Kentucky Football: Updated Depth Chart Released

The University of Kentucky released an updated depth chart this morning ahead of the football teams game against UT-Martin this Saturday. The team will of course be releasing depth charts every Monday this fall, but this serves as the fan's first opportunity to analyze the line-up since a post-spring depth chart was released this summer. Here is that depth chart if you'd like to compare.

Here's the depth chart. A few immediate impressions:

• Senior left tackle Darrian Miller is not listed. It's not yet been reported if he is injured or being held out for disciplinary reasons. This has forced starting right tackle Jordan Swindle to the left tackle slot meaning redshirt freshman Kyle Meadows is the starting right tackle. [UPDATE IN COMMENTS.]
• Neal Brown had said he wanted to find a third offensive tackle, but I don't think this is how he meant it. This is potentially a huge blow to an offensive line that still doesn't have much experienced depth.
• Bud Dupree is now listed as the SAM linebacker after initial speculation was that he would be playing mostly defensive end this season. Jason Hatcher has been promoted to Dupree's old position.
• In any case, UK will play multiple fronts so Dupree will play with his hand in the dirt at times. UK starting Hatcher expresses confidence in his development, while also possibly a lack of confidence in the linebackers.
• This move appears as an attempt to get more run-stopping talent on the field. A positive interpretation: this is an attempt to get more versatility on the field and create match-up problems for opposing offenses.
• The true freshmen in the two-deep include: Dorian Baker at X receiver, Blake Bone at Z receiver, Garret Johnson at Y receiver, TV Williams at H receiver, Matt Elam at defensive tackle, and Kendall Randolph at nickel back.
• As has been speculated for a while, freshmen at the skill positions will play, and must make an impact in order for UK to successfully move the ball.

UK got out of fall camp with relatively few injuries. Of course, the "oddball injury" curse struck UK again this season when sophomore receiver Jeff Badet was struck by a tennis ball in the eye. This happened last season to senior receiver Javess Blue. Also last season, sophomore receiver Alexander Montgomery tore his ACL while celebrating a teammate's touchdown.

Badet and Montgomery, who caught 22 and 16 passes last season respectively, will likely miss at least the first two games this season due to their injuries. They both would have had strong chances to be declared starters at the Z and Y receiver positions respectively (going off their positions from last season).

Mark Stoops has a press conference at noon at which time he will likely answer questions regarding Miller.