Kentucky Wildcats : Fall Camp Questions
At last the long dark of the off-season is nearing its end. Football is less than one month away, and that means that Fall Camp is getting underway throughout the SEC. The month of August will be absolutely critical in determining how each team fares in September, October, November, and beyond. With that in mind, each team has pressing questions they have to answer before the end of the month. We will continue our series by taking a look at the questions facing Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats.
Related Story: Fall Camp: Georgia
Can the Receivers Catch the Ball?
The primary job of a wide receiver is to catch passes. Everything else they do on the field is secondary to that goal. Last season, Kentucky’s wide receiver corps struggled with frequent drops. If Kentucky wants to be successful on the offensive side of the ball, that simply cannot be allowed to continue.
Lamar Thomas was brought in as receiver coach to try to fix the problem. Thomas certainly talks a good game. Whether or not he coaches one remains to be seen. The good news is all three of Kentucky’s top receivers from last season (Garrett Johnson, Dorian Baker, and Jeff Badet) return.
Verdict: I think the receivers will have less drops this season. Drops are generally either a problem of nerves or a problem of concentration. The top three should all be less nervous after a year under their respective belts. Also, I doubt Coach Thomas will let concentration be a problem.
Can the Defensive Line Step Up?
Last season Kentucky’s defensive line was marshmallow soft. They ranked 106th in sacks per game as a team, dead last in the SEC. They were only marginally better stopping the run, at which they ranked 96th. They allowed 196 rushing yards per game. In a conference that puts so much emphasis on running the ball, that is a recipe for disaster.
One player in particular who needs to step up his game is Matt Elam. Elam was a five-star recruit who was courted heavily by Alabama. Elam elected to stay close to home and has thus far been mostly a bust. He is too big to play anywhere except nose tackle, a position which he finally will start at full-time this season. The big man is 6’7″ 360 pounds. One has to think he should be able to help shore up the run defense if nothing else.
Verdict: They will likely improve, but not nearly enough. Football games are won at the line of scrimmage. Kentucky just doesn’t have what it takes on the defensive line to win big right now.
Will Landon Young be a Day One Starter?
The Kentucky Wildcats also struggled on the offensive line a season ago. They ranked 93rd in sacks allowed, with 2.5 per game. Also, they were only 78th in rushing offense. While slightly better than the defensive line, those stats place the UK offensive line squarely in the bottom half of the Football Bowl Subdivision. They have to do a better job if Kentucky wants to move the ball in the toughest defensive conference in the nation.
One man who can help with that is 5-star freshman offensive tackle, Landon Young. The left tackle spot is currently up for grabs. Young, Cole Mosier, Tate Leavitt are all in the running for the position. Young is lean for his frame, at 6’7″ 270. He may need to add some mass before he can hold up against SEC defensive linemen.
Verdict: No. Mosier took all the 1st-team reps in spring and will likely win the job. Young will probably redshirt and spend his freshman year learning the playbook and in the weight room.
The Kentucky Wildcats have questions, as do all teams at this stage. How Coach Mark Stoops answers them will determine how well the Gators do this season. Let us know how you think he will handle them in the comments. And come back tomorrow to see which questions the LSU Tigers are currently facing.
