Kentucky vs. Southern Miss PREVIEW & PREDICTIONS | 2024 SEC Football

[Music] sometimes you think you're learning in Groundhog Day where the same things happen over and over and over again but instead of Phil Connor's waking up every single morning it's every three years in Lexington is this going to be another double digit win season with a new quarterback a new offensive coordinator but the same old lovable Mark Stoops welcome on in SEC unfiltered he's Dave shoemate I'm Cole Thompson coming to you live breaking down every game heading into week one of the SEC 2024 season and we head on over to Lexington Kroger field Where the wild cats will be playing host to the Southern Miss golden eagles and what could be a year to remember for the wild cats make sure that you download the podcast version of the show where every get your podcast listening systems follow us on social media he's at Mack 10 sports I'm at Mr Cole Thompson we are at SEC unfiltered and ladies and gentlemen we are freaking everywhere so make sure that you subscribe make sure that also you're following us on all of our channels when it comes to podcasting wherever get Podcast listing systems leave a five star review if you love this type of content leave a one star review if you're lying to yourself and saying you hate this type of content and a keep up with everything that we're doing make sure that you visit SEC unfiltered.com guys the games are right around the corner and this show is brought to you by SeatGeek use promo code SECU for $20 off with your first purchase who does not want to head to cro kerfield to watch the Beatdown of a lifetime as the Wildcat set the standard in 2024 do so so at seatgeek.com with the promo code SECU for $20 off shate this is one of those weird teams every three years it's like wash repeat you already can feel it in the year that expectations are going to be a little bit higher new quarterback new offensive coordinator still potent defense we saw what happened with Terry Wilson in 2018 we saw what happened in 2021 with will Lis are we going to see something similar when it comes to Brock Vander Griff Bush handman and of course this big blue Kentucky defensive front yeah I mean I think that's the big question Mar I think everybody's fired up to see the bush hamen project the Brock Vandergriff project I think we know what we're gonna get with the defense think we usually know that every year but I think me and you talked about I mean got 10 starters back 10 out of 11 starters back on the defensive side of the ball arguably a top three to four defens of a front seven you can make a case depending I think there's a lot of good front sevens in this league but Kentucky definitely has one probably the best interior defensive lineman and Deion Walker going into the year they brought in jaman Dumis Johnson I'm fired up about the defense I I want to see the offense can the big blue wall get back to its normal days can Brock vandagriff add a dynamic of probably gonna be a little scheme where they're going to use him in between the tackles in the Run game something we didn't see with Devon lry or will Levis previously uh so I'm interested to see that I mean I think it's got to start it's a low hanging fruit but I think we got to start on the offensive side of the ball because I think that's the difference between Kentucky being anywhere from seven wins to nine wins this year I think the crazy part is is that yes they did add in a superstar defensive player from the SEC and jamond Dumis Johnson they also got a quarterback from the SEC and Brock Vandergriff who if anyone knows me I believe in the Multiverse there is a world where STS and meta is now working at Kia because the Brock Vandergriff just lit up Spring football and he is a two-time national champion maybe got Carson Beck as starting quarterback but you bring up that offensive line two newcomers coming on over from SEC programs Gerald miny taking over at right tackle you also get Jaylen farmer coming on over from Florida taking over at left guard how does this offensive line be able to withstand the pressures of playing against SEC opponents one of the biggest blessings that I've always said is that when you get to go up against a great defensive front you get that blessing to be able to understand what you can expect every week in the SEC and let's just keep it Buck a buck they have the best defensive tackle for my money in the SEC and Dion Walker they have arguably the best defensive lineman in the SEC I mean in the in the in the country in Dion Walker they got a great secondary they have some pieces at linebacker they've been going through the Woodshed over the last few weeks to prepare for this game but we are going to talk a little bit about Brock Vandergriff he is finally getting his start the thing about him that a lot of people that you've spoken to in Lexington around the program even at Georgia there's a little bit of will Levis to his game there's a little bit of that speed element you get get him outside the pocket he is not afraid to tuck and run is this going to be a benefactor for kuy's offense especially when you have the question marks at running back now with sweet baby Ray Davis in the NFL yeah you I'm saying you're talking about Brock bber Griff in the Run game being for them yeah I totally think that's gonna be a dynamic game we had seen and they haven't really I mean will could pick up something broke down