When the Southeastern Conference kicks off its annual Football Media Days next week in Dallas, Kentucky will be represented by a trio of upperclassmen that have come to define the program over the last few years.
Senior offensive lineman Marques Cox, senior linebacker D’Eryk Jackson and junior defensive lineman Deone Walker, along with 12th-year head coach Mark Stoops, will all be on hand to field questions from the media ahead of the start of fall training camp.
Though Kentucky won’t be featured until Thursday, there are plenty of intriguing storylines before then. This is the first time the event will be held in Texas, in conjunction with the arrival of conference newcomers Texas and Oklahoma. It’s also the first SEC Media Days without Nick Saban in nearly two decades.
For the Wildcats, however, they’re taking a business-as-usual approach.
While other teams will bring in their big offensive stars like Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Georgia’s Carson Beck, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and others — only four of 16 teams aren’t taking a quarterback — Stoops typically sticks to bringing the hard-hitting, physical class of player.
Only once in the past three seasons have the Cats taken a passer to SEC Media Days, and that was Will Levis in 2022. Otherwise, it’s been all linemen and linebackers.
Thus, it makes sense why Stoops wants Cox, Jackson and Walker to join him in Dallas. If nothing else, it’s more than 900 pounds of protection by his side.
Cox, a 6-foot-5, 311-pounder from Peoria, Illinois, started all 13 games at left tackle for UK last fall after transferring in from Northern Illinois. He’ll be back for a seventh and final collegiate season in 2024 after appearing in 49 games with 46 starts across his career.
Jackson, a 6-1, 245-pounder from Dublin, Georgia, will look to finish as the Cats’ leading tackler…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/cox-jackson-walker-rep-cats-112500163.html
Author : Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
Publish date : 2024-07-13 11:25:00
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