2016 Kentucky Wildcats football team

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2016 Kentucky Wildcats football
Kentucky Wildcats logo
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
2016 record7–6 (4–4 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorEddie Gran (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinatorDarin Hinshaw (1st season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorD. J. Eliot (4th season)
Base defense3–4 or 4–3
Home stadiumCommonwealth Stadium
(Capacity: 61,000)
Seasons
← 2015
2017 →
2016 Southeastern Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 14 Florida x   6 – 2     9 – 4  
No. 22 Tennessee   4 – 4     9 – 4  
Georgia   4 – 4     8 – 5  
Kentucky   4 – 4     7 – 6  
South Carolina   3 – 5     6 – 7  
Vanderbilt   3 – 5     6 – 7  
Missouri   2 – 6     4 – 8  
West Division
No. 2 Alabama x$^   8 – 0     14 – 1  
No. 24 Auburn   5 – 3     8 – 5  
No. 13 LSU   5 – 3     8 – 4  
Texas A&M   4 – 4     8 – 5  
Arkansas   3 – 5     7 – 6  
Mississippi State   3 – 5     6 – 7  
Ole Miss*   0 – 6     0 – 7  
Championship: Alabama 54, Florida 16
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * Ole Miss vacated all wins due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2016 Kentucky Wildcats football team (variously "Kentucky", "UK", or "Wildcats") represented the University of Kentucky in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season was the program's 123rd overall and 83rd as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by fourth-year head coach Mark Stoops and the played home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. They finished the season 7–6, 4–4 in SEC play to finish in a three-way tie for second place in the Eastern Division. They were invited to the TaxSlayer Bowl where they lost to Georgia Tech.

Pre-season[]

Previous season[]

In 2015, the Wildcats lost six out of their last seven games after starting the season 4–1, completing their second year under Mark Stoops at 5–7 and 2–6 in the SEC (6th-East). They lost to in-state rival Louisville, 38–24, to end the season, missing out on their fifth consecutive bowl game since the 2010 season.

Departures[]

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes
Daron Blaylock #7 LB 6'1" 226 Senior Marietta, GA Graduated
Zack Blaylock #17 DB 6'0" 193 Junior Marietta, GA Graduated
Glenn Faulkner #18 DB 6'2" 201 Junior East St. Louis, IL Graduated
Ryan Flannigan #33 LB 6'2" 225 Senior Missouri City, TX Graduated
Josh Forrest #45 LB 6'3" 230 Senior Paducah, KY Graduated
Jason Hatcher #6 DE 6'3" 247 Junior Louisville, KY Transferred to West Georgia
Khalid Henderson #22 LB 6'1" 235 Senior Austell, GA Graduated
Farrington Huguenin #91 DE 6'4" 271 Senior Columbia, SC Graduated
Cory Johnson #67 DT 6'3" 300 Senior Columbia, SC Graduated
Jabari Johnson #47 LB 6'1" 250 Senior Stone Mountain, GA Graduated
Melvin Lewis #90 DT 6'4" 311 Senior Compton, CA Graduated
Cody Quinn #16 DB 5'11" 185 Senior Middletown, OH Graduated
A.J. Stamps #1 DB 6'1" 205 Senior Vicksburg, MS Graduated
Jordan Swindle #70 OL 6'7" 304 Senior Jacksonville, FL Graduated
Fred Tiller #3 DB 6'0" 196 Senior Homerville, GA Graduated
Patrick Towles #14 QB 6'3" 235 Junior Fort Thomas, KY Transferred to Boston College
Zach West #67 OL 6'3" 305 Senior Lexington, KY Graduated

2016 signing class[]

See also: American football positions, Glossary of American football, and Recruiting (college athletics)

Prior to National Signing Day on February 3, 2016, five players enrolled for the spring semester in order to participate in spring practice and included four former high school seniors and one junior college transfer.[1]

On National Signing Day, Kentucky signed an additional twenty players out of high school and junior college that completed the 2016 recruiting class. The class was highlighted by three Army All-American's as well as Kentucky's Mr. Football.[2]

Personnel[]

Coaching staff[]

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops enters his fourth season as the Wildcat's head coach for the 2016 season. During his previous three seasons he led the Wildcats to an overall record of 12 wins and 24 losses.

