Liam Coen evaluating options Kentucky might have at center

Jager Burton is making the move from guard to center this spring. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Just because sophomore Jager Burton is getting a lot of snaps at center during spring practice does not mean that he definitely will be Kentucky’s starting center when the season opens.

Instead, returning offensive coordinator Liam Coen is trying to get a feel for what combination will make the UK offensive line a much better unit than it was in 2022.

Burton started at left guard last year when right guard Eli Cox moved to center and left guard Kenneth Horsey shifted to left tackle. Coen and offensive line coach Zach Yenser now have Cox and Horsey back at the same spots they were in 2021 when the Cats won 10 games.

“He’s doing some good things,” Coen said of Burton, who did have some high snaps at Tuesday’s practice. “It’s really hard to just kind of jump in and play center.

“You literally touch the football every play as an offensive lineman, and that’s not easy to do when you’ve never touched the ball. So, just snapping, the cadence, timing it up and then having to go block and work on your responsibilities, that’s not easy to do.”

Kentucky also used true freshman Koby Keenum at center a lot during Tuesday’s practice.

“We’re just trying to get some more bodies that can truly snap and just evaluate different positions,” Coen said. “That’s not set in stone for right now. It’s just a matter of how we can continue to develop depth at the center position while also knowing Eli and Jager can both play guard as well.”

Coen said Cox and Horsey did not help Burton a lot early in spring practice but he wants them more involved helping Burton as he makes the position switch. Burton said Tuesday he had never snapped in a game and basically had only snapped at high school camps.