Thanks to Travis Graf for writing this, good effort.
Graf: UK's path to an improved D-Line and ranking the O-Lines in their path
Travis Graf | Guest Columnist
During the 2016 football campaign, the Cats took a major step forward. Vast improvements to the offensive line and at the edge rusher positions largely powered that forward motion for the program. In order for the Cats to have a chance to make it to Atlanta this year, improvement on the defensive line is beyond crucial. To say that they weren't very good last season would be an understatement.
Naquez Pringle (77) and Adrian Middleton (99), photo courtesy of UK Athletics
Kentucky returns two starters to their defensive line, senior Naquez Pringle and junior Adrian Middleton. They also return TJ Carter and Matt Elam who received their fair share of reps last season.
In order for the Cats to improve in the trenches, Adrian Middleton needs to continue to progress following a promising sophomore campaign. The defensive tackle finished 2016 with 35 tackles and 5.5 TFL. Naquez Pringle also showed flashes last season, tallying 39 tackles, two TFL and one sack. If those two can be reliable game in and game out for the Cats, it will give the promising young players like Phil Hoskins and Quinton Bohanna a chance to ease themselves into the rotation.
It's do or die time for Matt Elam as he enters his final season in a UK uniform. The behemoth senior from Elizabethtown has always looked the part, but his play has left a lot to be desired for Cats fans since he's been here. If you watch the highlights of certain games, there's a play or two where he can get his way into the quarterback's lap with ease. In order for him to be a solid staple on a questionable at best defensive line, he will need to give that effort every play. Hopefully Greg McElroy's comments over the summer have set into his mind and he comes into this season with a totally new mentality.
Here's a preview of the offensive lines that the unproven defensive line will have to face this season.
South Carolina's offensive line (GamecockCentral.com)
BELOW AVERAGE LINES
12. EKU: Only 2 starters return off of the Colonels' 2016 squad, Cameron Kowalewski and Chance Edwards. 11/16 of the linemen on EKU's roster have not played a down of college football. This will be a long night for the in-state opponent, unlike the unpopular nail biter against them in 2015.
11. EMU: The Eagles return an offensive line that features a handful of veterans, but not many starters. Even though Eastern Michigan only gave up 13 sacks in 13 games last season, (good for 9th in the country) it will be hard to repeat that this season with a whole new set of faces in the starting line up. They are projected to start 2 seniors, 2 juniors and a RS Sophomore. Usually this would be promising, but the Eagles lost 4 seniors to graduation this past offseason.
10. South Carolina: The Gamecocks were putrid on the offensive side of the trenches in 2016. They gave up a league-leading 41 sacks and only averaged 134 Rush YPG on an abysmal 3.7 YPC. USC has some young talent to build on and a well-rounded guard in junior Zack Bailey, but it's hard to see the Gamecocks making a major improvement this season.
9. Louisville: The Cards look to improve on a 2016 campaign that started off red hot before the wheels fell off during the second half of the season. They return mostly everyone, so there's going to be continuity across the whole line, but let's not forget how bad they were last season. UofL ranked 126th in the country with 47 sacks allowed (only gave up 1 per game the first 5 games) and 119th in penalties. If they can improve on the mental mistakes and missed assignments, they will have a chance to have a good season with a pretty favorable schedule. If not, reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson will be running for his life again. The Cards' best prospects are junior LT Geron Christian and freshman RT Cole Bentley, who has an extremely high ceiling.
8. Southern Miss: The 2017 Golden Eagles start 3 seniors on the offensive line. Southern Miss implements quick linemen on both sides of the ball, so it will be a good early test for our young defensive line. The spread offense has been a killer for our defense in seasons past, but add the speedy running back Ito Smith to the mix and it could be a recipe for disaster. Their line is anchored by transfer senior center Tyler Stutzman, and while there are some question marks, this unit has a lot of potential especially given their offensive weapons. Our D line will need to bring pressure so our linebackers can drop back in coverage when needed to cover certain packages in their offense. Kentucky's defensive line needs to make a statement after last years game in which they were pushed around by much smaller offensive lineman play after play.
7. Ole Miss: The Rebels offensive line was plain out bad in 2016. The offense came into the season with quite a bit of hype, but that flamed out very quick. Ole Miss loses the anchor of their line in center Robert Conyers. The probation-struck rebels have a lot of good young players on the line, most notably Sophomore tackle Greg Little, who was very productive in 2016. We will see if this team comes out focused with the cloud that surrounds the program.
Martinas Rankin (HailState.com)
AVERAGE LINES
6. Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt's line was very underwhelming last season, only rushing for 165 YPG even with standout running back Ralph Webb. The unit also gave up 32 sacks, good for 97th nationally. The commodores lose 2nd team All-SEC tackle Will Holden as well as center Barrett Gouger. Vanderbilt's best returning prospect is Justin Skule, who will lead an offensive line blocking for a backfield that no longer features Ralph Webb.
