WATCH: Brad White, Kentucky Linebackers at Spring Practice

Kentucky wrapped up its first week of spring practice Thursday morning. Bringing back a ton of veterans on the defensive side of the ball, particularly the linebackers, it felt like Brad White had a few extra coaches helping him.

“It’s like we have four, five or six extra coaches out there coaching all the young’uns,” he laughed. “You look out there and you realize there’s some youth, but there’s a lot of energy in that youth. Everyday the game slows down a little bit.”

DeAndre Square has been a mainstay in Mark Stoops’ defense for years. It’s second-nature for him to help the younger guys throughout practice.

“It’s a fun experience. I’ve basically been doing it a couple years now, so it’s not nothing new,” Square said. “I’m just being myself, coaching up the young guys, trying to get them to see things the way I see it, trying to elevate their game from a players’ perspective instead of it coming from coaches. I feel like they’re taking it in like sponges and they’re reciprocating it on the field. It’s been fun so far.”

Linebackers Focused on Improving Pass Defense

Square and Jacquez Jones have four full years of college football under their belt. Throughout the countless snaps they’ve mastered the art of fitting a run (a.k.a doing your job to fill the hole). Defending pass-catchers in coverage is another story.

“Instead of doing run fits and run drills, we’re really doing DB drills,” said Jones.

Jones made a few incredible plays in pass coverage in his Kentucky debut, sealing wins against Florida and Chattanooga with pass deflections. Even so, there is plenty of room for him to grow.

“That’s really my main goal this spring, to be better in space in my coverages. I feel like these past two days it’s been the best I’ve played in coverage so far,” he said.

“We all know we can stop the run, but we know in todays game at the next level, it’s how can you play in space, how can you cover tight ends and running backs? That’s what we’re working on.”