I firmly believe that Stoops has closed the gap with the rest of the conference with his recruiting. However, in looking at the preseason All-SEC team, Boom Williams is the only UK player named and he's on the 3rd team. I understand the previous 3 years we had Joker's holdovers and very young talent. But, now, some of Stoops' boys are 3rd and 4th year players. And we still don't have anyone on the All-SEC team? I'm probably making too big of a deal out of this but I sure thought we had better talent than that. What gives?
AP Preseason All-SEC team
- Thread starter gamecockcat
- Start date
The thing you have to keep in mind is it's PRE season all SEC team. Boom making 3rd team is a pretty big accomplisment considering all the returning elite backs in the SEC. Fournette, Hurd, Kamara, Webb, Boom, pre injury Chubb was as good as any of them, he looked great first day, full speed cuts, jump cuts, no contact but that's big for us. But this is determined by what they did last year, what they do in 16 is much more important. With all the backs in the conference Boom could have a great year over 1000 yards and not make 3rd team, you know Bama will have a bigtime rusher with whoever wins the starting job, so there will be 7-9 backs who deserve the honor.
Boom is a damn good player. I'd take him on my team any day of the week. Also, I'd bet that a lot of SEC teams would like to have the talent/depth that UK does at WR, and add in the fact that Conrad is a stud at TE. Stoops has done a great job evaluating the skill positions on Offense and I think your defense will be better than a lot of folks think this fall.
UK guys probably aren't going to get much respect until the team starts winning a little more. Until then, the team and its players will seem second-rate to the media guys who focus their time on the bamas and LSUs of the world.
Harder for guys to get respect when they're playing on a team with only two conference wins, even when they deserve it. Toth comes to mind.
Harder for guys to get respect when they're playing on a team with only two conference wins, even when they deserve it. Toth comes to mind.
Agree with the comments above. However, perennial fellow bottom-dweller Vandy has two named to the team (a 2nd and a 3rd). I'm just surprised that the significant uptick in talent (on paper, of course) that has occurred due to Stoops & co.'s efforts still seems to be not nearly enough in the SEC. We've got a slew of players who had other SEC offers (along with other P5 conferences) but, evidently, our players are not excelling to the degree that other teams' players are. Is it just winning or is it something else?
Phil Steele names a four team all conference team (56 players or so counting PK and P)
UK had TWO players on the 4 deep, one of which is not even a position player (Toth 2nd team C, and McGinniss 4th team PK). Both recruited by Joker, by the way. I am sure that is the least players of any team in the SEC. That is sobering to say the least.
UK had TWO players on the 4 deep, one of which is not even a position player (Toth 2nd team C, and McGinniss 4th team PK). Both recruited by Joker, by the way. I am sure that is the least players of any team in the SEC. That is sobering to say the least.
I really expect that by season's end, we will have at least 1/2 dozen guys showing up in the All-Conference three-deep. These are my faves for the honors: Boom, Conrad, Juice, Baker, Toth, Big George, Meant, Ware, Love, Westry, Baity, Edwards. Dark horse candidates? Barker & Elam. All-Frosh? Young and Daniel.
I would be stunned if at the end of the season, Toth, Boom, Conrad, and either Johnson OR Baker (likely Baker) weren't on the 3 deep of All-SEC teams. Toth graded out as the 2nd best center in the conference last season, and it's highway robbery that he didn't get put on the list. We all know what Boom can do, and I'm confident that he'll improve even more under Gran. Conrad will absolutely be a premier tight end in the conference, and even the country, especially under Gran, who features tight ends in his offense (the TE from Cinci more than tripled his production under Gran). In the case of Dorian Baker and Garrett Johnson, I'm expecting a breakout year from Baker, but if one of them eclipse the 1000 yard mark, they'll make the list.
I think MacGinnis, Westry, and Edwards will make it at some capacity as well. I wouldn't be surprised if MacGinnis was 1st team, and Westry was 2nd team.
I may look like I'm out of my tree when I say that we could have 7 on the 3 deep post-season list, but a lot of these guys (Toth, Boom, MacGinnis, and Westry) are proven commodities. I'm basing the prediction that Conrad will get in because of the new offensive system, and the talent that we know he has as a pass catcher and blocker. I'm basing the assumption that Baker makes it based on his physical tools, and knowing that he has every bit of the talent needed to do it, but struggled with consistency as a sophomore. We all probably know why I think Westry can do it. He's a phenomenal talent with a wildly unique physical profile, and even as a true freshman, he was often very good against some of the better wide outs in the conference. Finally, I'm basing the assumption that Edwards will make it because Stoops went out of the way to actually name him the best player on the team, regardless of position, and plus he shares the defensive backfield with Westry. They'll both make each other look better.
I think MacGinnis, Westry, and Edwards will make it at some capacity as well. I wouldn't be surprised if MacGinnis was 1st team, and Westry was 2nd team.
I may look like I'm out of my tree when I say that we could have 7 on the 3 deep post-season list, but a lot of these guys (Toth, Boom, MacGinnis, and Westry) are proven commodities. I'm basing the prediction that Conrad will get in because of the new offensive system, and the talent that we know he has as a pass catcher and blocker. I'm basing the assumption that Baker makes it based on his physical tools, and knowing that he has every bit of the talent needed to do it, but struggled with consistency as a sophomore. We all probably know why I think Westry can do it. He's a phenomenal talent with a wildly unique physical profile, and even as a true freshman, he was often very good against some of the better wide outs in the conference. Finally, I'm basing the assumption that Edwards will make it because Stoops went out of the way to actually name him the best player on the team, regardless of position, and plus he shares the defensive backfield with Westry. They'll both make each other look better.