Kentucky Football: Cornerbacks Continue To Draw Praise
Kentucky football plays home to some of the best cornerbacks in all of college football. Head coach Mark Stoops is hoping they’ll soon receive their due praise.
The Kentucky football program made waves recently. The defensive backfield made it perfectly clear that it wants to turn the University of Kentucky into the new DB U.
Head coach Mark Stoops didn’t exactly cosign that statement, but he made it perfectly clear that he sees Kentucky as capable of living up to it.
For those unfamiliar, the Miami Hurricanes earned the nickname of DB U for the number of NFL-caliber defensive backs it produced. The defensive backs coach for a key part of that remarkable period was none other than Stoops.
According to Jennifer Smith of The Lexington Herald-Leader, coach Stoops had nothing but praise for his starting cornerbacks at Kentucky.
"“People don’t talk about Baity, but if you didn’t have Westry on the other side, you would look at Baity and say, ‘Man, that’s one of the most pretty corners you could sign,’” said head coach Mark Stoops, who has signed his share."
In other words, the Wildcats have two sensational cornerbacks who both deserve praise.
The Wildcats’ cornerback sensations are sophomores Chris Westry and Derrick Baity. They aren’t just skilled players who compete; they have a size advantage like few in the country.
Westry is a 6’4″ and 195-pound force with shutdown potential.
Baity is a 6’3″ and 182-pound bump and run specialist with similar upside.
Westry has begun to draw praise from multiple outlets around the country. He started all 12 games as a true freshman and held his own against some of the best wide receivers in the SEC.
While Westry was a member of the SEC All-Freshman Team, it’s taken Baity a little longer to receive the respect he’s due.
"“I never felt it like I was jealous or anything, but I definitely wanted to be by his side out there,” said the sophomore from Tampa who spent the first eight games of last season as a backup before earning the starting spot. Westry started all 12 games last season.“I saw that a freshman really could play in the SEC and I was like, ‘We’re the same. I can compete at the same level,’” Baity said of his delayed start. “And now that it’s going to be my year to start, it’s really going to be my breakout year.”"
Wildcats fans are hoping he’s right.
With two cornerbacks standing at 6’3″ or taller, the Wildcats already have an inherent size advantage. Both are capable athletes who have proven themselves as more than capable in coverage.
Baity’s size and strength permits him to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage.
In 2015, Westry broke up at least one pass in eight different games and had the victory-sealing interception against South Carolina.
The hope in Lexington is that both players will continue to progress in 2016. If that’s what transpires, then the Wildcats could improve upon what’s already a Top 35 pass defense.
The most promising sign of Kentucky being able to do so is how supportive Westry is of Baity.
"“If you look at us and you didn’t know us everyday, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell who is who,” Westry admitted of his good friend and now fellow starting corner. “He comes to play every day. People don’t hear his name every day, but he’s a big sleeper guy. People that don’t know him, they will know him.”"
That’s a secondary that’s on the same page.
The Wildcats have questions at safety following the season-ending injury sustained by Darius West. This is a Kentucky squad that ranked No. 31 in the country in passing yards allowed per game, however, and it should only get better.
Baity and Westry are only sophomores and they’re already the talk of the football town.
must read: Kentucky wants to be the new DB U
Kentucky’s dynamic duo will have its first test against Southern Miss on Saturday, September 3 in Lexington. Catch the game at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU.