Like a Gnat to a Light, How Deone Walker is Elevating his Game

Deone Walker is a bad, bad man. Last fall he was one of only three true freshman tabbed to the AP’s All-SEC team. In year two the disruptive defensive lineman is taking his game to the next level. Even if you don’t see it on the stat sheet, it’s going to improve the entire Kentucky defense.

Walker’s size is striking. It’s even more impressive to see how well the 6-foot-6, 350-pounder moves in the trenches. He makes it look easy, but it’s hard to haul that much weight around regularly.

He proved early in his career, particularly at Ole Miss, that he can play at a high level for long stretches at a time. This offseason Kentucky’s coaches have challenged him to bring effort and intensity on every stop.

“I just gotta be like a gnat. I gotta be like that gnat that you can never really get get rid of,” said defensive line coach Anwar Stewart.

“I’m just always pushing him to be elite. It’s really up to him. He can be the most dominant guy out there in every practice every game, but it’s going to be him. There’s got to be a mindset that he wants to go out there and just kick butt every day. I’m just pushing him to be the best version of him and that’s it. I’m not backing off. He has a really good opportunity to be one of the great ones that ever come through here.”

Deone Walker: The Light of the Defense

Stewart’s gnat analogy is fitting. Brad White believes Deone Walker is a light the entire team is drawn to.

“You’re not just counted on in production, you’re counted on in being — you’re the light. You’re what everybody looks to,” said the Kentucky defensive coordinator. “For him, he’s still growing through that. I think he’s really improved in that area, definitely from freshman year, but even from spring. I feel him more all the time in practice.”

When Deone Walker is at his best, his energy is infectious. Kentucky is relying on the big body in the middle of the trenches to be not only a disruptive force, but also an inspiration.

“For him it’s about consistency when he plays. It’s not just about his play. There are days out there when he has this incredible energy and everybody feeds off it. Defense, offense, everybody feels it,” said White.

“Now it’s for him to learn how to bring that every single day and it’s hard. Hey, listen, nobody can just be on cloud nine every day. But the really good ones, those elite ones, they find a way to sort of push through their bad days, so their bad days aren’t a lull. Their bad days are better than most good days, especially from an energy standpoint because so many people feed off of it.”

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