Running back A.J. Rose will play his final UK game in the Gator Bowl along with every other healthy Wildcat. (SEC Photo)
Maybe the most impressive statement Mark Stoops made Sunday night after Kentucky received a bid to play in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville was that not a single player had opted not to play in the game January 2.
“We’ve had two good practices the past two days. We’re at 100 percent, so the guys are all back and out there practicing and working hard and having some fun,” Stoops said.
The only player to opt out during the season was cornerback Kelvin Joseph before the final home game. Other than players out with injuries, every other Wildcat, including some hoping to be picked in the NFL draft, will be playing in the bowl game.
“First, it says that we have the right players here for us for the University of Kentucky and I think they answer to each other. You’ve heard me talk about it many times that I want to be player-led team. I want them leading the right way and we know that that maybe we came up short in certain areas this year but we also are really proud of the good things that they’ve done for many years,” Stoops said.
“We have strong leadership and strong players at the top and I think that’s what it’s speaking to, their commitment to each other. It’s very easy right now when you see what these young men have been through and you see the challenge of this season, very easy to punt (on the season), very easy to give in and I just think it talks a lot about them and the character that they have and the responsibility that they feel for each other.”
So do I. It says they are committed to each other and to the UK football program. If I was a recruit, I would pay attention because having all players, including the star players, play in bowl games is a trend at UK that says a lot about the program and Stoops.
“We are a bunch of football players and when you go on this big break, this long break, you kind of miss it, you really do, even though it’s always hard work, especially this year,” senior offensive guard Luke Fortner said.
“It’s been a long year. You go home and you’re not playing football and you start to miss it and you say I can’t wait to get back. I think everyone kind of came back from this break ready to go and ready to play this bowl game and put a good performance on.”
Junior linebacker Josh Paschal agreed that the break players got to go home a few days after the final game and exams helped.
“Everybody’s back in town. Everybody is ready to just get back out there. We got a week or so to go home and for everybody just to rejuvenate. The energy is high. We’re just ready to get to the bowl game and get ready to play,” Paschal said.
