Cats looking for Keaten Wade to "amp up" in Year 2
Outside linebacker Keaten Wade saw action in all 13 games as a freshman. (Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated)
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
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@JDrumUK
Brad White sees some similarities to one of his former standouts on the Kentucky defense when he watches Keaten Wade play.
The Wildcats' sophomore outside linebacker possesses some of the same raw talent that Josh Paschal was blessed with when he arrived in Lexington, the UK defensive coordinator says.
High praise, indeed.
But Wade also shares a similar demeanor at the same age, which is an aspect the staff is working to transform entering the 2023 season.
"Keaten and I have had a lot of talks about this being a big jump year because he is a guy that can be a dominant player," White said. "... We always talk about 'what does it take to get them (to that level)?' For him, he's a very easy-going young man. He's very level-headed. He's even-keel. Not too high, not too low, and that's what you want from guys.
"At the same time, within a play, you need little spikes, and he'll have plays where he just stays even-keeled. This is a play where I need you to amp up. It's OK to get angry or get mad. When he has those moments, I try to encourage him, 'That's OK. I want you to get all the way up to the line."
Wade, who played in all 13 games in a backup role as a freshman last season, recorded 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Tennessee native is competing primarily with redshirt freshmen Tyrese Fearbry and Noah Matthews, as well as freshman Grant Godfrey, in camp for the starting outside linebacker job opposite defensive leader J.J. Weaver entering the 2023 season.
In order to win that competition and take the next step in his development, the affable Wade acknowledges that he needs to learn how to "flip the switch" on his inner mean streak when it's required.
"(White) has been preaching to me about bringing the energy to the team because when I'm down it affects my play, it affects other people's play," he said. "I'm just trying to bring my energy with every play."
There's also been a tendency for Wade to approach his assignments as a perfectionist when sometimes his natural instincts should take over.
"Not being like a robot," he noted.
Paschal, who developed into one of the nation's elite defenders in his final two seasons at UK before getting drafted by the NFL's Detroit Lions, had the same tendency.
"Josh had that early in his career," White said. "He was very much a pleaser, like he always wanted to be in the right spot. And at some point (I'd say), Josh, it's OK to be a little bit selfish as long as you go make a play... I get it. You're the B-gap player, but you're whipping this guy so bad I want you (to think) it's not going to B, go take the A and go make a tackle for loss. Keaten's the same way."
Wade feels more explosive in fall camp after tweaking his weight in the off-season. He arrived at UK weighing around 220 pounds and bulked up to 250. That felt like too much, he said, so he's entering the 2023 season in the 240 range.
"I feel like I needed to get way more faster, more twitchy, as you can say it," he said.
