Mark Stoops struggled to find good things to say last week after UK’s first scrimmage →
@KashDaniel15 & @Landon_Young_67
The Kentucky football team has quite a few competitive fishermen. No two are more competitive than Kash Daniel and Landon Young.
Yesterday Young told a story about the time he caught an eight-pound bass. Not only did Kash contest the size of the fish, the Paintsville product questioned the Lexington native’s methods. Landon likes to use hot dogs as bait, a line Kash refuses to cross and one he considers “basically cheating.” Daniel likened it to being a “boxer vs. an MMA fighter.”
This is the best 2:15 exchange you’ll watch all day. @KashDaniel15 has a lot to say about his fishing game. pic.twitter.com/oHZG3HpPFM
— KSTV (@KSTV_Sports) August 16, 2017
The former high school all-americans have a great relationship on the football field, but it gets fiery on the fishing boat.
UK Athletics
Normally the “ponytail guy” doesn’t fit an intimidating stereotype. According to Denzil Ware, UK’s ponytail guy on the offensive line talks trash and backs it up.
“The whole o-line (talks trash), especially Logan Stenberg,” Ware said. “That’s their guy. That’s their punisher. That’s their enforcer. That’s him. That’s what he do. He handles all the trash talk.”
Even though Stenberg backs up his trash talk, Ware said sometimes it is hard to take Stenerbg seriously.
“He makes me laugh cause he’s a big dude with a ponytail. It’s hard to take him serious. But when he puts his hand down and comes off the ball, it’s a big train coming to hit you. You just gotta be careful what you say to him because he might end your life.”
Denzil Ware making a push for best UK football interview. Great stuff here about OG Logan Stenberg pic.twitter.com/1l7isMNbfz
— Jon Hale (@JonHale_CJ) August 16, 2017
In case you couldn’t tell, Ware is also quite a trash-talking connoisseur, regardless of circumstance. Just because they’re teammates, doesn’t mean he’s going to stop running his mouth.
“They gonna talk in the game, I’m gonna talk in practice. I’m going to make it as close to the game as it is. You beat me, I’m still going to talk junk. Ain’t no stopping that. I’m out there to get better. They out there to get better. And I’m going to do whatever it takes for me to win the drill and they’re going to do whatever it takes for them to win the drill. If it takes trash talk, I’m gonna trash talk. That’s what I like to do. I like to trash talk.”
And I like to hear Ware trash talk (especially to the underclassman with a ponytail).
@HLPreps
Remember when Lexington’s new Frederick Douglass High School made its mascot the Stallions then had to reverse the decision after major backlash? Today, the school unveiled its new mascot, and thankfully, it’s gender-neutral.
According to the Herald-Leader, Frederick Douglass’ teams will go by the nickname “Broncos.” The nickname was selected by the student body and announced by principal Lester Diaz this afternoon as the first day of school ended. Sixty-three percent of students voted for “Broncos,” which beat out “Mustangs,” “Racers,” Thoroughbreds,” and “Stampede.” “Stallions” wasn’t on the final ballot after an online petition claiming the nickname was sexist forced the school to reverse its original decision and remove the name.
So, the Frederick Douglass Broncos. I dig it.
Stephen Johnson was back in pads and on the practice field Wednesday, as expected. UK offensive coordinator Eddie Gran told us that would be the case after Tuesday’s practice, and it appears Johnson was back to full speed today after two days off with a minor injury.
It’s the defense’s day, so we won’t hear much about Johnson out of the post-practice interviews. Nick Roush will be by with a full report from those here shortly.
Go Cats.
EA Sports’ Madden NFL 18 is due out next week (plan accordingly) and someone has already leaked each rating for the however-many-thousand players on the game.
Tom Brady, this year’s cover boy, is a 99 overall, as is Aaron Donald and Von Miller, making them the only three players with a perfect rating.
As for the former Kentucky Wildcats, Randall Cobb leads the pack with an 87 overall rating at wide receiver for Green Bay. He is the Packers’ fifth high-rated player behind Aaron Rogers (98), David Bakhtiari (91), Jordy Nelson (91) and Martellus Bennett (89).
Danny Trevathan (84), Wesley Woodyard (82) and Larry Warford (81) are the only others Wildcats to earn 80+ ratings on this year’s game.
