NEWSSTAND (8/10): Bullish on Bowden, rankings released, Killeya-Jones
CatsIllustrated.com sources are increasingly bullish on Lynn Bowden after Wednesday's practice, Rivals.com's initial 2019 position rankings are out, Sacha Killeya-Jones' sophomore campaign is previewed and much, much more.
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BOWDEN'S BREAKOUT
While it was a defensive day on Wednesday, in that it was Matt House who met with the media after practice, the big story was on the offensive side.
According to CatsIllustrated.com sources, true freshman Lynn Bowden had a breakout day and his best yet.
LINK: Sources say Lynn Bowden had a breakout day at practice on Wednesday
BUILDING A BRAND
CatsIllustrated.com recently spoke with Kentucky’s director of football recruiting, Dan Berezowitz, about how social media has changed the way the program recruits. But social media also introduces other challenges.
It’s no secret that college athletics programs have ways of teaching players how to use social media appropriately in a way that reflects positively on the university and individuals themselves. Kentucky is no different in that respect.
LINK: Stoops' staff links social media and branding, good and bad, in talks with players
JUCO STRATEGY
To varying degrees most college football programs tap into the junior college ranks as a valuable source of talent. JUCO players often arrive at SEC schools and elsewhere with more physical maturity and perhaps better perspective that comes from that tough detour.
Kentucky relied heavily upon JUCO recruiting early in Stoops’ tenure, luring players like Za’Darius Smith, Cory Johnson, A.J. Stamps, Ryan Flannigan and Melvin Lewis to Lexington, in an effort to plug the many holes in the depth chart they inherited from the previous regime.
LINK: With improved depth has UK's JUCO recruiting strategy changed?
KILLEYA-JONES PREVIEW
Cats Illustrated is previewing every scholarship player on Kentucky's 2017-2018 basketball roster.
Part three of the series is on sophomore Sacha Killeya-Jones. The 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward had a disappointing rookie season at UK. We saw plenty of talent and promise from the former five-star recruit in high school. Will it shine through this season?
HOUSE Q&A
First-year Kentucky defensive coordinator Matt House talks about the potential of the Cats' freshmen in the secondary, a solid day of work for his unit, Kash Daniel's progression from year one to now and much more.
WILL WALL BE REWARDED?
The Crossover’s Madelyn Burke, Rohan Nadkarni and DeAntae Prince discuss how long the window for winning a championship for the Washington Wizards will last, and if DeMarcus Cousins will one day join John Wall?
INSIDE THE RANKINGS
This week Rivals.com has been rolling out the Rivals100, Rivals250 and first position rankings for the Class of 2019.
Although Kentucky has a long way to go in finishing their 2018 recruiting cycle, the staff is focused on putting together its 2019 board right now.
Here's where some of Kentucky's top targets landed in the rankings.
LINK: Inside the Rankings: Where UK's top 2019 targets landed
RECRUITING IN PICTURES
Social media has dramatically changed the way the world works in almost every respect, and college football recruiting is no exception.
Recruits have always wanted recognition. They’ve always wanted attention. Now, because of Twitter and other social media platforms, they just want more of it, and they want it more instantaneously, than ever before.
LINK: Production, distribution of graphics has become central to UK's recruiting efforts
LESSONS TO LEARN
Mason Wolfe wasn't an especially heralded recruit. He was respected and considered Power Five caliber, but he wasn't a class headliner.
Neither was fellow offensive lineman Logan Stenberg.
But Stenberg emerged last season and will be key starter in 2017. And now Wolfe is making his own emergence. There are lessons to be learned in both cases, and the lessons are largely the same.
LINK: Lessons from the emergence of Mason Wolfe and Logan Stenberg
SIGNIFICANT PRAISE
We're just about one day removed from me saying it might be time to reevaluate our assessment of Kentucky's offensive line.
But what Eddie Gran said about George Asafo-Adjei on Tuesday is really good news that could justify a healthy dose of optimism.
LINK: Why Eddie Gran's praise for George Asafo-Adjei is a very good thing
George Asafo-Adjei has been a consistent contributor on Kentucky’s offensive line over the past two seasons, but his position has been anything but consistent.
Asafo-Adjei’s impact at Kentucky was immediate. The former 3-star prospect from West Chester, Ohio, was physically ahead of his 2015 class signees. Instead of redshirting as most offensive linemen do, Asafo-Adjei was listed as Kentucky’s second-team left tackle and he made three starts at right tackle.
LINK: Asafo-Adjei's versatility is key for UK's offensive line
VOLLEYBALL RANKED
For a program-record sixth-consecutive year, the Kentucky volleyball team will begin the season ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s preseason top 25 after the Wildcats earned a No. 14 ranking in the poll released on Wednesday
UK’s spot in the top-25 poll marks the eighth time in the last nine years in which the Wildcats have earned a place in the preseason poll, all under head coach Craig Skinner.
UK'S 'GODZILLA'
Kentucky junior Kayaune Ross has been here before.
For the second consecutive year, Ross, the 6-foot-6, 225-pound wide receiver dubbed “Godzilla” by his position coach, has become one of the most buzzed-about names on the roster during Kentucky's closed preseason practices.
FIVE GOOD QUESTIONS
Replacing lost production, the quarterback situation, the defensive line and more, from Mark Story of the Herald-Leader. Questions that will shape Kentucky's upcoming football season.
LINK: Five good questions about this year's UK football team