Mark Stoops believes his offensive line play will be better overall this year. (UK Athletics Photo)
One thing has been constant with Mark Stoops since last season ended — Kentucky’s offensive line play has to be better this season.
He made that clear again this week at his Monday press conference and then on his weekly radio call-in show.
“We have to be better up front. We didn’t meet our standard a year ago with the offensive line. We have to be more physical to get back to that physical style,” Stoops said. “Hopefully it’ll open up some more things in the passing game.
“It’s hard to put it on any one person — the quarterback, it’s one person back there, but you have to be very good around him. I know we didn’t do a good enough job a year ago protecting him and putting him in a position to be successful.”
Stoops knows liking his offensive line in preseason play and liking them once the season starts is not the same thing. That’s why he’s anxious to see how the line fares against Toledo in Saturday’s season-opening game.
“It’s hard for me to give them a grade without playing a game. I give them an A for the work that they put in,” Stoops said on his radio show. “I just like their approach. They’re very mature men. They’ve been around for a long time, they have played a lot of football. They care a lot about this team, and I just appreciate how hard of work that they put in.”
The line is led by center Jager Burton, a starting guard in 2024, and guard Jalen Farmer.
“Jager has done a very good job. We’re a better line with him playing at center,” Stoops said.
Farmer is joined at guard by Joshua Braun, an Arkansas transfer, and Stoops likes what the two have done. However, he really likes what Farmer has done.
“Jalen has been very impressive. He is pound-for-pound one of the better players on our football team. He’s one of those guys inside and has bad intentions every snap. He’s trying to get after some people,” Stoops said.
Kentucky will start transfer Shiyazh Pete at left tackle, Braun at left guard, Burton at center, Farmer at right guard and transfer Alex Wolschlaeger at tackle.
True freshmen Darrin Strey (right tackle) and Jay Clark (right guard) are No. 2 on the depth chart along with redshirt freshman Aba Selm at left guard, Western Kentucky transfer Evan Wibberley at center and sophomore Malachi Wood at left tackle.
“I think you heard me talk during preseason camp when I talked about the O-line depth and I felt like we had eight guys that were prepared,” Stoops said. “We have some swing guys in there that can go but we also have two true freshmen that we believe in and need to get them some reps, and we are not opposed to playing them.”
