College football’s opening week is finally here, and I for one could not be happier.  This is the week when everyone feels compelled to prognosticate about the upcoming season, myself included.  So with that in mind, here are my un-expert predictions for the 2016 University of Kentucky Wildcats. 

 FINAL RECORD

There are a lot of similarities between Stoops’ start at Kentucky and the start of Coach Rich Brooks, but I won’t go into all of them here.  I will just say this – Brooks got it done in year four after most people had already written him off, and I believe Stoops will do the same.  The schedule features six games we have to win, three we could potentially win, and three we likely will get blown out in.  UK could end up anywhere between 4-8 and 8-4, but I’m going on the record with a cautiously optimistic prediction of 7-5.  The safe pick is probably 6-6, but the optimist inside of me has a feeling that the Cats are going to pull off one more than most people are expecting.  The guess here is we beat Southern Miss, New Mexico State, South Carolina, Vandy, Mississippi State, Missouri, and Austin Peay — that would be the six we have to win, plus one of the “potential win” games against Dan Mullen’s MSU Bulldogs (finally!). 

As for bowl games, let’s stay on the Rich Brooks path.  I say the Cats go to Nashville and bring home another Music City Bowl trophy by beating Duke in a high scoring affair, completing their season at 8-5.  Why not?

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

Boom Williams…if he stays healthy.  Eddie Gran is going to finally let the guy tote the rock, so if Boom can stay healthy for a full season I expect big numbers out of him.  Like 1,300+ total yards and around 12 touchdowns big.  He’ll lose some goal line carries, and therefore touchdowns, or I’d guess closer to 15 total TD’s this year.  The guy has all the potential in the world, and it is Boom’s time to show what he can really do.  If he can stay on the field, Williams is going to explode in 2016. 

Just to cover my bases, if Boom were to miss much time with injuries, I think Drew Barker or CJ Conrad are the most likely alternate candidates for Offensive POY.  But UK needs #18 to be its best offensive player if they are going to do what they want to with the football this year. 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Cornerback Chris Westry is a great player obviously, but other teams know that too.  I expect opposing QB’s to avoid him at every possible opportunity.  Give me Denzil Ware.  Denzil Ware can not be avoided.  He will be leading the pass rush, setting the edge when team try to run at him, and chasing plays down from the backside when they try to avoid him.  He is also without a doubt the defensive player most likely to produce big momentum-swinging plays (see picture above).  If this defense ends up being better than advertised, Denzil Ware will be a huge reason why. 

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

That’s right, there are three phases of a football game, so we can’t leave this one out.  Austin MacGinnis would be the obvious option, and we will need our star kicker to be healthy and productive this season for sure.  But I feel like going out on a limb with this one – I’ll take AJ Rose.  The freshman may redshirt this season, which will make this choice look completely stupid, but I’m gambling on him being too electric to leave off the field.  The backfield may be a bit crowded to get Rose many carries, but I think at some point he gets a chance to make his mark in both the return game and the coverage game…and that he takes full advantage when that opportunity comes around.  I may be a year early on this prediction, but no guts no glory in the pre-season awards game. 

COACH OF THE YEAR  

I think that the three new offensive coaches this season were all home run hires.  Eddie Gran, Lamar Thomas, and Darin Hinshaw will all have extremely positive impacts on the Cats in 2016.  I would love to pick Hinshaw for the award, because if he is our best coach that would mean Drew Barker had an incredible season.  I think Hinshaw is a very important hire, and that he will do an amazing job, but I don’t fully trust Barker to be incredible…not yet at least.  Instead, I am going with Eddie Gran.  I think the OC will provide much-needed direction and organization to the offense, but his most important contributions may be his stabilizing effect on Mark Stoops.  The offense will improve under Gran, and I also believe Stoops will improve as a head coach thanks to having Steady Eddie by his side.  Plus he kind of looks like my dad…so I’m voting Eddie Gran for Coach of the Year. 

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

I am playing this one safe and choosing Nebraska transfer Courtney Love.  I could have went with any of a handful of true or redshirt freshmen here, but the staff feels like Love is  the most important newcomer so I am going to defer to their wisdom on this one.  Love will be asked to anchor the defense in the middle of the linebacker corps, so he needs to be our best new Wildcat.  He will look the part if nothing else – the guy is massive – but I believe he will also play the part by producing big time for UK this year.   

With the awards all handed out, here are a few other quick-hitting predictions.

• This is the year Dorian Baker gets his crap together and produces like the big time wide receiver we all know he can be.  The increased competition should bring out the best in Baker.  One more prediction for Dorian – he will literally kill some poor unsuspecting cornerback with a peel-back block this season.  Yep, that’s definitely happening.
• Not all predictions are bold, so here’s an easy one:  CJ Conrad will be a top 3 tight end in the SEC, maybe the best.  Gran’s offense will turn him into a star.
• UK will end the season with its best rushing numbers since Artose Pinner was killing it for Kentucky.  Although Boom is the star, Jo Jo Kemp, Mikel Horton, and Bennie Snell will all play a role during the season.  Deep stable of talented, diverse backs + coach who knows how to use them = BIG TIME PRODUCTION.
• Speaking of the running game, John Toth and his O-Line companions will be much improved as they pave the way for the RB’s and protect Drew Barker.  Coach Schlarman’s group has taken some criticism at times, but this year’s line has the potential to be good, or even really good if Landon Young comes along quickly.  This offensive line has as much depth and upside as any I remember at UK.
• Our defense is the most suspect unit on the team this season.  As such, they will need help from the offense and special teams if UK is to hold its own in the field position battle.  The offense should move the chains well enough to do its part.  We all better pray that new punter Grant McKinnis shakes whatever has been holding him back during camp, or special teams will fall short of what is needed from them again in 2016.  The Cats will once again have a nonexistent margin of error, so we can’t afford to struggle in the kicking game. 
• JD Harmon will be invaluable to this team.  He is a rare veteran presence on an extremely young Kentucky team.  UK definitely needs him to star on special teams, but he’ll be equally important playing cornerback in nickle/dime situations.  Harmon will be one of the unsung heroes of this year’s team.   

So there it is, my predictions for the season.  Feel free to let me know where you agree/disagree in the comments section. 

This week I’m taking UK over Southern Miss 38-28.  GO CATS!