Peeking ahead does deeper mean better?

[RV]

UK has 47 scholarship players returning next season. 16 Juniors becoming Seniors, 21 Sophomores becoming Juniors and 10 Freshmen becoming Sophomores. We will be a Junior-Senior laden team for the first time in ... well forever. This will be the best shape we’ve been in a long time numbers-wise and we should be a much deeper ball club especially on defense. This should show up huge on special teams as well. Given that information these are the guys we lose along with this list of kids that sat out this year. We lose 12 very good players and add 24. Only scholarship guys are being mentioned and also no incoming Frosh are in the discussion.

QB
Lose
Andre Woodson
Add
Jr. Curtis Pulley
Matt Lentz

RB
Lose
Rafael Little
Add
Brandon Jackson

WR
Lose
Keenan Burton
Stevie Johnson
Add
Anthony Mosely
So. Terrence Jones

TE
Lose
Jacob Tamme
Add
No one

OL
Lose
Eric Scott
Jason Leger
Add
So. James Alexander
Stuart Hines
Phillip Hibbard
Billy Joe Murphy
Jake Lanefski

DL
Lose
Dominic Lewis
JD Craigman
Travis Day
Add
Sr. Nii Adjei Oninku
Josh Minton
Antoine Glenn
Greg Meisner
Charles Mustafaa

LB
Lose
Wesley Woodyard
Add
So. Chris Cessna
So. Brandon Thurmond
Ronnie Sneed
Antonio Thomas

CB
Lose
No one
Add
Taiedo Smith
Randall Burden

S
Lose
Roger Williams
Add
Greg Wilson
Chris Drayton

P/K
Lose
No one
Add
Ryan Tydlacka

[ryanebelhar]

Tydlacka was kicking some DEEP punts during practice yesterday. At least one was 60 yards

[gerntz]

RV, I'm not understanding something. We had 85 scholarship players this season & lose only about 14 SRs. Add in about 4 in attrition & that's 18. 85-18 = 67. Net, where does your 47 number come from? Thanks.

[baldcat]

Line play is what concerns me most for next year.

[wizard]

RV, I'm not understanding something. We had 85 scholarship players this season & lose only about 14 SRs. Add in about 4 in attrition & that's 18. 85-18 = 67. Net, where does your 47 number come from? Thanks.

that's what I'm wondering too. RV, are you using fuzzy math on us?

[BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN]

I was wondering what guys like Brandon Jackson and TC Drake will fit in next year. Drake is a big physical kid and should help with run blocking but other than the one catch in the UL game he hasn't played much, how is his route running and catching ?

Our D-Line is in good hands and will be our strong point next year. We get Oninku back plus the additions of Minton and hopefully Stafford.

[sardiscat]

There are 47 returnees who played this year. There are 24 guys who sat out last season on his list. That's 71. There's 14 who graduated. That's 85.

[UedK]

The depth will allow us to play at a higher level through a grueling SEC schedule that will no doubt include injuries.

I forgot all about Oninku, he was slated as a starter before he got hurt.

Question: In the case of a player like Oninku, who got hurt pre-season and now may be 100%, can they play in the bowl and not loose the medical redshirt?

[sardiscat]

Oninku already had a redshirt year, so it's highly unlikely he will get a medical redshirt for last season. That would mean him getting a sixth year, and it is extremely rare for the NCAA to grant a sixth year when a player gets to play his fifth year. McCutcheon is the only one I've ever heard of, and his circumstances were unique. (He missed two years after being advised by a doctor to give up football). It's also highly unlikely Oninku is physically able to play in the MCB. He got hurt after fall practice started.

[UedK]

Oninku already had a redshirt year, so it's highly unlikely he will get a medical redshirt for last season. That would mean him getting a sixth year, and it is extremely rare for the NCAA to grant a sixth year when a player gets to play his fifth year. McCutcheon is the only one I've ever heard of, and his circumstances were unique. (He missed two years after being advised by a doctor to give up football). It's also highly unlikely Oninku is physically able to play in the MCB. He got hurt after fall practice started.

Please clarify, what will Oninku's status be for next season?

Also, maybe I should not have used Oninku as an example. But in the case of any player who missed an entire regular season due to injury and is going to take a M-RS, would they be able to play in a bowl and not loose the M-RS status. And would it make a difference if the bowl was pre or post new years day?

[sardiscat]

Oninku will be a fifth-year senior next season. Oninku already had a redshirt year, so it's highly unlikely he will get a medical redshirt for last season. That would mean him getting a sixth year, and it is extremely rare for the NCAA to grant a sixth year when a player gets to play his fifth year. McCutcheon is the only one I've ever heard of, and his circumstances were unique. (He missed two years after being advised by a doctor to give up football). It's also highly unlikely Oninku is physically able to play in the MCB. He got hurt after fall practice started.

