What football Wildcats can follow Randall Cobb's lead and have a "breakout" season. We have four to watch
By Staff
Breakout players for the Wildcats come in varying shapes and sizes. Last year it was Randall Cobb, a 3-star athlete recruit who slipped away from the grasp of Tennessee’s coach, Phil Fulmer. Cobb, an Alcoa, Tennessee native, decided to play for Rich Brooks and the Wildcats. In his first full year, he was one of a few bright spots on an uninspiring offensive season for the Wildcats. For the 2009, I’ll take a look at some potential breakout players and how they can contribute to the football program.
Alfonso Smith: #29 (RB) – 6’1, 208 lbs. We’ve been accustomed to the name, but UK fans haven’t seen the results that we all expected. The senior from Louisville has wowed UK fans more with his media presence than his presence on the field, but I expect things to change a bit this season. Usually taking duties as a reserve back, Smith could find himself as the #1 guy this season if Derrick Locke isn’t healthy enough. Locke’s recovery from injury could very well serve beneficial for Smith, who would find more reps and carries at the featured back position. Smith didn’t have gaudy numbers last season (only 313 yards rushing and two touchdowns) but could help the offense create some noise. His best game of last season had him receiving more than running, catching five passes for a touchdown and 108 yards. The development of quarterback Mike Hartline and a better consistency from the wide receivers this season could mean big numbers for Smith. The dominoes just need to fall into place at this point.
Sam Maxwell: #50 (LB)-6’3”, 248 lbs. Maxwell, now a senior for the Wildcats, will be expected to use his past three seasons experience at UK to help him develop into a versatile linebacker. He’s spent most of his career at UK as a backup, but this isn’t such a bad thing. He’s been able to develop under the likes of Wesley Woodyard, Braxton Kelley, and even Micah Johnson. His opportunity comes at the perfect time as coach Brooks will utilize Maxwell more than ever before. Playing in all 13 games last season, he has the experience needed to succeed but the numbers wouldn’t necessarily show it. With only 25 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery last season, Maxwell doesn’t garner a lot of recognition from the UK fan base. The ability to play both strong-side and weak-side linebacker will allow Maxwell to see the field more. This is exactly what Maxwell has needed and I think he and Micah Johnson will terrorize opponents who enter their territory.
Winston Guy: #21 (FS)-6’1”, 208 lbs Everyone knew who Trevard Lindley was. The All-American cornerback for the Cats has created a reputation for being one the best corners in the nation, something Guy was thought to possess. It also means having Lindley ahead of you and a lot of sitting and watching. After seeing action in all 13 games last year as a true freshman, Guy has moved from the cornerback position to play free safety, a position he should start at for the 2009 season. Guy has great quickness and speed, testament to his success as the primary return man when Derrick Locke went down to injury last year. Guy will likely get a crack at return duties again but his primary focus this season will be at free safety. He’s got the size at 6’1”, but also has the knack for getting big hits on opponents. As more reps come his way, Guy will likely improve upon the switch to his new position, something UK fans hope he will excel at. In my estimation, Guy becomes a very integral part of UK’s secondary along with Lindley for the upcoming season.
Chris Matthews: #8 (WR)-6’5”, 210 lbs The name may not be familiar with some UK fans now, but trust me it will as the season progresses. Matthews, rated the #2 JUCO player in the nation according to Rivals.com, chose to bring his services to the great Commonwealth of Kentucky. UK will enjoy Matthews’ big play ability as seen from his days playing at Los Angeles Harbor College, where he had 80 receptions, for a whopping 1,200+ yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore. The numbers he put up were among the best for junior college players in the state of California, something that caught the eye of coach Brooks and his staff. Matthews brings a necessary dimension to the success of UK’s offense. With UK’s wide receiver lacking last year (sans Cobb), Matthews will look to give Hartline another set of hands to throw to. If Cobb and Matthews can begin to click, the offense could start rolling. The one question I have is how long it will take Matthews to adjust. He’s played two full seasons of junior college football, but the NCAA is different. If Matthews adjusts quickly, UK could put up some good numbers to start the season. If Matthews doesn’t, we may be looking at a repeat of last year from the wide receiving corp.
Andrew Hardison is a recent alumni of UK and a contributor to Wildcat Blue Blog.
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