Once Again Kentucky Football Will Be Boring, Stable, And Bowling

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After a WILD saga, Mark Stoops is back at Kentucky for another season. Stoops accepted the Texas A&M job only to have it revoked after a massive alumni backlash to get Mike Elko to Aggieland. Kentucky fans should be pretty dang happy as Stoops has done a fine job in Lexington.

The Wildcats feel like they have a similar team every year under Stoops. They play solid defense, win the games they are supposed to and lose to the big boys but go bowling. Rinse. Repeat. 2024 looks no different. And there's not a thing wrong with that at a school that will always be known for basketball……

Let's take a look at the key questions for Kentucky entering this fall.

1) How will the combo of 5 Star Georgia Transfer QB Brock Vandagriff & new OC Bush Hamdan mesh?

Vandagriff was a massive recruit but never could get onto the field in Athens. There's both excitement and uncertainty as he has not taken many college snaps but the upside is huge. OC Liam Coen left for the Tampa Bay Bucs and Stoops replaced him with Hamdan from Boise State. 

WR Barion Brown can absolutely fly and has a solid counterpart in Dane Key out wide. The offensive line was not great last year but if Vandagriff can play, this offense could be pretty good.

2) Will the pass defense improve?

The Wildcats are strong up front anchored by potential top 10 pick DL Deone Walker who is a man among boys at a measly 6-6 & 348 pounds. Walker is a beast against the run and had 7.5 sacks last fall. Kentucky also added the top LB in the portal in Georgia transfer Jamon Dumas-Johnson who was a 3 year starter on the top defense in college football. 

The secondary struggled last year ESP on 3rd down. Kentucky runs a zone where they let WRs catch the ball in front of the defense which I do not love as it allows QBs to get into a rhythm but it does limit big plays. 

Stoops gets the benefit of the doubt on defense and they should be at worst average.

3) Can Kentucky beat any of the top SEC teams?

The Wildcats did win on the road against Top 10 Louisville in a thrilling rivalry game to end last season. But that's the only top 10 road win in around 30 years. And until they prove they can beat Georgia or other top teams I have to see it to believe it.

Kentucky should be 2-0 with wins over Southern Miss & South Carolina at home when Georgia rolls into Lexington Week 3. That will not go well. They bounce back against Ohio then will fall at Ole Miss.

After an easy SEC home win over Vandy, the success of the season will be decided in back to back weeks at Florida and hosting Auburn. They split those two games before falling at Neyland Stadium to Tennessee.

After a bye, the Wildcats will smoke Murray State and fall in Austin to Texas. The Louisville rivalry game is at home at least and is a true coin flip. Who the hell knows when these teams get together but it will be entertaining.

I am giving Stoops the benefit of the doubt and the Wildcats go 7-5. Kentucky keeps the bowl game streak alive but once again fails to make a big splash.