5. Mississippi State: With the potential to be one of 2017's breakout teams behind quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State bolsters a young, but promising offensive line. They lost 3 starters this offseason, including Devon Desper and Jamaal Clayborn. However, they do return arguably their best OT in senior Martinas Rankin. Rankin is going to anchor the bulldogs' OLine that will have their share of learning curves early in the season, but will give the best QB in the SEC a good chance to win a lot of ball games as the season progresses.
4, Georgia: Georgia's offensive line was pretty average last season, only averaging 191 Rush YPG and 4.7 YPC even with stud running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. The Bulldogs lost 3 starters this offseason, so they will be very green in some areas as some of those players were staples on the line. Their only returning starter is senior Isaiah Winn, who is Georgia's best run blocker. The Bulldogs also have a lot of promising, but unproven talent in their 2-deep. The game Between the Hedges will more than likely be the Cats best measuring stick this season, as they are the best offensive line out of the "Average" category, while having one of the best stables of running backs in the country.
Marcus Tatum (UTSports.com)
ABOVE AVERAGE LINES
3. Florida: While Florida's offensive line wasn't the best last season (128 Rush YPG, 3.7 YPC, 28 sacks allowed), they have the horses to be a quality line. Florida's offense slacked as a whole last season. They benefit from not losing any quality players over the offseason as well as returning their All-SEC caliber linemen in junior guard Martez Ivey and sophomore tackle Jawaan Taylor.
2. Tennessee: Tennessee was very pedestrian last season, finishing in the middle of the pack in the SEC in pass protection and rushing. However, the Vols will be one of the best offensive lines that UK will face this season due to the fact that they return every starter besides Dylan Wiesman. They are projected to start 3 seniors this season. Continuity and upperclassmen land them at number 2 on this list.
1. Missouri: Missouri is not the first name that would come to mind to top this list, but it's pretty well-deserved. They only gave up 14 sacks (best in SEC) in 2016, while running a pass-happy offense. They also averaged 205 rushing yards per game last season. The Tigers didn't lose a starter from the line this offseason, returning every contributor from their best unit from last year. The O-Line is one of the main reasons why I think they could surprise some teams this season. They feature a stout offensive line that paves the way for the SEC's most underrated player in Damarea Crockett.
For the Wildcats to reach their full potential in the 2017 season, the defensive line needs to build upon a putrid 2016 outing in which they only accounted for 13 TFL and 2 sacks. UK's linebacking corps and offensive line made huge jumps in 2016, allowing the Cats to get to their first bowl game since the 2010 season. It's the defensive line's turn to take it up a notch this season if the Cats want to have a chance at a trip to the SEC Championship.
Graf: UK's path to an improved D-Line and ranking the O-Lines in their path
Travis Graf | Guest Columnist
During the 2016 football campaign, the Cats took a major step forward. Vast improvements to the offensive line and at the edge rusher positions largely powered that forward motion for the program. In order for the Cats to have a chance to make it to Atlanta this year, improvement on the defensive line is beyond crucial. To say that they weren't very good last season would be an understatement.
Naquez Pringle (77) and Adrian Middleton (99), photo courtesy of UK Athletics
Kentucky returns two starters to their defensive line, senior Naquez Pringle and junior Adrian Middleton. They also return TJ Carter and Matt Elam who received their fair share of reps last season.
In order for the Cats to improve in the trenches, Adrian Middleton needs to continue to progress following a promising sophomore campaign. The defensive tackle finished 2016 with 35 tackles and 5.5 TFL. Naquez Pringle also showed flashes last season, tallying 39 tackles, two TFL and one sack. If those two can be reliable game in and game out for the Cats, it will give the promising young players like Phil Hoskins and Quinton Bohanna a chance to ease themselves into the rotation.
It's do or die time for Matt Elam as he enters his final season in a UK uniform. The behemoth senior from Elizabethtown has always looked the part, but his play has left a lot to be desired for Cats fans since he's been here. If you watch the highlights of certain games, there's a play or two where he can get his way into the quarterback's lap with ease. In order for him to be a solid staple on a questionable at best defensive line, he will need to give that effort every play. Hopefully Greg McElroy's comments over the summer have set into his mind and he comes into this season with a totally new mentality.
Here's a preview of the offensive lines that the unproven defensive line will have to face this season.
South Carolina's offensive line (GamecockCentral.com)
BELOW AVERAGE LINES
12. EKU: Only 2 starters return off of the Colonels' 2016 squad, Cameron Kowalewski and Chance Edwards. 11/16 of the linemen on EKU's roster have not played a down of college football. This will be a long night for the in-state opponent, unlike the unpopular nail biter against them in 2015.
11. EMU: The Eagles return an offensive line that features a handful of veterans, but not many starters. Even though Eastern Michigan only gave up 13 sacks in 13 games last season, (good for 9th in the country) it will be hard to repeat that this season with a whole new set of faces in the starting line up. They are projected to start 2 seniors, 2 juniors and a RS Sophomore. Usually this would be promising, but the Eagles lost 4 seniors to graduation this past offseason.