On December 18, 2015, Offensive Coordinator Shannon Dawson announced he would not return to the program for the 2016 season as the offensive coordinator.[3][4] In his place Kentucky hired Cincinnati offensive coordinator Eddie Gran as the assistant head coach of offense at Kentucky. Cincinnati quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw has also joined the UK staff as quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator.[5][6]

Name Position Consecutive season at
Kentucky in current position
Mark Stoops Head coach 3rd
Eddie Gran Offensive Coordinator, Running backs 1st
D. J. Eliot Defensive Coordinator 3rd
Steve Clinkscale Defensive backs 1st
Jimmy Brumbaugh Defensive Line 3rd
Lamar Thomas Wide receivers 1st
Vince Marrow Tight Ends, Recruiting Coordinator 3rd
John Schlarman Offensive Line 3rd
Darin Hinshaw Quarterbacks 1st
Matt House Special Teams Coordinator, Inside Linebackers 1st
Corey Edmond Strength and Conditioning 1st
Reference:

2016 signing class[]

See also: American football positions, Glossary of American football, and Recruiting (college athletics)

Returning starters[]

Offense[]

Roster[]

2016 Kentucky Wildcats football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 1 Ryan Timmons Sr
WR 2 Dorian Baker Jr
RB 3 Jojo Kemp Sr
WR 6 Blake Bone Jr
QB 7 Drew Barker So
WR 8 Jabari Greenwood Fr
WR 9 Garrett Johnson Jr
RB 10 A.J. Rose Redshirt.svg Fr
WR 11 Tavin Richardson Fr
QB 12 Gunnar Hoak Fr
WR 13 Jeff Badet Jr
QB 14 Luke Wright Redshirt.svg So
QB 15 Stephen Johnson Jr
QB 16 Davis Mattingly Fr
WR 17 Alexander Montgomery Jr
RB 18 Stanley Williams Jr
WR 19 Kayaune Ross So
WR 20 Ryan Kendall So
RB 22 Sihiem King So
RB 24 Zach Johnson Fr
RB 25 Harold Turks Fr
RB 26 Benny Snell Fr
RB 30 Ditalian Tabler Fr
WR 31 David Bouvier So
RB 32 William Mahone Jr
WR 42 Kynan Smith Fr
FB 48 Will Collins Sr
TE 49 Tanner Fink Sr
C 52 Drake Jackson Fr
OG 55 David Baumer So
OG 57 Zach Myers Sr
OG 61 Tristen Salyer Fr
C 62 Dylan Greenburg Jr
OG 63 Wells Purdom Fr
OG 64 George Asafo-Adjei So
OG 65 Jervontius Stallings So
OT 67 Landon Young Fr
OG 68 Nick Haynes Jr
OG 69 Ramsey Meyers Jr
OG 71 Logan Stenberg Fr
C 72 Jon Toth Sr
OT 73 Kyle Meadows Jr
OG 74 Cole Mosier Jr
OT 75 Tate Leavitt Jr
OT 77 Mason Wolfe Fr
WR 80 Marvin Robinson Fr
WR 81 Dakota Holtzclaw Fr
TE 83 Justin Rigg Fr
WR 84 Charles Moushey Jr
TE 85 Greg Hart Jr
TE 86 Darryl Long So
TE 87 C. J. Conrad So
WR 88 Charles Walker Jr
WR 89 Zy'Aire Hughes Fr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
CB 3 Jordan Griffin Fr
S 4 Marcus Walker Fr
CB 5 Kendall Randolph Jr
LB 8 Kobie Walker So
CB 9 Davonte Robinson Fr
CB 11 J.D. Harmon Jr
LB 14 Dorian Hendrix Fr
S 15 Marcus McWilson Sr
CB 16 Cody Quinn Sr
CB 17 Tobias Gilliam Fr
DE 20 Kengera Daniel So
CB 21 Chris Westry So
DB 23 Jared Tucker So
DB 24 Blake McClain Sr
S 25 Darius West So
S 27 Mike Edwards So
CB 28 Kei Beckham Fr
CB 29 Derrick Baity So
CB 30 Isaiah Brown Fr
LB 31 Jamar Watkins Fr
LB 32 Eli Brown Fr
LB 33 Roland Walder Fr
LB 34 Jordan Jones So
DE 35 Denzil Ware So
DT 36 Jacob Hyde Jr
LB 37 Spencer Foy So
LB 38 Alex Brownell Fr
LB 39 Elijah Barnett Fr
LB 40 Nico Firios So
LB 41 Josh Allen So
LB 43 Logan Blue So
LB 44 De'Niro Laster Jr
LB 45 Jaylin Bannerman Fr
LB 46 Drew Schlegel Fr
LB 47 Jordan Bonner Fr
LB 51 Courtney Love Jr
DT 59 Kordell Looney Fr
DE 60 Calvin Taylor Fr
DT 69 Matt Elam Jr
DT 77 Naquez Pringle Jr
DT 78 Zane Williams Sr
DE 90 T.J. Carter Fr
DE 91 Kevin Kirby Fr
DE 92 Alvonte Bell Jr
DT 93 Ja'Quize Cross Fr
DT 94 Courtney Miggins Sr
DE 98 Tymere Dubose So
DT 99 Adrian Middleton So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
LS 53 Blake Best Fr
P 80 Grant McKinniss Fr
P 93 Bryan Kirshe So
PR 1 Ryan Timmons Sr
PR 88 Charles Walker Jr
PK 95 Miles Butler So
PK 99 Austin MacGinnis Jr
KR 22 Sihiem King So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Eddie Gran
    Offensive Coordinator/Running backs
  • Darin Hinshaw
    Quarterbacks Coach
  • Lamar Thomas
    Wide Receivers
  • Vince Marrow
    Tight Ends
  • John Schlarman
    Offensive Line
  • D. J. Eliot
    Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
  • Jimmy Brumbaugh
    Defensive Line
  • Steve Clinkscale
    Defensive Backs
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: May 7, 2015

