The University of Kentucky’s 2019 football season is in the books.
UK ended its latest campaign with a victory over Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl, securing its 11th season with at least eight wins and building a four-game win streak as the calendar turns over.
The Wildcats open next season against Eastern Michigan at Kroger Field on Sept. 5. They’ll look to extend their run of postseason appearances to five straight years, a feat that the program has accomplished only one time before (from 2006-2010).
What else should Kentucky fans look forward to in 2020? Here are three big things.
TERRY WILSON’S RETURN
So much of the excitement around this year’s squad was sparked by the play of Lynn Bowden, whose move to quarterback midway through the season was precipitated by injuries to incumbent starter Terry Wilson and backup Sawyer Smith.
Smith was reportedly healthy enough to start UK’s last few games, and made some appearances down the stretch, but the staff opted to allow Bowden to carry them to the postseason. Their decision paid off, but he’ll be lost to the NFL Draft come April.
Mark Stoops said Monday that he expects Wilson, who suffered a tear of the patellar tendon in his left leg in Kentucky’s second game of the year, to be available at the start of next season. If Wilson is at full strength, he presumably would be the Wildcats’ starter once more.
That would be an ideal proposition: Wilson was the starter in every game of Kentucky’s historic 10-3 campaign and looked more comfortable as a passer before his junior season was cut short. He was 33-of-52 for 360 yards and two touchdown passes, and had run for 44 yards and a TD.
Wilson was one of the most efficient passers in the Southeastern Conference in his first go-around with the Wildcats. If his legs are underneath him once again and that level of efficiency persists, Kentucky’s offense could come out of the gate strong next fall.
EXPERIENCE EVERYWHERE
The team’s biggest area of concern entering 2019 was its secondary. That turned out to be overblown — in part because of the return of Cedrick Dort and the addition of junior-college transfer Brandin Echols, who blossomed into stars at cornerback.
Production at the running back position wasn’t as worrisome, as A.J. Rose had shown flashes of brilliance in relief of Benny Snell, and Chris Rodriguez and Kavosiey Smoke had seen the field as true freshmen, but none are the bullies that Snell was. Bowden stole the spotlight, but they shouldered much of the rushing burden as well and combined for nearly 2,000 yards.
If you count Wilson, Kentucky could have as many as 19 starters back next year. A couple of guys — nose guard Quinton Bohanna and offensive tackle Landon Young — could leave early for the NFL Draft — but theirs are positions where UK has groomed possible replacements. The return of Davonte Robinson, a defensive back who suffered a torn quad before fall camp, will help mitigate the graduation of safety Jordan Griffin.
Belk Bowl hero Josh Ali is one of three returning receivers who caught a touchdown in a season short on receptions (so did Bryce Oliver and Clevan Thomas, in addition to tight end Keaton Upshaw).
UK will miss departing seniors Calvin Taylor and T.J. Carter, even more so if Bohanna is out of the equation, but the same was said of Josh Allen last year and Kentucky’s staff managed to figure things out. The defensive line appears to be the early pick for “biggest area of worry,” but otherwise there should be several familiar faces around.
OPPORTUNITY
With the talent coming back and an offseason’s worth of work, there’s a path to 2020 being a season equivalent to 2018 — or better.
Florida and Georgia will be picked ahead of Kentucky in the preseason. Accept that for what it is, but don’t forget that — despite only having one win to show for it — Kentucky has closed the gap considerably with Florida, to whom they’ll travel for the second game of the season. The Bulldogs are another animal, but one that UK’s staff is well aware needs to be toppled for it to keep rising. They’ll come to Lexington next year, so that helps.
A rare trip to Auburn is on the docket, and that happens to be the site of UK’s last win in the series (21-14 in 2009). A scheduling quirk put the last two games — each a three-point win in the Tigers’ favor — in Lexington. It’s a chance for UK to earn a prestige win — and might be even spicier if former Auburn quarterback Joey Gatewood somehow gets ruled eligible next fall.
It’s a much tougher schedule, on paper, than this year, but one that Kentucky should be able to navigate with a much healthier situation at quarterback. And one that, if the dominoes fall in their favor, could yield impressive returns.
2020 UK FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Home games in all capital letters. Kickoff times to be announced later.
Sept. 5: EASTERN MICHIGAN
Sept. 12: at Florida
Sept. 19: KENT STATE
Sept. 26: SOUTH CAROLINA
Oct. 3: at Auburn
Oct. 10: EASTERN ILLINOIS
Oct. 17: VANDERBILT
Oct. 24: at Missouri
Oct. 31: Open
Nov. 7: at Tennessee
Nov. 14: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Nov. 21: GEORGIA
Nov. 28: at Louisville
No comments:
Post a Comment