Looking ahead

[bigbluewildcat84]

This year has had its ups and down, but we have seen a lot of improvement from this years young team to raise the hopes to next year. While some will say a bowl game just isn't enough this year, I am happy with going 6-6 in 2016. Next years team I'd expect more.

We have a lot of youth this year. Our defense has 5 strong Sophomores that are leading the way (Jones, Edwards, Allen, and Baity). You could also throw Westry and maybe a few other into the mix there. For those who like stats, eat up. Below are rankings for the SEC.

Total Tackles
#3 Jordan Jones Sophomore 81 tackles (#1 in Solo tackles w/ 58)
#5 Mike Edwards Sophomore 73 Tackles (#6 in Solo tackles w/39)
#19 Courtney Love Junior 51 Tackles
#24 Josh Allen Sophomore 44 Tackles
Derreick Baity Sophomore (#15 in Solo tackles w/29)


Sacks
#6 Josh Allen Sophomore- 6 Sacks
#8 Denzil Ware Sophomore 5 Sacks

Interceptions
#11 Derreick Baity Sophomore 2 interceptions

Our offensive line will return a senior laden group including Mosier, Haynes Meadows and Meyers. Along with Junors Stallings, Asafo-Adjei and Sophomore's Stenberg and Young. The only pending question is if Toth's replacement can help hold the center position. More stats below


Rushing
#4- Stanley Boom Williams 898 Yards (4 TDs) Sophomore
#7- Benny Snell JR 775 yards (10 TDs) Freshman, tied for first place in scoring (-kickers)

Receiving
# 7 Jeff Badet Junior 530 Yards
#24 Garrett Johnson Junior 339 yards


Special teams
A senior MacGinnis and Sophomore Mckinniss return for kicking duties. Macginnis is ranked #5 right now making 77% of his field goals and 100% of his extra points. His abilities will certainly be missed in two years.
Mckinniss has left a lot to be wanted. While averaging 37 yards per punt, he has allowed the opposing team to have field position advantage on almost every punt return.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Next year's team will be much more experienced. The schedule is interesting with all these swing games on the road next year (SC, Vandy, UGA and MSU, and throw in USM). We get UL, FL and UT at home...3 teams we have not had much success against no matter where the game has been played. We will probably have to be road warriors or win some home games against teams we traditionally struggle with (namely FL and UT moreso than UL) to do better than 6-6.

 

[bigbluewildcat84]

Our biggest flaw to this year's team and maybe next years team is the QB position. Our defensive line will be hurt too, but we've already seen how a one dimensional offense has hand cuffed our team.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Our biggest flaw to this year's team and maybe next years team is the QB position. Our defensive line will be hurt too, but we've already seen how a one dimensional offense has hand cuffed our team.

To win all these swing games with a very limited QB has been impressive.

 

[Los Gatos]

Our biggest flaw to this year's team and maybe next years team is the QB position. Our defensive line will be hurt too, but we've already seen how a one dimensional offense has hand cuffed our team.

Unless Barker recovers I will not be surprised to see Danny Clark get some playing time next year. I realize that most true freshmen redshirt, but the graduate transfer rule as made redshirting less of a sure think. A lot of QBs transfer for that fifth year and thus the original team get no benefit from the redshirt year.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Unless Barker recovers I will not be surprised to see Danny Clark get some playing time next year. I realize that most true freshmen redshirt, but the graduate transfer rule as made redshirting less of a sure think. A lot of QBs transfer for that fifth year and thus the original team get no benefit from the redshirt year.

Gunner H. may have something to say about that if that's the case...very impressive ibn sprign game

 

[Glenn Fohr]

I expect to see a seasoned Johnson at the helm next year. He is improving every game. Add Badet's and Bakers drops to his totals on Saturday and he is above 200 yards throwing the ball. and he will improve the Conrad throws. This kid is a winner.

 

[Deeeefense]

I expect to see a seasoned Johnson at the helm next year. He is improving every game. Add Badet's and Bakers drops to his totals on Saturday and he is above 200 yards throwing the ball. and he will improve the Conrad throws. This kid is a winner.

Agree but wouldn't be surprised to see SJ split the workload with Barker or Hoak to give the offense some different packages

 

[stuway]

I hope Hoak beats the oants off everyone and claims the job. That kid has the it factor. WD need a qb who can oass accurately and has pocket presence.... We get that and next year should be a 8 or 9 win season. We should not only ne good next year, but very good. Anything less than at minimum 7 wins next year and we should all be pissed. I'm over wanting Stoops gone, he deserves another year... No excuses next season. That's Stoops true make or break year

 

[vhcat70]

Our biggest flaw to this year's team and maybe next years team is the QB position. Our defensive line will be hurt too, but we've already seen how a one dimensional offense has hand cuffed our team.

