FOUR DOWNS: Who could step up for Cats to surpass expectations?
Most college football observers and a vast majority of Big Blue Nation believe that the 2025 season will be a challenging one for Kentucky.
But is there a way for the Wildcats to exceed their modest expectations?
In this edition of CI’s “Four Downs” feature, we offer two players on each side of the ball – excluding the obligatory pick with new quarterback Zach Calzada – who must perform above their current projections for UK to get back to its winning ways under Mark Stoops…
Josh Braun, OL
I could make a case for putting any member of the O-Line in this spot, but Braun probably represents the attempt to rebuild the “Big Blue Wall” and get back to the way Stoops wants to play more than any other player on the unit.
The 6-foot-6, 340-pound grad senior has five years of SEC experience under his belt, having played in 50 career games and started 32 at Florida and Arkansas.
Braun is an interior guy with the ideal size and strength to help get the UK running game back where Stoops needs it to be. The Cats slid to 81st nationally last year at 145.6 yards per game and just 3.9 yards per carry after spending years among the best in those categories.
He was a 12-game starter at Arkansas last season, helping the Razorbacks finish a respectable 34th nationally in rushing at 187.4 yards per game. In 2021, the Live Oak, Fla., native started seven games for a Gators offense that averaged 208.7 yards per game on the ground.
Ja’Mori Maclin, WR
Based on what we heard and saw in the spring, Kentucky should be in good hands with Calzada at quarterback.
The big question – especially after starters Dane Key and Barion Brown jumped into the transfer portal for Nebraska and LSU – is who will Calzada be able to rely upon for big plays in the receiving corps? The Key/Brown duo accounted for 46% of UK’s receptions and 49% of the Cats’ yardage last season in the passing game.
Maclin, a 5-foot-11, 191-pound senior, appeared to be the guy who was ready to step up in the spring. Kentucky expected him to be an impact player last season after transferring with some big numbers from his time at North Texas, but it was difficult for him to find his rhythm with the Cats’ struggling offense.
An optimist can point to his final four games of the 2024 season as reason to believe he can be a reliable No. 1 option this season. The Kirkwood, Mo., native had a 32-yard touchdown catch against Tennessee, two receptions for 52 yards against Texas, and a three-catch, 121-yard, two-touchdown day against Louisville.
Maclin’s leadership will set the tone in the receiver room this fall.
Steven Soles Jr.
Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White said it in no uncertain terms this spring: the edge positions are his biggest question marks going into the 2024 season.
Soles flashed signs of his potential as a freshman, playing in 11 games and recording two TFLs, a sack, and a quarterback hurry.
The Powell, Tenn., native has been known for his motor since he arrived at UK, but he needed more bulk to take advantage of it. He’s now carrying close to 240 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame and should be able to combine that with the experience he gained last season to put up bigger numbers.
Kentucky finished with only 24 sacks last season, ranking 74th nationally. That number has to improve in 2025, and if it does, Soles will likely be a big reason why.
David Gusta
Kentucky raised some eyebrows among college football recruitniks by landing one of the most coveted defensive tackles available in the transfer portal.
The 6-foot-3, 317-pound Gusta played the last four seasons at Washington State, starting 23 games the last two.
He’s a classic nose tackle who fits the Cats’ defensive scheme to a tee. When UK gets strong play at this spot, it typically fields a good defense.
We saw glimpses of that potential this spring, when the San Bernardino, Calif., native was able to use his size and strength to command the interior gaps, often occupying two blockers.
White also believes Gusta has some pass-rush ability that hasn’t been fully realized. If he can provide those things, the Cats may be able to sustain the loss of NFL Draft pick Deone Walker from the D-Line.