Kentucky knew going into the year it had one shutdown corner in Maxwell Hairston. Otherwise, it did not quite know what else it had in the cornerback room.
Now, Kentucky’s coaching staff can safely say it has trustworthy depth at the position through five weeks.
JQ Hardaway has been the starter opposite Hairston so far this season. He has posted an interception, forced fumble, 19 total tackles while per PFF data has allowed 13 receptions on 17 targets for 139 yards and posting a 72.9 coverage grade.
With Hairston out at Ole Miss, Hardaway slid into the CB1 role, matching up with the SEC’s leading receiver, Tre Harris. While Harris, working against Hardaway for much of the day, exploded, making 11 grabs for 176 yards and a score, the UK corner made a clutch play working against the elite wideout as he forced Harris to fumble in the red zone in the third quarter that UK’s Noah Matthews recovered. He also led the Cats with 11 total tackles in the victory.
JQ’s forced fumble. I think that one changed the game right there,” defensive coordinator Brad White said postgame.
Elsewhere in the cornerback room, DJ Waller Jr., a transfer from Michigan who missed Week 1 against Southern Miss due to injury, has allowed just two catches on five targets for 19 yards this season and had a pass deflection in the win over Ole Miss that saw him earn the start across the field from Hardaway.
Jantzen Dunn, who plays mostly in the slot, has allowed just two catches all year and helped shut down Ole Miss’ slot duo of Cayden Lee and Jordan Watkins. True freshman Terhyon Nichols has had pass breakups in each of the UK’s last two games.
The depth of UK’s cornerback room was crucial in the Cats’ upset of No. 6 Ole Miss. The Rebels entered play with America’s top-ranked pass defense, and UK was without its star in Hairston, who had a pick-six a week earlier against Ohio.
Despite Hairston being sidelined, UK’s corners were charged with giving up just eight catches on 15 targets for 77 yards and no touchdowns as Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was held to a season-worst 18-for-29 passing performance, going for a season-low 261 yards.
“Really proud of the effort. Really proud of the defensive staff, the work that they’ve put in,” White said. “I would really like to single out Chris Collins (UK’s defensive backs coach) to come in this game and be a little bit short-handed out there and play as well as they did.
“JQ and DJ and Terhyon Nichols, all those guys that got in the game, it was a huge group effort.”