With less than two weeks left before the University of Kentucky football team’s season opener, how its defensive depth chart will shape up is something of a mystery. While the starting 11, for the most part, has been sorted out, injuries and off-the-field matters threaten to sap the Wildcats’ ranks of talent expected to contribute right away this season. With that in mind, let’s attempt to piece together UK’s defensive two-deep a week out from its expected release.
Defensive line
Gone is Quinton Bohanna, a sixth-round NFL Draft selection in April, but replacing him in the middle is Marquan McCall, a slimmer, more explosive nose guard who was Bohanna’s immediate backup the last two seasons, even starting in his place three times last season because of an injury. McCall himself was limited by an injury at the start of fall camp but is back to show off what he can do after dropping 40 pounds between last season and this one. He’ll get the majority of snaps in the middle, with former five-star recruit Justin Rogers likely giving him a breather when necessary.
Josh Paschal moved from the linebacking corps to defensive end, where he started his career as a Wildcat. Paschal is one of, if not the most, dependable and sharpest players on this side of the ball. A lot will be asked of the multi-year starter in his senior season since the guys backing him up are about as green as it gets. Sophomore Isaiah Gibson played in nine games last year but has dealt with injuries in practice and seen more time vying for the boundary tackle spot than taking reps behind Paschal. Sam Anaele, who played in one game as a true freshman last season, is an intriguing long-term prospect at the end who could end up spelling Paschal the most.
“We’ve got a lot of skilled, athletic kids that really get after it, and at the end of this thing, we want to make sure that we have the right guys in the right places,” defensive line coach Anwar Stewart said of players like Anaele and Gibson, who comprise a group of sophomores and redshirt freshmen who will be forced into action this season. It’s possible another one — Octavious Oxendine — could start at tackle, but I’d guess that honor goes to senior Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald, who’s in his fifth year with the program. Stewart has said he doesn’t plan to name a true starter and is getting his group ready for something of a carousel at the position.
Linebackers
DeAndre Square has started 22 of Kentucky’s last 24 games. He’s been a steady Southeastern Conference linebacker, and has played well enough to earn preseason All-SEC consideration this summer. A significant leap in what he’s able to deliver would bode well for UK and his draft stock, but even if he’s plateaued as a player, he’s the best weakside linebacker the Cats have.
Who lines up alongside Square in the season opener remains something of mystery. Jacquez Jones, a senior who transferred from Ole Miss, was projected to be the guy (he was the Rebels’ leading tackler and a starter in Oxford) before an undisclosed injury sidelined him through most of camp; if he’s in shape enough to play, raw ability could put him in the starting role but one wonders if he’ll be too behind in the scheme to get the nod early. My guess is Marquez Bembry, who was in the rotation last year after moving from the outside group and started a couple games, or Jared Casey, who has gotten first-team reps in camp, gets the nod in game one. The staff is high on Trevin Wallace and Martez Thrower, and it’s likely they get on the field more quickly than is typical of true freshmen in the league, given the unit’s overall lack of depth.
I’m on the record saying Jordan Wright could make a Jamin Davis-type leap this season, and Brad White is hoping he gets something akin to that out of the only outside linebacker on UK’s roster with an extensive number of snaps under his belt. In the spring, White lauded Wright’s knack for disruptive play-making of all types — in 11 games, last season he had 3.5 sacks, four pass break-ups three forced fumbles and an interception — but has challenged UK’s “Jack” linebacker to be more consistent as a leader and individual in 2021. The Cats needs it from him, and others, as they try to improve upon an abysmal total sack ranking from 2020 (113th of 127 schools).
“Everybody’s taking that extra step to see who can be the best pass-rusher on the team,” Wright said. “ … We know we can rush the passer. You see guys working on moves that they never even use, but you have to do that to get comfortable with rushing the passer.”
Head coach Mark Stoops recently said J.J. Weaver, who underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL suffered late last fall at Florida, could play in the season opener but has preached caution with the sophomore star. If he’s at full strength, expect him to be opposite Wright when UK is in its base 3-4 look, but otherwise expect K.D. McDaniel — who was coming along nicely in the spring — to line up on the outside in Weaver’s absence. Bembry and Casey, both of whom moved inside from the outside, will have to give UK some cross-positional depth here unless it leans into its secondary for play closer to the line of scrimmage; its only other scholarship OLB on the roster is Justice Dingle, a junior transfer from Georgia Tech.
Secondary
The defensive position group thought to be the Cats’ surest thing entering 2021 could find its depth affected by off-the-field matters. It’ll be troublesome if legal matters extend into the season and injuries pile up, but as things stand health-wise, there’s not a group on the team better-prepared to withstand the possible absence of three players.
Vito Tisdale, who in July pleaded guilty to marijuana possession, resulting in probation, is one of six players — along with fellow defensive backs Andru Phillips and Joel Williams — charged with burglary last week. None of the six is currently practicing with the team as the legal process plays out. Tisdale also was charged with wanton endangerment. His potential absence from the team would have the most immediate impact; he manages to stand apart in a position group full of gifted athletes, and boasts the most in-game experience of the signees who arrived as part of the 2020 class. While perhaps not a projected starter in the typical secondary, he’s gotten significant action with the linebacking corps (as has Williams) and helps cover up depth concerns in that position group.
Kentucky’s “first five” defensive backs should be: nickelback Davonte Robinson, cornerbacks Cedrick Dort and Carrington Valentine, and safeties Ty Ajian and Yusuf Corker; Corker is an All-SEC caliber talent who’s another guy who could make a Davis-type rise up draft boards in the winter.
Quandre Mosely (corner) and Taj Dodson (safety) are safe picks to be early relievers. Phillips had worked his way up to the point of probably being a depth-chart cornerback but his availability could press a guy like Jalen Geiger, who’s name has been mentioned a few times in camp, up the depth chart. Rickey Hyatt is a youngster to watch out for, too.
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