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Published Apr 8, 2020
ROUNDTABLE: Is UK's 2020 defense better on paper than the 2018 defense?
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Justin Rowland  •  CatsIllustrated
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Over the last two seasons Kentucky fans have seen some of the best defensive football that the Wildcats have played in a very long time.

The 2018 unit, led by Josh Allen, Jordan Jones, and an extremely experienced secondary, was the best, by the numbers, in decades.

This year Kentucky returns just about everyone to a defense that ranked in the top-25 in numerous areas.

So that brings us to today's roundtable: Which defense is better on paper? 2018 or 2020?

Travis Graf: This is a tough call for me. I think 2020’s defense is much deeper with quality options, but 2018 had more high ceiling guys in Josh Allen, Mike Edwards, Lonnie Johnson and Derrick Baity. Kentucky’s 2020 defense boasts a better defensive line and has more athletic middle linebackers, but no thumper. I’m very high on the sideline to sideline speed across the board in 2020, but I give the slightest edge to 2018 just because of Josh Allen alone, a guy who could single-handedly take over games.

Justin Rowland: Josh Allen probably won two or three games for Kentucky because of how he simply took over in the second half so frequently. He was a game-changer. He had to be accounted for all the time. If Kentucky returned Calvin Taylor, that proven pass rusher up front, with everyone else, then I might go with 2020. But because of Allen and the incredible experience and talent in that secondary, my pick is 2018. For me the really promising thing if you're a Kentucky fan is not whether the 2020 defense is better on paper. It's the fact that UK appears to be set up for several seasons of really good defense because of the way the depth chart looks even beyond 2020. UK has a chance to build a really good defensive identity as a program in the coming years.

Jeff Drummond: I'd give the edge to the 2018 unit based on the presence of Josh Allen coming off the edge and the size/physicality of the secondary. I keep going back to that second half in Missouri as the most impressive thing I've ever witnessed in almost 40 years of watching UK football. That being said, I think the 2020 crew has a chance to be really good. The depth may be the best that Stoops has ever had. If they can develop some edge rush to match the productivity that Allen gave them, they could be right there with the 2018 defense.

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