Jeremy Flax jokes about biggest lesson learned in first season as SEC starter

Kentucky’s offensive line took a whooping last season. After years as one of the most sturdy and consistent lines in college football, the Wildcats took a great leap backwards in 2022 up front. With former offensive coordinator Liam Coen back in the fold, his top priority is fixing the leakage along the Big Blue Wall. To do so, he’ll need a step up from several players who had major roles last year.

Perhaps no player is more important in that regard than right tackle Jeremy Flax. He started at RT last year and really struggled at times. Kentucky already replaced their left tackle through the transfer portal and folks around the program believe UK will test the market in the May window for another one if they don’t think Flax or the other tackles have improved enough.

But according to Flax, he’s learned a lot in one season as an SEC starter and should be more prepared to handle the physicality of the world’s best football conference.

“One thing that I learned mostly is the SEC football hurt, definitely,” said Flax at media availability following spring practice. “Those games are really tough, really physical. And like, that’s one thing I learned the most, probably. Like, after games, make sure you’ve got to recover, gotta get in the training room, because those games are so physical. You definitely want to leave banged up afterwards for sure.”

Flax was also asked where he’s trying to improve, to which he answered point blank that his pass protection needs to get better. Both for him individually and for Kentucky as a team, because the ‘Cats were nearly dead last in pass pro a year ago. Poor Will Levis, huh? Anyway, pass blocking and developing as a signal caller along the line are keys for Jeremy Flax this offseason.

“Personally, I felt like I needed to work on my past protection skills getting better and my technique with that. And then, learning the playbook and kind of being like another quarterback out there for the whole line and just for my team in general. That’s something we emphasize between everybody, wanted everybody to kind of have that center type of knowledge for where they can call plays out, call friends out and stuff like that, etc. I think I’ve been doing pretty well.”

Jeremy Flax is certainly saying the right stuff during a crucial offseason for himself. However, the next month will tell us what the staff really thinks of his development. Although, even if Flax makes a jump, if a terrific option emerges in the portal, Stoops may still go after it.