The Path To Kentucky Is Paved Through LaGrange

LaGrange, GA - Kentucky has been down this way before. Heading to Auburn this weekend, they might stop in LaGrange to catch with up with family.

“I don’t hide the fact, and never will, that the next head coach there Joker Phillips, we are best of friends,“ LaGrange head coach Steve Pardue said.

“We have had a bunch of guys from LaGrange that have had a significant part of our program,“ Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks said. “Georgia, like most of the states in the south play great football. And when you get a guy from a program like LaGrange, he knows how hard he has to work to be a good player.“

It began in the late 90’s with wide receiver Quentin McCord, who went on to play for a few seasons in the NFL after leaving Kentucky. The biggest draw was Wesley Woodyard, who is in his second season with the Denver Broncos. Woodyard was a team captain and All-SEC player for two seasons.

“Really they have taken some chances on some guys. Qua Huzzie last year, is a great example, no other SEC team offered him,“ Pardue said. “Wesley Woodyard is another one, he is the one that really got it going. Wes went up there and did a great job, and we’ve got I think four guys up there, and so when a kid from LaGrange goes up there he feels comfortable right away.“

Three former Grangers signed last year, and kicker Joesph Mansour has verbally committed to Kentucky for this signing day. “Probably the most impressive thing I have ever seen him do was last year in our rival game with Troup. Five minutes left he hit a 45 yard field goal, we had a penalty, and he then made a 55 yarder,“ Pardue said.

Mansour kicked a 56 yard field goal in the season opener, and he is not only an offensive weapon but Pardue calls him his 12th man on defense as over 80% of his kickoffs have been touchbacks and he is averaging 44 yards on punts this season. “We feel like when we kick off, the other team is going to start at the 20. And he does a great job of pinning guys inside the five and ten yard line on punts,“ Pardue said.

When 2010 begins, as many as six Grangers could be on the Kentucky roster.

“I think you see it at other schools, but because I am from Kentucky, people want to make more out of it, but there is really nothing to it,“ Pardue said. “The guys who were there before have done good, and paved the way for the other guys.“