Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky Football: Players Who Shined Against Southern Miss

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The season opener was one of the most brutal games in recent memory. Though the results was disappointing, a number of Kentucky football players shined.

Sep 3, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops shakes hands with Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles head coach Jay Hopson after the game at Commonwealth Stadium. Southern Mississippi defeated Kentucky 44-35. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

If only for a half, the future of the Kentucky football program appeared to be as bright as ever. The offense was firing on all cylinders, the defense was creating turnovers, and the special teams was smothering the opposition’s return game.

The outcome of the game was far less than desirable, but optimism states that the Kentucky Wildcats have made progress.

Kentucky jumped out to a 35-10 lead over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, but that quickly evaporated. Southern Miss scored 34 unanswered points to pull out a shocking 44-35 comeback victory in Lexington.

Heartbreaking isn’t a powerful enough adjective to do Kentucky’s loss to Southern Miss justice.

Nevertheless, there were positives to take away from Kentucky’s season-opening collapse. A number of players were absolutely sensational, if only for a half of football against a team that should’ve been defeated.

The question is: which players excelled during the Wildcats’ struggle of a season-opener?

Sep 3, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Jeff Badet (13) runs the ball against Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles linebacker Elijah Parker (17) in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Southern Mississippi defeated Kentucky 44-35. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Badet

If there’s only one thing that you need to know about Jeff Badet, it’s that he has overwhelming speed. When he gets behind a secondary, there aren’t many players who can tackle him, let alone catch up to him.

Badet proved that in the first quarter of Kentucky’s clash with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles when he took a pass to the house from 72 yards out.

No. 13 only pulled in two receptions during Kentucky’s 44-35 loss to the Golden Eagles. It was the 72-yard touchdown that got the Wildcats on the board, however, which is reason enough to praise the junior wideout.

Badet is also the player who created the confidence in sophomore quarterback Drew Barker that led to an explosive first half.

Barker could’ve easily crumbled under the pressure of playing his first game as a full-time starter. Instead, Badet took a routine throw and exploded for a massive gain after the catch—a massive gain that led to Barker’s first touchdown of the season.

Badet’s speed is back and that makes him one of the most dangerous weapons on the Kentucky football team.

Sep 3, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Drew Barker (7) drops back to pass the ball against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in the first quarter at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Barker

Drew Barker utilized the first half as his proving ground. He didn’t exactly set the tone for a full career—no single game can—but he showed exactly how much upside he has as a starting quarterback.

With all due respect to the previous generation, Barker is showing signs of being a massive upgrade over the quarterback who came before him.

Barker finished with 323 passing yards, four touchdowns, and an interception on 15-of-24 passing. He scrambled for a nifty 14-yard run, as well, thus displaying his well-rounded skill set as a playmaker.

For perspective, Patrick Towles, who started for Kentucky football last season, had zero four-touchdown games in all of 2015. Barker had four in the first game of 2016.

In the first quarter alone, Barker threw three touchdown passes, including long plays from 43 and 72 yards out. He made smart decisions, showed poise in the pocket, and trusted his playmakers to create after the catch.

This game doesn’t guarantee future success, but it’s one heck of a start for the Wildcats’ new man under center.

J.D. Harmon

The greatest strength of the Kentucky football team is undoubtedly the defensive backfield. Cornerbacks Chris Westry and Derrick Baity receive a vast majority of the credit, and rightfully so, but they aren’t alone.

J.D. Harmon is the playmaker of the secondary—something that he proved during Kentucky’s clash with Nick Mullens and the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

Mullens all but refused to throw Baity and Westry’s way during the first half. Instead, he consistently tested Harmon—a decision that he’d likely prefer to take back, reconsider, and never commit to again.

Harmon didn’t just pull down one of the greatest interceptions you’re ever going to see; a quarter later, he did it all over again.

Harmon is the best playmaker in the secondary, as evidenced by his two interceptions against Southern Miss. It’s a critical skill considering Westry is the shutdown corner and Baity is the bump and run specialist.

With three legitimate players at cornerback, Kentucky can move forward as one of the most promising defenses in the country.

Sep 3, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Garrett Johnson (9) runs for a touchdown against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in the first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Garrett Johnson

One could very easily make the case that Garrett Johnson is the best wide receiver on the Kentucky Wildcats. He’s as quick as lightning, a blur in the open field, and a capable pass catcher who can pull passes in on the run.

Johnson proved as much by recording a multi-touchdown game against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

Johnson finished the clash with Southern Miss with six receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He created after the catch, showed great hands in traffic, and bailed Drew Barker out on multiple occasions.

Most notably, Johnson found the end zone on 43 and 53-yard touchdowns—the ultimate testament to his explosiveness at wide receiver.

Johnson was second on the team in receptions and first in receiving yards during the 2015 season. Thus, it stands to reason that he could continue to produce at a high level as he comes into his own as a junior.

If this is a sign of things to come—and there’s reason to believe that it is—then Johnson could be the star of Kentucky’s offense in 2016.

Jordan Jones

Whatever it was that the Southern Miss Golden Eagles attempted to do, Jordan Jones was there. Whether he was rushing the passer, dropping back into coverage, or attacking the run, Jones was the heart and soul of Kentucky’s defense.

The defense may have collapsed during the second half, but Jones was an absolute stud for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Jones finished the season opener with an unbelievable 19 total tackles, including 13 solo. He recorded one sack, two tackles for losses, and laid quite a hit on Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullens.

If you’re going to blame someone for the defense falling apart, Jones should be the last name you arrive at on the list of players or coaches.

Jones, a linebacker, joins cornerbacks Chris Westry and Derrick Baity as sophomores who will anchor Kentucky’s defense for years to come. Though the result was undesirable, the upside became clear.

If Jones continues to play with this type of energy and tenacity, you could hear his name called come awards season.

Sep 3, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Tavin Richardson (80) celebrates after completing a pass against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in the first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Tavin Richardson

Tavin Richardson is rapidly becoming one of the Kentucky football team’s favorite wide receivers. He impressed all week in practice and took that momentum into the game against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

Richardson only had two receptions against the Golden Eagles, but he showed just how dangerous a receiver he can be on both plays.

Richardson finished the season opener with two receptions for a total of 74 yards. Both plays went for more than 30 yards, and both plays displayed the combination of strong hands and intriguing speed that Richardson possesses.

Whether in traffic or breaking free, Richardson has an uncanny ability to turn nothing into something.

Richardson pulled down receptions of 33 and 41 yards against Southern Miss. One was with a man draped all over him, and the other was an impressive pattern in which he gained enough separation to make a play.

Richardson also pulled down an insane one-handed catch at the back of the end zone, but the ball was overthrown and he landed out of bounds.

The loss stings, but Kentucky has something to look forward to if these players continue to perform at the level they did in Week 1.

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