First Down Kentucky: Star Power in Lexington
Kentucky’s defense and return game has high expectations in 2024. Why is that? Because the Wildcats have some high-end star power. Deone Walker and Barion Brown each enter their true junior seasons with a high bar to clear due to some the playmaking shown as true sophomores.
Each were honored for their work done last season on Wednesday when the national All-American teams were released. Deone Walker was named to the first team by ESPN and The Athletic at defensive tackle. Barion Brown was named to the second team as an all-purpose player by The Athletic. Kentucky also has a former first-team All-American on the roster with Pop Dumas-Johnson earning honors following the 2022 season.
Overall star power could allow Kentucky to be a live dog when the Cats face top-15 opponents Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, and Tennessee this season. First Down Kentucky is back on this beautiful Hump Day to get you caught up to speed on everything in the college football space.
Texas loses another tailback
The injury bug will not leave running back rooms in the Southeastern Conference alone. On Monday at practice in Austin, former four-star recruit Christian Clark tore his Achilles. That injury will require surgery and the true freshman will miss the entire 2024 season. Moore will join starting tailback CJ Baxter on the injury list after the sophomore was lost for the season.
Texas is now down to three scholarship tailbacks on the roster. Kentucky lost Chip Trayanum for a few weeks, Florida’s Montrell Johnson Jr. is sitting out for a knee scope, and Texas A&M’s Reuben Owens was lost for the season.
One of the biggest stories of the last week for the conference is how the depth of running back rooms across the league is getting tested due to the unfortunate injury luck.
Kentucky has more built-in answers to absorb the loss of another starting tailback in September
Name a starting QB SZN
QB battles lingering into fall camp are not as prevalent as they used to be but they are still out there. Kentucky has not had one since Will Levis beat out Joey Gatewood just a few days into camp back in 2021. Most are decided after the first or second scrimmage. A big one was announced on Wednesday.
Luke Fickell is attempting to run a version of the Air Raid offense at Wisconsin. Not surprisingly, Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke won the job after throwing for 7,469 yards, 54 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions over the last three years in the ACC. Expect more QB1 announcements to begin leaking out after another scrimmage weekend.
Top 10
- 1
Phil Longo Fired
Wisconsin announces firing of OC
- 2
Iowa QB out
Ankle injury sidelines Brendan Sullivan
- 3
Peter Boulware chimes in
FSU legend offers Norvell advice
- 4
Paul Finebaum
'Kirby Smart was different'
- 5
AP Poll Shakeup
New Top 25 shows big fallout from Saturday
Expect a big season from Alex Afari Jr.
Former blue-chip recruit Alex Afari Jr. is making a position change after playing 500-plus snaps for Kentucky last season. The hybrid linebacker/safety is still playing in Kentucky’s medium role, but is also playing some at off-ball Will linebacker in fall camp.
The move will allow Kentucky to get more versatile and have more answers for offenses on Saturdays. The Wildcats are asking a lot of the true junior, but so far, the move appears to be going very smoothly.
Alex Afari Jr. can help Kentucky become more matchup-driven on defense (KSR+)
More Kentucky Intel
What to know what is going on over at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility as Kentucky’s fall camp begins to wind down? You need to get over to KSBoard. On Wednesday, we dropped some team intel with updates at tailback, wide receiver, cornerback, and linebacker.
DJ Waller Jr. is pushing for a starting spot and the expectations are only getting higher for the Georgia transfers on Kentucky’s roster.
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