With signing day in the rearview mirror, The University of Kentucky football team will shift its focus to spring practice and trying to fill out the depth chart. I’ll be breaking down each position group to see who’s in consideration for playing time and what each player brings to the table.
The downfall of Kentucky’s passing game can be placed partially on the shoulders of the Quarterback play over the last two seasons. Hartline and Newton have struggled to match the efficiency of their predecessors and the numbers prove it. Not helping the matter though, has been the borderline abysmal play of the wide receiver group as a unit. Now that the 2008 recruiting class has reached their junior year, UK will not be relying as much on young players to make an immediate impact. Kentucky’s offense will likely be centered around the running game again this season, but look for a higher emphasis on passing than what was seen last season.
With no graduating seniors, Kentucky will return their entire receiving corps except for reserve Eric Adeyemi. That means Junior College transfer and first year starter Chris Matthews will have an opportunity to improve on his up and down performances of 2009. Matthews came to Kentucky as one of the highest rated JUCO receiver in the country, but was caught in the trap that commonly disrupts productive JUCO players when they enroll at FBS programs. Stevie Johnson experienced a similar speed bump in his progression during his first season, and we all know what kind of senior year he had. With a 6’5 frame and reported 4.4 speed, look for the light to click after participating in his first and last spring practice as a wildcat. Matthews has all the physical tools to be one of the most dominant receivers Kentucky has ever had.
One of the most popular players in UK history, Randall Cobb will be entering his junior year, and his third season as a focal point of the Kentucky offensive game plan. Cobb provides Kentucky with a proven playmaker to rely on in tight situations and will continue to contribute by running the ball and operating the “WildCobb” formation. Expect him to also see more time in a traditional Wide Receiver role catching passes from a split position. With the expected help of Jonathan George, Donald Russell, and the freshman trio of Running backs in the running game, keeping Cobb at WR and returning punts could allow him to take less of a beating in games and keep him fresher for the end of contests. Expect to see him worked out of the slot receiver position this spring, which is a little of a more natural fit for a receiver his size.
Probably the biggest surprise from the 2009 season was the unexpected play of LaRod King. A converted Quarterback from Radcliff, King was thought to be a project player by most, and the general consensus was that he would be unlikely to see a lot of action until his junior or senior season. As the season progressed, King worked his way up the depth chart and bypassed experienced veterans to claim the #3 Wide Receiver role by the end of the year. Expect the 6’4 sophomore to solidify his spot on the depth chart and push Matthews and Cobb for one of the top two spots this spring.
Senior Kyrus Lanxter was the first piece of the Alcoa pipeline that’s been built by Kentucky, but he’s had less of an on-field impact than his high school teammate Randall Cobb. This can largely be credited to nagging injuries Lanxter has suffered since he arrived at UK, ranging from hamstring issues to wrist problems. If he can remain healthy, Lanxter can provide veteran leadership to the receivers and make a bigger impact during his final season as a Wildcat. Look for him to be used as a blocker on sweep and toss plays, as well as catching passes over the middle of the field where his size can create matchup problems for smaller/lighter defensive backs. This spring should see Lanxter really emerge as a contender for playing time with his knowledge and understanding of the offensive system.
Gene McCaskill has had one of the more up-and-down careers of the UK receivers. He came to Kentucky as one of the lowest rated members of the 2008 class, but had one of the biggest impacts of the true freshmen. His talent is obviously there, but he needs a strong spring to keep from being passed up by younger players. As a converted high school Quarterback, the light should really click on for his junior year and he should prove to be one of the biggest “surprises” of the spring sessions. Expect him to be one of key members of the receiver rotation and fall in somewhere around the #4 or #5 role in that rotation.
Junior Matt Roark joins Cobb as a member of the 2008 recruiting class that provides the most versatility. Roark played Safety and Quarterback in high school, so there has been a learning curve to switch over to Wide Receiver. He provides a massive target at 6’5, and can fill the position of flexed tight end while some of the younger tight ends acclimate to the college game. His most valuable contributions will probably continue to be on special teams where he has shown the ability to be a game changing kick blocker and a fearless headhunter on kickoff coverage. With his ability to dish out big hits, he might even be a candidate to experiment with a move to Outside Linebacker or Defensive End during the spring sessions. Expect Roark to make a bigger impact in the receiver rotation and continue to be a major factor on special teams.
After a disappointing freshman season, Aaron Boyd redshirted this past season in the hopes of stimulating his development. Boyd came out of Henry Clay high school as the top rated player in Kentucky and chose UK over Oregon. He has immense natural talent, but has struggled to put everything together on the field. His imposing size should provide him an opportunity to overpower smaller defensive backs on jams and allow for an easy release from the line of scrimmage. This spring should be a make-or-break opportunity for him to climb his way up the depth chart and make an impact in a somewhat shallow position Group.
E.J. Fields is probably the biggest question mark of the group. Hearing coaches and players talk about his ability leaves no doubt that he can be a major factor as a Wide Receiver, but he has sustained one injury after another to prevent him from playing. If he is granted an additional year of eligibility for injuries, he will essentially enter the spring practices as a freshman going through his second year of offseason workouts. Depending on his ability to get healthy and stay healthy, Fields could eventually prove to be one of the best players in the 2008 class.
Kentucky whiffed on their targets in the 2010 recruiting class. Ronnie Shields will come in as a WR/TE hybrid player who could work out of the slot, but that’s about it. He may see extended time at WR simply due to the fact that he does not carry the ideal weight for a Tight End. Expect heavy contributions from the Tight End position in spread sets with Anthony Kendrick, Brian Adams, and Ryan Wallace the most likely to see extended action.
Now that the current roster has matured, Kentucky should see a dramatic improvement in play from their receivers. The top receivers from the last two years where freshmen and sophomores, and now those same players have become juniors and sophomores with above average experience playing at the SEC level. With the expected improvement at
Quarterback, look for the receivers to have a much bigger impact at Kentucky this coming season.
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