The Kentucky Wildcats appeared well on their way to their first bowl game since 2010 when they began last year with a 5-1 record (with the lone loss coming on the road, in the Swamp, in triple-overtime to a team that’s beaten UK nearly 30 times in a row).

However, the Cats closed the year with six straight losses, including a narrow loss to in-state rival Louisville on the final day of the season, keeping UK out of the postseason altogether.

This year, the goal is to finally get over that six-win hump and back into bowl season. After all, Mark Stoops is the only coach in the SEC with at least two years of experience at his current job who hasn’t led his program to a bowl game during his tenure.

With spring ball now behind us, let’s take a look at a few of Kentucky’s strengths and weaknesses as it prepares for a pivotal 2015 season in the Bluegrass.

STRENGTHS

  • Depth in the backfield: Kentucky returns sophomore Boom Williams as its starting tailback, and with a greater role in this year’s offense he should contend for 1,000 yards on the ground, or at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage when factoring in his numbers as one of the SEC’s best pass-catching backs. He’s complemented by junior Jojo Kemp, who almost single-handedly willed UK to victory over South Carolina last year, and sophomore Mikel Horton, who followed a nice freshman season with an even better spring earlier this year. Between the three of them, Kentucky should be able to keep a productive tailback on the field for every offensive snap, which can only mean so much in an Air Raid system, but is a blessing nonetheless.
  • A tight end in the mix: The Cats’ Air Raid passing attack has lacked a competent receiving tight end since Mark Stoops returned the offense to Kentucky, the place Hal Mumme debuted it more than 10 years ago. That vacant tight end position may finally be filled, however, thanks to the addition of four-star early enrollee C.J. Conrad. The Cats’ new tight end impressed coaches throughout the spring, inspiring tight ends coach Vince Marrow to say the Cats “struck gold” by adding him to the offense. No Kentucky tight end has had more than 12 receptions in a season during the Stoops era, and if Conrad can remedy that as a freshman, the entire offense may benefit, especially the quarterback and the team’s deep collection of wideouts from its 2014 recruiting class.
  • Experience in the secondary: The Kentucky secondary returns its top-four producers in terms of passes defended from a year ago in upperclassmen A.J. Stamps, Fred Tiller, Cody Quinn and Blake McClain, ensuring that unit will keep plenty of experienced talents on the field in any situation this coming season. Tiller and Quinn are both former Joker Phillips recruits who have blossomed into productive defensive backs upon the arrival of Stoops, a defensive-minded coach, and his staff. Factor in players like Marcus McWilson, who was second on the team with three picks a year ago, and J.D. Harmon, another senior cornerback from the Phillips era who plays primarily on special teams, and you’ve got one of the deepest secondaries in the entire East division, something that should benefit UK in a conference in which half the teams have yet to decide on a starting quarterback.

WEAKNESSES

  • Still no starting quarterback: With Reese Phillips out for the year after suffering an achilles injury, Patrick Towles, last year’s starting quarterback, and Drew Barker, a redshirt freshman with no live-game experience at the college level, are the Wildcats’ only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. Neither has won the starting job through spring camp, which may just be new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s way of ensuring he’s seen enough of both players to make the best decision, but may be an indication that neither has been good enough to seize the job. It’s certainly concerning that Towles, who began last year with a 5-1 record only to lose six straight to close the year, has been unable to keep his job outright in competing against a player with no experience and in a first-team offense that returned much of its core from last year. There’s no reason to believe the Cats won’t have their best option under center for the fall, but it’s never a good thing to enter training camp without a starting quarterback in place.
  • Shakeup along the defensive line: It’s no secret that Kentucky’s two best players from a year ago both played along the defensive line. First-round draft pick Bud Dupree and fourth-rounder Za’Darius Smith, both former UK defensive ends, were the Cats’ only draftees this year. Take the team’s only NFL talents out of the same position group, and it’s no surprise that group is expected to regress. The Cats are deep with productive defensive tackles like Melvin Lewis, Cory Johnson and Regie Meant; that spot is certainly not the concern along the defensive line. But aside from proven junior defensive end Jason Hatcher, UK lacks depth at the defensive end spots. Players like Jabari Johnson, Farrington Huguenin and redshirt freshman Denzil Ware (also no live-game experience at the FBS level) will step into huge roles on the defense this fall, and if they suffer growing pains, the Cats’ chances at producing any semblance of a pass rush will rapidly diminish.
  •  Lack of protection: Kentucky returns 80 percent of its starting offensive line a year ago, but the line wasn’t very productive then, and it stands to struggle even more in 2015 without its best player from a year ago, left tackle Darrian Miller. The Cats ranked fourth-worst in the SEC in rushing and allowed the second-most sacks in the conference, due in large part to the line’s struggles up front. Jordan Swindle moves from right tackle to left to fill Miller’s shoes, but his issues with pre-snap penalties last year may be intensified upon being charged with protecting his quarterback’s blindside. Zach West, Jon Toth and Ramsey Meyers all return with double-digit starts to their name, but new right tackle Kyle Meadows has only started one game for his career. The concerns at the tackle position may put the UK offense in serious jeopardy, especially if those tackles can’t form a pocket for a team who runs an Air Raid offense and operates almost exclusively from the shotgun.