catmandoo
Player
Member # 1284
|
posted 08-04-2014 08:59 AM
When your coachs start praising your play you know you are doing the right things. Hopefully Meant is going to be a big boost to the defense.
He’s put on about 40 pounds of “good weight” and now has the size of Southeastern Conference defensive tackles. Even better, Regie Meant also has improved his technique thanks to being redshirted last year.
“I feel like someone who is better, stronger. My skills, technique are up to date. I couldn’t just sit and relax when I came in. I was worried about making plays, not technique, when I came in and that didn’t always work,” said Meant.
“I focused and attacked the challenge. I took it very personally. The coaches praised me a lot in the offseason, so that means like they are expecting a lot out of me. Because they are giving me a big opportunity, I just can’t take that for granted.”
He gets to start proving how he’s improved and what he can do to help Kentucky when the Wildcats open practice Monday morning. Kentucky begins regular-season play Aug. 30 against Tennessee-Martin.
Kentucky lost starting defensive tackles Donte Rumph and Mister Cobble off last year’s team and Meant, who has run the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds, will have a chance to work his way into the playing rotation. The Florida native did not start playing football until he was in high school.
That’s why he knows the redshirt year was likely the best possible thing for him.
“If I had played just a little bit, it would have been basically a wasted year. That was another thing about being redshirted. I knew I had two seniors in front of me and when they were playing well the third guy was not even getting in. I started to get the big picture that I may as well take the redshirt,” Meant said.
“When I was helping the first team offense on scout (team), my goal was whatever the coaches told me I needed to get better at, I just went over there and practiced it. Me getting in with those guys and the coaches praising me and letting me know I was getting better at it was all the motivation I needed.”
Link
--------------------
http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186362 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged
|
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic