Kentucky Wildcats Opponent Preview: Miami (OH) Redhawks

Year 10 of the Mark Stoops era will begin on September 3, as the Wildcats are set to begin their 2022 campaign against the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks at Kroger Field

Year 10 of the Mark Stoops era will begin on September 3, as the Wildcats are set to begin their 2022 campaign against the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks at Kroger Field in Lexington. 

Three years removed from its last Mid-American Conference championship, Miami has been pegged to finish atop the East Division in the MAC preseason media poll, with five media members selecting the Redhawks to win the conference title. Head coach Chuck Martin is entering his ninth year at the helm at Oxford and is once again bringing a mid-major contender to the table after a 7-6 season in 2021. 

Last Meeting

Sep. 7, 2013 in Lexington: UK 41, Miami OH 7

Kentucky dominated this game from start to finish. The Wildcats scored 24 points in the first quarter, while also having a dominate defensive outing by holding the Redhawks to just 122 total yards. Quarterback Maxwell Smith led Kentucky's offensive attack going 15-23 through the air with three touchdowns. 

Defensive player spotlight

The transfer portal hit Miami hard this offseason. Last season’s leading tackler Ivan Pace left to play for Cincinnati, while pass rushers Kameron Butler and Lonnie Phelps, who notched a combined 16.5 sacks in 2021, made moves to Virginia and Kansas, respectively. Defensive end Corey Suttle will look to provide some portal power of his own, joining the Redhawks after two seasons at Iowa State. Playing in 14 games, the redshirt sophomore recorded just five tackles as a Cyclone. Defensive coordinator Bill Brechin will now ask the 6-foot-4, 247-pounder to step into a much bigger role and replace a chunk of the pass rush that is now missing. 

Offensive player spotlight

Redshirt junior quarterback Brett Gabbert, brother of NFL QB Blaine Gabbert, is the straw that stirs the drink for Martin’s offense. Starting since his freshman season, Gabbert has been a true offensive weapon. In 21 starts, he has acquired 5724 yards of offense. He played in 10 games last season, while missing three due to injury. The Redhawks offense suffered greatly without the St. Louis native at QB. With Gabbert under center, Miami averaged 31.6 points per game, when he wasn’t on the field, the offense managed just 20 points a night. He will be the key to Miami achieving some sort of offense against a re-tooled UK defense. 

2022 Prediction- This will be no walk in the park for Kentucky. The Redhawks will be a proper challenge in week one, and while they will be outmatched on every front, they’re talented enough to force a few three-and-outs and snag a touchdown or two. UK has plenty of tuning up to do, with the first big test of the season just one week later inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium against the Florida Gators. Will Levis will have his first chance to try out his new weapons at receiver, while it remains to be seen if running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. will miss any time in the backfield. Kentucky has the firepower to eventually overwhelm Miami, and it should do so, winning 31-13.