What player do you think is most likely to move up the depth chart to number 1 over a veteran defender during fall camp or early in the season. I don't have a specific player to list but IMO it is likely going to be a player at the CB position. I also think that J. Johnson and D Ware will be more or less co starters at that OLB position. The DE position manned by Huguenin is also a position where we may see a change.
Potential Depth Chart Changes on Defense.
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possibilities are C J Johnson at DT & Kendall Randolph at corner but really I think the "1s" on both sides look pretty solid so I don't except much if any changes. We have a lot of really good looking "2s" that will get to play a lot IMO and even some "3s". Not much room for true freshmen this year IMO except maybe at corner on defense and TE on offense plus the 4th running back.
I agree on CJ Johnson and didn't list him because I already consider him the starter. On offense Conrad is already listed as the starter on the depth chart and IMO there is a good chance that George A-A might be the starting RT.
Randolph definitely is a prospect to get one of the starting CB positions along with one of the tall Freshmen.
Randolph definitely is a prospect to get one of the starting CB positions along with one of the tall Freshmen.
The question was what players do you expect to move up the depth chart to the one position during fall camp or THE FIRST FEW GAMES OF THE SEASON.
I actually think there might be changes at some positions in fall camp but am almost certain there will be changes after a few games.
IMO if we are getting the same old defense from last year the coaching staff will shake thing up quickly and hope some new blood in there will make a difference.
If there isn't players in the pipeline that can beat the play of last years defense the Cats are in real trouble on defense.
I'm shocked, I tell you shocked. I never would have imagined that was your view.
The personnel will change as the season progresses. Always does. Some of it is due to guys getting passed and other times it's due to injury. Obsessing on your perception that our defense will suck again if guys aren't replaced is ... well, obsession IMO. What you are actually doing is dogging the guys we have returning and not giving the benefit of the doubt that they might improve individually or that the coaches can't adapt to their personnel. It's all very tiring.
Wrong. The depth chart never changes during the season. Once starters have been established they must remain starters the entire season. In fact, a league committee has to approve the change of starters the following season for returning players. Longstanding SEC Rule, pretty sure the Big 10 has this rule as well.
It is not my contention that players can not improve but it has been my observation that they most often do not improve much from the Junior to the Senior year. A majority of the UK defense is Seniors and redshirted Seniors. I hope all make a huge improvement but do not think it is likely Speaking of tiring I find you very tiring with your know it all attitude.
I would also like to say that I think there is a big difference between a player that had to be replaced because of injury and a player that was replaced for lack of performance.
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My contention is that the best players to win games should be put on the field be they true Freshmen, redshirted Seniors, or any classes in between. I have not suggested that any player lose their position but I do have some doubts about some of them. The coaches make those decisions not me some dude on a message board.
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I don't disagree with the best players. But I trust Stoops and the staff to evaluate and make the right decisions to start the year. They will not sit the best players simply due to seniority.
I have zero doubts that the depth chart will change during the first part of the season as they always do.
There are some players that absolutely have to step up, but if they do start it must be the coaches felt they gave them the best chance to win or the youngsters are not as good or ready to play.
We need to worry less about preseason depth charts and more about production on the field. Doubting the coaches before any games have played seems a bit futile a month before the opener.
If you have numbers backing this, please share. Thanks. My perception is most players' best season is there SR year. It's why the highest starting percentage of any class is most often when they are SR's.
Really have to disagree with this point. I think JC players get exponentially better between their JR and SR years and Kentucky has a bunch of those.
I do not deny that most players best year is likely their Senior or Redshirt Senior years because they made a big jump earlier but in my opinion the biggest jump in a players productivity is between his Sophomore and Junior year and if they did not make that jump they are not likely to make it from their Junior to Senior year. They are more apt to level out and play at about the same level that they played as juniors.
They should have matured in the strength and conditioning program for that two or 3 years, gotten the systems down and gotten a feel for the speed of the college game. If they haven't I doubt it is going to happen their Senior year. By that time it is likely lack of the ability to perform at the level at which they are playing if they are not doing well.
