Why Trevathan Returning Makes Sense

Okay… maybe that’s more of a reason to leave than stay.  My bad.

Yesterday when Randall Cobb announced he was going to the NFL, most people just quietly fought back tears and nodded their heads. It was time – he had nothing ledt to accomplish here. While him leaving was tough, we could accept it as the right move for Randall.

Even though Danny was in a similar place (both juniors, both all american’s,) he made the right decision by coming back. Not just because, as he put it, he has unfinished business, but for a number of reasons.

Here’s why:

1.) Getting his face on commonwealth. With Hartline, Locke, Cobb and Evans (as unproductive as he was) all leaving this year, Trevathan will become the number one guy fans point to when they want to look at a great player for next years team. The QB position is still too much of a question mark to be a competition for star power, so with Trevathan returning, expect his giant picture on the side of commonwealth next year.

2.) A chance to be the leader. In a similar vein, without the better than average offense we had this year, there is a good chance the pendulum – and team identity – will swing back to the defense. Just like when Woodson and crew left opened the door for Johnson, Lindley and Jarmon, the loss of Hartline, Cobb and Locke will open the door for Trevathan to be the physical and emotional leader for the team – and show off those qualities to NFL scouts.

3.) The weak SEC East. Look, it’s no secret the SEC East wasn’t what it usually is this year, and to be honest I think it won’t be quite back to par next year, either. For the past few years we were able to fall in line behind a dominant Florida team and do pretty well for ourselves. But with Meyer out and Muschamp in, they won’t be lighting it up again for another year at least. Georgia will be without AJ Green, Tennessee has at least a year before they’re ‘back’ (and we get them at commonwealth this season,) Vandy is Vandy, and while fake-USC might be decent, they’re still starting Stephen Garcia and it’s gonna be fun to lay into that guy. On top of that – while it’s easy for SEC defenses to key in on a guy like Cobb and take him out of the game, or SEC offenses to key in on a player like Lindley and just not throw to his side, it’s harder to take a monster LB out of play.

4.) A chance to join the record books. With 144 tackles this season – 86 of which were solo – Danny is in a good position to join the record books at Kentucky. The top three most solo tackles in a season, the category Danny is most likely to fall into, are 104, 94 and 92. Top 5 most solo tackles in a game are all 16 or 15, whereas Danny had 12 at Mississippi State this year. And with 230 tackles on his career, he’s a shoo-in to make it to the 300-tackle club, which would make him just the second player in 20 years to be inducted (the other was Wesley Woodyard.)

5.) More exposure. I know this is similar to point number 2, which was similar to point number 1, but I think it’s the most important factor. Cobb was ready to go because SEC folk had been gushing about him for years. Danny truly had a break out year this year, but was stuck on a maligned defense and was overshadowed by all the stars on offense. Give Kentucky a chance to run a real All American campaign for him, get his name out there by beating up on SEC Offenses, and it could make the difference in a late draft pick (or none at all – Woodyard wasn’t,) and a second, third or fourth round draft pick.

6.) The future looks bright. Or so Joker says. So that’s gotta count for something.

Trevathan made a hard choice, potentially passing up money next year to take a chance on bettering his position during his Senior season. Still – in his situation – it was the right choice.

Good to have you back, let’s finish that business. #BeatUT