third and 80 he go pick it up slide pick up a first down but you're actually going to see Vander Griff design runs here uh go look at what Bush hamon did with I mean a current SEC quarterback in t green at Arkansas last year Boise so I think you can go look at that I I think that'll also take a little bit of that pressure off um the offensive line because again I mean if they get to the second level that's on the quarterback to go make the next guy Miss um and I think some else were not talking Eric Wolford back the Alabama offensive line coach back he's back at Kentucky as the offensive line coach last time Kentucky really had their kind of chip on their shoulders the big blue ball offensive line he was the leader of that group he was the coach of the offensive line unit for the big blue wall then I think that's a factor but yeah I think that's one of the more X factors in the entire league from a perspective that I think people that don't really follow Kentucky hard or follow Brock Vandergriff hard know that that's one of his uh strengths and I think Bush Hampton's a smart enough offensive coordinator he's familiar with using quarterbacks like that to fit that into the offensive system this year I'm gonna say something controversial and it's not supposed to come off this way but I know people are going to take it the wrong in the wrong sense sometimes going to a new program and hitting the reset button is the best thing for you and it's why Bo Nicks went from being the laughing stock on the planes to being a Heisman finalist and a couple of plays away from leading his team to the college football playoff and also a first round pick in the NFL draft who just showed out in the preseason largely due to that design runs I think you could see the same type of resurgence for Brock Vandergriff the way that we saw with bonick the ability to utilize his legs the ability to have those run oriented plays he's got great arm strength if you've watched any bit UK Twitter you have seen what the velocity of that football looks like leaving his hands and how he is able to pinpoint Target players and also now if he gets the offensive line protection I think there's a lot to like about the future of this team and again when you lose Kenny Dillingham you bring in will Stein sometimes that is going to cost you a little bit of time but when I look at this bush hammon's coming on in it's a more I think offense CER to his strengths this could be a game against Southern M where we are talking about Brock Vander really establishing himself as one of these quarterbacks that you don't want to play in the shootout Fashion on Saturday defensively we know about Deon Walker but maybe who's another name that we got to start talking about that is going to eventually be that big blue X Factor and maybe even cat catch you a winner too we we discussed jaman Dumis Johnson already but I'm kind of look at JJ Weaver fired up to see him at the jackpot bringing some pressure we know about like you said we talked about the the interior of the defensive line I think bringing that Ed Edge uh from a perspective of yeah the defense has 10 and 11 starters back they have Maxwell Harrison at one Corner Spot do think there's some guys that have played but I'm not overly jacked about them as players they just couldn't replace them I think that is only going to help as we know two plus two goes four pass rush is a secondary's best friend I think if uh JJ Weaver can assist with that that'll take that pressure a little bit off the secondary outside of everybody not Nam Maxwell Harrison you have a championship caliber mentality coming on in from georia you also have a championship mentality coming on in from Ann Arbor I'm going to go with DJ Waller JR this is the free safety that they brought in from the Wolverines I'm excited to see how he is going to fit in he didn't get a lot of playing time last year largely due to the fact that he was a freshman in a team that was bent on winning a national title before everything came down with Title Nine before everything came down with Conor stallions he probably had no idea about it but maybe he's taken some of those plays and implemented them in this defense we already know that we're getting the Stellar play from Mark stops' defensive front which by the way Mark stops has arguably the best job in college football he gets to fight realistic expectations he gets to Fleet his team to a bowl game he gets to go out on top every year as one of the better coaches in the SEC and gets paid $7 million to do so I think that adding in a guy like DJ Waller UPS the ante a little bit because of what the potential is for him in coverage he might be a name that we talk about as somebody that is flying under the radar going into November and might Garner a lot more all SEC interest one player in this game that you expect to be the storyline the just the one dude when all said and done we are talking about him going into that South Carolina match up could be offense could be defense could be special teams but who you got I'm gonna take the low hanging fruit I think this is just it's the big question mark for me with just Kentucky I think it's Brock vff it's the low hanging fruit not trying to make it more complicated what it is that's the guy's going to have to make the impact I think they gonna depending how the game's going probably take away some of those run plays just because obviously they're trying