August 27, 2018

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KERNEL STAFF PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2018 SEASON PAGE 4

THEY’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE

The journey from Kansas JUCOs to the Kentucky football team

PAGE 3 PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF

IS THIS THE YEAR?

Monday, August 27, 2018

NEW KROGER FIELD CONCESSIONS COMING THIS SEASON How the nontraditional options will add to the fan experience

PAGE 15

Monday, August 27, 2018

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They’re not in Kansas anymore: The journey from Kansas JUCOs to the UK football team never watched it himself and still gets made fun of by his teammates for the loss.

“When I seen that I’m like, ‘Bruh Terry, you just threw it up, you just threw it up like that and gave it to them like that?’” Benny Snell said of Wilson’s performance.

“We know it was all fun, though.”

Between smelly practices and a loss that will never go away, Wilson is happy his junior college time is over, but thankful for the lessons he learned in Kansas.

“I’ve learned a lot and once I’ve gotten here, I’ve been things I’ve learned back then, I try to imply here,” Wilson said.

By Chris Leach sports@kykernel.com

Not every player on Kentucky’s roster was a desired high school recruit who was destined for Division I football at a young age; instead, some players took a longer road.

That alternate road that many players try to avoid is junior college, a place where football careers can be made or broken. Some of the NFL’s most talented players began their career in junior college, such as Aaron Rodgers, O.J. Simpson and Keyshawn Johnson, while other potential superstars never made it out.

Three Kentucky football players got to experience the challenges of junior college firsthand, and fortunately for them, they worked hard until their goal of playing at a Division I school was achieved.

All had different experiences at their junior college, but in the end, they have said they are appreciative of the lessons they now use at UK.

LONNIE JOHNSON JR.

TERRY WILSON

Kentucky has had success the last two seasons in starting a junior college transfer quarterback, and newcomer Terry Wilson is hoping he can continue that going into this season.

Wilson’s stop in Lexington is his third during his college career.

Wilson was originally an Oregon Duck before deciding to transfer to Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas.

Wilson spent only one year at a junior college, where he lit up the stat sheet to become FBS-relevant again. However, that one year was enough for Wilson.

“It’s a tough experience,” Wilson said at UK’s Media Day. “You can get down on yourself sometimes but you just got to keep pushing, you got to keep going, do it.”

One of the things that made being at Garden City tough was the practices, but it wasn’t the screaming coaches or early practices that made it tough; it was the odors sur-

OLIVIA BEACH AND JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF Phil Hoskins (TOP LEFT), Lonnie Johnson (TOP RIGHT) and Terry Wilson (BELOW) compete in Kentucky Football’s Blue-White spring game.

rounding the field.

“We were in the middle of nowhere, it smelled like cow poop, it was bad,” Wilson said. “Every practice, especially when that wind was blowing, you would get a whiff of it.”

Another thing that highlighted Wilson’s year at Garden City was his appearance on the popular Netflix show “Last Chance U.” Wilson and the Broncbusters were the opponents of Independence Community College on epi-

sode three of the show, and Garden City would go on to lose the game in a close battle.

UK fans and teammates enjoyed watching one of their future players throw deep passes and juke out defenders in the episode, but Wilson

Wilson was not the only current Cat to attend Garden City Community College, as Lonnie Johnson Jr. spent two seasons playing for the Broncbusters and head coach Jeff Sims also.

Just like Wilson, Johnson Jr. also remembers the practices that smelled like cow poop, which made the tough days even tougher for the defensive back.

Johnson Jr.’s toughest year might have been in 2016, his sophomore season at Garden City, when he sat out the whole season to focus on academics. In 2015, Johnson Jr. showed major promised and earned a spot on the All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Second Team.

Not playing football in 2016 made it difficult for Johnson Jr. to stay focused on his goals, so one of the things he started doing was find the ‘quote of the day’ to inspire him to stay focused.

“It was something to just motivate you everyday to go class,” Johnson Jr. said. “That helped me get through it when I wasn’t playing.”

The quote of the day worked, as Johnson Jr. was able to raise his grades and earn a spot on Kentucky’s roster for the 2017 season.

See KANSAS on page 14 fall 2018 | 3

Monday, August 27, 2018

Kernel Sports Staff predictions for the 2018 football season

By Kernel Sports Staff sports@kykernel.com

ERIKA BONNER Sports Editor

Another season of Kentucky football is only days away, and between an All-American running back candidate and a veteran defensive unit, excitement for the Cats is high.

Kentucky will kickoff its 2018 campaign this Saturday when the Cats host Central Michigan at Kroger Field at 3:30 p.m. Before the action takes place, the Kernel sports staff sat down to discuss what they think fans will see this upcoming season.

Here’s what they had to say.

WHAT DO YOU THINK UK’S FINISHING RECORD (INCLUDING SEC) WILL BE?

CHRIS LEACH Sports Features Editor

CHASE CAMPBELL Assistant Sports Editor 4 | kentucky kernel

ERIKA BONNER The Cats will end up with a 7-5 record, going 4-4 in the SEC. Aside from the non-conference games, Kentucky’s schedule will be tough (that goes without saying though; it is the SEC after all). I think there will be a few games when the Cats will shock BBN though, despite the tough schedule.

