The leaders on UK’s football team might not be known when the 2009-10 season starts. Sure, there will be familiar names, including rising senior defensive stars Jeremy Jarmon, Trevard Lindley and Micah Johnson as some of the likely candidates to become vocal leaders of the team on their campaign to appear in a school-record fourth-consecutive bowl game, but there will also be the players who had to wait their turn behind talented players for an opportunity to break out.

One player UK head coach Rich Brooks expects to step up is rising senior linebacker Sam Maxwell, who is currently the top weakside linebacker on UK’s depth chart. Maxwell has spent most of his first three years with the Cats behind former UK standouts Braxton Kelley, Johnny Williams and Wesley Woodyard.

“Sam Maxwell’s been a really good linebacker, and he hasn’t been the starter because he’s had good starters ahead of him,” Brooks said during a Tuesday news conference. “I’m not worried about him at all because I know he can really play and he can play SEC football and he can play at a very high level in the SEC.”

Despite his previous role as a reserve, Maxwell said UK linebackers coach Chuck Smith has already approached him and Johnson to discuss their roles as team leaders. While waiting for his turn to become a full-time starter, Maxwell learned the importance of studying the roles of every defensive player to ensure the team is in the right position before plays.

“Linebackers are doing most of the communicating, setting everything up,” Maxwell said. “So basically he’s telling me that it’s my time to shine.”

Another player expected to fulfill a bigger role will be rising senior running back Alfonso Smith. Smith tallied 313 rushing yards last season while sharing the load with a stable of backs. Smith possesses blazing speed and soft hands that could help him break out in his final season with the Cats. This year, Smith said he is planning on being a more vocal leader on the team.

“The coaches will mention it at times but we actually take it upon ourselves,” Smith said. “We know if we don’t lead the way, the team is going to be mediocre.”

Mediocrity is something the coaches won’t tolerate this year. Brooks said he was disappointed in last year’s squad, which finished the year 7-6. Brooks stressed the importance of spring practice as a time for both newcomers and veterans to improve. Every position on the team is up for grabs in an effort to make sure no player becomes too comfortable in their role.

“You cannot be happy with what you did yesterday,” Brooks said. “You can’t be happy with what we did last year. You have to keep improving. You have to strive to get better every time you go out on the field.”

Randall Cobb, Justin Jeffries, Derrick Locke will not participate in contact drills

Rising junior running back Derrick Locke is cleared to run but will not participate in full contact drills, Brooks said. Locke is on track to be cleared for full contact drills by June 8. Rising senior offensive tackle Justin Jeffries, who is still recovering from shoulder surgery, will take part in some individual drills but will not participate in full contact drills. Brooks said rising sophomore Randall Cobb will take the majority of his reps at wide receiver and is expected to be cleared for full contact drills after the first few days of practice.