Mark Stoops sees similarities between 2016 and 2025 rosters for Kentucky Football

We all remember that 2016 run for the Kentucky Wildcats, a make-or-break season for Mark Stoops — who later admitted he was coaching for his job, likely fired if they couldn’t get to bowl eligibility. They started the year 0-2 and gave up 42 points in a zero-defense win over New Mexico State, but would finish the regular season 7-5 with a road win at No. 11 Louisville to put a bow on Stoops’ first postseason appearance as a head coach in the SEC, invited to the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville on New Year’s Eve.

Drew Barker‘s team became Stephen Johnson‘s team, the unlikely hero of the season coming from the JUCO ranks. He kept things steady at quarterback while a three-headed monster of Stanley “Boom” Williams, Benny Snell Jr. and Jojo Kemp dominated on the ground, pros emerging on the defensive side of the football with the likes of Mike Edwards and Josh Allen.

In a year where Stoops needed to turn things around, the Wildcats exceeded expectations. Could this season follow that same script, Cutter Boley replacing the injured Zach Calzada with a trio of standout backs emerging in Seth McGowan, Dante Dowdell and Jason Patterson, the defense clearly loaded with talent? Tom Leach sees the similarities — and Stoops doesn’t necessarily disagree.

“Well, that’s a great comparison, I think. I’m not sure what we ended up that year, but I know, certainly, Stephen (Johnson) turned out to be one heck of a ball player,” the Kentucky head coach told the Voice of the Wildcats on Monday. “Definitely the traits of those teams, we were always very physical up front and able to run the ball while playing good defense.”

It all starts with Boley, who will get the keys to the offense as Kentucky heads to South Carolina looking for its first SEC win of the season — and of the redshirt freshman’s career.

He showed plenty of promise in the Eastern Michigan win, obviously, but that’s to be expected. How will he respond in Columbia with the Wildcats desperate for a bounce-back season under Stoops? Johnson stepped up at this point back in 2016, and now, it’s time to see if Boley can do the same.

“We’ve been watching him for a year and a half now and you just see a guy that’s getting better with every opportunity. He’s getting more confident in the pocket, making better decisions. I just think he understands the offense that much better, so it gives you a lot of optimism moving forward,” Stoops said. “… He is very comfortable off-schedule, and he’s one of those guys who wants to evade the pressure and move in the pocket to throw the ball down the field, which we like. He’s been very accurate with that.

“He places the ball in some really good spots on the move, and he’s really always done that, even when you got to watch him last year on scout team before he moved up and was in that rotation. The placement of some of his throws is impressive.”

It’s not just about the quarterback, though — “We have to support Cutter,” as Stoops put it. The running backs can certainly help in that department, led by McGowan, who sits in second in the SEC in rushing touchdowns with six and third in the league in yards per game with 91.67. Dowdell isn’t far behind, sitting in ninth with 71.3 yards per game and a score of his own. They’re also the lone backs in the top 10 of the SEC with just three games under their belt with a bye week, everyone else getting a fourth.

“Seth is a guy that just brings some juice to our team, not just with his play. I think he’s got a really fun personality and guys like him. He’s ultra competitive and he has a skill set, he’s a guy that can run with some power. He can make people miss. We haven’t gotten to it enough yet, but he’s dynamic with catching the ball as well, so he’s really a complete back, and a guy that’s created some explosive plays for us. We need to continue to feed him and get him involved in as many ways as we can.”

Dowdell ‘was a little banged up in that game,’ Stoops said of McGowan’s co-star in the backfield against Eastern Michigan. His touches were limited, but we know what his head coach thinks of his ability.

“Sometimes it’s just between them and God — it’s God-given ability,” he said ahead of the opener. “Sometimes you just gotta turn them loose, and Dante is like that. Once the lights come on in a game, he really takes it up another level.”

In his absence? Redshirt freshman Jason Patterson, who made the most of the reps with 80 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in the 48-23 win. He could be the Kemp of that Boom vs. Benny backfield we loved in 2016, just an extra touch of production behind the workhorses.

“It was really good to see JP get some touches and get some action. He really did well. We’ve been confident in him, it’s just — he has two really good players in front of him. Jason has really worked hard. He’s been reliable, a guy we trust, and I’ve said that, and everybody got a chance to watch him play this last week.

“There’s a perfect example of a guy just constantly doing his work and going about his business, doing things the right way. When you get your opportunity, it’s not just about playing, it’s about playing well and helping your team. He was able to do that.”

It’s not gonna be easy, but I’m not sure any member of Big Blue Nation would turn down a seven-win finish in 2025 — especially if it meant ending the year with a big rivalry victory over Louisville. 2016 was a blast for the program, why not run it back?