Stoops First Spring Ball Press Conference Notes

[anon_7tbtqcx308nxh]

• Re the recent Eli Brown transfer thread: Jamin Davis is getting reps at 2nd string WILL. Alex King getting reps at MIKE.
• Paschal has asked to move to interior DL to see the field more.
• Team will stay in a base 3-4 [not a surprise but hopefully this puts the nail in the "team is moving to the 4-3 this year based on Player X's weight change."].

 

[TBCat]

I kind of figured bullet point #2 was coming. Paschal is absolutely one of our 11 best defenders. Maybe even one of our 5 best. No way we can leave him as a backup just because Ware is still there.

 

[gobigblue812]

Interesting comments on some guys and their off season workouts.

 

[Crankdatmustard]

Thought Paschal was moving to ILB not DL?

 

[Crankdatmustard]

Thought Paschal was moving to ILB not DL?

Nevermind they reported it wrong on the UK Football Twitter page

 

[K_TIME]

1. I think it's a positive move to get Paschal on the field at the DE spot most likely and that will eat into TJ Carter's snaps for sure.
2. I also love Boogie Watson staying on the outside pass rush depth guy vs. putting him inside MLB.

The rest is typical Stoops "coach talk" which is fine with me...what the kids do on the field is all that matters. But stuff like..most important thing is "overall maturity", etc... Hard to see a vision until the new team hits the field.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

I kind of figured bullet point #2 was coming. Paschal is absolutely one of our 11 best defenders. Maybe even one of our 5 best. No way we can leave him as a backup just because Ware is still there.

I saw Paschal run stride for stride with a NW receiver at the MCB, he is too good to not be on the field !

 

[1_Cool_CAT]

Thanks for the link GusVanRan.

Good to see and hear that Lynn Bowden is putting in the hard work in the offseason to get stronger, and Coach believes that will help his speed and explosiveness. That will help him tremendously with the skill he possesses.

Hoping for Lynn to have a breakout Sophomore season with more experience and getting stronger. We need him to be a big playmaker with the ball in his hands.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Bannerman will need to play TE with Riggs going to the hospital and Conrad our for the spring. Fans need to pump the brakes on EJ. Stoops is always very cautious and reserved about that kid. He needs to mature before we realize his potential. Exciting stuff about Josh and Boogie and some other guys on defense. Sounds like they wanted Eli to gain weight. Stoops said early on that if Brown gained weight, he an Jones could play together. Looks like Davis was getting it done and pressing for time.

 

[Deeeefense]

Actually Stoops said Paschal came to him asking for the move as he thought he could help the team more there. Paschall would be an ideal DE in a 4/3, he'll need to gain some weight to play there in a 3/4 IMO.

 

[anon_7tbtqcx308nxh]

Actually Stoops said Paschal came to him asking for the move as he thought he could help the team more there. Paschall would be an ideal DE in a 4/3, he'll need to gain some weight to play there in a 3/4 IMO.

He'll only play in interior on pass downs. In the context of the press conference transcript Stoops says they have to be careful to keep him from putting on more weight because there aren't any 290 lb OLB's in the NFL.

 

[anon_7tbtqcx308nxh]

To the Mods,

I noticed JR's pinned tweet on the change of policy towards hyperlinking after this OP. So, my bad on that, and I get you're following corporate orders. My question is will Rivals make press conference transcripts available? My memory could be off but I seem to remember highlights only getting posted. Even Jeff's highlight's post from today is paywalled.

I like linking to those because they have good raw info that reporters don't always want to tie into a story until they get more data points for a narrative. I'd gladly link to Rivals posts.

 

[ukalum1988]

The rest is typical Stoops "coach talk" which is fine with me...what the kids do on the field is all that matters. But stuff like..most important thing is "overall maturity", etc... Hard to see a vision until the new team hits the field.

Did he mention anything about getting things cleaned up etc?

 

[Deeeefense]

He'll only play in interior on pass downs.

That makes sense, and they would rotate Carter or another bigger body in on first down or short yardage.

In the context of the press conference transcript Stoops says they have to be careful to keep him from putting on more weight because there aren't any 290 lb OLB's in the NFL.

I thought I heard Stoops tell him he "needs to start eating". I understood him to say it was a permanent move to DE, no more OLB.

 

[Deeeefense]

Did he mention anything about getting things cleaned up etc?

No but he did say the team was "doing some good things".

 

[Deeeefense]

To the Mods,

I noticed JR's pinned tweet on the change of policy towards hyperlinking after this OP. So, my bad on that, and I get you're following corporate orders. My question is will Rivals make press conference transcripts available? My memory could be off but I seem to remember highlights only getting posted. Even Jeff's highlight's post from today is paywalled.

I like linking to those because they have good raw info that reporters don't always think to tie into a story until they get more data points for a narrative. I'd gladly link to Rivals posts.

I'll check it out we'll will get you an answer.

 

[anon_7tbtqcx308nxh]

I thought I heard Stoops tell him he "needs to start eating". I understood him to say it was a permanent move to DE, no more OLB.

Thanks for your help on the broader policy. In terms of this comment, this came from transcript:

"Because he’s a guy that’s really worked hard, and I don’t want to say he starved himself but he’s very conscious of what he’s been eating to make sure he stayed in that range. I mean, you don’t see many 3-4 outside linebackers in the NFL playing every down that are 280, 290 pounds and that’s what he has the ability to be. So he worked pretty hard to stay in the 260 range, you know, a couple biscuits and he’s at 270-something right now. So he can help us and he gives us that athleticism."

 

[Caveman Catfan]

He'll only play in interior on pass downs. In the context of the press conference transcript Stoops says they have to be careful to keep him from putting on more weight because there aren't any 290 lb OLB's in the NFL.

