Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White met with the media for the first time this spring on Thursday.

Here are the big takeaways from what he said.

Leaning on leaders

Coaches are always looking for coaches on the field. Every defense has to find an identity, White said, and leadership is an integral part of that.

"Really excited about the veteran leadership that we have. As good a group as I've ever been around," White said.

Josh Paschal, DeAndre Square, and Yusuf Corker have not always been the most vocal players on the field, but they have increasingly found their voices as they have aged and gained experience in the program.

No doubt, that trio will be counted on to be the eyes, arms, and legs of the staff on the field and each brings intangibles and also a 'lead by example' quality that commands respect at every level of the defense.

White said the staff is moving some of the older players around to different positions to provide some personnel flexibility in case of emergency but also to make them more well-rounded players who understand what's happening at different spots on the field.

Square in particular has a history of owning his teammates' trust. White noted his work ethic impressing his peers as a freshman, and how he became more vocal as he got older.

"The unquestioned leader last year in that room. Did a lot of the communication," White said. "DeAndre Square, don't get it wrong, is very much a heartbeat of our defense."

The coaches have challenged Square to be a vocal leader for the entire defense and not just for the linebacker group. They're impressed with early returns and Square himself has asked for more responsibility.

Working against a new offense

For Liam Coen the spring is about installing a new offense and conveying terminology and concepts, making sure position groups are at a similar stage of development along the way.

Brad White's task is a bit different. He has a defense that has some experience, so personnel development and evaluation is already going strong.

But what of the relationship between the two units?

According to White, working against a new offense comes with some benefits.

"What makes it so good for us is it's not stagnate," White said.

White pointed out that spring practice can sometimes be repetitive for players who are facing the same familiar offense year after year, with newness only arising in the fall against the opposition. For Kentucky, the defense is facing almost an entirely new unit this year, and that keeps things fresh.

Who replaces Jamin Davis?

Before last season Jamin Davis was regarded as one of a few players who would need to rotate between a couple of inside linebacker positions in Kentucky's base 3-4 defense.

Nobody predicted the breakout he had.

Davis was one of the SEC's best players and could be selected in the first couple of rounds of this year's NFL Draft.

Now the question is: Who replaces him?

Square has held down the Will spot next to the Mike position for a long time and should be able to do that again. But finding Davis' replacement will not be an easy process.

White said D'Eryk Jackson is going to be running with the ones a lot, which should not come as a surprise to Cats Illustrated readers. White noted that Jackson played a small amount throughout last season so at least he "knows what it's like to play in an SEC game."

Jackson is very introverted, White said, and noted that he's got to be "an alpha".

"He plays like an alpha but now he's got to vocalize that," White said.

Luke Fulton will be competing for the Mike position along with Jackson, but this is a transition for him in terms of the defense.

Is K.D. McDaniel ready?

Asked about McDaniel, White said he's at his more "natural" position. As a prospect Kentucky liked McDaniel as a Jack. But because he was needed at Sam to serve as Boogie Watson's backup that's where he was.

White likes McDaniel's twitch. He and Jordan Wright will be rotating there.

Because Wright has been with Kentucky for a long time he can play Jack and Sam, a "luxury" for UK according to the Cats' defensive coordinator.

"I've seen it in the first two days of practice, he just looks more comfortable. He's closer to the football. That's what he was in high school. Into the boundary there's a little bit less space," White said.

White says he prefers to start guys out playing the field so they aren't "fish out of water" when he has to move them there for whatever reason.

McDaniel has to master the playbook, White said. That's the number one thing he's got to do to take his game to the next level.

White believes he's showing good signs on that point.

"If he can get going that's a guy who can really help us," White said.

Vito Tisdale, Joel Williams, and Davonte Robinson are playing the "medium" spot in Kentucky's defense, and then at the base linebacker position they will have Marquez Bembry.

High expectations for McCall

There's a reason Marquan McCall was at one point ranked the No. 1 prospect in Michigan.

Now going into his senior season with the Wildcats, McCall is down 20-plus pounds preparing himself to take on Quinton Bohanna's starting spot.

White told Cats Illustrated weeks ago that he was very pleased with how McCall performed when he needed to be a starter due to Bohanna being out.

On Thursday, White praised McCall even more.

"You saw with Q that senior year he was really able to combat it and keep it down and played at a lower weight, and you saw that Q's play was so much better. For Marquan, he's never going to be a 225 pound guy like myself, but for Quan if he can get to a number -- and I'm not going to put one out there, and we've got one that we've talked to him about -- he's going to be able to play big, strong, fast and physical. There are very few people that I've been around that are his weight that have his foot speed. If we can just trim a few more off, he can be a force for us. And we need him to be in the middle of that defense."

Days ago Mark Stoops said McCall has come in with the right mentality so coaches are hopeful.