Mark Stoops says offensive tackle additions were much-needed

Kentucky desperately needed help on the offensive line in 2022, and Mark Stoops believes he has addressed the problem through the transfer portal.

Adding tackle Marques Cox, who allowed just three sacks in over 1,000 snaps for Northern Illinois and Kentucky native and former four-star recruit Tanner Bowles join the Big Blue Wall in the hopes of resetting the standard of Kentucky football in the trenches. USC transfer Courtland Ford is also competing for the starting right tackle position.

“Much needed,” Stoops said of the additions at offensive tackle during Kentucky’s media day. “There’s no denying that. … These guys have done a good job. We needed depth, we needed length, we needed some bodies. I think it was five offensive linemen in general. The tackles were much needed. They’re playing good.”

On top of their new tackles, Kentucky returns multiple offensive linemen from last year’s unit, including G’s Kenneth Horsey and Jager Burton, T Jeremy Flax, as well as C Eli Cox from last season’s starting lineup, but have acquired the services of G Ben Christman, a former top 150 recruit per the 2021 On3 Industry Rankings, from the transfer portal to beef up their lineup.

If Kentucky wants to enjoy any success this season — it starts with the offensive line. Kentucky’s offensive line finished the season ranked No. 128 out of 131 in the FBS and saw quarterback Will Levis get sacked 36 times in 2022. He was sacked 11.80 percent of the times he dropped back in the pocket last season and UK finished the year 7-6 after beginning the season 4-0 and seeing themselves ranked as high as No. 7 in the AP Poll. 

It fell apart up front, and those cracks in Kentucky’s offense foundation, coupled with inept play-calling, saw UK’s season crumble in front of them. Improvement is mandatory, or new star QB Devin Leary will be in Lexington wasting his final season of collegiate eligibility.

“The main goal is to keep Devin clean. Whatever it takes to be able to keep him clean,” transfer OT Courtland Ford told KSR on Friday. “If it’s like going out building brotherhood, chemistry within the o-line group we’re going to do that.”

If the Big Blue Wall can do that, Kentucky should be just fine. With a handful of serviceable running backs, two dynamic wideouts in Dane Key and Barion Brown mixed with a top transfer quarterback and a returning offensive coordinator — Kentucky might have one of the more explosive offenses in the SEC in 2023.