By Keith Taylor
Special to NKyTribune
For the third time in four years, a new coordinator will be calling the plays for Kentucky next fall, but don’t expect too much from the team’s annual Blue-White game set for noon Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.
Although the Wildcats spent a majority of spring drills installing Gran’s system, the new-look offense won’t be fully unleashed until next fall.
Gran said the game plan will be simple and wants to see “execution” from top to bottom.
“I don’t want to see anything sloppy — come out and have fun, play with energy, come off the ball, be physical,” Gran said. “When we throw, catch. Do all the little things right. It’s going to be a very, very condensed game plan. There’s not going to be a lot (of fancy plays). There might be some disappointed people, but it’s a spring game. You want to get out of there with everybody healthy. You want to score some points and you want to be successful. You want to come out of there feeling good about yourself.”
Like Gran, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is looking for execution from an offense that was inconsistent last year, especially during the second half of the season. Stoops is expecting the same result from the defensive unit.
“I want the routine plays to be routine,” he said. “When they’re open and we’re throwing and catching the ball, I want good, crisp throws, good catches, get up field and get some yards. Same thing with the defense — good tackles, position on the football. I don’t want us out-leveraged. I want us looking like a good football team.”
Because of injures to key players including running back Boom Williams, the spring finale will give the team’s inexperienced players a chance to play in a game environment.
“There’s some inexperience out there and it’s always nice to see them in a game situation,” Stoops said. “We can’t get enough of those snaps where we’re out there in front of a crowd with the runs and play-actions and boots – put it all together and see guys in good position. I want to see good, competitive plays. I want to see guys having success because they made good plays, not from one side or the other being inept.”
All eyes will be on quarterback Drew Barker, who will be running the offense for the first string offense. Stoops said Barker had a productive spring and is making progress. Stoops said Barker also is showing signs of maturity.
“I thought he’s really done some good things,” Stoops said. “Even (last) Saturday, I think I mentioned to you all that I really felt like the defense outplayed the offense for the most part last Saturday, but Drew came back and made some really tight, critical throws in some situational work. In the two-minute drill, he made a really great throw and did some good things. Then he came back Tuesday and Thursday and I thought they were very efficient today.”
Gran also is pleased with Barker’s progress and wants his top quarterback to execute the plays on offense in the scrimmage.
“Running the offense and executing (is what I am looking for), running it, being efficient (and) making great decisions,” Gran said. “That’s what I’m looking for.”
Notes
* Following the scrimmage, the UK Sports Network will air a one-hour live stream broadcast immediately following the Blue-White game Saturday at 2 p.m. and will be streamed at www.ukathletics.com. Christi Thomas will be joined by former Kentucky standouts Freddie Maggard and Jeremy Jarmon highlighting the culmination of the Kentucky football spring season.
* Current Kentucky football season ticket holders are now able to purchase additional single-game tickets at exclusive rates for the upcoming season at Commonwealth Stadium, UK Athletics announced Thursday. The tickets are being made available as an exclusive benefit to season ticket holders who have renewed or purchased new tickets. Single-game tickets for all seven home games can be purchased at special rates until June 21 by season ticket holders through their My UK Account or by calling the UK ticket office at (800) 928-2287. Tickets will be assigned according to K Fund priority point ranking, mailed separately from season ticket packages and will be based on seating availability.
Keith Taylor is a senior sports writer for KyForward, where he primarily covers University of Kentucky sports. Reach him at keith.taylor@kyforward.com or @keithtaylor21 on Twitter