The Kentucky Wildcats are set to appear on the final day of SEC Media Days alongside Auburn, Arkansas, and Texas A&M. For head coach Mark Stoops, this will be his 12th appearance at the annual event, making him the longest-tenured coach in the SEC.
Stoops’ tenure at Kentucky boasts two 10-win seasons and another nine-win campaign. Under his leadership, the Wildcats have claimed New Year’s Day bowl victories over Penn State and Iowa. But Kentucky is coming off of back-to-back 7-6 seasons, which many around the program consider disappointing.
What are some of the questions Stoops will have to answer at SEC Media Days regarding getting the Wildcats back on track as they pursue their third 10-win season during his tenure?
Three Most Significant Questions for Mark Stoops at SEC Media Days
1) Will a Running Back Emerge as the Next Great Wildcat?
Last season, Ray Davis emerged as the next great Kentucky running back, proved himself worthy of being mentioned alongside Benny Snell and Chris Rodriguez, and raised the bar for Kentucky’s next starting running back. Davis and his 1,129 rushing yards have since left Lexington as he has joined the Buffalo Bills in the NFL.
Since 2016, five Kentucky ball carriers have combined for seven 1,000-yard-plus rushing seasons. Unfortunately for Stoops, Kentucky enters the 2024 season without a running back who has surpassed 402 yards in a single season.
Ohio State transfer Chip Trayanum, who rushed for 402 yards at Arizona State in 2021, and former North Carolina State back Demi Sumo-Karngbaye, who totaled 305 yards in 2022, are the top two backs on the depth chart following Spring. Trayanum arrives in Kentucky with a reputation as a powerful, shifty runner, reminiscent of Kentucky great Snell, but lacks experience.
MORE: 2024 Kentucky Wildcats Depth Chart
Sumo-Karngbaye has been highly versatile since transferring to Kentucky from NC State before the 2023 season. He has split time between running back and slot receiver but still lacks the carries and experience to prove he can be a feature back in the SEC.
Kentucky’s offense will be guided by former Boise State play-caller Bush Hamdan, who took over after Liam Coen’s second departure to the NFL, this time as the OC in Tampa Bay. At Boise State, Hamdan’s offense was known for its run-heavy approach, often relying on 1,000-yard rushers to shoulder the load.
Stoops’ most successful teams at Kentucky have been led by a starting RB who can handle a high volume of carries and churn out yards in bunches. Does Stoops have another of those products on the 2024 roster?
2) Can Brock Vandagriff Emerge as Another Transfer Quarterback Success Story for Kentucky?
In recent years, Kentucky has relied heavily on the transfer portal to find its starting quarterback. The Wildcats brought in Will Levis and Devin Leary to lead the offense, both experiencing immediate success in Lexington over the past few seasons.
Continuing this trend, Georgia transfer and former five-star prospect Brock Vandagriff, known for his strong arm and poise in the pocket, is expected to emerge as UK’s starter.
Vandagriff ranked as the No. 17 overall player in the 2021 recruiting class. He found himself in a crowded and talented quarterback room at Georgia, where playing time was difficult to come by. In his career, he has thrown for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
However, former Owensboro High School star and Rutgers transfer Gavin Wimsatt will also compete for the starting job during camp.
Wimsatt enters the summer as Kentucky’s most experienced passer, having started 19 games over three seasons for Rutgers. Last year as a junior, he threw for 1,735 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions while also contributing 497 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Stoops aims to rejuvenate an offense that struggled last season. The Wildcats ranked 11th in the SEC in passing (211.6 yards per game) and total offense (339.5 yards per game). Stoops and his coaching staff hope one of these quarterbacks will emerge as the next great Kentucky transfer quarterback.
3) How Serious Are Kentucky Defensive Line Injury Concerns?
The Kentucky defensive front is expected to be one of the best in the SEC, if not the nation. However, their ability to stay healthy may have a massive impact on the Wildcat football team in 2024.
A rash of injuries sidelined an astounding nine Kentucky defensive linemen from the Blue-White scrimmage, forcing Stoops to change plans for the annual scrimmage by limiting live tackling and opting not to go with a true split-squad format.
Kentucky senior defensive tackle Josaih Hayes is expected to miss the entire 2024 season after suffering a torn Achilles during spring camp. Hayes has been integral in helping Kentucky establish one of the best defensive lines in the SEC, if not the country. In his four seasons with the Wildcats, he’s played 44 games, recording 41 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery.
Noseguard Keeshawn Silver has also missed time this Spring due to injuries, as have redshirt freshman Kendrick Gilbert and Octavious Oxendine, both of whom are expected to step up in Hayes’s absence.
Deone Walker, a potential top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is poised to anchor the defensive line this season. Last year, the 6-foot-6, 348-pound powerhouse recorded 55 tackles and 7.5 sacks. But the Wildcats will need help around him.
If they can stay healthy, the Wildcat’s defense has a real chance to surprise some in the SEC in 2024, but Stoops will answer plenty of questions regarding the health of his defensive front going into the season.
SEC Media Days Schedule: Mark Stoops, Kentucky Head Coach
- Date: Thursday, July 18
- Time: 3:25 p.m. ET
- How to watch: SEC Network+
In a season of turnover in Lexington that will see a new offensive coordinator on the sidelines, with a new starting quarterback and a new feature back, the Kentucky Wildcats have high hopes for a successful 2024 campaign.
As they return multiple pass-catching weapons and one of the best defensive players in the country in Deone Walker, the Wildcats are in search of their third 10-win season under head coach Mark Stoops. They hope to keep their SEC title hopes alive late into the 2024 season.
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