Kentucky Wildcats: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
Kentucky Wildcats: Key To The 2022 Offense
Turnovers … stop giving them away.
The Wildcat offense should have more firepower and pop, but in general, the program wins on being sharper and making fewer overall mistakes – there aren’t a lot of penalties – than the team on the other side.
The turnovers weren’t always a killer last year, but the 23 given away were the most since the 28 in 2016, and they occasionally proved costly.
Four turnovers against New Mexico State was no big deal. Four against Mississippi State were the problem in the 31-17 loss.
The offense gave up 11 in the first four games and managed to go 4-0, but with a tougher first half of the season, they need to be air tight coming out of the box.
And on the other side of the ball …
Kentucky Wildcats: Key To The 2022 Defense
Turnovers … start getting more.
The defense overall will be fine once a steady pass rush shows up among the new parts. The disruption has to lead to more big plays and takeaways.
The 2020 Kentucky team played 11 games and came up with 22 takeaways. The 2019 D generated 19, and the 2018 version took it away 20 times.
The 2021 defense came up with just 12 takeaways, and three of them came in the bowl win over Iowa. There was just one fumble recovery in the first eight games, and there was only one takeaway in the three-game losing stretch for a defense that came up with multiple turnovers just two times.
Kentucky Wildcats: Key Player To The 2022 Season
OT Deondre Buford, Soph.
Let’s put the pressure on the new option. Left tackle has become a big position for Kentucky over the last few years, but the 6-3, 295-pound Buford isn’t as bulky as past options and he needs more time.
Buford appears to be ready to hold down the spot, but watch out for superstar NFL-looking recruit Kiyaunta Goodwin to see time.
Kentucky Wildcats: Key Transfer
WR Tayvion Robinson, Jr.
After three years as a dangerous, consistent part of the Virginia Tech offense, the 5-10, 187-pound Robinson now steps into a big role with the Kentucky passing game.
He caught 113 passes for 1,555 yards and nine touchdowns with the Hokies, was used a bit as a runner, and now he should be a jack-of-all-trades type for the attack.
Kentucky Key Game To The 2022 Season
at Florida, Sept. 10
1976 and 1977. That was the last time Kentucky beat Florida two years in a row.
The Wildcats won 20-13 last year, and this time around it’s the SEC opener on the road in Week 2. Georgia and South Carolina are home games, but Tennessee is on the road.
Beat the Gators in a game their new head coach Billy Napier needs to get, and UK will almost certainly be 4-0 going into the road game at Ole Miss. Lose, and deal with Lane Kiffin’s club on the road to avoid an 0-2 SEC start.
Kentucky Wildcats: 2021 Fun Stats
– Time of Possession: Kentucky 32:35 – Opponents 27:23
– 1st Quarter Scoring: Kentucky 119 – Opponents 59
– Fumbles: Kentucky 19 (lost 10) – Opponents 10 (lost 3)
O, D Breakdown | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Kentucky Top 10 Players | Kentucky Schedule & Analysis