UK 101: A refresher course on the Kentucky Wildcats heading into 2020 fall camp
Actual, legitimate football practice begins this week across the Southeastern Conference. Enjoy it, because it could be the last time we see SEC football for a while.
Given the state of affairs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s every reason to believe that the only people that Josh Paschal and Jamar “Boogie” Watson tackle this fall could be their teammates in blue and white. That practice is even starting is something of a small miracle, given the decision of the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences to postpone their entire fall sports seasons to the spring semester. As of now, the SEC, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 continue to march forward, along with three of the Group of Five leagues (the American, Conference USA and the Sun Belt).
Who knows how much value the following information really holds; the season could be called off long before its first scheduled kickoff. But, for now, let’s pretend that everything is normal and try for the next five to 10 minutes to ignore the state of the world.
Q: How will Kentucky cope without Lynn Bowden?
A: The Wildcats will be more than fine, contrary to what some national know-nothings might lead you to believe.
Don’t get me wrong, “Bowden Ball” was an absolute blast to watch, and it worked in large part because of his extraordinary football IQ and athletic gifts. The other reason it worked so well, though, is almost fully intact and ready to continue asserting its authority over SEC defensive fronts.
Kentucky’s offensive line unit boasts four returning starters in guard Luke Fortner, center Drake Jackson and tackles Darian Kinnard and Landon Young. All those big men have been named to watch lists and preseason SEC teams, and they should lead the group to another year of contention for the Joe Moore Award.
Missing, of course, is Logan Stenberg, who is now with the Detroit Lions. Who replaces him in the starting five — Kenneth Horsey? Junior college transfer Jeremy Flax? A true freshman? — will be something that gets sorted out in the coming weeks. Otherwise, this group is golden.
Q: So who’s the top quarterback?
A: His name is Terry Wilson, and if not for a horse-collar tackle that led to the tearing of his patellar tendon last season, you probably would not have asked the first question.
Wilson will be the No. 1 quarterback entering fall camp and, barring injury, will be the No. 1 quarterback exiting fall camp. He’s 12-3 as a starter and completed 67.2 percent of his passes in 2018, among the top percentages in the nation. He needs to show that his leg is truly back at 100 percent, and that his explosiveness is still there, but until we’re presented reason otherwise, the job is — and should be — the former junior college star’s to lose.
The better question entering camp is what will become of the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. The NCAA has yet to rule on the eligibility of Joey Gatewood, a transfer from Auburn who might have the highest upside of anyone in the room. Sawyer Smith figures to be next in line behind Wilson and, with a health throwing arm, probably ought to be named the backup given his experience. Don’t count out true freshman Beau Allen, though; he has been long-coveted by the coaching staff and impressed in limited spring reps. Nik Scalzo could have a say, too.
Q: Does UK have any wide receivers? I don’t remember them doing much last year.
A: They do, but as far as receptions and other raw measurements of production go, it’s easy to forget who was out there. They spent most of last season blocking rather than looking to the sky for passes.
More people tuned into UK’s win over Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl (now sponsored by Duke’s Mayo) than any other UK game last season, so there’s a good chance you’re at least familiar with Josh Ali, who had a heroic catch to extend the Wildcats’ final drive before reeling in the game-winning touchdown pass from Bowden a few plays later. Ali’s been the subject of high praise since and appears to be the odds-on favorite for UK’s No. 1 option in the receiving game this fall. Look for him to solidify that position in camp.
As for the rest of the corps, several experienced guys will look to make their case to continue getting reps. Bryce Oliver and Clevan Thomas both scored their first career touchdowns last season and should continue to stand out from the pack. A group of returning youngsters with fewer reps — Tae Tae Crumes, Akeem Hayes and DeMarcus Harris — need to display a readiness in camp to compete in the SEC, because the room’s somewhat thin overall and needs them to be ready.
Also: We should get an update on where junior Isaiah Epps is in terms of his health. He was held out of last season due to a foot injury but played in all 26 games as a true freshman and sophomore. If he’s good to go, look for him to make an impact.
Q: OK, enough about the offense. What does the defense need to figure out?
A: Some starting jobs in the secondary could see some shifting compared to last season, but that’s something of a formality; Kentucky will try to go as deep into its pool of defensive backs as it can regardless of who starts. There’s too much talent there not to, and most of the guys have proven themselves capable of playing big snaps after we were all so concerned about them last preseason.
The graduations of T.J. Carter and Calvin Taylor left holes on both sides of the defensive line, one of which Paschal is expected to fill after a season at the flexible “Jack” linebacker spot. Sixth-year defensive tackle Phil Hoskins stands out as the obvious choice to slot in to the other side, but Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald could make a bid after playing in every game last season. As far as line play depth is concerned, a healthy crop of true freshmen — including five-star talent Justin Rogers and in-state star Octavious Oxendine — will get their first opportunity to make a case for immediate, even if limited, playing time.
Chris Oats’ ongoing health situation — he was hospitalized with an undisclosed ailment over the summer and moved to a rehab facility soon after — leaves the Wildcats thinner at inside linebacker than they already projected to be. Jamin Davis should lock up the starting spot that would have gone to Oats, but after that is anyone’s guess. True freshman D’Eryk Jackson didn’t get to participate in the shortened spring session and junior college transfer Marquez Bembry, a convert to the position, didn’t get to play last year due to injury. Redshirt freshman Jared Casey could be the best bet to make up a solid three-man rotation on the inside (along with shoe-in starter DeAndre Square), but that spot on the depth chart might be the most fluid on either side.
Q: Anyone else I should keep an eye on?
A: Of course!
True freshman Michael Drennen II — nicknamed “Donut” — was a late addition to the 2020 class but arguably the spiciest. He drew frequent comparisons to Bowden throughout his recruitment and could be the newcomer most likely to see the most playing time right away given his all-around playmaking ability. If fall camp goes well, expect to see him on the field on Saturdays.
Don’t underestimate the strides that could be seen from redshirt freshman Travis Tisdale and true freshman Jutahn McClain, the latter of whom drew quick praise in the spring. Both running backs face an uphill battle for frequent playing time — there are three strong runners in front of them already — but if Eddie Gran’s looking to go a little deeper into the playbook this fall, there might be room for his position group to further flourish.
Kelvin Joseph turned heads in practice last season after transferring from LSU right before the school year got underway. Look for him to be one of the “new” names you hear frequently out of camp.
