It’s been a summer pf previewing the key components of UK football and we near the end with the look at UK’s linebackers corp. In case you missed the earlier updates, we started with THE QB’s, moved on with a look at THE RB’s and then THE WR’s. Last but not least, we examined THE LINEMEN and now we come to THE LINEBACKERS . First let’s look at the starters.
MICAH JOHNSON
Last season, Micah finally turned the potential he had entering the season into actual production. Micah led the team in tackles for a loss (13) and ranked second in tackles (93) despite missing two and a half games with a high ankle sprain. Micah is, as Sports Illustrated described him, a “sideline-to-sideline tackling terror who is the anchor of a defense that desperately needs one”. Micah had a brief flirtation with the NFL but comes back to anchor the MLB position and realizes he must be the heart of a front seven that is sorely missing Jeremy Jarmon. Johnson enters this team as a second team ALL SEC LB in the preseason poll and has been projected as a mid round NFL Draft selection for next year.
SAM MAXWELL
Maxwell has been a valuable backup during his time at UK but finally gets a chance to step into the starting lineup as a senior. He spent most of his career as the backup at the strongside linebacker, but is an extremely versatile athlete that can play both sides. Injuries last year saw Maxwell spend time at six different positions and he got his only start vs Western Kentucky. Last year he had 25 tackles and 3.5 for a loss. He has shown a knack for getting into the opponent’s backfield and he is used to playing in the “big game”. As a sophomore, he started the LSU game and finished with 6 tackles and he had a crucial interception in the 2nd OT vs Tennessee. He also had two sacks in the Music City Bowl versus FSU. It appears that Maxwell has paid his dues and is ready to make an impact for UK.
DANNY TREVATHAN
Trevathan moves into the Weakside LB starting position in just his second year as a Wildcat. He has made an impact on the program as his speed and intensity have drawn comparisons to Wesley Woodyard. He was highly touted as a HS player in Florida but was overlooked by the big three schools. This is not a bad thing because NCAA rosters are filled with solid players from Florida that escaped the looks of Miami, FSU, and UF. His most notable asset is his speed and he made quite an impact in the Blue/White game with 11 tackles. He spent his true freshman season on the UK special teams with a 5 tackles and a blocked kick. Has impressed coaches to beat out Jacob Dufrene for the starting position for now.
JACOB DUFRENE
Depending on what happens in August, we could see Dufrene starting at the weakside linebacker instead of Trevathan. Dufrene has spent his last two seasons on the special teams unit at UK, but is another very fast linebacker. His scouting report says that his speed causes him to be an effective blitzer. He was a first team all state selection in Louisiana in HS and Scout.com rated him as the 89th best outsider LB prospect. Dufrene will likely see time backing up Maxwell as he can play both positions.
THE DEPTH
Ronnie Sneed will enter his sophomore season as the backup to Micah Johnson at MLB. He was an all state selection in Florida his senior year and was actually UK’s 5th highest rated prospect in the 2007 recruiting class. He shows great potential as a pass rusher and has an innate ability to get to the ball. Senior Mikhail Mabry will see some time at MLB and has spent most of his UK career on special teams. He did contribute 8 tackles last year and has been described as a “mentally focused tank”
Antonio Thomas, a sophomore, will back up Maxwell and possibly Dufrene at strongside linebacker. He is very athletic and quick, having played at both DB and WR in high school. He has bulked up considerably since arriving at UK, adding 15 pounds of muscle.
If Dufrene does indeed back up Maxwell, William Johnson will be #2 on the depth chart at weakside linebacker. Johnson was the 6th rated prospect in the 2008 class and redshirted last year, as he moved from a WR and DB to a LB. From all indications, he has done a good job with the position change. His speed enables him to be an effective blitzer and he also shows toughness and a good nose for the ball. Injuries has kept Junior Brandon Thurmond off the field the last two seasons, but he could make a push for playing time under Trevathan. He is another ex track athlete in the LB position and has tremendous heart.
THE FRESHMEN
Qua Huzzie and Demetri Merritt are OLB prospects and a tribute to the UK staff developing that LaGrange, Ga pipeline. Huzzie is descibed as a “tough, explosive linebacker prospect with playmaker potential” and was the 88th best LB recruit last year. Merritt can run and hit “with the best of them” and is described as having a very “high motor”. UK also landed the number 8 prospect in Kentucky with Ridge Wilson, who hails from the same HS as Corey Peters and Mister Cobble.
THE OUTLOOK
We know that UK is solid at MLB and I actually have faith in Sam Maxwell at one of the OLB positions. I do think that Trevathan can grow to be a very solid LB in the SEC. The question is whether it is fair to expect him to be that solid in his first season starting. The one consistency I see with the LB corp is the amount of speed and versatility on this squad. Brooks does not get enough credit on how he has recruited for speed over the years and this season could see a payoff for that. With Maxwell and Johnson departing after this season, UK will need solid development from the depth chart and possibly look for one of the freshman to impress and make a solid bid for playing time. With the speed, the LB corp can pick up some of the slack from the D-Line and provide a consistent pass rush. As a whole, this group would rank in the bottom part of the SEC, due to lack of experience overall, but with a solid year from Trevathan and the youngsters, this can be the start of a very solid corp.
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