I will somewhat make an exception for JUCOs because they have a learning curve their first year in a major college program.
I said this was from my observations not some scientific expert study.
I look for Flannigan and C.J.Johnson to make a BIG impact this year! When we sign johnson i remember poster's being really excited,but after he didn't dominate last year then he is no good! 
IMO Johnson is the most explosive DT we have since peter's... I'm not saying he is as good as peter's that remain's to be seen.But he is the most explosive/athletic since then IMO...
And here are a few names that i think could make big improvement!
McWilson
Mclain
Randolph
Hatcher
Elam
And a few more to keep your eye on
Tucker
Hytchye
Ware
Meant
Dubose
There are several more juco's/transfere's along with redshirt's that should give us much needed depth!!!
IMO Johnson is the most explosive DT we have since peter's... I'm not saying he is as good as peter's that remain's to be seen.But he is the most explosive/athletic since then IMO...
And here are a few names that i think could make big improvement!
McWilson
Mclain
Randolph
Hatcher
Elam
And a few more to keep your eye on
Tucker
Hytchye
Ware
Meant
Dubose
There are several more juco's/transfere's along with redshirt's that should give us much needed depth!!!
Agree w those above saying Randolph and Westry. The CB spots are the most likely to see some youngsters jump up. Nothing against the guys listed there now, they are doing all they can. Unfortunately, just not physically gifted enough to match up in the SEC. Given Coach Ansley's predisposition to "5" guys (play all secondary spots), I'm wondering if Edwards and West and maybe the true frosh S Walker (hope I have the right name from memory) can either step in or allow someone else to do so.
I actually think our front 7 will be decent. Hard to believe with losing Bud and Z, but I think they can compete. But have to fix the CB spot...
I actually think our front 7 will be decent. Hard to believe with losing Bud and Z, but I think they can compete. But have to fix the CB spot...
\\I look for Flannigan and C.J.Johnson to make a BIG impact this year! When we sign johnson i remember poster's being really excited,but after he didn't dominate last year then he is no good!
IMO Johnson is the most explosive DT we have since peter's... I'm not saying he is as good as peter's that remain's to be seen.But he is the most explosive/athletic since then IMO...
And here are a few names that i think could make big improvement!
McWilson
Mclain
Randolph
Hatcher
Elam
And a few more to keep your eye on
Tucker
Hytchye
Ware
Meant
Dubose
There are several more juco's/transfere's along with redshirt's that should give us much needed depth!!!
The players that you listed are those that should be getting that big
Sophomore to Junior jump or in the redshirts case the redshirt to sophomore jump.
Dubose came in at 265lbs....now up to 315 after a RS year.I look for Flannigan and C.J.Johnson to make a BIG impact this year! When we sign johnson i remember poster's being really excited,but after he didn't dominate last year then he is no good!
IMO Johnson is the most explosive DT we have since peter's... I'm not saying he is as good as peter's that remain's to be seen.But he is the most explosive/athletic since then IMO...
And here are a few names that i think could make big improvement!
McWilson
Mclain
Randolph
Hatcher
Elam
And a few more to keep your eye on
Tucker
Hytchye
Ware
Meant
Dubose
There are several more juco's/transfere's along with redshirt's that should give us much needed depth!!!
Beat out Arkansas, Maryland, WV and Michigan State for this young man.
Agree on Johnson I think he has a monster year.
Also think Tucker contributes this year. Go back and look at Tuckers offer sheet from 2014.
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Dubose was a basketball player that had just started playing football when he committed, IIRC, should be lots of room for improvement there. He was a 5.4 two star when he committed and jumped two decimals to a 5.6 by the time he signed. Pretty sure Marrow's brother is his coach, if not him then some other commit a big time program came to recruit and noticed the same name and asked his coach if he were related to our Marrow and he said yes, he's my brother. The story goes the recruiter didn't say anything, just got up and left.
Not overly optimistic at all....shows we are building depth with talent.The player's I listed are those that I think will challenge to get a starting spot. If they don't take the starting position I think they will still be impact players in the two deep!!!!
Am I to optimistic???
