Early enrollment has given Kentucky's freshmen quarterbacks confidence
It's a Kentucky tradition. Actually, it has quickly become a college football tradition.
If you're a quarterback, you enroll early.
Drew Barker did it. Stephen Johnson and Gunnar Hoak did it, too. Now Danny Clark and Walker Wood have done it, just as Jarren Williams will.
Clark and Wood spoke with CatsIllustrated.com this week about the positive impact that early enrollment has made on their development as quarterbacks and their adjustment to college.
“I think it was beneficial to me becoming a better quarterback and a better player," Danny Clark told CatsIllustrated.com on Sunday. "I would suggest it to everyone. It’s such a great thing that we’re able to do. It helps you develop as a player more and really get you acclimated because, people don’t really think, it’s not all about football. You’re coming in and you have five, six classes you’ve got to go to. You’re a full-time, enrolled student and that’s a shock sometimes to some people, because usually your senior year (of high school) may slow down and as soon as you get here you’re rolling 100 miles per hour.
“That was really essential to being able to balance all my time and figuring out, ‘Okay, this is what I need to do,’ and how I need to get ready for the next semester and things like that. It’s been great. I’ve loved every second of it.”
Time management is always a big part of the learning curve from high school to college for football players, and early enrollment clearly helped Clark with that. Better to take lumps and learn on the fly in the spring than the fall, when the season is a lot farther out.
Walker Wood agrees, although his first semester was a bit different than Clark's in terms of his development. While there's been a learning curve for both players, Wood spent some of his time getting back to health after an injury that ended his senior season during his last semester at Lafayette.
“It was great, getting here six months starting before everyone from football to school," Wood said. "My first semester went well with grades and everything. Football was great. I’m ready for camp and we’ll go into the second part of the semester.”
True freshman running back Bryant Koback was in a similar situation to Wood's, in terms of rehabbing from an injury and missing spring practice. Like Koback, Wood says he's back to form. Working with Kentucky trainers and strength coaches for a full semester ahead of schedule certainly helps with that.
“Feeling pretty good," Wood said. "I got in here early with a great crew. I’m feeling good and got my knee healthy. I’m running good and cutting well. I feel good.”