CHASE CAMPBELL UK will finish 8-4, and will finish an even 4-4 in SEC play. A weak nonconference schedule that peaks at Lamar Jackson-less Louisville will give BBN what they’ve asked for the last two years.

CHRIS LEACH I think UK will finish 6-6 with a 3-5

ARDEN BARNES I STAFF Benny Snell Jr. of the Kentucky Wildcats runs to the end zone during the game against Vanderbilt University on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, in Nashville, Tennessee. Kentucky won 44 to 21.

SEC record in the regular season.

It’s not that I’m down on the Cats, I just think they don’t have many opportunities with their schedule.

Home games against Mississippi State, South Carolina and Georgia will be tough, while traveling to Florida, Texas A&M and Louisville aren’t much better.

WHO WILL BE THE SEASON MVP?

ERIKA BONNER Benny Snell. I think it’s obvious, and hard to say anyone else. Being one of Kentucky’s biggest assets, he brings big energy and remains as UK’s arguable top playmaker.

CHASE CAMPBELL Can I say anyone other than

Benny Snell? He gets better every year, and even when he’s down, he’s one of the best players on the field, although pride might hurt him.

CHRIS LEACH Benny Snell. The man has been at the top of opponents’ scouting reports his first two years, and no one stopped him. Expect Snell to keep rolling with him approaching some big-time records.

WHO WILL BE UK’S BREAKOUT PLAYER?

ERIKA BONNER I’m going to agree with Chase on this one and go with Tavin Richardson. Kentucky’s coaching staff has been high on Richardson so far in the pre-season, and I think

Monday, August 27, 2018

CHRIS LEACH I’m going with five: Josh Allen, Mike Edwards, C.J. Conrad, Snell and Jones. Some of those guys could have gone pro after last season, but decided on a senior season encore instead. If correct, that would be the most draft picks UK has had since 1979.

WHAT WILL BE UK’S BEST WIN OF THE SEASON?

time to have a big game than in front of the BBN against an opponent they’ve beaten four consecutive times under the lights (unconfirmed still, but the last six matchups have kicked off no later than 7 p.m.).

WHAT WILL BE UK’S WORST LOSS OF THE SEASON?

ERIKA BONNER I have to go with Florida. Even though it’ll be ERIKA BONNER early in the schedule to call it their worst loss, Kentucky’s last game of the season against I think it’ll be very difficult for the Cats to beat Louisville will be their best win. Arguably UK’s the Gators in Gainesville. biggest rival, I think they’ll be hungry for the CHASE CAMPBELL win, especially after last year’s 17-44 loss.

Week 10 at Tennessee. Tennessee will be CHASE CAMPBELL good, mind you, but it’s a game the Cats should Week two at Florida. After 31 long years, win on paper, and that’s why they’ll lose. They OLIVIA BEACH I STAFF UK is going to take advantage of Florida’s have a habit of playing to the game on paper.

Freshman linebacker Deandre Square of the University of Kentransitioning, unstable organization and their CHRIS LEACH tucky football team participates in Media Day at Kroger Field on Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky. own veteran defense to stuff the Gators in Week 12 at Louisville. If I’m correct, UK will Gainesville. be riding a two-game win streak and bowl game he’s going to have a lot to offer come Sept. 1st.

CHRIS LEACH berth into Louisville, so expectations could be CHASE CAMPBELL Week five against South Carolina. If I’m right, a bit high. Louisville is still a good football team Wide receiver Tavin Richardson. I’ve been UK will still be winless in the SEC and looking and it will be difficult for UK fans to end another really high on Richardson recently, and it’s for a big game before going to A&M. No better season with a loss to their arch-rival. because of his length and athleticism. If his route-running is better, he’ll be a terror.

CHRIS LEACH I’m picking someone the coaching staff has said nothing but positive things about since arriving in January, and that’s DeAndre Square.

Jordan Jones always seems to be hurt and the linebackers sub out a lot, which could open up a role for Square if he lives up to his preseason hype.

HOW MANY DRAFT PICKS WILL UK HAVE AT THE 2018 NFL DRAFT?

ERIKA BONNER We’ll go with three…. and a questionable fourth? Josh Allen, Mike Edwards, Jordan Jones, and possibly Snell. I can’t say with confidence right now that he’ll go pro after this season.

CHASE CAMPBELL Three is the clear-cut, definitive choice, and the answer hinges on Snell’s choice. If he stays, then only Mike Edwards and Josh Allen will be selected.

ARDEN BARNES I STAFF Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Stephen Johnson runs the ball down the field during the game against Tennessee at Kroger Field on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 29 to 26.

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Monday, August 27, 2018

Now Plea Hiring! se in p apply erso n.

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Monday, August 27, 2018

What to expect from offense, defense, special teams

surgery. In his stead, Jamar “Boogie” Watson, T.J. Carter and Kengera Daniel will have to step up. This could also thrust 2018 top recruit Marquan McCall – a top-rated guard who switched sides of the ball after arriving in Lexington – into a larger role.

Expectations are higher than usual this year for Kentucky football.

Defensive consistency is the key to meeting them and improving the win total for a fourth straight season.

