The first thing Big Blue Nation learned about Will Stein is the head coach’s mantra, “Feed the Studs.” In order for that to work, Kentucky needs weapons. There are some questions surrounding Kentucky’s playmakers, but quarterback Kenny Minchey believes he has a reliable target ready for a big year in the Bluegrass.
After spending the spring in Lexington, the Notre Dame transfer enjoyed some time in Louisiana at the Manning Passing Academy. Being a camp counselor at the event is a rite of passage for top-tier college quarterbacks, giving them one final opportunity to interact with others before beginning fall camp.
During some of Minchey’s downtime, he chatted with On3’s Wilson Alexander, who surveyed the quarterbacks in attendance with a simple question: “Which teammate will have a breakout season?”
“DJ Miller,” Minchey replied. “He’s the best receiver in the country. He’s very athletic. His tenacity and his size.”
A 6-foot-3, 210-pound wide receiver, Miller certainly has the measurables for an SEC X-receiver. We saw them put to good use during the second half of his freshman campaign. In seven games, he caught 12 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns, including a 56-yarder against Tennessee.
The question surrounding Miller is simple: Can he build on that solid foundation? Throughout spring practice, he received praise from his peers. If Kentucky shared a highlight reel from spring practice, there’s about an 85% chance it included a big-time play from Miller. One of his best moments came during a scrimmage.
“He caught a really big, gotta have it touchdown today from Kenny on a two-minute drive, which I thought that was great anticipation from Kenny, great route detail by DJ,” Stein said after a spring scrimmage.
“I challenge him every single day. If you want to be a dominant player here and in the SEC and in the country, you have to practice a certain way. It’s not like you can just show up on Saturdays and expect to play at the level that you want and that we want you to. So I’m challenging him every single day. He’s got the body, he’s got the height, weight, speed, and I think he’s got the mental makeup. It’s just being consistent in everyday practice, so I’ve been proud of him. I think he’s grown a ton since we’ve gotten here.”
Miller has all of the tools to make an impact for the Wildcats this fall. Kenny Minchey and this Kentucky passing attack need him to fulfill his potential and develop into one of the best weapons in the SEC.
Like this story2Share article