Kentucky football: 3 biggest offseason questions facing Mark Stoops’ Wildcats in 2021
By John Buhler
The Kentucky football program has a chance to be a top-three team in the SEC East In 2021.
Mark Stoops is the second longest-tenured head coach in the SEC for a reason. He has done a marvelous job making the Kentucky football program respectable for the better part of a decade.
While the Kentucky Wildcats had their issues in a 10-game, SEC-only conference schedule, there is reason to believe they will be better for it in 2021. Though the ‘Cats will likely be looking up at the Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC East standings, there is hope Kentucky can finish in third place in the division and push towards playing in a meaningful bowl game in January.
Recruitment may have taken a slight hit for the program in 2021, as Kentucky finished with the No. 33 class in the country and the No. 12 class in the SEC. However, the stars next to one’s name have never really mattered for a great coach like Stoops. Depending on how things fare for Eliah Drinkwitz in his second season at Mizzou, Kentucky could be one of the better teams in the East.
3 biggest offseason questions for the Kentucky Wildcats
3. Which 2021 recruiting class members can become early contributors?
Even if this was not the best recruiting class in Kentucky football history, you have to admire what Stoops and his staff can continually do at a non-traditional power with only so-so talent coming in. Regardless, there will be jobs available entering spring practice and fall camp. Are there any players from Kentucky’s 2021 recruiting class in line to compete for some early playing time?
Kentucky has 18 commits, including eight early enrollees. The best player coming to campus a tad early is offensive guard Jager Burton from Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington. He is Kentucky’s only four-star who enrolled early, as well as their highest-rated player who signed a National Letter of Intent with them, according to the 247Sports Composite.
What is also important to note is Kentucky has five players transferring in from Power 5 schools, including four out of the Big Ten. Some of those high-profile transfers include wide receiver, Tre’Von Morgan, out of Michigan State and quarterback Will Levis out of Penn State, who will be eligible to play immediately. Levis could be in the mix to land the starting job in 2021.
Ultimately, Kentucky did not do enough in recruitment this past cycle for us to seriously project for who could have early playing time. Burton and Levis have a decent shot. We should also keep an eye on the Wildcats’ three other four-star commits for 2021: Linebacker Trevin Wallace, wide receiver Dekel Crowdus and wide receiver Christian Lewis. Maybe it will be one of these three?