Rebuilt Kentucky Offensive Line Prepared for South Carolina Pass Rush

Kentucky fans learned the hard way that a potent pass rush can singlehandedly wreck a game. That’s what happened the last time the Wildcats went up against South Carolina, and the Gamecocks return plenty of talent in the trenches this fall.

First-Team All-American and Nagurski Trophy winner Kyle Kennard is now an L.A. Charger, but the Gamecocks still have another future pro on the EDGE. Former five-star talent Dylan Stewart has 15 pressures and a pair of sacks through four games of his true sophomore season. His combination of length and athleticism is exceptional.

“We have to give (the quarterback) enough time. You always have to be very aware of where (Stewart) is at and have a plan, but you cannot do that on every snap,” said Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops. “There are going to be one-on-one matchups, and we have to hold our own.”

It’s a daunting task for Kentucky’s offensive tackles. A year ago, Shiyazh Pete was in Conference-USA at New Mexico State, and Alex Wollschlaeger was blocking MAC opponents at Bowling Green. They made the move to Kentucky to prove they can compete against the best of the best.

“It’ll be cool. You block him, you’re showing you can do it,” Wollschlaeger told KSR. “He’s a potential NFL player and if you can block him, it shows you can play in the NFL as well. That’s been our mindset: Show that we can keep up, we can dominate, and day in, day out, we’re working on the technique to get it done on Saturday.”

“It’s a huge opportunity to prove yourself, to see what you’re made of,” said Pete.

Stewart isn’t South Carolina’s only defensive lineman who can create problems for the Kentucky offensive line and Cutter Boley. Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy is an exceptional interior defender who is considered doubtful for Saturday’s game. Bryan Thomas Jr. has also shown that he can bend the edge with 13 pressures this fall.

“(Stewart) and (Thomas Jr.) are as good as two EDGE guys in the league. I think everybody knows that,” said offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan. “We’ve got to do a great job of not putting our edge guys in bad spots. There’s a certain level of physicality we gotta play with. We gotta know where those guys are on the field, and try to stay out of long passing situations as much as possible.”

Kentucky Focused on Fundamentals vs. South Carolina

So, how does one slow down talented rushers on the edge of the defense? Stewart and Thomas Jr. may have a deep arsenal of moves, but for Kentucky’s offensive tackles, the focus starts on themselves.

“Most importantly, making sure you’re consistent with how you move, how you step, how you take the field, how you take the ball, stuff like that,” said Pete.

Wollschlaeger added: “I think it’s falling into your technique more so, not really worrying about what they’re going to do, and not getting out of your comfort zone, not overstepping or overreaching, and putting you in a compromising position. Take a deep breath and do what you know you can do: play the game.”

Cutter Boley is making his first SEC start on the road in a hostile environment. For it to be a success, the big guys in front of him have to do their jobs. Kentucky invested in its offensive line this offseason. We’ll find out if that investment pays dividends on Saturday at South Carolina.