Veterans Ready to Lead UK Defense
Despite losing a several significant contributors from last season, the Kentucky defense still has a number of leaders who will be returning for the 2021 season. Defensive coordinator Brad White and his team are hoping to find out more about themselves in spring camp.
“Obviously, just really excited to be back on the field,” White said. “Every defense has to find their identify. And this is just the start. It won’t end at the end of spring. It’s going to carry through to fall camp.”
White likes the experienced players that have been leading his squad through two spring practices.
“Really excited about the veteran leadership we have,” White said. “As good a group as I’ve ever been around. We’re going to lean heavy on this veteran leadership. We’re going to lean heavy on the old guys to pull the young guys.”
White also likes the versatility of his defense, something the defensive coordinator knows is important.
“Some of those older guys, we’re trying to broaden their football IQ,” White said. “And we’re moving them around in some different spots. One, for emergency purposes, you never know what happens in a season. But two, the more they understand from someone else’s shoes, it makes them a better player at their current position.”
White’s defense is facing the new offensive scheme, under the direction of offensive coordinator Liam Coen, every day in practice. White knows that seeing something new can only help his unit.
“Absolutely. What makes it so good for us is it’s not stagnant,” White said. “If I’ve been a veteran that’s been in this system three or four years, you get accustomed to seeing that offense across from you in practice, in the spring, in fall camp. The only time you go against a different offense is in season. It really forces them to focus, to dial in.”
One of the leaders that White mentioned was senior linebacker DeAndre Square, who has taken on even more of a leadership role this spring.
“DeAndre’s been a guy that has been a big-time leader for us,” White said. “He was a quiet leader. What he did, he showed up every day and worked. He led and he gained trust of his teammates by his play style and his work ethic. Obviously, the unquestioned leader in that room. With impressed with how he’s taking that on his shoulders. He’s asked for more responsibility and we’re going to give it to him. Not only has he earned it but he deserves it.”
Square was third on the team in tackles last season with 60, including 2.5 tackles for loss. He’s ready to be the unquestioned leader of the defense this season.
“I feel like this year, I have to be more of a leader because we do have a lot of young guys,” Square said. “A lot of young guys look up to me because I’ve been here, I’ve been playing a lot. So I feel like I have to communicate even more and take guys under my wing.”
Square knows that being a leader is more than just being vocal.
“The younger DeAndre Square would, most days, just go home and spend my time at home a lot, not interact with guys and just be by myself. The older I got, and learning from the older guys that I did have in front of me and the coaches, I had to get out more. I try to spend as much time as I can up here, just around football so I can make myself better for my teammates because I know they need me.”
Square likes going against Coen’s offense because it provides him with opportunity to improve.
“It’s new because the last three to four years, I’ve been going into day one install, day two install kind of already having a good gist of what the offense is going to do,” Square said. “But these past two days, the first day was kind of feel everything out, it was kind of rough at the start but as the day went on, I kind of got better at seeing things. Today was a lot better of day.”
Square will be front and center among the veterans who form the core of the 2021 UK defense.