And you can also put Edward/west on your watch list
The player's I listed are those that I think will challenge to get a starting spot. If they don't take the starting position I think they will still be impact players in the two deep!!!!
Am I to optimistic???
And you can also put Edward/west on your watch list
I gave your post a like. The Safety spots may have some of the more talented players on the UK defense. McWilson, Stamps, McClain,Edwards, and West are some good players. I believe there is also an Safety on the incoming Freshman squad that is touted as being very talented. I right now can not think of his name.
I give you data you agree with & you give opinion. I'll let other decide which to take to heart.
IF someone replaces Huguenin he'll be a real stud! This kid looked very solid in the open practice, You could see he gained valuable knowledge and skills playing behind Bud and others. His size and strength are undeniabely NFL quality,1/2 step quicker and he could be the real deal for Kentucky. There's a reason Stoops isn't as worried as the rest of us for this position.
Dude if you do not like my opinion move on to something you like better. I stated it was an opinion just like everything you have posted is nothing but your opinion Please show where you have given any facts? The truth is most of your post are just slamming something or somebodies opinion. I do not think I have ever seen you make an original post. and most of your post are negative slamming somebody elses post. This post is directed at VHCAT
Huguenin plays Z position correct??? I was expecting Hatcher/Ware to replace bud...But we might be going to a true 3-4 which would give them different responsibility's... I'm not( football smart)enough to go into nut's an bolt's of our hybrid last year verses 3-4...
Everytime I think I have our OLB position figured out I see where hatcher is being backed up by so and so instead of the other guy and I get confused again
I think we all should have it figured out after this year though. Lol
I think our defensive coaching is always looking for guys that can be multiple threats and be used in multiple sets, so it can be difficult to follow from the stands. I love it. Like the argument that went on forever about if we were playing 3-4 or 4-3. We were, at times, lined up as one and playing the other because we had flexible guys like Stud Dupree.
Yes - that is the actual DE position and more specifically the RDE or Right Defensive End. Z was actually too small for the position he was asked to man but when we signed him we weren't thinking much about going to a 3-4. We showed some of that his first year and by last year we were pretty much committed to the 3-4 but still hadn't gotten all the subtle nuances of the defense. We are there now, full bore. The RDE will be a 285+ player and we have recruited to that.
We have two OLB's. One being the Jack which is a standup DE/LB type. This is the typical DE tweener we hear about. Big enough to put his hand in the dirt and rush the passer but agile enough to have some pass defense responsibilities. He always aligns on the weak side of the offensive formation.
The other OLB is the Sam LB which ideally is a bit smaller version of the Jack (can be as tall) but must be more athletic as he has much greater pass defense responsibilities. He always aligns on against the strong side of the offensive formation.
What confused a lot of folks and will continue to do the same is we had Bud last year who would rotate between these two positions depending on game circumstances like down and distance and the type defense we called. I expect Hatcher to fall into that role this year by switching from Jack to Sam and continue to confuse our fans.
I definitely would not be more confident with True Freshmen but some mature Freshmen playing every year is a fact of life in college football. The 85 SS limit almost mandates that you will need to play some true Freshmen. Even the big boys of the SEC and the other P5 conferences do it,
This year early enrollees TE CJ Conrad and OT George Asafo-Adjei are sure bets to play and maybe even start. DE Kengera Daniels is another true Freshman with a mature body that went through Spring camp that is likely to play this season. LB Jordon Jones also came in early and went through spring camp so he might play but IMO he is more likely to get a redshirt. Other incoming players that I think are likely to see playing time are RB S, King because the depth at RB is a bit thin and he seems to have a skill set made for Dawsons offense. One of the big Freshmen WR either Richardson or Greenwood might get shots at early playing time and one or two of the tall CBs might get their shot at playing time. JUCO DL Miggins is almost a sure bet to play.
Coaches tend to play the players that they think will give them their best chance to win games and that sometimes includes True Freshmen.
A short answer to your question is I will feel most confidence if the best players are on the field regardless if they are True Freshmen or Redshirted Seniors. Sometimes Freshmen are a teams best option.
