Tuesday, March 27, 2001
Kentucky fans could see much less Lorenzen
Hefty quarterback is losing weight
By Steve Bailey
The Associated Press
A 'sleeker' Jared Lorenzen Monday on the first day of spring practice.
(AP photo)
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LEXINGTON, Ky. — The weight is finally over for Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen, who reported for the first day of spring football practice looking like a new man.
Or, depending on one's point of view, like he lost one.
The 6-foot-5 rifle-armed sophomore from Highlands, who listed at 275 pounds last year but weighed closer to 300 by season's end, looked positively skinny Monday as he ran through scrambling and passing drills alongside the Wildcats' other quarterbacks.
“I've lost some weight,” Lorenzen acknowledged with a grin following the 2 1/2-hour workout.
How much?
“Enough,” he said with a coy wink. “I'm going to lose some more — about 10 or 15 pounds more. That's what I'd like. I don't know how realistic or unrealistic that is, but that's the goal.
“I know coach (Guy) Morriss isn't going to say a word, and I'm not going to. I'll reveal it soon enough — probably the summer. Then I can judge how much I've really lost and go from there.”
Although he looked more like a lineman than a quarterback last season, Lorenzen put up some staggering numbers in his first season as the starter.
He completed 321-of-559 passes for 3,687 yards and 19 touchdowns, setting six NCAA records and earning Southeastern Conference co-Freshman of the Year honors.
At the end of the season, however, only two numbers really mattered: 2 and 9. Lorenzen said he's prepared to work harder than he ever has to make sure the Wildcats don't end up with a similar record this year.
“It feels great to get out there and start to get that 2-9 out of your body,” Lorenzen said.
Lorenzen will have to continue to work hard and keep the weight off this spring in order to keep the starting job.
From the day he was hired to replace Hal Mumme, Morriss said Lorenzen would have to battle freshman Shane Boyd for the top spot on the depth chart.
Neither seems to mind the competition.
“If you're the best man, you shouldn't mind the competition,” Lorenzen said. “I don't have any worries about it. Shane's a great guy and a great competitor.”
Boyd, a promising pitcher who signed a minor-league baseball contract with the Minnesota Twins last summer but backed out before fall drills began, will not play baseball for UK this spring until football practice has ended.
The 6-3, 230-pound Boyd redshirted last year under Mumme, who spent little if any time developing backup quarterbacks. This year, even if he isn't named the starter, he'll get a lot more practice and game work in Morriss' system.
“Me and Jared are going to go at each other every day,” Boyd said. “All the while, we're going to make each other better, coach each other, and make sure we have a good offensive football team.”
Morriss said he will take his time to evaluate the play of both players, and is in no rush to name a starter.
Mumme ignited a controversy last year by naming incumbent Dusty Bonner the starter after spring practice and later changing his mind to give Lorenzen the nod, leading Bonner to transfer to Valdosta State.
“It's going to be a day-to-day evaluation,” Morriss said. “If there's no clear-cut winner — and that's at every position — we'll go into two-a-days.
“Somebody's eventually going to emerge. It may take until the Friday before the (season-opening) Louisville game. I honestly don't know yet.”
Morriss acknowledged he has been pleased with Lorenzen's progress dropping the weight and said it would have been tough for him to compete had he remained as heavy as he was last season.
“He is a lot thinner and his weight is coming down,” Morriss said. “When he gets to where I want him, we'll announce it.”
Lorenzen said he'll continue exercising, skipping late-night meals and snacks and working hard in practice in an effort to win the battle of the bulge.
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Kentucky fans could see much less Lorenzen
