there. They have some experience. At least they were here a year and I think all those guys need to step up. You see some of it. You see Josh Ali. You see Isaiah Epps. Bryce Oliver has a chance, Marvin Alexander. DeMarcus Harris is here early. I mentioned Clevan (Thomas Jr.), Allen Dailey, Jr. What I have seen so far is, I have seen some improvement.”

One other element that Stoops and his staff could battle this spring is complacency. After such a special season in 2018, it would be easy for the players to rest on their laurels. But Stoops is prepared, if that does happen.

“Complacency doesn’t enter my mind because we have so much to do,” Stoops said. “Hopefully, it won’t seep into (the players) and we can continue to pound it into their head, and we’ll be very hard on them, so they won’t get complacent. They have a lot to prove.”

While it may appear from the outside that Kentucky is in rebuilding mode, Stoops will not be satisfied with that, even when replacing so many significant losses from last year’s 10-win squad.

 

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