10. South Carolina: The Gamecocks were putrid on the offensive side of the trenches in 2016. They gave up a league-leading 41 sacks and only averaged 134 Rush YPG on an abysmal 3.7 YPC. USC has some young talent to build on and a well-rounded guard in junior Zack Bailey, but it's hard to see the Gamecocks making a major improvement this season.
9. Louisville: The Cards look to improve on a 2016 campaign that started off red hot before the wheels fell off during the second half of the season. They return mostly everyone, so there's going to be continuity across the whole line, but let's not forget how bad they were last season. UofL ranked 126th in the country with 47 sacks allowed (only gave up 1 per game the first 5 games) and 119th in penalties. If they can improve on the mental mistakes and missed assignments, they will have a chance to have a good season with a pretty favorable schedule. If not, reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson will be running for his life again. The Cards' best prospects are junior LT Geron Christian and freshman RT Cole Bentley, who has an extremely high ceiling.
8. Southern Miss: The 2017 Golden Eagles start 3 seniors on the offensive line. Southern Miss implements quick linemen on both sides of the ball, so it will be a good early test for our young defensive line. The spread offense has been a killer for our defense in seasons past, but add the speedy running back Ito Smith to the mix and it could be a recipe for disaster. Their line is anchored by transfer senior center Tyler Stutzman, and while there are some question marks, this unit has a lot of potential especially given their offensive weapons. Our D line will need to bring pressure so our linebackers can drop back in coverage when needed to cover certain packages in their offense. Kentucky's defensive line needs to make a statement after last years game in which they were pushed around by much smaller offensive lineman play after play.
7. Ole Miss: The Rebels offensive line was plain out bad in 2016. The offense came into the season with quite a bit of hype, but that flamed out very quick. Ole Miss loses the anchor of their line in center Robert Conyers. The probation-struck rebels have a lot of good young players on the line, most notably Sophomore tackle Greg Little, who was very productive in 2016. We will see if this team comes out focused with the cloud that surrounds the program.
Martinas Rankin (HailState.com)
AVERAGE LINES
6. Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt's line was very underwhelming last season, only rushing for 165 YPG even with standout running back Ralph Webb. The unit also gave up 32 sacks, good for 97th nationally. The commodores lose 2nd team All-SEC tackle Will Holden as well as center Barrett Gouger. Vanderbilt's best returning prospect is Justin Skule, who will lead an offensive line blocking for a backfield that no longer features Ralph Webb.
5. Mississippi State: With the potential to be one of 2017's breakout teams behind quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State bolsters a young, but promising offensive line. They lost 3 starters this offseason, including Devon Desper and Jamaal Clayborn. However, they do return arguably their best OT in senior Martinas Rankin. Rankin is going to anchor the bulldogs' OLine that will have their share of learning curves early in the season, but will give the best QB in the SEC a good chance to win a lot of ball games as the season progresses.
4, Georgia: Georgia's offensive line was pretty average last season, only averaging 191 Rush YPG and 4.7 YPC even with stud running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. The Bulldogs lost 3 starters this offseason, so they will be very green in some areas as some of those players were staples on the line. Their only returning starter is senior Isaiah Winn, who is Georgia's best run blocker. The Bulldogs also have a lot of promising, but unproven talent in their 2-deep. The game Between the Hedges will more than likely be the Cats best measuring stick this season, as they are the best offensive line out of the "Average" category, while having one of the best stables of running backs in the country.
Marcus Tatum (UTSports.com)
ABOVE AVERAGE LINES
3. Florida: While Florida's offensive line wasn't the best last season (128 Rush YPG, 3.7 YPC, 28 sacks allowed), they have the horses to be a quality line. Florida's offense slacked as a whole last season. They benefit from not losing any quality players over the offseason as well as returning their All-SEC caliber linemen in junior guard Martez Ivey and sophomore tackle Jawaan Taylor.
2. Tennessee: Tennessee was very pedestrian last season, finishing in the middle of the pack in the SEC in pass protection and rushing. However, the Vols will be one of the best offensive lines that UK will face this season due to the fact that they return every starter besides Dylan Wiesman. They are projected to start 3 seniors this season. Continuity and upperclassmen land them at number 2 on this list.
1. Missouri: Missouri is not the first name that would come to mind to top this list, but it's pretty well-deserved. They only gave up 14 sacks (best in SEC) in 2016, while running a pass-happy offense. They also averaged 205 rushing yards per game last season. The Tigers didn't lose a starter from the line this offseason, returning every contributor from their best unit from last year. The O-Line is one of the main reasons why I think they could surprise some teams this season. They feature a stout offensive line that paves the way for the SEC's most underrated player in Damarea Crockett.
For the Wildcats to reach their full potential in the 2017 season, the defensive line needs to build upon a putrid 2016 outing in which they only accounted for 13 TFL and 2 sacks. UK's linebacking corps and offensive line made huge jumps in 2016, allowing the Cats to get to their first bowl game since the 2010 season. It's the defensive line's turn to take it up a notch this season if the Cats want to have a chance at a trip to the SEC Championship.
