Kentucky Football and the Dillon Sanders Hire

If you read Jason's May 1st article about the Dillon Sanders hire, you know the big picture. This is a drill down with a little more detail.

Dillon Sanders is no inexperienced youngster. He's been around a while as a coach like Vince Marrow, who was a graduate assistant at Nebraska before becoming who he is and what he does for Kentucky.  Here's some background for you to consider.

2015 -€” Third year as graduate assistant for Utah State's defense working with outside linebackers, assisting defensive coordinator/ linebacker coach Kevin Clune.

Utah State NCAA Defensive Stats for 2015-2016 Season:

Total Defense: 17^th (332.5 ypg)

Rushing Defense: 47^th (151.9)

Pass Defense: 12^th (180.5 ypg)

Scoring Defense: 61^st (26.7 ppg)

3^rd Down Conversion % Defense: 21^st (33.5%)

2014 -€” Utah State's defense ranked first in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) and 12^th in the nation in scoring defense (19.7 ppg) in Sanders' second year. The Aggies also ranked first in the MWC and fourth nationally in both sacks (3.57 pg) and tackles for loss (8.1 pg), second in the MWC and 8^th in the nation in passes intercepted (19), 2^nd in the MWC and 9^th nationally in defensive touchdowns (5), 2^nd in the MWC and 11^th nationally in forced turnovers (30), 2^nd in the MWC and 17^th in the nation in passing defense efficiency defense (111.42), 1^st in the NWC and 24^th nationally in rushing defense (130.7 ypg), second in the MWC and 30^th nationally in total defense (356.1 ypg).

2013 -€” In Sanders' first season, the Aggies ranked 1st in the MWC and 7^th nationally in scoring defense (17.1 ppg), 1^st in the conference and 12^th in the nation in total defense (330.9), first in the conference and 8^th nationally in rushing defense (106.7 ypg), and first in the conference and 15^th nationally in passing defense efficiency defense (111.42) passing defense efficiency defense (113.2).

Before you shrug the numbers off, remember that Vince Marrow was a G/A at Nebraska before arriving in the bluegrass. Like Marrow, Sanders has experience. He holds experience (2008-2012) with the Colorado Ice of the Indoor Football League. We know that Marrow was responsible for recruiting several Ohio kids while at Nebraska. We won't know about Sanders' recruiting for a week or more

You can read more here from Utah State's 2015 Media Guide.