Hello HOB. Special treat today as we’ll have a UK football practice report for Monday this week. The team has adjusted its schedule a bit, and we’ll meet with the offensive coaches and players this morning instead of the normal Tuesday slot. Practice for Thursday and Saturday should remain in their normal slots with defense day and Stoops reviewing the next scrimmage, respectively. Today’s practice should wrap up around 11:45 ET. Stay tuned for the latest news and notes…
BUSH HAMDAN Q&A:
* Liked what they got done Saturday in terms of progressing in operation of the offense. Anytime you're in that first live situation, in the stadium, you're looking at getting lined up, communication, efficiency.
* On the helmet comm system on Saturday... Comfort level in being connected to the main guy on the field, your QB. They've learned a lot about using it better already.
* On BVG… Extremely steady, knows what he’s doing. Still taking steps forward on certain things. Keeps getting better and better since Day 1.
* WR Hardley Gilmore had an extremely good scrimmage. They've been extremely high on him since they got here. Jamarion Wilcox showed some nice things. Liked what the saw from Farmer and Mincey in protection on that right side, and the linemen in general. Still mixing and matching some guys trying to find the best five.
* Wilcox has always had toughness and that explosive potential. Comes down to understanding the scheme and being more consistent.
* Picking up the offense well. They're excited. They're all-in. Still in that “introduction” phase of putting the entire offense in. Throwing a lot at them. Here in about three or four days, they'll try to lock some things in.
* Big-play potential in this offense, both schematically and with the personnel.
* Top 3 TEs probably as good as any personnel group on the team. Steady group. They put a lot on them. They'll be in a bunch of different personnel groupings, so they have to be ready.
* Three or four guys in RB group that can do different things. Like the fact that they have different traits that can help the team at certain times. Need to be unselfish.
* On going 11-v-11 and seeing more from tackling of the backs... Helps you learn more about what they can do. Player safety is always first, but you have to get that feel of going to the ground. It's a balance.
* Dane Key is a guy that, if the QB puts it anywhere close, he’s coming down with it. Just give him a chance is what they’re stressing. From a QB standpoint, it changes your mindset about where you can put it.
* On freshman TE Willie Rodriguez... Doing a good job. Tough for freshmen. Like drinking water thru a fire hose. Plays on plays on plays. But he's got that potential, and there's a toughness factor with him.
* More on Gilmore... A complete player, and he doesn't know any better sometimes about how to practice. Goes hard all the time. Extremely explosive player. Sky is the limit for him.
* On the 3rd-down offense... Brad White D giving them a lot of different looks, challenging the offense.
*****
WR JA’MORI MACLIN & RB DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE Q&As:
* Made a lot of plays Saturday, made some mistakes. A bit of both. If you ask Maclin, the offense got the best of it.
* Macklin says connection has been good with BVG. Connecting really well, getting their timing down.
* A lot dawgs in the WR room, versatility, guys that offer different things, Maclin says.
* Gilmore is just "really talented," Maclin said. He's trying to get him up to speed on taking care of business off the field, eating better, stuff that freshmen just don't know when they get to college. Says Hardley eats cereal every morning before practice, then wonders why he's tired a couple hours later. Says he loves cereal, too, but you can't have it before practice. LOL
* Young WRs come and soak up knowledge from the older guys like himself, Dane, and Barion.
* Will fans see explosive plays this year? "A lot of 'em," Maclin says.
* Maclin likes going up against Max Hairston a lot in practice, but Kristian Story is fun, too. Big-time trash-talker.
* DSK says people are picking up things fast and getting better every day as a unit. Feels like they have more playmakers than they had last year, guys you can move around to different spots and do different things with. Says playing in this system is like a "dream come true" for his versatility and skills. "I'm not a one-trick pony."
* Thinks Bush Hamdan will get a lot more guys involved than what you saw last year. Really putting an emphasis on that, and playing with more tempo should help as well.
* Running backs have to buy into the committee approach, DSK says. Different play styles will call for a certain guy at certain times. It's a team effort.
* Feels like he was "in a box" at times in the past, not really fitting into one position or the other. Feels more like himself doing a little bit of everything.
* DSK says Wilcox and Patterson have been "working so hard." They've really grown over the last year as far as understanding the playbook and learning how to play football. Both have been breaking tackles, making tough runs. Said Jamarion has always had the talent, just needed to dig deeper in his playbook, learn some things on scout team, and it's starting to show.