Schedule[]

Kentucky announced its 2016 football schedule on October 29, 2015. The 2016 schedule consists of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season. The Wildcats will host SEC foes Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt, and will travel to Alabama, Florida, Missouri, and Tennessee.[8]

The team will host three out of four of its non–conference games which are against Austin Peay from the Ohio Valley Conference, New Mexico State Aggies from the Sun Belt Conference, Louisville from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and Southern Miss Golden Eagles from Conference USA.

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 37:30 p.m.Southern Miss*
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
ESPNUL 35–4457,230
September 103:30 p.m.at Florida
  • Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
  • Gainesville, FL
CBSL 7–4585,821
September 174:00 p.m.New Mexico State*
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
SECNW 62–4249,669
September 247:30 p.m.South Carolina
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
SECNW 17–1051,702
October 17:00 p.m.at No. 2 Alabama
ESPNL 6–34101,821
October 84:00 p.m.Vanderbilt †
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY (rivalry)
SECNW 20–1355,030
October 227:30 p.m.Mississippi State
SECNW 40–3850,414
October 2912:00 p.m.at Missouri
SECNW 35–2150,234
November 57:30 p.m.Georgia
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
SECNL 24–2762,507
November 1212:00 p.m.at Tennessee
  • Neyland Stadium
  • Knoxville, TN (rivalry)
SECNL 36–49101,075
November 194:30 p.m.Austin Peay*
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
SECNW 49–1348,948
November 2612:00 p.m.at No. 11 Louisville*
ESPNW 41–3854,075
December 3111:00 a.m.vs. Georgia Tech*
ESPNL 18–3343,102
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game
  • All times are in Eastern time
Schedule Source:[9]

Game summaries[]

Southern Mississippi[]

Southern Mississippi vs. Kentucky
1 2 34Total
Golden Eagles 7 10 21644
Wildcats 21 14 0035

at Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky

  • Date: September 3, 2016
  • Game time: 7:32 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: 76 °F • Wind: ENE 7 mph • Weather: Sunny
  • Game attendance: 57,230
  • Referee: Ken Antee
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Ahmad Brooks (analyst)
  • Game Recap[10]

Florida[]

Kentucky vs. Florida
1 2 34Total
Wildcats 0 0 077
Gators 14 10 14745

at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida

  • Date: September 10, 2016
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 85,821
  • TV announcers (CBS): Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst)

