Quintin Wilson gives Big Blue Wall some interior insurance

Kentucky entered the 2022 season feeling really good about the interior three of the offensive line. The Wildcats had three proven SEC starters and a rising blue-chip redshirt freshman that could help immediately.

However, things can change fast.

Some injuries have limited Kenneth Horsey and Tashawn Manning with the former needing to kick out to left tackle after just one game. All of a sudden, Jager Burton became a full-time starter, and the Cats needed a new player to step in at right guard as Manning was held out for precautionary reasons while dealing with a lingering foot injury.

Quintin Wilson stepped up to the plate, and the redshirt senior provided some solid play for the Big Blue Wall in the 31-0 win over Youngstown State.

“I was proud of him,” Kentucky offensive line coach Zach Yenser told reporters about Wilson on Tuesday. “There was a couple times where he got pushed back a little bit, but I think other than that he played well. He does a really good job of seeing the game as a center which helps as a guard. He can see it kind of how Eli sees it and the calls. No missed assignments is big. And I think the more snaps that he gets and the more time he gets in the game he’s going to get more comfortable with it. He did a good job.

Wilson was a solid high three-star recruiting win for Kentucky in the class of 2018 out of Cincinnati (Ohio) Turpin. The fifth-year player does not have great size (6-1, 295) and that can hurt him in pass protection against longer rushers. However, the three-time Dean’s List member brings great experience and solid football knowledge to the field.

The interior lineman has played in over 20 career games and started at left guard for Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl. Back in 2020, Quintin Wilson played nearly every snap of the game in home win against Vanderbilt. That experience showed out on Saturday as the veteran earned a solid 73.0 grade from PFF in 73 snaps.

Yenser now has a quality swing player inside to utilize.

Burton is holding things down at left guard but is still going through some growing pains. The Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass product said Saturday was the worst game he’s played to this point, according to Yenser. Kentucky is still trying to figure things out upfront, but the overall unselfishness of this group is providing some optimism at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility.

“That’s the cool thing about our group is they care, they see it, they know they have to improve. We all know we have to improve — I have to improve,” Yenser said. “We all hold each other accountable, and that’s what’s cool about our room.”

“Those guys are unselfish and they’re going to do whatever we ask them to do.”

Early on we’ve seen quite a bit of shuffling with three different starting combinations in three games as reserves needed to fill in for missing starters. The Big Blue Wall is attempting to iron out many wrinkles as this group is trying to find its footing in 2022. Quintin Wilson could be an asset to help Kentucky get its sea legs on the offensive line.

Kentucky has some insurance along the interior. That is better than the alternative as this group needs to make some strides fast heading into the teeth of the schedule.