Kernel Sports Staff sports@kykernel.com

Mohammad Ahmad Offense

Braden Ramsey Defense

Erika Bonner Special Teams JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF TOP: Gunnar Hoak passes the ball during Kentucky’s Blue-White game on April 13, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

STAFF FILE PHOTO BOTTOM LEFT: Kentucky linebacker Jordan Jones looks on during the game against Georgia Tech on Dec. 31, 2016, in Jacksonville, Florida.

ARDEN BARNES I STAFF BOTTOM RIGHT: Lynn Bowden Jr. runs the ball down the field during the game against Vanderbilt on Nov. 11, 2017, in Nashville, Tennessee.

OFFENSE 2017 rankings: 103rd FBS, 9th SEC Key losses: QB Stephen Johnson (graduated), WR Garrett Johnson (graduated), OL Kyle Meadows (graduated) Key returners: RB Benny Snell (Junior, First-Team Preseason AllSEC), TE C.J. Conrad (Senior, ThirdTeam Preseason All-SEC), C Drake Jackson (Sophomore).

Kentucky football’s offense looks to improve upon last year’s 7-6 season, and in order to do that, the team will rely on the offense to produce more yards and points.

The quarterback battle between Terry Wilson and Gunnar Hoak continues to stay competitive, and head coach Mark Stoops had yet to name a starter as of Aug. 23. Stoops and offensive coordinator Eddie Gran have expressed confidence in whichever quarterback starts for them on Sept. 1.

Running back Benny Snell will complement Hoak/Wilson this season. An All-SEC First Team member last year, Snell led the Cats in rushing with 1,333 yards and 19 touchdowns, the highest totals in the SEC during the regular season.

Junior wideout Tavin Richardson and senior tight end C.J. Conrad come into this season as the leaders of the receiving corps. The duo combined for 43 receptions, 657 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Rising sophomore Lynn Bowden could also see a breakout season this year after playing in all 13 games last season and catching 17 passes for 210 yards.

The pass and run protectors on offense include veterans like local product Landon Young at tackle and senior Bunchy Stallings at guard/ center. Both players helped pave the way for Snell’s back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons and Stephen Johnson’s 2,712 all-purpose yards last year.

DEFENSE 2017 rankings: 91st FBS, 11th SEC Key losses: LB Courtney Love (graduated), OLB Denzil Ware

(transfer to Jacksonville St.) Key returners: OLB Josh Allen (Senior, Second-Team Preseason AllSEC), safety Mike Edwards (Senior, Second-Team Preseason All-SEC), LB Jordan Jones (Senior) The Kentucky defense comes into the new season looking to improve on a campaign where they gave up more than 420 yards per game. More than 250 of those yards came through the air, landing their passing defense among the worst in the SEC (13th).

Nine starters from last year’s team are back, which bodes well for the improvement they’re seeking.

A healthy Jordan Jones pairing with Josh Allen gives the Cats a deadly duo off the edge, while junior Kash Daniel and freshman DeAndre

Square-- who was getting a lot of hype throughout the spring-- are tasked to replace Courtney Love’s production at middle linebacker.

The secondary returns all of their key contributors from a season ago, who should benefit from more experience and time in the classroom.

The defensive line suffered a big loss when popular breakout candidate Josh Paschal was diagnosed with malignant melanoma after offseason

SPECIAL TEAMS Key losses: K Austin MacGinnis (graduated), P Matt Panton (graduated), PR Charles Walker (graduated) Key returnees/additions: KR Lynn Bowden (sophomore), P Max Duffy (sophomore) UK’s special teams will be missing a crucial player this season in nowgraduated and Kentucky all-time leading scorer Austin MacGinnis.

Special teams coordinator Dean Hood brings his 31-year college coaching expertise and is sure to be a big factor the Cats when it come to personnel. In 2017, Hood’s special teams blocked three kicks, two of which were crucial plays for the Cats.

Former walk-on turned scholarship athlete Miles Butler and freshman Chance Poore remain in the race for field goal and extra point spots.

Butler, a senior, saw some kicking action in 2015 and went 4-for-4 in field goals. Poore came to Kentucky as the No. 1 punter/kicker in the 2018 class by ProKicker.com.

Kentucky welcomes a new Australian starting punter, Matt Panton. The Aussie played one season as a graduate transfer from Columbia University. Fellow Australian Max Duffy arrived in the United States as an early enrollee in January. He has yet to punt in college, but was rated the No. 1 punting prospect in the Class of 2018 by Ray Guy’s ProKicker.com.

Expect kick and punt return specialist Lynn Bowden to be a huge playmaker for the Cats again this season. Last year as a freshman, Bowden set Kentucky records for most kickoff return yards in a season with 869, along with most kickoff returns with 37.

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8-2018-Inside UK Magazine-Football- 5x10.pdf

Monday, August 27, 2018

Stoops awards ‘reliable,’ trustworthy kicker with a scholarship

By Chris Leach sports@kykernel.com

When Kentucky football head coach Mark Stoops is deciding who to play in a game, he’s not going to put in just anyone with a helmet; he is going to put in the players he trusts.

It can be difficult to earn the trust of the head coach. Mistakes on the practice field, lack of time in the film room or lapses in the classroom are all reasons why coaches don’t trust players, resulting in being benched.

