Friday, March 24, 2000
Lorenzen to get shot to QB UK
Highlands grad up for No. 1
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Jared Lorenzen will get his chance to compete for the University of Kentucky's starting quarterback job.
UK coach Hal Mumme said Thursday the redshirt freshman, a former Highlands High star, has gotten his grades up and will vie with returning starter Dusty Bonner during spring practice to lead the Wildcats in the fall.
“Jared has really taken care of business in the classroom,” said Mumme, whose team lost to Syracuse in the Music City Bowl after a 6-5 regular season. “We promised him a shot when he came here, and we're going to give it to him. ... The first five to seven workouts, we'll let them compete and see how it goes.”
Lorenzen, voted Mr. Football after his senior season at Highlands, came to UK heralded as the successor to Tim Couch, who was drafted No.1 overall by the Cleveland Browns after his junior season.
But Bonner and Mike Scipione were Mumme's chosen candidates to fight for the job, and Lorenzen was redshirted. He struggled to reach academic eligibility.
With his grades under control, Lorenzen can re-focus on earning the chance to lead the UK offense. Though the 'Cats have several returning starters, Mumme said every position is up for grabs.
“This is the first year that I've been here that we are telling everybody on offense that there isn't anybody with a job,” Mumme said.
Mumme said the 6-foot-4 Lorenzen, who came to UK at 240 pounds, has reduced his body fat from 23 percent to 16 percent. Mumme also said Lorenzen clocked 4.87 seconds in the 40-yard dash, compared to the 4.81 of Bonner, a 6-2, 208-pound junior who redshirted his true sophomore season.
“If Dusty wins the job, it is because he is really using the whole offense,” Mumme said. “If Jared wins, it is because he is physically bigger and can throw farther and show us that he can operate the offense as efficiently as Dusty did last year.”
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