What RV refers to as "depth," I refer to as experience. During the 40 years or so that I've been following UK football, having 20 or more seniors has been a very rare occurrence. But when UK has had that many, it has always had a good season. I'm not sure next year's team will have 20, but it will have a large junior class that includes a lot of guys who have been getting on the field regularly since they were freshmen.

[RV]

RV, I'm not understanding something. We had 85 scholarship players this season & lose only about 14 SRs. Add in about 4 in attrition & that's 18. 85-18 = 67. Net, where does your 47 number come from? Thanks.

47 Returning guys not listed (in other words guys that played this year)
12 Seniors lost
24 Redshirted and being added to the 47 returnees this spring
83

I don't know the status of Blaylock and Bates.

[NotFrank]

I was a bit confused at first reading this, too.

However, he is just adding players that sat out and subtracting players that are graduating. It doesn't take into consideration all those in between that played. That would be a nice list to have RV if you have the time. ;)

[RV]

Question: In the case of a player like Oninku, who got hurt pre-season and now may be 100%, can they play in the bowl and not loose the medical redshirt?

NAO has already redshirted, as has Brandon Thurmond, Terrence Jones and Josh Minton. To get a second redshirt both redshirts would have to have been due to injury or medical reason. That being the case, after their 5th year the player (school) has to petition the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility and these are granted sparingly.

IOW - those of this group that aren't losing a second year to injury aren't eligible for a redshirt and could play in the bowl if physically able. I believe Jones was the only one that has previously redshirted due to injury.

[RV]

Please clarify, what will Oninku's status be for next season?


NAO will be a fifth year Senior next year.

...But in the case of any player who missed an entire regular season due to injury and is going to take a M-RS, would they be able to play in a bowl and not loose the M-RS status. And would it make a difference if the bowl was pre or post new years day?

No and no. It's an extension of this same season.

[RV]

Projected returning guys for the spring. This is the most we had in forever. Especially excited about our depth on the O-line. Guys that didn't sit out this year in black

Seniors (16)
2 Marcus McClinton S
7 David Jones CB
12 Dicky Lyons WR
23 Shomari Moore
25 AJ Grigsby CB
28 Tony Dixon RB
44 Tim Masthay P/K
51 Johnny Williams LB
56 Braxton Kelley LB
64 Josh Winchell OL
73 Jess Beets OL
78 Christian Johnson OL
79 Garry Williams OL
95 Ventrell Jenkins DL
97 Nii Adjei Oninku DE
98 Myron Pryor

Juniors (24)
4 Micah Johnson LB
8 DeMoreo Ford WR
15 Curtis Pulley QB
17 EJ Adams CB
21 Michael Schwindel LB
27 Ashton Cobb S
29 Alfonso Smith RB
31 Jordan Nevels S
32 Trevard Lindley CB
33 Calvin Harrison S
34 Paul Warford CB
36 Lones Seiber K
40 Maurice Grinter FB/TE
43 Mikhail Mabry LB
50 Sam Maxwell LB
61 Jorge Gonzalez OL
71 James Alexander OL
72 Zipp Duncan OL
76 Justin Jeffries OL
80 TC Drake TE
86 Ross Bogue TE
90 Jamil Paris DE
91 Corey Peters DT
99 Jeremy Jarmon DE

Sophomores (14)
1 Will Fidler QB
5 Mike Hartline QB
26 Terrence Jones WR
30 Moncell Allen RB
41 Derrick Locke RB
42 Chris Cessna LB
53 Ricky Lumpkin DT
54 Brandon Thurmond LB
57 Jacob Dufrene LB
60 Shane McCord DT
75 Brad Durham OL
81 Kyrus Lanxter WR
88 Chris Goode DE/TE
92 Josh Minton DE

Freshmen (17)
6 Taiedo Smith CB
9 Ryan Tydlacka K/P
9 Brandon Jackson RB
10 Matt Lentz QB
11 Greg Wilson S
14 Anthony Mosley WR
15 Chris Drayton S
24 Randall Burden CB
45 Antoine Glenn DL
46 Ronnie Sneed LB
49 Antonio Thomas LB
52 Billy Joe Murphy OL
58 Phillip Hibbard OL
62 Greg Meisner DL
63 Jake Lanefski OL
70 Stuart Hines OL
84 Charles Mustafaa DL

Status unknown but I believe these guys are no longer with the team
Juniors
41 Ben Bates FB
55 Sefo Blaylock OL

And these valuable walkons should be back as well
Seniors
36 Robbie McAtee CB
74 Joe Fischer OL

Juniors
38 John Conner FB
39 Antoine Brown RB-gunner
47 AJ Nance LB
68 Michael Williams OL
82 Tyler Sexton TE
93 Austin Moss DL

Sophs
37 Trey Bowland RB
39 Courtney Coffey FB
65 JJ Helton SN
77 Marcus Davis OL
87 Andre Henderson WR

[Coldstream]

Joker recently talked about trying Grinter out at TE so he may be Tamme's replacement (not considering the incoming frosh). The coaches plan to use the extra practice time for the bowl for this. See how invaluable this extra time is!

