Checking in on the early-season temperatures in Lexington, Ky. …

HOT

Head coach Mark Stoops and the rest of Kentucky’s coaching staff. Stoops is way ahead of schedule in rebuilding the Kentucky program, especially if his team reaches a bowl game this year for the first time since 2010. The Cats scored 59 points in their season opener and held last week’s opponent, Ohio, to just three points on the scoreboard. Not only is Stoops recruiting a new level of talent to Lexington, he’s coaching those players to make an impact right away at the college level. UK plays a lot of first-time starters, many of whom are freshmen or sophomores, but looks like an athletic, experienced group. What Stoops has been able to do at a basketball-first school in a football-first conference in less than two full seasons is beyond impressive. While some coaches’ seats may be hot right now, it’s Stoops’ recruiting and coaching that are on fire in the SEC East.

WARM

The play of quarterback Patrick Towles. The redshirt sophomore had a breakout performance in his first career start two weeks ago against UT Martin, throwing for more than 300 yards while leading the Cats’ offense to 656 total yards as a unit. He threw for 170 yards and a touchdown a week later against Ohio, adding another 59 yards with his legs. Towles has yet to commit a turnover as the starting quarterback, and 11 different receivers have caught a pass from the man Cats fans call “Patty Ice.” Towles, a Kentucky native, admitted this summer he’s always dreamed of starting at quarterback for UK, and he’s certainly made the most of his opportunity thus far.

COLD

Kentucky’s offensive line play. The Cats haven’t been abysmal up front, but they’ve been far from great. UK has allowed Towles to be sacked five times in two games, and aside from Braylon Heard, no UK rusher has amassed 100 yards on the ground through two games this season (Heard posted 116 yards on two carries, doing most of the work himself, and hasn’t played since). In case you misunderstood, not only has UK not had a 100-yard rusher in either of its two games, but no Kentucky ball-carrier has totaled 100 yards on the ground in those two games combined aside from Heard’s pair of big plays. The Wildcats finally have athletes at the skill positions and a capable quarterback with a big arm to get them the ball, but if the offensive line cannot hold up its end of the bargain, those athletes will be a moot point as opposing defenses demolish Kentucky.

FROZEN

Kentucky’s good fortune regarding injuries. The Cats cannot seem to get healthy early in the season, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Wideouts Alex Montgomery and Jeff Badet have still yet to make their 2014 debuts, and it is unlikely either will see the field Saturday against Florida. The same can be said of Heard and receiver Javess Blue, who both suffered ankle sprains in the first half of the win over UTM two weeks ago and haven’t return since. Heard had two carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns at the time of his injury; Blue, UK’s leading receiver last year, had already made a 42-yard reception prior to his injury. As Kentucky begins its SEC schedule these losses may begin to pile-up, and it’s not as though more players can’t go down in future games as well. Football is a contact sport, and UK has been exceptionally unlucky regarding its injury situation in 2014.