When Miles Butler first came to UK as a small walk-on kicker, he was unsure how many opportunities he would receive due to his size. However, he made up for his lack of size by taking advantage of the few opportunities he received as an upperclassman.

“Miles [Butler] has been very reliable,” Stoops said at UK’s Media Day. “A couple years ago when Austin [MacGinnis] was hurt, he did some kicking for us. He filled in punting for us last year and did a very good job.”

In 2015, Butler made 4-4 field goals and 11-12 extra point attempts as a redshirt freshman in relief of MacGinnis. Butler would not play the rest of 2015 or 2016 since he was behind one of UK’s all-time greatest kickers on the depth chart, but Stoops already trusted Butler in desperate situations.

In 2017, a desperate occasion would arise when starting punter Matt Panton was suspended a game for violating team rules. Backup punter Grant McKinniss was healthy and available, but Stoops did not want to burn his redshirt season, so he had to look elsewhere.

Stoops would call on Butler’s name to fill in the punting duties for that one game.

“I try to be as versatile as I can, kickoffs, field goals, punt, whatever the team wants me JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF Junior Miles Butler kicks an extra point during Kentucky Football’s Blue-White Spring Game on Friday, April 13, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

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to do to help, I try to work on it and master my craft to give them all I can,” Butler said.

Butler had not seriously practiced punting since high school leading up to that game, but he would occasionally practice rugby style kicks with Panton at practice. So when the opportunity to punt for a game came up, Butler was more prepared.

“When the situation came up they kind of joked, ‘Can you actually do it?’ and then we worked that week and it was alright,” Butler said.

Butler was exceptional in that game, as he averaged 38.7 yards for three punts, all of which were pinned inside of the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Butler has proven that he’s capable of being a reliable player in two different scenarios, and it’s because of this that Stoops has a lot of trust in Butler, so much trust that Stoops awarded him with a scholarship during the second week of training camp.

“His trust in me has been unbelievable ever since I got here,” Butler said. “Just a little 150-pound kid and for him to come to me and talk to me and trust me really means a lot to me.”

Butler has a chance to be more than just an emergency player now, as he is looking to win the starting kicker job for this season.

The new starting kicker has some big shoes to fill in replacing MacGinnis, but Butler wants the opportunity to do so, just like how he wanted the opportunity to fill in in 2015 and 2017.

“For me to step in for somebody that’s done so well and that’s had such a good career, making so many big kicks, game on the line, it’s an opportunity I welcome, honestly,” Butler said.

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Monday, August 27, 2018

Jackson, O-line is now “SEC size” heading into this season

By Chase Campbell sports@kykernel.com

As another UK football season rolls around, the team does its annual “We’re way better now” talk to the media and fans. Players and coaches rave about improved techniques and higher skill levels and better footwork, but for the offensive line, they don’t have to do much talking.

The improvement is entirely apparent, and those who meet the players can see the difference.

“SEC size is a real thing,” sophomore center Drake Jackson told media at UK’s Media Day in August. “You get to college, and everybody’s massive, everybody has a low amount of body fat, and everybody’s just fast and big.”

Jackson acknowledged that the team has previously “struggled with” weight, being too small and overwhelmed by teams with much larger players at the line of scrimmage. Jackson and the rest of the Cats made an explicit commitment to getting larger this summer, and it shows.

At the beginning of last season, Jackson weighed 290 pounds. The average size for a college football offensive lineman is 297 pounds,

JOSH MOTT I STAFF Drake Jackson, center, hustles off the field during the first open practice at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky on March 26, 2016.

and the SEC specifically is even higher than that. This season, Jackson is listed at 303 pounds, but he said he ranges “from 305 to 310.”

He said it was a slow process because he wanted to gain all 20 pounds in muscle and gain all his weight while lifting.

Jackson isn’t the only one who has put weight on, either. Jackson pointed out every position group on Media Day, complimenting their growth and strength in those areas.

He also isn’t the only one raving about the team’s as-

cent into “SEC size.” Head coach Mark Stoops had plenty to say about all his players, calling his cornerbacks “freaky big,” which drew a chuckle from media in attendance.

“If you’re getting pushed around, then really you’ve

got no chance. It’s definitely still at the line of scrimmage.

I mean, the statistics prove it. I’ve told you guys this before, but if you outrush your opponent by one yard, it’s a high percentage of winning in conference games,” Stoops said.

Size is a huge plus for the team this year, and the players made it a focus in their recruitment efforts as well, pulling in several lineof-scrimmage recruits who weigh over 300 pounds.

While the team is bigger in the trenches, they’re also more relaxed and in sync.

Last season, the line sought to replace four-year letter winner Jon Toth, as well as handle the erratic season for Nick Haynes, both on and off the field. Bunchy Stallings’ struggled at center before Jackson moved up to stabilize the group, and it wasn’t until a blowout loss against Mississippi State when the line found the five players they’d be sticking with for the rest of the season.

“There’s so much communication going on with us, and last year we’d argue over some calls,” Jackson said.

“Now, we almost don’t even have to talk to each other; we just know what’s going on.”

