1. STOOPS WANTS MORE

It was crystal clear that Kentucky's 7-6 campaign in 2023, including a loss to Clemson in the Gator Bowl which saw the Wildcats squander a lead in the final two minutes of play, has stuck in Mark Stoops' craw since the season ended. The off-season saw some key staff changes, and bouncing back in 2024 seems to have reinvigorated the UK boss. "I was really kind of coming in with a little edge, a little attitude about our team because we just want more," said Stoops, noting that SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey mentioned that UK was one of just eight teams in the country to make eight consecutive bowl game appearances when he introduced the coach to the room. "That's not nothing," Stoops said, "but we want to improve. That's the message to the team, ultimately. We've got to get better. We've got to find a way to make those plays in critical moments to push us over the top. We're not interested in just existing." Kentucky posted 10-win seasons in both 2018 and 2021 but has slid back to 7-6 in each of the last two seasons and is riding a two-game losing skid in bowl games after winning the previous four.

2. ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER NEW OC CONVERSATION

Stoops showed a little bit of his lighter side by joking about going into another season with a new leader on the offensive side of the ball. "Wouldn't be SEC Media Days if I didn't have to talk about a new offensive coordinator, so those of you (who may ask), I'm very excited about Bush Hamdan." The former Boise State assistant becomes the fourth OC in as many years for the Cats and hopes to bring the balance and tempo that has eluded UK throughout much of Stoops' tenure in Lexington. Hamdan's unit ranked seventh nationally in rushing yards (214.9 ypg) last season -- something that surely piqued Stoops' interest during the hiring process -- but also married that with a respectable 221.3 passing yards for the No. 26 national ranking in total offense with a 32.1 scoring average. Kentucky ranked No. 85 in total offense and No. 100 in scoring last season while playing the slowest tempo among all P5 teams, an attribute that frustrated many fans.

3. SOME HINTS OF SWAG ON DEFENSE

With nine starters returning, one of the nation's top defensive linemen in the form of Deone Walker, an accomplished veteran linebacker patroling the middle in D'Eryk Jackson, a ball-hawking cornerback in Maxwell Hairston, and a few high-profile transfer portal additions like cornerback DJ Waller from Michigan and linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson from Georgia, Stoops sounded extremely upbeat when discussing the potential of the unit. "We're excited to make a jump," Stoops said. He acknowledged that the Cats were caught off-guard by their lack of experienced depth in the secondary last season but feels like that situation has been rectified with the addition of Waller and the spring development of JQ Hardaway, Nasir Addison, and Jantzen Dunn. Kentucky slid to 45th in total defense (353.5 ypg) last season after ranking in the Top 25 in four of the previous five seasons. "I think it's challenging in this league and in any league as a defensive head coach or defensive coordinator in general," Stoops said. "Offenses are so creative. The speed at which they operate sometimes, the players that they have, the athletes, it's a challenge. It's different." Edge rushers JJ Weaver and Tyrese Fearbry must step up and provided a more consistent pass rush in 2024, the UK boss added.

4. NEW-LOOK SCHEDULE, MUST HIT THE GROUND RUNNING

Kentucky wastes no time in getting into the thick of SEC play this season, facing South Carolina and Georgia at home in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively. It's a change in the SEC's television philosophy, seeking to get more eyes on good games earlier in the season, a time on the calendar that traditionally has seen P5 teams tune up for league play against non-conference opponents. "You've got to be ready for Game 1 on the 31st (of August) against Southern Miss. But with league games coming up so quick, you'd better be a little bit conscientious of how you're handling camp, what you're doing, where you're prioritizing your time, and making sure you're prepared to play some big games very early," Stoops said. The UK coach does, however, like how the overall schedule sets up with non-conference games sprinkled in throughout the campaign instead of playing most of them at the same time. "It was pretty difficult to go seven or eight straight SEC games," he said. "That's a brutal stretch, and it takes its toll on you mentally and physically. This year, it's mixed in a little bit better."