See the full list of former Cats below:
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers, WR: 87 OVR
Danny Trevathan, Chicago Bears, LB: 84 OVR
Wesley Woodyard, Tennessee Titans, LB: 82 OVR
Larry Warford, New Orleans Saints, G: 81 OVR
Avery Williamson, Tennessee Titans, LB: 79 OVR
Bud Dupree, Pittsburgh Steelers, LB: 75 OVR
Za’Darius Smith, Baltimore Ravens, LB: 71 OVR
Chris Matthews, Baltimore Ravens, WR: 68 OVR
Josh Forrest, Los Angeles Rams, LB: 63 OVR
And on that note…
Karl-Anthony Towns is all grown up and reaching peak superstardom, which is why he had to wade through paparazzi madness in Los Angeles recently.
The invasive staff over at TMZ caught Towns leaving a trendy L.A. restaurant to ask him about 2K ratings and Minnesota’s Christmas Day game later this year.
Towns was as polite as one can be in that situation, but he didn’t have a lot to say as he climbed into a vehicle. However, he did say he and his fellow Timberwolves are going to “have some fun” this season.
Watch:
The Eclipse is Monday, and if you’re anywhere near “the path,” that’s all you’ve heard about for the past few weeks. From Oregon to Nebraska to Hopkinsville, Nashville, and Charleston, business are cashing in on the “Great American Eclipse” with watch parties, promotions, and souvenirs. You can commemorate stepping outside and looking up at the sky with countless products ranging from t-shirts, hats, special release beers, or some really ridiculous items, such as…
“Come To The Dark Side” Total Solar Eclipse Sleep Mask/Blindfold
Not in the path? Just put on this sleep mask and pretend you are. With smooth, rip-stop nylon to block the light, it promises TOTAL DARKNESS.
Total Eclipse Foam Cushion
Carry your memories of the total eclipse with you to your favorite sporting event or the garden. Everyone will know that you went outside and looked up to the sky to see nature’s glory!
Pun Tees
Who doesn’t love a good Eclipse pun? That being said…
…This one ($19.95, Tee4Legend.com) is irresponsible. Do not look at the Eclipse with normal sunglasses! Use your Eclipse glasses! If you don’t, you will end up like this:
“It Came In Like A Blocking Ball” Eclipse Poster
Most people think of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” when they think of the eclipse, but this artist prefers Miley Cyrus.
Solar Eclipse Diamond Ring
Honor the Moon’s journey as it eclipses the sun with this multi-colored diamond ring, which will cost you $1,224.
Solar Eclipse Crystal Set
Harness the energies of the New Moon and the sun coming together!
Great American Eclipse Wine
3-pack for $82.00, FreyWine.com
Now this is a product I can get behind. Ring in the Eclipse with a three-pack of Great Eclipse wine from Frey Vineyards. Featuring Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and “Totality,” a limited edition sparkling wine.
Pet-themed t-shirts
Because there’s always someone in the group who will want to include their pet.
Krispy Kreme Eclipse doughnut
Be the real hero at work on Monday by bringing in Krispy Kreme’s limited edition chocolate glaze doughnuts.
Eclipse “poop”
Okay, fine, it’s just a chocolate nut toffee bar, but with a little help from a Sharpie marker, your kids will never know.
@StanleyG_9 poses with his mother at unofficial visit in Lexington.
Tonight at around 8:00 p.m. UK cornerback recruit Stanley Garner will make his college decision. Before the Cats (potentially) roll the Yahtzee! dice, here’s what you need to know about Garner.
The Tale of the Tape
|
Stanley Garner Cornerback | 6-3 | 180 lbs. Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. | Dillard ★★★★ |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPN | No. 52 CB | Top247 | No. 44 CB | |
| Rivals | No. 31 CB | Scout | No. 61 CB | |
Finalists: Kentucky, Louisville, Clemson, Michigan, Alabama and Tennessee.
Garner’s most recent college visit was to a UK camp on July 23, his second trip to UK this summer. Two days prior to his July trip to Lexington, he stopped for a visit on UofL’s campus. Garner also camped at Alabama, Oregon, Miami, FAU and FIU.
Kentucky Connections
Garner was extended a scholarship offer on December 22, 2016, the day after his Dillard High School teammate, outside linebacker Jordan Wright, committed to UK. The two didn’t just play on the same defense. Garner and Wright won back-to-back state championships in basketball.
Eddie Gran’s South Florida connections have paid off in just two years of recruiting. Last year Gran received seven commitments and if Garner commits tonight, he’ll have four in the class of 2018. Even if his ties to Dillard don’t get him a commitment tonight, it’s safe to say Gran is UK’s second-best recruiter.
