Here’s what Washington had to say about UK’s receivers now that the Wildcats have completed spring practice.
Question: How was spring practice for you and your players?
Washington: “It was a good experience. Number one, we are not very experienced so therefore every day in practice we had to treat it like a game. That’s the only way to get game ready, and then once we get in a game it will still be different. What I¿have to do is just make sure I give them as much knowledge as I possibly can, yet not overload them. There are some things they have to learn on the field as it is happening. I have to make sure they understand that. I can tell them about 100 things that are going to happen in a game, but in a game there will be another 100 things that I didn’t talk about.
“As I always tell them as I am drawing lines on the board, these lines are not moving. I am drawing a nice straight pretty line and in the game that line is probably going to be little crooked. ¿You have to adjust and that comes along with experience. As long as you know what we are trying to do and why we are trying to do it and how we are trying to do it, then you can make the adjustments along the way.”
Question: Is senior LaRod King, your most experienced receiver, the leader you want him to be?
Washington: “He is. I think his experience will show. We had a meeting one day and he got on the board and was discussing some plays and got all the guys to talk through it. There is no question he knew everything about the offense and each position and the quarterback’s reads.¿He understands what he is trying to do and what others are trying to do and how it goes hand in hand.”
Question: What about E.J. Fields and Gene McCaskill, two veterans who have yet to become consistent playmakers for various reasons?
Washington: “The same way. Not quite like King. McCaskill is pretty close to it.¿I¿think he is right there. E.J. has done a good job this spring. He is trying to lead by example. He is not a great vocal guy — King is not either. But at the same time they can lead by what they do. You don’t have to be a cheerleader. When it is your turn, do it full speed and if the younger kids have questions, answer the questions and try to help them out.”
Question: How did McCaskill’s knee hold up?
Washington: “That’s going to be the big question mark up until game one, game two.¿I am not a doctor, so I can’t tell you all the things that are wrong with it or right with it. We know it is a problem we have to deal with.”
Question: How is redshirt freshman Daryl Collins coming off his knee injury and does he have all the tools to be a big-time playmaker?
Washington: “I think he is probably 90 percent guy at this point and hopefully by fall he will be 100 percent. He is learning. There is a time when guys are learning and are not quite full speed because they are thinking too much. Once he really gets a good feel for what we are doing and reduces the thinking per play, then I think his ability that I¿have seen this spring will help us win football games. He has the physical tools.¿It is just a matter of regaining confidence in his knee and himself.”
Question: Will the limited experience Demarco Robison got as a true freshman last year help him this season?