The increased stability has Jackson, and his teammates, thrilled about their run blocking and pass protection in the coming season.

Now that the line is of SEC size, its members have the SEC-sized task ahead of them: winning enough games to be satisfied.

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Monday, August 27, 2018

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FOR MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME 27 NATIVE KENTUCKIANS ARE ON UK’S FOOTBALL ROSTER

Brett Slusher Junior wide reciever

Davonte Robinson Sophomore safety

Ft. Newport Mitchell

Tyler Beisner Freshman wide reciever

Zac Berezowitz Freshman wide receiver

Patrick Henschen Sophomore tight end

Walker Wood Redshirt-freshman quarterback

Drake Jackson Redshirt-sophomore linebacker

Brayden Berezowitz Junior wide receiver Bryan Berezowitz Junior wide receiver

Will Crum Freshman wide reciever

Goshen Jackson High Sophomore linebacker

Louisville Mason Wolfe Junior offensive guard

Versailles Lexington

David Bouvier Senior wide receiver

Nicholasville

Zy’aire Hughes Sophomore wide receiver Miles Butler Senior kicker

Immanuel Bowie Freshman definsive back

Paintsville

Elijah Barnett Junior line backer

Harrodsburg

Henderson

Belfry

Union Hazard Somerset

Landon Young Junior offensive tackle

Bowling Green

Paducah Hopkinsville

Kolbe Langhi Freshman quarterback 10 | kentucky kernel

Austin Dotson Reshirt-freshman offensive tackle

Adrian Middleton Senior defensive tackle

Donald Smith Sophomore running back

Matthew Napier Freshman offensive tackle Collin Hartmann Freshman defensive end

Sam Turner Freshman offensive tackle

Kash Daniel Junior linebacker Tyler Couch Freshman offensive lineman fall 2018 | 11

Monday, August 27, 2018

Conrad put his first love of basketball in the backseat for football career

By Chase Campbell sports@kykernel.com

For a lot of Division I athletes, the sport they play to represent their school is the sport they love the most, their first love, their truly compatible sport. For UK football tight end C.J. Conrad, his first love wasn’t being in an end zone. It was under a basketball hoop.

“At first I thought that was going to be my route,” Conrad said. “Until my sophomore year of high school. Basketball was the sport, I was better at it, my parents both played it, so… that’s kind of what we were thinking.”

In high school, Conrad was a capable basketball player. His final year, when he could only play half the season (10 games), he averaged 12 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and a block per game, according to MaxPreps.

“I was more of a 14-rebound, 12-point game kind of guy,” Conrad said. “I wasn’t the best shooter in high school, so I would get the

12 | kentucky kernel

rebound and get it out to our shooters.”

Conrad’s flip between sports came during his sophomore year at Keystone High School.

He had put on a lot of weight that year and said he “dedicated” himself to the weight room. That season, he caught 59 passes for 924 yards and 14 touchdowns in just 10 football games. On defense, he averaged 8.7 tackles a game as a defensive end/free safety, as well as picking off three passes.

“I had some Division I coaches come and talk to me [after my sophomore season],” Conrad said. “And none on the other end for basketball, so I was like ‘Okay, I really am starting to enjoy football.’”

After that season, Conrad said, he never looked back. He finished his high school football career with more than 2,000 receiving yards, 35 total touchdowns and 170 tackles. He got offers from Division I schools and knew he had made the right decision for his future, to play the sport at a high level.

Conrad did, however, continue to play high school basketball. He played it as long as he could, until his early enrollment at UK cut his senior season in half. “[Leaving high school basketball early] was tough, because we were like 10-1 and we were pretty good,” Conrad said. “It sucked to leave.”

Conrad never received a Division I offer to play basketball.

Now, he’s a seasoned veteran on a Cats roster with bouncy, “freaky big” athletes (as head coach Mark Stoops called them) and is looking to close out his football career at UK with his third straight winning season.

This football thing turned out okay.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ROB FISCHER

Monday, August 27, 2018

Allen and Edwards taking leadership roles into senior season

By Chase Campbell sports@kykernel.com

Six games through the 2017 season, UK defensive end Josh Allen looked like a surefire first-round NFL draft pick. He had recorded a sack in every game he played and had forced two fumbles. He continuously hurried opposing quarterbacks, and had racked up 35 tackles on the year, a large amount for a pass-rusher.

Unfortunately for Allen, the second half of his season was much less productive. He only recorded half a sack in six more games, hurried a quarterback only once and only completed six more solo tackles for the rest of the regular season. His first-round ability was questioned as he did battle with SEC offenses while Jordan Jones was injured, allowing offensive lines to focus on Allen.

Allen chose not to enter the 2018 NFL Draft and is looking to make this next year, his senior year, one

The football team’s record will show if Allen’s and Edwards’ leadership tactics are effective. that eliminates all doubt for his professional future. Instead of focusing entirely on his craft, though, he’s

taking this year to make his teammates better along with him and senior plug-and-play safety Mike Edwards.

Edwards was in the same boat as Allen last year, except the timeline was reversed. Early in the season, he had on-and-off struggles with consistently being a defensive terror and imposing his will. In the latter half of the season, Edwards took off as the team’s leading tackler and finished well above his teammates in that department. Instead of entering the draft, however, he chose to return to school with Allen and complete what is set up to be their best defensive year yet.

