Kentucky players to watch against Auburn

Kentucky is now one game under .500 with five games left in the college football season. The Wildcats are one loss away from locking up a third consecutive losing season in SEC play. This has been a difficult week for the program after following up a lackluster performance against Vanderbilt with a disappointing result against Florida.

Will Mark Stoops and his team get this turned around in Week 9? Kentucky is dealing with some significant injuries but is drawing an SEC team that also cannot get out of its own way.

Auburn can create a boatload of explosive plays, but the offense has also been a turnover machine, and the defense has some holes. Odds are that this will be a game that ends up being decided in the fourth quarter.

What Kentucky players could make some game-swinging plays? KSR is looking at the top candidates.

We are on Jamarion Wilcox watch again

Heading into the Vanderbilt matchup, there was a belief that redshirt freshman tailback Jamarion Wilcox could have a big role against a defense that had given up a high volume of explosive runs. That did not happen, and then Mark Stoops talked about the lack of trust Kentucky’s coaching staff currently had in Wilcox.

A lot can change in a couple of weeks.

After receiving only three touches against Florida, the former high-three star prospect could be in line to get his first career start against Auburn with Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and Chip Trayanum both ruled on for Saturday’s contest. What could a heavier workload turn into?

Wilcox has been Kentucky’s most dynamic rusher all season. The second-year player is averaging 7.0 yards per rush and owns a 28.1 percent explosive rate. The only problem is we haven’t seen a heavy workload. That should change on Saturday night at Kroger Field.

Auburn’s run defense has been stingy this season (No. 13 in yards per rush allowed), but Wilcox has flashed some star potential. The tailback could help give Kentucky the explosive play punch this offense has been desperately searching for.

Creating negative plays

The havoc rate that Kentucky has been producing all season will matter more this week. Auburn has had massive ball security issues and it’s not just the high interception totals. Star tailback Jarquez Hunter has also fumbled three times in 97 carries this season. Auburn will likely make some game-swinging mistakes.

Can Kentucky take advantage?

On Thursday, we learned one of Kentucky’s top havoc creators could be unavailable. Star defensive tackle Deone Walker was downgraded to questionable. The Wildcats will need someone to step up if Walker cannot go.

J.J. Weaver leads Kentucky in pressures (15) and sacks (four). The super senior is having a good season and could make a big difference if he can continue to create pressure. Kentucky likely needs to win the turnover battle to win this game, and Weaver could help create one of those key takeaways.

Kentucky needs some veterans to step up and make some plays. Weaver is a candidate to get that done in this matchup.

A tough assignment for a young tackle

Starting right tackle Gerald Mincey will miss his first game of the season on Saturday night. That means redshirt freshman Malachi Wood will make his first career start against Auburn. This will be a tough assignment.

Keldric Faulk was a top-100 recruiting win for the program in the 2023 cycle who immediately became an impact player on the Plains. Faulk leads the Tigers in pressures (27) and sacks (five). Jalen McLeod is in his second year at Auburn after transferring over from Appalachian State. The hybird OLB/DE has 19.5 career sacks and can be a true winner on the left side of the offensive line.

Wood has played only 52 career snaps and was beat quickly by an edge rusher that allowed a QB hit on 3rd-and-11 last week. The Richmond (Ky.) Madison Central prospect has great measurables and a high ceiling as a prospect, but development was needed. We will find out quickly on Saturday night if Wood is ready to play at this level.

Expect Auburn to try and create isolation matchups for their star defensive ends against the young tackle.

Another test for Kentucky’s cornerbacks

Kentucky will play its fourth consecutive game on Saturday night without star cornerback Maxwell Hairston. For the third time in that window, Kentucky will face some dynamic wideouts with an NFL future.

Kentucky held up well in coverage against Ole Miss but was beaten badly against Florida. Kentucky needs more of the former. Auburn will challenge Kentucky’s secondary in the vertical passing game.

After making some very competitive plays against Ole Miss, DJ Waller Jr. has struggled against Vanderbilt and Florida. Kentucky’s cornerbacks could use more help from the safeties, but some plays in one-on-one situations must be made.

Kentucky needs the true sophomore and true junior JQ Hardaway to make some competitive plays facing an RPO offense that will take chances throwing the football down the field.