Photos: The SEC Athletic Department
The Cats won ten games and a Citrus Bowl Championship behind a stingy defense and the hard-nosed running of their all-time leading rusher, Benny Snell.
So, now the question is will there be an encore? Gone are Snell (and most of the offensive production he created) and National Defensive Player of the year Josh Allen. Both starting tackles on the offensive line are gone, along with several other senior leaders who helped the Cats win ten games. These absences make it hard to see them achieving that level of success again in 2019.
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- Kash Daniel. The UK football team beat Penn State27-24 in the Citrus Bowl. Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics
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- Lynn Bowden UK Football beats MTSU 34-23 on Senior Day at Kroger Field. Photo by Britney Howard | UK Athletics
If they are going to come close, quarterback Terry Wilson will have to come into his own. He showed flashes of the skill he will need to win in games against Florida and Missouri, and played his part in many of the close wins they had last season, but his production (145 passing yards per game with 15 TDs versus 12 turnovers) leaves a lot to be desired.
2019 Schedule:
August 31 vs. University of Toledo
September 7 vs. Eastern Michigan University
September 14 vs. Florida
September 21 at Mississippi State
September 28 at South Carolina
October 12 vs. Arkansas
October 19 at Georgia
October 26 vs. Missouri
November 9 vs. Tennessee
November 16 at Vanderbilt
November 23 vs. University of Tennessee at Martin
November 30 vs. Louisville
Their defense lost key pieces on the front seven and secondary that will be hard to replace. Stoops, however, has recruited historically well to Lexington, and if that talent can come together the Cats could exceed expectations in 2019.
Their defense lost key pieces on the front seven and secondary that will be hard to replace. Stoops, however, has recruited historically well to Lexington, and if that talent can come together the Cats could exceed expectations in 2019.
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- Lynn Bowden Jr. The UK football team beat Penn State27-24 in the Citrus Bowl. Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics
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- Kentucky football beats Mississippi State 28-7. Photo by Isaac Janssen | UK Athletics
Winning is contagious and I expect Kentucky to carry a lot of confidence coming into the season, but the losses of Snell and Allen, along with other key contributors, could be too much to overcome. The Cats will play hard, as they always have for coach Stoops, but a bowl eligibility season will be an achievement considering what they have lost.
