PIGSKIN SPECIAL SECTION
Kentucky football offense to kick off 2024 season with fresh coat of paint
By Jonathon Bruner sports@kykernel.com
For the past few years, it’s seemed like an entirely new offense has taken the field for Kentucky football each season and the 2024 campaign will be no exception.
One major reason for this change has stemmed from a higher-than-average rate of turnover at the offensive coordinator position. Keeping with the theme, this is no different for the Cats in 2024.
Bush Hamdan will take the reins as Kentucky’s fourth new offensive coordinator — though Liam Coen had two stints — since the Cats parted ways with Eddie Gran in 2020.
Hamdan, who is taking over after Coen ended his second stint in Lexington, leaving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after returning last season to replace Rich Scangarello.
Kentucky is Hamdan's fifth school where he will have served as an offensive coordinator during his 15 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and professional level with two prior stops in the SEC at Missouri and Florida.
With Hamdan calling the plays for the Broncos, the team tied for the 2023 Mountain West Conference Championship while also finishing second in scoring and third in total offense.
When it comes to Hamdan’s offensive style, fans can expect to see an uptick in tempo and overall control of the game.
“We always want to be somewhere in the middle," Hamdan said. “What that means is, have the flexibility depending on how the game is going to do whatever it takes to win the football game.”
On top of that, the introduction of helmet-to-helmet communication — which allows Hamdan to call plays directly into the quarterback's helmet instead of signaling from the sideline — may promote a faster pace of play throughout college football overall.
However, while efficiency and rhythm will be a key focus when it comes to tempo, a complete overhaul is not expected with the 2024 team.
“I'm not trying to be a tempo offense, we are not trying to be Ole Miss and Tennessee or those teams that do it exceptionally well. They just snap it with 30 seconds on the play clock,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said. “That's a different style, it's very difficult
MATTHEW MUELLER | STAFF
Wide receiver Barion Brown catches a ball during a drill during Kentucky football’s open practice on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, at their practice field in Lexington, Kentucky.
to prepare (for) that, they do it very well.”
Another part of Hamdan’s approach is to create explosive plays, which he accomplished with the Broncos as they were 26th in the nation with 436.1 yards-per-game.
As for the man under center, Kentucky has gone to the transfer portal once again.
Will Levis handed the title to Devin Leary in 2023, who then passed it to Brock Vandagriff from Georgia.
With the Bulldogs’ consistent success in recent years, Vandagriff knows what a winning culture looks like as he starts for the first time in his collegiate career.
“Smart, smart player, tough, can run all those things,” Hamdan said. “Guys like Brady Cook at Missouri, you see what his skill set looks like; what Taylen Green did last year at Boise; Maddux Madsen, we think he's right in the mold of a guy we'd like for this system.”
While Vandagriff will be seeing the bulk of the snaps for the Wildcats, Rutgers transfer Gavin Wimsatt may also see some time as quarterback.
Wimsatt’s athleticism and versatility al-
lows him to run the ball in wildcat formations, but also throw the ball, which could leave defenses guessing.
While bell cow running backs like Chris Rodriguez Jr. and, most recently, Ray Davis have been one man shows in the backfield, this season the position may look a bit different.
A committee approach is expected to be headlined by DeaMonte “Chip” Trayanum and Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, though numerous backs are expected to contribute down the depth chart.
Both men join the Cats by way of the transfer portal with Trayanum coming from Ohio State and Sumo-Karngbaye coming from N.C. State along with Leary last season.
Unfortunately for the backs, Trayanum suffered a broken hand, which will likely cause him to miss a few games and propel Sumo-Karngbaye into a larger role with Jamarion Wilcox and Jason Patterson as potential backups.
“Each of the backs brings a little something different to the table,” Vandagriff said.
“You got ‘Chip,’ a bigger dude, just a really physical runner, and then Demie, maybe he runs routes a little better, he played some wide out from what I heard a little bit last year, some slot, he's good at catching the ball, stuff like that.”
Both men can be used in various formations and situations, which should serve the offense well and prevent a one-dimensional running attack.
Looking at the passing attack, fans can find some familiarity in wide receivers Dane Key and Barion Brown, both entering their third seasons with the Wildcats.
Another duo to watch out for is that of transfers Ja’Mori Maclin and Fred Farrier II, who are both expected to play big roles.
“I think this room has been one of the closest we've had, everybody has bonded together,” Key said. “A lot of fun is going on in that room, but we're also taking it a lot more serious than we have in the past. Just everybody being older, it's a different look to the game than there has been in the past.”
Rounding out the pass catchers is the tight end group — the only part of the offense that has not been supplemented by the transfer portal — headlined by the returning duo of Jordan Dingle and Josh Kattus.
Dingle has shown his ability to be a pass catcher in open space and Kattus ability to be used as a blocker in running formations should allow both men to see a role in this new system.
Finishing out the offense is the “Big Blue Wall,” which could be the most important group of the offense as all of the potential that the new system has relies heavily on solid protection from the line.
The O-line has some experience this season as Marques Cox, Jager Burton and Eli Cox are all back in blue and white. Rounding out the O-line is likely to be transfers Jalen Farmer and Gerald Mincey.
So, whether it's a coach putting on the headset, players suiting up for the first time or another day at the office for the veterans, the Kentucky offense will certainly be a mustwatch as the season unfolds.
