What can Kentucky do for an encore following the best season in four decades?
Two of the program's all-time greats are gone. So are the program's top six defensive backs, Jordan Jones, a four-year starting tight end, and long-time road graders George Asafo-Adjei and Bunchy Stallings.
As the eight, nine and ten win predictions come in for this season, maybe it's time to stop and acknowledge that it makes perfect sense if someone expects a significant decline from Kentucky in 2019.
One bit of good news is Kentucky's improved depth of talent at most positions on the roster. That's a prerequisite in the SEC and it showed up last year.
But Kentucky's not approaching last year's win total based on talent alone. In the SEC, everyone has talent.
Perhaps the best reason for optimism when it comes to Kentucky football in 2019 are those tough to quantify "intangibles", lots of little things related to leadership, experience, mindset and culture, that might not jump out in isolation but collectively, usually inspired by coaching continuity and a long series of good decisions to do things "the right way", allow certain programs to overachieve on a consistent basis.
There are a lot of those intangibles that seem to be working in Kentucky's favor this year, and thus possibly balancing the scales after the largest exodus of successful, NFL worthy talent in the program's modern history.
Consider:
... Kentucky has a returning starting quarterback that didn't have to win an offseason competition.
... The person many believe will be Terry Wilson's backup, Sawyer Smith, actively sold the coaches on being Wilson's top supporter when he wanted to transfer to Kentucky.
... Lynn Bowden is a year older, wiser, more mature and experienced at receiver. He appears ready to not only be a standout, but to be a leader. And there's something to be said about having one game breaker at receiver, something the team hasn't had in many previous seasons recently.
... Kentucky has been to three straight bowl games, and that amounts to a lot of extra practice time, team bonding and overall roster experience for current players.
... That postseason run has created an expectation of more winning.
... The program is fresh off a 10-win season, UK's best in four decades. The best indicator of the future is the past, and Kentucky's recent past is a lot more impressive now than it has been in most of our lifetimes. That fact alone, 10 wins last year, is a sign the program has already been doing a lot of the little things, and possessing those "intangibles", required in order to tip close games.
... It can't hurt the confidence of Kentucky's players watching so many former teammates thriving in the NFL. That's added motivation for players who will be draft eligible after the 2019 season.
... Mark Stoops is going into his seventh year with Kentucky. He's more comfortable in his coaching skin than ever, and is better at many tasks, including the balance between involvement and delegation, and game management, than ever before.
... Kentucky has had a proven formula for success that has gotten better in recent years. Some of that was due to last year's personnel and some transcendent individual college talents (and pro talents, in Josh Allen's case), but while many other college teams lack an identity, Kentucky certainly has one. That's important.
... The Wildcats should have a strong kicking game. Max Duffy can flip the field, bail the 'Cats out, or coffin corner a team at its own goal line. Dean Hood has found some special teams warriors, diamonds in the rough, each of the last two years. And Bowden is dangerous on returns. Opponents will kick away from him at times, and that will lead to mistakes.
... UK has a core of Kentucky natives who "know what it means" to wear the jersey. Kash Daniel, Drake Jackson, Landon Young.
... The schedule sets up in Kentucky's favor. This has been well documented.
The talent and depth are necessary, but if you're looking for the main reason to be optimistic about Kentucky football in 2019, look to the reasons above. Those things won't show up as clearly on a stat sheet or in recruiting rankings.
