When Kentucky Football is at its best, its offensive line is a strength. The “Big Blue Wall” paved the way for so many of the great Kentucky teams during the Mark Stoops era.
Now, heading into Will Stein’s first season as head coach, the Wildcats’ offensive line is once again a strength of this team. That’s true in the eyes of CBS Sports’ Blake Brockermeyer, who ranks Kentucky as the No. 3 offensive line coming into the season. For a team that was heavily active in the transfer portal, which is how they rebuilt their offensive line coming into this season, being ranked No. 3 says a lot about the potential of this group.
“Kentucky has quietly assembled a talented roster, led by an offensive line that should be one of the Wildcats’ strengths this season,” Brockermeyer wrote. “Malachi Wood is a massive, yet nimble right tackle with nearly 400 career snaps. He has tremendous upside and an opportunity to emerge as one of the SEC’s breakout offensive linemen this season.”
Brockermeyer specifically mentions Wood because he is returning. Wood will be going into his junior season, and Brockermeyer expects him to start at right tackle.
It’s worth noting that Kentucky is ranked only behind Georgia and Ohio State in these rankings. That’s… good. Great, actually. I mean, this is Georgia and Ohio State we’re talking about.
Speaking of the Buckeyes, Tegra Tshabola, who was Ohio State’s right guard this past season, transferred to Kentucky this offseason. Brockermeyer had high praise for him and Alabama transfer Olaus Alinen.
“Ohio State transfer Tegra Tshabola is expected to start at left guard. He brings a massive frame and nearly 1,500 career snaps. Tshabola is a strong run blocker who can struggle with speed and quickness in pass protection, but his experience in big games should provide a steady presence on the interior. Olaus Alinen gets his first opportunity to play a significant role after spending his career as a backup at Alabama. His versatility allows him to play tackle if needed, and I expect him to be a valuable addition up front.”
Experience is prevalent in the interior with LSU and Tennessee transfer Lance Heard and Baylor transfer Coleton Price. Price started 30 games at Baylor and only allowed one sack last season.
“Lance Heard arrives from Tennessee to protect the blind side. He brings more than 1,800 career snaps along with immense potential, but he needs to become more consistent and play with greater strain to maximize his talent,” Brockermeyer said. “Coleton Price transfers in from Baylor with more than 2,200 career snaps and is one of my favorite centers in the country. He provides consistency in both the run and pass game and was an outstanding addition for the Wildcats.”
This is great news for Kentucky fans coming into Will Stein’s first season. A strong offensive line will only benefit projected starting quarterback Kenny Minchey and Will Stein’s offense.