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 most underappreciated members of just about any football team are the interior offensive linemen. Kentucky will return two players who contributed heavily in incumbent starter Stuart Hines and top reserve Larry Warford, but the Center job is up for grabs. Losing Gonzalez and Christian Johnson will hurt initially, but UK has several players capable of stepping in and making an impact early.
The only returning full time starter from last season, Stuart Hines will presumably man the right guard position. Hines will be a junior this spring and will bring the most game time experience to a young unit. His ability to pass and run block well should allow Kentucky’s offense to open up the game plan this fall to a more balanced attack. There have also been some rumors of experimenting with Hines at tackle this spring, and with his athleticism it could definitely work. At this point he’s still listed as a guard though, so expect to see him lining up at the right guard position again.
Most UK fans were surprised when Larry Warford was not red-shirted this past fall. The fact that he earned significant playing time as a true freshman is a testament to his natural strength and ability. Warford will return for his sophomore year looking to man the left guard position he shared with senior Christian Johnson. His size allows him to bulldoze over defenders in the run game, and look for him to make the most improvement of the group this spring with coach Summers’ helping him to reach his full potential. The left guard position is his to lose.
Jake Lanefski will have an opportunity to contribute heavily on the offensive line. He has spent time at Center and Guard over his career, and could fill in at either position this season. His recovery form his season ending ACL injury will determine where he stands during the spring, but he should be fully in the mix by the time camp starts this summer.
It seems like every recruiting class has a recruit the leaves fans scratching their head and Sean Stackhouse was that player in the 2008 class. There was little information about him prior to his commitment to Kentucky, and he took many fans by surprise. After arriving at UK, Stackhouse was red shirted and moved from Tight End to Left Guard, hoping to follow in the footsteps of Zipp Duncan and Eric Scott. To contribute this season, he’ll need to make strides in the weight room and at the dinner table to get bigger than the 266 pounds he’s weighing in at now. Expect him to play a reserve role and contribute heavily on the scout team as he continues his progression on the offensive line.
Matt Smith saw some playing time as a red shirt freshman while playing backup Center to Jorge Gonzalez. With Gonzalez graduation, Smith looks to be in one of the most heated battles to replace him. The sophomore out of Louisville has great height, standing 6’4, but could use a few more pounds to get above his current weight of 280 pounds. He will likely start the spring sessions at the Center position, but could also play either one of the Guard positions should he lose the job.
Sam Simpson came to Kentucky as the local boy-coach’s son. He has the luxury of growing up in a football family and understanding the game thoroughly from several positional standpoints. Simpson is one player that should see the field no matter what position he plays, but is one of the top contenders at Center. Also 6’4 and 280 pounds, he and his main competition Matt Smith are nearly identical in size, but Smith will have the advantage in experience. Look for Simpson to be one of the top players in the interior line rotation at Center or Guard if he doesn’t win the outright starting job at Center.
Many people forget that Texan Osaze Idumwonyi was actually tied with Winston Guy as the second highest rated player in the 2008 class. Currently weighing in at 291 pounds, he has put on a whopping 30 pounds since arriving as a linebacker-looking 261-pound freshman. He’s currently listed as a Center, but he could realistically fill in as a Guard as well, or might even see a move to the defensive line. While he may have slipped all our minds this past season, he should have a very good spring with the increased reps he’ll receive this year.
Kentucky is currently recruiting several offensive line prospects for the 2011 class. Bryan Station’s Darrian Miller has already committed to Kentucky and could conceivably play Tackle or Guard. Lexington Christian’s Zach West is another local player who could end up suiting up for Kentucky when all is said and done. This should be a very big class for the offensive line as UK will look to re-stock after losing four starters from the 2009 team.
Hines and Warford are the assumed starters at the two Guard positions for the 2010 season and should receive most of the snaps during spring practice. The battle for starting Center should be one of the more interesting competitions to watch and each player’s ability to call out assignments might be the deciding factor. This will be one of the better springs for the offensive line junkies.
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