Kentucky football hosts the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday for a massive SEC home opener. The Wildcats will be home underdogs and will try to shock the world by getting just their third ever win in the series. This might be a high scoring, shootout type of game, as both offenses are capable of big plays and scoring in bunches.
In this article, we will go through offensive X-factors for both teams and what to expect this weekend and what to expect on the offensive side of the ball. Let's take a look at some key players.
QB Kenny Minchey
Kenny Minchey had a phenomenal debut in week one against Youngstown State in his first college start, now he gets his first SEC start against one of the best secondaries in the country. Minchey played a clean game in week one,
and his operation of the offense did not look like a player making his first start. The offensive scheme will create misdirection and get playmakers open on this Alabama defense. I think a large part of this game comes down to which quarterback is more comfortable and consistent throughout the game.
TE Willie Rodriguez
Kentucky has a stable of tight ends that are difference makers, and they need to lean on them in this game. Willie Rodriguez had a team-high six targets in week one and will constantly be a threat to make plays in the passing game. Kentucky has two big outside receivers in Nic Anderson and DJ Miller, but they have a tough matchup against the corner duo of Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee. This tight end group can create mismatches in the passing game like we saw in week one, and I expect a ton of 12 and 13 personnel from Kentucky to get multiple tight ends on the field at the same time.
TE Mikkel Skinner
Rodriguez is the do-it-all tight end, but Skinner is a true X factor move tight end that has incredible athleticism. They will continue to find ways to get Skinner the football in space and he can showcase that athleticism. Skinner is tough to defend in open space and has a large catch radius. I expect the offense to lean on Rodriguez and Skinner in the passing game, and they will also help get the run game going in these two or three tight end sets.
QB Keelon Russell
Keelon Russell had a solid debut and will get the first SEC road start of his career on Saturday. He has to stay poised and make plays from the pocket, but as he showed in week one, he has the ability to extend plays with his legs which is something the Kentucky defense has to be aware of. Russell needs to play better than he did in week one for the Crimson Tide to get the win, and he has to lean on his dynamic playmakers. In a lot of ways, I truly think this game comes down to which quarterback can consistently play in rhythm and take care of the football.
WR Ryan Coleman-Williams
Ryan Coleman-Williams had five catches for 130 yards in the season opener against ECU, but he still had a couple drops and had a few reps where the effort was lacking. Coleman-Williams has the potential to take the game over and will see a large target share on Saturday. Alabama needs the best of Coleman-Williams in Lexington this weekend, and there will be plenty of opportunities for him to make plays. The run game for the Crimson Tide remains a bit of a question mark, and if they can't get that going they will need to lean on the passing game.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky vs Alabama: Offensive X-Factors in week two
