UK’s Pre-Season 5th Ranked Defense Deserves It’s Own Thread.

[The-Hack]

I thought it got a little lost in the other thread that one analysis shows we have the 5th best defense coming into the 2023 season.

As usual, not being fully satisfied by that analysis, I take it a step further!

Being ranked Fifth, that means there are only FOUR defenses ranked ahead of UK’s for the coming season. Additionally, with 131 FBS teams, there are 126 of them ranked below UK in this ranking.

I would also note that a “ranking of Fifth” can be also typed as “a ranking of 5th.”

One can further view a ranking of fifth as “the top half of the top ten,” as there are five schools whose defense rank below ours, but that are still in the Top 10.

Hence, our defense is considered by this source not quite the 4th best, but somewhat better than the 6th best defense in college football.

Another way to remember this is that if you find yourself drinking the bourbon you snuck into Kroger Field, and you drink the whole damn Fifth, when you are hauled before the Fayette District Judge for public intoxication, you should plead the Fifth.

Or tell the Judge you were merely, in a strangely numeric fashion, celebrating the preseason ranking of UK’s Defense as the Fifth best in the Nation.

I will continue to follow this source, and should our ranking improve to 4th, I will bring the subject back to the fore. I pray that it occur on July 4th!

 

[Dddjdd]

A reason I’m optimistic about this season. The defense should be very good and the offense should be improved. And defense travels. 6.5 win total is too low.

 

[Rembrandt90]

In 2022, our defense was 12th in the nation and 2nd in the SEC based on total defense stats. With our DL and secondary being deeper now, it would not be surprising if there is no falloff. Another thing to consider this year is that several factors favor UK doing better in the battle for field position. We have a new ST coordinator and more competition for roles on our STs this year. Our OL is deeper and ought to be better. Our skill position players are more experienced than last year. All of this ought to result in more sustained drives and better ST play, and that ought to put our defense in better field position more often.

 

[The-Hack]

All of this ought to result in more sustained drives and better ST play, and that ought to put our defense in better field position more often.

All true, Rembrandt . . . and you list no less than 5 good reasons for our equaling the preseason ranking of fifth!

 

[Rembrandt90]

All true, Rembrandt . . . and you list no less than 5 good reasons for our equaling the preseason ranking of fifth!

Offense makes the headlines, but defense wins championships.

Hack, I am looking for an all-SEC season from Jordan Lovett, JJ Weaver, and Trevin Wallace, and an AA season from Deone Walker.

 

[UKCats24]

A reason I’m optimistic about this season. The defense should be very good and the offense should be improved. And defense travels. 6.5 win total is too low.

Anybody getting a decent payout for the 6.5 over? FanDuel is showing -162 sheesh.

 

[The-Hack]

Hack, I am looking for an all-SEC season from Jordan Lovett, JJ Weaver, and Trevin Wallace, and an AA season from Deone Walker.

We haven’t had thiis collection of talent on defense since 1977!!!

 

[ThunderMash]

Super excited for the upcoming season. Having Coen back is huge, and that will play nicely alongside what should be a great defense. Can football season start already?

 

[entropy13]

No JJ, our defense isn't ranked 6th, it's ranked 5th! Get it right, man!

 

[Rembrandt90]

We haven’t had thiis collection of talent on defense since 1977!!!

It will be interesting to see if that proves true. There are so many variables. IMO it's going to depend on the play of our CBs and keeping our best LBs healthy. But I think we can count on a highlight reel season from Deone and, all other things being equal, that is a real difference maker.

 

[Deeeefense]

We lost some big pieces off of the 2022 unit primarily Square, Jones, Smith, Valentine but they have done a good job of replacing the losses through the portal, and added some depth. Stoops & White will put another top 10/15 unit out there but they may not be quite that high - we'll see.

 

[Rembrandt90]

We lost some big pieces off of the 2022 unit primarily Square, Jones, Smith, Valentine but they have done a good job of replacing the losses through the portal, and added some depth. Stoops & White will put another top 10/15 unit out there but they may not be quite that high - we'll see.

Let me be the first to predict that our pass rush will improve next fall. Along with Deone collapsing the pocket in the middle and JJ Weaver controlling the edge at Jack LB, Coach White will occasionally mix in a safety blitz. Deandre Square used to blitz often from the Will position, so I look for Trevin Wallace to do the same. It is better to get it done without blitzing, but the whole point of playing 3-4 or 3-3 is to give the offense a hard time with presnap reads. Replacing Carrington Valentine and Keidron Smith will be a challenge. But if our new CBs play well, our defense is going to be very, very good. We have the talent and depth. I trust Coach White and I am optimistic.

