14 in 14: Kentucky
Kentucky football has earned respect since Mike Stoops arrived, but 2020 saw the ‘Cats take a step back. Is the program in a position to rebound?
By: Bossman Slim
Kentucky football is a perennial doormat.
That was the sentiment in the SEC, for good reason, until Mark Stoops took over as head coach in 2013. Since then, Stoops has improved the Kentucky program to the point where schools no longer expect to run over the Wildcats. Kentucky is as tough an out as anyone in the conference.
That is, until 2020. After a steady rise in each season since 2013, Stoops’ team took a serious step back last year. On the heels of a 2018 season where the ‘Cats notched 10 wins (including that streak breaker over Florida) and finished 12th in the final AP poll, and the 2019 season that saw Ol’ Blue go 8-5, optimism was high for 2020. This was especially true when considering that QB Terry Wilson would be back from injury, the same QB who led Kentucky to its first 10-win season since 1977.
But it was not to be. The ‘Cats finished 5-6 and 4th in the East, regressing from their previous 2018 high.
So where does the program stand, taking this all into account? If you need a refresher on the biscuits rating system, check out the original post on Florida.
State of the Program is...teetering, but strong fundamentals; 6/12 biscuits
Kentucky finds itself on the slippery slope. After that upward trajectory I mentioned in the opening, a harsh dose of reality was given to the Wildcats in 2020. This now puts the program teetering on the fence. Do they keep sliding back down the path to oblivion? Or was 2020 a blip on the radar, with Stoops rallying the troops to a winning season in 2021 and more sustained SEC credibility?
We’re high on Kentucky. What Coach Stoops has been able to do in the Bluegrass State is James Franklin-like. The only difference is that Stoops didn’t leave the school he rebuilt in the dust. Stoops has stuck around, and it seems he’s going to be in Lexington as long as they’ll have him.
One of the best tells of a good program is stability at head coach. We can check that box for Kentucky. Stoops has also put together a great staff that gets the most out of their roster year in and year out, last year being the exception. Kentucky also has top-notch facilities, just check them out for yourself in the video below. Recruiting has lagged, but it isn’t too much of a concern. Since Stoops arrived in 2013, the Wildcats have an average finish of 32nd in the country and 11th in the SEC in the 247 recruiting rankings. Nothing to write home about, but it speaks to the work of this staff to develop players, pull in a few blue chips, and work the transfer market. There’s also some momentum for the ‘Cats in the 2022 cycle, as they currently sit at 17th and 6th in the SEC.
Even with the disappointment of 2020, there are positive signs for this program. They just can’t afford another mediocre season to put a big wet blanket on their momentum.
What went right in 2020
This is pretty simple. The run game was next-level in 2020, as was the defense. Kentucky finished 3rd in the conference in rushing, behind only Ole Miss and Texas A&M. They even outrushed the juggernaut that was Alabama and Najee Harris. Chris Rodriguez Jr. was an animal, and Asim Rose and Kavosiey Smoke asserted themselves in relief. Terry Wilson also added 424 yards on the ground because he’s fast and because he didn’t have a prayer through the air.
As for the defense, UK finished 4th in the SEC behind only Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama. That’s not bad company to be in. On top of that, the men in Blue were the top passing defense in the SEC (Tennessee game, anyone?).
Every Kentucky fan after watching the Tennessee game.
The run game and the defense were not the problem in 2020.
What went wrong in 2020
The problem was the aerial attack. It is incredible that Kentucky finished the year with the 4th best rushing attack in the league, yet finished dead last in total offense. How can that be? The answer: no QB on the roster could throw the ball effectively. It’s a testament to the O-line that they were as successful in the run game as they were because no one they played believed the ‘Cats could beat them through the air. It became painfully obvious very quickly that Terry Wilson was not a threat through the air, and Joey Gatewood was hardly any better in relief.
The ineptitude through the air could not be ignored, and it led to the firing of offensive coordinator Eddie Gran at year's end. It was a tough decision for Stoops, as Gran had been integral to helping the turnaround at Kentucky and designed adaptive offenses like the one in 2019 that had a running back playing QB - an offense that still led Kentucky to an 8-5 season and a bowl win over Virginia Tech. He was an innovative mind, but last year was inexcusable. A change was necessary.
What the Wildcats need in 2021
The most obvious: Stoops needs a QB to emerge in the worst way. It’s a three-horse race to replace Terry Wilson, who transferred out of the program to finish out his career at New Mexico. The race got more interesting when Penn State QB Will Levis transferred into the program to compete with Joey Gatewood and former top high school player in Kentucky Beau Allen. Levis is a grad transfer with three years of eligibility left. He got two starts under his belt in his time in Happy Valley, but was unable to hold onto the job and had a relatively uneventful career for the Nittany Lions. Gatewood has the experience and Allen has the upside. It will be very interesting to see who emerges at QB. But make no mistake - whoever is QB1 needs to add a dimension in the passing game that was non-existent in 2020.
Levis can sling it. Can he win the job?
Related to QB play, the offense also needs the wideouts to step up and help out whoever is under center. While much of the woes from 2020 can be attributed to the QBs, the WRs did not help much. They had trouble getting separation all year. The ‘Cats are hoping that Nebraska transfer Wan’Dale Robinson can help boost the corps along with returning leading receiver Josh “Jayboogie” Ali.
Finally, Stoops needs a strong finish in recruiting. 247 currently has Kentucky ranked 17th in the country with 10 commits. That leaves plenty of room in the class to finish strong. If Stoops can pull off his first top 20 class since arriving in Lexington, we’ll feel even more confident in the long-term outlook of the program.
How they can earn some extra biscuits
The first way Kentucky can earn some extra biscuits is by offering to take me to Laha’s Red Castle Hamburgers. We’re not above bribery here.
On the football side, with a favorable schedule, except for the midseason gauntlet of Florida, LSU, and Georgia in consecutive weekends (but two at home!), Kentucky should rebound this year to 8-4 or better. Anything less will be a disappointment, even with the questions surrounding the offense. Go 8-4 or better, and we’ll throw BBN another biscuit. Finish top 20 in the composite recruiting rankings, and well throw you another biscuit.
We’re watching.
Did we get it right? Completely wrong? What’d we miss? Chirp us on Twitter @biscuitsandsec.
Next up:
LSU