Rowland: 3 questions about every offensive position group for UK football

For football diehards the Wildcats' Music City Bowl game against Northwestern might seem like ages ago. But worry not, for before too long spring practice will get cranked up.

With spring practices just weeks away, Cats Illustrated poses three questions about every Kentucky position group. Some of the answers might come sooner than others, and some might be answered more favorably than others on the field.

But here's what I'm asking. First up and right here let's start with the offense.

Quarterback

1. Will Gunnar Hoak or Terry Wilson get the upper hand early in the competition to be Kentucky's starter?

Hoak and Wilson are widely expected to be the two quarterbacks at the forefront of UK's next competition behind center. A lot of people seem to be assuming that the job will belong to Wilson. He could win it, but it wouldn't be wise to write off Hoak. Especially considering how well he's played in two consecutive spring games.

2. Does Kentucky really have enough quarterback depth?

Given the first question, that Hoak and Wilson are widely presumed to be the favorites to win the job, can we really say that Kentucky has adequate quarterback depth going into 2017? The situation isn't exactly dire, or it doesn't seem like the coaching staff feels that it is. Otherwise they probably would have prioritized taking two quarterbacks in the '17 class rather than reserving only one spot. That said, it seems like a fair question at this point, given how quickly some schools go through quarterbacks when the injury bug bites.

3. Will Danny Clark's progress be incremental or a big leap forward?

It's always possible that Clark could make a monumental leap forward and insert himself into the competition as a true darkhorse candidate. Is that likely? It doesn't really matter what a person's answer is right now. In the coming weeks, Clark will have his next great opportunity to prove to the coaches that he's making big leaps forward. His intangibles and leadership skills are fantastic and that's a good place to start.

Running Back

1. Will Benny Snell stay healthy?

That might seem like a morbid, unnecessary question, especially considering Snell has never struggled with injury issues at Kentucky. Still, he is arguably the one player the Wildcats cannot afford to lose. Sometimes you call it a good spring if your top performers make it through unscathed and good to go.

2. Will Sihiem King hold onto the No. 2 job?

A.J. Rose seemed to make strides in practice before the end of the season. Eddie Gran himself said he liked what he saw from the redshirt freshman, who will be a sophomore in 2018. But King had a stranglehold on the No. 2 reps in practice and in games for Kentucky. King is a sound blocker, he knows the playbook very well and he's the Wildcats' best pass catcher out of the backfield. So given that he's a senior, he's got the leg up.

3. What kind of offseason will incoming freshmen Chris Rodriguez and Kavosiey Smoke have?

Having already asked about Snell, King and Rose, it's reasonable to wonder about Kentucky's two incoming freshmen backs even though they won't be in Lexington for spring practice. The work they put in running, in the weight room, and learning the playbook on their own terms could determine whether they have a realistic shot to earn carries as a true freshman. Both are physical runners so the transition to the SEC might not be as difficult as it would be for a scatback type who's used to outrunning everyone. We won't know what kind of shape these two are in until they report early in the summer, however.

Wide Receiver

1. Can Tavin Richardson develop into a bona fide No. 1 target?

Richardson played one of his best games as a Wildcat in the Music City Bowl and that bodes well for the future. It will be important for him to quickly build on that success and develop a rapport with the next quarterback. Kentucky needs a go-to receiver, and he could be the guy. When Richardson was a recruit he seemed like a wide body who could move the chains and become a nice possession receiver

2. What kind of shape will Dorian Baker be in?

The status of Baker is a bit of a mystery in terms of specifics. We know that he'll be back for 2018, but what kind of shape will he be in after missing the entire 2017 season? Consistency has never been Baker's strong suit but towards the end of his 2016 season, the light switch started to come on for Baker.

3. How much legitimate depth can Kentucky start to develop in the spring?

New receivers coach Michael Smith inherits a unit without a lot of proven depth. Kentucky will put four receivers on the field at a time and there are a number of players who are a virtual lock to be in the rotation, both because they're promising players and also because there isn't a long list of players who are proven to be SEC ready. Richardson, Baker, Lynn Bowden, Isaiah Epps and Josh Ali will see the field. Will Clevan Thomas have another strong spring and put himself on a course to see the amount of time it seemed like he would in 2017? It's also possible Kentucky could add a graduate transfer or someone who could compete for time immediately who isn't on the roster yet.

Tight End

1. Will a new quarterback allow C.J. Conrad's production to take off?

Conrad missed the end of the season with a foot injury but he will return as one of the most important players on Kentucky's offense. His 16 catch mark needs to go up significantly for the offense to reach its peak potential because he does have mid-round NFL potential. Stephen Johnson and Conrad had their share of big plays but a new quarterback brings the opportunity for the tight end's best chemistry yet in the passing game. It will also be interesting to see what kind of shape Conrad is in following that injury.

2. Is Justin Rigg ready to become the next big thing at tight end?

Vince Marrow has frequently raved at Justin Rigg, who has proven to be a better athlete than a lot of people seemed to realize when he was a three-star high school recruit. Like Tavin Richardson, Rigg seemed to have an awakening against Northwestern, a game in which Kentucky's athleticism seemed to show up against a good foe but one that wasn't as physically imposing as some in the SEC. After Conrad leaves following the 2018 season, this job will be wide open for Rigg. But he can start making a huge impact this coming season, with Greg Hart gone and having flashed serious potential in '17.

3. Is it possible that Brenden Bates or Keaton Upshaw could play as a true freshman?

There seems to be a widespread assumption that both of Kentucky's tight end signees from the Class of 2018 will be redshirting. There's no question Conrad and Rigg will be tough for any freshman to pass on the depth chart, but it's not a stretch at all to imagine that the Wildcats could use three tight ends this upcoming season. Conrad and Upshaw will not be with the program until June so in the spring the best thing they can do it make their bodies and minds ready for the big transition ahead.

Offensive Line

1. Is Landon Young ready to take his game to the next level?

Young, the first five-star recruit for Kentucky's football program during the entire span of the Rivals.com era, arrived in Lexington with enormous expectations. He was thrust into unfortunate circumstances as a true freshman, having to step in at a moment's notice when Cole Mosier went down. That was in spite of not arriving a semester early. In that context, he held his own and did plenty of good things. In 2017, Young saw plenty of action at tackle following Mosier's injury that ended his college career. He has been a valuable part of the Wildcats' rotation at tackle but with Mosier gone for good and Kyle Meadows also finished with his eligibility, it would be a good time for Young to elevate his game towards an All-SEC level. That might be a lot to ask but he's got the potential and considering his youth, to date, it's not outside the realm of possibility.

2. Will Drake Jackson give the line better continuity than it had last offseason?

Everyone knew Jon Toth was a big loss after the 2016 season, but the snap issues and miscues that plagued the line early in 2017 made it clear that Toth's departure had actually thrown everything off up front. Jackson's emergence did a lot to stabilize the entire line and it's no coincidence that Benny Snell's production soared around the time Jackson seized the job for good. Jackson is still only going to be a redshirt sophomore in 2017, but he should give the line a lot more stability in this year's offseason than the line had last year, replacing a four-year starter.

3. What kind of player is Kentucky getting in E.J. Price?

Price is one of the program's most highly anticipated, talented transfers in recent history, having left Southern Cal last year. Chris Swanson of TrojanSports.com told Cats Illustrated, at the time of the transfer, that Price was arguably USC's best tackle prospect in several years. That's saying something. Having served his mandatory "sit-out" year, Price will be ready to compete for time at tackle. He won't be guaranteed a starting position with Young, Naasir Watkins and the versatile George Asafo-Adjei in the mix, but Price's progress will be fascinating to track.