In 2006 and 2007, Kentucky football shed its laughingstock image with some serious offense. Last season, the Wildcats continued their climb with a decidedly different identity, as their defense led the way to a third straight bowl victory.

In 2009, the Cats hope for a flashback.

“We want to get back to that offense of two years ago,” says Joker Phillips, UK’s head coach-in-waiting, whose title changed in the offseason from offensive coordinator to head coach of the offense.

Though Kentucky hopes to maintain its upward momentum on defense — where two key seniors return after having considered the NFL Draft — the Wildcats hope to improve significantly on an offensive attack that averaged 22.6 points per game, down from 36.5 in 2007.

“Defensively, it looks like we’ll be an improved team over what we were last year, which was a marked improvement for us over the previous years,” UK coach Rich Brooks says. “Offensively, there isn’t any question in my mind that we’ll be better than we were last year.”

Quarterbacks

If there’s to be significant improvement on offense, it could start at quarterback, where junior Mike Hartline — the starter in six of Kentucky’s seven wins last season — will try to make the jump from game manager to playmaker. Hartline threw for 1,666 yards and nine touchdowns last season, completing 55.3 percent of his passes and tossing eight interceptions. Those numbers were a significant drop-off from the kind that star Andre’ Woodson posted in 2006 and 2007. Still, Hartline was steady, and sometimes spectacular. He threw two touchdown passes in two minutes to cap a stunning comeback against Arkansas that might have salvaged UK’s season. “Right now, Hartline is the guy — with the system we run, that fits that system the best,” Brooks says. The emphasis could be on “right now.” Kentucky welcomes two highly regarded quarterback prospects to campus this fall, and freshmen Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski are expected to have the opportunity to compete for the starting job. One player who likely won’t be in the battle for the starting spot is sophomore Randall Cobb, who started four games at quarterback last season. Cobb primarily will play wide receiver this season, though Kentucky will employ a Wildcat offensive set that will allow Cobb to use his talents as a runner and a passer at quarterback.

Running backs

There’s little question about the speed Kentucky can deploy here. But the running game was anemic last season, and it loses top rusher Tony Dixon. If there’s a featured back, expect it to be senior tailback Alfonso Smith, who’s spent his career in the shadow of more experienced talents. The speedy Smith rushed for 204 yards on 74 carries last season and has worked hard to improve his pass-catching skills, a staple of Phillips’ offense. Junior Derrick Locke is an equally explosive athlete if he’s healthy, and that’s a big if. Locke rushed for 319 yards on 63 carries in seven games last season before he tore two knee ligaments against Arkansas. He missed the rest of the season and didn’t participate in spring practice, though coaches expect him back in the fold this fall. Junior Moncell Allen provides depth at tailback, and senior John Conner — perhaps Kentucky’s most overlooked player — is an expert blocker at fullback.

Receivers

Cobb says that he played wide receiver for all of one possession in one high school game, and he caught a touchdown pass. Kentucky hopes that was a sign of things to come. Cobb took to receiver like a veteran last season, catching 21 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns as a part-timer at the position. This season, he could emerge as Hartline’s favorite target. Cobb could get competition in that regard from a newcomer, junior college transfer Chris Matthews. At 6'5", he’s a big target who caught 80 passes for 1,235 yards last season at Los Angeles Harbor College. The rest of the returning receivers have talent but have yet to show consistency. The Wildcats are hoping for a breakout season from Kyrus Lanxter, and the sophomore class is loaded with potential playmakers in Aaron Boyd, Eric Adeyemi and Gene McCaskill.

Offensive linemen

There are seven players here who have started at least three games in their careers, so Brooks expects significant improvement and significant competition up front. It’s safe, however, to pencil in two starters. Zipp Duncan, a former tight end, has started 26 straight games at either left or right guard. Though he’s moving to tackle, he remains a virtual lock to start on the left side. There’s another fixture at center, where Jorge Gonzalez started every game last season and should shore up the line again. Left guard Christian Johnson, who has 15 career starts, returns after sitting out last season, and two-year starter Justin Jeffries returns at right tackle, though shoulder surgery kept him out of spring ball. “We’ve got tall, lean guys and not a lot of squatty bodies,” Phillips says. “There aren’t a lot of bellies on those guys up front.”

Defensive linemen

Kentucky’s most significant losses from last season came from the defensive line. The Cats were prepared for the losses of tackle Myron Pryor and end Ventrell Jenkins, but they expected to have the services of Jeremy Jarmon, an All-SEC end who was making a run at the school’s all-time sack record. But Jarmon was ruled ineligible in early June for testing positive for a banned substance, and he entered the NFL’s supplemental draft. That leaves senior tackle Corey Peters (16 career tackles for a loss) as the only returning starter up front. Junior Ricky Lumpkin, who has missed eight games the past two seasons with hip and ankle injuries, replaces Pryor at right tackle, and Lumpkin’s success — and his health — will go a long way in determining the strength of the UK line. The starting ends will likely come down to a battle between speedy redshirt freshman Collins Ukwu and sophomores Chandler Burden and Greg Meisner.

Linebackers

Linebacker was a Kentucky strength last season, and the return of Micah Johnson in the middle provides hope that there won’t be a significant drop-off in 2009. Johnson had a breakout season as a junior with 93 tackles, including 13 for a loss, and four sacks. Johnson considered the NFL Draft before returning for one last go-round. “There’s not much more I can do physically,” he says. “Now it’s really more about my mental approach to the game.” Johnson might need to have an even better year as a senior if the linebacking corps is to carry its weight. There’s talent on the outside — veteran Sam Maxwell should man the strong side, with speedy sophomore Danny Trevathan on the weak side — but the Cats lack experience.

Defensive backs

Though Johnson also considered jumping to the NFL last season, it was cornerback Trevard Lindley who shocked Kentucky fans — and coaches — with his decision to return for his senior year. Though Lindley needs to add size and strength, he is perhaps the SEC’s best pure cover corner, with nine career interceptions and a UK-record 34 pass breakups. Randall Burden and Paul Warford will battle for the spot opposite Lindley, a position opposing quarterbacks tend to target. Safety Winston Guy had a spectacular spring and should be an impact player in what figures to be the best secondary in Brooks’ tenure.

Specialists

Kentucky is seeking a replacement for reliable punter Tim Masthay and a placekicker who can deliver consistently. The Wildcats might find both in Ryan Tydlacka, the pooch punter and part-time kicker last season. Kentucky was at times atrocious in its protection schemes last season (Florida blocked two punts and a field goal in a 63–5 win in Gainesville), and that has to improve. Locke’s health could have almost as big an impact here as at tailback. The fleet-footed junior returned a kickoff for a touchdown last season and was key to the Wildcats leading the SEC at 26.4 yards per return.

This preview appears in the 2009 Athlon Sports Southeastern Magazine. Click here to order yours today.

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