Much of the offensive class is coming together publicly so here's what we know about next year's offense:
** It will be Bush Hamdan's second year with the offense.
** It will mark the first year Hamdan has a quarterback he has picked at Kentucky. (Neither of these are to say success will follow)
** Zach Calzada is coming in to start and the hope will be to keep Cutter Boley around as somebody who is in line to play and still the future
** It seems like UK is likely to hold onto Jamarion Wilcox, based on what we've been hearing and the fact he hasn't gone in, even if they take another running back. He has to know they are going to take another and we have heard they're in good shape to keep him as of now.
** As we have said the most likely running back for them to add at this juncture is Dante Dowdell from Nebraska. Between he, Wilcox, Patterson, and Mizell they could probably be good to go next year. It would be interesting to see if they would consider adding another given Mizell's injury history but probably only if another scholarship is free.
** Hardy probably could have been theirs but with as many starters as they needed they weren't going to go so heavily in with a running back. That's my commentary, just seems like common sense. No clue how much he'll make at Missouri. Just a statement about the general conversation.
** We told you about Henry Boyer in advance and he's going to be brought in to help with the run blocking. I wouldn't expect him to immediately unseat Willie or Kattus. Modest expectations but they needed depth. I could have seen them adding another but it seems like Mikkel Skinner is showing well at the Shrine Bowl. He could be a true frosh to watch.
** Evan Wibberley has not announced for UK yet but we told you about that one in advance as well and it still seems good for them. There was some back and forth about whether it would play out but there's been a positive evaluation. He did some good things against Alabama.
** Alex Wollschlaeger from Bowling Green was a first team All-MAC selection. He is most likely the starter at right tackle. The one area for improvement in his game is to get a little stronger especially if he's going to be run blocking on that side.
** Wallace Unamba is a guy who they see as having some real upside. He played against Auburn and showed some flashes of really good things in that game against SEC competition. Having spoken with him, has some good perspective and has put in a ton of work along the way that was not immediately rewarding. Shows a lot of delayed gratification in my book, so bodes well for his approach in coming in perhaps in contrast to some others who have been in the portal previously. They told him right or left tackle. Right seems most likely for him. I would not write tackle off as a stretch just because you look at his measurables. ** Unamba was a wait and see guy initially but that happened immediately after Gunnar Hansen went to Florida State. The numbers we've heard on that would blow your mind. No knock on Hansen at all, but shows how difficult it is. Having a good recruiter still has value. A guy is more likely to play somewhere for less if he likes the coach or has a previous relationship there.
** No question though, Unamba's "win now" component is a question just because of the steep step up in competition even if he's older.
** The question is who they bring in as the other tackle. I am still expecting them to bring in another tackle. Then you look at the overall numbers and they will have really revamped the 1-7 or 1-8. Finding a left tackle is going to be difficult. Reports (unconfirmed but heard myself) of $1.5-$1.7 for Isaiah World or $2.1 (MILLION) for Howard Sampson at Texas Tech (apparently has a big windfall from a late booster, I have heard) blow your mind. World is supposedly really good, a great prospect, but Sampson you are hoping he is good.
** Kentucky was going to bring in both Sampson and some other big names for visits but NIL is a huge factor in a lot of these cases. Ohio State and Oregon in particular have been a thorn in some cases with high end guys but the Cats were in on World before almost anybody.
** Joshua Braun should be a starting guard. He was All-SEC two years ago, and I have heard no concern about a "decline" last year. I think if he gets his weight down a little bit it will help him but this is a big year for him so I expect him to come in ready.
** Will have more on Calzada but he makes more sense than Murphy to me as a Hamdan quarterback and a Stoops quarterback. Murphy is best when set up to pick you apart and I just don't see that as an approach you're confident would work with Stoops. Calzada is very experienced and while I would expect up and down, I do not understand any of the visceral aversion some have had. I understand overall skepticism about the team next year, but he seems like a quality addition given how bad the offense was this past season.
** WR Horatio Fields to Auburn... In some of these cases not having a quarterback in place may have hurt. He was Wake's third best receiver maybe this past season. If you dig into the portal you see very few obvious difference makers. I have been more impressed with Justin Bowick from Ball State because of the crazy production in very limited action last season.
** If you are able to reel in Law from Alabama that helps because he should be a difference maker if the offense isn't broken. Then you focus on adding size.
