Kentucky has played in a bowl game each of the last five seasons. This run will be put to the test in Joker Phillips second year as head man.

Kentucky finished the 2010 regular season with a 6-6 record but ended up 6-7 after getting blown out by Pittsburgh in the Compass Bowl.

A team that was so reliant on its offense a season ago could really struggle with only four offensive starters back.

Offense: The Wildcats are coming off a season in which they ranked fourth in the SEC (27th nationally) with 427.9 yards per game. They also ranked fifth in the league (34th nationally) with 31.2 points per game.

The offensive line returns nearly intact, but Kentuckys 2010 numbers will be tough to touch with the departures of quarterback Mike Hartline, running back Derrick Locke and wide receiver Randall Cobb.

Morgan Newton, who has made nine career starts, is set to take over for Hartline. He has thrown for 971 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions the last two years. Even with some experience, growing pains are expected from the junior, who unfortunately wont have the luxury of handing the ball to a guy like Locke or throwing it to a playmaker like Cobb.

Despite summer knee surgery to repair cartilage, sophomore Raymond Sanders is expected to be the featured tailback after rushing for 254 yards and three scores in limited action last season.

LaRod King should emerge as the No. 1 option through the air. He caught 36 passes for 478 yards and five touchdowns a year ago.

Defense: Seven starters return on a stop unit that ranked sixth in the SEC in total defense with 354.2 yards allowed per game and 10th in scoring defense with 28.4 points allowed per contest.

The Wildcats have a chance to improve on these numbers if they can do a better job of stopping the run. The defense ranked 11th in the SEC with 177.1 rushing yards allowed per game last year.

The Cats will go with a co-defensive coordinator look this season as Rick Minter has been brought in to team with Steve Brown. These two want to keep opposing offenses guessing, and they are implementing multiple schemes to achieve this goal. Changing the alignment will also put their best players in the best positions to make plays.

Omnipresent linebacker Danny Trevathan and hard-hitting safety Winston Guy are the stars of the unit. Trevathan, who led the SEC with 144 tackles last season, and Guy, who intercepted three passes in 2010, both appear poised for big senior campaigns.

Prediction: 5th Place SEC East Kentucky will likely have to follow the same recipe it did last season in order to make a sixth straight bowl appearance sweep its non-conference slate and find a way to win two conference contests. This recipe wont be an easy one to follow with all the offensive firepower that was lost. The defense could be better than it was last season, but its hard to believe it will be good enough to make up for an offense that lost so much. College football lines makers have listed Kentucky as part of the field at 20/1 to win the BCS title.

Jimmy Boyds expert college football picks will help you own the books in 2011!

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