A Crystal Clear Kentucky Prediction
A Vague Prediction from a UK Commit
It’s not just the recruiting experts who are predicting Garner to Kentucky. Florida wide receiver and UK commit Akeem Hayes hinted that two more Florida kids may soon join him in the 2018 class. It’s easy to infer that one of them is Garner.
Lot of committing going on this week we looking forward to two new BBN members 🤞🏽🔵⚪️
— Akeem Hayes9️⃣ (@9GoLive) August 15, 2017
Highlight Analysis
Athleticism is usually the first thing you notice when watching a highlight. A two-way player in 6A Florida high school football, Garner has that, but it’s not the most impressive part of his game.
Discipline is hard to find in young football recruits, but Garner has it in his junior highlight reel. No matter how many fancy lures the offense throws at him, he remains in the correct position to foil the play. Even in run support, Garner always keeps his outside shoulder free, a tenet of containment football.
If you are a regular Kentucky Sports Radio reader or Depth Chart Podcast listener, then the odds are pretty high that you’ve heard me continually babble on about Southern Miss star running back Ito Smith. But, did you know or do you care to remember that the Golden Eagles had two, 100-yard rushers during its (upset?) win in Lexington a year ago?
Yes indeedy. RB George Payne ran for 100-yards off just 16 carries to go along with Smith’s 36 rushes for 173-yards. That’s 273 rushing yards from two running backs if you’re keeping score at home. Both now seniors; the one-two RB punch returns for a second go-around with the Cats come September 2nd; kinda.
Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson has intelligently limited Ito Smith’s fall camp carries in order to avoid injury. However, the major news coming out of Hattiesburg is that RB George Payne has yet to participate in preseason workouts due to an aggravated hip injury that caused him to miss the greater portion of spring practice.
The Hattiesburg American’s Jason Munz reported on August 1st that Payne may not be physically ready for the Golden Eagle’s season opener against Kentucky. However, with or without Payne, USM is still expected to have the best collection of running backs in Conference USA.
A Quick Look at the Southern Miss Running Backs
#25 Ito Smith, 5’9 195-pound senior is the starter and one of college football’s most unheralded superstars. He averaged 5.5 yards per rush off 265 carries while gaining 1459-yards and 17 touchdowns in 2016. Smith is also considered to be one of the nation’s better pass catching running backs (especially in the screen game) as he collected 43 catches for 459-yards and 2 scores. You’ve probably read or heard this before, but here it is again; Ito Smith is the only active FBS player with over 3000 career rush and 1000 receiving yards.
#24 George Payne, 6’0 207-pounds is the team’s power back and a perfect change-of-pace weapon. He rushed 103 times for 496-yards and 2 touchdowns a year ago to go along with 10 catches for 67-yards.
#8 Tez Parks, 6’1 210-pound junior is a former high school quarterback. He had limited carries in 2016 but was productive when opportunities surfaced: 34 rushes, 155-yards, 4.6 yards per carry.
What does all this mean?
A Payne-less offense will lack a power back to counter the shifty Smith. Tez Parks is an elusive and highly capable third option. Southern Miss is slugging through fall camp with an ongoing quarterback competition that may not be resolved or announced until minutes prior to kickoff vs. Kentucky. Either Kwadra Griggs or Keon Howard will be named as the starter. My guess is that both will play vs. UK.
It also retains a talented group of receivers that includes 6’1, 190-pound Allenzae Staggers. The senior caught 63 passes for 1165-yards and 7 touchdowns in 2016. The skilled pass catchers will assist whichever quarterback triumphs from the competition but doubts remain surrounding its passing attack. The team’s primary offensive constant lies within its running backs.
I don’t expect Southern Miss to have the same overbearing ground-game against the Wildcats as it did in 2016. Along with Payne, also missing is four-year starter and All C-USA center Cameron Tom who is now playing on Sundays. It returns just two starters along the offensive line.
Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson inherited a turn-key quarterback and offensive operation in 2016. 2017 offers a dissimilar experiment as he must break in a new quarterback in a pressure packed home opener against an SEC opponent that it defeated a year ago. Let the gamesmanship begin.
Former Florida wide receiver Chris Doering (a name you’ll never forget, unfortunately) is now an analyst with the SEC Network and he recently did a segment in which he predicted whether or not the returning quarterbacks of the SEC will “fall short” or “exceed expectations” in 2017.
When it came time to look ahead to Stephen Johnson’s second year at Kentucky, Doering was critical of Johnson’s decision-making in his prediction of a “fall short” season.