Disagree. SJ has come along nicely with experience imo, but WR's have been a bigger issue - drops/fumbles/routes - as have D front 7 though they've improved also. Running the ball effectively is a big asset & not a reason to knock the passing game by calling the O one-dimensional. Give me a time-consuming run game any day.

 

[vhcat70]

I expect to see a seasoned Johnson at the helm next year. He is improving every game. Add Badet's and Bakers drops to his totals on Saturday and he is above 200 yards throwing the ball. and he will improve the Conrad throws. This kid is a winner.

Like him too, particularly that he doesn't appear to let mistakes get him down. Biggest issue is fumbles which I think is a strength issue at 185#. Don't know if his genetics will let him add muscle weight.

 

[vhcat70]

I hope Hoak beats the oants off everyone and claims the job. That kid has the it factor. WD need a qb who can oass accurately and has pocket presence....

If you're right about Hoak, great, but I think SJ is now doing a fine job in the pocket & running the O. Besides his fumble & 1-2/24 passes being off a bit, what did he do wrong against Uga that causes you to rag on him here?

 

[brianpoe]

If you're right about Hoak, great, but I think SJ is now doing a fine job in the pocket & running the O. Besides his fumble & 1-2/24 passes being off a bit, what did he do wrong against Uga that causes you to rag on him here?

The long ball drop hurt bad. And SJ throws a really nice long ball.

But his intermediary game is lacking, it is evident in play calling, on 3rd downs and in the red zone.

He can also scramble for yards, but not much of a called-run player.

Kid has been great as far as backups go, but the limitations are pretty obvious to me.

 

[vhcat70]

But his intermediary game is lacking, it is evident in play calling, on 3rd downs and in the red zone.

Don't see it. Explain.

 

[billoliver40]

Next year is a lifetime away, and soooooooo much can happen. Alabama starts a true freshman at quarterback and simply goes undefeated. Last year a young kid named Jackson bails Louisville out of a loss to Kentucky and becomes a Heismann favorite. Teams manage to lose players they thought were can't miss to every reason from weed, women, guns, grades.....and just wanting to not be there.
And somehow, at the end of the year as Beano Cook once said....you can pretty much bank on about ten teams ruling the rankings. AND normally two or three of them play in the SEC.
Just another reason to really love college football.

 

[K_TIME]

Let's be honest...Toth is the only big-time contributor we lose. Miggins, McClain and McWilson are guys that start/play alot but aren't game changers out there. Now if Boom goes pro, that would hurt our vaunted running game.

Why we'd change QBs is a bit beyond my comprehension. I want to see Johnson is the UT/UL game to see how he fares against better competition before I solidify my opinion.

But with Johnson we have a legit run threat at QB in the read option and that helps Benny/Boom. He's shown to be serviceable passing the last 3 games (while looking awful USC and Vandy). If JOhnson can put on some strength, improve a bit in his passing in offseason which are all doable, we have the improved QB play some are hoping in Hoak/Clark.

 

[stuway]

If you're right about Hoak, great, but I think SJ is now doing a fine job in the pocket & running the O. Besides his fumble & 1-2/24 passes being off a bit, what did he do wrong against Uga that causes you to rag on him here?

How about throwing the potential game winning TD pass against GA out of bounds. How about missing wide open WRS on easy throws. How about the Ocoordinator seeming afraid to throw in obvious need to throw situations. How about unnecessary sacks he takes. How about ball security, they've told him to stop running, you can tell.

Like Brian said man, it's kinda obvious. Tell you what, when we play UL, watch LJ and watch our guy SJ... Then you can tell me why our QB play isn't nearly great enough.

 

[brianpoe]

Let's be honest...Toth is the only big-time contributor we lose. Miggins, McClain and McWilson are guys that start/play alot but aren't game changers out there. Now if Boom goes pro, that would hurt our vaunted running game.

Why we'd change QBs is a bit beyond my comprehension. I want to see Johnson is the UT/UL game to see how he fares against better competition before I solidify my opinion.

But with Johnson we have a legit run threat at QB in the read option and that helps Benny/Boom. He's shown to be serviceable passing the last 3 games (while looking awful USC and Vandy). If JOhnson can put on some strength, improve a bit in his passing in offseason which are all doable, we have the improved QB play some are hoping in Hoak/Clark.

@vhcat70

He can scramble, but is not a legitimate run threat. If the defense bites on the fake he can gain some yards, but he isn't going to outrun or make a defender miss ala Lamar or get a tough extra yard like MSU's QB. Every time he is tackled brings the fear of a fumble.

