Kentucky's preseason camp routine is soon giving way to game week. That's right, Week 1 of the college football season is here for four teams, with two games set for Saturday, and it begins for everyone else - Kentucky and Toledo included - the following weekend.
With many press conferences, scrimmage reviews, and accounts from sources well documented at this point, here's what we know about Kentucky football from the past several weeks of information gathering.
1. Kentucky's coaches believe Terry Wilson will be improved.
How much, that we're not sure of. But in terms of his confidence, approach and scrimmage results, the coaches believe he has taken an expected step forward in the offseason.
2. The 'Cats feel good about their backfield options.
Every college football fan knows replacing Benny Snell won't be easy, but pundits are picking up on Kentucky's confidence in AJ Rose, Kavosiey Smoke and Chris Rodriguez.
3. There's no reason to believe the o-line will be anything other than a strength.
Even without George Asafo-Adjei and Bunchy Stallings, a duo that combined for three SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week awards in 2018, this position could still be the overall strength of the team.
4. UK has plenty of talent at tight end.
It wouldn't be a surprise if Kentucky misses CJ Conrad's reliability at some points in the year, but everyone around the program has raved about the talent and potential of the group that will see the field this fall.
5. This can be the best Kentucky defensive line in many years.
We don't know how good the defensive line will be, but it would be a major disappointment if this isn't the best group of the Mark Stoops era and able to exert its will against a good number of opponents on the schedule.
6. Kentucky should be able to tip some games with big special teams plays.
Punter Max Duffy is someone we haven't talked much about this offseason but he was one of the nation's better punters in his first season at Kentucky last year and should be that again in 2019. Lynn Bowden can be explosive in the return game. The kicking situation is something everyone is watching, but everything else looks strong.
7. Kash Daniel is ready to be Kentucky's emotional leader and coach on the field for the defense.
He was that for much of last season and from all accounts he's slimmed down, playing faster, and ready to thrive in his UK finale.
8. This is a close-knit, upbeat team with leadership and those intangibles often pay off.
When Cats Illustrated observed the team at media day it was clear this team is a close knit bunch. That's a positive that's tough to quantify. Kentucky's older players have been in bowl games for three straight years, and that amounts to roughly three extra months of practice time. That's something previous classes didn't benefit from. The team has a returning quarterback, a more mature Lynn Bowden, the aforementioned Daniel, and coaching stability.
