PRACTICE REPORT: Aug. 1
LEXINGTON, Ky. — 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.
-- When asked if incoming four-star receiver Lynn Bowden was practicing with the team, Gran shook his head no. Head coach Mark Stoops told the media on Sunday that Bowden wasn’t yet cleared by the NCAA to practice.
-- Redshirt freshman running back A.J. Rose is “really locked in and wants playing time,” according to Gran. With Jojo Kemp and Boom Williams gone from the rotation, playing time behind sophomore running back Benny Snell is there for the taking. The reason Rose didn’t play last season came down to maturity, Gran said, but Rose learned the offense and put together a productive spring.
Gran has been impressed with Rose’s physical ability and speed.
“He’s got some juice,” Gran said. “So, that’s what I like. He’s a big back. Hopefully the piles are going forward. Four yards and a cloud of dust is OK with me. That’s the toughness that we talked about.”
-- While Bowden and Javonte Richardson received most of the attention in UK’s freshmen receivers class, Josh Ali, Clevan Thomas and Isaiah Epps have earned praise from players and coaches to this point. Thomas was the only receiver to enroll for spring camp, which has given him a step up in the competition.
“I think coming early, there’s no question that helped him,” Gran said. “He’s so far ahead right now. Right now you’d say he’s probably going to be in the mix. We’ll see as it develops, but the other guys are where he was when he first got here. They’re swimming a little bit.”
Quarterback Stephen Johnson said Epps and Ali have been the two who have caught his eye so far.
“Those guys are doing incredible jobs out there with their route running and catching the ball. They're really making plays. They're kind of built the same, they kind of run the routes the same. They're both really fast guys." A lot of freshmen guys will come in here and just try to catch up. These guys here are already caught up for the most part."
-- Tight ends coach Vince Marrow believes he has three players who can get the job done. Junior C.J. Conrad has been the starter the past two seasons, but backups Greg Hart and Justin Rigg have looked good in the fall.
“C.J. is a real good tight end, but I’d put the other two in there and wouldn’t miss a beat,” Marrow said. “That’s where we’re at now with our tight end position. I think Rigg has got to come a little bit more, but (Conrad and Hart) I can put either guy in there. But Rigg is coming.
“He has soft hands, don’t let that fool you,” Marrow said. “He has some of the best hands on our team too. He’s in a room with two veteran guys, which he’s really benefitted from, but he’s going to be a big time tight end.”
-- Offensive line coach John Schlarman said several players have have stood out to him, but the ones he noted are Logan Stenberg, Kyle Meadows, Mason Wolfe, George Asafo-Adjei and Landon Young.
“I do like the progress of the group,” Schlarman said. “I could probably go through all of them, but I like the overall effort. Obviously there’s plenty we can get better at. We just need to keep working at it.”