TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: 2021 Kentucky Football is a Top 25 Team

This is topic 2021 Kentucky Football is a Top 25 Team in forum UK / NCAA Football at TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://www.thecatsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=011424

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 01-04-2021, 05:14 PM:

s Kentucky a preseason Top 25 team following Darian Kinnard’s announcement that the All-American will be returning for his senior season? Legitimate question. Mark Stoops is still waiting for LB Jamin Davis, DT Phil Hoskins and RB Chris Rodriguez to make their NFL decisions. Preseason rankings are kind of silly and are heavily based on logo and “Little Guy” infatuation. So, don’t expect much love from the “experts.”

If Kentucky gets average play from its quarterbacks and receivers to go along with a new, NFL style offensive scheme, I can say without hesitation that the Cats justifiably deserve a preseason Top 25 ranking. But it won’t happen. The Wildcats will be coming off a 5-6 season while facing an all-SEC schedule plus the Gator Bowl in which it defeated the 23rd ranked North Carolina State Wolfpack. Any way you decide to dissect the 2020 season, it has to be classified as a success given the unthinkable adversity that Mark Stoops’ team had to endure.

The defense could be returning eight or nine starters including players that recently announced their decision to return for an additional season: DE Josh Paschal, LB DeAndre Square, Safety/Corner Quandre Mosely, and Safety/Nickel Davonte Robinson. It will likely lose OLB Boogie Watson and NT Quinton Bohanna. DT Phil Hoskins has not declared if he intends to enter the Draft or come back for an unprecedented 7th college football season. Safety Yusuf Corker is an All-SEC performer and a future pro. He will anchor a seasoned secondary that will also feature a mixture of freshmen and sophomores. Brad White’s unit should repeat as one of the top defenses in the Southeastern Conference.

Again, if Kentucky gets average QB and WR play, it’s a Top 25 team. QBs Joey Gatewood and Beau Allen will compete to see who commands Liam Coen’s offense. Either Gatewood or Allen will be potentially joined by one of the SEC’s top running backs in Chris Rodriguez Jr. WR Josh Ali will lead a receiving corps that could take on some new names in 2021.

The TE position will be loaded. Justin Rigg said earlier that he’s returning for another senior season and will be joined by Keaton Upshaw, Brenden Bates, and incoming star Jordan Dingle. Coen’s system will rely on multiple tight end sets. It also features the position in the passing game. TE is the best position group on the Wildcat’s roster.

Link