Is getting a late rush from others:
My guess - Tennessee. Really need to keep this guy in blue and white!
My guess - Tennessee. Really need to keep this guy in blue and white!
A Critical Person In UK's Class...
- Thread starter DACats86
- Start date
We have to have an edge pass rusher...we missed Bud Dupree from last year very much. We're hoping Hatcher comes thru in his Sr year....but I'm not holding my breath. We need this kid in every way possible. Probably outside of Landon Young...most needed recruit in this class.
Hatcher played basically 5 games and had 5.5 tfl and 2 sacks playing coverage a lot. Hatcher is the real deal. Bonner Allen and Walker give us 3 quick twitch athletes off the edge I think the pass rush makes major strides.
And Laster.
Really, it's getting hard to not feel confident about our linebackers, and I feel outstanding about our secondary.
Hatcher may be the help we need if they would leave him on the field on 3rd downs and let him rush the passer instead of dropping him into coverage.
I thought that Laster is a WLB, Love is a MLB with Hatcher & Ware @ OLB/DE aka Jack.
Laster @ Will is part of the reason why I think that landing Bonner is so important since UK needs an outside rusher.
He could be, actually. Bonner is a very important recruit though. I'd feel wonderful about having Bonner, Laster, Love, and Hatcher back there. I'm kinda curious to see where they plan on putting Ware, or if they plan on beefing him up more and putting him on the front 3 along with Elam and Kengera Daniel. Think he's much better with his hand in the dirt, think that gives him a big athletic advantage as well. I'm perfectly fine with having a couple of guys that weigh around 270 up there (you seen those all along Florida's line), along with a 340# Elam at the nose. Would give you the ability to make some interesting disguises for the defense as well.
But ah, that probably won't happen. Either way, I'm happy about where our linebackers are, and where they're heading.
Ware didn't play too badly for a RS FR, but bulking him up to 270 and putting him on the DL with Daniel & Elam is a probably a pretty good idea. Especially on passing downs. What they'd give up in bulk, they'd make up with quickness. And you could always go bigger in the red zone & in some short yardage situations, etc.
You mentioned how FL often uses slightly smaller & quicker DL. Miami U also did the same thing back when they used to dominate. Auburn was also unique when were playing smaller, but faster LB's back when they were really rolling in the early to mid 2000's. Over the years, I've watched quickness & explosiveness often beat bulk & strength.
I agree with this and the fact Hatcher is still much better than we've seen so far. He's either been hurt or in trouble too much to ever develop consistently. The staff needs to demand the best of him this year and I'm encouraged with some things Kash has said about Jason being a leader in the off season in the weight room and the fact this is his last year to impress scouts.....I expect we'll see the real Jason Hatcher finally and it will be good
I would imagine Ware stay as an olb. The staff prefers guy 6"4 6"6 270 280 for the dend spot. Plus ware is the second most experienced olb returning. The dend spot will probably be between Miggins Bell and KG all 3 guys in the 6"5 270 range
I agree with everything that you wrote. I basically was just saying that it would be pretty interesting to see how Ware would preform as a bulked up 270+ lb. DL with his hand in the dirt & that playing a smaller DL would be pretty interesting as well. I did not mean to imply that I was thinking that any of that would actually happen.
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They already took an olb from us in the Dowell twin (I think Andrew) and he got significant pt this year as a true freshman, they need to stay away from Bonner lol.
Personally, I think it would be very successful. At least we'll see Kengera Daniel and Matt Elam on the line. I feel like Ware could really tip the scales tremendously in Kentucky's favor from that position.
I am just not sure if Ware would be a great fit at essentially a defensive tackle spot. I think 250 is his max to maintain any speed at all. He looked a bit sluggish this year at his current weight.
He will be happy at UK and thankful to wear blue and not jailhouse orange, a color that works well if you are picking up trash on the side of the road, but not conducive to much more.
How much more can he say then, "I'm already a Wildcat." That sounds pretty final to me. You can bet the UofK coaches are in his year, so that's all we can do. Let's take him at his word, and if that's no good, we wouldn't want him anyway.
OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!
OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!
If 5 top 100 recruits came knocking on Stoops door tomorrow, you think he turns them down?
lol.
