NEWSSTAND (8/2): Young QB's, practice notes, former Cats return, Blue Smith
CatsIllustrated.com's Newsstand is full of all the Kentucky reading you need to catch up on the last 24 hours.
Extensive football coverage, De'Aaron Fox and other ex-Cats returning to Lexington, notes on NBA Cats, Blue Smith and other football recruiting notes, plus so much more.
LEARNING THE ROPES
The mental transition from high school football to the college level can be difficult for any player, but it's especially tough for quarterbacks. There's a lot more they have to digest, and that says nothing about how tough it can be for them to adjust to the speed of the game all over the field.
CatsIllustrated.com caught up with Danny Clark and Walker Wood to get their takes on what it's been like working with Darin Hinshaw, an accomplished and respected quarterbacks coach, and how they've fared in terms of learning the playbook.
They have each had an extra semester as early enrollees, so where do things stand as fall camp cranks up?
LINK: Danny Clark and Walker Wood on working with Darin Hinshaw and learning the playbook
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.
LINK: Early enrollment has given Kentucky's young quarterbacks confidence
CHANGING PLANS
Rivals100 athlete and elite wide receiver recruit Blue Smith has been planning to announce his college destination on August 27th, right at the start of his senior season at Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne.
On Tuesday, however, Smith announced that he's shaking things up.
There's just one problem for anyone trying to decipher the entire Smith saga. Now there are more questions than answers.
LINK: Blue Smith changing commitment date but now more questions than answers
REVIEWS FOR LEBLANC, HOOD
Continuity has been a buzzword with Kentucky football going into 2017 and understandably so.
But there has been some turnover in the offseason. Aside from Matt House replacing D.J. Eliot as the Cats' defensive coordinator, Mark Stoops brought in two new assistant coaches: Derrick LeBlanc and Dean Hood.
What are players saying about Kentucky's defensive line coach and their new linebackers coach/special teams coordinator?
CatsIllustrated.com asked that question at media day.
LINK: What players are saying about new assistants Derrick LeBlanc and Dean Hood
TRIO RETURNS
De’Aaron Fox, Dominique Hawkins and Derek Willis were back in Lexington for the 2017 John Calipari UK Pro Camps. Fox was selected No. 5 overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2017 NBA Draft, while Hawkins and Willis went undrafted.
Willis was signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Pistons on July 20 after playing for their summer league team.
“It meant everything,” Willis said. “I believe my fiancée actually got the call first. She informed me. It was a little different. But she had like this big little surprise thing. I’m just grateful. My agent made a great call on it, to play with (the Pistons) in the summer league. I did the things I was supposed to do and it just worked out for me. I’m really happy.”
LINK: Fox, Hawkins and Willis return to Lexington to discuss their futures
Former UK basketball standout Dominique Hawkins was known as one of the best athletes in college basketball.
On Tuesday morning Hawkins told the Midday Rush, a morning radio show on 680/105.7 ESPN Louisville, that he worked out for the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
LINK: Hawkins weighing NFL option, but basketball still his passion
FOX'S ADVICE
Many consider former University of Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox to now be the up-and-coming face of the franchise for the Sacramento Kings.
As such, Fox will need to invest heavily into the Kings and work hard to provide the production Sacramento and its fans expect.
LINK: De’Aaron Fox’s advice to new Cats: ‘Be coachable… be ready to be yelled at’
ADJUSTING TO COLLEGE
There's a lot that goes into transitioning from high school to college. That's for anyone.
Sometimes a person has never been away from home for long. In the case of many football prospects, including some of the freshmen at Kentucky, time management becomes an issue, as do the demands of a more rigorous weight program and other expected areas of growth.
CatsIllustrated.com asked a number of Kentucky freshmen to shed light on how their adjustment to college has been going.
ADVANCED OFFENSE
On the first day of fall camp, tight end C.J. Conrad said the UK offense had a meeting that already focused on ball security. It’s that type of “nitpicky stuff” the offense is working on earlier this year as opposed to last season.
“Last year this time we were still learning a new offense almost,” Conrad said. “We’re getting real nitpicky now. That’s what is going to lose and win us games. That’s what we’re really focusing on right now. We have an older group and expect to be very mature.”
