Anwar Stewart pledges to improve sack total: "We've got to get after the quarterback"

Kentucky‘s defense was stout a year ago, ranked No. 7 in passing yards allowed, No. 12 overall in total yards allowed per game, No. 13 in scoring defense, No. 16 in defensive passing efficiency and No. 49 overall in rushing defense. Opposing offenses converted on third down just 33.3% of the time (No. 23 overall) and fourth down just 40.0% of the time (No. 19 overall).

Brad White’s unit took care of business from top to bottom, plain and simple.

Struggling to wreak havoc

If there is one area of growth going into 2023, though, it is the team’s pass rush and the lack of total havoc plays in recent years. After finishing in the bottom half of the league in sacks each season since 2019, the Wildcats ranked No. 11 in the SEC last year with just 20 sacks.

And that number hasn’t escaped the defense and its coaches. Kentucky does a lot of things really well on that side of the football, but improving the pass rush is a major point of emphasis going into fall camp.

“That’s one of the things I’ve addressed this offseason, the pass rush,” defensive line coach Anwar Stewart told KSR on 630 WLAP’s Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “This summer, we had a big emphasis on pass rushing with the guys.”

Star talent is available

The Wildcats have players — potential stars, even — capable of wreaking havoc this fall. Sophomore Deone Walker is the clear standout, a Second Team All-SEC member after racking up 40 tackles and 4.5 TFL as a freshman. Senior J.J. Weaver finished with a career-high 47 tackles (27 solo) last season while Tre’vonn Rybka has played in all but two games since he arrived on campus two years ago. Kahlil Saunders and Josaih Hayes will be rotation pieces, while blue-chip transfer products Keeshawn Silver and Darrion Henry-Young are also high-ceiling linemen.

Point being, there’s too much talent there to not expect more in the pass rush.

“J.J. (Weaver) coming back, big Deone and using guys like Tre(‘vonn Rybka) and (Octavious) Ox(endine), those guys, we’ve got to. We have to put more pressure on the quarterback,” Stewart said. “I’m big on putting an emphasis on four downs, my four guys kicking your four guys’ butt any day. We’ve got to continue developing that pass rush, where Coach (Brad) White feels great about, ‘You guys go hunt.’ So he doesn’t have to call simulated blitzes, we can play coverage. That was a big emphasis this offseason.”

Anwar Stewart calls his shot

In fact, the fourth-year coach is calling his shot ahead of the 2023 season: the sack total will improve. It was a top priority this spring and summer, and it’s going to be a top priority in fall camp.

That’s going to lead to results during the regular season this fall.

“You will see a bigger sack total when it comes to those guys. We’ve worked really hard on it,” Stewart said. “It’s not like we haven’t (in the past), but we’ve got to keep working. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Those guys need to understand the importance of, when we stop the run and it’s third down, we’ve got to get off the field. We’ve got to get after the quarterback.”

Expect more from the Kentucky pass rush this fall.