If you thought Kentucky’s passing attack in Saturday’s opener looked rough, you weren’t imagining it. It wasn’t just bad — it was historically bad.
Brock Vandagriff, making his debut as Kentucky’s starting quarterback, finished with 169 passing yards against Toledo. That might not sound catastrophic on its own, but a quick glance at the program’s recent history shows just how far below standard it truly was.
In fact, only one Kentucky quarterback in the last decade has thrown for fewer yards in a season opener: Terry Wilson in 2018. But even that game came with an asterisk. Wilson managed just 78 yards, but the Wildcats leaned heavily on Benny Snell’s dominance in the running game, which carried them to victory.
To put Vandagriff’s performance in context, here’s a look at Kentucky’s opening-game passing numbers over the past 12 seasons:
2024: Brock Vandagriff — 169 yards
2023: Devin Leary — 241 yards
2022: Will Levis — 303 yards
2021: Will Levis — 367 yards
2020: Terry Wilson — 239 yards
2019: Terry Wilson — 246 yards
2018: Terry Wilson — 78 yards*
2017: Stephen Johnson — 176 yards
2016: Drew Barker — 323 yards
2015: Patrick Towles — 257 yards
2014: Patrick Towles — 377 yards
2013: Maxwell Smith / Jalen Whitlow — 203 yards combined
The numbers make one thing very clear: Kentucky fans are used to seeing much more through the air in an opener. Even in seasons where the Wildcats weren’t considered pass-heavy, quarterbacks like Will Levis and Patrick Towles put up 300-yard games right out of the gate.
This raises two big questions:
1. Is this a sign of things to come?
Vandagriff struggled to find rhythm, consistency, and separation from his receivers. That’s concerning, especially with SEC play looming.
2. How much blame falls on the receivers?
Kentucky’s wide receiver depth was already a question mark heading into the season. Against Toledo, that concern turned into a crisis. Pass-catchers couldn’t create separation, leading to short gains and stalled drives.
The Wildcats’ offense will need to improve quickly if they hope to compete at a high level this year. The silver lining? As the post says, there’s nowhere to go but up.
Kentucky fans have seen their fair share of quarterback struggles in season openers, but rarely has the passing game looked this stagnant. Whether it’s on Vandagriff, the receivers, or the scheme, one thing is clear: this passing attack has to find its footing — and fast.
