Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Southern Miss at Kentucky: 3 Things to Watch

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

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The Kentucky Wildcats kick off the 2016 season at home against Southern Miss. Below we share our “three things to watch”. These are things that will be a factor not just in today’s game, but will also show signs of things to come over the course of the season. Let’s begin.

1. How Will the Front Seven Fare?

Oct 3, 2015; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive tackle Matt Elam (69) walks off the field after the game against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated Eastern Kentucky 34-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky’s defensive strength is its secondary. That means the Wildcats can expect to see a heavy dose of tailback Ito Smith. Last season, Smith 1128 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged an incredible 6.6 yards per carry.

The Cats are also going to want to pressure Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullens. Mullens is a dangerous passer who can carve up a defense when given time. Kentucky will want to hit Mullens early and often to try to throw him off his rhythm.

2. Can the Wildcats Impose Their Will on Offense?

Nov 28, 2015; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Stanley Boom Williams (18) runs the ball against the Louisville Cardinals in the first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

To say that the Wildcats have a size advantage against the Southern Miss defensive line is like saying that Jupiter is bigger than a pebble. Southern Miss’s largest defensive lineman is Dylan Bradley, at 265 pounds. Kentucky’s lightest offensive lineman is Kyle Meadows, at 300 pounds.

In theory, the Wildcats should be able to push the undersized Southern Miss defensive line right down the field. But that’s not always how it works. Sometimes being small means being quick. We saw this in the App State versus Tennessee game. App State’s smaller, quicker defenders were able to run right by the bigger, slower offensive linemen.

Kentucky needs to open up holes for their best offensive weapon, Boom Williams. Whether or not they can remains to be seen.

3. Is Drew Barker Ready to Shine?

Nov 7, 2015; Athens, GA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Drew Barker (7) throws the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia defeated Kentucky 27-3. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Last season Drew Barker came in as a freshman and completed 35 of his 70 passes for 364 yards and one touchdown. He also threw two interceptions. He will need to be a lot better this season if Kentucky wants to make a bowl game. We will get a chance to see how much he has improved over the off-season, tomorrow.

Conclusion

Jul 13, 2016; Hoover, AL, USA; Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops speaks to the media during SEC media day at Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

Thank you for reading. Is there a key factor you think we missed? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to “like” us on Facebook and “follow” us on Twitter.