People want him to be like UT's Dobbs but he is not, he is a pocket passer who struggles with a midrange game. His difficulty in hitting the tight end and intermediate routes is evident on 3rd downs and red zone.

The play calling is obvious. His completion percentage is not great. Our 3rd down conversion is 93rd in the country and have only 4 passing red zone TD's.

The kid has performed admirably and has shown a great demeanor.

He has a fantastic deep ball and the drops never help.

I'm not going to say he cannot improve and hope he does.

If he doesn't improve the midrange game and we are limited on 3rd downs and in the red zone our offense will have a ceiling, we will not surprise anyone

 

[K_TIME]

@vhcat70

He can scramble, but is not a legitimate run threat. If the defense bites on the fake he can gain some yards, but he isn't going to outrun or make a defender miss ala Lamar or get a tough extra yard like MSU's QB. Every time he is tackled brings the fear of a fumble.
.

Stephen Johnson is no Lamar Jackson (and that dude is once a decade type of kid ala Mick Vick). But Johnson can outrun SEC front 7 players to the edge on a read option and pick up 7-10 yards when he does. I agree he isn't big enough to run thru tackles like a Dobbs for UT...but he's much quicker/faster than Drew Barker and guys like that and that dimension helps Boom/Benny to open up running lanes on read options looks.

If we had a really good passer, I'd see the notion of putting Johnson back on bench. But Barker hasn't shown me he is really any better than average passing. So why would I go away from Johnson...and who knows what Hoak has to offer.

 

[brianpoe]

Stephen Johnson is no Lamar Jackson (and that dude is once a decade type of kid ala Mick Vick). But Johnson can outrun SEC front 7 players to the edge on a read option and pick up 7-10 yards when he does. I agree he isn't big enough to run thru tackles like a Dobbs for UT...but he's much quicker/faster than Drew Barker and guys like that and that dimension helps Boom/Benny to open up running lanes on read options looks.

If we had a really good passer, I'd see the notion of putting Johnson back on bench. But Barker hasn't shown me he is really any better than average passing. So why would I go away from Johnson...and who knows what Hoak has to offer.

I dont disagree.

He has to be beat out, I definitely think he deserves top consideration until he is obviously outplayed.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

Unless Barker recovers I will not be surprised to see Danny Clark get some playing time next year. I realize that most true freshmen redshirt, but the graduate transfer rule as made redshirting less of a sure think. A lot of QBs transfer for that fifth year and thus the original team get no benefit from the redshirt year.

Very few actually transfer.

A list of the top 30 QBs transferring last year.
https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...alls-top-30-impact-quarterback-transfers-2016
Not sure which are 5th year players but Towles made the list, so 1.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

I hope Hoak beats the oants off everyone and claims the job. That kid has the it factor. WD need a qb who can oass accurately and has pocket presence.... We get that and next year should be a 8 or 9 win season. We should not only ne good next year, but very good. Anything less than at minimum 7 wins next year and we should all be pissed. I'm over wanting Stoops gone, he deserves another year... No excuses next season. That's Stoops true make or break year

I think you need a keyboard that types p instead of o.
[cheers]

 

[vhcat70]

How about throwing the potential game winning TD pass against GA out of bounds. How about missing wide open WRS on easy throws. How about the Ocoordinator seeming afraid to throw in obvious need to throw situations. How about unnecessary sacks he takes. How about ball security, they've told him to stop running, you can tell.

Like Brian said man, it's kinda obvious. Tell you what, when we play UL, watch LJ and watch our guy SJ... Then you can tell me why our QB play isn't nearly great enough.

As I wrote in another thread:
"That's not what happened(throwing ball OOB). Baker ran to the sideline immediately & SJ had to under throw Baker to keep it in bounds - Baker was reaching back inbounds for ball as he jumped out of bounds. It wasn't like the DB couldn't get to the ball.

Issue was Baker didn't stay far enough from the sideline but went to the sideline edge with the DB between him & the ball. There was no place in that situation SJ could have thrown it to be caught in bounds. Instead of running straight for sideline, Baker should have gone straight upfield & then out. Net, I primarily fault Baker's route."

He missed one throw - to Juice - that I saw against Uga.

You're making crap up about Gran. He's throwing the ball away more often now. He's only getting experienced now. Yes, he fumbles too much. He doesn't run much because they can't afford to lose their starting 183# QB.

I'll stick with what I said here vs. anyone else.

So anyone not up to LJ's standards is inadequate? LOL.

 

[billoliver40]

IF the coaching staff turns out to be that the identity of the program is a smash mouth ball control running team, then the possibilities of gun slinger quarterbacks coming to UK go down.
If the staff learns from someone like Saban that lets the offense develop as it will but concentrates on an NFL quality defense, then it all changes.
We get next year to see what starts playing out.