| 2016Kentucky Wildcats football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Division | Eastern Division |
| Record | 7–6 (4–4 SEC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Eddie Gran (1st season) |
| Co-offensive coordinator | Darin Hinshaw (1st season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Defensive coordinator | D. J. Eliot (4th season) |
| Base defense | 3–4 or4–3 |
| Home stadium | Commonwealth Stadium |
Seasons | |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 14Florida x | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 22Tennessee | 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2Alabama x$^ | 8 | – | 0 | 14 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 24Auburn | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13LSU | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas A&M | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas | 3 | – | 5 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi State | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss* | 2 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship:Alabama 54, Florida 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The2016 Kentucky Wildcats football team (variously "Kentucky", "UK", or "Wildcats") represented theUniversity of Kentucky in the2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season was the program's 123rd overall and 83rd as a member of theSoutheastern Conference (SEC). They were led by fourth-year head coachMark Stoops and the played home games atCommonwealth Stadium inLexington, 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 theTaxSlayer Bowl where they lost toGeorgia Tech.
| 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 toWest 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 toBoston College |
| Zach West | #67 | OL | 6'3" | 305 | Senior | Lexington, KY | Graduated |
Prior toNational 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 threeArmy All-American's as well as Kentucky'sMr. Football.[2]
| College recruiting information (2016) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Hometown | School | Height | Weight | 40‡ | Commit date |
| Jaylin Bannerman #62 DE | Pickerington, OH | Pickerington Central High School | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Jordan Bonner #4 LB (JUCO) | Lyndhurst, OH | Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| T. J. Carter #57 DE | Mableton, GA | Whitefield Academy | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 245 lb (111 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| JaQuize Cross #83 DT | New Market, AL | Buckhorn High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 310 lb (140 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Kash Daniel #11 LB | Paintsville, KY | Paintsville High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 227 lb (103 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Luke Fortner #117 OT | Sylvania, OH | Sylvania Northview High School | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 278 lb (126 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Tobias Gilliam #69 DB | Dayton, OH | Wayne High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Jordan Griffin #37 DB | Jonesboro, GA | Jonesboro High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Gunnar Hoak #40 QB | Dublin, OH | Dublin Coffman High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Dakota Holtzclaw #42 TE | Columbus, OH | Worthington Kilbourne High School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Zy'Aire Hughes #52 ATH | Paducah, KY | McCracken County High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Drake Jackson #2 C | Versailles, KY | Woodford County High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 290 lb (130 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Stephen Johnson #5 QB (JUCO) | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | College of the Desert | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Tate Leavitt #5 OT (JUCO) | Thornville, OH | Hutchinson Community College | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 295 lb (134 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Kordell Looney #57 DT | Springfield, OH | Springfield High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 285 lb (129 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Grant McKinniss #5 P/K | Findlay, OH | Findlay High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Naquez Pringle #28 DT (JUCO) | Georgetown, SC | Itawamba Community College | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 330 lb (150 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Justin Rigg #64 TE | Springboro, OH | Springboro High School | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 240 lb (110 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Davonte Robinson #92 DB | Lexington, KY | Henry Clay High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| A. J. Rose #80 RB | Cleveland, OH | Garfield Heights High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Kayaune Ross #18 WR (JUCO) | West Chester, OH | Phoenix College | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Benny Snell #56 RB | Westerville, OH | Westerville Central High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Roland Walder #36 LB | Dayton, OH | Trotwood-Madison High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Jamar Watson #112 LB | District Heights, MD | Bishop McNamara High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Landon Young #6 OT | Lexington, KY | Lafayette High School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 270 lb (120 kg) | ||
| Recruit ratings: No ratings found | ||||||
| Overall recruit ranking: | ||||||
Sources:
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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 coordinatorShannon Dawson announced he would not return to the program for the 2016 season as the offensive coordinator.[3][4] In his place Kentucky hiredCincinnati 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, insidelinebackers | 1st | |
| Corey Edmond | Strength and conditioning | 1st | |
| Reference: | |||
| Defense[edit]
| Special teams[edit]
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| 2016 Kentucky Wildcats football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
| Defense
| Special teams
|
Roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 foesGeorgia,Mississippi State,South Carolina, andVanderbilt, and will travel toAlabama,Florida,Missouri, andTennessee.[8]
The team will host three out of four of its non–conference games which are againstAustin Peay from theOhio Valley Conference,New Mexico State Aggies from theSun Belt Conference,Louisville from theAtlantic Coast Conference, andSouthern Miss Golden Eagles fromConference USA.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 3 | 7:30 p.m. | Southern Miss* | ESPNU | L 35–44 | 57,230 | |
| September 10 | 3:30 p.m. | atFlorida | CBS | L 7–45 | 85,821 | |
| September 17 | 4:00 p.m. | New Mexico State* |
| SECN | W 62–42 | 49,669 |
| September 24 | 7:30 p.m. | South Carolina |
| SECN | W 17–10 | 51,702 |
| October 1 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 2Alabama | ESPN | L 6–34 | 101,821 | |
| October 8 | 4:00 p.m. | Vanderbilt † |
| SECN | W 20–13 | 55,030 |
| October 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Mississippi State |
| SECN | W 40–38 | 50,414 |
| October 29 | 12:00 p.m. | atMissouri | SECN | W 35–21 | 50,234 | |
| November 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Georgia |
| SECN | L 24–27 | 62,507 |
| November 12 | 12:00 p.m. | atTennessee | SECN | L 36–49 | 101,075 | |
| November 19 | 4:30 p.m. | Austin Peay* |
| SECN | W 49–13 | 48,948 |
| November 26 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 11Louisville* | ESPN | W 41–38 | 54,075 | |
| December 31 | 11:00 a.m. | vs.Georgia Tech* | ESPN | L 18–33 | 43,102 | |
| ||||||
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Eagles | 7 | 10 | 21 | 6 | 44 |
| Wildcats | 21 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
atCommonwealth Stadium,Lexington, Kentucky
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Gators | 14 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
atBen Hill Griffin Stadium,Gainesville, Florida
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggies | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 42 |
| Wildcats | 14 | 21 | 14 | 13 | 62 |
atCommonwealth Stadium,Lexington, Kentucky
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamecocks | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
atCommonwealth Stadium,Lexington, Kentucky
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| #1 Crimson Tide | 3 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 34 |
atBryant–Denny Stadium,Tuscaloosa, Alabama
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commodores | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 13 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
atCommonwealth Stadium,Lexington, Kentucky
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulldogs | 0 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 38 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 6 | 21 | 13 | 40 |
atCommonwealth Stadium,Lexington, Kentucky
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Tigers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
atFaurot Field,Columbia, Missouri
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulldogs | 7 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 27 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
atCommonwealth Stadium,Lexington, Kentucky
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 10 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 36 |
| Volunteers | 14 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 49 |
atNeyland Stadium,Knoxville, Tennessee
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governors | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 21 | 21 | 7 | 49 |
atCommonwealth Stadium,Lexington, Kentucky
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 14 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 41 |
| #11 Cardinals | 7 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
atPapa John's Cardinal Stadium •Louisville, Kentucky
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Jackets | 10 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 33 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 18 |
