SEC Preview: Getting Lucky In Kentucky?

Last year, Kentucky was meant to take a step back after a great 10-3 season in 2021. And it did, with a very ordinary 7-6 record.

Will Levis was drafted exactly how we expected him to be drafted (ie not in the first round, and probably won’t even be QB2 in Tennesssee), and Chris Rodriguez has impressed many in Washington after a top preseason after a great career in Lexington.

This year, things are expected to be (checks notes) pretty good, what with the transfer signings of QB Devin Leary from NC State, who’s seen by many as THE transfer of the 2023 portal, and RB Ray Davis at Vanderbilt, who was fantastic there.

The Wildcats also bring back 14 starters for 2023.

WHO’S COME

Getting Leary to come from NC State is a huge get for the Wildcats. He’s going to be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. Leary had nearly 7,000 passing yards at NC State with 62 TDs and only 16 INTS. That’s pretty special.

The underrated get is Davis, who ran for 1,042 yards and 5 TDs at Vandy on 232 carries, bringing durability and experience into the fold.

Former four-star CB JQ Hardaway’s come in from Cincinnati, and there have been 11 others who will provide depth and experience – not the least Courtland Ford, who arrived from USC. He’s expected to immediately start as RT…if he can stay fit. There was also the transfer of DE Keeshawn Silver from UNC.

Stoops also brought in the 30th-ranked class in the country, including three four-stars.

WHO’S GONE

While the loss of Levis isn’t going to be amazing (we didn’t think he was very good in the first place), the loss of Rodriguez, who finished his career with 3,644 yards and 32 TDs (it would have been higher had he not been suspended for the start of the 2022 season) is going to be pretty massive.

Also gone are four-year starting defensive linesman Justin Rogers, who has gone to Auburn, offensive linesman Kiyaunta Goodwin transferred to Florida, but has since has left the program because of an illness to his mother (she has cancer), and is looking for somewhere closer to home. Wide receiver Sharmar Porter was the top of that list.

OFFENSE

There’s worries about the offensive line, which lost a lot of talent in 2021 and struggled in 2022. There is hope that Ford will be the standout player in ’23. They need to keep Leary off the (blue)grass, because the kid doesn’t run.

As has always been the case with Stoops offenses, Davis and his RB teammate JuTahn McClain will be required to pick up a lot of the slack.

Kentucky’s top five receivers are back. We expect Barion Brown, Dane Key and Tayvion Robinson to continue to improve – especially with a far more accurate quarterback.

But again, we’ll have to see how the offensive line is.

DEFENSE

The loss of Rogers is going to be huge – no doubt about it. Silver – who only played 3 games last year – is pegged to be part of a new Wildcats ‘wrecking crew’ with Josiah Haynes, but God only knows whether he can stay healthy.

The secondary that was so good last year keeps Jordan Lovett (62 tackles, 2 INTs, 3 PDs), Treviin Wallace (54 tackles, 2 INTs), although the losses of Carrington Valentine and Keidron Smith will hurt. Between them they had 15 passes defended. Hardaway will be required to pick up a lot of slack.

PREDICTIONS

Ball State – W
Eastern Kentucky – W
Akron – W
at Vanderbilt – W
Florida – W
at Georgia – L
Missouri – W
Tennessee – L
at Mississippi State – L
Alabama – L
at South Carolina –  L
at Louisville – W

OVERALL: 7-5 (3-5 SEC)

The game to circle will be Florida. The place is going to be lit, and it will be the test to see how well the team is put together, after four straight games of winnable dross.