Wildcats hope to ride Snell, experienced roster to another successful season
Before the football season kicks off, Olin will preview each of Texas A&M's conference opponents for the 2018 season. Check out the full series here: 2018 SEC Opponent Previews
Eight victories is a modest goal or a gross disappointment for many college football teams. Kentucky isn’t among them. Kentucky has managed eight wins just twice in the past 33 years and not since 2007.
This could be the next eight-win season in Lexington. Indeed, the Wildcats might even make a run at more than eight victories — a total they haven’t exceeded since 1984.
The Wildcats maybe even expect to exceed eight wins.
“We talked last year about being consistent,” sixth-year Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said at SEC Media Days. “And now it's a matter of just honing in and refining all of the things that we've been building the past five years to take it to another level.
“I feel very good. I think the experience that we have and the talent that we have is going to give us an opportunity to win each and every time we take the field, and that's where I talk about embracing those expectations and enjoying that and being ready for the grind.”
The Wildcats have every reason for optimism. They have experience with 15 full-time starters returning. They have high-end talent with RB Benny Snell, who has elite SEC rushing numbers, and pass rushing linebacker Josh Allen and safety Mike Edwards. They have more depth than they’ve had during Stoops’ tenure.
And they have confidence from consecutive seven-win seasons and having come tantalizingly close to eight. Last season Kentucky suffered two one-point losses and dropped another by three points.
Yet, enough issues linger for doubters to remain skeptical.
Productive quarterback Stephen Johnson completed his eligibility. No quarterback on the roster has major college playing experience, though sophomore Terry Wilson was a star in junior college.
Although four starters return on the offensive line, the Wildcats did struggle in pass protection, and run blocking was merely average.
Dramatic improvement is needed on a defense which was among the worst in the SEC in 2017. The Wildcats were ranked 13th in the conference in pass defense and 12th in total defense.
Finally, Austin MacGinnis, the best kicker in school history, ended his career. The Wildcats figure to turn to freshman Chance Poore as his replacement.
Further, the SEC East Division is getting stronger with South Carolina, Florida and Missouri projecting better. The Wildcats cannot count on easily repeating victories over the Gamecocks and Tigers.
Still, there is more reason than usual for Kentucky to be optimistic. In fact, this may be the most legitimately positive outlook for the Wildcats since 2007, when Kentucky was led by record-setting quarterback Andre' Woodson.
Kentucky visits Kyle Field for the first time since 1952 on October 6.
Kentucky Wildcats
- Coach: Mark Stoops
- 2017 record: 7-6, 4-4 in the SEC East
- Postseason result: Lost to Northwestern 24-23 in the Music City Bowl
Returning starters (at least six starts)
- Offense (7): T George Asafo-Adjei, TE C.J. Conrad, C Drake Jackson, WR Tavin Richardson, RB Benny Snell, G Bunchy Stallings, G Logan Stenberg
- Defense (8): OLB Josh Allen, CB Derrick Bailey, DE T.J. Carter, S Mike Edwards, CB Lonnie Johnson, ILB Jordan Jones, DT Adrian Middleton, S Darius West
- Special teams (1): KR Lynn Bowden,
Area of strength: The running game isn’t great, but it is respectable. Last season RB Benny Snell rushed for 1,333 yards, which was the third-highest total in the SEC. Overall, the Wildcats averaged 161.7 rushing yards in 2017 to rank eighth in the SEC. Snell and four starters in the offensive line return, so Kentucky’s rushing average figures to climb.
Area of concern: Quarterback Stephen Johnson completed his eligibility leaving Kentucky with two unproven sophomores vying to take over. The smart money is on junior college transfer Terry Wilson, who originally started his career at Oregon, to get the call over Gunnar Hoak, a third-year sophomore who has yet to take a collegiate snap.
Top three players
- Benny Snell, RB: A junior, Snell has rushed for 2,424 yards and 31 career touchdowns. The only other SEC players to post those stats are Georgia’s Herschel Walker and LSU’s Leonard Fournette. That’s pretty select company.
- Josh Allen, LB: Allen was a Butkus Award semifinalist last season after posting 65 tackles and 7 sacks. He’s bulked up to 252-pounds on a 6-foot-5 frame. He’s projected by some as a first round pick in next year’s NFL draft.
- Mike Edwards, S: He entertained thoughts of going into the NFL draft, but opted to return for his senior season. Last season he led the Wildcats in tackles (97) and interceptions (4).
Impact newcomer: Wilson passed for 2,133 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for 518 yards and five TDs last year at Garden City (Kan.) Community College. He was named the Jayhawk Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Kentucky is hoping he can produce similar numbers and ease the loss of Stephen Johnson. Expect him to do so. Scott Frost wanted him at Nebraska and Dan Mullen tried to recruit him to Florida.
2018 schedule
Sept. 1 vs. Central Michigan
Sept. 8 at Florida
Sept. 15 vs. Murray State
Sept. 22 vs. Mississippi State
Sept. 29 vs. South Carolina
OCT. 6 AT TEXAS A&M
Oct. 20 vs. Vanderbilt
Oct. 27 at Missouri
Nov. 3 vs. Georgia
Nov. 10 at Tennessee
Nov. 17 vs. Middle Tennessee
Nov. 24 at Louisville
Predicted finish: 6-6
