Former Airline High Star Kenny Darby Wins SEC Freshman Of The Week

It looks like the Shreveport area may have produced another Southeastern Conference (SEC) football star. The Bossier City community is watching a familiar player make an immediate impact in the SEC.

Former Airline High School superstar Kenny Darby is a true freshman wide receiver for the Kentucky Wildcats...where he is proving his talent translates to the college level. Darby has been a big component of the Kentucky offense throughout the early stages of the season. The team has needed the production from the wide receiver group though some big matchups...and the former Airline Viking receiver answered the call each time. His ability to secure playing time as a freshman in the SEC already shows his talent...but this week he added an honor that now showcases it nationally.

Kenny Darby Earns SEC Freshman Of The Week Honors

Winning a weekly award in the SEC is a huge achievement that highlights a player outperforming the rest of the confrence...which is a big deal when you're talking about the SEC, where NFL draft picks fall off treees.

For his performance this past weekend, Darby secured the SEC Freshman of the Week title. The Wildcats secured an overtime victory against South Carolina where Darby became the focal point of the passing game. He recorded 12 catches for 96 yards and a touchdown during the contest. The volume of targets he received shows the confidence the coaching staff has placed in him.

Kentucky ultimately won the matchup, after converting a walkoff two-point conversion in overtime.

Future Expectations For The Bossier City Native

Darby established expectations early when he was named to the Preseason Freshman All-America squad by 247Sports. He made good on that honor in his first college game, scoring a touchdown against Youngstown State in his first ever game. He followed that up with 5 catches against a ranked Alabama (that's a tough ask in your second college game ever), and then he scored another touchdown the following week as Kentucky knocked off #9 Texas A&M on the road.

The remainder of the season presents an opportunity for Darby to solidify his role as a primary target for the Wildcats, with a heavy SEC schedule. Including this weekend as he plays against the team he originally committed to, LSU.

Local residents in Bossier City can expect to see his target share remain steady as SEC play intensifies. There will be multiiple ranked teams on the schedule, which means plenty of oppurtunity for nationally televised games for local fans to watch. Not to mention the fact that Kentucky has 4 wins already, so they're on a great path for bowl eligibility, which could give Darby a massive stage to play on at the end of the season.