Kentucky turning to defense

There was a moment when Kentucky receiver Dicky Lyons Jr. realized he would be the most prominent threat returning from last year’s offense that scored a school-record 475 points.

It wasn’t after the Wildcats turned back Florida State to win a second consecutive Music City Bowl.

It wasn’t during the winter, when quarterback Andre Woodson, tailback Rafael Little, tight end Jacob Tamme and fellow receivers Keenan Burton and Steve Johnson hung around Lexington to prepare for the NFL combine and Kentucky’s pro day.

Not until April’s NFL draft did Lyons notice.

“When they went into the NFL and I called them, they wouldn’t pick up anymore,” he said.

Woodson’s SEC-record 40 touchdown passes, Little’s 1,013 rushing yards and the combined 182 receptions and 28 touchdown catches by Burton, Johnson and Tamme helped Kentucky to a second consecutive 8-5 season. To have a third straight eight-win season, something that last happened in 1949-51 when Bear Bryant coached, the Wildcats either have to replicate last year’s offensive success or turn to an improving defense.

Sixth-year coach Rich Brooks is seasoned when it comes to reason, and he’s choosing the latter.

The Wildcats return eight starters defensively from a unit that allowed 397.5 yards a game, which ranked just 10th among SEC teams but was far better than the 453.4 yards they allowed the year before. Inflating last year’s numbers were the three-overtime win over eventual national champion LSU and the four-overtime loss to Tennessee.

Leading Kentucky’s defensive charge will be senior end Jeremy Jarmon, who had 13.5 tackles for loss last season, and junior cornerback Trevard Lindley, who has made crucial interceptions the past two seasons in wins over Georgia, Clemson, LSU and Louisville.

“I believe we have people lining up at 11 positions on defense who can start at a lot of schools in our league, and I’m talking about a lot of the big-name schools,” Brooks said. “I think this now has a chance to be clearly the best defensive team that I’ve had. We need that to happen this year if we want to be viable, because the best teams in this league have great defenses.”

Said Jarmon: “Our offense has really carried us these last couple of years. We’re old enough and responsible enough to know what we’re supposed to be doing, so it’s our turn to step up and carry some of the load. We have a lot of guys who can make sure that’s going to happen this year.”

Not that Lyons doesn’t want to do his part.

With 56 catches last season for 655 yards and seven touchdowns, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior was one of four Wildcats with more than 55 receptions. He wants to double his reception total despite adjusting to competing quarterbacks Curtis Pulley, who has been arrested twice this summer (marijuana possession and traffic violations), and Michael Hartline.

Lyons knows there are plenty of doubters concerning Kentucky’s offense, but he’s used to the predicament.

“For me, being a 5-11 white guy as a wide receiver, you’re never expected to play in the SEC in the first place,” he said. “So it’s all bulletin-board material for inspiration to prove people wrong.”