Four things to remember going into the 2017 season
Kentucky's 2017 season still hasn't started yet so anything is possible, good or bad.
Here are four good things to remember going into any season.
How you start the season doesn't necessarily determine how you'll feel at the end of the season
Last year is proof enough of that. Our snap judgments and overreactions (media and fans are both guilty) can look pretty foolish in hindsight. Of course, we'll never be immune to exaggerating the significance of wins or losses because as creatures of the present moment we'll always be prisoners to it. But anytime you start to feel the optimism or the pessimism starting to push you into fantasyland just remember how you felt after the USM and Florida losses and then contrast it with how you felt after 41-38. Conversely, starting strong doesn't guarantee that you're going to finish strong. The season might be just 12 games in the regular season, but those 12 games are full of peaks and valleys.
Narrowing the talent gap doesn't mean the gap is gone
Kentucky has one of the deepest, most talented football rosters that the program has had since I've been watching, and I've been watching for a while. I don't know if it's the most talented (because how do you quantify the significance of having such great front-line skill talent like the 2007 team had?), but the talent gap relative to the rest of the SEC has definitely narrowed. Nonetheless, we would all do well to remind ourselves that there's still a talent gap with most of the rest of the SEC. UK's recruiting rankings have definitely improved, but they still aren't pulling in upper echelon SEC classes.
The backup quarterback is often the most popular guy on the team
That's not to say that you shouldn't be enthusiastic about Drew Barker. Heck, plenty of smart people still think he could finish the year as UK's quarterback. However, no matter how long or how short Stephen Johnson's leash is, remember that he's the starting quarterback going into the season and the coaches have made that determination for a reason. He definitely doesn't have infinite leash and has to play well enough, but the first time he throws a pick or fumbles he's not going to lose his job.
The first game of the season is often really ugly. That doesn't necessarily mean you should worry
Unless we're talking about UK-WKU in 2011 (a 14-3 UK win), an ugly first game doesn't always mean it'll be an ugly season. But it's fair to expect the first game will be full of jitters, a lack of chemistry in the passing game, poor timing and penalties all around. If it's not, that's a credit to experienced team leaders and the coaching staff. UK definitely didn't start ugly last year in the first half against USM, but that team still hadn't shaken off the fragile emotional state that had characterized previous teams, so it's not like they were a finished product.
