Crown the King

No one could accuse our quarterbacking staff of being the most stable thing in the world last season. However, despite the fact that it was difficult to determine which signal caller would be present in which game, the Cats' top receiver, La'Rod King, still found ways to produce. King finished in the top 15 in the SEC in receptions, receiving yards, average yards per catch and tied for seventh in touchdown receptions. Of the 12 touchdown passes thrown by Kentucky QBs last season, seven were to La'Rod. The scary thing about his numbers were that they were only slightly better than the year before when he was the third receiving option behind Chris Matthews and some guy named Randall. Stability under center in 2010 allowed King to show flashes of what we might see next season if Maxwell Smith is able to win the job outright. It's not a prediction as much as it is a recognition of talent and big play ability. With the emergence of potential receiving threats at the tight end position and a fully healthy DeMarco Robinson, the opportunities will be there for King. There's no reason that King shouldn't be one of the top receivers in the league next season. If the past two seasons are any indication, La'Rod's impact will be determined by the effectiveness of his quarterback. If one guy, most likely Smith, can establish himself as the man from day one, then look for the rapport between he and La'Rod to make for an effective offensive assault. Otherwise, our offense may look a lot more like last year's than any of us would enjoy.