Fall camp wrapped up last week and I wanted to jot down just a couple more notes as we enter the football regular season this week. We can count on one hand the amount of days we have left until we barge through the gates of Kroger Field, but before that, let’s discuss the final thoughts exiting the offseason.

We’re all excited to know who has been producing the most during camp, and unfortunately with neither us or you being able to sit in practice and make our own observations, we were told some great things from a person who was able to. A source has told us that two players really turned heads in the final days of practice. “Willie Rodriguez is a grown man and is going to play… Anthony Brown is going to be a difference maker.” While the throws are already allotted for Dane Key and Barion Brown, many have wondered who will fill in the depth behind those two. I think the two that have already been verbally addressed by Mark Stoops in his media opportunities were Ja’Mori Maclin and Fred Farrier II, but to know that this offense’s depth is even more deeper with those two (Brown at wide receiver, Rodriguez at tight end) performing behind the scenes eases a lot of concerns after last year just catching the ball was a major issue from the jump. I tried to erase that stretch from my mind but I haven’t completely forgotten how rough those first few weeks were last season. Kentucky has over compensated this offseason in that room and I’m applauding them for doing so.

Different quarterback this round, so it’s not fair to expect a lot of the worries to carry over to this season as mentioned above. Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff has a lot on his shoulders in his first true test at a high volume of reps being named a SEC starting quarterback, but during what he’s laid out from last spring to present day, it was clear that he “has a handle of the offense and decision making is a big strength of his.” Early signs that the pass-thrower and pass-catchers are synced up with each other brings me much joy. Before the test of the actual game, it appears that this team is on path to throw the ball a lot — and to throw it well.

Switching to the other side of the ball, we’re told the defense at this point looks “ahead of the offense”, but don’t freak out, that’s expected. Brad White was able to return 10 starters from last year’s defense while also adding former Georgia All-American inside linebacker transfer Jamon Dumas-Johnson. Named to a 2023 Preseason Media Days All-SEC First Team selection, the defense has added another stud from the portal to its already veteran-led defense.

Just because news is coming out that the defense looks better than the offense right now isn’t something to be worried about. If it was the opposite we’d have a lot of other issues to be stressing over on this game week. We’d have the same approach that we did during the basketball season last winter. “They can score as much as they want but if they can’t stop anyone, what’s the point?” Remember that? I heard that line too many times and even preached it myself. Right now we’re feeling very confident that we can limit other powerful offense’s and on the other hand we’re just banking-in that our own offense will be great and we haven’t heard anything that would suggest otherwise that it won’t be. I’m fine with how things look at this point and I believe you should be too.

We know our receivers can be good as they’ve done it in the past. Our quarterback “barely got beat out” by a future first round draft pick in Carson Beck, and the running back room is looking promising as we just await Ohio State transfer Chip Trayanum’s return (injury). The next guys up, Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, Jason Patterson, and Jamarion Wilcox, “should be good as a committee sharing the workload” is what we’re told.

Thankfully, no bad news or points of concern have came out of Fall Camp outside of the injury bug, and now all that’s left is to go out and play some actual football. Kentucky will be under the lights for game one as Southern Miss comes to Lexington for a scheduled 7:45 PM kick. While the ‘Cats should win with comfort, we as fans and as media can start to make our own early observations from what we get to witness with our own eyes.