After kicking off the season with a gritty 1-0 win over Toledo, Kentucky HC Mark Stoops sat down Monday to break down what he saw on film. And the spotlight? QB play. Well, Zach Calzada, making his first start for the Wildcats, flashed potential but struggled with consistency. He threw an interception, gave up a safety, and then Willie Rodriguez coughed up a fumble over 3 tough consecutive drives. And Stoops didn’t sugarcoat it, noting Calzada was “really pressing” at times. But he kept faith in his veteran QB. “We still have a lot of confidence in Zach, and we have confidence in Cutter [Boley]. It would have been premature to pull the plug right there,” stated Stoops. So, Kentucky knows the road ahead will be a grind, but Stoops is betting on steady hands at the helm. However, their season-opening win drew mixed reviews.
On the September 1st episode of Cube Show: Presented by Wickles Pickles, Cole Cubelic broke down Kentucky’s performance. “There are parts of this that people are going to be disappointed in, but parts I think you should like. 24-16. Number one, it’s a really good football team,” he said. Then Cubelic praised the talent on the roster, noting, “You probably have a tight end and receiver going to play in the NFL…they got dudes on that team. It’s a damn good football coach. Like, don’t be overly disappointed.” He also highlighted Zach Calzada’s arm strength, saying, “The long perimeter throws, like he can spit that ball out there in a hurry. That’s going to be an advantage because teams are going to have to respect that.” However, Cubelic noted there’s room to grow.
Here, he noted that while Zach Calzada showed potential, he still needs to work on changing speeds in the intermediate game. However, Dante Dowdell impressed on the ground, and the O-line flashed moments of brilliance, especially the center and right guard. Looking ahead, Cubelic emphasized Kentucky’s gritty philosophy: fight through the trenches, take hits others avoid, and strike with explosive plays. But that’s not all, he also praised the team’s depth and versatility.
Look, Kentucky’s offense struggled to find rhythm in the season opener, with Calzada completing just 10 of 23 passes for 85 yards and an interception, though he added a rushing TD. And the running game carried the day, led by Dante Dowdell’s 129 yards, including a game-changing 79-yard TD run in the fourth quarter, helping the Wildcats rack up 220 rushing yards and offset the passing struggles. Despite the victory, OC Bush Hamdan saw room for improvement. But the receiving corps showed promise, with Hardley Gilmore emerging as a potential weapon, hybrid back Willie Rodriguez making plays, andJosh Kattus contributing both as a blocker and a catcher. So, while the passing game wasn’t flashy, the pieces are in place, and the team has a clear roadmap for growth. But in defense?
On defense, Cubelic praised Kentucky’s front and edge players, noting their energy and versatility. He highlighted players like Steven Souls, Sam Green, and Alex Afari, emphasizing their impact on both pass rush and coverage. To top it off, the veteran presence of Gerard Smith andJosiah Haynes, he said, gives the team stability and a clear path to regain the physical, disciplined identity that elevated them under Mark Stoops. Now, while Week 1 drew mixed reactions, the program made its stance clear, earning rankings above traditional powerhouses in evaluations.
Mark Stoops drives UK’s ascent
Kentucky entered Week 1 under a cloud of skepticism. But Mark Stoops’ Wildcats are no strangers to overdelivering. Against Toledo, their offense sputtered at times, but the team leaned on its trusted blueprint: grind-it-out runs and a suffocating defense. So, even with a 10-of-22 passing day, UK held the lead almost the entire game. And the opener quickly became a revelation for the rest of the season.
On August 31, Justin Rowland shared on X, “PFF gave Kentucky a team pass rush mark of 91.8 in Week 1. That was the highest mark for any team in the country.” Yes, you read that right, beating SEC giants like Georgia and LSU, and topping every FBS team nationwide. The Wildcats’ defense dominated, hounding QBs with nonstop pressure and creating key turnovers. And leading the charge was Steven Soles Jr., the Tasmanian Devil on the edge. The 6’2, 235-pound LB wreaked havoc with two forced fumbles. Mark Stoops praised his effort:
“Steven is a guy that plays with high energy. He’s very relentless… he’s a bit undersized, but he plays extremely hard and brings us a lot of juice and energy.” DC Brad White added, “He’s a Tasmanian Devil in terms of his twitch, his power.” Now, Soles set the tone, and the Wildcats’ defense made a statement.