New Mexico State[]

New Mexico State vs. Kentucky
1 2 34Total
Aggies 21 14 7042
Wildcats 14 21 141362

at Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky

  • Date: September 17, 2016
  • Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 49,669
  • TV: SEC Network

South Carolina[]

South Carolina vs. Kentucky
1 2 34Total
Gamecocks 0 7 3010
Wildcats 0 3 7717

at Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky

  • Date: September 24, 2016
  • Game time: 7:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 51,702
  • TV: SEC Network

Alabama[]

Kentucky vs. Alabama
1 2 34Total
Wildcats 3 0 036
#1 Crimson Tide 3 14 14334

at Bryant–Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

  • Date: October 1, 2016
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 101,821
  • TV: ESPN

Vanderbilt[]

Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky
1 2 34Total
Commodores 3 0 7313
Wildcats 7 10 0320

at Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky

  • Date: October 8, 2016
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 55,030
  • TV: SEC Network

Mississippi State[]

Mississippi State vs. Kentucky
1 2 34Total
Bulldogs 0 14 101438
Wildcats 0 6 211340

at Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky

  • Date: October 22, 2016
  • Game time: 7:30pm EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 50,414
  • TV: SEC Network

Missouri[]

Kentucky vs. Missouri
1 2 34Total
Wildcats 7 14 7735
Tigers 0 7 01421

at Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri

  • Date: October 29, 2016
  • Game time: 12:00 NOON EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 50,234
  • TV: SEC Network

Georgia[]

Georgia vs. Kentucky
1 2 34Total
Bulldogs 7 6 31127
Wildcats 7 7 7324

at Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky

  • Date: November 5, 2016
  • Game time: 7:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 62,507
  • TV: SEC Network

Tennessee[]

Kentucky vs. Tennessee
1 2 34Total
Wildcats 10 3 32036
Volunteers 14 7 141449

at Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee

  • Date: November 12, 2016
  • Game time: 12:00 NOON EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 101,075
  • TV: SEC Network

Austin Peay[]

Austin Peay vs. Kentucky
1 2 34Total
Governors 7 6 0013
Wildcats 0 21 21749

at Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky

  • Date: November 19, 2016
  • Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather:
  • Game attendance: 48,948
  • TV: SEC Network

Louisville[]

See also: Governor's Cup (Kentucky)
Kentucky Wildcats at #11 Louisville Cardinals
1 2 34Total
Wildcats 14 7 101041
#11 Cardinals 7 17 7738

at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, Kentucky

  • Date: November 26, 2016
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick (play-by-play), Ed Cunningham (color), Dr. Jerry Punch (sideline)
  • Source:[11]
Game information

Georgia Tech[]

See also: 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl (December)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs Kentucky Wildcats
1 2 34Total
Yellow Jackets 10 10 31033
Wildcats 0 3 01518

at EverBank Field • Jacksonville, Florida

  • Date: December 31, 2016
  • Game time: 11:00 a.m. EST
  • TV: ESPN
  • Source:

References[]

  1. ^ Hale, Jon (January 16, 2016). "UK adds five early enrollees from 2016 class". Courier-Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  2. ^ Moore, Josh (January 8, 2016). "UK adds five early enrollees from 2016 class". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  3. ^ Hale, Jon (December 18, 2015). "Shannon Dawson out as Kentucky OC". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  4. ^ Smith, Jennifer (December 18, 2015). "Kentucky's Shannon Dawson won't return next season". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  5. ^ Hale, Jon (December 19, 2014). "Gran, Hinshaw join Kentucky football staff". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  6. ^ Smith, Jennifer (December 29, 2015). "UK football hires Cincinnati's Eddie Gran to be assistant head coach of the offense". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  7. ^ "Football – 2015 Coaches". University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original on January 3, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  8. ^ "Football's 2016 Schedule Announced" (Press release). University of Kentucky Department of Athletics. October 29, 2015. Archived from the original on December 7, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  9. ^ "2016 Kentucky Wildcats Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  10. ^ Moore, Deb (September 3, 2016). "Wildcats Drop Opener to Southern Miss". University of Kentucky Department of Athletics. Archived from the original on September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  11. ^ http://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=400869071 ESPN Box Score: Kentucky at Louisville
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