 

[Bterhune]

Havent played a snap yet.Sure look pretty loaded to me but I'll wait until the games start before I get excited about it.Been there before,we will see.

 

[Chad Rock]

Man I miss the 5th Quarter steakhouse…

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I have to see about our cb situation before I can get on board with a #5 ranking. Much left to prove from that position.

Everything else is really really good

 

[The-Hack]

I have to see about our cb situation before I can get on board with a #5 ranking. Much left to prove from that position.

Everything else is really really good

I sort of take corner play for granted, it has been so consistently strong under Stoops.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I sort of take corner play for granted, it has been so consistently strong under Stoops.

Ahhh you must've forgotten just a few years ago an entire season of watching dort letting playing so far off in zone then refusing to come up and make a tackle. He alone was responsible for so many opposition big offensive plays it was absurd.

Otherwise yes I agree

 

[UKfirst]

I agree Rembrandt90 with your all-SEC and AA predictions and will add a 5th..
Zion Childress all-SEC

 

[Soupbean]

https://www.google.com/search?q=fif...#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:60890d24,vid:ozwO_HX8rf8

We've reached a new dimension Hack!

 

[The-Hack]

We've reached a new dimension Hack!

Lol. I was born on the Fifth of February. I’m an Aquarium!

 

[The-Hack]

and will add a 5th..

I missed that one!!

 

[Johnfarrel]

Lol. I was born on the Fifth of February. I’m an Aquarium!

That explains why you are all wet

 

[vhcat70]

We haven’t had thiis collection of talent on defense since 1977!!!

Cawood, more or less, when Still pickups a fumble: "LSU offense is chasing after Still ! I don't know what they think they are going to do if they catch him." Funniest call I ever heard.

Walker could be our best D player since Still.

 

[The-Hack]

Cawood, more or less, when Still pickups a fumble: "LSU offense is chasing after Still ! I don't know what they think they are going to do if they catch him." Funniest call I ever heard.

Walker could be our best D player since Still.

Yes.

It was a blocked field goal attempt at LSU in 1977!

 

[tdcat]

IIRC, back-to-back road games at Georgia and LSU in 1977. Combined score was UK 66 LSU & Georgia 3. The closest game of the two was a 30 point win. That says it all.

 

[Rembrandt90]

Walker could be our best D player since Still.

Deone is a very good player. Yes, he may be our best defensive lineman since Art Still. But Jerry Reese, Oliver Barnett, DeWayne Robertson, and Corey Peters were also very good. I think Deone probably has a higher ceiling, but we will see.

Josh Allen won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and was a unanimous first team All American. That's hard to top.

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

Noticed the LCJ writer had five breakout players for us in 2023. Afari, Childress and Silver were the defensive ones. Afari is up to 214 pounds so look for more pop on his hits. I really like Childress. Seems to be all over the field a lot. Not sure what to expect from Silver. Has the perfect size and Stoops complimented him. We just have to see it in action because as we all know hype in high school and in practice changes for some players in the SEC. But anxious to see Silver and Walker together at times. I thought Dinkins came on about as good as any player the last half of season. Not only played with high intensity but also made plays.

 

[The-Hack]

Noticed the LCJ writer had five breakout players for us in 2023.

I’m starting to see a pattern!

 

[The-Hack]

Hack, I am looking for an all-SEC season from Jordan Lovett, JJ Weaver, and Trevin Wallace, and an AA season from Deone Walker.

I’m seeing D’Erick Jackson right up there, too.

 

[Rembrandt90]

I’m seeing D’Erick Jackson right up there, too.

Our current defense is talented and deep.
Every athlete in our defensive rotations is solid, because Coach Stoops and his boss Mitch Barnhart have spent the last decade escalating UK's recruiting budget and recruiting traction to a point where our roster is good enough to field more than 44 players who are, at the very least, "SEC caliber". IOW, Stoops' program is moving up the pecking order to a status where every UK player is competitive at the highest level. As long as Stoops and Barnhart keep deploying more resources and maintain a capable staff, we will continue upward on this competitive path.

As a result, you can make a rational preseason case that almost any UK starter has a chance, if healthy and if everything goes right, to become an all-SEC player. You can make the same rational case for every GA starter, every AL starter, every LSU starter, and many other starters around the conference, because such is the overall quality of SEC players.

