Kenneth Horsey (SEC Photo)
Kentucky’s offensive line gets a lot of credit that is well deserved. The Big Blue Wall is built with two in-state stars, center Drake Jackson and tackle Landon Young. Tackle Darian Kinnard might be the best tackle in the SEC and was the highest graded SEC offensive lineman last week when UK beat Tennessee. Guard Luke Fortner is rock solid and starting for the third year.
But that’s just four guys? The other starter is guard Kenneth Horsey and then Austin Dotson can back up Fortner or Horsey. So how have Horsey and Dotson been playing since we hear little about them? That’s what I asked UK head coach Mark Stoops.
“Pleased with those guys. They are both getting better, Kenneth and Austin. Both are guys that we like, that are really about the team and it’s about how we play (as a team) when they’re in the game,” Stoops said.
“They obviously, individually, want to play well but they want the team to play well. They work extremely hard and take on that same mentality as the (rest of) the offensive line that we have this year and we’ve had in the past. Appreciate the work they are putting in.”
Offensive coordinator Eddie Gran said both have done a “fantastic job” this season. He said when offensive linemen are not getting talked about in meetings and after games it means they are doing their jobs and both Horsey and Dotson have done that.
“Everybody has technical issues but fundamentally they are trying to do everything coach (John) Schlarman is asking them to do,” Gran said. “I thought they really held their own and we gave them the reps they needed (at Tennessee).
“I have been really proud of both of them and they have been competing like crazy.”
