WHO HAS THE EDGE? Kentucky-South Carolina position by position
Justin Rowland | Publisher
Each week Cats Illustrated helps you prepare for Kentucky's next game by comparing the Wildcats with their next opponent.
We stack up the teams position by position to try and determine which roster is stronger and at which spots.
This week's edition of the series is the toughest yet with South Carolina and Kentucky finishing very close to one another in the recruiting rankings over the past five years.
Stephen Johnson (USA TODAY Sports)
QUARTERBACK
Stephen Johnson has been somewhere between good and very good to start the 2017 season. He hasn't been perfect and the competition has been spotty but it does look like the senior has taken some steps forward in his accuracy and reads. He is now 9-4 as Kentucky's starting or primary quarterback and there is no longer any talk of a competition behind center.
Jake Bentley has sparked a similar football renaissance at South Carolina since the midway point of last season and in spite of his youth his arm talent and potential are undeniable. South Carolina's offense has basically doubled its pre-Bentley production since he took over behind center.
Bentley has the edge on talent and he does benefit from home field and probably more proven offensive skill talent but it's closer than most outside observers would think because Johnson has been such a winner.
The Edge: Slight edge to South Carolina
Rico Dowdle (USA TODAY Sports)
RUNNING BACK
Benny Snell shook off some struggles against Southern Miss and rebounded for a very strong latter part of the game in UK's Week 2 win over Eastern Kentucky. Sihiem King also looked much better in Kentucky's second game and ran as hard as he has as a Wildcat. The backs haven't had the same push or the same gaping holes they ran through last year but if they can build off last week's performance they should find some success on Saturday.
Rico Dowdle rushed for 764 yards (5.7 YPC) last season but the Gamecocks are averaging only 3.3 per carry this year. Still, this backfield should probably have more success as the season goes on.
The Edge: KENTUCKY
Deebo Samuel (USA TODAY Sports)
WIDE RECEIVER
Blake Bone burst onto the scene as a big play threat last week and Garrett Johnson fought hard whenever he was on the field. Charles Walker has had his moments while Tavin Richardson and Kayaune Ross have struggled to put up numbers this season. There's youth behind those players but we haven't seen much from the freshmen yet, though it's early.
South Carolina's Deebo Samuel has been one of the SEC's most impactful players through two weeks. He has 10 catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns but he's also taken a jet sweep for a score and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Bryan Edwards also has 10 catches for 90 yards through two games.
The Edge: SOUTH CAROLINA
Hayden Hurst (USA TODAY Sports)
TIGHT END
This one's really close and hard to call because the position is a strength for both Kentucky and South Carolina. C.J. Conrad hasn't faced the same level of defensive competition that the Gamecocks' Hayden Hurst has but his stat line is superior to this point in the season with two touchdowns and several big plays already. Nonetheless, Hurst is one of the nation's top tight ends, as is Conrad, and both teams have some depth here. This is a clear strength for both teams with two All-SEC caliber players as starters.
The Edge: PUSH
UK Athletics
OFFENSIVE LINE
Kentucky's offensive line has not been as good in the early part of the season as many people expected it to be going into the year. Replacing Jon Toth has been harder than expected at center with snap issues ending drives and causing botched plays. There have also been penalties and too many missed assignments. The talent is still there and Kentucky's ground game did get going later against Eastern Kentucky. The pass protection has been a mixed bag although Landon Young has had a solid start to his sophomore season. Going into Columbia with snap questions is dangerous.
South Carolina's offensive line hasn't paved the way for a strong running game yet and Bentley has been sacked four times. Then again, it hasn't been all that bad considering how strong NC State's defensive line was in the first game.
Kentucky's line probably has better ability to move the line of scrimmage in the ground game while the Gamecocks have been better in pass sets thus far.
The Edge: PUSH
DEFENSIVE LINE
Going into the season the defensive line wasn't supposed to be a strength for either team but Kentucky's has overperformed relative to expectations with opponents unable to run on the Cats through two games. How much of that is the level of competition Kentucky has faced? Maybe we find out on Saturday.
