Photo by Jacob Noger - UK Football
It will have been a little over a year since quarterback Terry Wilson took the hit that injured his knee and ended his 2019 season when he takes the first snap at Auburn Saturday in UK’s season-opening game. Former UK running back Anthony White, who now is a sports radio host, doesn’t think that will be a problem for Wilson or UK.
“I know it sounds like a cliche but you don’t want your quarterback accustomed to being hit but there is something to say about your body getting acclimated to taking a hit,” White said. “In Terry’s case, it’s more advantageous to not get hit.
“The first hit is going to jar him. No doubt about that. Fortunately the quarterback is one position that you do not have to get acclimated to taking a hit. You can make a case he might be gun shy because he’s not been hit but I would rather he be fresh and not taking hits during practice. The first hit, he’ll just have to shake it off.”
White says not to forget that Wilson doesn’t have to take a lot of his. He has the speed to get to the sideline to avoid hits if he wants.
“He’s a quarterback, not a running back,” White said. “If he sees danger, he can get down. That’s fine.”
White knows one of his former UK coaches, Bill Curry, would never have left Wilson go all preseason without taking a hit even if he was coming off an injury.
“Coach Curry liked to hit five days a week to make sure you could take a hit,” White said. “Terry doesn’t need that. It might take him a couple of hits to get back acclimated, but he will be fine, especially with that offensive line he has taking care of him.”
