Second-Year Players Will Determine Ceiling of the Kentucky Defense

Kentucky reset its roster this offseason with 21 departures and 30 new arrivals this spring. Most of the attention has been on the offensive turnover, but you’re going to see just as much of it on defense, particularly in the front seven.

Brad White is losing staples to his defense at all three levels. Maxwell Hairston is on his way to becoming Kentucky’s first-ever first round draft pick from the secondary. D’Eryk Jackson and Jamon Dumas-Johnson were the team’s top tacklers before the former suffered a season-ending injury. Deone Walker is one of four defensive line departures that logged significant starts.

The Kentucky defense ranks No. 61 in returning production, according to SP+. It could be worse, but most of the secondary remains intact.

The Cats went to the portal to find reinforcements in the front seven. That should be enough to provide a stable foundation, but the ceiling of the Kentucky defense will be determined by the development of second-year players who are stepping into larger roles this fall.

Learning One Step at a Time

“Drinking from a firehose” is a term often used for freshmen when they enter the SEC ranks. Coaches try to mitigate this issue by placing them on special teams or in highly specialized roles, allowing them to get their feet wet without being completely overwhelmed. Many of those freshmen are now being asked to do so much more. The first step is getting comfortable within the scheme by logging reps at spring practice.

“The biggest thing with a player that’s stepping into a bigger role is that you gotta be mindful of taking really conscious steps. You’re not going to just all of a sudden become Zion Childress. That’s a guy that’s played a lot of football, so you gotta take baby steps. Focus on technique. Start on the one tree, then start spreading ’em out,” said defensive coordinator Brad White.

“Right now it’s about technique, knowing the calls, and playing fast. Don’t overthink things. We’ll get the corrections made. He’s shown progress from practice one to where we are now.”

Quaysheed Scott Takes on Big Role at Nickel

The player White was referring to is Quaysheed Scott, an exceptional defensive back who was a big recruiting win for Kentucky over South Carolina. He has the ideal skillset to play nickel in Kentucky’s medium package. It requires speed to cover explosive slot receivers and the ability to provide run support.

“I’m not running from contact,” he told KSR.

Kentucky asks a lot of its nickels, and not just from an athletic standpoint. The scheme demands players to line up all over the field, depending on the offensive formation. For Scott, this spring is all about getting comfortable with all of the play-calls.

“There’s a lot of space on the field we’re working with out of the slot. You’re not guarding bad players in the SEC. It’s a versatile spot where you have to be a smart player on the field,” said the second-year Kentucky defensive back.

Kentucky has a Tight-Knit Group of Second-Year Players

The Kentucky 2024 recruiting class had plenty of potential star power. Jerod Smith has the tools to start this fall on the defensive line. Steven Soles popped in the pass rush. Terhyon Nichols had five pass deflections in six games as a true freshman. While recovering from a season-ending injury, Nichols gets so much joy watching his teammates succeed.

“I just love seeing my brothers win,” said Nichols. “Seeing him (Scott) there, my favorite play from Q last year was when he caught a punt. I thought he was going to score. We talk about that all the time. It’s just great seeing him take on this role and be a better player. From where he came in during the fall to now, he’s taken that step to learn how to be the best possible player at his position.

DJ Waller is another second-year defensive back who has high expectations after dealing with injuries during his first year in the system. Antwan Smith and Cam Dooley will be relied on as rotational reserves. It’s not always clean, but this group is cheering for each other to take the steps needed to be impact players this fall.

“Now the defense is slowing down. Now they can be the best version of themsevles. It’s been good to see all of those guys out there competing at a high level,” said White.

“They’re a really tight-knit group. They’re all really close, especially defensively, which is awesome. They do a lot of stuff together. They hang out together. To have that core, knowing that you’re going to be able to grow defensively, it’s really good for us.”

They may not make all of the headlines this offseason, but Kentucky needs its talented high school recruits to develop into consistent contributors for the defense in 2025.

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