The teams are similar in that more of their pressure will come from their linebackers and rush DE/OLB's.
South Carolina's defensive line has also held up better through two weeks than most seem to have projected.
The Edge: PUSH
Skai Moore (USA TODAY Sports)
LINEBACKERS
This is one of the strengths of Kentucky's team and where a lot of the pressure and big plays will come from when the other team has the ball. Jordan Jones was more productive against EKU than he was in the opener in spite of sitting out the start of the game. Denzil Ware and Josh Allen have made big plays, forced turnovers and pressured quarterbacks through two weeks. Courtney Love has been around the ball a lot as well.
South Carolina's linebacking unit isn't deep but their front line players like T.J. Brunson and Skai Moore have been up to the challenge early (37 combined tackles through two games). Bryson Allen-Williams has to be accounted for as well.
Kentucky has superior depth and this is one spot where the Cats probably have the edge, considering they have three players who might receive All-SEC recognition on some level.
The Edge: KENTUCKY
DEFENSIVE BACKS
There are a lot of big names and experienced players in Kentucky's secondary but has the group underperformed through two weeks of the college football season? It's too early to pass judgment, but a breakout game for the secondary would be right on time in such a big game. Kentucky's starting safeties, Mike Edwards and Darius West, get the nod in this matchup, but South Carolina's corners, Chris Lammons and Jamarcus King, have outperformed Kentucky's. They held Drew Lock well under 50-percent passing with a 1-2 TD-INT ratio last week.
The Edge: PUSH
SPECIAL TEAMS
This might be a closer call if Kentucky had duplicated its Week 1 performance against Eastern Kentucky but the kickoff coverage issues with Deebo Samuel looming are a problem. Kentucky definitely has the placekicking advantage with Austin MacGinnis ready to nail clutch kicks at any time and the punting does look better. But Samuel has been so explosive on returns it's almost obligatory to give South Carolina the edge here.
The Edge: SOUTH CAROLINA
Justin Rowland | Publisher
Each week Cats Illustrated helps you prepare for Kentucky's next game by comparing the Wildcats with their next opponent.
We stack up the teams position by position to try and determine which roster is stronger and at which spots.
This week's edition of the series is the toughest yet with South Carolina and Kentucky finishing very close to one another in the recruiting rankings over the past five years.
Stephen Johnson (USA TODAY Sports)
QUARTERBACK
Stephen Johnson has been somewhere between good and very good to start the 2017 season. He hasn't been perfect and the competition has been spotty but it does look like the senior has taken some steps forward in his accuracy and reads. He is now 9-4 as Kentucky's starting or primary quarterback and there is no longer any talk of a competition behind center.
Jake Bentley has sparked a similar football renaissance at South Carolina since the midway point of last season and in spite of his youth his arm talent and potential are undeniable. South Carolina's offense has basically doubled its pre-Bentley production since he took over behind center.
Bentley has the edge on talent and he does benefit from home field and probably more proven offensive skill talent but it's closer than most outside observers would think because Johnson has been such a winner.
The Edge: Slight edge to South Carolina
Rico Dowdle (USA TODAY Sports)
RUNNING BACK
Benny Snell shook off some struggles against Southern Miss and rebounded for a very strong latter part of the game in UK's Week 2 win over Eastern Kentucky. Sihiem King also looked much better in Kentucky's second game and ran as hard as he has as a Wildcat. The backs haven't had the same push or the same gaping holes they ran through last year but if they can build off last week's performance they should find some success on Saturday.
Rico Dowdle rushed for 764 yards (5.7 YPC) last season but the Gamecocks are averaging only 3.3 per carry this year. Still, this backfield should probably have more success as the season goes on.
The Edge: KENTUCKY
Deebo Samuel (USA TODAY Sports)
WIDE RECEIVER
Blake Bone burst onto the scene as a big play threat last week and Garrett Johnson fought hard whenever he was on the field. Charles Walker has had his moments while Tavin Richardson and Kayaune Ross have struggled to put up numbers this season. There's youth behind those players but we haven't seen much from the freshmen yet, though it's early.
