By LARRY VAUGHT

Practice has barely started but Kentucky linebackers coach Chuck Smith has already had time to be impressed by UK’s true freshmen.
“They are doing pretty good overall. Qua Huzzie and Ridge Wilson are really picking it up pretty fast and moving around and doing some good things. I think Jordan Aumiller and Ryan Mosby are a little slower at picking it up, but show a lot of potential,” said Smith after Wednesday’s practice.
“ Huzzie and Wilson are kind of separating by the way they are picking up the system. The other two are going to be good players, but they are having a little more difficult time picking it up.”
Smith wouldn’t rule out seeing both Huzzie and Wilson play this year like true freshmen linebackers Wesley Woodyard, Braxton Kelley, Micah Johnson and Danny Trevathan have done in recent years.
“I think they definitely have the ability to do that. Time will tell. It is still early, but they could play,” Smith said.
“Qua is extremely quick and runs really fast. Ridge runs fast, too. Really, Ryan does, too. Jordan does as well. But as far as seeing it, reading it and reacting to it, Qua and Ridge are a little bit ahead of the other two at this point. It’s not unusual for a freshman to be a little slow getting it, but Qua and Ridge are getting it pretty fast.”
Huzzie continues UK’s connection to LaGrange, Ga., where both Woodyard and Kelley played.
“Qua comes out of that same LaGrange mold. He flies around, runs to the ball and does things that you don’t have to stay on him about effort. He’s good and expects to make plays to help you win,” Smith said.
Wilson’s football knowledge has helped him stand out in practice.
“Ridge has real good instincts. I think he will be a really good player. All four of them will be, but Ridge has great instincts right now. He is long. He has range. He has done some impressive things already,” Smith said.

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