A Pass Rushing Rivalry Between Two Brothers

[caption id="attachment_207870" align="alignnone" width="794"] UK Athletics[/caption] The Kentucky defense has totaled 14 sacks midway through the 2016 season, just three shy of their 2015 total of 17.  Nine of those sacks can be attributed to OLB/DE's Denzil Ware and Josh Allen, who each have 4.5.  The two have formed a friendship and a friendly competition. "Everyday we compete against one another to see who can get the first sack of the game.  Everything is a competition between us, especially between me and Josh Allen," Ware said after today's practice. They talk trash everyday, from the practice field into the meeting room.  Allen said he always wins, "because I don't stop talking." The competition on the field drives both of them to do better.  Tied at 4.5, they know whoever gets the next one will have the advantage.  "When he gets a sack in the game, I know I've got to get me one," Allen said. Their friendly competition has helped them develop a special chemistry.  Allen refers to Ware as his big brother and Ware sees Allen as his little brother.  They don't need words to communicate, and if one of them isn't up to par, they aren't afraid to let the other one know. "If he messes up, I got to get on him, and he knows that," Allen said.  "When I mess up, he gets on me.  If I get frustrated, I know he's there to pick me up."   Their relationship has helped the young pass rushers exceed expectations.  They're currently on pace to surpass Bud Dupree and Za'Darius Smith's senior year total.  Even though the numbers are on their minds, it's all to make the team better. "We're very competitive between one another but we both want to do whatever it takes for this team to win," Ware said.

Other Practice Notes

--  Do Your Job.  That's been the mantra of the defense over the last three weeks.  Multiple players repeated the phrase during today's interviews.  Derrick Baity said that early on, the secondary was worried too much about being the best part of the defense, instead of worrying about having the best defense. --  Keeping their confidence.  With a young defense, it could have been easy for them to get down on themselves after struggling early in the season.  Eliot said the coaches reinforced that in the film room, showing them that they weren't losing one-on-ones, they just weren't doing what they were supposed to. "I've seen is a great attitude and a great work ethic and a belief in what we're doing and what they're doing, and that's allowed them to build and become better," Eliot said. -- I am sure not many of you watched today's Persicope with D.J. Eliot, but you need to, simply to see the shirt Larry Vaught wore to practice. [video width="320" height="284" mp4="http://kentuckysportsradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IMG_2075.mp4"][/video]