First Down Kentucky: Cats Creating Connections at Spring Practice

We are two weeks away from watching the Kentucky Wildcats in action at Kroger Field for the Blue-White Game. Football fans will be excited to watch the team in action, but spring practice is not about the exhibition. This time is dedicated to development.

When you think of development, typically fundamentals are the first thing that comes to mind. Right now, this team is also developing chemistry, not just between the players, but with the three new coaches on the offensive staff. Vince Marrow has seen offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan quickly bond with the Cats.

“He is really, really connected with these guys,” he told Matt Jones Friday morning on Kentucky Sports Radio.

“And I just think you’re gonna see a guy that is gonna call plays. He’s very laid back, but I think people really gonna love the structure of his offense. He runs a lot of motions, a lot of movement and we’re gonna play faster.”

It’s the fourth straight spring practice where Kentucky has installed a new offense. Playbook install happens in multiple phases. It’s not uncommon to reach phase three or four, then see slip-up on day-one stuff. Marrow has not seen those sorts of mistakes in practice because the players are taking a serious approach to spring ball.

“I’m more impressed with Bush of how the staff and the players have picked up the offense so fast and you gotta give credit to our players. They’ve been putting in extra time and it’s allowing us to install more and more… They are they have bought in. They are really putting in the time and it’s starting to show in practice.” Marrow added, “I’m really, really excited about this team.”

Kentucky Playing Fast

11 Personnel powered through technical difficulties to provide the BBN with some spring football talk. If you missed it, we touched on the recent recruiting win, impressive newcomers and the changes to the Kentucky offense under Bush Hamdan.

UFL Season Kicks Off

Professional Spring Football is back. The XFL and USFL merged to form the UFL, an acronym that sounds destined for failure. That sounds like something a hater would say, but I will not hate. This could be a fun television option on weekends, with Fox and ESPN sharing broadcasting duties throughout the 10-week regular season that concludes with the championship on June 16.

The action begins with the two former champions going head-to-head on Saturday at 1 pm. The USFL’s Birmingham Stallions will travel to Arlington to play Bob Stoops’ Renegades of the XFL. A second game will kick off at 4 pm EST between St. Louis and Michigan. The action switches over to ESPN on Sunday with DC vs. San Antonio at noon and Memphis vs. Houston at 3 pm EST.

There is one former Kentucky Wildcat in the UFL. Defensive lineman TJ Carter will be suiting up for the Michigan Panthers.