They’ve both taken on complete leadership roles, and since Joshua Paschal was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in his foot, their jobs as leaders have already started.

“I told [Paschal], don’t look at

this as a disadvantage, look at this as an advantage. Like, okay, you’re hurt. What are you going to do?

I told [Paschal] ‘You better be the smartest guy in the film room when you come back,’” Allen said. “And he’s taken that to heart. He’s watching film.”

For Edwards, his leadership is his knowledge of positions. His ability to play every defensive back and either cornerback position lets young players learn from how he plays them. Head coach Mark Stoops calls Edwards “interchangeable,” but said he’ll primarily put Edwards in the nickel position. As Edwards rotates around positions based on the defensive needs for the Cats, younger players will have the opportunity to see UK’s leading tackler playing their position.

The record will show if their leadership tactics are effective.

ARDEN BARNES I STAFF Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen runs out of the tunnel carrying the American flag prior to the game against Tennessee on Oct. 28, 2017, in Lexington, Kentucky.

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Monday, August 27, 2018

KANSAS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 He no longer does the quote of the day at Kentucky, but he stills finds other ways to motivate himself in the classroom and on the field.

Similar to Wilson, Johnson Jr. is happy to be at UK and not in Kansas anymore, but he knows he would not be at UK if it weren’t for his experience at Garden City.

“Without that opportunity, I wouldn’t have the chance to be here where I’m at today,” Johnson said. “I just thank coach Jeff Sims for that.”

PHIL HOSKINS

Not all of Kentucky’s junior college players came from Garden City, but they did all come from Kansas, where Phil Hoskins spent two years at Highland Community College.

Highland and Garden City

actually share the same conference. Hoskins’ Scotties played Garden City when Johnson Jr. played for the Broncbusters in 2015, with Garden City pulling off an eight-point win.

Both Hoskins and Johnson Jr. registered four tackles in the game while Hoskins added three sacks in the losing effort.

Playing football was about all that Hoskins did during his two years at Highland, as the town has a population of about 1,000 people.

“The JUCO I went to, we had two gas stations for 30 miles, that was all we got,” Hoskins. “It’s as fun as you make it.”

Hoskins’ version of fun included football all day, every day.

“Sat in the dorms and played the game, we either played the game or we went to the little facility we had and did some extra working

out just to pass the time by,” Hoskins said.

Because the town had few options for entertainment, Hoskins was able to improve himself constantly and remain focused on his goal: playing at a Division I school.

Sometimes, players who

Johnson Jr. knows he would not be at UK if it weren’t for his experience at Garden City. go to community colleges in an urbanized area get distracted and lose sight of their goals, which is why Hoskins would recommend a place like Highland for community college.

“If I were to recommend a junior college, I would say go to a more rural area like Mississippi or Kansas, some-

where like that,” Hoskins said. “There’s not too many distractions, more focus and work out there.”

Hoskins also believes that junior college is the right route for a lot of high school prospects. Sure, he is happy it is over with and to be at UK like his teammates, but Hoskins believes he is a completely different player than he was first out of high school, and he is unsure he could have handled the pressures of Division I athletics as a freshman.

“The junior college experience, it matures you, it makes you grow up,” Hoskins said. “Being so far away from home, mom is not there, dad is not there, your family is not there, so you really have to be in tune with yourself and whatever your goal is, that’s what you have to work towards to get where you’re trying to be.”

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kernelnews

New Kroger Field concession options will add to UK game day experience

By Jacob Eads news@kykernel.com

Move over hamburgers and hotdogs, there are some new sheriffs making their way to Kroger Field.

As the Kentucky football season inches closer and closer, fans can look forward to more than just touchdowns and tailgates. When the Big Blue Nation shows up for Kentucky’s season starter against Central Michigan, their noses are likely to lead them to some new unconventional eats.

UK Dining is incorporating a fresh lineup of local restaurants into its concessions setup, in hopes of giving students and fans some new game time snack options that surpass the likes of typical stadium food.

“Not just serve hotdogs and hamburgers, give them a true experience of how gameday should be,” said Resident District Manager for UK Dining Pulkit Vigg. “That’s our goal, right? To bring the community in.”

Empty-bellied spectators will now have the option to visit Kroger Field’s new Atomic Ramen and Athenian Grill locations for a halftime bite.

While some might turn their noses up at the thought of Japanese ramen and lamb kabobs at a football game, be assured that the expectant restaurant owners have curated their menus with game time in mind.

Fans can expect to see a new brick-and-mortar Athenian Grill location in Kroger Field serving up things like Greek hotdogs, lamb burgers, Greek gyros and even some Mediterranean vegan choices.

“We want to bring the Greek street food to Kroger Field,” said Athenian Grill owner Ilias Pappas.

Pappas and the rest of the Athenian Grill crew said they’re all excited to showcase some new local food to UK football fans.

“We’re excited to team up with the University of Kentucky. It’s an

institution here in Lexington, and we want to be a part. We have other projects in mind for the future, and that’s a good start,” Pappas said.

