Improved run defense is top goal for Kentucky in 2025

Many things went wrong for Kentucky in 2024. Perhaps the most shocking was just how much the run defense fell off a cliff. After strong performances against South Carolina, Georgia, and Ole Miss where Kentucky’s front was highly successful, everything came unglued in the final five power conference games last season. Auburn and Louisville each rushed for over 300 yards. Texas reached 250 yards and did not need to throw a pass on its final touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. The Cats simply had no answers on run defense.

The results were jarring as this unit allowed 16 rushing touchdowns during that stretch. The 2021 and 2022 defenses didn’t allow more than 16 rushing touchdowns in the entire season. A reliable asset became a huge problem in a disastrous season. That problem needs to get fixed.

Kentucky can expect opponents to come out and test their run defense early and often to start the 2025 season. With a mostly new front seven, this group has to prove that they can fit the run and create passing downs. Some of the newcomers are aware of the reputation established last year. UK is now making a concerted effort to get back to its previous standard.

“I hear a lot of things about the problems with stopping the run last year,” defensive tackle and Washington State transfer David Gusta told KSR on Wednesday. “I want to go out there and prove to them that we can stop the run for sure this year. And to show them that we are tough. That we are disciplined.”

“We really just going to give great effort,” South Dakota defensive end transfer Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace said. “Obviously, we want to stop the run.”

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Kentucky had a lot of problems to fix in the offseason. The program used a hard roster reset to help fix the problems. The Cats brought in 50 new players while leaning on coaching staff continuity. However, the defense has much more stability than the offense. There are some new pieces but many players who were a part of last year’s run defense will be asked to correct the issues that plagued Kentucky down the stretch last season. The Cats will look to return to a program philsophy.

“Don’t take us slightly. Last year wasn’t the best moment but people are probably just overlooking us and stuff like that,” Kentucky safety Ty Bryant said. “But we’re going to show that we play fast, we play physical, we play hard every single down. Just let our game do all the talking.”

Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White wants to see his entire defense play to the program’s standard. That starts at the point of attack and playing a physical brand of football. The Cats lost some of its DNA as last season came apart at the seams as the defense stopped being a unit that more than held its own against the run. They must find a way to get that back in 2025.

“A defense that just runs to the ball. Physical,” USC EDGE transfer Sam Greene said. “Attack, attack, attack.”