“He’ll fall short in my opinion, and this is the one I’m most worried about,” Doering said. “I think this was a situation last year, where he came in and was kind of the guy everyone rallied around; was great off the play-action pass; was great throwing the ball deep; but this spring, really had a hard time throwing the ball, making a decision, was very hesitant in the pocket and I think he is thinking too much right now.”
See Doering’s analysis of all returning SEC quarterbacks in the clip below:
My take:
A.) If Johnson isn’t getting it done early, the staff will not hesitate to turn to Drew Barker. Both have reportedly had great preseason camps, so Kentucky’s QB situation is in good hands entering the season.
B.) Doering’s prediction for Johnson isn’t in line with his prediction for Kentucky, unless he expects Barker to take over. Doering recently predicted Kentucky will win nine games for the first time since 1983. “I’m high on Kentucky,” he said. “Kentucky getting to a bowl game last year was quite a feat for them. I think this is a team that can win nine games because of their schedule, because of their depth of talent.”
SEC Network analyst predicts Kentucky will be a dark horse, win 9 games
C.) Big Blue Nation still isn’t over his game-winning catch in 1993.
Tayshaun Prince’s playing days appear to be over, but that doesn’t mean he is leaving the NBA.
The Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly eyeing Prince for a front office gig, per the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The plan is to hire Prince as a special assistant to general manager Chris Wallace.
Prince played for the Grizzlies from January 2013 to January 2015. He last suited up for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015-16 and spent all of last season as a free agent.
While we’re on the subject of Tayshaun Prince, remember that time he hit five three-pointers against North Carolina?
Jasen Vinlove | USA Today
Big, unexpected basketball recruiting news today: Cameron Reddish is close to a decision.
We’ve always thought Immanuel Quickley would be the first of John Calipari’s 2017 targets to announce a commitment, but now Reddish, who played under Cal in Egypt, is nearing the end of his recruitment, too.
Reddish told Krysten Peek of Rivals.com his decision is coming “sooner than people are expecting.”
|
Cameron Reddish Small Forward | 6-8 | 196 lbs. Norristown, PA | Westtown AAU: Team Final ★★★★★ |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPN | No. 4 | 1 SF | Top247 | No. 4 | 2 SF | |
| Rivals | No. 5 | 2 SF | Scout | No. 4 | 1 SF | |
The five-star forward from Pennsylvania is down to five schools and Kentucky is a serious contender to land his services due to his close relationship and summer experience with Calipari.
“Playing for Team USA under coach Cal gave me a pretty good idea of how he is as a coach,” Reddish told Rivals. “He likes to go and he’s super competitive. I totally understand why players want to play under him because he pushes everyone to be better.”
Duke is also in the hunt and probably the slight favorite with the recent addition of Tre Jones, Reddish’s good friend, at point guard. Jones committed to Duke this past weekend.
UConn, Villanova and UCLA round out Reddish’s final five.
It’s not really worth going into detail the stupidity of Joker Phillips comments last week on building a program and him not being given enough time to do so. The fact it took Mark Stoops basically 2.5 years to get this program out of the cellar (by mostly getting rid of Joker recruits) proves how dumb it is. But it also took me back to the last year of Rich Brooks’ tenure. Why? Because UK did something that season that I thought, at the time, showed they had arrived as a dangerous SEC team on a consistent basis. Winning road games in the SEC hasn’t happened very often for the Cats and most of time it is against Vandy or Mississippi State.
But in 2009, despite having an up and down year, UK pulled off 2 very improbable wins at Auburn (5-1 at the time) and Georgia. Certainly the wins over Louisville, LSU, and Florida State in 2007 showed the program had arrived back on the scene. But I think those 2 wins REALLY showed Brooks had something different going at UK. Unfortunately Joker trashed all of that progress.
Mark Stoops will have a few shots at marquee road wins this year as well. He already has 2 under his belt at South Carolina in 2015 and at Louisville in 2016. But to put together a truly special season, he will need to put more than just 1 together in a year. Games at Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi State provide those opportunities this year. Has the Stoops program truly arrived? We’ll see on the road……
Get your day off to a great start with what’s trending and what lies ahead on Kentucky-Sports-Radio-dot-com, the best website on the entire internet.
Football commitment on the way?
It is decision day for Stanley Garner, a four-star cornerback out of Fort Lauderdale, as he is set to announce his decision Wednesday evening. He has six schools on his final list: Kentucky, Louisville, Alabama, Clemson, Michigan and Tennessee.
