Four Downs: Spring football questions with four to go
Kentucky has wrapped up 11 of its 15 practices for the spring. With just four to go, Cats Illustrated takes a look at a few of the questions still on our minds outside of the mystery at quarterback which will linger into the summer...
FIRST DOWN: How Is The (Kinda) New Big Blue Wall shaping up?
At the end of the 2020 season, we thought this might be an almost complete rebuilding project for the UK offensive line under new assistant coach Eric Wolford. Although senior stalwarts Drake Jackson and Landon Young have moved on to chase their NFL dreams, the Cats got a pair of pleasant surprises with the return of senior Darian Kinnard and grad senior Luke Fortner that has made the transition much smoother than it might have been. We've been receiving glowing reports of junior Quintin Wilson's development at center, and sophomore Kenneth Horsey seems poised to build on a solid showing at guard last season. Kinnard will shift over to left tackle, leaving right tackle as the biggest question up front. It sounds like 2020 juco signee Jeremy Flax, a 6-foot-6, 338-pound mountain of a sophomore, is closing in on that job after redshirting last season. A lot of good names are lined up behind those guys to offer quality depth, a testament to the recruiting UK has done in recent years. Developing a two-deep is likely the priority for Wolford moving forward. Another good sign: the Cats seem to be forming a nice relationship with their new position coach after the heartbreak of losing John Schlarman to cancer last season.
SECOND DOWN: Who will join McCall and Paschal on the D-Line?
Although the UK coaching staff will always maintain that an open competition remains in place at all times, it's a safe bet to pencil in Marquan McCall at nose tackle and Josh Paschal at defensive end in the Cats' 3-4 scheme. The big question is who emerges at the defensive tackle spot in the base defense? Sophomore Octavious Oxendine is being mentioned consistently as one of the first guys in the mix. Fellow sophomores Josiah Hayes and Isaiah Gibson are also progressing, according to defensive coordinator Brad White. A sleeper candidate is senior Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald, who has always featured intriguing physical tools but has been stuck behind some talented people on the D-Line during his career with the Cats. Another sophomore, Justin Rogers, the crown jewel of UK's 2020 recruiting class, is also occasionally mentioned here, although he's primarily getting nose tackle reps behind McCall. This position battle may not be settled until fall camp. It's very close, and all of the names involved have been doing some nice things. Depth should not be a big concern at this spot.
THIRD DOWN: Expect more passing from UK in 2021. Who will be the main guys in the receiving corps?
The Cats have a clear 1-2 punch in the form of senior Josh Ali and Nebraska transfer Wan'Dale Robinson, a junior. Kentucky has two very nice playmakers in that duo, and opposing defenses should not be able to load up coverages on either guy. When UK goes three- or four-wide, it sounds like seniors Isaiah Epps and Clevan Thomas have the leg up on the competition this spring. Epps provides a nice vertical threat, and Thomas is a versatile, physical guy who can move around and play a lot of different spots. Behind them, however, it's something of a mystery. New offensive coordinator Liam Coen has offered some nice comments on the other candidates for the rotation, but he's also talked about a need for more consistency and attention to the complex playbook. Sophomores Tae Tae Crumes, Izayah Cummings, Mike Drennen, and DeMarcus Harris all fall into that category. That group is oozing with potential but apparently has some catching up to do in order to challenge the first four guys.
FOURTH DOWN: Who will emerge as a pass-rush threat?
This might be the most important question facing the defense entering the 2021 season. Kentucky saw its pass rush almost disappear last season, recording only 15 sacks in 11 games. That ranked 11th in the SEC and 80th nationally. The staff is hopeful that senior linebacker Jordan Wright can be a disruptive force coming off one edge. He's shown glimpses of that potential in the past, including 3.5 of UK's sacks and two other quarterback hurries last season. The other side is something of a mystery. Sophomore linebacker J.J. Weaver is rehabbing from a torn ACL late in the 2020 season, otherwise he would be a prime candidate this spring. Fellow sophomore K.D. McDaniel is a player who came to UK with high potential and could be poised to break out. Georgia Tech transfer Justice Dingle, a junior with P5 game experience, might be the safest bet at this point. Until these questions are answered, Stoops and White may have to get more creative with their blitz packages and send more help from the secondary. There are already some hints of that this spring with guys like Vito Tisdale and Davonte Robinson being mentioned in linebacker-type roles in certain packages.