The UTM Skyhawks football team will kick-off their 2014 season today when they travel to Lexington, Kentucky to take on the Kentucky Wildcats.
The Skyhawks, who went 7-5 last season, will try to win their third straight season opener on the road. This will be the first meeting between the Skyhawks and the Wildcats in both schools’ history.
Kentucky, led by second year head coach Mark Stoops, will try to improve their 2-10 record last season. However, the Wildcats are looking up this season as they are bringing in two top 25 ranked recruiting classes and are returning 15 starters from last year. Kentucky is also returning 49 players from last year’s team.
The Skyhawks have 61 players returning from last year’s team but only have 10 starters returning, including six on the offense and four on the defense. Head coach Jason Simpson is concerned this season about the loss of established play makers.
“There are certainly guys that will step in; you just don’t know their names yet,” Simpson said during this week’s press conference. “I know certainly the size and athleticism are there.”
Simpson also mentioned, despite the loss of starters, this is the most balanced team he has had. Normally, he would play about 40 players, but instead expects to play about 60 players.
As far as the quarterback situation goes, both junior quarterback Jarod Neal and senior quarterback Dylan Favre will receive equal time at quarterback to start this season, similar to last year. While Neal played all 12 games and Favre only played nine games, both quarterbacks combined for 2,610 yards passing and 18 touchdowns. Kentucky is expecting to start redshirt sophomore Patrick Towles, who won the starting job over last year’s starter, junior Maxwell Smith, who missed the spring practices while recovering from an injury.
The offensive line will be key to the Skyhawks as they try to contain All-Southeastern Conference players Alvin “Bud” Dupree and Za’Darius Smith. Luckily for the Skyhawks, four of their six returning offensive starters were on the offensive line. It will be critical for the offensive line to contain Kentucky’s powerful defense and give either Favre or Neal time to settle in the pocket and make precision passes.
In his weekly press conference, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops talked about his opponent UTM.
“Like I said, I think they’re a well coached team,” Stoops said. “They’re very multiple on both sides of the ball and can do a lot of things.”
Stoops also mentioned he was impressed with UTM senior linebacker Tony Bell and how he believed he could play anywhere in the country.
The Skyhawks take on the Kentucky Wildcats at 11 a.m. today at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. The game will be broadcast on WUTM 90.3 and will also be televised on the newly formed SEC Network.
Feature Photo: UTM Linebacker Tony Bell (40) (ovcsports.com)
