1. What's in an "or"? Should be interesting to dig a little deeper on this.
Jojo Kemp or Stanley Williams - starting running back.
Dorian Baker or Tavin Richardson - starting wide receiver
Grant McKinniss or Bryan Kirshe - starting punter
Jordan Jones or Eli Brown - starting weakside linebacker
Jordan Griffin or Davonte Robinson - backup cornerback (behind Baity)
-- Initial thoughts: Gran obviously has a lot of confidence in Kemp. Know what you're getting with him. Interested in finding out where Boom is health-wise. Carry distribution against USM should be interesting. IMO, doesn't really matter who the starter is. They're both going to get significant touches. Interesting the coaches only listed two running backs. Spares them the need to sort through King, Snell, Horton, etc.
-- Baker being pushed by Richardson. I know that Baker had a nagging injury. He had some really good days of practice. Richardson had some phenomenal days of practice, too. Both guys going to get a lot of snaps.
-- McKinniss hasn't seized the starting punting job, as we mentioned a while back. Consistency is the issue. He's got the leg and can boom it. But in some pressure situations he hadn't thrived. Could well see both of them situationally or until they get a hot leg.
-- Jordan Jones surges again, now knotted up with Brown at the WLB spot. The fact that it's not just Jones alone at the top is a testament to how well Brown must have played throughout camp.
-- Interesting that it's "or" between Griffin and Robinson. Early in camp I listed Griffin as someone a source said is "gonna have to play." He had a couple of good days later on. Robinson, it was said, wasn't quite as polished. But here we are.
2. Calvin Taylor and Naquez Pringle are backups at DT and NG, respectively.
That's a bit of a surprise. Only on one level. It's not a good sign for Tymere Dubose, who had a solid day or two, at least to my knowledge. Is it a good sign for the defensive line? Welp. Honestly, it's a bit of a surprise for me on both counts. Don't really know what to say at this point....
3. Landon Young and George Asafo-Adjei are the backups at tackle.
That's right in line with what I expected based on what we had been told. I think when they started experimenting with Leavitt at guard as well as tackle that was a sign that he must have really been struggling, given the relative lack of depth at tackle and the great depth at guard.
4. De'Niro Laster at Jack, not in the middle.
For a while it looked like Laster was going to play inside linebacker for Kentucky. I had mentioned in camp insider notes that Laster was getting a real look at Jack. But that was before the reports of his play inside. That, to me, tells me that Kash Daniel must have come on pretty strong.
5. Kobie Walker at nickelback (and LB)
Walker is probably going to get significant time this year as Eliot and Stoops have both said. Very interesting to see him listed as the backup at nickelback. Honestly, that gives UK better long-term depth at the position if he can be serviceable there. One side effect (or related factor) is Randolph exclusively as a backup at safety (and Harmon exclusively as a backup at corner).
Jojo Kemp or Stanley Williams - starting running back.
Dorian Baker or Tavin Richardson - starting wide receiver
Grant McKinniss or Bryan Kirshe - starting punter
Jordan Jones or Eli Brown - starting weakside linebacker
Jordan Griffin or Davonte Robinson - backup cornerback (behind Baity)
-- Initial thoughts: Gran obviously has a lot of confidence in Kemp. Know what you're getting with him. Interested in finding out where Boom is health-wise. Carry distribution against USM should be interesting. IMO, doesn't really matter who the starter is. They're both going to get significant touches. Interesting the coaches only listed two running backs. Spares them the need to sort through King, Snell, Horton, etc.
-- Baker being pushed by Richardson. I know that Baker had a nagging injury. He had some really good days of practice. Richardson had some phenomenal days of practice, too. Both guys going to get a lot of snaps.
-- McKinniss hasn't seized the starting punting job, as we mentioned a while back. Consistency is the issue. He's got the leg and can boom it. But in some pressure situations he hadn't thrived. Could well see both of them situationally or until they get a hot leg.
-- Jordan Jones surges again, now knotted up with Brown at the WLB spot. The fact that it's not just Jones alone at the top is a testament to how well Brown must have played throughout camp.
-- Interesting that it's "or" between Griffin and Robinson. Early in camp I listed Griffin as someone a source said is "gonna have to play." He had a couple of good days later on. Robinson, it was said, wasn't quite as polished. But here we are.
2. Calvin Taylor and Naquez Pringle are backups at DT and NG, respectively.
That's a bit of a surprise. Only on one level. It's not a good sign for Tymere Dubose, who had a solid day or two, at least to my knowledge. Is it a good sign for the defensive line? Welp. Honestly, it's a bit of a surprise for me on both counts. Don't really know what to say at this point....
3. Landon Young and George Asafo-Adjei are the backups at tackle.
That's right in line with what I expected based on what we had been told. I think when they started experimenting with Leavitt at guard as well as tackle that was a sign that he must have really been struggling, given the relative lack of depth at tackle and the great depth at guard.
4. De'Niro Laster at Jack, not in the middle.
For a while it looked like Laster was going to play inside linebacker for Kentucky. I had mentioned in camp insider notes that Laster was getting a real look at Jack. But that was before the reports of his play inside. That, to me, tells me that Kash Daniel must have come on pretty strong.
5. Kobie Walker at nickelback (and LB)
Walker is probably going to get significant time this year as Eliot and Stoops have both said. Very interesting to see him listed as the backup at nickelback. Honestly, that gives UK better long-term depth at the position if he can be serviceable there. One side effect (or related factor) is Randolph exclusively as a backup at safety (and Harmon exclusively as a backup at corner).
