2018 Kentucky football preview

The next step for Kentucky in the long term is to win a bowl game, having improved from 2-10 in 2013 to 7-6 the last two seasons – but losing both bowl games.

The next step for Kentucky in the short term is to figure out who its quarterback is going to be. None of the five quarterbacks on the roster has ever taken a snap in a major college game.

Redshirt sophomores Gunnar Hoak and Terry Wilson battled throughout the spring for the right to succeed the graduated Stephen Johnson, who had started the last two seasons.

“(Hoak) is poised. He is accurate. He knows where to go with the football. He can make all the throws,” Wildcats coach Mark Stoops said at SEC Media Days. “… Until you get live, you really cannot see all (Wilson’s) skill sets. Obviously you can see the way he can run. He makes all of the throws. He’s an unbelievable worker, but he’s dynamic.”

The quarterback competition carried to the week of the first game, and may not be settled for good until later in the season.

The Wildcats did lose leading pass-catcher Garrett Johnson, but junior running back Benny Snell Jr., who led the SEC with 19 rushing touchdowns in 2017, would lighten the load for any quarterback.

The defense returns five of its top six tacklers from 2017, including outside linebacker Josh Allen, who passed on the NFL to return for his senior year.

2018 schedule
Sept. 1 – Central Michigan
Sept. 8 – at Florida
Sept. 15 – Murray State
Sept. 22 – Mississippi State
Sept. 29 – South Carolina
Oct. 6 – at Texas A&M
Oct. 20 – Vanderbilt
Oct. 27 – at Missouri
Nov. 3 – Georgia
Nov. 10 – at Tennessee
Nov. 17 – Middle Tennessee
Nov. 24 – at Louisville

2017 record: 7-6 (4-4 conf./T-3rd in SEC East)
All-time SEC championships: 2
All-time bowl appearances: 17 (8-9)

2017 results
Sept. 2 – at Southern Mississippi – W 24-17
Sept. 9 – Eastern Kentucky – W 27-16
Sept. 16 – at South Carolina – W 23-13
Sept. 23 – Florida – L 28-27
Sept. 30 – Eastern Michigan – W 24-20
Oct. 7 – Missouri – W 40-34
Oct. 21 – at Mississippi State – L 45-7
Oct. 28 – Tennessee – W 29-26
Nov. 4 – Ole Miss – L 37-34
Nov. 11 – at Vanderbilt – W 44-21
Nov. 18 – at Georgia – L 42-13
Nov. 25 – Louisville – L 44-17
Dec. 29 – Northwestern* – L 42-23
*Music City Bowl

Returning statistical leaders

Rushing – Att – Yards – Avg – TD
Benny Snell Jr -. 262 – 1333 – 5.1 – 19
Passing – Comp-Att – INT – TD – Yards
Lynn Bowden Jr. – 3-4 – 1 – 0 – 92
Receiving – Rec – Yards – Avg – TD
Tavin Richardson – 27 – 371 – 13.7 – 1
Tackles – Total – INT – Sacks – TFL
Mike Edwards – 97 – 4 – 1 – 4

Starters returning: 17
Offense: 8
Defense: 9
Specialty: 0

Starters lost: 8
Offense: 4
Defense: 2
Specialty: 2

Returning offensive starters: George Asafo-Adjei (RT, Sr.), Dorian Baker (WR, Sr.), C.J. Conrad (TE, Sr.), Drake Jackson (C, So.), Tavin Richardson (WR, Jr.), Benny Snell Jr. (RB, Jr.), Bunchy Stallings (OG, Sr.), Logan Stenberg (OG, Jr.)
Returning defensive starters: Josh Allen (OLB, Sr.), Derrick Baity (CB, Sr.), Quinton Bohanna (NG, So.), T.J. Carter (DE, Jr.), Mike Edwards (S, Sr.), Lonnie Johnson Jr. (CB, Sr.), Jordan Jones (ILB, Sr.), Adrian Middleton (DT, Sr.), Darius West (S, Sr.)