Air Raid 2.0 missing a key component
Wide receivers.
Part of running Neal Brown’s Air Raid offense is having the depth at wide receiver to keep rotating them in and out. As of today, Kentucky doesn’t have enough pass catchers to meet that need. Brown even said he would have to suit up and run routes if Kentucky had to play a football game tomorrow.
Coach Stoops agreed the group isn’t deep enough, but he was a little more positive, saying they’re working hard and continuing to improve through the early stages of spring practice.
That’s still not a great sign.
One quick look at the spring roster and it’s clear UK will rely heavily on new faces in 2013. Only one receiver on the entire roster, DeMarcus Sweat, caught a touchdown pass last season and no one tallied over 300 yards receiving for the year. To make matters even worse, Kentucky will take the field against Western Kentucky on August 31 with only four players who have ever caught a pass in Division 1 football.
Returning Players
#9 Demarco Robinson, (Junior): 28 rec, 297 yards
#23 Daryl Collins, (RS-Sophomore): 17 rec, 171 yards
#8 A.J. Legree, (Sophomore): 12 rec, 113 yards
#83 DeMarcus Sweat, (Sophomore): 4, rec, 84 yards, 2 TDs
#81 Rashad Cunningham, (RS-Sophomore)
#87 Bookie Cobbins, (RS-Sophomore)
Walk-Ons
#35 William Tanner (Junior)
#29 Austin Sheehan (RS-Freshman)
#83 Derrick Quarles (Sophomore)
#88 A.J. Johnson (RS-Freshman)
Incoming Players
Javess Blue (Junior)
Jeff Badet (Freshman)
Alex Montgomery (Freshman)
Ryan Timmons (Freshman)
Keep in mind, Kentucky is practicing with only six of its 10 scholarship players right now. The four incoming players aren’t on campus to participate in spring football, so things will look better in the fall. Those four guys — Blue, Badet, Montgomery and Timmons — will be expected to come in and compete right away.
We can only hope they’ll be ready to dive right in and contribute, or the Air Raid 2.0 offense might struggle in its inaugural season.
16 Comments for Air Raid 2.0 missing a key component
First!
Damarcus Sweat sucks, Javess has got to step up as the veteran next year
What about Ryan Timmons? I know he may line up some in the backfield but I thought he was expected to catch passes as well.
Oh well never mind, somehow I missed him on the list of incoming players. Disregard my previous comment.
In a pinch, Why not look at a few fleet-footed DB’s? Basket-catching a deep ball is much easier than catching a crossing route pass.
Tubby just got fired. I wonder if Pitino will say this will set Minnesota back 10 years?
Better beat WKU
This is exactly the reason why fans shouldn’t expect big things this year. The best receivers on the team are still in high school. They cannot practice with the team until late July. Besides that all of the revivers have to learn a whole new system in only a few weeks of practice. This team will look like a clown show for the first weeks of the season. They should get better as the season progresses, but a bowl game next year would be a stretch. It’s the year afterward they could do some damage.
Cameron Fogle (walk on freshman commitment) will really surprise a lot of people at WR. Maybe not as a Freshman, but soon enough.
whoa, are you saying that the new staff, while implementing a new offense, is having trouble with depth after five-six practices when none of the guys they recruited to play right away aret even on campus yet?????
no. way.
I know we are improving already! Anything beats the predictable offense we’ve had. We have a new coach will football in his blood, not a job in the waiting like in the past. Worst mistake ever is naming the predecessor.
Drew:
Just when I thought you couldn’t post a worse article, you made me eat crow.
Do you ever go to practices, or do you just sit on your couch and post crap?
How about this. Only one player caught a TD pass last season because the coaching of the offense sucked.
You are as dumb as a box of rocks!
12. what?
Which is why the staff will move whitlow to Wr. Fred Tiller is a possibility too.
Cameron Fogle WILL be a star. I think he can play this year! Could maybe use a redshirt year to grow and learn. But if brown is telling recruits he needs 12-13 WR’s to PLAY. and we have 10, then why can’t this stud see the field this year?
The incoming Freshman including the committed PWO will be on campus the first week of June. They will only be behind the returning players by a grand total if 15 practices. Most of the freshman played in the same type of air attack spread in high school. Look for the freshman to be a big key in the success of the air raid. C Fogle will be ready to compete for a rotation spot. He has never worked harder than right now. He’s up to 205# and has gotten even faster. Still works on routes everyday with Barker. With Timmons healthy and Fogle lined up as slots could be crazy fun to watch. #BBN #All In