* Thinks JQ Hardaway has made a big jump on defense and also singled out Terhyon Nichols as a guy who has impressed him.
BUSH HAMDAN Q&A:
* Liked what they got done Saturday in terms of progressing in operation of the offense. Anytime you're in that first live situation, in the stadium, you're looking at getting lined up, communication, efficiency.
* On the helmet comm system on Saturday... Comfort level in being connected to the main guy on the field, your QB. They've learned a lot about using it better already.
* On BVG… Extremely steady, knows what he’s doing. Still taking steps forward on certain things. Keeps getting better and better since Day 1.
* WR Hardley Gilmore had an extremely good scrimmage. They've been extremely high on him since they got here. Jamarion Wilcox showed some nice things. Liked what the saw from Farmer and Mincey in protection on that right side, and the linemen in general. Still mixing and matching some guys trying to find the best five.
* Wilcox has always had toughness and that explosive potential. Comes down to understanding the scheme and being more consistent.
* Picking up the offense well. They're excited. They're all-in. Still in that “introduction” phase of putting the entire offense in. Throwing a lot at them. Here in about three or four days, they'll try to lock some things in.
* Big-play potential in this offense, both schematically and with the personnel.
* Top 3 TEs probably as good as any personnel group on the team. Steady group. They put a lot on them. They'll be in a bunch of different personnel groupings, so they have to be ready.
* Three or four guys in RB group that can do different things. Like the fact that they have different traits that can help the team at certain times. Need to be unselfish.
* On going 11-v-11 and seeing more from tackling of the backs... Helps you learn more about what they can do. Player safety is always first, but you have to get that feel of going to the ground. It's a balance.
* Dane Key is a guy that, if the QB puts it anywhere close, he’s coming down with it. Just give him a chance is what they’re stressing. From a QB standpoint, it changes your mindset about where you can put it.
* On freshman TE Willie Rodriguez... Doing a good job. Tough for freshmen. Like drinking water thru a fire hose. Plays on plays on plays. But he's got that potential, and there's a toughness factor with him.
* More on Gilmore... A complete player, and he doesn't know any better sometimes about how to practice. Goes hard all the time. Extremely explosive player. Sky is the limit for him.
* On the 3rd-down offense... Brad White D giving them a lot of different looks, challenging the offense.
*****
WR JA’MORI MACLIN & RB DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE Q&As:
* Made a lot of plays Saturday, made some mistakes. A bit of both. If you ask Maclin, the offense got the best of it.
* Macklin says connection has been good with BVG. Connecting really well, getting their timing down.
* A lot dawgs in the WR room, versatility, guys that offer different things, Maclin says.
* Gilmore is just "really talented," Maclin said. He's trying to get him up to speed on taking care of business off the field, eating better, stuff that freshmen just don't know when they get to college. Says Hardley eats cereal every morning before practice, then wonders why he's tired a couple hours later. Says he loves cereal, too, but you can't have it before practice. LOL
* Young WRs come and soak up knowledge from the older guys like himself, Dane, and Barion.
* Will fans see explosive plays this year? "A lot of 'em," Maclin says.
* Maclin likes going up against Max Hairston a lot in practice, but Kristian Story is fun, too. Big-time trash-talker.
* DSK says people are picking up things fast and getting better every day as a unit. Feels like they have more playmakers than they had last year, guys you can move around to different spots and do different things with. Says playing in this system is like a "dream come true" for his versatility and skills. "I'm not a one-trick pony."
* Thinks Bush Hamdan will get a lot more guys involved than what you saw last year. Really putting an emphasis on that, and playing with more tempo should help as well.
* Running backs have to buy into the committee approach, DSK says. Different play styles will call for a certain guy at certain times. It's a team effort.
* Feels like he was "in a box" at times in the past, not really fitting into one position or the other. Feels more like himself doing a little bit of everything.
* DSK says Wilcox and Patterson have been "working so hard." They've really grown over the last year as far as understanding the playbook and learning how to play football. Both have been breaking tackles, making tough runs. Said Jamarion has always had the talent, just needed to dig deeper in his playbook, learn some things on scout team, and it's starting to show.
* Thinks JQ Hardaway has made a big jump on defense and also singled out Terhyon Nichols as a guy who has impressed him.
