3 Things We Learned After Kentucky Spring Practice No. 13

The final week of Kentucky Spring Football Practice has arrived. Will Stein‘s Wildcats have just one more practice before they go live at Kroger Field on Saturday morning. With the finish line in sight, Justin Burke (tight ends) and Tony Washington Jr. (pass rushers) gave their thoughts on the team, the final two assistants to speak with the media this spring. Here are a few things we learned.

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Tony Washington is a Star

That is what Will Stein said back in January. The lede was buried in the response to my question that got plenty of run, but it shouldn’t have. It’s clear this guy has what it takes to be a successful college football coach.

A former defensive lineman at Oregon who made a legendary scoop and score in the Rose Bowl, Washington was working at his alma mater during Stein’s first season in Eugene. Jay Bateman had the green light to assemble his staff, but Stein made sure that Washington was in the fold. After speaking with him today, it was easy to understand why.

Washington is eloquent and thorough. That intensity was evident when reflecting on his playing days. He was so laser-focused on the task at hand that he didn’t get the chance to enjoy it. It’s a message he shares with his current plays.

“If there’s one thing I would do back in time, just enjoy where I’m at, be where my feet are a little bit,” he said. “I played in two national championships, and all I remember was those weeks leading up to was like, How can we win? How can we win? I don’t feel like I truly enjoyed those moments as much. So it’s a delicate balance of always working hard, and also taking time to enjoy the moment, and we can just go attack from there.”

That laser-focus pays dividends in teaching pass-rushing techniques. The devil is definitely in the details. It is also useful on the recruiting trail, where Washington is making plenty of noise. The Wildcats are trending for a pair of four-star pass-rushers, Antwoine Higgins Jr. and Keysan Taylor.

Clarity on the Kentucky EDGE Position

Jay Bateman will look much different than his predecessor. What exactly that is, we’re not entirely sure. That applies to two positions in particular, defensive backs and pass rushers. The secondary will deploy a Star, while there are also Buck and Jack linebackers. So who exactly is Washington coaching?

C.J. Works, Lorenzo Cowan, Antonio O’Berry, and Sam Greene, who is coming off a season-ending injury, make up his position group that’s best described as the Jack. Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace is with Anwar Stewart as a more traditional defensive end. Grant Godfrey is at Buck, which is a more traditional inside linebacker.

Even though Greene needed knee surgery late in the season, he appears to be on track for a full recovery by the time the season begins. He’s running around in practice and emerging as a leader of the defense by acting as a player-coach of sorts. “He’s had a great deal of impact on our room,” said Washington.

Henry Boyer Emerges

Tight end usage is always a trendy offseason topic for Kentucky football fans. After much lip service in the past, Will Stein is delivering an offense that has relied on tight ends to be playmakers.

Willie Rodriguez has been described as a “go-to guy” while developing as a vocal leader of the offense. He’s not the only tight end making waves.

Before arriving at Kentucky, Henry Boyer had three catches in three years at Illinois. At 6-6 and nearly 280 pounds, most saw him as just an extension of the offensive line. He caught five passes for 62 yards and recorded a crucial fumble in the win at Auburn. This spring, he’s showing coaches that there is even more room for him to grow into a playmaker in this offense.

“Henry has done a great job. He’s so smart, he’s so smart, he works so hard. And then he’s quiet, but then all sudden, there will be this aggressive, like angry, hard-nosed football player that comes out. I think what the best thing about Henry is the selflessness. He’ll do absolutely anything for our offense to move the ball and score,” said Burke.

“But I mean, it’s not one of those things where we’re not going to throw him the football. He’s done a great job out there. He’s constantly on the Monarc (jugs machine) catching, he’s constantly asking how to get himself open, those type of things. He’s trimmed down, so he’s moving well, but we see him as a weapon.”