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Spring game: April 16, time TBA
After renovations to Commonwealth Stadium canceled the spring game last year, Kentucky will have a more traditional spring workout format as it hopes erase the memory of a lackluster end of 2015.
All eyes will be on the transition of QB Drew Barker into the full-fledged starting role as he adjusts to new offensive coordinator Eddie Gran and quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw.
Barker had mixed results in 2015, going 35-for-70 passing for 364 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, but he will have some of talent around him in RB Stanley “Boom” Williams and WR Dorian Baker, among others.
Of course, Barker is no stranger to a quarterback competition and he could get another with junior college transfer Stephen Johnson II already enrolled.
Barker’s performance is essential to Kentucky’s fortunes in 2016 and coach Mark Stoops’ future in Lexington. Another middling season would add pressure for administrators to make another coaching change.
THREE BIG QUESTIONS
1. Will Eddie Gran make a difference more than his predecessors?
Gran, the new offensive coordinator, is the third coach in that position in three years. Everybody wants results. Now.
Gran and Hinshaw recruited Barker when both were at Cincinnati.
“Working him out and seeing him, I was really excited about this kid,” Hinshaw told the Louisville Courier-Journal. “I know he had all the accolades and all that kind of stuff and the rankings and all that, but he deserved it. He was a kid I was really impressed with and impressed with his motion.”
Gran runs a pro-style offense but told the paper he wants the Wildcats to play fast.
2. Will the coaching staff change anything to avoid a third late-season sputter?
With an upgraded stadium and revamped coaching staff, Stoops’ job security with a 12-24 record is weakening without some noticeable improvements. Will practice schedules or playing time be altered following a 5-1 start in 2014 and a 4-2 start in 2015 only to end with similar sputters?
Stoops has upgraded recruiting, but the Wildcats still have lost five consecutive times to rival Louisville, including the past three under Stoops. Fans are wondering when these higher ranked recruits will pay dividends.
3. Will an offensive star emerge to complement Stanley “Boom” Williams?
Williams is a legitimate SEC playmaker, yet he’s struggled with injuries. Williams had 855 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and only missed two games, but he also left multiple games at key moments, including the loss against Louisville. TE C.J. Conrad, one of the earlier touted recruits, and Baker, the top returning receiver, are the most likely candidates to offer Saturday highlights.
NEWCOMERS TO WATCH
- OT Tate Leavitt
- C Drake Jackson
- OL Landon Young
- LB Kash Daniel
Leavitt and Jackson will be watched to see how their transition to the college weight room has panned out over the winter. And Daniel, a small-school high school legend turned Mr. Football, has gained attention seemingly daily. He raised eyebrows in the Army All-American game and received an offer from Michigan the day before he enrolled at Kentucky, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
The added depth that these youngsters bring will be something to watch to see if Stoops’ self-described best recruiting class in his Big Blue tenure adds to a more spirited spring practice.
OFFENSIVE STARTERS TO REPLACE
- LT Jordan Swindle
Youth was the name of the game for Kentucky in 2015, so there isn’t much to replace on offense. Swindle was the most experienced member of the UK offensive line, and previously started at right tackle earlier in his career. Overall, he started 35 games.
DEFENSIVE STARTERS TO REPLACE
- LB Jason Hatcher
- LB Josh Forrest
- DB A.J. Stamps
- DL Farrington Huguenin
- DT C.J. Johnson
- LB Ryan Flannigan
- P Landon Foster
- LS Kelly Mason
Hatcher’s offseason dismissal only adds to an exodus of talent and experience in Lexington. Six of the team’s top seven tacklers from 2015 are gone, and rising senior DB Marcus McWilson is the only returning upperclassman who ranked among the team’s top 10 tacklers.
The Wildcats had a few youngsters contribute in 2015, but there are plenty of areas, notably every linebacker position, where graybeards are lacking.
Stamps returned to the starting lineup after some late season depth chart reshuffling. He and Forrest were the only UK players invited to the NFL Combine.
TOP RETURNERS BY CATEGORY
- Top returning passer: Drew Barker (364 yards in 2015)
- Top returning rusher: Stanley “Boom” Williams (855 yards)
- Top returning receiver: Garrett Johnson (694 yards)
- Top returning tackler: Marcus McWilson (66 tackles)
- Top returning pass rusher: Four players with one sack each in 2015
- Top returning pass defender: J.D. Harmon (3 interceptions)
POSITION OF CONCERN: Quarterback
It’s difficult to have plenty of confidence in Barker as he learns the new offense. Barker has the tools to excel, but former starter Patrick Towles appeared to as well. With an injury-prone running back and unproven receivers, plenty will be thrust upon Barker’s shoulders.
By summer camp, there will be two other quarterbacks competing with Barker, who started the Charlotte and Louisville games, but also saw action against Mississippi State, Georgia and Vanderbilt in 2015. But across that body of work, he struggled to string together much consistency.
A small sample size and lack of proven talent around him leaves much to be desired for Barker.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
