By Lee Ann Herring Olvedo

It has been a few months since I first interviewed Demarco Robinson during UK Football Spring Media days. It was evident that there was something about this kid that was determined to surprise a lot of people. For a great deal of the time prior to the spring game he was very much an under the radar kind of player. However, that all changed April 21st when Demarco emerged as QB Maxwell Smiths’ go-to receiver and not to mention making huge plays when it counted.

That was just a taste of what and is to come from the receiving core this year. The offense is far from where it needs to be, that’s no question. No matter how are you work on the field or in the weight room physically, it is the mental game that can make or break a team in the long haul, Whether you’re on top tier or lower tier in anything that mental game can make all the difference when it comes to withstanding the pressures of playing in the SEC. More importantly in can open a portal that can unleash something you never expected to come about when push comes to shove  on game day just see what Demarco has to say about that.

With 17 days till Louisville how are you feeling about the offense?
Robinson: I am feeling pretty good, a lot better than I felt last year but we still got a lot of work to do and we are working hard every day to get it done.

Something that really stuck with me that you talked about during Spring Media days was how you went back to playing football for the passion of the game. Do you think that mentality for your personally as well as the team has helped to improve play overall in Fall camp?
Robinson: Everybody is focusing not so much on the idea of messing up but going out and playing and that’s what’s really been helping us.

What do you see are the strengths the other WR and offense have brought from spring till now?
Robinson: I mean a lot of things there have been a lot of hard work and our coaches are on us a lot more so everyone’s working to get better every day. And guys that are good at different aspects of the game we are meshing it all together to create one good offense.

What do you think is going to be the toughest challenge going into Louisville in 17 days as a team?
Robinson: I would have to say not listening to the hype and getting caught in the hype of the rivalry game and like we’ve been saying go out there and play football and fun like we’ve been doing.

It is a lot more difficult than people think to be able to drown out the hype along with the critics and skeptics? What do you guys do as a Wildcat team to drown that out and focus and the here and now?
Robinson: That’s just it. Basically trying to stay as a team like you’re my brother and I got your back and you’ve got my back and if everybody knows that we can’t worry about what anybody else says.

What about the youth on the team? A lot of people tend to get afraid when programs say there are lot of young players, but how do you see that as an advantage?
Robinson: I see it as an advantage because if the young guys on the field have been busting it to be on the field and if somebody else playing they have been working hard because the young people behind them are trying to take their positions. So it just helps with competition.

And do you think that competition has made everyone better on the team at every depth level?
Robinson: Yes, we try to keep it like a competition like see who can do the best in practices and that just gets everybody better.

Any last feelings you would like to share with our readers going into the season?
I just feel it’s going to be a lot different this year for the better and will have a lot more success.

Do you think you’re going to surprise a lot of people this season?
Robinson: Yeah I am planning on it.

To borrow a line from Thomas Edison, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”  True vision and success in the SEC will take action, hard work and preparation before any team can improve including the Cats. Clearly there is not lack of work that players and coaches are putting in this Fall Camp. After all, winners perfect the little things in the long run.