** It will be Bush Hamdan's second year with the offense.
** It will mark the first year Hamdan has a quarterback he has picked at Kentucky. (Neither of these are to say success will follow)
** Zach Calzada is coming in to start and the hope will be to keep Cutter Boley around as somebody who is in line to play and still the future
** It seems like UK is likely to hold onto Jamarion Wilcox, based on what we've been hearing and the fact he hasn't gone in, even if they take another running back. He has to know they are going to take another and we have heard they're in good shape to keep him as of now.
** As we have said the most likely running back for them to add at this juncture is Dante Dowdell from Nebraska. Between he, Wilcox, Patterson, and Mizell they could probably be good to go next year. It would be interesting to see if they would consider adding another given Mizell's injury history but probably only if another scholarship is free.
** Hardy probably could have been theirs but with as many starters as they needed they weren't going to go so heavily in with a running back. That's my commentary, just seems like common sense. No clue how much he'll make at Missouri. Just a statement about the general conversation.
** We told you about Henry Boyer in advance and he's going to be brought in to help with the run blocking. I wouldn't expect him to immediately unseat Willie or Kattus. Modest expectations but they needed depth. I could have seen them adding another but it seems like Mikkel Skinner is showing well at the Shrine Bowl. He could be a true frosh to watch.
** Evan Wibberley has not announced for UK yet but we told you about that one in advance as well and it still seems good for them. There was some back and forth about whether it would play out but there's been a positive evaluation. He did some good things against Alabama.
** Alex Wollschlaeger from Bowling Green was a first team All-MAC selection. He is most likely the starter at right tackle. The one area for improvement in his game is to get a little stronger especially if he's going to be run blocking on that side.
** Wallace Unamba is a guy who they see as having some real upside. He played against Auburn and showed some flashes of really good things in that game against SEC competition. Having spoken with him, has some good perspective and has put in a ton of work along the way that was not immediately rewarding. Shows a lot of delayed gratification in my book, so bodes well for his approach in coming in perhaps in contrast to some others who have been in the portal previously. They told him right or left tackle. Right seems most likely for him. I would not write tackle off as a stretch just because you look at his measurables. ** Unamba was a wait and see guy initially but that happened immediately after Gunnar Hansen went to Florida State. The numbers we've heard on that would blow your mind. No knock on Hansen at all, but shows how difficult it is. Having a good recruiter still has value. A guy is more likely to play somewhere for less if he likes the coach or has a previous relationship there.
** No question though, Unamba's "win now" component is a question just because of the steep step up in competition even if he's older.
** The question is who they bring in as the other tackle. I am still expecting them to bring in another tackle. Then you look at the overall numbers and they will have really revamped the 1-7 or 1-8. Finding a left tackle is going to be difficult. Reports (unconfirmed but heard myself) of $1.5-$1.7 for Isaiah World or $2.1 (MILLION) for Howard Sampson at Texas Tech (apparently has a big windfall from a late booster, I have heard) blow your mind. World is supposedly really good, a great prospect, but Sampson you are hoping he is good.
** Kentucky was going to bring in both Sampson and some other big names for visits but NIL is a huge factor in a lot of these cases. Ohio State and Oregon in particular have been a thorn in some cases with high end guys but the Cats were in on World before almost anybody.
** Joshua Braun should be a starting guard. He was All-SEC two years ago, and I have heard no concern about a "decline" last year. I think if he gets his weight down a little bit it will help him but this is a big year for him so I expect him to come in ready.
** Will have more on Calzada but he makes more sense than Murphy to me as a Hamdan quarterback and a Stoops quarterback. Murphy is best when set up to pick you apart and I just don't see that as an approach you're confident would work with Stoops. Calzada is very experienced and while I would expect up and down, I do not understand any of the visceral aversion some have had. I understand overall skepticism about the team next year, but he seems like a quality addition given how bad the offense was this past season.
** WR Horatio Fields to Auburn... In some of these cases not having a quarterback in place may have hurt. He was Wake's third best receiver maybe this past season. If you dig into the portal you see very few obvious difference makers. I have been more impressed with Justin Bowick from Ball State because of the crazy production in very limited action last season.
** If you are able to reel in Law from Alabama that helps because he should be a difference maker if the offense isn't broken. Then you focus on adding size.