Stoops has pulled one scholly on a center last year and he was a 4 star. It was also 6 months before signing day.
There are four LB spots and they are as follows:
Sam LB - Hatcher was the iron man here when he was available. We really didn't have anyone else as Kobie Walker was slated there but never played. Laster also practiced at this spot while sitting out as a transfer. I wouldn't be surprised to see Josh Allen get some reps here, especially after Bonner shows up and makes his presence known at Jack. Jamar Watson should slide into this spot while red shirting in 2016. The Sam LB is an OLB that aligns to the wide side of the field and has much more pass coverage responsibilities than the guy on the other end of the formation which is the ...
... Jack DE/LB - Denzil Ware got a lot of the snaps here along with J Allen. Jabari Johnson played a lot of snaps as well on run downs and was effective but played sparingly on pass downs. In big sets or goal line sets Kengera Daniel played a few snaps but he has now transitioned to RDE. Look for Juco Bonner to make some noise at this spot almost immediately and Bannerman should work at this spot while red shirting. The Jack is an OLB/Rush type guy that aligns to the short side of the field and has fewer pass coverage responsibilities than Sam but must set the edge on the run game as our Boundary Corner nearly always plays man to man.
Will LB - was manned by Henderson and Flannigan with cameo appearances by Jordan Jones. Eli Brown practiced at this position last year while red shirting and I have a suspicion that Kobie Walker will slide inside to this spot this spring. This should be where Roland Walder works while sitting out 2016 as a red shirt. The Will LB plays inside and aligns to the weak side of the offensive formation and has quite a bit more pass coverage responsibility than the Mike LB but must be balanced enough to stuff the running game.
Mike LB - was Josh Forrest - period. Courtney Love will be the odds on favorite to win the spot this spring with Nico Firios competing and Kash Daniel trying to make noise early. The Mike LB is also an inside LB and aligns to the strong side of the offensive formation and while he has pass coverage responsibilities, he is much more involved in the run game.
Sam LB - Hatcher was the iron man here when he was available. We really didn't have anyone else as Kobie Walker was slated there but never played. Laster also practiced at this spot while sitting out as a transfer. I wouldn't be surprised to see Josh Allen get some reps here, especially after Bonner shows up and makes his presence known at Jack. Jamar Watson should slide into this spot while red shirting in 2016. The Sam LB is an OLB that aligns to the wide side of the field and has much more pass coverage responsibilities than the guy on the other end of the formation which is the ...
... Jack DE/LB - Denzil Ware got a lot of the snaps here along with J Allen. Jabari Johnson played a lot of snaps as well on run downs and was effective but played sparingly on pass downs. In big sets or goal line sets Kengera Daniel played a few snaps but he has now transitioned to RDE. Look for Juco Bonner to make some noise at this spot almost immediately and Bannerman should work at this spot while red shirting. The Jack is an OLB/Rush type guy that aligns to the short side of the field and has fewer pass coverage responsibilities than Sam but must set the edge on the run game as our Boundary Corner nearly always plays man to man.
Will LB - was manned by Henderson and Flannigan with cameo appearances by Jordan Jones. Eli Brown practiced at this position last year while red shirting and I have a suspicion that Kobie Walker will slide inside to this spot this spring. This should be where Roland Walder works while sitting out 2016 as a red shirt. The Will LB plays inside and aligns to the weak side of the offensive formation and has quite a bit more pass coverage responsibility than the Mike LB but must be balanced enough to stuff the running game.
Mike LB - was Josh Forrest - period. Courtney Love will be the odds on favorite to win the spot this spring with Nico Firios competing and Kash Daniel trying to make noise early. The Mike LB is also an inside LB and aligns to the strong side of the offensive formation and while he has pass coverage responsibilities, he is much more involved in the run game.
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We still have open spots. Showing 17 but one is a non qualifier on act. One knows he may have to grey shirt but he knows it up front.
We could take a max of 5 more. We have 5 top prospects in this weekend but I think we only get 3.
Back to what I ssid, we wouldn't have room. If he was a 5 star and wanted to commit we would likely find room.
If Derrick Brown called Stoops tonight, he'd find room. You don't pass on elite.
