Kentucky Defense Bringing Juice, Making Splashes at Spring Practice

Change is happening at Kentucky spring practice. New leaders are emerging as former role players take a step up. The moving parts create inconsistency, but defensive coordinator Brad White is pleased to see his side of the ball bring it, regardless of outcome.

“They just love ball,” White said after spring practice No. 5. “It’s a group of guys that they love to be out there. They love to compete with each other. They take it to heart when they don’t win their competition. Whether it’s just a single one-on-one rep, whether it be a team period or something like that, they take it to heart. And we as coaches we take it to heart. We’re competitive.

“I think we talk about standards a lot. That’s become the standard defensively, and they don’t want to be the group that lowers that. If anything, they want to be the one that continues to push and elevate that standard and makes it harder and harder for the ones behind them to meet it.”

Big Plays Through Growing Pains

Kentucky’s two starting cornerbacks in 2022, Keidron Smith and Carrington Valentine, will compete at UK Pro Day Friday morning. Max Hairston is trying to fill the void at cornerback and on Tuesday he showed up in a big way, surprising Devin Leary and picking off a pass in team period. For every one of those splashy plays, there’s a mental mistake he must correct.

“He’s probably had his hands on more balls and had more interceptions than anybody so far in camp. But then he also probably has more mental mistakes,” said White. “So, again, it’s the learning factor. And a lot of it is the hot stove; you gotta be able to know what you can and can’t do. Every day he progresses, and then we do a new install and then we’re gonna have mistakes and then we’re gonna have to correct him. But he has done a nice job of learning from those mistakes.”

White echoed that sentiment for Tyreese Fearbry, another young athlete that made an incredible interception during Tuesday’s team period. One of three second-year outside linebackers playing behind J.J. Weaver, he’s made some ‘WOW’ plays in-between mistakes.

“They make a splash play and then they’ll do something that that is less splashy. But that’s okay, said White. “I’ll do it until I’m no longer here. It takes time at that position. There’s so much we put on ’em, but I think it’s starting to slow down for all three of them. And you can see it there. They’re able to just play. We saw that play with Tyreese. His natural athleticism, it can be scary when he puts it all together.”

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Comparing Devin Leary to Drew Brees

Kentucky safety Zion Childress played quarterback in high school. He knows a thing or two about the position, so I asked him how he would evaluate Kentucky’s new quarterback.

“His accuracy is different. I talk to my friends back home, compare people to players and his accuracy really reminds me of Drew Brees, in a sense that he’s really accurate, fitting balls in spaces the ball shouldn’t be thrown into sometimes.”

One play in particular stood out for Childress. He made the perfect read on the ball and Leary still snuck it into his wide receiver.

“There was one practice before spring break, Dane (Key) ran a deep dig. I broke on it and the backer is underneath it. He fit the ball in between both of us. So it’s kind of unique being in those situations where you got to find a way to get the ball out against a quarterback like that.”

Hard-Hitting Journalism with Deone Walker

As Deone Walker walked over to a group of gathered media members, I marveled at his size for the seventh time this week. The dude is a mammoth. This time my eyes were on his enormous feet. I had to ask: he wears a size 16 shoe. My son could use one of those sandals as a flotation device.

Walker has made a conscious effort to lose weight and play lighter on his feet this fall. He’s already cut some weight through the strength and conditioning program. This week they’re developing a diet program to help him take the next step. Walker is not looking forward to cutting out the Ben & Jerry’s but his efforts are already paying off.

“I will say, during our stations I was moving faster. Like one day I worked out with the defensive backs during stations. All the strength staff said I looked good.”

Yes, a 6-foot-6, 350-pound defensive lineman was working out alongside Kentucky’s defensive backs. What a freak.

Kentucky Spring Practice Conversation

Need more Kentucky football talk? Head on over to KSBoard, the KSR Message Board, or hang out with Adam Luckett and I for an enlightening conversation on 11 Personnel.