UK commit Akeem Hayes teased two potential commitments for Kentucky this week, so maybe he knows something? They are from the same area in south Florida.
Lot of committing going on this week we looking forward to two new BBN members 🤞🏽🔵⚪️
— Akeem Hayes9️⃣ (@9GoLive) August 15, 2017
We’ll have more on Garner later today.
Stephen Johnson to return to practice today.
Eddie Gran gave us an update on the status of quarterback Stephen Johnson, although he didn’t have a lot to say about the matter. Following Tuesday’s practice, the team’s second without Johnson, Gran simply said, “Doing good, be out tomorrow. All good.”
When asked if the boot Johnson wore on Monday was a precautionary measure, Gran replied, “Eh, it was just a boot. Just a boot.”
We’ll get confirmation on whether or not Johnson practiced today when Matt House talks to the media later this afternoon.
The KSR Football Podcast has a new episode.
Nick, Jared, Freddie and I discussed the latest out of preseason camp in this week’s edition of the KSR Football Podcast, which will soon have a new name so enjoy it while it lasts.
UK-Monmouth tickets available via pre-sale to Citi cardmembers.
Citi cardmembers can go ahead and purchase tickets to Kentucky’s game against Monmouth in Madison Square Garden through CitiPrivatePass.com. The game, which was officially introduced on Tuesday as the inaugural Citi Hall Classic, will tip at noon on Saturday, December 9.
The tickets will go on sale to the general public on August 25.
Sunday’s Game of Thrones leaked online because somebody at HBO Spain is an idiot.
Yet another episode of Game of Thrones is online before it airs, and this time the hackers aren’t to blame. Apparently, HBO Spain accidentally aired this coming Sunday’s episode instead of a replay of last Sunday’s episode, and it was quickly pirated and released on the web for anyone who cannot wait.
Idiots.
The KSR Summer Tour hits Campbellsville.
Matt, Ryan and Tim are at Gatti’s Pizza at 1301 E. Broadway in Campbellsville for a live, two-hour broadcast of today’s show. Then tomorrow we’ll be in Benton at CFSB Bank, followed by a stop at Watermark Toyota in Madisonville on Friday.
The SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic is college football’s premier offensive line analyst. Upon hearing the news that Kentucky left tackle Cole Mosier had torn his ACL and is out for the season, the former Auburn center, talk show host, and sideline reporter said, “The loss of Cole Mosier will be difficult for the Wildcats. I had high expectations for him in 2017 and was excited to see him compete.”
I concur.
Media members are supposed to be fair and balanced without showing overt favoritism for any single player. Bull hockey. It happens all the time. Heck, I openly pay reverence for Wildcat offensive linemen, including Nick Haynes and Cole Mosier; both high-effort, team-first football players. Much like Cubelic, I was excited to observe the senior from Walton-Verona put in work this fall. Mosier’s personality and UK career personified Mark Stoops’ “Never Flinch” mantra that he’s preached since arriving to Lexington five years ago.
The Announcement
UK Sports Information Department released this statement on Monday:
Kentucky offensive tackle Cole Mosier suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Saturday’s scrimmage and will miss the 2017 season. The senior from Walton, Ky., is not eligible for a sixth season, thus ending his Wildcat career.
Mosier, a 6-foot-6, 335-pounder who was slated to start at left tackle for the Wildcats again this season, is scheduled to have surgery on Thursday, Aug. 17. He is on track to graduate in December with a degree in political science.
“We’re extremely disappointed about Cole’s injury,” Coach Mark Stoops said. “He has been with us all five seasons we’ve been at Kentucky. He helped set the example of hard work that is the theme of this program, as he came in as a walk-on and earned a scholarship. We know Cole will continue to support his teammates this season and we wish him the best in his recovery and in the future.”
In 2016, Mosier was an integral part of the offensive line who were named semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the nation’s Most Outstanding Offensive Line. Blocking for Boom Williams and Benny Snell, UK was the only team in the SEC with two 1,000-yard rushers. Mosier played in 10 of 13 games, helping the Wildcats advance to their first bowl game in six years.
Overall, Mosier played in 32 games with 13 starts at left tackle. He came to Kentucky as a walk-on from Walton-Verona High School before earning a full scholarship as a redshirt sophomore.
