Joker talks grade issues

Larry Vaught has a great interview with Joker Phillips regarding the status of Paul Warford, Mister Cobble, Mychal Bailey and Donte Rumph's eligibility for the fall semester. Recently, Warford and Cobble have been rumored to be on the fence this fall while Rumph and Bailey have been working hard to gain eligibility. I've also had two people tell me William Johnson is no longer with the team.

Warford is the most experienced UK corner on the roster so if he is ineligible, I would imagine Martavious Neloms and Cartier Rice immediately become the favorites. The other two names to watch are Jerrell Priester and Dale Trimble. Unless Priester suffers an injury during camp, I can't imagine he will redshirt. He has the best chance to play as a true freshman as anyone. Trimble told me he was expecting to redshirt. Because he was a late qualifier, it appears the staff wants him focused on his grades his first year. However, he could be thrown into the mix.

Cobble was expected to take Corey Peters position on the defensive line. If he is unable to go this fall, then expect Mark Crawford and Shane McCord to compete for the starting job. Another name to watch is Brice Laughlin, who is as strong and fast as any defensive lineman on the roster. Laughlin will need a lot of reps during camp to be ready, however with the new defensive scheme, it's very possible.

I've heard Rumph has made several trips to Lexington this summer and everyone is very optimistic he will gain eligibility. The key for Rumph is being in football shape. He is another big body and someone who was highly recruited out of high school. Bailey could make an impact immediately. He would push for playing time in the secondary, but certainly make an impact on special teams. The other safety's have a lot more reps than Bailey so he has some catching up to do. The last time I talked to Bailey, he felt he would gain eligibility. He was taking two summer courses and passing both. We'll know the status of each for sure in the next couple of weeks.