Gunnar Hoak

[Sam K.]

After reading about Gunnar's performance last night I thought I'd look up and post credentials of Mr. Hoak.
With Johnson, Hoak, Barker and Clark this could be the most talented stable of qb's UK has ever had.


http://www.ukathletics.com/sport/m-f...b0c9c2e304148e

[Blue Heaven]

Hoak looked really good last night. He was excellent with the short to midrange throws. The most impressive throw I saw was a one across his body for a first down. Looks easy but extremely difficult and he made it look effortless. He has the looks of being a good one.

[JEFFCOCATFAN]

Yes !
Anybody who watched and paid attention to Hoak in last year's Spring game and again yesterday should see that he is the answer to the QB situation in the very near future.
Looks like he may be the best one since Woodson & Lorenzen.

Johnson likely to be the starter but he best play well, He may not be on a long leash

[TrueblueCATfan]

I thought he looked really good Friday night.....pleased with what I saw

[johnkyblue]

He'll play this fall, he won't start. We don't need a starter controversy.

[Matt Dillon]

He'll play this fall, he won't start. We don't need a starter controversy.

If it's like most seasons, he won't get a lot of minutes as the back-up. The second string QB, at UK, rarely does.

[Old School]

If it's like most seasons, he won't get a lot of minutes as the back-up. The second string QB, at UK, rarely does.

The second string QB sure got a lot of minutes last year, about 10 and a half games worth. The same is true for seasons when Mike Hartline, Maxwell Smith and others went down with injuries.

I'd like to see UK's second string QB get a lot of minutes this year, not due to injuries, but due to large late-game leads for Kentucky.

[Matt Dillon]

The second string QB sure got a lot of minutes last year, about 10 and a half games worth. The same is true for seasons when Mike Hartline, Maxwell Smith and others went down with injuries.

I'd like to see UK's second string QB get a lot of minutes this year, not due to injuries, but due to large late-game leads for Kentucky.

Apparently I didn't make myself clear. I meant the second string QB. Not the second string QB who was promoted to starter after Barker's injury. If I'm not mistaken, the player who moved from third string to second string, after Johnson became first string, played in one game late in the season when they were trying to rest Johnson's injured knee.

[Blue Heaven]

Apparently I didn't make myself clear. I meant the second string QB. Not the second string QB who was promoted to starter after Barker's injury. If I'm not mistaken, the player who moved from third string to second string, after Johnson became first string, played in one game late in the season when they were trying to rest Johnson's injured knee.

Luke Wright? Wasn't he promptly pulled for Johnson after an INT?

[Matt Dillon]

Luke Wright? Wasn't he promptly pulled for Johnson after an INT?

I believe you're correct, Blue Heaven .

[Lighthouse]

I knew what you meant Matt, and you're right. Our 2nd string 0B rarely see the field and when it's his turn to play, his only experience is on the practice field.

[SBCatMan]

I do not think Luke Wright will ever really be a factor, but he looked VASTLY improved during the Spring Game.

[Matt Dillon]

I knew what you meant Matt, and you're right. Our 2nd string 0B rarely see the field and when it's his turn to play, his only experience is on the practice field.

And that's something I've never understood. Why not play the backup a qtr. or a qtr. and a half in blow out games, what damage could it do? If these coaches would do that, when it came time for the backup to take over, he would be better prepared, in my opinion.

[RV]

And that's something I've never understood. Why not play the backup a qtr. or a qtr. and a half in blow out games, what damage could it do? If these coaches would do that, when it came time for the backup to take over, he would be better prepared, in my opinion.

The only game we really had the opportunity to do that was against Austin Peay and UK was only up 21-13 at the half. Of course UK scored 21 unanswered in the third and could've used any QB in the fourth as we just ran the ball the entire time.

[Old School]

Apparently I didn't make myself clear. I meant the second string QB. Not the second string QB who was promoted to starter after Barker's injury. If I'm not mistaken, the player who moved from third string to second string, after Johnson became first string, played in one game late in the season when they were trying to rest Johnson's injured knee.

Gotcha. In many years past, we've had to play the #2 guy out of necessity, and in other years, having to do so could've been a catastrophe. Last year, I wouldn't have expected solid QB play if Barker went down. It was a very nice surprise that it turned out well. I'm excited that the team appears to have multiple effective options at QB, and a serious injury wouldn't be a disaster at that position. That's a really nice development. And there's terrific young depth behind that to develop, too. It speaks very well to what Stoops has done with the roster since arriving. We haven't had a ton of opportunities to point to long term trends like that with the program. This is a really nice one to see. The program could weather a QB injury well, it seems...that's a luxury that even some pretty good P5 teams don't have in some years.

It's also nice to see that at other positions, too. It looks like there are multiple good options at RB. The OL looks like it has multiple high quality options beyond the starters. (Some pretty good programs take a big step back with just one or two OL injuries.) I think the linebackers might be at that point, and maybe the secondary too. That's so different than the thinner rosters in many years past, when losing Melvin Lewis hurt the entire defense so badly, for instance. There were years in which an injury to Andre Woodson or Randall Cobb would've taken down an entire season. That doesn't seem to be the case now.

Now if only the DL could get there...

Injuries happen. This team appears unusually well equipped to deal with them at many positions this year, especially QB. We wouldn't often say that in much of the past. I like it.