Defensive line looks to fill holes in 2014
Miami (Oh) quarterback Austin Boucher runs the ball against UK defensive end Alvin Dupree during the first half of the UK vs. Miami(Ohio) football game at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, September 7, 2013. UK won its first home game of the season 41-7. Photo by Tessa Lighty
April 8, 2014
By Matt Overing | Football beat writer
The pass rush was one of the few areas where UK performed well during the 2013 season.
UK finished eighth in the SEC in total sacks, finishing ahead of teams that played 13 games, such as Alabama and Texas A&M. The Cats recorded 23 sacks on the season.
Five players started on the defensive line last season. Seniors Donte Rumph and Mister Cobble held down the defensive tackle positions, while juniors Bud Dupree and Za’Darius Smith started on the ends. Sophomore Farrington Huguenin earned a start in Dupree’s place against Alabama.
Rumph and Cobble will have to be replaced on the interior in 2014, but head coach Mark Stoops and his staff have planned ahead.
Freshmen Regie Meant and Jacob Hyde redshirted in 2013, as did junior college transfer Melvin Lewis.
“Regie Meant has looked good. Jacob Hyde has done some good things,” said defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot. “I think those guys have a bright future here.”
Juniors Christian Coleman and Mike Douglas return, and junior college transfer Cory Johnson is expected to see the field as well.
“It’s been a learning experience,” Johnson said of his transfer to UK. “It’s been hard. It’s a lot of hand signals. At JUCO, you just had to huddle up, (coaches) would tell you the play and you’d line up. You didn’t have to look over and see a guy doing the robot, trying to learn the play.”
Johnson said that both Dupree and Smith are leaders on and off the field.
“On the field, if we’re running station to station, I’m always lost,” Johnson said. “They see me, and say, ‘Come on, man. Over here.’”
The defense lost a senior leader from 2013 in Avery Williamson at linebacker.
“Avery is tough to replace, but Bud has been very good in that role,” Stoops said.
Eliot said that Dupree has been taking steps to fill the leadership void on defense.
“I think he’s doing everything he needs to do to be that person,” Eliot said.
Dupree and Smith are both gunning to lead the team in sacks in 2014.
“It’s a competition between our guys,” Dupree said. “(Za’Darius) wants to lead the team in sacks, I want to lead the team in sacks. We all just want to challenge each other.”
Behind Dupree and Smith, Huguenin and sophomore Jason Hatcher have stood out in practice.
“I’ve been pleased with their progress,” Eliot said. “We’re going to continue to grow.”
