catmandoo
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Member # 1284
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posted 07-11-2014 03:16 PM
It's going to exciting for sure and the out-look looks pretty darn good.
Coach Mark Stoops is coming off a 2-10 finish in his first season with the Wildcats and is optimistic this season will be better because of improved talent on the team.
Here’s how the various media members responded to what intrigues them the most:
Ryan Lemond, Kentucky Sports Radio: “Just the possibility of winning. It’s as simple as that. I got upset going to Commonwealth Stadium game after game the last few years knowing there was no way UK could win the game. Now that ‘gap’ between UK and the SEC has narrowed a bit, and now there is a little optimism and hope. I like that.”
Tom Leach, UK Radio Network: “How the quarterback position plays out. Major improvement there is the path to a season that exceeds expectations. Getting the Air Raid offense cranked up would please a great number of BBN fans and I expect that will start to happen this fall, with a year in the system and a better, more experienced supporting cast around the quarerback — whoever he is. If Patrick Towles hangs onto the starting job, that will provide an interesting storyline, given how his career has unfolded at UK. Going into the spring, he was quarterback most likely to transfer. Instead, he was open to changing the mechanics the coaches wanted changed to fit this system, and Towles moved to the top of the depth chart by the end of spring. Seeing if a guy that many had written off can shine in this role will be intriguing to watch.”
Ashley Scoby, Vaughtsviews.com: “I have one for each side of the ball. First, I’m intrigued to see how Josh Clemons fits into the running back battle. He showed how talented he could be a few years ago. But where does he fit in, now that he’s returning from severe injuries, and when the running back position is as deep as it’s been in years? We keep hearing great things about how he’s practicing, so I’ll be excited to see him compete with Braylon Heard, Jojo Kemp, etc. On the other side of the ball is Bud Dupree, and I’ll be interested to see how the coaching staff uses him. He has the size to be a big-time defensive end, but also the speed to play more on his feet. How he fits into the overall defensive scheme (and how NFL scouts see him afterwards) will be exciting to watch.”
Mary Jo Perino, former WLEX-TV sports anchor: “What intrigues me most about the upcoming football season is the quarterback situation. So much has already been seemingly placed on the shoulders of Drew Barker, but will he start as a freshman? Will he be ready? Or has all the extra off season work really paid off for Patrick Towles? Obviously everyone wants to see if this team can take a couple steps forward and win some games, but who’s under center may determine the answer to that question. I don’t expect Mark Stoops and company to drag out the decision through the end of fall camp like last season. I believe someone will be named early on this fall and who that is is the most intriguing thing to me.”
Keith Taylor, Winchester Sun: “I’m really interested in seeing how the quarterback race ends up and what the UK offense will look like with Neal Brown’s system totally intact. Will be interested in seeing how the Cats fare with the schedule. Going to be odd with Kentucky and Louisville not playing until the final week of the regular season. Anxious to see how fans from both teams respond to the rivalry, which has taken on a new twist.”
Tyler Thompson, Kentucky Sports Radio: “I’m really excited to see how the 2014 class performs this season. They’ve already generated so much buzz through recruiting, and one of the biggest reasons most of them picked Kentucky over bigger programs was the chance to play early and often in the SEC, the nation’s best football conference. The 2014 class’ enthusiasm is so contagious that 2015 four-star defensive end Darius Fullwood cited it as a reason he decided to commit to Kentucky. Several 2014 players enrolled early, like Drew Barker, TV Williams, Mikel Horton, and Thaddeus Snodgrass, and it will be interesting to see if that early start can give them a leg up going into fall camp, particularly for Drew Barker, who is still in the running for the starting quarterback job. Right now, Patrick Towles is considered the favorite, but if Barker can make a surge in fall camp or early in the season, I believe the staff will give him the reins to send a statement to future recruits that if you want to play early in the SEC, come to Kentucky. Same thing with five-star defensive tackle Matt Elam, also considered a leader in the 2014 class. If the freshmen’s enthusiasm can carry over onto the field, it won’t just have an impact on Kentucky’s record, it will have an impact on recruiting classes for years to come.”
Link
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http://www.ukfightsong.com/
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