Yeah, I said "redshirt" but that's what I meant to say. But so was Hogan. Craft can still contribute.
Spring Practice Preview Thread
- Thread starter Rembrandt90
- Start date
To contribute, he will need to get onto the field. I have no problem with the player. He has a little bit of SEC playing experience at MS St, and is a serious player. But when August rolls around and everyone is enrolled and healthier, getting onto the field may be difficult with Lovett, Childress, Geiger, Tisdale, Stewart, Stuart, and Bryant competing for the same S jobs. He will help on special teams. Good luck to him.
To my surprise, Vito Tisdale and Jalen Geiger are giving it a go in spring practice. Tisdale is being monitored by the team doctors and trainers. Less than a year ago, Tisdale underwent ACL surgery. Geiger suffered an ugly fracture while being illegally blocked from behind by Anthony Richardson when UK played FL in Gainesville last September. I attended that game, and the injury looked horrible when it happened. Geiger was carted off the field.
As I indicated earlier, Devin Leary and Marques Cox are participating fully.
Based on Coach Stoops' press conference, here are the Wildcats who will miss contact work in spring practice due to injury rehab-
Brenden Bates
Jordan Dingle
Nik Hall
Ramon Jefferson
Josh Kattus
Kahlil Saunders
As I indicated earlier, Devin Leary and Marques Cox are participating fully.
Based on Coach Stoops' press conference, here are the Wildcats who will miss contact work in spring practice due to injury rehab-
Brenden Bates
Jordan Dingle
Nik Hall
Ramon Jefferson
Josh Kattus
Kahlil Saunders
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Here are some guesses by me as to specific results that might come out of spring practice this year. JMO. Could be wrong.
Devin Leary has already been placed on a "throw count" as a result of his rehab from a muscular injury. There is no science behind a throw count. Leary's throw count is not a big deal since UK's coaches also have to devote developmental attention this month to Hogan, Sheron, and D. Wade. An important piece will be Leary's classwork and Leary's bonding with Coach Coen. That should go well.
I predict Anthony Brown will be one of the pleasant offensive surprises of the spring.
Scangarello did a good job developing the TE passing game with Josh Kattus and Jordan Dingle. This spring, Izayah Cummings and January enrollee Khamari Anderson will jump ahead of Kattus and Dingle because the latter two are out of action to rehab. Brenden Bates is also rehabbing. Coach Coen always liked Cummings, and it is no secret that Cummings stayed at UK this year because Coen was rehired. Anderson is one of the better young talents on the team. Kattus played in 2022 as a true freshman, but Anderson has more upside. Cummings and Anderson get a month of practice with UK's new starting QB in Coen's new offense. By the summer, Cummings and Anderson should be well ahead of Kattus, Dingle, and Bates. With a new QB and a new OC, it may take the rehabbing TEs some time in the fall to catch up with Cummings and even with Anderson. For Kattus and Dingle, that may not be a big deal since both have 3 more years of eligibility. For Bates, it is a bigger problem.
In 2022, troubles of UK's OL were partly due to losing the leadership of Darian Kinnard and Luke Fortner, partly due to adjusting to Yenser and Scangarello, partly due to multiple position changes, and partly due to loss of confidence. Coach Coen has designated the OL as a spring priority. A month from now, I predict Horsey will be the acknowledged leader of our OL and high confidence will have generally been restored. Part of the restoration of confidence will be about Coach Coen's approach. Part of it will be about senior leadership. Part of it will be that Leary reads coverage and releases the ball faster than Levis. This is a formula for overall improvement.
I predict Josaih Hayes and Jamarius Dinkins will stabilize the NT position while Keeshawn Silver works on conditioning and learns how to play zero tech in Coach White's three man front. Deone Walker will remain a 3 tech.
TreVonn Rybka, Keaton Wade, Trevin Wallace, and Jordan Lovett will be the spring's most improved defensive players. But Deone Walker and JJ Weaver are still the best players on our defense.
UK's CBs will struggle a little bit this spring because Key, B. Brown, TRob, and A. Brown will outplay them. Part of this will be about Leary's strong work with the receivers, but UK's secondary is going through a transition that will take some time. Jordan Lovett will emerge as the best player in our secondary, and JQ Hardaway will show enough promise to receive positive recognition. Alex Afari will get some CB reps but will emerge as the #1 nickel. I predict the depth chart in the secondary will remain fluid going into the fall.
Devin Leary has already been placed on a "throw count" as a result of his rehab from a muscular injury. There is no science behind a throw count. Leary's throw count is not a big deal since UK's coaches also have to devote developmental attention this month to Hogan, Sheron, and D. Wade. An important piece will be Leary's classwork and Leary's bonding with Coach Coen. That should go well.
I predict Anthony Brown will be one of the pleasant offensive surprises of the spring.
Scangarello did a good job developing the TE passing game with Josh Kattus and Jordan Dingle. This spring, Izayah Cummings and January enrollee Khamari Anderson will jump ahead of Kattus and Dingle because the latter two are out of action to rehab. Brenden Bates is also rehabbing. Coach Coen always liked Cummings, and it is no secret that Cummings stayed at UK this year because Coen was rehired. Anderson is one of the better young talents on the team. Kattus played in 2022 as a true freshman, but Anderson has more upside. Cummings and Anderson get a month of practice with UK's new starting QB in Coen's new offense. By the summer, Cummings and Anderson should be well ahead of Kattus, Dingle, and Bates. With a new QB and a new OC, it may take the rehabbing TEs some time in the fall to catch up with Cummings and even with Anderson. For Kattus and Dingle, that may not be a big deal since both have 3 more years of eligibility. For Bates, it is a bigger problem.
In 2022, troubles of UK's OL were partly due to losing the leadership of Darian Kinnard and Luke Fortner, partly due to adjusting to Yenser and Scangarello, partly due to multiple position changes, and partly due to loss of confidence. Coach Coen has designated the OL as a spring priority. A month from now, I predict Horsey will be the acknowledged leader of our OL and high confidence will have generally been restored. Part of the restoration of confidence will be about Coach Coen's approach. Part of it will be about senior leadership. Part of it will be that Leary reads coverage and releases the ball faster than Levis. This is a formula for overall improvement.
I predict Josaih Hayes and Jamarius Dinkins will stabilize the NT position while Keeshawn Silver works on conditioning and learns how to play zero tech in Coach White's three man front. Deone Walker will remain a 3 tech.
TreVonn Rybka, Keaton Wade, Trevin Wallace, and Jordan Lovett will be the spring's most improved defensive players. But Deone Walker and JJ Weaver are still the best players on our defense.
UK's CBs will struggle a little bit this spring because Key, B. Brown, TRob, and A. Brown will outplay them. Part of this will be about Leary's strong work with the receivers, but UK's secondary is going through a transition that will take some time. Jordan Lovett will emerge as the best player in our secondary, and JQ Hardaway will show enough promise to receive positive recognition. Alex Afari will get some CB reps but will emerge as the #1 nickel. I predict the depth chart in the secondary will remain fluid going into the fall.
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Yes, with Coen calling plays and Leary throwing, I expect Key, TRob, B. Brown, and A. Brown are going to be very tough on a lot of secondaries. Including our own secondary during UK practices.
Since SP is underway, there is no more preview. We need info on what has happened at this point.
The practices this month are not open to the public. All we know is what the coaching staff reports in press conferences.
