Matchup breakdown: Kentucky safety AJ Stamps and Florida QB Jeff Driskel

In preparation for Saturday’s SEC showdown between Kentucky and Florida in the Swamp, Saturday Down South is taking a look at the key matchups that may decide the game between the Wildcats and the Gators.

Kentucky safety AJ Stamps vs Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel

There’s arguably no player more important to Kentucky at this point in the season than safety AJ Stamps. The former JUCO All-American brought new energy to the team and leads the team with 14 tackles and he also has one interception, a quarterback hurry and two pass breakups. Perhaps what is most impressive about Stamps is his athleticism, which he’s put on display several times this season.

Here’s a one-handed interception by Stamps in their season-opener:

Stamps has the speed to play in pass coverage extremely well, but he also possesses the instincts and tackling ability to be a factor in run defense as well. If the Gators’ first game was of any indication, Stamps should have plenty of opportunities to make plays.

In the season-opener, Jeff Driskel threw for a career-high 45 attempts, completing 33 of his passes. The redshirt junior quarterback hadn’t thrown more than 33 attempts before last Saturday, so it’s apparent that new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper wants Driskel to sling the ball around more than he’s done in the past.

A majority of Driskel’s passes against Eastern Michigan were 10 yards or shorter. It was his first game back after a season-ending injury in 2013 and his first game under Roper’s new system, so it’s not surprising that Driskel kept it simple in his first game in order to get in a rhythm. He also wanted to get the ball to his playmakers in open space, which meant a lot of bubble screens, flats and out routes.

Moving into the second game, expect Driskel to take some more shots downfield. He attempted to do so throughout the first game, but was either unable to connect on the pass or there was a pass interference. As a team, the Gators recorded three passing plays of 40 or more yards against Eastern Michigan, compared to only nine plays in the past two seasons combined.

Wide receivers Andre Debose, Quinton Dunbar and Demarcus Robinson will be the primary deep threats for Driskel and the Gators.

Driskel still needs work on running through his progressions as well. In the past, Driskel would often stare down his receivers, which has made him susceptible to interceptions. He did look a lot better in the Gators’ season-opener, but Saturday will be his first real test in the new offense against an SEC-caliber defense. His performance against Stamps and the rest of the UK secondary should be a much better measuring stick for where he’s at. And if Roper wants to stay away from the secondary, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Driskel rely more on the short passing game for the second week in a row.

Either way, come Saturday night, Stamps must be the guy Driskel places as his No. 1 priority on the Wildcats’ defense. Yes, he’s on Kentucky, but this is clearly not the same Kentucky teams the Gators are accustomed to playing in the past and Stamps is the real deal.

Drew Laing

Drew Laing will be providing analysis and insight on Florida, Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina.