Safety depth could help Kentucky play faster and more complex in 2024

Despite losing Jalen Geiger to Tulane via the transfer portal after the season, Kentucky appeared set at safety. The Wildcats returned three players who each played over 250 snaps last season. With some recent strong high school recruiting wins, safety did not seem like a position of need for Kentucky this offseason. Many were surprised when the Wildcats added Alabama transfer Kristian Story to the roster in January.

The former top-200 recruit out of Lanett (Ala.) High played a rotational role for a College Football Playoff participant last year and immediately improved the depth at safety at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. That could allow defensive coordinator Brad White to lean more on the safety position after the group had a disappointing season in 2023.

“You need it at as many positions as you can get it,” White told reporters when asked about Kentucky’s safety depth on Thursday. “Especially at a position like that because then you can play some three-safety looks. You have enough depth to do that. You can do multiple things. You can keep guys fresh and not wear them out. Ideally, that’s what I’d like to do at essentially all our positions where you’ve got enough depth where guys aren’t having to play 70 snaps a game.

“If you can play anywhere between sort of 40 and 50 [snaps] that’s kind of sweet spot. Even for upper-level elite players.”

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Zion Childress and Jordan Lovett were each required to play 500-plus snaps last season. Kentucky would like to lower the snap count volume for its top players at the safety position. White would also like to ask that position to take on more responsibility within the scheme. The Wildcats could ask one of the safeties to ply inside at nickel. But the No. 1 goal will be to have a strength in numbers at safety.

“At some point, you’ve gotta get guys break and rest. If you can keep guys fresh and they can play fast — that’s hard to deal with. Especially four guys that have significant SEC reps that can communicate you can do a lot of different things,” White said. “Not changing any other position, those four guys, we can do some different things with them and we can put some different stressors on them.”

Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass product Ty Bryant will also be in that playing time mix in year two after becoming a surprise contributor as a true freshman. Kentucky needs the safety spot to carry a lot of weight this fall. Adding an experienced transfer should give the Wildcats some more options when it comes to mixing and matching.