Auburn and Kentucky meet in two days in Jordan-Hare Stadium as the SEC football season finally kicks off.
To get an idea of what to expect from the Wildcats, I spoke with Cats Pause writer Derek Terry.
On what Kentucky position group is being overlooked
“I would say the defensive line and probably secondary. Start of the defensive line, they are pretty experienced. Quinton Bohanna, he’s going to be a four year starter this year. He’s been on the line since his freshman year. Josh Paschal moved back down. The plan was always pretty much for him to play defensive line. And then he had the melanoma diagnosis a few years ago, a slight bit of outside linebacker, but he’s back full time by defense of that. And Phil Hoskins is a 6th year guy, he’ll probably start, but they’ve got a lot of depth. So there’s a lot of experience there. And then in the secondary, I don’t know, I’m curious to see, cause they finished second nationally and passing are the loud, but they… If you watch the games last year, they played in like, I think one third of the games basically in the regular season were played in the rain. And also it was just the quarterback situation in the East last year. It was just, it was kind of a mess for every team really. I mean, see, my most teams were at some point play their second string. So I think they have talent back there, especially out in Calvin Joseph this year I think it’s going to help. But at the same time, I’m really curious to see how true those numbers are going to hold up and what should be a year that maybe some things are a little bit more settled, but those would be the two spots I would say are the two positions that are pretty strong.”
On quarterback Terry Wilson
“Yeah, I do think obviously this year, I’ve not really gotten to watch. We would see a few practices. That’s not been the case this year, so you’re pretty much out there relying on what the coaches say. Well, you had Vince Marrow today, the associate head coach on our podcast. And he was saying that he thinks he looks just as good. I know when he cuts a practice, everything looks good. He’s if he’s running this as fast as he was, I think the big question Mark is, it’s just been so long since he’s playing the game. I mean, it’s going to be over a year by the time that’s all Bringham gets here. It’s a real game and I know it means a different thing this year because the crowds are going to be so I was sparse, but I think he will need some time to settle back in. And I really felt like had he been able to play a full year, last year, kind of his outlook. And I really feel like to talk to you maybe how to develop at the rate that of his potential. I mean, I think he could have been going into a year where you didn’t have too many questions on the offense, but as it stands right now, that’s got to be the biggest question mark. It’s not only how healthy he is, but also how are these wide receivers going to… Because they’re not a very well known group and it’s not really all their fault because of what happened last year, where they had to go off boat. But Terry for Kentucky, I think to be more than just a middle tier sec team this year, I think he’s going to have to really play well.”
On running backs
“Yeah, three guys right there are competing for the starting job. Adrian Arose as a senior, he pretty much started every game last year. And then Kavosiey Smoke and Chris Rodriguez are sophomores who at times last year kind of took over. Especially early in the year, Smoke was very good. And then towards the end of the year, so it was Rodriguez was getting a lot of the reps. Actually there are a few freshmen too, who I don’t know against Albourne how much he’ll play. He might be one of those freshmen that as a year goes on plays more, but to kind of claim has been talked about a lot of this camp. He’s really been praised quite a bit by Eddie grant who, as you know, being an Albert guys really successful history of coaching, running backs, phrases, kid, as much as he is. I think you can now expect that he’s got a pretty bright future.”
On experience being an advantage for Kentucky
:Well, you have, I think I just like for an early season game, I really do think that benefits can talk to you that… It’s not even so much like Auburn recruits really good kids. And, and time I think those kids will be good, but if you’ve had a year like this and I don’t know how much Chad Morris has coming in there to change that off balance. But when you have a year like this, where you lost practice time, I don’t know Auburn, like every schools that’s now that was told that I don’t know, especially specifically where those guys are out. But I do think that Kentucky’s just this, the scheme is the same as it’s been. The players are the same. I really do feel like that the stability is probably going to be of help to Kentucky in this game. But we’ll see if Kentucky’s having a little bit of a battle, had a left guard. Kenneth Horsey was a projected starter, but he’s been out with an injury. So kind of have to play a guy who’s really never played before. Most likely starting as Austin Dodson. So everywhere else in the line, he got four starters back. Both tackles are probably going to be drafted this year. So Kentucky’s don’t need those guys to live up to that billing.”
On Kentucky’s depth
“I do think it’s the deepest, especially at certain positions and what really helps is they were already bringing a lot of guys back, but then they find the number 25 class in the country, which is still only good for like 10th in the SEC but for Kentucky’s I mean, that’s a big deal of the kind of class that good because you continue to kind of supplement that roster with highly rated guys. The fact that I got… It was a true freshman, he was a high school, but it sounds like he’s for sure going to play this first game. For him to be able to break in like that I think is a good sign, but I would have to agree it’s the deepest, I don’t know that they’re going to win as many games. They might not have the stars though. That makes sense. I don’t see a business now on this offense. There’s probably not a Josh Allen type player on defense, but as a whole, I think top to bottom, the roster is better than it was in 2018, but that might not mean more wins. That makes sense.”