[KY---Kenny]

Dont doubt RV's figures, if you do your probably wrong.

[gerntz]

47 Returning guys not listed (in other words guys that played this year)
12 Seniors lost
24 Redshirted and being added to the 47 returnees this spring
83

I don't know the status of Blaylock and Bates.

Thanks. I didn't get that the 47 were only the returning players that played in 2007 in your first post.

[gerntz]

RV, that 71 list is more than we had after the recruits came in in the Fall just a few years back.

[Diz]

While we have great depth, it is yet to be seen if the leadership level is anywhere near the 07 seniors. Lack of leadership will show up quickly this spring. Unhappy campers, off-campus arrests, fodder for the Herald Leader and Curious Urinal on the trail of alleged improprieties, discontent in the ranks, etc. All those things we didn't see this past year are the things that hurt the most. There is no substitution for character and leadership.

The TE position is curious to me as well. TC looks like a great athlete waiting to grow up. Mo Grinter would be a very good addition to the TE ranks. However, it is Tyler Sexton who continued to impress me. I never saw TC catch a difficult pass in open field, but Tyler Sexton caught nearly everything he touched. With our obviously fantastic running attack, I wouldn't be surprised to see Ross Bogue lining up at the TE position quite often. Afterall the TE position is primarily a blocking lineman.

Fortunately, we don't have to worry for another month.

[sardiscat]

Bogue moved to DE this year.

[RV]

RV, that 71 list is more than we had after the recruits came in in the Fall just a few years back.

Exactly - we've been in the 55-60 range for the spring the last two years. Brooks first fall we were in the 60-65 range for the entire squad after the Freshmen had reported and his second and third seasons were only marginally better. We've come a long way and are just now becoming what I would call a healthy program according to the numbers.

[RV]

Bogue moved to DE this year.

You are mistaken. Chris Goode was moved to DE but he may move back to TE in the spring. That's a wait and see deal.

[gerntz]

Exactly - we've been in the 55-60 range for the spring the last two years. Brooks first fall we were in the 60-65 range for the entire squad after the Freshmen had reported and his second and third seasons were only marginally better. We've come a long way and are just now becoming what I would call a healthy program according to the numbers.

The 71 number is probably higher than it will ever be going forward. This is a small SR class due to the recruiting limitations when they came in. I'd guess we ought to average 65-68 going forward. Less than 60 would indicate some roster difficulties to me.

[poodoo]

RV, thanks for your outstanding efforts, RV. You know that I LOVE reading this stuff (although I am currently most excited about the upcoming bowl game THIS year, of course, as evidenced by my lengthy post in that regard). :)

I see the cornerback position as looking especially good. I also look forward to Oninku's return to the defensive line next season, along with some other injured players. I happen to think we will be quite pleased with the offensive line, as you mention, and, actually, likely pleased with the defensive line, as well. Assuming Curtis Pulley is eligible and wins the starting job, I'm excited about that, although I will sorely miss Andre, of course. Jacob Tamme will be hard to replace, as will Keenan and Stevie as long-ball threats. The running back position looks MOST promising, though, even with Rafael's departure, and, unfortunately, we did not get to see a healthy Rafael for many games, anyway. I especially see a more experienced, stronger defense next season, along with better special teams with added depth and experience.

I do somewhat share Diz's concerns about the loss of leadership. Wesley Woodyard, in particular, comes to mind. Wesley was one of only FIVE unanimous picks to the SEC coaches' All-SEC Team. Even with those most obvious outstanding accomplishments and respect as a FOOTBALL PLAYER, I think Wesley will be missed even more as a respected LEADER on, but especially OFF, the field. I really feel that no player has contributed more to this team's success the past two seasons, BECAUSE of his contributions as a leader (and his huge role in recruiting some of the talent).

Likewise, Keenan Burton has been HUGE in that leadership role, along with Jacob Tamme, Andre Woodson, and Rafael Little. In particular, Burton guided and encouraged wide receivers. Burton, Tamme, and Woodson so often spoke about the TEAM goals, not worrying much about individual ones.

In fact, from what they have said, the ENTIRE TEAM was UNSELFISH. Folks, that was BECAUSE OF the SENIOR LEADERSHIP from those very players. That these players happened to be the team's STARS caused them to be listened to with open ears. Like Diz, I really wonder who will step up on both defense and offense and even REMOTELY take these guys' place in the area of leadership.

The leadership from the TOP, thankfully, is good. Our coaches will hopefully help some young men step up in that regard.

Thanks again, RV, for your fantastic efforts.