Kentucky players to watch against Georgia

Kentucky is hitting the road for the second time in two weeks. After a colossal disappointment against South Carolina, the challenge looks much tougher this weekend. The Cats are headed to Athens to play another Georgia team with a ton of talent. This betting spread is three possessions for a reason.

The Cats are reeling right now. It feels like this season could get really off the tracks in October. This program desperately needs something good to happen. Will that arrive this weekend or do things keep getting worse?

It’s probably a good thing that Mark Stoops and his football program are getting out of town before the final bye week of the season arrives next week. The fan base is currently furious with the direction of this football program and hot seat chatter has left the train station. There will be no slowing it down in the near future.

Kentucky needs to have a good performance on Saturday. UK needs to be in the game in the second half. This has been a struggle in SEC play over the last two seasons. Will it change at Sanford Stadium?

These are the players that could make it happen.

Can Cutter Boley show improvement?

In his first start of the season, Cutter Boley played some good football. The redshirt freshman took care of the football and hit on some vertical passes to give the offense some much-needed explosive plays. The only problem is that game was sandwiched by some rough moments in his other two starts.

Boley was part of an offense that had five turnovers in the blowout loss to Louisville to end the 2024 season. He then played a bigger role in the second quarter disaster at South Carolina where four turnovers turned a UK lead into a blowout loss. Growing pains were expected when UK made the switch to Boley for the second time in two seasons. Now the program needs the young quarterback to show some development.

Kentucky will be playing in front of another big SEC road crowd on Saturday. Getting the run game rolling will be difficult against Georgia’s front. The Cats most likely will need to connect on some passes to consistently move the chains and create scoring opportunities.

The plan was never for Boley to start this season but an audible had to be called. Now Kentucky is all-in on the young quarterback. It’s imperative that Boley can become a playmaker and a future pillar for this program at the sport’s most important position. All week in Lexington, the coaching staff praised Boley’s resilience. Can that turn into a strong bounce-back performance?

Kentucky is struggling. They desperately need their young quarterback to grow up fast. Will a positive step be made in Athens?

Kentucky needs more havoc plays on defense

Kentucky ranked No. 23 nationally in defensive’s havoc rate (13.3%) last season. The Wildcats have fallen to No. 123 in havoc rate (8.7%) this season. Brad White‘s defense is not creating enough negative plays. That needs to change.

The Cats got off to a fast start with turnovers but have only produced more than one takeaway once in four games and simply needs more tackles for loss. As Kentucky looks to make adjustments as the season goes on, creating move havoc needs to be at the top of the priority list.

Alex Afari Jr. has is settling into this new position at off-ball linebacker and is playing some good football. The senior has recorded 22.5 tackles for loss in 1,485 career snaps. Kentucky has seen Afari be a playmaker. Can he become a havoc creator more consistently?

Kentucky needs to start making more plays to get the offenses behind the chains. That starts by creating havoc. Afari is one of Kentucky’s best players and could see a heavy run script from Georgia. This will in turn create more passing downs where UK’s pass rush can pin their ears back.

This on the entire defense but Afari stands out as the defense’s top potential havoc creator. Can the linebacker start piling up tackles for loss?

Can Kentucky start connecting more with Ja’Mori Maclin?

Ja’Mori Maclin was a big transfer portal win for the Kentucky program following the 2023 season. The former Misouri wide out became one of the best vertical threats in college football at North Texas. However, UK attempt to make him a slot receiver in 2024 and that did not work out too well. However, we saw more production last November when Maclin got to play outside.

Over the last four games of 2024, Maclin recorded seven receptions (12 targets) for 224 yards and four touchdowns. The multi-time transfer looked a big winner on vertical routes. Once he announced a return for the 2025 season, the thought was we could see UK make a more concerted effort to include Maclin in the vertical passing game.

The Cats are playing Maclin much more at outside receiver this season but the vertical targets have not arrived. Maclin has received just three targets of 20-plus air yards through four games. He had a catch on a double move against Ole Miss and got open on an inside release last week against South Carolina. Over his last three seasons, Maclin has 20 catches (46 targets) for 797 yards and nine touchdowns on throws of 20-plus air yards. Kentucky needs to take more swings with No. 9 on vertical throws.

Georgia’s pass defense has been a major issue (No. 112 in EPA/dropback allowed). The Bulldogs will give UK some one-on-one opportunities on the outside. UK needs to start taking more swings in the passing game with Maclin.

Can the Cats get more reliable play in the secondary?

Tackling was an issue for Kentucky during fall camp scrimmages. It’s remained a problem for this defense in four games to start the season. According to PFF data, UK has missed 46 tackles this season. Nearly half of those (22) have occurred in the secondary.

Both Mark Stoops and Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White said the secondary was positioned to be the strength of the defense. That hasn’t played out through four games. UK is continually giving up yards after the catch and that needs stop.

Multi-year safety starter Jordan Lovett has missed six tackles in four games. The veteran has had some rough moments early as the two biggest plays of the game by Ole Miss and South Carolina occurred when Lovett missed tackles. Kentucky needs him to bounce-back. Saturday will be a good test.

Georgia is trying to get the ball out of Gunner Stockton‘s hands quickly. That means a lot of short passes and a heavy amount of screens. It will be imperative for UK’s secondary to get off blocks and make tackles in space. Lovett and the rest of that unit must start playing better football.