Kentucky staff believes secondary could be a “real strength”

Based on veteran experience and the number of snaps played at the SEC level, no position group on the Kentucky depth chart is deeper than the secondary entering the 2025 season.

The Wildcats saw two of the best defensive backs move on to the NFL in cornerback Maxwell Hairston and safety Zion Childress, but the returning group of players has the UK staff excited.

“I feel like DJ (Waller) and JQ (Hardaway) both have the size. They both played a lot. They should take their game to another level,” UK head coach Mark Stoops said of his expected starters at the corners entering fall camp.

And at safety, “You’ve got Jordan (Lovett), who has been a great leader,” Stoops added. “He’s a guy that’s solid, 210-pounds, physically. Gives you everything he has, along with Ty (Bryant). So you have good experience, really good people… the secondary can be a real strength of this team.”

A good start to camp

Fans and media caught a glimpse of that last weekend during the Cats’ two open practices on Friday and Saturday. The secondary made several impressive plays on Friday, including both Lovett and Bryant picking off Zach Calzada, the expected starter at quarterback going into the season. On Saturday, the long and athletic corners (Waller at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and Hardaway at 6-3, 192 pounds) made drills difficult for the UK receivers.

Stoops reiterated what he said during his Media Day comments.

“You can see the length that we have out there with JQ and DJ,” he said. “DJ is really playing good football, he really is. And the safeties have good experience and can really run.”

Waller transferred to UK from Michigan prior to last season. Fans had high expectations for him, but he played in only seven games and missed the final four due to an injury. He now seems eager to make up for lost time.

Building quality depth

The Cats also feel like they are adding quality depth to the secondary.

In addition to the four projected starters, senior Jantzen Dunn, sophomores Cam Dooley, Terhyon Nichols, and Quay’sheed Scott, redshirt freshman Jaden Smith, and highly regarded freshman Martels Carter are all being prepped for significant snaps this season.

“I said it when we signed them,” UK defensive coordinator Brad White said of the young Cats vying for spots on the two-deep. “I thought last year’s class has a chance to be one of the most impactful defensive classes that maybe has ever come through this program.”

Nichols, a 5-11, 196-pound sophomore, showed flashes of his potential with a team-high five pass break-ups in only eight games played.

Looking for consistency

Consistency is the key for some of the backups, Stoops added.

“Like, inside at the nickel position, you’ve got Q Scott and Jantzen that both need to play at a higher level with Q so young, but I think he’s going to be a really good football player. Janzten is playing much better, much more consistent. You throw those two in with the other main four, so to speak, you have a really good group.”

The UK boss, who has always played a big role in the individual coaching of the DBs since coming to Lexington in 2013, says he’d like to see the entire group play with better focus this season. The Cats allowed opponents to complete 63.4% of their attempts, had just 10 interceptions, and ranked 80th last season in third-down conversion rate allowed at 40.1%

“I just think where they could take it to another level, one thing is just really being dialed into the situation, football IQ, being very smart,” Stoops said. “What’s the down and distance? What’s the situation of the game? What’s coming? Anticipating things. I think, with experience, they can take that to another level.”