Kentucky Wildcats Football: Position Battles to watch

Sept 15, 2012; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats linebacker Alvin Dupree (2) tackles Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Kadeem Jones (32) at Commonwealth Stadium. Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

It feels like the 2013 season just ended, but preparations for the 2014 season are already underway.  The addition of seven early enrollees should help bolster he roster during the spring until the remaining 21 players arrive later this summer. The battles for numerous starting jobs are underway and many will be as intense as ever.  Kentucky only graduated six starters, so one might assume that there won’t be too many positions up for grab, and tat would be incorrect.  It truly appears as though EVERY job will be opened up and we may see some new faces by the time camp rolls around in the summer.  Here are the positions as they stand now.

LOCKED UP

While no player is guaranteed a starting job and injuries can always change things, these guys are really good bets to hold off any competition.

LT – Darrian Miller – Senior

Miller saw plenty of playing time as a top reserve during his freshman season.  He’s been a stalwart starting at left tackle in the two seasons since and it would be shocking if anyone were able to unseat him for his senior season.

DE1 – Bud Dupree – Senior

Similar to Miller, Dupree saw plenty of action as a true freshman and then started for the team at either defensive end or linebacker over the past two seasons.  He looks like a good bet to play on Sundays, so it should be tough for him to be beaten out.

DE2 – Za’Darius Smith – Senior

Smith was billed as an immediate impact player coming out of junior college and he was just that for Kentucky last season.  His combination of stremgh and speed make him a good bet to start opposite Dupree.

LEADING THE PACK

These guys are likely starters as of today, but without the confidence of the three guys listed above.

RT – Jordan Swindle – Junior

Swindle played well as a true freshman reserve and then again last year in his sophomore season.  This mammoth junior will get some competition from Kyle Meadows and some of the incoming freshmen, but he should ultimately win the job.

TE – Steve Borden – Senior

Borden is a likely starter due more to a lack of bodies than anything he has accomplished on the field.  Ronnie Shields spent much of last season as a receiver and Daryl Long won’t be arriving until the summer with the rest of the true freshmen. Borden could certainly be unseated, but Shields hasn’t shown enough over the last four years to inspire confidence and Long will only be a freshman.

WR1 – Javess Blue – Senior

The depth at receiver should be much better this season. Blue is likely to be one of the team’s only upperclassmen at the position and will look to expand on a solid first season after transferring from junior college prior to last year.

WR2 – Ryan Timmons – Sophomore

Timmons struggled though inconsistent play and injuries as a true freshman but showed glimpses of how dynamic of an athlete he truly is.  Despite the addition of several talented receivers, Timmons should be able to hold onto a starting position whether it be outside or in the slot.

DT1 – Corey Johnson – Junior

Teams don’t typically recruit four-star junior college players with the intention of letting them sit on the bench.  The loss of Kentucky’s top three defensive tackles should open up an opportunity for Johnson to step in.

S1 – Blake McClain – Sophomore

While his position was slightly unorthodox last season, McClain made plenty of plays all over the field.  As a linebacker/safety/corner he played shockingly well for a true freshman and his early success is likely to push him into a starting job as a sophomore.

BATTLE ROYALE

These spots should be open to some pretty intense battles.  If there is a favorite, it’s only by a small margin with other players having ample time to stake their claim to the job.

C – Jon Toth (S0) / Zach Myers (SO) / ???

The center job should be interesting to watch. Myers was the presumed favorite heading into 2013 but at some point ceded the starting job to Toth, who had never even played center before.  These two should have a battle ahead of them and there will certainly be other challengers. Virtually all of the interior linemen can be shuffled from guard to center, so there’s too many names to list them all.

LG – Zach West (JR) / Teven Eatmon-Nared (SR) / ???

West and Eatmon Nared seemed to go back and forth at left guard throughout last season.  It will be imperative for one of them to solidify themselves as the starter by the conclusion of spring practices or this battle could open up even more during the summer.

RG – Ramsey Meyers (FR) / Nick Haynes (FR) / ???

The right guard spot vacated by Kevin Mitchell’s graduation should be wide open.  The early favorite is Meyers, but he’s a long way from winning the job at this point. The loser of the starting LG and C job may be in consideration here too.

