2010 NCAA Football Preview: Kentucky
When people talk about the football powerhouses of the SEC, the Kentucky Wildcats are one of the last ones to be mentioned. Everyone is aware that they have one of the best basketball teams in the nation year in and year out, but most sports fans do not realize that the football program has become pretty good the last few seasons as well.
Former head coach Rich Brooks led the team to their best conference finish in 2006, a tie for fourth. The following season saw them fall to fifth and then sixth the last two seasons. While the conference finish is unimpressive, one has to keep in mind the level of competition in the SEC; each season (8-5 in 2006 and 2007; 7-6 in 2008 and 2009) they finished with a winning record even though they were that low in conference rankings.
Following the 2009 season Brooks retired from coaching. Joker Phillips has been named the next head coach for the Wildcats. Phillips will have some talent coming back, but will also figure out how to replace some key starters if he is going to get the Wildcats to their fifth consecutive bowl game.
Offense
The Wildcats do have five starters returning to the fold for the 2010 season and some of them stand to be a pretty big part of the offense.
Derrick Locke was a fairly good running back, averaging 4.7 yards a carry over 195 carries for 907 yards and six touchdowns. Another vital cog in the machine will be wide receiver Randall Cobb. Cobb was actually more of an all-purpose player for the Wildcats than wide receiver. He did lead the team in receiving with 39 catches for 447 yards and four touchdowns; however, he was even more deadly when operating out of the team’s ‘Wildcat’ package where he ran the ball just under 100 times for 573 yards and 10 touchdowns (as well as five of 13 passing for 89 yards.
These guys will have trouble working their magic if the team cannot take care of two major issues: their quarterback and the offensive line. Four new starters will need to be found for a line that was one of the best in protecting the quarterback (tied for 25th in sacks allowed in the nation; second in conference). Their run blocking was pretty effective as well (21st in the nation). Chandler Burden will look to switch over from the defensive line where he started three games last season.
The team did have some quarterback issues last season and they appear as if they may persist in 2010. Mike Hartline was the starter last season until getting hurt in the fifth game; Morgan Newton filled in for him the rest of the way. Neither player was especially impressive.
Defense
Defensive coordinator Steve Brown has six starters returning from last season’s group, but the problem he will have is in replacing the production of his best four players: tackle Corey Peters, linebackers Micah Johnson and Sam Maxwell and cornerback Trevard Lindley, all of whom have moved on from the team.
Brown will need to find a way to get his unit to do much better at defending against the run; last season they were among the worst in the SEC, giving up close to 200 yards a game. DeQuin Evans and Danny Trevathan will lead the charge there. Evans made38 tackles last season with 12 ½ going for a loss. From his linebacker spot, Trevathan made another 80 tackles. The trouble will be in replacing Micah Johnson and Sam Maxwell which is something that the team is hoping Ronnie Sneed and Jacob Dufrene can do.
If the team can maintain the level of play they had in the secondary or even improve it then the team could very well find itself in a bowl game once again at seasons end. Last season the group finished 17th in the nation and that was with their marquee player, Trevard Lindley, having an off year. Free safety Winston Guy, who is also the best player the defense has, returns to lead the unit; last season he had 60 tackles.
Kentucky is not going to make the big name schools in the conference sweat too much, but if they can find some replacements for the holes they have they could still see their way into another bowl game.
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