Kentucky has the offensive skill talent to produce top 25 results
Kentucky got some more good announcement news on Monday when former Virginia Tech transfer Tayvion Robinson announced that he would be returning for year two in Lexington. The Cats could have five super seniors now starting on offense with Robinson, Devin Leary, Brenden Bates, Marques Cox, and Kenneth Horsey all entering their final seasons of eligibility.
Now we’re just waiting on the official offensive coordinator announcement. All the other pieces are in place at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility for Kentucky to cleanse the palate after a woeful season in 2022 where this offense put up a Mark Stoops era low 20.4 points per game on a paltry 5.2 yards per play.
However, there are some real reasons to believe in the Kentucky offense turning around in 2023. The addition of NC State transfer Devin Leary gives the offense a top-half QB in the SEC, and the Wildcats now return their top six pass catchers from last season with the Robinson returning.
Thanks to some strong recent high school recruiting work at wide receiver to go along with effective transfer portal mining, the pieces are in place for Kentucky to have its second top-25 offense in three seasons next fall. But the passing game will need to lead the way as the offense resets at tailback and is still rebuilding the Big Blue Wall.
The tight end position will play a huge role for the offense, but wide receiver production will ultimately determine how far the Wildcats get on offense in 2023. Coen and Leary are inheriting a group with some depth concerns, but there is no denying that the talent is there to have the program’s best passing offense in over a decade.
Let’s dive into Scott Woodward’s position room to see how things set up for the Cats at wide receiver with winter workouts right around the corner.
The Room
— Tayvion Robinson (5-11, 187, Super): 2,226 career snaps, 153 receptions, 2,052 receiving yards, 13.4 yards per reception, 12 touchdowns, 37 carries, 265 rushing yards, 7.2 yards per rush, 69.4 PFF grade in 2022
— Dekel Crowdus (5-10, 171, RSo.): 71 career snaps, 4 receptions, 82 yards, 20.5 yards per reception, 58.0 PFF grade in 2022
— Barion Brown (6-1, 166, So.): 497 career snaps, 50 receptions, 628 yards, 4 touchdowns, 12.6 yards per reception, 70.3 PFF grade in 2022
— Dane Key (6-3, 194, So.): 615 career snaps, 37 receptions, 519 yards, 6 touchdowns, 14.0 yards per reception, 69.3 PFF grade in 2022
— Jordan Anthony (5-9, 155, RFr.)
— Brandon White (5-9, 160, RFr.)
— Ardell Banks (6-3, 181, Fr.)
— Anthony Brown (5-8, 160, Fr.)
— Shamar Porter (6-3, 200, Fr.)
Kentucky has weapons
You fix your problems in college football through recruiting. One of Kentucky’s biggest positional weaknesses has become a program strength nearly overnight.
Former top-100 recruit Barion Brown emerged as an explosive playmaker for the Kentucky offense in 2022 despite being somewhat raw as a receiver. The former top-100 recruit out of Nashville has a very bright future.
Dane Key was an important in-state four-star recruiting win for Wildcats beating out South Carolina and Michigan. The legacy recruit became an instant starter for the Wildcats and was one of the most consistent players on the roster in 2022. Key has WR1 potential.
Tayvion Robinson was a former top-500 recruit who played immediately out of high school for Virginia Tech. Unfortunately, there were some major QB issues in Blacksburg despite having Hendon Hooker on the roster. A coaching change was made during the 2021 season, and Robinson decided to depart. The super senior had some moments for Kentucky in 2022 but was not consistent. However, this is a clear slot receiver with playmaking potential.
Add in a proven quarterback (Devin Leary) and a productive college football play-caller (Liam Coen), and all the pieces are there. Kentucky has three wideouts that should all be able to clear 600 receiving yards next season, and each has the potential to go over 1,000 yards. Leary should give the program its first 3,000-yard passer of the Stoops era.
The offense will be going through an identity shift in 2022, but that should be expected. The passing game needs to lead the way. The pieces are there for this to be a top-25 offense.
Depth is a concern
Chauncey Magwood (UCF), DeMarcus Harris (Marshall), Rahsaan Lewis (TBD), and Chris Lewis (Troy) all served as primary backups for Kentucky at wide receiver in 2022. Each entered the transfer portal following the season. That means Kentucky will be turning quickly to some of that good high school recruiting for help.
Ardell Banks, Anthony Brown, and Shamar Porter were class of 2022 signees. Each could see a role on the field in the fall. There is not a clear backup for Key at X receiver and that could be a spot for Porter to fill when he arrives on campus in the summer. Kentucky needs a backup at slot, and Brown could easily fill that role. Banks could give the offense another option as a vertical field stretcher in the deep passing game.
Both Jordan Anthony and Brandon White are back for their redshirt freshman seasons, but each feels like a bit of a tweener at this point in their careers. Both Anthony and White have slot size with vertical speed, but route running and adding play strength is needed for both.
Kentucky has some talented options, but this position could get very young fast if there are any injuries.
Passing game needs to produce in 2023
There is no getting around it — Kentucky must throw the football around the yard in 2023. With Devin Leary taking over behind center, the offense has a quick-processing quarterback that is capable of dropping back 40 times per game and making the correct decisions repeatedly. Leary can distribute, and Kentucky needs him to get the ball in the hands of the playmakers.
For Kentucky to be at its best in 2023, the offense needs Barion Brown, Dane Key, and Tayvion Robinson to gobble up a bunch of grabs. This trio needs to create yards after the catch in the short passing game, move the sticks with intermediate receptions on third downs, and produce explosive plays on air throws of 20-plus yards.
For the team to reach its ceiling, the wide receivers must play at a high level. All the pieces are there for the Wildcats to have a modern-day passing attack that can reach 300-plus yards passing against multiple power conference defenses in 2023.
Kentucky can be a top-25 offense next season in the passing game reaches its potential.
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