*** NCAA Football Preview - Kentucky Wildcats ***

From The My Sportsbook

By Pat Taggart, College Football Staff Writer

2003 SEASON IN REVIEW: One look at Kentucky's 4-8 record in 2003 is proof that the season was a bust. The squad actually entered the campaign with the high hopes of contending for the SEC title, but losses in four of the first six contests crushed those aspirations. The Wildcats did manage to put together back-to-back victories against Ohio University and Mississippi State late in October, and the squad carried that momentum into a November 1st matchup with a solid Arkansas squad. In what turned out to be an epic battle, Kentucky dropped a 71-63 decision to the Razorbacks in seven OTs and was never able to recover from that bitter disappointment. The Wildcats finished the campaign with losses to Vanderbilt, Georgia and Tennessee, a disappointment to say the least for first-year head coach Rich Brooks.

2004 ANALYSIS:

OFFENSE: Beefy Jared Lorenzen entered last season as the much talked about quarterback of Kentucky, and Shane Boyd played only sparingly. Now a senior, the little-used Boyd has only one year to prove his worth under center. He attempted only 43 passes as a junior with little success, and there are plenty of doubters both in Lexington and across the nation. Arliss Beach figures to be the team's feature tailback, and while he showed plenty of power last season with eight scores on only 103 carries, he averaged well below four yards a pop. Among the receivers, Marcus Battle has big-play ability, but there is an overall lack of proven performers. The offensive line brings back only two starters and will be average at best.

DEFENSE: The Kentucky defensive line features a true star in Vincent "Sweet Pea" Burns, as he is coming off a strong junior season in which he posted 18 TFLs. Although he is a bit undersized, Burns has a great motor and should command two blockers on many occasions. Burns will get plenty of help from his teammates, as nine of the 11 starters from last year are back in place. Ellery Moore and Lamar Mills are two strong performers up front that should be able to take some pressure off Burns, while the linebackers will be led by Chad Anderson and Dustin Williams. Anderson moved inside last season and led the squad in tackles with more than 11 per contest, while Williams is perhaps the hardest hitter for the 'Cats. Unlike in years past, the secondary may actually be an area of strength for the defense. Bo Smith and Earven Flowers are both strong performers, and Smith will be asked to cover the larger receivers.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Taylor Begley has the type of leg strength that coaches desire, but he has been a bit inconsistent and certainly has room for improvement. Still, the job is clearly his. The position of punter is not as clear cut, as Anthony Thornton and Sevin Sucurovic will battle it out right up to the first game. As for the return game, Draak Davis will handle both punts and kickoffs, and he will be hard-pressed to match the explosiveness that Derek Abney brought to the field the last couple of years.

OUTLOOK: There are a few elite teams in the SEC, and Kentucky simply isn't on that list. It is entirely possible that the 'Cats won't win a single league game this season. There is no one to get excited about offensively, hard to believe for a Kentucky program that became known as an offensive juggernaut under former quarterbacks Tim Couch and Lorenzen.