Early breakdown: Who’s coming, going and staying for Kentucky’s offense in 2020?
A mass exodus set the tone in Kentucky’s 2019 preseason. Excitement surrounding a mass influx of fresh talent and returning standouts should define its 2020 lead-up.
Only eight scholarship players who contributed significantly to last year’s 8-5 team — seven seniors and junior Lynn Bowden — are known to be out of the picture come spring camp. In addition to a few players that have already announced their transfers, a least a few more departures should come, as UK could needs to accommodate several newcomers and, as of Tuesday, has only 18 open scholarships.
UK has signed 21 players as part of its 2020 recruiting class and could pick up a couple more next month. Unless a few guys who were previously on scholarship decide to play without one — or, conversely, some incoming freshmen decide to go to school without a football scholarship for a year — UK will need up to five current players to transfer; and that doesn’t take into account the possibility of defensive lineman Phil Hoskins gaining a sixth year of eligibility, which would reduce the amount of open scholarships to 17 before new enrollees become a factor.
Where might those departures come from? Let’s take a look at every position and try to see where things stand.
This is the first of a two-part story. Come back tomorrow for a breakdown of Kentucky’s 2020 defense.
Quarterback
Who’s here: Terry Wilson, Sawyer Smith, Amani Gilmore, Nik Scalzo.
Who’s coming: Beau Allen, Joey Gatewood.
Who’s leaving: Walker Wood.
Assessment: The starting job is Terry Wilson’s to lose if he’s healthy, as head coach Mark Stoops expects to be the case come fall. Wilson isn’t expected to participate in spring camp, nor is it likely that Scalzo (ACL) will participate fully. That leaves Smith — who played down the stretch — and Gilmore, who appeared in one game as a true freshman (UT Martin), as the only previously available guys come April. Lexington Catholic graduate Allen and Auburn transfer Gatewood are enrolling early and will get more than a fair shake; the staff has recruited Allen for four years and Gatewood is a former top-50 recruit for whom it will fight to get immediate eligibility. I don’t expect any further attrition at the quarterback spot this offseason, but how things shake out in spring camp could transform that thinking.
Running back
Who’s here: A.J. Rose, Chris Rodriguez, Kavosiey Smoke, Travis Tisdale.
Who’s coming: JuTahn McClain, Torrance Davis (probably), Mike Drennen (possibly).
Who’s leaving: No one (as of Tuesday).
Assessment: Rose presumably will be the top man in the rotation once more after leading all UK running backs with 826 yards and 149 carries in 2019. Rodriguez and Smoke shouldn’t go anywhere — they’re in line for increased roles with Bowden out of the backfield. Tisdale displayed why he was a former four-star recruit on a blistering 53-yard run against UT Martin, and it seems likely that position coach Eddie Gran would want to get him more involved as a redshirt freshman in the same manner he did Rodriguez and Smoke this past season. McClain, a three-star recruit and an All-Ohio First Team running back, has signed. It’s tough to imagine UK would dedicate seven of its 85 scholarships to running backs — which would be the case if it signs Davis and Drennen — but there’s not a clear exit candidate outside of Rose, who could enter the NFL Draft or transfer (which doesn’t seem as likely as a pro decision — he willfully sat behind Benny Snell for a couple years instead of chasing snaps elsewhere). There are no indications that he’ll do either.
Wide receiver
Who’s here: B.J. Alexander, Josh Ali, Tae Tate Crumes, Allen Dailey Jr., Isaiah Epps, Akeem Hayes, Demarcus Harris, Bryce Oliver, Clevan Thomas.
Who’s coming: Kalil Branham, Izayah Cummings, Earnest Sanders.
Who’s leaving: Lynn Bowden, Ahmad Wagner.
Assessment: Kentucky wanted to throw the ball a lot more than it ultimately did in 2019, and based on its available talent, it’s not hard to see why: more than 10 percent of the Wildcats’ scholarships in 2019 were dedicated to pass-catchers. Ali, Dailey, Oliver and Thomas figure to be fixtures next season — each of them recorded at least six receptions and all played in every game except for Oliver (he sat out the Cats’ home game against Tennessee) — along with Epps, who was a projected starter before missing all of 2019 with a foot injury. Crumes and Harris had their redshirt seasons preserved as true freshmen. Former high school teammates Hayes and Alexander had divergent seasons as redshirt freshmen: Hayes played in seven of UK’s final eight games and recorded a reception while Alexander played in only three games. Both might consider opportunities elsewhere but Alexander would probably be the likeliest transfer of the lot.
Offensive line
Who’s here: Eli Cox, Austin Dotson, Kenneth Horsey, Luke Fortner, Drake Jackson, Darian Kinnard, Nick Lewis, Jake Pope, Naasir Watkins, Quintin Wilson, Landon Young.
Who’s coming: R.J. Adams, Deondre Buford, Jeremy Flax, Josh Jones, John Young.
Who’s leaving: Logan Stenberg, Mason Wolfe.
Assessment: Fortner, Jackson, Kinnard and Young comprised four-fifths of one of the best starting offensive lines Kentucky has ever put on the football field — and Watkins was one of the primary backups for that unit. Lewis, a redshirt freshman, played in 11 games, more than any reserve other than Watkins and Wolfe. Dotson’s and Horsey’s playing time increased down the stretch — Dotson played in UK’s final six games and nine total while Horsey saw the field in three of the last four. Wilson, Jackson’s backup, played in five games. Cox appeared once, against UT Martin, while fellow true freshman Pope didn’t play. Of next season’s additions only Flax, a graduate transfer, figures to see the field immediately. I wouldn’t expect any attrition from this group.
Tight end
Who’s here: Brenden Bates, Nik Ognenovic, Justin Rigg, Keaton Upshaw.
Who’s coming: No one.
Who’s leaving: Drew Schlegel.
Assessment: Kentucky for just the second time in the Stoops era decided not to sign a tight end as part of a recruiting class. Vince Marrow spoke highly of how his “room” looked coming into the season and it doesn’t lose any scholarship players (though Schlegel, a walk-on fullback, proved to be a valuable addition as his career wound down). It doesn’t expect to lose anyone, though Rigg could conceivably declare for the NFL Draft (I don’t think that’s likely). He could have a breakout season in a more pass-oriented offense next year and has proven to be a strong blocker. Upshaw is the most freakish of the four and the sophomore-to-be should also benefit from more throws in 2020. Bates quietly carved out a steady role — he played in every game as a redshirt freshman — while Ognenovic played only once, preserving his freshman year in the process.
UK football calendar
Feb. 5: National signing day
Feb. 23-March 2: NFL Scouting Combine at Indianapolis
March-April: Spring practice (dates TBA)
April 23-25: NFL Draft at Las Vegas
August: Fall practice (dates TBA)
Sept. 5: Season opener at home vs. Eastern Michigan
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 10:52 AM.