I thought he was talking about last year and that they want him gain weight now. I thought he was saying Paschal had to work hard to keep weight last year, because his body is inclined to be bigger.

 

[Deeeefense]

Thanks for your help on the broader policy. In terms of this comment, this came from transcript:

"Because he’s a guy that’s really worked hard, and I don’t want to say he starved himself but he’s very conscious of what he’s been eating to make sure he stayed in that range. I mean, you don’t see many 3-4 outside linebackers in the NFL playing every down that are 280, 290 pounds and that’s what he has the ability to be. So he worked pretty hard to stay in the 260 range, you know, a couple biscuits and he’s at 270-something right now. So he can help us and he gives us that athleticism."

I think he was talking about before the move he worked hard to stay in that range. He was saying that gaining weight for him won't be nearly as hard as keeping it where it was when he played outside. Numbers wise they really don't need him playing outside.

 

[TuckyFB]

I’m hoping Kash can secure that MLB position and rep the eastern part of the state.

 

[Deeeefense]

My question is will Rivals make press conference transcripts available?

You can link to info from ukathletics.com
So far as I know our staff writers do not plan to post transcripts on the free board.

 

[vhcat70]

He'll only play in interior on pass downs. In the context of the press conference transcript Stoops says they have to be careful to keep him from putting on more weight because there aren't any 290 lb OLB's in the NFL.

Aren't too many 260-65 either.

 

[vhcat70]

Fans need to pump the brakes on EJ. Stoops is always very cautious and reserved about that kid. He needs to mature before we realize his potential. .

Starts for USC as pure FR but needs to mature to play at UK? OK, give him two more years & he'll be ready to go for his 5th year.

 

[jauk11]

No but he did say the team was "doing some good things".

That's not what those guys want to hear.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Starts for USC as pure FR but needs to mature to play at UK? OK, give him two more years & he'll be ready to go for his 5th year.

Played a couple of games as a third string backup and sat. But, hey, why would facts matter to you?

 

[jauk11]

I saw Paschal run stride for stride with a NW receiver at the MCB, he is too good to not be on the field !

I also noticed him being the first one downfield on a punt in the Transfer U game, and making the tackle just after the ball got there.

 

[anon_7tbtqcx308nxh]

Aren't too many 260-65 either.

Agree but given the lack of explosive and talented interior DL on the roster what else can they do? I'm not saying it's ideal. UK has to compete with the players they have, and not the players they wish they had to paraphrase Don Rumsfield.

And as Stoops jokingly said, after "a couple of biscuits he's up to 270 something" which is pretty much the weight Middleton played at all last season. Again, not ideal but if UK can get some interior pass rush from the 3 or 5 techniques life would be a lot easier for the DBs and Josh Allen too.

 

[RV2]

Josh is now moved permanently to the D-line and will likely line up on the right side at RDE and compete with Carter to start there. I have little doubt he will be 285+ when the season starts. He's no longer an OLB.

 

[DACats86]

Agree but given the lack of explosive and talented interior DL on the roster what else can they do? I'm not saying it's ideal. UK has to compete with the players they have, and not the players they wish they had to paraphrase Don Rumsfield.

And as Stoops jokingly said, after "a couple of biscuits he's up to 270 something" which is pretty much the weight Middleton played at all last season. Again, not ideal but if UK can get some interior pass rush from the 3 or 5 techniques life would be a lot easier for the DBs and Josh Allen too.

He's 270 on March 1. What will he be on September 1, if they want him to get bigger? Hell, I'm scared of what I will be on September 1, and I'm not trying to gain weight!

 

[anon_7tbtqcx308nxh]

He's 270 on March 1. What will he be on September 1, if they want him to get bigger? Hell, I'm scared of what I will be on September 1, and I'm not trying to gain weight!

Ha. Same here.

I'm sure Paschal could be at 300 by September if they wanted him too, but IIRC, UK's recruitment of him focused on playing him at OLB which he preferred to DL (that the blue bloods wanted him for).

 

[Blue Decade]

• Re the recent Eli Brown transfer thread: Jamin Davis is getting reps at 2nd string WILL. Alex King getting reps at MIKE.
• Paschal has asked to move to interior DL to see the field more.
• Team will stay in a base 3-4 [not a surprise but hopefully this puts the nail in the "team is moving to the 4-3 this year based on Player X's weight change."].

The linebacker log jam is already working itself out. I like the move of Paschal to defensive end and the move of King to Mike. Both will help. Jamin Davis was 1 of the best players in our 2017 BWG. Not discussed much yet is the fact that these moves clear a path for Jordan Wright to see a lot of playing time. 1 look at Wright’s offer sheet tells me he needs to see the field often.

 

[Deeeefense]

Maggard just said Josh Allen is now up to 252#

 

[Blue Decade]

Ha. Same here.

I'm sure Paschal could be at 300 by September if they wanted him too, but IIRC, UK's recruitment of him focused on playing him at OLB which he preferred to DL (that the blue bloods wanted him for).

I think that's right. But also, Josh Paschal's recruitment was influenced by his big brother Travaughn. IIUC, our coaches often offer high school recruits an opportunity to pursue the position in which they have maximum interest, with the understanding that they could move to a new position if judged to be in the best interests of the team and the player. Players come out of high school with all kinds of ideas that get blown up pretty quickly after a month or 2 of full speed SEC level practices. Paschal outgrew the linebacker position. We have lots of linebackers, but we don't have enough defensive linemen. Paschal could be a difference maker for us this year.

 

[Blue Decade]

Maggard just said Josh Allen is now up to 252#

Clearly, returning to UK for his senior year was the right decision for Josh. At the end of the day, this decision will make him a wealthy man.