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The end of football season is likely causing die-hard football fans to fall into their yearly off-season blues. With roughly eight months of no football to look forward to on Saturdays and Sundays, one thing UK football fans do get to look forward to in the coming months is spring football.

The UK football team is already hitting the weight room in its off-season winter regimen, but in a couple months, pads will start cracking again, and players will begin preparation for the upcoming season. 

With several impact players graduating this past year, it will be vital for several players to step up and lead the team this upcoming season. Below is a list of key returning players who will all have an impact on the UK offense and what they have to do for the 2016 team to reach their desired success. 

Drew Barker – Quarterback

The 2015 season was a train wreck for most of the year in terms of the QB competition. Patrick Towles performed well early in the year, but all went downhill in the latter half of the season. Bad decision making led to a surplus of interceptions, and overall a lack of accuracy forced Mark Stoops’ hand to replace the veteran QB with highly touted redshirt freshman Drew Barker.

With Towles transferring to Boston College, Barker will have to step in immediately and take over the team. With new offensive coordinator Eddie Gran and QB guru Darin Hinshaw in fold this season, Barker has more than enough coaching talent to help him progress.

And with a wide range of wide receiver talent on this roster to accompany Barker’s raw skill, he has no excuses to not become the team leader UK needs him to be. Spring practices will be crucial for Barker to prove his importance as the starting quarterback, as talented JUCO QB Stephen Johnson is right on his heels, wanting a chance himself to become starter.

Dorian Baker – Wide Receiver

Let’s face it, wide receiver Dorian Baker was one of the most frustrating players to watch this past season. We all know how talented Baker is, and the rave reviews he received from players and coaching staff last off-season didn’t help his case. Baker made some tough catches throughout the year, but his constant drops just devastated the flow of the offense.

This season, with another year of experience under his belt, a new offensive coaching staff and wide receiver coach, and another off-season to work on his game, Baker has to be the go-to receiver on offense for this team to be successful. Though there is a ton of new receiving talent coming in, Baker is arguably the most talented of the bunch, and his great relationship with QB Drew Barker should allow him to become one of the top options this upcoming year. 

CJ Conrad – Tight End

Another player who struggled to produce in 2015 was CJ Conrad. In Conrad’s case, however, it wasn’t necessarily his fault. Conrad was one of the most highly touted players in last year’s recruiting class, and fans expected an immediate impact from him right out of the gates. The problem with this theory is ex-offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson didn’t utilize him at all throughout the year as much as fans expected him to.

Conrad only caught fifteen balls for 149 yards and one touchdown, which is inexcusable given his talent level and the dynamic aspect he brings to the team. Gran, however, is well known for his utilization of tight end talent, even leading some of them to great success in the NFL. Upon his arrival at UK, one of the first names Gran mentioned he was excited to coach was Conrad. With Gran’s experience and utilization of tight ends, and Conrad’s talent level, look for Conrad to be one of the key pieces to UK’s offense this upcoming season.

Stanley “Boom” Williams – Running back

Without a doubt, Boom Williams is one of the most electrifying playmakers in the SEC. One of the few bright spots on the offense last season, Boom rushed for 855 yards and six touchdowns, proving himself as a go-to weapon. The problem, however, is that Boom got injured multiple times throughout the year, especially in key situations.

Though he played in all but two games last season, he made a couple early exits from minor injuries, including early on in the Louisville game. For UK to take the next step in its progression as a competitor in the SEC East, Boom needs to continue to prove his elite status, and stay healthy throughout the entire year.

He carried the offense in times where absolutely nothing was going right, and with question marks surrounding the QB situation, a weapon is needed to spark the offense and maintain competitiveness against SEC defensive juggernauts. 

Landon Young – Offensive Lineman

With Zach West and Jordan Swindle graduating from the offensive line, UK will need someone to step in immediately and protect the QB. Several talented backups with experience are already at UK, but all eyes are on true freshman Landon Young to carry the weight early on as a starting offensive tackle.

Young was one of the top recruits out of high school, listed as a 5-star prospect in both Rivals and 247sports rankings, after dominating in the Army All-American game earlier this year. Listed at 6-foot-7, 300 pounds, Young has a fantastic frame and the incredible skill necessary to play early on the offensive line.

The offensive line was one of the most concerning positions on the team this past season, with little to no time for either starting QB to get passes off in time. UK will need Young to step in immediately and help keep the pressure off of the starting QB.

If each of these key players perform up to par with what the team needs out of them, UK’s offense has the chances to run much more smoothly than it did under Dawson.

With spring practices right around the corner, and the Spring Game on April 16, UK football fans have a great deal to be excited for in the coming months.