LINK: Continuity leading to more advanced offense as camp begins
Kentucky wrapped up its third practice of the fall on Tuesday morning. It was the first practice the team spent in pads. Offensive coordinator Eddie Gran met with the media to detail the practice. Here are the main highlights.
EYE TEST
CatsIllustrated.com had the opportunity to talk to a number of younger Kentucky football players about their offseason development, their current physical preparedness and what position they expect to play in Lexington.
Here's what we heard with, furthermore, some notes of our own on players' development.
UK'S STRONGEST, FASTEST PLAYERS
Who's the fastest player on Kentucky's team?
Who's the strongest?
These are questions fans have an interest in every year, so CatsIllustrated.com asked several players at Kentucky's Media Day on Sunday.
LINK: Who are Kentucky's strongest, fastest players? And a breakout candidate
BIGGEST GAME?
CatsIllustrated.com had an opportunity to poll a large number of Kentucky football players on a range of topics, including one interesting question: What game are they mostlooking forward to on the 2017 schedule?
Here are some of their answers.
LINK: What game are Kentucky's players most excited about going into 2017?
MAKING THE CUT
In recent days two line recruits from the 2018 class have included the Cats among their newly released lists of favorites.
Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles School offensive tackle Nick Lewis and Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola defensive tackle Jordan Redmond both released lists of ten favorite schools this week, and Kentucky was included with both.
OFFER LETTERS
The calendar turned to August today, which means programs can finally send official offers to prospects in the 2018 class. Schools often go above and beyond with graphics and personalization in extending scholarships.
Here is a look at how each Power Five program handled its release. The only school that has not joined the Twitter official offer release craze so far is Northwestern.
ROSE GROWING
When their kids are hurting, parents look for the quickest way to stop the pain.
But sometimes there is a greater lesson in the struggle.
LINK: With extra time to grow, Kentucky football hopes to see beautiful things from Rose
WINNING IN COURT
Former Kentucky Wildcats big man Josh Harrellson came up with a big win in court this week.
Harrellson sued Leon Smith, a former UK employee, for stealing from him while he was supposed to be managing his money and investments.
LINK: Former Wildcat big man Josh Harrellson wins $1 million in court
NOT-SO-BOLD PREDICTION
Let it never be said that Malik Monk lacks confidence.
The 19-year-old guard, who lit up the college ranks during his lone year at Kentucky before coming off the board with the 11th pick in June’s 2017 NBA draft, has had to cool his heels for the past month or so after a sprained right ankle landed him on the sidelines for Summer League. But several weeks of inactivity clearly hasn’t done much to quell the competitiveness of the Charlotte Hornets’ newest scoring threat. In fact, it seems, it’s only emboldened him … judging by his response to one particularly hot question.
LINK: Hornets rookie Malik Monk is confident he could beat 'pretty old' Michael Jordan in 1-on-1
FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES
The Pelicans, long linked to Joe Dumars, have stuck with Dell Demps as general manager.
But New Orleans will maintain a connection to Dumars.
The former Pistons general manager has been named president of the basketball division of Independent Sports & Entertainment, the agency that fired Dan Fegan (and hired Kevin Johnson). ISE represents Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
SUMMER JOURNALING
John Wall just signed a four-year, $170 million contract extension, but he’s not resting on his laurels. Wall is continuing his workouts this summer to get in even better shape than he was throughout last season. BallIsLife.com is chronicling Wall’s summer workouts. In Episode 1 of “NO OFF SEASON” above, you can see Wall work on his already stellar conditioning and in the boxing ring.
VOLLEYBALL RECOGNIZED
For the third-consecutive season, the Kentucky volleyball program earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award honoring the Cats 3.43 cumulative grade-point average for the 2016-17 academic year.
The Wildcats reached the 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average in each semester during the school year. Additionally, six members of the team held a GPA of 3.5 or higher during both semesters.
“I am continually proud of our team in the classroom,” head coach Craig Skinner said. “Our academic culture is excellent and a lot of the credit goes to Amy Craiglow.”
(UK press release)