What the Return of Jordan Wright Means for Kentucky at Florida

Jordan Wright is back. Sidelined for the season-opener, UK announced the Super Senior outside linebacker will return to the lineup for Saturday’s top 25 matchup with the Florida Gators. His presence changes how we must handicap the SEC East Showdown.

Jordan Wright Gives the Kentucky Defense Another Havoc Creator

Jordan Wright is a playmaker. He may not stuff the stat sheet as a sack specialist, but he does spray the board in a variety of statistical categories. Few defensive players can claim a defensive touchdown in their college careers. He has two. Wright forces fumbles (four) and recovers them (3). He has picked off passes and tallied double-digit deflections. When Jordan Wright is on the field, the game can change at any moment.

A Schematic Switch for Brad White’s Defense

Kentucky does not have a ton of players in Brad White’s outside linebackers room. Without Wright, there are three true freshman and J.J. Weaver. In Wright’s absence the Wildcats primarily played a nickel defense, leading true freshman DB Alex Afari to see 43 snaps. Upon Wright’s return, the Wildcats can play more of their base 3-4 package.

While the nickel is best used against a pass-heavy team, the 3-4 adds another big body to help stuff the run, Florida’s bread and butter. The Gators rushed for 283 yards (7.3 yards per carry) in their week one win. Kentucky now has two talented edges to contain scrambling quarterback Anthony Richardson. Additionally, the Gators do not have much tape at all to study this defense from UK’s season-opener, giving the Kentucky defense another slight schematic advantage.

Hometown Hero Time?

The two players who will bear a brunt of the responsibility for containing Anthony Richardson in the pocket are both originally from Broward County, Fl. Richardson was not sacked in the season-opening win over Utah. Jordan Wright and J.J. Weaver can get his jersey dirty while playing in front of their families in their home state.