“Tearing my ACL was a big blow and it’s unfortunate because I wanted to finish my career here at UK with my teammates,” Mosier said. “However, I’m going to have surgery on Thursday and I plan to rehab my knee in order to participate in UK’s Pro Day in March. I want to thank Coach Stoops and Coach Schlarman for everything they’ve done for me. I also want to thank the Big Blue Nation for their support. Coming here as a walk-on and then earning a scholarship was a dream come true. I’m going to continue being around the team to cheer them on and help the team as much as I can.”
Mosier, a 6-foot-6, 335-pounder who was slated to start at left tackle for the Wildcats again this season, is scheduled to have surgery on Thursday, Aug. 17. He is on track to graduate in December with a degree in political science.
Cole’s Career
Dang it, dang it, dang it, dang it!!
I hate this for Cole Mosier. As highly-regarded prospects inked and reported to Lexington, Mosier did not flinch. He played in 33 games, starting in 13 of those. It’s not only the number of games/starts that matter for the former walk-on; it’s the position in which he played. Left tackle is a coveted and important position along the offensive line-of-scrimmage. Think about that for a minute: Mosier was an in-state, zero-star walk-on that developed into a starter that protected Wildcat QB’s blindsides for three seasons.
Let’s take a deeper look at offensive tackles signed by Mark Stoops from 2013 to 2016. These signees are listed below:
(*Please note that this list is per Rivals and is an estimate based on the uncertainties of specific players signed with sole intention on playing tackle.)
Kyle Meadows, 3-star (Starter right tackle)
Josh Krok, 3-star (Transfer)
Nick Richardson, 4-star (Transfer)
George Asafo-Adjei, 3-star (plays RT and RG)
Mason Wolfe, 3-star (In 2017 rotation)
Logan Stenberg, 3-star (Starter LG)
Tate Leavitt, 4-star (Competing to be in 2017 rotation)
Landon Young, 5-star (Started 3 games LT)
Mosier worked. Mosier competed. Mosier fought for and earned a place at the head table. How could you not pull for a player that worked his way from zero offers and recruiting stars to playing in 33 games while starting 13 at left tackle in the Southeastern Conference. Respect sir.
What Does All This Mean?
The Landon Young era has officially started. Young and Mosier shared time at left tackle. There will not be a drop-off in production. In actuality, Young and Mosier were competing for the starting position in fall camp. But who now backs up Young?
There are options:
— Kyle Meadows can kick over from right to left tackle in case of an emergency due to George Asafo-Adjei’s positional versatility and being able to play both guard and tackle.
— A true freshman may enter the rotation. Naasir Watkins, Sebastien Dolcine, or Austin Dotson may get thrown into the fire much like Young was a year ago.
— Mason Wolfe and Luke Fortner are also possess a diverse skill set and could provide depth if necessary.
— Depth limitations are not existent at this point. John Schlarman has strategically built a stable of offensive linemen that have and can play multiple positions. By definition this can only be described as player development.
— Landon Young will be a star at the University of Kentucky. Respectfully, he is not a player that rests on his laurels or potential. UK Football’s Director of Performance Corey Edmond and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Hill both singled out Landon Young as one of two players that jumped out to them as high performers in offseason workouts. The other was fellow offensive lineman George Asafo-Adjei.
What Does This Really Mean?
It stinks. I hate it. While an overabundance of click-bait stories is spent discussing players that have underachieved or failed to work at a level in order for them to reach their potential; Cole Mosier simply put his head down, kept his mouth shut, went to work, became a leader, and didn’t flinch.
I also hate this for the Mosier family who has certainly been on a roller coaster ride over the past four years as Cole transitioned from no-name walk-on to being mentioned as one of the better offensive linemen in the Southeastern Conference.
Cole Mosier still has a chance to extend his football career and play on Sundays. In bittersweet fashion, rehabilitation will now focus on Pro Day. I don’t mind saying it again: I’m pulling for him to succeed.
Cole Mosier, thank you. Good guys still can finish first. His effort, work, and transition from walk-on to starter will go down in UK Football lore alongside others that took a similar path. Jeff Brady was a walk-on from Newport Catholic that finished his UK career as an all-conference performer and played several years in the NFL. Dr. Joel Mazzella was also a non-scholarship player that went on to become a two-time All SEC guard. Joel is now a successful physician in Jacksonville, Florida. Mike Knox was a non-scholarship fullback from Memphis that made his money and earned a full-ride on special teams as well as during passing situations. There are many more stories. Each paint a picture of having a dream and owning the fortitude to act upon achieving the highly unlikely.
Thank you, Cole.
