Are you in or out on these Kentucky football topics for 2022?
School is out. Memorial Day weekend has passed. The official start of summer is a couple of weeks away. Time to lounge by the pool, close our eyes and think football. Better still, Kentucky football.
With that in mind, let’s play “In or Out” where we are either positive (in) or negative (out) about offseason football topics pertaining to the Wildcats.
UK will be in the AP preseason Top 25 — In. Heading into his 10th season, head coach Mark Stoops is finally receiving some well-earned national respect. Stoops’ next victory ties him with Bear Bryant as UK’s all-time winningest coach. And judging from the way-to-early Top 25s, poll voters are beginning to notice.
UK will win the SEC East — Out. There’s an excellent chance the East Division title comes down to Georgia-Kentucky at Kroger Field on Nov. 19, but it’s difficult to pick the Wildcats over the Bulldogs for the trip to Atlanta for the SEC championship game. Tons of talent has departed Athens, but Kirby Smart has tons of talent remaining.
Rich Scangarello — In. To soften the blow of offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s return to the Los Angeles Rams, Stoops poached Scangarello from Kyle Shanahan’s staff with the San Francisco 49ers. Given his background, Scangarello appears to be the right fit to build on the pro-style attack Coen initiated a year ago.
UK won’t miss Wan’Dale Robinson — Out. Potential stars exist among the young wide receivers. Virginia Tech transfer Tayvion Robinson brings skill and experience. Still, it’s difficult to imagine the Cats can replicate Robinson’s productivity. A second-round draft choice by the NFL’s New York Giants, Robinson finished third in the nation with 104 receptions last season. You don’t find a Wan’Dale every day.
The Will Levis hype — In. Preparing for his second season as a Power Five starter, the Kentucky quarterback has received plenty of offseason attention. No wonder. Levis has all the traits NFL scouts covet, including strong leadership abilities. He’s poised to take a major step forward in his senior season.
Don’t worry about the Kentucky secondary — Out. UK’s young defensive backs will need time to develop into a cohesive unit. The secondary should be solid by season’s end, but look for it to be tested heavily in the first month of the season.
Brad White — In. That UK’s defensive coordinator turned down Brian Kelly and LSU to stay in Lexington may have been the most positive under-the-radar move in the entire offseason. White has plenty of work to do this fall, but he’s the right man to do it.
The Chris Rodriguez situation — Out. Questions have swirled about the UK running back who was arrested on a DUI charge last month. There has been no official word from the UK camp about the status of the senior, however. Remember, Rodriguez rushed for 1,379 yards last season.
Eli Cox is UK’s next offensive line star — In. During his UK tenure, Stoops has executed shrewd moves at the center position, first with Jon Toth and then Luke Fortner. Now comes Cox, who is shifting from 2021 guard to 2022 center. The former West Jessamine star earned rave reviews in the spring and will be in a position to help his younger teammates along the Big Blue Wall come fall.
Tennessee will pass Kentucky in the East — Out. Don’t get me wrong, second-year head coach Josh Heupel has the Volunteers pointed in the right direction. Finally. But UT still needs to fix a defense that ranked 99th out of 130 FBS teams in yards allowed per game last season.
Kentucky can win 10 games again — In. I’m not ready to make a final win-loss projection. Much can happen between now and the Sept. 3 opener against Miami (Ohio). The UK schedule does set up nicely, however. Eight home games is a good place to start. The October stretch of Ole Miss (away), South Carolina (home), Mississippi State (home) and Tennessee (away) will tell the tale.
