The good news is that Kentucky returns 15 starters from a team that went 7-6 last year. The bad news is that they lose their starting quarterback and don’t have a lot of experience at the position. Benny Snell will be the most important player for this team as the stud running back will be the entirety of the Wildcat offense for at least the first portion of the season.
Prestige Ranking: 3*
Kentucky has not had very much success winning football games over the years. The conference they play in gives them a boost in star rating, but hurts them in the win column.
Returning Starters: 15
Offense: 7
RB Benny Snell, WR Tavin Richardson, TE CJ Conrad, C Drake Jackson, G Jervontius Stallings, G Logan Stenberg, T Georgie Asafo-Adjei
Defense: 8
DE Joshua Paschal, DT Phil Hoskins, OLB Josh Allen, ILB Jordan Jones, CB Lonnie Johnson, CB Derrick Baity, S Darius West, S Mike Edwards
Special Teams: 1
KR Lynn Bowden
Key Losses: Stephen Johnson, Courtney Love
While Johnson was not a spectacular QB by any means, the loss of his leadership is going to impact this Wildcats team in a bad way. JuCo transfer Terry Wilson and sophomore Gunnar Hoak will battle for the starting gig, both with no experience at this level.
On the defensive side, Courtney Love (not that one), was one of the most important players for this team in 2017. The middle linebacker was second on the team last year with 92 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Five Year Recruiting Rank: 30
Not bad… but in the SEC, that won’t do much for you besides make you a middling program.
Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace All Name Team Member: Jervontius Stallings
Alcohol Prediction for Fans: Jim Beam Honey
While the Jim seems like such an easy pick as Kentucky fans will need to drink away their sorrows, Jim Beam Honey is the perfect fit because all though it is a member of a brand name (SEC), it’s a cheap disappointment.
Outlook:
While Benny Snell is one of the most underrated backs in the country, I’m not sure if he’ll even be able to help Kentucky overcome their schedule and lack of QB experience. In Lexington, just one game can be the difference between Mark Stoops being fired and getting a lifetime extension. While a bowl game could certainly be in the cards, with games against Florida, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Missouri, Georgia, and Louisville, the odds aren’t exactly in their favor.
