Kelvin Joseph got his first interception against Mississippi State. (SEC Photo)
Kentucky is just four games into the season but it has been quite a roller coaster ride already for defensive back Kelvin Joseph. The LSU transfer was named to the coaches’ all-SEC preseason team before he ever played a down at Kentucky. In the opening game at Auburn, he got a silly personal foul penalty and also got beat on a touchdown pass. Against Mississippi in game two he also had some issues.
But against Mississippi State in game three he got his first interception. Last week at Tennessee he not only had an interception but he returned it 41 yards for a touchdown in UK’s win. He now has seven tackles, two interceptions and one pass breakup going into Saturday afternoon’s game at Missouri.
“I think Kelvin, we all knew what type of talent he has. I think he was really pressing hard early. You have to remember, this was a young man who had to sit out all of last year,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “So you need to get some game reps. It is one thing to have practice reps under you and there’s another thing to have game reps under you.
“He really wanted to play well, for himself and for his team. Sometimes when you press too much and try to do things beyond what you are coached to do, bad things happen. That happens all the time. Again, it is not for selfish reasons.”
That led Stoops to point out some plays that happened against Tennessee. He noted UK’s defensive line got praised for its play in the game but made plenty of mistakes.
“They have been getting a lot of pats on the back. Well they start trying to do too much and jump around and jump out of gaps and that is not how you are going to play effective football in any area – whether it is offense, defense or special teams. Guys mean well, but sometimes when they don’t do what they are coached to do, they hurt the team and they hurt themselves,” Stoops said.
“I think Kelvin let the game come to him and at that position you are only going to have so many opportunities per game and you have to make the most of it and he has done that the past couple of weeks. He is letting the game come to him, do his job and focus on what he needs to do and good things are going to happen to him.”
The Kentucky coach said it is not just Joseph that needs to keep following that path. Other players need to do the same.
“There are plays we need to get ironed out still. We have some guys and again, I don’t think it comes from a selfish place, they want to do well for the team, but when they are doing things they are not coached to do, it is not going to help anybody,” Stoops said.
