It’s no secret the Kentucky Wildcats struggled to throw the football in 2013.

The Cats amassed just 2,319 yards through the air last season, ranking 11th out of 14 SEC in passing offense with an average of less than 200 yards per game.

Kentucky has a new starting quarterback in redshirt sophomore Patrick Towles, but head coach Mark Stoops’ comments during the weekly SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday indicated the greatest improvement to the passing game can be found on the receiving end of things.

“I feel much better about the receiver position,” Stoops said Wednesday. “That was a position a year ago that we were absolutely just not good enough, not deep enough, and it really cost us throughout the season.”

Stoops’ depth chart for Saturday’s opener against UT Martin featured just one wide receiver pre-dating his arrival in Lexington in December 2012. That player is 5-foot-9 senior Demarco Robinson, a lightning-quick wideout who spent most of last season in Stoops’ proverbial doghouse.

The Cats head coach spoke highly of Robinson Wednesday after naming him a starting wide receiver and the primary punt returner to begin the season. Robinson enters his senior year with 53 career catches for 527 yards and two touchdowns, and Stoops explained his experience will be valuable in an otherwise youthful wide receiver corps.

Stoops also mentioned senior Javess Blue, who led the Cats in receptions, yards and touchdowns in 2013 after transferring into UK from Butler Community College. Blue gained valuable experience in the SEC last season, and Stoops expects him to have a breakout 2014 campaign as the team’s leading receiver once again.

One player Stoops hopes to get more involved in the offense this season is sophomore Ryan Timmons, who showed flashes of incredible ability during his freshman season in 2013.

“He was great a year ago as a true freshman with the ball in his hands. He just needed to learn how to play wide receiver,” Stoops said. “I think he’s a guy that has the potential to be a big-time guy.”

Timmons will also be involved in Kentucky’s return game, giving him more opportunities to put his athleticism on display in the open field.

The biggest question mark at the receiver position will be the four true freshmen listed on the depth chart: Blake Bone, Dorian Baker, T.V. Williams and Garrett Johnson.

Stoops is confident in the abilities of all four – he did recruit all four of them, after all – but understands they won’t play to their full potential early in the season.

“We’ve got to continue to push these guys and get them better and get them to point where they can help contribute and help us win some big games,” Stoops said on Wednesday.

The talent is there, as is the depth. UK retained five of its top six receivers from a year ago and brought in four new stars who should make a greater impact in the passing game as the season progresses.

It could take time for the receiving corps. to develop a rhythm with Towles, but the Cats’ offense should begin to show improvements in the passing game as early as Saturday.