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Kentucky Football: Mark Stoops has Wildcats ready to compete in 2018

By Patrick Mayhorn

ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 18: Benny Snell Jr. #26 of the Kentucky Wildcats runs the ball during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 18: Benny Snell Jr. #26 of the Kentucky Wildcats runs the ball during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /
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It’s a crucial year for Mark Stoops and Kentucky football. Can the Wildcats move past seven wins, or will they fall back under .500?

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As strange as it is to say, the Mark Stoops experiment at Kentucky seems to be working as well as it can. Entering his sixth season as the head coach in Lexington, Stoops hasn’t broken through the SEC’s middle class yet, but he’s won more consistently than just about any UK coach since Bear Bryant. That’s enough to inspire a lot of hope.

Like I said, he’s not broken through yet. This year could be the year he finally does it. After a rough start to his tenure, Stoops seems to have found a formula to make bowl games at Kentucky. The Wildcats have won seven games each of the past two seasons, and seem to be headed for another winning season in 2018.

However, when does that become not enough? Despite immense historical struggles at Kentucky, fans will eventually tire of just being decent. They always do. And when that happens, Stoops will need to be able to win more games each year, maybe eight or nine, with the occasional 10 or 11 win year. Is he capable of that? How soon could that happen?

Well, it’ll all depend on recruiting. Stoops has done an excellent job of recruiting within his means at Kentucky. The Wildcats will never be able to win battles for five stars, but they’ve kept talent in state, picked off low four-stars from Ohio and the deep south, and landed key contributors. Entering the second year of a roster fully recruited by Stoops, the Wildcats have more talent than they’ve seen in decades.

At the top, they return 15 starters, including superstar running back Bennie Snell, and eight defenders. Behind the starters, their recruiting indicates that they should have decent depth, especially on offense. It’s yet to be seen if that’ll hold true. However, when looking at this roster, and the schedule, there’s an easy conclusion to come to. If Kentucky is breaking through, it’ll be this year.

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