'Be who we are': Kentucky's offensive line is still trying to reach Big Blue Wall standard

Kentucky’s high offensive line expectations are not going away. Do the Wildcats have the correct personnel to meet the high Big Blue Wall standards? Only time will tell.

Head coach Mark Stoops made a somewhat surprising move in January when offensive line coach Zach Yenser was fired and brought Alabama offensive line coach Eric Wolford back to Lexington. Wolford inherits one of the most experienced line groups in college football with four players returning who have played over 1,000 career snaps. Starting center Eli Cox and left tackle Marques Cox are over 2,000 snaps.

The pieces are in place for the offensive line to take a jump. If the group makes a leap this fall, the ceiling could be high for the offensive line and football team in Lexington.

“I do feel more comfortable. We needed to add some depth to give us some more bodies upfront. Be physical. We have to be who we are. We’ve talked about it many times about having that physical nature. Being able to run the ball and I could go back several years where we’re bringing in Liam and what do we need to improve on? Well, getting the ball down the field. Well now, we feel like we have some skill guys. We have a quarterback we believe in,” Stoops told reporters at SEC Media Days. “He’s gotta go prove it but we have some guys we believe in but we still have to be who we are and that’s physical on both sides.”

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Kentucky’s offensive line made clear strides in 2023, but this was an offense that could not run the football and lacked game control because of it. The Wildcats ranked No. 25 nationally in yards per rush (4.90) but were just No. 93 overall in rushing success rate (39.0%). Kentucky could not run the ball with efficiency and that created a boom-or-bust attack. New offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan takes over and his top task will be to fix the running game. Adding a true quarterback run game with Brock Vandagriff will help, but Kentucky’s offensive line must still move bodies at the point of attack.

Kentucky will be hoping that experience means improved play. The Wildcats have some skill talent weapons and have proven they can be explosive but efficiency is needed. That game control needs to come in the run game. Much is riding on this group.

The Big Blue Standard is high and Kentucky is chasing after it.