Thursday, August 30, 2001
'Slim' Lorenzen beefs up UK
By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEXINGTON — At 268 pounds, 6-foot-5 Jared Lorenzen looks as though he could get by in a Speedo bathing suit. And that's good, because opposing defenses will be bringing the pressure, said University of Kentucky teammate Derek Smith.
“He's definitely got an extra step to him now,” said Smith, who played with Lorenzen at Highlands High School.
“Teams are going to blitz us because they know we're going to run the ball this year, and that should allow us to hit our play-action (passes),” Smith said. “Jared's going to have to get out of the pocket faster and be nimble. With his weight loss (of 40 pounds), he'll be able to do it.”
Nearby, the relatively svelte Lorenzen sipped on a cold sports drink following the Wildcats' spirited practice Wednesday. UK's opener here Saturday is against Louisville (1-0). Lorenzen said “laying off the Mountain Dew” and the post-7 p.m. meals/snacks was the key to finding his slimmer self.
“I love it,” Lorenzen said of being lean. “I feel so much better than last year. I thought I was in good shape last year, but I wasn't, compared to now. I feel a lot quicker. I'm getting back there (in the pocket) a split-second faster, and that's giving me that split-second to make my reads quicker. You can find where the safeties and linebackers are. Everything seems to be processing in my mind a lot faster (than last year).”
Commonwealth Stadium will be jumping with a sellout crowd of almost 70,000 to see if UK (0-0) can improve upon its 2-9 record of last year.
“We're going to be an underdog in almost every game we play except for maybe Ball State,” Lorenzen said. “That's fine by us. Make us the underdog. That way, if we win, we can go even more crazy.”
Said Smith: “I definitely don't want to (fall to) 0-3 (in the series) against Louisville. The best I can do now is .500 — win my last two years — and I'd take that.”
Lorenzen and Smith both figure to benefit from the improved running attack this year. In Smith's case, it is going to make him a better run-blocker — critical in the NFL. And Lorenzen will be able to plausibly sell the play-action pass with some sleight of hand that will remind people of former left-handed Cincinnati Bengals great Boomer Esiason.
“This season we're rewarding our great offensive line with some run-blocking — they love to run-block,” Lorenzen said. “Getting yards that way is definitely going to help make me a more efficient passer.”
GUIDUGLI WATCH: Smith, a true junior, and Lorenzen, a redshirt sophomore, both inquired about former Highlands teammate Gino Guidugli, now at UC, who appeared headed for a possible start vs. Purdue Sunday if some shoulder tendinitis hadn't curtailed his practice time.
“The only thing I'd say to Gino is, "Don't let practice get to your head,'” Smith said. “You can do so well in practice and then as soon as you walk out there for the game, it's completely different. Games are always one step faster. After the first play, you find yourself walking back to the huddle saying, "OK, I have to pick it up a little bit.'”
Smith and Lorenzen both said they'd find a way to watch UC's nationally televised opener with Purdue in hopes of seeing Guidugli take his first college snaps.
“I know he has Brent Grover (a former Highlands star now at Purdue) in that first game, and that's very cool,” Lorenzen said.
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