Kentucky Offense Adapting Well to Changes
There are a lot of new facets to the Kentucky offense ahead of the 2024 season. It starts with new offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan, but it will also include a new quarterback in Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff and a new running back in Ohio State transfer Chip Trayanum.
The Cats spent the spring and the entire offseason getting to know a new system and getting to know each other. Less than a week into fall camp, Trayanum was asked how the offense is coming together.
“I think camp is going pretty good,” he said following Saturday’s practice. “We’re just establishing ourselves as an offense and embracing that every day grind, just getting out here, trying to get one percent better.”
Trayanum noted that the spring and offseason were key for the unit to be able to come together quickly.
“It’s been more than a few practices, we’ve had the whole offseason,” Trayanum said. “The coaches have done a good job and we’ve done a good job as the offensive leaders just getting the offense together, working on each other and working on our chemistry. Just to have all of that stuff before camp helps.”
Hamdan likes the depth in the running back room and Trayanum noted that the running backs on the current roster hope to follow in the footsteps of past UK greats like Benny Snell, Chris Rodriguez and Ray Davis.
“We approach it with a chip on our shoulders,” Trayanum said. “Everybody in the running back room, we take pride in the success that Kentucky has had at the running back tradition. We just make each other better and feed on each other.”
Trayanum, who rushed 85 times for 373 yards last season at Ohio State, believes that he brings versatility to the position.
“I feel like I can do everything,” he said. “I feel like I can be an all-purpose back. That’s my main goal. Just trusting my coaches and my teammates.”
One of the new elements that offenses around the country are dealing with is adjusting to the new communication technology that allows the offensive coordinator to speak directly into the helmet of the quarterback. Trayanum said it’s an adjustment that the Cats continue to work on.
“You definitely see everybody getting more comfortable every day,” he said. “It’s just going to be a day-by-day process until we all get it done.”
One of the things that will help the offense, both in the rushing and passing games, is the experience of the offensive line. On Friday, Hamdan spoke about that group and how they will impact the UK attack.
“We’ve got good depth,” Hamdan said. “Certainly there is the comfort feelings about Eli Cox at center and the amount of games that he has played in. Certainly feel good about those guys. We have a long way to go. As you know, most folks are going to say that, just three practices in, but certainly needs to be a really solid group for us with the amount of starts these guys have made.”
It’s still early in camp but it appears that the UK offense is adapting well to the many changes from last season.