Pappas started selling his brand of authentic Greek cuisine in Lexington about six years ago out of a food truck. He’s since expanded to operating three full-service locations around the city.

When Atomic Ramen owner Dan Wu got approached about expanding his restaurant to Kroger Field, he said he had some reservations.

“I love ramen, but it’s not suited for certain things,” said Wu. “It’s certainly not suited for watching a stadium game. You’re not gonna have a big sloshy bowl of noodles.”

That’s why fans can instead stop by the new Atomic Ramen popup tents and grab Wu’s rendition of an “Asian taco.” Atomic Ramen is hoping to wow the hungry with their pork belly bao buns, a small sandwich of sorts that’s sure to surprise most.

“I think we’re just gonna set up shop near probably one of the gates, and see what happens,” Wu said. “For me it’s my first time doing something of that kind of volume. It’s a little scary to think about 50,000 or 60,000 people in there. So it’ll be interesting.”

Wu said he is excitedly anticipating unveiling his new options to a larger audience, and hopes this will be one step closer to getting the South on the “ramen train.”

“For me, my philosophy is food is not as scary as you think,” said Wu. “It’s not that scary. It’s delicious and perfect for a game.”

When the first kickoff of the season echoes through Kroger Field, fans are sure to have access to any food they need to fuel their fandom.

PHOTOS BY JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF An Athenian Lamb Burger (BELOW) from Athenian Grill and an Asian Taco (RIGHT) from Atomic Ramen.

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Monday, August 27, 2018

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kernelsports

From Australia to Kentucky: UK punter Max Duffy adapts to new game, new weather

By Chris Leach sports@kykernel.com

When Kentucky’s new punter Max Duffy first came to Lexington in January of 2018, he was under the impression that the weather in his new home would be tolerable.

Where Duffy is from in Perth,

Duffy

Australia, the average temperature in January is 76 degrees. Perth’s coldest month is in July, when the average temperature is 55 degrees.

It never snows in Perth, so Duffy saw snow for the first time in Kentucky in January.

“I was like, ‘Alright, Kentucky sounds pretty good, won’t be too cold,’ came over here, it was like the most snow I’ve ever seen in my life,” Duffy said at Media Day. “I definitely like the summer time, I’m going to struggle during the winter.”

The weather is just one of the things Duffy has learned to adapt to in his almost eight months of time spent in the United States. Of course, Duffy came to Lexington to be the starting punter for the Cats in the fall, not to experience the cultural differences, so the weather has been the least of his worries.

Prior to arriving in Lexington, Duffy spent two years playing in the

Australian Football League for the Fermantle Dockers. He also spent the eight months prior to coming to UK with Prokick Australia under the coaches Nathan Chapman and John Smith.

Because of his previous experiences punting and kicking a ball, Duffy said that he has transitioned well in learning how to kick an American football. The biggest challenge for him has been to learn the game itself and what’s going on around him.

“You kind of have to learn this game but besides from that, there’s not a lot of difference, it’s just what we do back home,” Duffy said.

While adjusting to American football has been easier than expected for Duffy, his biggest challenge might be learning to balance school and sports, since he did not have to do that in Australia.

In the United States, the typical way to reach the NFL is to go to college for three to four years, improve your football skills while making good grades, then be drafted if you are talented enough.

The process is completely different in Australia. College and sports are not correlated, so if someone in Australia wants to be a professional athlete, college is not an option.

“If you go to a university back home, you’re going there definitely to get a degree, that’s all you’re going for, there’s no college sports,” Duffy said.

Duffy had professional football aspirations, so he worked his way to the AFL, where he would make his first appearance for Fermantle in 2014. While playing for the Dockers, Duffy said he was able

to take some classes on the side, but like any other professional athlete, his main focus was sports.

Duffy’s career did not last long, as he only played three games before being cut from Fermantle at the end of 2015. Being cut left him with him with no real professional football opportunities, little education and no real clear routes at the age of 22.

Duffy had a brief stint with West Perth’s Football Club before joining Prokick Australia to get him ready for American football. If it weren’t for the scholarship offered by Kentucky, Duffy is not really sure what he would be doing right now.

“You’re able to make money straight away [playing professionally] but you lose that educa-

tion and for a person like me that was in the system for three years and then you end up getting cut, you really come out with nothing,” Duffy said. “You come out with a little bit of money maybe behind you but you really don’t come out with an education, you got to start all over again. That’s why I’m 25 and I’m in college.”

It’s because of Duffy’s experience that he hopes Australia adopts the American collegiate sports system, where talented athletes work to become professional while getting an education, and if the sports career does not work out, they always have the degree to fall back on.

“I think it’d be great if Australia took this on just so guys could get educated before they go on to the professional leagues,” Duffy said.

That won’t be an option for Duffy, who has fully immersed himself into the style of American football and the teammates with which he will share the field.

Duffy may be from another country and a couple years older than this year’s senior class, but he has had no trouble blending in with his teammates, even the ones who don’t know anything about Australian culture.

“Tristan [Yeomans] always gets into me about saying aluminum (ala-min-ee-um), instead of aluminum and all that,” Duffy said. “They always ask me dumb Australian questions about kangaroos and things like that. It’s all been good fun, it’s actually been really enjoyable.”

