Wildcats can see, feel differences in special teams under Jay Boulware

For the first time in a long time, one of Mark Stoops’ 10 on-field assistants also carries the title, “special teams coach.” Jay Boulware is bringing almost two decades of experience to Kentucky and lighting a fire underneath the specialists.

“Boulware’s just putting that extra pressure on us to execute, to be perfect,” placekicker Chance Poore said this week at Kentucky spring practice. “On days like scrimmages or games, it will feel like a walk in the park. It’s just routine at that point. You go out there and you don’t think. Your body already has the muscle memory to do that.”

Special Teams are a Part of the Team

Special teams have long been considered the third phase of the game, yet it rarely receives the same love as the other two, offense and defense. Boulware, also the Wildcats’ running back coach, doesn’t see it that way.

“It’s a lot different. Boulware treats special teams just like we’re his running backs,” said Poore. “The specialists are just like his running backs. We’re treated the same, we’re looked at the same and we’re going to get the same coaching. He expects us to do this. It’s not like, ‘Ah, it’s okay.’ He’s going to get mad at you. We need to be perfect here. We need to execute. That’s how a coach should be. If he’s not on you, what’re you doing out there? I like that.”

Boulware sees special teams through a different lens. All three units are connected. When one plays well, others can build off of it and create momentum. They are all equals that can mutually benefit from one another.

“He puts a hard and big emphasis on special teams. I love that because when you go out there and have a kickoff, yeah, you can kick a touchback. That’s great, start on the 25. But if we pin them inside the 15, our defense gets riled up, they get going. The defense gets a big stop, next thing you know offense is starting at the 50. He’s treating it like special teams is not that third, ‘we gotta worry about that later.’ He’s treating that third like it’s important, the best. If we start good there, it just triggers our defense to be better and it makes our offense gets better and it just keeps going and going and going until we’re just dominating.”

You can see the extra emphasis in practice. Special teams drills are receiving more real estate from Mark Stoops with more time dedicated to drilling various aspects of the game, like gunners pursuing returners with a live ball in practice.

“We’re changing everything. It’s little things, but the problem is you’re so used to what you’ve been doing for the past two, three years.” Poore added, “The transition is going to take time.”

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Chance Poore Learning from Past

Chance Poore came to Kentucky to replace the school’s all-time leading scorer, Austin MacGinnis. It took six years, but the South Carolina native is finally ready to step into those big shoes as the Wildcats’ placekicker.

Poore made 7-of-13 kicks over his first two years in Lexington. The big leg was inconsistent, so he provided help to the special teams unit in different ways. Poore assumed all kickoff duties and became the holder on field goals. The lessons he’s learned while maturing during his time in Lexington are now paying dividends.

“The experience from being a holder. Looking at the snapper, I know what the snapper’s thinking. I know his routine… Now as a kicker, I don’t have to think about anything. I know exactly what’s going on out here, just gotta focus on what I gotta do.”

The most important thing to think about is nothing. A placekicker must repeat that some motion over and over and over again, no matter the situation. Poore is prepared to deliver for the Wildcats.

“Most of the time you just gotta let your mechanics go out there and just do it. When you go out there and overthink it, there’s going to be times where you’re like, ‘Man, I’m not having a great day.’ But that’s where my experience and maturity (pays off). I’ve been here and had really bad days, and I’ve had really good days.

“It doesn’t matter. You gotta go to the next kick. If I dwell about that, then there’s no point in attempting that next kick. So I always have a next kick mentality. You hit your best ball and it’s a 54-yarder. Whoop-dee-doo, it’s done. You gotta go to the next kick. Your most important kick is the next one.”