By LARRY VAUGHT
Former Kentucky all-SEC running back Anthony White spent a lot of time watching Wan’Dale Robinson play when he was recruited by Kentucky two years ago and again now that he has transferred from Nebraska to UK.
He thinks the former Western Hills High School star is a player who can help “keep the chains moving” for the UK offense.
“He is the perfect guy to go to if we need six or seven yards for a first down,” White said. “Put Wan’Dale in the slot and motion him around and you can throw him the ball on a bubble screen and he will get the first down. That will be a new wrinkle for us. If teams want to stack the box, now we have a guy in the slot who can pick up yards.
“His workload will not have to be overly heavy. But he’s going to be huge on giving us more options to move the chains. We no longer have to be scared and predictable on third down.”
White expects new offensive coordinator Liam Coen to use Robinson a lot of different ways and be creative getting him the ball.
“He is also tough enough to make guys miss. Wan’Dale is smart enough to catch the ball, pick up yards and get the first down,” White said. “He may not take the ball and outrun everyone but he will get open plenty of times to move the chains and make big plays.”
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops says Robinson is one of those “guys that can change those digits on the scoreboard” and Kentucky’s offense needs that.
Robinson caught 91 passes for 914 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 134 times for 580 yards and four scores in two years at Nebraska.
While some UK fans are comparing Robinson to former UK star Lynn Bowden, Stoops wants no part of that.
“None of our players deserve to be compared to other great players that have been here but it’s fair in this way: they were both 1-2 that year in the most versatile players in the country so Wan’Dale is very versatile,” Stoops said on Kentucky Sports Radio last week. “He can punt return, kick return. They (Nebraska) played him some at running back. We don’t plan to do that but it does show his versatility.”