The Will Stein era made its Kroger Field debut this past weekend in front of an early-rising BBN crowd. And while a drenching downpour ultimately forced the staff to call the scrimmage early, the good news that came from the event outweighed the minimal bad.
Between bouts of rain, fans were treated to genuine flashes of the fun offense Joe Sloan and Will Stein have promised. Kenny Minchey looked incredibly comfortable, showing off excellent mobility and pocket presence in his limited run. We even got a taste of the playbook's creative side when receiver Shane Carr tossed a trick-play touchdown pass to fellow wideout Kenny Darby.
Best of all, though? The team escaped with no new injuries. All the same, once you look past the highlight reel, the reality of this roster sets in. There are some serious concerns that need addressing before September.
The OL Speed Bump
While the interior of the line looks solid, UK's tackles had a rough morning. Several offensive linemen consistently struggled to contain the outside speed rush. If Saturday had been a live, regular-season game with full tackling on the quarterback, the offense would have easily given up a handful of sacks. Minchey's mobility mitigated some of that damage, but the staff has a lot of film to clean up regarding edge protection.
Part of that was potential o-line catalyst Lance Heard sitting out, but he was just one of several difference makers who didn't play on either side of the ball.
An Injury Elephant in the Room
Although, on top of that, most glaring takeaway from the Srping Game had nothing to do with the players on the field, but rather the ones standing on the sideline. As expected, Kentucky had 15 players sit out the scrimmage.
Perceived "WR1," Nic Anderson, as well as the aforementioned starting left tackle, Lance Heard, were unavailable. Not to mention that your top two running backs, Jovantae Barnes and CJ Baxter, also watched the game from the sidelines. This is the true source of anxiety for Big Blue Nation, and probably Will Stein too.
Stein's philosophy of holding these players out to protect them from unnecessary spring injuries makes logical sense. However, when your best players constantly need protecting, it raises a massive red flag for the fall when things get real.
The harsh reality is that injury history has prevented Baxter, Barnes, and Anderson from reaching the upper echelon of college football. The raw talent is undeniable for all three, but the ability to stay on the field for a grueling nine-game SEC schedule remains their biggest hurdle.
The Prerequisite For Grand Plans
Coach Stein has already injected a massive amount of energy into this program. He's got grand plans to overhaul the Cat Walk and, ultimately, establish Kentucky as a consistently elite program. That vision is exactly what the fanbase wants to hear, and it makes for a great sales pitch. It's why he keeps rolling in big recruits, such as Tristan Hughes.
But vision requires execution, and execution requires, of course, roster availability. Before Stein can build an elite, competitive program, he has to find a way to keep his most explosive stars out of the medical tent.
The Spring Game was a fun, albeit wet, preview, but the true success of Stein's first year relies on the health of some of his most crucial playmakers.
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