4 Things Sawyer Smith can do for Kentucky's Offense

[caption id="attachment_261810" align="alignnone" width="1260"] Getty Images[/caption] This offseason Mark Stoops tried something new -- he searched for a player in the transfer portal. His first excursion was a success. With the help of two former Troy staff members, Jon Sumrall and Mark Perry, quarterback Sawyer Smith became Kentucky's first grad transfer of the Stoops era. Smith is the right fit for Kentucky's offense over the next two seasons.

1. Terry Wilson Runs Free

When Gunnar Hoak announced three weeks ago his intentions to transfer to Ohio State, the UK coaches knew they needed another quarterback. Not to take anything away from Walker Wood, Nik Scalzo and Amani Gilmore, but without Hoak, UK's offense was one bad Terry Wilson hit away from being completely flipped upside down. To prevent that from happening, Eddie Gran would surely tighten up the playbook to keep Wilson as safe as possible. With the addition of Smith, Gran does not need to restrict Wilson's legs. UK's most explosive playmaker on the ground in his first season, Wilson gained 6.75 yards per carry on 8.2 attempts per game. Now that Wilson has someone behind him with experience, the offense can naturally progress by giving Wilson up to 12 or 13 carries a game. When Terry Wilson runs the ball, he's one big play away from a score or one hit away from being sidelined. Sawyer Smith ensures the risk isn't too great to gamble for the reward.

2. Serenade the Offense

If he isn't throwing darts, Smith is know for his excellent singing on the sideline (even if he doesn't know the words). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8OxswCZMKk&t=9s

3. Throw the Deep Ball

The weakest link of UK's offense over the past two years has been the vertical passing game. The long ball just so happens to be Sawyer Smith's greatest strength. Whether he's in the pocket or on the move, Smith can muscle the ball down the field. In the opening drive of the Dollar General Bowl, he threw a pearl 48 yards in the air that hit his receiver in stride for a touchdown. It was a thing of beauty. Arm strength aside, Smith's most important asset is that his game isn't too different from Terry Wilson's. If Wilson goes down with an injury, Gran doesn't have to bring out an entirely new playbook. Smith uses his legs well enough to escape pass rushers or execute a read option. At Nebraska he turned one simple read into an explosive 57-yard run. https://youtu.be/6cSnnygd4Xw?t=119

4. Experience, Experience, Experience

What sets Smith apart from any UK quarterback not-named Terry Wilson -- or any quarterback entering the 2018 season -- is the invaluable experience he received as a redshirt sophomore. Smith played sparingly, primarily as a rushing option, in each of the first five games of the season before Troy starter Kaleb Barker suffered a torn ACL. Thrust into action, Smith was not perfect, but he showed up when the Trojans needed him most. His best game of the year was at the Dollar General Bowl. Seeking a tenth win, Smith rose to the occasion, completing 70.5% of his 44 passes for 320 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. That kind of experience you can't teach. You can try to simulate a third and seven from the 46-yard line with a four-point lead in a bowl game, but the blitz does not feel as real in practice. In that situation Smith looked off the single safety and remained calm in the pocket before dropping an absolute dime for a touchdown. https://youtu.be/KB4jF7j8Om0?t=421 Sawyer Smith's addition gives UK's quarterback room a pair of 10-win signal callers. If Terry Wilson cannot complete his duties, Smith is perfectly prepared to keep the offense on course. [mobile_ad]