In 2021, there were big achievements in Kentucky college football.
Mark Stoops coached UK (10-3) to its second 10-win season in the past four years and its fourth straight bowl victory.
Western Kentucky (9-5) led the nation in passing (433.7 yards per game) and was second in total offense (535.3) and scoring (44.2).
Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham was the nation’s top QB rusher (1,031 yards) and threw for almost 3,000 yards (2,941) for the Cardinals (6-7).
For our state’s three FBS programs to achieve more big things in 2022, these 10 coaches/players are under pressure to make positive outcomes happen:
10. Mark Stoops. For a coach whose program has thrived on a “we get no respect” motivational approach, the challenge in 2022 is the opposite. In spite of big questions for Kentucky at receiver, along the offensive line and, depending on the apparently up-in-the-air status of star running back Christopher Rodriguez, possibly at running back, UK was picked by media that covers the SEC to finish second in the East behind defending national champion Georgia.
We will find out in 2022 if Stoops (59-53 in nine seasons overall, 47-29 over the past six years) has built the Kentucky program to sufficient strength that the Wildcats can thrive as one of the SEC’s “hunted.”
9. Jarret Doege. All Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe did last season was lead the nation in passing yards (5,967), passing touchdowns (62) and total offense (5,984 yards, 427.4 yards a game). With Zappe off to New England trying to make the Patriots roster, former West Virginia and Bowling Green QB Doege looms as the Hilltoppers’ likely new starter.
A graduate transfer and super-senior, Doege went 14-12 as WVU’s starting QB the past two seasons. Last year, he threw for 3,048 yards for the Mountaineers with 19 TD passes vs. 12 interceptions. Doege’s task at WKU is replacing the quarterback who set new FBS single-season records for passing yards and touchdowns in 2021.
8. Jermayne Lole. A season ago, the Louisville run defense finished a pedestrian 76th in the FBS, surrendering 157.7 yards a game. To slow down opposing rushers, the Cardinals have dipped into the transfer portal to land former Arizona State nose guard Lole. Before missing all of last season with a triceps injury, the 6-foot-3, 324-pound Lole accumulated 122 tackles, 11 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in two-and-a-half seasons with the Sun Devils.
7. Tayvion Robinson. A season ago, Wan’Dale Robinson transferred home to Kentucky from Nebraska and proceeded to produce the single-greatest season ever (104 catches for 1,334 yards and seven TDs) for a Wildcats wideout. With the ex-Western Hills High School star now set to make plays for the New York Giants, UK is counting on a different Robinson to emerge as its “WR1.”
In three seasons at Virginia Tech, Tayvion Robinson caught a combined 113 passes for 1,555 yards and nine touchdowns. No one should expect Tayvion to match Wan’Dale but Kentucky does need its “new Robinson” to lead a youthful receiving corps.
6. Ben Arbuckle and Josh Crawford. It was offensive coordinator Zack Kittley who brought the high-octane passing attack that transformed Western Kentucky football to the Hilltoppers from Houston Baptist in 2021. With Kittley now running the offense at Texas Tech, it falls on two of his former aides, new WKU co-offensive coordinators Arbuckle and Crawford, to keep the fire burning at Western.
5. Deondre Buford and Jeremy Flax. The foundation of Mark Stoops’ reconstruction of UK football has been physical offensive line play. After having three offensive tackles chosen in the past four NFL drafts, Kentucky enters 2022 without a proven tackle on its roster.
The single biggest key to the Cats’ season might be whether Flax, a 6-6, 328-pound junior, and Buford, a 6-3, 312-pound sophomore, can play up to the standard of past “Big Blue Wall” tackles such as George Asafo-Adjei, Landon Young and Darian Kinnard.
4. Malik Cunningham. For all the dynamic playmaking the 6-1, 200-pound super-senior brings to the Louisville offense, the Cardinals QB needs two upgrades in 2022. With a career completion percentage of 62.6, Cunningham needs to be more efficient in the pass game. With U of L having gone 2-8 in games decided by one possession over the past two seasons, Cunningham and the Cards need to do better in the close ones.
3. Rich Scangarello. It seems to be widely assumed in the Big Blue Nation that Kentucky’s transition at offensive coordinator from Rams assistant Liam Coen to ex-49ers aide Scangarello will be seamless. Giving the similarities in offensive philosophies between Rams Coach Sean McVay and 49ers head man Kyle Shanahan, that assumption seems rational.
Nevertheless, the fate of Kentucky’s 2022 season very much hangs on the OC change going smoothly.
2. Scott Satterfield. After Kentucky demolished Louisville 52-21 in last season’s battle for the Governor’s Cup, the U of L head man appeared to be a “dead coach walking.” Following a subsequent loss to Air Force in the First Responders Bowl, Satterfield stood at 18-19 overall at Louisville. The roving “coaching eye” of many Cards fans was directed toward West Lafayette, Ind., and U of L alum Jeff Brohm.
However, Satterfield has since done good work in the transfer portal and is putting together a shockingly strong 2023 recruiting class. That has likely bought the coach time but to fully keep the wolves at bay, Satterfield needs to put together a season of at least eight wins.
1. Will Levis. When the Kentucky quarterback was projected to go No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by CBS Sports analyst Chris Trapasso in May, it helped transform Levis into one of the most scrutinized players in NCAA football in 2022.
To back up his new-found draft hype and become the first UK QB ever to produce back-to-back, double-digit win seasons, Levis needs to cut back on the interceptions (13 last season, vs. 24 TD throws) and continue to improve his accuracy (66 percent in 2021) and touch as a passer.