Another enjoyable moment Duffy predicts will be the first time he steps on to Kroger Field for his first punt. He said he expects to be nervous but is excited for the opportunity.

“That’s what we play for, that’s what we do all the training for, it’s not something to fret, it’s just something to look forward to and that’s the opportunity I want,” Duffy said.

KAITLYN GUMM | STAFF

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Monday, August 27, 2018

JORDAN PRATHER, ARDEN BARNES AND ADDISON COFFEY I STAFF ABOVE: Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. is tackled during the game against Louisville on Nov. 25, 2017.

TOP RIGHT: A.J. Rose runs the ball up the field during the Blue-White game on April 13, 2018.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Sihiem King runs downfield during the Blue-White game on April 14, 2017, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Backup running backs capable of taking the load off Snell

By Chris Leach

sports@kykernel.com

If Kentucky’s offense needs a big play or someone to punch it into the end zone from a couple of yards out, the ball will likely be placed in Benny Snell’s hands.

In the past two seasons, that option has worked out well for the Cats. Snell has averaged 5.4 yards on 448 carries while rushing for 32 touchdowns in his career.

That success has Kentucky fans wanting the coaching staff to feed the ball to Snell more and more, especially when he is dialed in, like he was against Tennessee last season or New Mexico State his freshman year.

18 | kentucky kernel

However, fans might see less of Snell on the field this season— not because of anything Snell is doing, but what the other running backs, such as Sihiem King and A.J. Rose, are doing behind him.

“I trust both of them, more than I ever have,” offensive coordinator Eddie Gran said after UK’s final training camp practice on Aug. 21.

“I love our room and I think that you’ll see a lot more of both of them this year.”

With Snell as the main back, King and Rose were hardly used, especially Rose.

Rose only appeared in seven games last season and never totaled more than three carries except when

he carried the ball nine times against Mississippi State. Snell only ran the ball seven times in that game, and Rose managed 26 yards in his nine rushes.

On the other hand, King had a bigger role as Snell’s backup, but never really made a significant effect because of Snell’s success. King’s best game was against Vanderbilt, when he ran the ball 15 times for 69 yards and two touchdowns.

However, King’s game against Vanderbilt was the only time he had double-digit rushes or made a trip to the end zone.

With Snell only getting better, many would expect that he would dominate the workload once again,

but Gran believes that King and Rose subbing in for Snell can help him have a better season.

“I think they’re both really making Benny [Snell] a better football player,” Gran said. “We’ll be able to take some heat off of him, you look at 13 games and that’s what you’d like to do.”

Both Rose and King have impressed in camp, which is where they have caught the coaching staff’s eyes the most. On top of that, they and many fans might remember Rose’s spring game, when he showed what he can do backing up Snell.

“I went out there and I basically showed what I’m capable of,” Rose

said of his performance, which included 134 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. “I look forward to putting that to all 12 games this season.”

Rose expects to play in the first game and is excited for his potential this year. Last season, people believed that Rose could have been an effective running back, but an ankle injury limited him during training camp, preventing him from getting off on the right foot.

This year? He is all systems go and ready for it.

“I’m ready, I’ve been waiting for this, I’m ready to get out there Sept.

1 and show what I can do,” Rose said.

As game day approaches, quarterback decision is yet to be reached

By Erika Bonner sports@kykernel.com

A quarterback battle has the heads of Kentucky fans spinning— and as we get closer to week one on the schedule, there’s more and more buzz about who will take the top QB spot.

Sophomores Terry Wilson and Gunnar Hoak are the leading men in the battle, and both have shown solid impressions on their coaches during camp.

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops and offensive coordinator Eddie Gran have challenged the quarterbacks in camp and pre-season to throw down the field more, and Wilson and Hoak have improved in that area. Gran said that as the quarterback decision gets closer, he’d like to see better decision-making out of both front-runners and is paying close attention to the guys in those practice situations, like two-minute drills.

“Running the offense with urgency, quarterbacks com-

peting… leading the team,” Gran said of what he expects to see out of the two.

As spectators get to know the quarterbacks better, there’s been talk about how Hoak is more of a passer and

Stoops said the quarterbacks’ poise, confidence and decision-making are what have pleased him the most during the pre-season.

Wilson is more of a runner.

But they disagree, and so does Gran.

“The biggest mistake is calling Terry Wilson just a runner and Gunnar Hoak just a passer,” Gran said.

He said Wilson is a better

runner, but both can throw the ball.

“I think guys know I can throw the ball around. It just comes along with the game,” Wilson said.

Hoak thinks his strengths on the field include “staying in the pocket, keeping his eyes down the field, and getting the ball to the playmakers.”

In Kentucky’s spring game in April, Hoak went 14of-25 for a total 121 yards.

Although both guys have the starting quarterback pressure hanging over them, Stoops said the quarterbacks’ poise, confidence and decision-making are what have pleased him the most during the pre-season.

Whoever takes the leading role will have big shoes to fill, as Kentucky lost last season’s starting quarterback Stephen Johnson.

Hoak said Johnson taught him “how to be a leader for the team, just like he was.”

Kentucky takes the field on Sept. 1, when the Cats face Central Michigan.

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