Kentucky Secondary gets a "Cake Walk" thanks to help from the Defensive Line

Brad White liked what he saw from Jalen Geiger during Saturday’s scrimmage, the first of Kentucky football fall camp at Kroger Field. It wasn’t the free safety’s favorite day of fall camp. The free safety was getting bored in the back of the secondary, thanks to the defensive line.

“On Saturday they were in the backfield almost every play. I was barely even getting tackles,” Geiger shared with KSR. “Those guys were flying around making plays up front.”

The defensive line, in particular Preseason Freshman All-American Deone Walker, stole the show in scrimmage No. 1. While they bask in the glory, the consequences aren’t just felt up front. The defensive backs are reaping the rewards.

“It’s like a cake walk,” said cornerback Carrington Valentine. “If the D-line doesn’t get back there, it makes it a little harder on the corners. No corner wants to stay in coverage for four seconds. I feel like when the D-line hunts and eats, it makes our life much easier.”

Defensive coordinator Brad White did not use such colorful language. However, he can certainly see how an improved pass rush is benefitting the once-maligned Kentucky secondary.

“I think from a pass rush standpoint, we’re doing a decent job up there and it’s allowing balls to not always be perfectly placed. I think our secondary right now is doing a nice job of competing for footballs. They’re battling. They don’t win every one, but we’re a lot more in the direction that we want to be,” said White.

Carrington Valentine Rediscovers Confidence

Opponents targeted Carrington Valentine in 2021. He was an inexperienced redshirt freshman playing more snaps than anyone else on the Kentucky defense. At times, his head was spinning, but about two weeks before training camp kicked off, Valentine received clarity.

“Once I stepped on the field fall camp, it was like, ‘I got this. This is going to be the year,’” he said.

“I feel like I found that confidence with my game I didn’t have as a sophomore. Just my first year starting, me knowing more and being out there and knowing what to expect, I just feel more confident.”

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More Notes on the Kentucky Secondary

Alex Afari Learned the Hard Way in Scrimmage

“I think the scrimmage was good for him. His heart was probably beating out of his chest a little bit,” Brad White said with a smirk. “You go over to the stadium and now it’s actually live. It’s tackling and he realizes some of those tag-offs in practice get to be a little hard when you actually have to go to the ground.”

Scrimmage Reps help Jalen Geiger

“The scrimmage was a good step in the right direction for him,” said White. “I thought the first eight days or so he was just getting his feet wet again at that free safety position. People think, ‘Oh, it’s just one safety to the other. It should be easy.’ It’s not. It’s different vision lines, it’s different communication, different play-calls, all of that. I thought he looked comfortable in the scrimmage, which was great.

“Since the scrimmage I feel like everyday he’s looked more and more comfortable. The communication with him and Ty (Ajian) has been on point. Really proud of him continuing to push through that transition.”

Jordan Lovett Flies Around the Field

“He’s a dog. He’s somebody that’s going to give it his all every play, right or wrong,” said Jalen Geiger. “He’s definitely making a lot of plays out here.”