With Kentucky coming off a seven-win season and an appearance in the TaxSlayer Bowl, optimism is high around the Wildcats. Kentucky’s spring practice run culminates Friday night in Lexington with the spring game, and even though Drew Barker won’t play and the 2017 season is still four and a half months away, there are some significant things to watch. Here are five we’ll be keeping an eye on:

1) Is Gunnar Hoak ready to assume the backup QB job? Will freshmen Danny Clark or Walker Wood factor in the race?

Junior QB Drew Barker was likely to be a major focus in the spring game, but the Wildcats announced earlier this week that he would be held out as part of his recovery from the back injury (and subsequent surgery) that cost him most of the 2016 season. This puts redshirt freshman QB Gunnar Hoak in the spotlight, as he has a chance to stake his claim for the back-up job in ’17 behind presumed starter Stephen Johnson. Hoak has drawn praise from head coach Mark Stoops and offensive coordinator Eddie Gran for his maturity and leadership ability, and could separate himself from Barker and the true freshmen who will also compete for the job. True freshmen Danny Clark and Walker Wood will also be under the microscope, and some think Clark will be a factor at UK sooner rather than later.

2) Who will replace center Jon Toth?

Toth was one of the best centers in the SEC last season, but he is now preparing for an NFL career as Kentucky tries to figure out how to replace him. Junior Bunchy Stallings (who mostly played guard in 2016) appears to have the inside track on the starting job, but Kentucky likes to rotate linemen, and redshirt freshman Drake Jackson seems likely to get a crack at the job as well. If Kentucky wants to run as well as it did last season, replacing Toth is pivotal.

3) Who joins with Benny Snell in the ground game?

True freshman Benny Snell broke the 1,000-yard barrier last season, as did junior Stanley “Boom” Williams, who is now off to the NFL. So who will replace Williams as the lightning to go with Snell’s thunderous running style? Junior Sihiem King has the experience, but redshirt freshman A.J. Rose has drawn praise from the Kentucky staff. Wildcats fans will eagerly see if either can assert himself Friday night.

4) Who replaces the DBs?

Kentucky returns a couple of tough cornerbacks in juniors Chris Westry and Derrick Baity, but the Wildcats will look to replace Marcus McWilson and Blake McClain, who started at safety and nickel back last season. Senior Kendall Randolph is being held out with injuries, so some of UK’s young defensive backs will get a long look. Sophomore Jordan Griffin has moved from corner to the nickel spot, and could shine. Redshirt freshman Davonte Robinson is also worth keeping an eye on.

5) Can punter Grant McKinniss get it together?

McKinniss, who took the Kentucky punting chores as a true freshman in 2016, was ranked as one of the nation’s top punters as a recruit. But he had a brutal freshman campaign. Down the stretch of the season, his kicks were low and short — except when the situation called for a pooch kick, when he suddenly would blast a high 50-yarder. Publicly, Kentucky’s coaches insist that they trust McKinniss. But graduate transfer Matthew Panton from Columbia University will be joining the team in the fall. Everyone in Lexington wants McKinniss to succeed. But his woes have been severe enough that Mark Stoops and company are moving toward a Plan B just in case. McKinniss could help quiet the whispers with a solid spring game performance.