South Carolina's Deebo Samuel has been one of the SEC's most impactful players through two weeks. He has 10 catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns but he's also taken a jet sweep for a score and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Bryan Edwards also has 10 catches for 90 yards through two games.
The Edge: SOUTH CAROLINA
Hayden Hurst (USA TODAY Sports)
TIGHT END
This one's really close and hard to call because the position is a strength for both Kentucky and South Carolina. C.J. Conrad hasn't faced the same level of defensive competition that the Gamecocks' Hayden Hurst has but his stat line is superior to this point in the season with two touchdowns and several big plays already. Nonetheless, Hurst is one of the nation's top tight ends, as is Conrad, and both teams have some depth here. This is a clear strength for both teams with two All-SEC caliber players as starters.
The Edge: PUSH
UK Athletics
OFFENSIVE LINE
Kentucky's offensive line has not been as good in the early part of the season as many people expected it to be going into the year. Replacing Jon Toth has been harder than expected at center with snap issues ending drives and causing botched plays. There have also been penalties and too many missed assignments. The talent is still there and Kentucky's ground game did get going later against Eastern Kentucky. The pass protection has been a mixed bag although Landon Young has had a solid start to his sophomore season. Going into Columbia with snap questions is dangerous.
South Carolina's offensive line hasn't paved the way for a strong running game yet and Bentley has been sacked four times. Then again, it hasn't been all that bad considering how strong NC State's defensive line was in the first game.
Kentucky's line probably has better ability to move the line of scrimmage in the ground game while the Gamecocks have been better in pass sets thus far.
The Edge: PUSH
DEFENSIVE LINE
Going into the season the defensive line wasn't supposed to be a strength for either team but Kentucky's has overperformed relative to expectations with opponents unable to run on the Cats through two games. How much of that is the level of competition Kentucky has faced? Maybe we find out on Saturday.
The teams are similar in that more of their pressure will come from their linebackers and rush DE/OLB's.
South Carolina's defensive line has also held up better through two weeks than most seem to have projected.
The Edge: PUSH
Skai Moore (USA TODAY Sports)
LINEBACKERS
This is one of the strengths of Kentucky's team and where a lot of the pressure and big plays will come from when the other team has the ball. Jordan Jones was more productive against EKU than he was in the opener in spite of sitting out the start of the game. Denzil Ware and Josh Allen have made big plays, forced turnovers and pressured quarterbacks through two weeks. Courtney Love has been around the ball a lot as well.
South Carolina's linebacking unit isn't deep but their front line players like T.J. Brunson and Skai Moore have been up to the challenge early (37 combined tackles through two games). Bryson Allen-Williams has to be accounted for as well.
Kentucky has superior depth and this is one spot where the Cats probably have the edge, considering they have three players who might receive All-SEC recognition on some level.
The Edge: KENTUCKY
DEFENSIVE BACKS
There are a lot of big names and experienced players in Kentucky's secondary but has the group underperformed through two weeks of the college football season? It's too early to pass judgment, but a breakout game for the secondary would be right on time in such a big game. Kentucky's starting safeties, Mike Edwards and Darius West, get the nod in this matchup, but South Carolina's corners, Chris Lammons and Jamarcus King, have outperformed Kentucky's. They held Drew Lock well under 50-percent passing with a 1-2 TD-INT ratio last week.
The Edge: PUSH
SPECIAL TEAMS
This might be a closer call if Kentucky had duplicated its Week 1 performance against Eastern Kentucky but the kickoff coverage issues with Deebo Samuel looming are a problem. Kentucky definitely has the placekicking advantage with Austin MacGinnis ready to nail clutch kicks at any time and the punting does look better. But Samuel has been so explosive on returns it's almost obligatory to give South Carolina the edge here.
The Edge: SOUTH CAROLINA