RB – Braylon Heard (JR) / Jojo Kemp (SO) / Mikel Horton (FR)

Braylon Heard has impressed during his redshirt season (after transferring from Nebraska) but ultimately, no one knows exactly how he’s going to play on the field in the SEC.  Jojo Kemp will look to expand on his breakout freshman season but may not have the size to be an every down starter.  Mikel Horton might be the most complete back Kentucky has ever had, but he will only be a true freshman.  Boom Williams will even be coming in over the summer.  In the end there will be a starter, but it looks like it may only be a title.  All of the backs on the roster are likely to get more than enough touches.

WR3 – Too many to list

The early favorites to start at receiver are sophomores Jeff Badet and Alex Montgomery and freshman Thaddeus Snodgrass. Badet should get the first swing at it, and he’s likely to be challenged by all of the rest of the roster.  Montgomery’s status will be up in the air after suffering a season-ending ACL tear last year but if healthy, he has proven to be a deadly redzone target.  Snodgrass will have a jump on fellow freshman early enrollee T.V. Williams simply due to his size advantage and over the remaining members of his class due to his ability to get to campus in January.  Regardless of who is listed as starters, the entire receiving corps should have enough balls thrown their way to keep everyone happy.

DT2 – Too many to list

It’s easy to pencil in five-star freshman Matt Elam in here, but there’s going to be some stiff competition from some of his teammates.  Jacob Hyde and Regie Meant will be coming off of their redshirt seasons ready to compete and Melvin Lewis should be ready after also redshirting last year after transferring from JUCO.  Add in the other incoming freshmen and some players currently on the roster and Corey Johnson may even have to split some time.

S2 – Ashely Lowery (SR) / Glen Faulkner (JR) / Eric Dixon (SR) / ???

Lowery SHOULD have the inside track here as a three year contributor and two year starter, but he has struggled in coverage at times.  Faulkner is a former Army All-American that has been unable to find consistent playing time in his three seasons in Lexington.  The Blaylock twins will be in the mix as well as sophomore Marcus McWilson and true freshmen Mike Edwards and Darius West.  This battle should be thinned out a little if some combination of Lowery, Daron Blaylock, or Mcwilson are moved to a linebacker position.

CB1 & CB2 – Nate Willis (SR) / Cody Quinn (JR) / Fred Tiller (JR) / Jaleel Hytchye (SO) / AJ Stamps (JR) / Chris Davis (SO) / JD Harmon (SO)

The two-cornerback positions should be wide open again this season.  After playing as part time starters for their first two seasons, Quinn and Tiller have yet to separate themselves from the rest of the pack despite an advantage in experience.  Willis arrived late last season but contributed as a part-time starter and Hytchye was sidelined for parts of his freshman year due to injury but played well early and late. Stamps should be in the mix after enrolling in January and Chris Davis will be eligible after transferring from Pitt prior to last year. Even J.D. Harmon is expected to return after leaving the team in 2013.  Add in the freshmen and there’s really no telling who comes out on top.

QB – Reese Phillips (FR) / Drew Barker (FR) / Jalen Whitlow (JR) / Patrick Towles ( JR) / Maxwell Smith (JR)

Of course everyone wants to talk about the quarterbacks.  Unfortunately, this ight be the cloudiest battle of them all.  Each player is so fundamentally different in how they approach the position that there’s really no telling who comes out on top.  Whitlow has the athleticism to keep defenses guessing, Smith has the experience, Towles has the measurables, Phillips is supposed to have the accuracy, and no one is quite sure what all Barker brings to the table outside of leadership and intangibles.  There is no question that the battle for the starting QB job will be fierce and could stretch well into the offseason.

WHO KNOWS???

LB1, LB2, LB3 – Too many to list…

The graduation of Avery Williamson has left the team without their only consistent linebacker last season.  Josh Forrest, Khalid Henderson, Miles Simpson, TraVaughn Paschal and others saw time as starters, but the rotation seemed to spiral out of control at times.  The addition of Dorian Hendrix, Nico Firios, Kobie Walker, and junior college transfer Ryan Flanigan should help, but there’s no telling who starts where at this point.  Some of the lighter guys on the defensive line like Jason Hatcher, Denzel Ware, and Lloyd Tubman may get a look at linebacker and some of the heavier safeties like Ashely Lowery, Daron Blaylock, and Marcus McWilson could also be tried out closer to the line of scrimmage.  On top of all that, there’s no true certainty on whether the staff plans to use two, three, or even four linebackers in their defensive packages.  Of all the positions to keep an eye on during the spring, the linebacker spots should be at the top of any fans list.

So as we gear up for spring ball, it’s obvious that there will be multiple storylines to follow.  Keep in mind that this list is subject to extensive review and change and that inevitable injuries can always change the outlook of any starting position.