Biggest questions facing Kentucky in spring practice
With March quickly approaching most in the Bluegrass are thinking about a deep March Madness run. What happens on the hardwood will get most of the oxygen over the next few weeks, but this is also an important time over at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. After a slow point in the calendar arrived in February, Kentucky will hit the practice fields in March before hosting a spring game in April.
Mark Stoops is entering year 12 at Kentucky, and the 2024 season feels like a pivotal one for the Big Blue Nation. Does Kentucky have one more double-digit win breakthrough in them or will this continue to be a 7-5 program in 2024? We will not find that answer over the next two months, but we could find out what areas the Wildcats need help with.
With spring break and the beginning of spring practice right around the corner, now feels like a good time to address what jumps out as the biggest issues surrounding Kentucky football entering this new year.
These are the five biggest questions facing Kentucky just under seven months from the start of the season.
Can Brock Vandagriff lead a good SEC offense?
Brock Vandagriff was a five-star quarterback in the class of 2021. Lincoln Riley tabbed the Peach State native to run his offense before pivoting to Caleb Williams. The redshirt junior was a backup to Carson Beck in 2023 who now looks like a potential first-round pick. There is no denying the credentials of Vandagriff but he has yet to prove that he can lead an SEC offense on a full-time basis.
Kentucky is betting that he can and will be asking the biggest transfer portal addition for this program in the offseason to do it under an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach who did not recruit him.
Two months after Vandagriff committed to Kentucky, Liam Coen left Lexington, and Kentucky pivoted to Boise State offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan. Now the two must work together to build a winning offense, but there is not really a quality secondary plan.
Early enrollee Cutter Boley is the only other scholarship quarterback on the roster, and the Lexington (Ky.) Christian Academy product reclassified from 2025. All of Kentucky’s eggs are in the Vandagriff basket. Kentucky needs the SEC transfer to be good and become a team leader immediately. That process needs to hit another gear during spring practice.
How does the coaching staff feel about the offensive line?
Joining Bush Hamdan on the practice fields in March will be offensive line coach Eric Wolford. The Youngstown native will have some familiarity with the roster having worked with Jager Burton and Eli Cox during his previous stint at Kentucky before spending the last two years at Alabama. But things will be different under the new assistant.
We’ve already seen some unexpected roster developments in the offensive line room with former Alabama transfer Transfer Bowles deciding to forego his final year of eligibility. There will likely be some more player movement in the spring transfer portal window.
Over the practices in the spring, we could learn about how Kentucky feels about the roster. It’s important to note that each of the offensive line transfers added to the roster occurred before Wolford joined the program. That could matter when some more personnel decisions will occur later in the spring.
We should learn quickly about how the new offensive coaching staff feels about a line that has a ton of experience but has struggled to find success in the SEC over the last two seasons. Kentucky has to start getting better play in the trenches and could decide to add some help after spring practice.
Who is CB2?
Andru Phillips is blowing up during the pre-draft process, but his departure leaves a gaping hole. Cornerback depth was a problem for Kentucky last season and must improve this season. After going through the winter transfer portal window without addressing the position, the spotlight will be on the CB2 spot entering spring practice.
Former transfers Jantzen Dunn, JQ Hardaway, and Jordan Robinson each return after gaining SEC playing experience last season. However, the ride was very up and down for this trio when given playing opportunities last season.
High school signees Terhyon Nichols and Jiquavious Marshall will also participate during spring practice, but the former transfers along with second-year player Nasir Addison, will determine where Kentucky is at in the secondary.
Pass coverage needs to get better in 2024 and that means Kentucky must get some better play at cornerback. We will learn how the coaching staff feels about the personnel on the roster when the spring transfer portal window arrives.
Is another tailback needed?
To address the gaping production hole left behind by Ray Davis, Kentucky went back into the transfer portal and added Ohio State transfer Chip Trayanum to the roster. The redshirt senior will bring over 1,000 career rushing yards to the offense and will be expected to fill the RB1 role in Lexington.
Former NC State transfer Demie Sumo-Karngbaye is back for year two at Kentucky and will almost certainly carve out a third down role. But two tailbacks are typically not enough to get through an entire season.
Expectations are high for redshirt freshman Jamarion Wilcox, and this is a big spring for him. Is La’Vell Wright ready to make a push after missing last year with injury? True freshman Jason Patterson will also get a chance to make a strong first impression this spring.
Bush Hamdan and second-year running backs coach Jay Boulware need to decide if there is a third tailback on the roster they can trust to play good football this season. Another trip to the transfer portal could be needed if Kentucky cannot find a new answer during spring practice.
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