to get him to a season but I think first half is going to be really fun to watch uh for Kentucky here against Southern Miss I just think he's gonna be the storyline I think everybody's kind of like all right I know the defense check the box the all the wide receivers I know they led the league and dropped passes last year but they do have a lot of weapons with Barry and brown Dan key like they you see the potential there I like the tight ends Josh ctis as well too I think just all comes down to that marriage between hamon and Brock Vander gri wey get that ball rolling boys nine wins is very attainable very attainable I think he's the storyline good bad or indifferent for Kentucky heading into that week two SEC opener which me and you've talked about Cole that is one of the more underrated games in the league and it's a must-win I think for both those teams so I think that'll be the talk heading into that big one week twoo it's not only the must-win game but it's also in my opinion one of the more slept on games nationally throughout the entire regular season because of how much that is going to who set the tone in a crossroad season for both these squads you already mentioned Dan Keem you already mentioned Baran Brown you mentioned the tight end room you did not mention the newcomer that comes on in from Denton Texas jamori Macklin from the Mean Green Machine down at un I'm excited to see what he can be he is a burner guy last year LED Conference USA in yards after catch complete uh uh receptions on top of that he also was a go-to receiver for a roster that felt like they were on the cusp of making into a conference us a title he's joining the SEC mentality the thing is so many people say you weren't built for the SEC because if you started elsewhere this is a guy that if you allow him to beat you at the line of scrimmage you're going to be eating his dust as he's walking in for six I'm excited to see what jamori mcklin can do for this offense I'm excited to see how they utilize him in Bush handman system I think there's a lot of opportunities for this to be a high potent passing attack and I'm going to be expecting a lot from Macklin Brown and key but I think m is going to be one of those guys that we talk about in a very prominent light maybe even all SEC light final score prediction over underline set at I think 37 and a half the last time that these two teams played against each other back-to-back weekends in 2016 and 2017 it was a tie one1 but 2017 got the last laugh kenty get the last laugh in this one you see the Lions 37 and a half 37 and a half uh see Southern Miss all right so I goty will Hall fourth year Big Year decent shot will Hall is not at half 25 and a half my apologies 25 about say man I may take freaking 30 because they're gonna come fired up because they had Ethan Crawford the hill Chris Tuscaloosa quarterback is their starter they also brought in Tate rodmaker people remember is the backup from Florida State he's now the backup at Southern Miz uh so that'll be interesting they it was kind of one of those things that he had to fire everybody and they hired his coordinators for him a little bit so it's one of those his hands are sh um 25 give Kentucky at the 25 I like Kentucky over there if it was 37 like we were talking to Mich I was like yeah I'll probably take the points with Southern Miss I think I I can see this game being closer at the half again under 20 points but because I think Southern Miss is gonna come out with a chip on their shoulder first game they're not an untalented Squad they're in a good conference the Sun Belt uh fighting for their coaches lives essentially right off the bat but I think Kentucky Midway through the second quarter on really starts to control this game I think but I think it all comes down in my opinion to the rushing attack can you set the standard on the ground or are you just going to have to be an air rate attack in this moment if so all right then maybe you'll see Southern Miss hang around for the first half but if not I think Kentucky runs away with this one I'm hammering that 25 and a half point line I'm even looking at the over under wi I mean the whole total at 50.5 there's a very good shot that you could see 40 points come from Kentucky in this game if they know how to run the football but I think this is a big litness test for what we know about Kentucky football especially with what weights on the horizon in week two I'm I'm going to go ahead and say they win this game I want to see chip train them run the football efficiently I want to see that big blue line be the big blue line of old that we know and love if that's the case I think that we're in for a really interesting season down in Lexington in 2024 but that is it for us here on SEC unfiltered pregame show make sure that you download the podcast version of the show wherever you get your podcast listening systems leave a festar riew if you love this type of content a one star review if you hate this type of content make sure that you're following us on all the socials Tik Tok Facebook Instagram Twitter SEC unfiltered you want to scream and yell at me on Twitter it's Mr Cole Thompson you want to compliment Dave for his nice hairline go ahead at mock1 sports you want to make sure that you keep up with the number one source for all things SEC related visit SEC unfilter dcom until next time Big Blue Nation he's Dave shoemate I'm Cole Thompson later [Music]