Hello everyone and welcome back to the final installment in our series looking at Mark Stoops’ 12th Wildcat squad. We’ve been focusing on the defense recently looking at the linemen followed by the linebackers. Today we remain on that side of the ball with the defensive backfield. In addition, we’ll break down the special teams. With the preliminaries out of the way let’s get to our 2024 Kentucky position preview: secondary.
Leader Of The Pack
Maxwell Hairston burst on the scene a year ago leading the SEC in interceptions with five including two for touchdowns. He starts 2024 as one of ESPN’s Top 100 returning players. In addition, he’s on the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik, Bronco Nagurski, and Jim Thorpe Awards. He’s the anchor of the secondary and the Cats will need another strong season.
There’s a battle for the other cornerback spot. Heading into the season Jantzen Dunn is your likely starter. A transfer from Ohio State Dunn finished 2023 strong and hopes for a big 2024.
Many were surprised when DJ Waller Jr. transferred from National Champion Michigan to Kentucky. A season ago Waller recorded 12 tackles, nine solo, and a pass deflection. He’s primed for a big role this season.
Behind them, the combination of JQ Hardaway, Jordan Robinson, and Nassir Addison will push for playing time.
Continuing on with our 2024 Kentucky position preview: secondary let’s move to the safeties.
Lots of Returning Depth
Kentucky’s top four players are back in 2024. Zion Childress and Jordan Lovett are the starters. Childress was fourth on the team with 59 tackles. In addition, he had a sack and three passes defended. Lovett was second on the team with three interceptions to go along with 30 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Sophomore Ty Bryant and transfer Kristian Story are the backups to Childress and Lovett. Bryant, who started three games as a freshman, recorded 40 tackles ranking him ninth on the squad. Story appeared in 13 contests last season for Alabama making 15 tackles and an interception.
The Cats are a legitimate four deep at the safety position. That’s certainly a good thing heading into 2024 as the group was hit hard by injury last season.
A Versatile Player
Our final secondary spot is what defensive coordinator Brad White calls the “Sam” linebacker spot or what other schools call the nickelback. Alex Afari Jr. held down that spot last year. The former four-star recruit recorded 49 tackles in 2023 with 5.5 for a loss. In addition, he had a sack and a fumble recovery.
However, as we mentioned in our previous preview Afari has been playing at a linebacker spot as well. As one of the most versatile players on the team, he will likely play at several positions in 2024. Dunn played a lot at nickelback at the end of last year and he and Childress played there during fall camp.
Help for the Future
We’ve talked a great deal about how Kentucky focused heavily on defense with their 2024 recruiting class. Safety Cam Dooley is a four-star player from Alabama who is ranked as the 194th player in the class. South Carolina native Quaysheed Scott is the eighth-ranked player in the Palmetto State. Jaden Smith is a highly touted safety from North Carolina. Quavo Marshall and Terhyon Nichols could push for time at cornerback.
Let’s wrap up our 2024 Kentucky position preview: secondary with a look at the special teams.
Good, Great, and Not So Good
He didn’t get a lot of opportunities last year but when he did Alex Raynor made the most of them. The Georgia Southern transfer made 10 of 11 field goals and 48 or 49 extra points. His consistency was a huge boost to a kicking game that struggled in 2022. Raynor is returning for one more year which is major for the Cats.
The Wildcats need a replacement for kickoff specialist Chance Poore. UK signed Jacob Kauwe from Billings, Montana who can both kick and punt. Kauwe had a 92 percent touchback rated as a senior in high school and is your likely kickoff guy. In addition, he could be the kicker on field goals of 50 yards or more.
Speaking of punting that’s one aspect of the game that was pretty awful. Wilson Berry averaged only 39.7 yards per punt. To that end, Kentucky found a great one through the portal. Aidan Laros was the FCS Punter Of The Year while at Tennessee-Martin. In 2023 he set a school record with a 47.2 yard average per punt. He also had two over 70 yards and only seven touchbacks.
One spot the Cats are golden is the return position. Barion Brown set a school record last year with three kickoff returns for touchdowns. That led not only the SEC but the NCAA as well. In addition, his 36 yards per kick average also topped the nation. Brown also tops our list of the best SEC return men for 2024.
A combination of Brown, Fred Farrier, Dane Key, or Anthony Brown-Stephens could be used as a punt returner.
Final Thoughts
While the Cats have plenty of returning players they need to take a step forward in 2024. Last year UK was one of the worst in the league on third-down efficiency. They have to do a better job of getting off the field.
As far as the kicking game goes if Laros puts up the kind of numbers he did at UT-Martin then one of the biggest flaws in the Kentucky system is fixed. They are solid everywhere else.
Thanks for checking out our 2024 Kentucky Football Preview: Secondary here at Last Word On College Football. Game week is upon us and next time out we’ll give you our prediction for the upcoming season.
