Kentucky heads into Saturday afternoon’s game at South Carolina with plenty to point to from the latest Pro Football Network Impact Report, and the biggest bright spot is up front.
Offensive tackle Lance Heard, the Tennessee transfer, turned in a 90.5 Impact Grade in Kentucky’s 45-21 win over South Alabama. That mark was the fifth-highest among 752 FBS offensive linemen in Week 4, the best of the 92 offensive linemen in the Southeastern Conference, and the 10th-best single-game grade by an FBS offensive lineman this season.
Heard wasn’t the only Wildcat making noise on the line. Guard Tegra Tshabola earned an 89.9 Impact Grade against South Alabama, which ranked ninth among all offensive linemen in the country last week.
Center Coleton Price has been even better across the full season. His 95.0 rating makes him the fourth-highest-graded offensive lineman in FBS this season and first among 118 SEC linemen. He ranks fourth out of 962 FBS offensive linemen overall.
Kentucky’s line as a unit graded at 91.7 against South Alabama, which was the second-best mark of any FBS offensive line last week and the top grade in the SEC. For the season, the Wildcats’ 83.2 offensive line grade is 21st among 138 FBS teams and second in the conference.
The numbers also show how much Kentucky has gotten from a few key players. Price, Tshabola, Heard and Willie Rodriguez are the Wildcats’ four highest-rated players this season in the Pro Football Network system. Rodriguez, Kentucky’s leading receiver, is the eighth-ranked tight end in FBS this season out of 382 players with a 90.7 rating, and he sits third among 53 SEC tight ends.
A little further down the list, Jason Patterson is fourth among 39 SEC running backs at 88.0. Henry Boyer is sixth among 53 SEC tight ends at 87.7.
CJ Baxter is eighth among 39 SEC running backs at 86.3. Olaus Alinen ranks 25th among 118 SEC offensive linemen at 85.6.
Tavion Gadson is seventh among 80 SEC defensive tackles at 84.5. Jordan Castell is seventh among 48 SEC safeties at 84.4.
Kentucky enters the South Carolina game at 3-1 and ranked 24th in this week’s AP Top 25. The Wildcats have seven SEC games left after opening league play at 1-1.
Even with the offensive line sitting second in the SEC, Kentucky’s offense is ranked ninth in the conference in the Impact Grades, with quarterback Kenny Minchey ranked 11th. On the other side of the ball, the defense is 14th of 16 in the SEC, though the defensive line is rated fourth and the secondary fifth. Grant Godfrey is Kentucky’s highest-rated linebacker at No. 73 after Week 4.
In Other News...
Kentuckys Offense May Hinge On One Thing Fans Arent Watching Yet
Mark Pope sounds encouraged about where Kentuckys offense could be headed in 2026-27, and the reason is pretty easy to understand. The Wildcats should have a group with real shooting punch, led by Milan Momcilovic and other capable perimeter threats, which gives Pope a foundation to build around as he shapes the next version of the roster. From a talent standpoint, the spacing potential is there, and that alone should matter to anyone trying to project how this team will score.
Still, Popes focus goes beyond just making shots. He has also pointed to cutting as a major part of the offense, which suggests Kentucky wants to create easier looks and keep defenses moving even on nights when the ball may not be flying in from deep. The shot-making will draw the headlines, but the way the Wildcats combine that shooting with disciplined movement could end up telling the bigger story of how effective this offense really becomes. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Heads Into South Carolina With Receiver Uncertainty And Thin Depth
Kentuckys trip to South Carolina comes with a little more uncertainty than Mark Stoops would probably like this early in SEC play, especially at receiver. The conferences first availability report for Week 5 put Grant Grayton out, while DJ Miller and Cole Marszalek were listed doubtful and Jay Clark questionable, leaving the Wildcats to sort through a thin group as they prepare for a road test that could demand more from the passing game.
There was at least one small positive on the report, with Tavion Gadson not listed, a sign he may be available. South Carolina, meanwhile, is dealing with its own personnel questions, as Stewart is suspended and Brownlow-Dindy remains uncertain after sitting out the previous game, so both sides head into the matchup without a full picture of who will actually be on the field when kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys South Carolina Prep Suddenly Has A Receiver Concern
Kentuckys first SEC availability report ahead of Saturdays trip to South Carolina brought the kind of news that always gets attention this time of week, with the Wildcats sorting through a few injury designations before hitting the road. The report also surfaced an out status in the secondary, adding another layer of uncertainty as the team continues its preparation for an important conference matchup.
The bigger concern on offense, though, is the receiver group, where the Wildcats now have to account for a potential absence that could affect how they plan the passing game. With a busy Kentucky sports weekend ahead and basketball-related events also on the calendar, the football staff will keep its focus on cleaning up the picture before kickoff and waiting for the next update on who will be available. [Read more 🡒]