Eric Wolford, Big Blue Wall working on improving pass protection

Kentucky’s Big Blue Wall has established itself as one of the best offensive line brands in college football. However, the Wildcats have created this identity without the need for a ton of pass blocking.

Over the last three seasons, the Kentucky offense became very run-heavy. In 2020, the Wildcats ran the ball on 64.21 percent of their total snaps. Meanwhile, former offensive coordinator Eddie Gran used many RPO concepts that called for the offensive line to run block on pass plays. That is a lot of run blocking.

New offensive coordinator Liam Coen has arrived in Lexington to modernize the offense. To accomplish that goal, the forward pass play must be used at a more substantial rate. To effectively move the ball through the air, the offensive line must protect.

New offensive line coach Eric Wolford is putting his new group through situations in fall camp to make sure that the Wildcats will be ready for a brutal SEC slate.

“It depends on what day it is,” Wolford told reporters on Thursday about the pass protection. “You know what I’m saying? On third down, we’re getting a lot of looks right there, so that’s getting us ready for SEC league play because every week they have wrinkles that they put in. So you gotta continue to exercise your calls, you have to understand making your calls and identifying things and changing protections based on what they’re doing as far as upfront.”

“That’s been a real good challenge for us, and at the end of the day, we all know in this league they’re going to get you in five one-on-ones — in some form or fashion — and all they want to do is win one. One out of five, but we gotta man up and be able to handle our guy and handle the one-on-one. And sometimes they’re going to create space. So just because you’re an inside player doesn’t mean you’re always going to have two guards sitting right next to you. They’re going to create space, and they’re going to try to get their fast guy — their best matchup — on them.”

There is no denying Kentucky has some absolute maulers in the run game. Darian Kinnard is one of the best zone scheme blockers in college football. Redshirt sophomore Eli Cox might be the most powerful player on the roster at right guard according to Coen and Wolford. Luke Fortner is also great at moving people at the point of attack. However, this is a group that has a ton to prove in pass protection.

LSU transfer Dare Rosenthal comes to Kentucky from an offense that loved to get in empty (only the quarterback in the backfield) and used five-man protections at a high rate. That often puts offensive line players on an island. Don’t expect Kentucky to do that a lot in 2021, but there will be times when the Big Blue Wall must hold up and win in isolation situations.

“I always say this, ‘they’re gonna get you in five one-on-ones, and then they’re going to put their best pass rusher on your worst pass blocker’. That’s what this league’s about. Wherever your weak leak is — wherever they feel like your weak link is — they’re going to try to expose him,” said Wolford.

Back in 2018, Kentucky moved Josh Allen all over the place, and it allowed the star pass rusher to become an All-American and high NFL Draft pick. Kentucky will see some similar strategies from defenses this season. The Big Blue Wall must be ready to hold up their end of the bargain in pass protection.