In that context, it isn't unreasonable to say D'Eryk Jackson, TreVonn Rybka, Zion Childress, and Andru Phillips are potential all-SEC players. They are talented enough, but players on other SEC teams are also talented enough.

I feel very confident that, if healthy, Deone Walker, JJ Weaver, Trevin Wallace, and Jordan Lovett will be among the top defensive players in the SEC this year. UK has an elite SEC defense now (#2 in the SEC in 2022), so it makes sense that UK also has some of the best SEC defensive players. Any other UK defensive starter could have a breakout season and join these four in receiving individual recognition. In Jackson's case, staying healthy is a big key.

 

[southindycat]

Deone is a very good player. Yes, he may be our best defensive lineman since Art Still. But Jerry Reese, Oliver Barnett, DeWayne Robertson, and Corey Peters were also very good. I think Deone probably has a higher ceiling, but we will see.

Josh Allen won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and was a unanimous first team All American. That's hard to top.

Yeah... I might go with Allen as the new benchmark. That hardware haul and production were completely over the top.

 

[Rembrandt90]

Yeah... I might go with Allen as the new benchmark. That hardware haul and production were completely over the top.

Yes, Josh Allen was the most impactful and decorated UK defensive player since the Bear Bryant era, if not ever. The guy was amazing, and still is. Once the Jaguars put more good NFL players around him, that team is going to have an excellent defense to go along with its rapidly improving offense. The Jaguars are now one of the NFL's significant improving teams now that they got rid of toxic Urban.

Times change. For UK fans, it is a triumph that we are now having a more complicated discussion about UK's most notable all time defensive players. Coach Bryant and Coach Claiborne each had several candidates, and I have always been a big fan of what Jerry Reese accomplished here. Then there was Jim Kovach (!!), Bubba McCollum (!!), Art Still (!!!), Dallas Greer, Kelly Kirchbaum, Dennis Johnson, DeWayne Robertson, Wesley Woodyard, Jeremy Jarmon, Myron Pryor, and Corey Peters. All of these guys at least belong in the discussion. Now, Stoops has produced Josh Paschal, Josh, Allen, Mike Edwards, DeAndre Square, and Deone Walker, all of whom also belong in the discussion. Had Chris Oates not become ill, he might have entered the discussion too. Trevin Wallace and Jordan Lovett might be next. The broader point is that this has become a longer and much more interesting discussion since Stoops and White got here.

 

[The-Hack]

Yeah... I might go with Allen as the new benchmark. That hardware haul and production were completely over the top.

We may not live to see a more decorated college football player at UK than Josh Allen.

I’m not sure that Heisman winners are really more decorated than Allen was with, what, 5 major national awards?

 

[UKfirst]

I’m not sure that Heisman winners are really more decorated than Allen was with, what, 5 major national awards?

I see what you did there. Nice.

 

[The-Hack]

I see what you did there. Nice.

I get a little stuck on a subject, you know.

I have at least four more threads to ruin with my “5” theory, to make it an even 5!

Seriously, though, this last one with Allen was totally subconscious, and I think it was 5 big time awards.

 

[UKfirst]

I get a little stuck on a subject, you know.

I have at least four more threads to ruin with my “5” theory, to make it an even 5!

Seriously, though, this last one with Allen was totally subconscious, and I think it was 5 big time awards.

knew had a bunch and it probably was 5. He was a machine and so fun to watch.
You keep at it and I’ll keep smiling.

 

[Deeeefense]

Fun fact we have 14 players in the defensive backfield right now, of them only Geiger is a senior and he would probably get an extra year if he wants it. So this entire group could be returning next season.

 

[The-Hack]

Fun fact we have 14 players in the defensive backfield right now, of them only Geiger is a senior and he would probably get an extra year if he wants it. So this entire group could be returning next season.

Damn.

I don’t expect to keep Wallace or Jackson,, but we might.

Is Weaver the only likely loss up front for 2024?

 

[Deeeefense]

Damn.

I don’t expect to keep Wallace or Jackson,, but we might.

Is Weaver the only likely loss up front for 2024?

I was referring to corners and safeties, but with the linebackers we would lose Jackson and Weaver.

 

[UKCats24]

I'm showing D'eryk Jackson as having two years left after this season (COVID year and he could use a redshirt his sophomore year due to only playing 4 games). Could be wrong though.