Now that the University of Kentucky has wrapped up spring practice, here's a position-by-position analysis heading into the summer.
QUARTERBACKS
No one should be surprised Joker Phillips didn't name a starting quarterback following Saturday's Blue-White Spring Game. Phillips said he would have preferred to have a No. 1 guy emerge, and while Mike Hartline had the best overall spring, unless there's a slam dunk favorite, there's really no reason to call the race at this point. Keeping it open keeps Hartline motivated through the summer, plus you don't want to totally discourage youngsters Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski, who both have the potential to make major strides in the coming months. Freshman Tyler Brause reports in the summer and will likely redshirt.
TAILBACKS
We know Derrick Locke will be the feature back and get the bulk of the carries. Most of the action on the depth chart will come behind Locke, and UK could be loaded with quality options in the fall. Donald Russell appeared to get a leg up on Jonathan George for the No. 2 spot. CoShik Williams isn't a bad option to have as a No. 4, and freshmen Raymond Sanders, Brandon Gainer and Miles Simpson are expected to join the mix in fall camp. Moncell Allen didn't participate in drills because of injury but will see time at fullback.
WIDE RECEIVERS
While they didn't have a great Blue-White Game, the receivers appeared to make strides in the spring. The coaching staff didn't want to take too many chances with Randall Cobb, so others got quality work. Chris Matthews looks more comfortable in the offense, and LaRod King should be ready to build on a solid end to his freshman season. Gene McCaskill should also be in the rotation. There will be a fight among Matt Roark, E.J. Fields, Brian Adams and Aaron Boyd for the final spots. UK didn't sign any receivers in its 2010 class.
TIGHT END
This is another position that probably won't be decided until a later date. Nick Melillo and Anthony Kendrick showed flashes, but neither player grabbed the bull by the horns. Colorado transfer Ryan Wallace showed promise in the run game but needs to be more of a factor as a pass-catching threat. Incoming freshman Alex Smith was a regular at spring practices and will be given every opportunity to compete for the job.
OFFENSIVE LINE
This area is still a work in progress as new coach Mike Summers tries to work in some new faces and get them used to his system. In the Blue-White Game, the O-line looked like they have the potential to be solid run blockers like last year's line. But Steve Brown's defense had them on their heels with constant pressure and blitzes. A big key will be Chandler Burden's development at right tackle. Jake Lanefski could join the mix at center once he's fully recovered from a knee injury. The Cats didn't sign any true offensive linemen this year, and with its two-deep stacked with veterans probably wouldn't have needed much help from freshmen anyway.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The Wildcats look small and are relatively inexperienced up front, but Phillips said he likes the potential of the group. Redshirt freshman Mister Cobble looks like he's going to be hard to keep out of the lineup at tackle alongside Ricky Lumpkin. The next step for Cobble is to improve his conditioning; he said he weighs 306 and would like to be down to 285 by fall camp. The top three ends should be DeQuin Evans, Collins Ukwu and Taylor Wyndham, who sat out the spring because of injury. Beyond that, the Cats are extremely young with redshirt freshmen Tristian Johnson and Patrick Ligon and true freshman Justin Henderson. Not counting Henderson, UK signed six defensive lineman, with the million-dollar question being whether Donte' Rumph will finally make it to campus and contribute at either end or tackle.
LINEBACKERS
Just like on the defensive line, the Wildcats are facing size and experience issues at linebacker. Danny Trevathan looks ready for a breakout junior season. Qua Huzzie continues to push Ronnie Sneed at middle linebacker. The Cats were in the nickel a lot during the spring, which limited the reps for Jacob Dufrene and Ridge Wilson on the strong side. One of those players must emerge to give the coaching staff confidence when they go to their base set.
UK signed four linebackers, and Jabari Johnson's name has popped up as one who could be called on to play if ready.
SECONDARY
Looked like the most solid area of the defense in the spring. Randall Burden and Paul Warford have 36 career starts between them, and Cartier Rice played the best ball of his UK career in the spring. Martavious Neloms looked more confident after his baptism by fire last year.
The Cats are still trying to figure things out at safety. Winston Guy had an up-and-down spring but has pro potential. Junior-college transfer Josh Gibbs started opposite Guy in the Blue-White Game. Taiedo Smith, Dakotah Tyler and Jarvis Walker also saw plenty of action. Junior-college transfer Mychal Bailey is viewed as a potential immediate impact player, and UK will bring in three other players who could contribute at corner: Dale Trimble, Eric Simmons and Jerrell Priester.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Ryan Tydlacka had a busy spring, spending time both punting and place-kicking. If incoming recruit Joe Mansour is as good as advertised, Tydlacka won't have to worry about pulling double duty in the fall. The Cats didn't work much on the return game, but they know that's in good hands with Cobb, Locke and some speedy freshman recruits on the way.