The offense and the rest of the Wildcats will kick off their 2024 season at home on Saturday, August 31, against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. The game is set to begin at 7:45 p.m. ET and will air live on the SEC Network.
Brock Vandagriff looks to lead Kentucky’s offense back to the promised land
By Colton Johnson sports@kykernel.com
With former Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary hearing his name called in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, the Wildcats again found themselves in the dreaded quarterback search.
As he has in years past, head coach Mark Stoops decided the solution to Kentucky’s quarterback issue would come from a familiar source: the transfer portal.
The Wildcats would eventually find their guy in Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff, a former five-star recruit out of high school who has spent his entire college career backing up the likes of current Los Angeles Rams back-up Stetson Bennett and Georgia quarterback Carson Beck.
While there was little doubt that Vandagriff would find his first starting job in Lexington, he wasted no time in making sure he embodied the leadership role of a quarterback.
“It’s actually what my masters is in, communication and leadership development,” Vandagriff said. “But at the end of the day it's all about being able to lead your ship, that’s how I define leadership.”
For a Georgia native whose initial college decision saw him primarily on the sidelines for the Bulldogs, uprooting himself from his home state was bound to be accompanied by plenty of adjustments.
But for Vandagriff, those adjustments had little to do with football.
“The weather is different, this winter was definitely different,” Vandagriff said. “I didn’t have too many friends here, so I’ve definitely been working on that.”
Throughout all the tribulations that came with uprooting himself and leaving everything he’s known, Vandagriff has prioritized “stacking days” in all aspects of both football and life.
Despite that, Vandagriff hasn’t let go of everything he learned in his time at Georgia, with the junior quarterback remembering the lessons learned from the guys he found his name below on the depth chart.
“Watching (Beck) and Stetson has been really influential to my game,” Vandagriff said. “Just making sure I take bits and pieces from other quarterbacks I’ve backed up in the past to put in my toolbox and hope-
fully become a better quarterback myself.”
When listening to Vandagriff one thing is obvious: he understands the importance of being proficient off the field but, at the end of the day, he’s here to play football. It’s hard to blame a guy who’s seen the sidelines for the majority of his college career.
Any question Vandagriff has fielded has garnered a response concluded by him addressing his desire to just play the game.
“The next one,” Vandagriff said about what game he’s looking forward to the most. “At any point throughout the season,
if you ask what my favorite game is coming up, it’s the next one.”
With Stoops and the rest of the Wildcats singing Vandagriff's praises throughout the entirety of Fall camp, Kentucky fans are optimistic about the possibility of yet another transfer quarterback leading it to the promised land.
Vandagriff and company will look to put together an impressive 2024 campaign when they kick off the season in their home opener against Southern Miss on August 31 with kickoff set for 7:45 p.m. ET.
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On the front cover: PHOTO BY MATTHEW MUELLER Quarterback Brock Vandagriff speaks to the media about the upcoming Kentucky football season during Kentucky Football’s media day on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.
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MATTHEW MUELLER | STAFF
Quarterback Brock Vandagriff practices drills during Kentucky football’s media day on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at their practice field in Lexington, Kentucky.
With so much new, Kentucky football’s defense provides much-needed familiarity and experience
By Sara Gibson sports@kykernel.com
Entering a season in which the Kentucky football offense has seen a plethora of changes, one thing that has remained a staple of the squad for years is a strong defense.
While it’s unknown what the offense will look like when the first ball is snapped, the defense is led by veteran stars that Kentucky fans have come to know and love.
Starting with the big man up front is Deone Walker, the likely NFL first round draft pick is entering his third season with the Cats and has already racked up 55 tackles with 7.5 sacks and is looking to take a step toward the pros.
Walker isn’t a solo show, however, as the defensive line has returning players across the board including Keeshawn Silver, Octavious Oxendine and Kahlil Saunders.
In fact, heading into his second season in UK blue, Silver has been making his mark in practice so far.
“Now, there’s no unknown there, he understands what's expected,” defensive coordinator Brad White said. “He’s one of those guys I think has had a really good camp thus far.”
The defensive line only has one new face to the group for the ‘24 season, which goes a long way toward playing seamlessly as a collective unit.
“I feel like we have a real veteran team right now and I feel like a lot of guys are taking big steps,” Oxendine said on media day.
Looking at the defensive backs, Maxwell Hairston is also back in
Lexington for his third year after a breakout sophomore season, leading the SEC with five interceptions.
Hairston will be playing opposite Michigan transfer DJ Waller Jr. as the 6-foot - 3-inch corner is coming off a hot start to his college football career, being named Defensive Freshman of the Week five times last year.
“I feel like we’ve built some depth at that position,” head coach Mark Stoops said on media day. “You know we’ll see a guy like DJ Waller, a transfer who has great length. JQ (Hardaway) was here last year, I'd like to see more
on him, and we feel like we have a great one in Maxwell.”
Moving things over to linebacker, J.J. Weaver made the decision to return to Kentucky for an extra year and coaches are looking for consistent game-changing plays out of him, especially considering that who will be playing opposite of him is still in question.
“There are times that he can just dominate a game, and he can take over,” White said. “He understands that this is the year that he needs to do that consistently. It can't just be one or two games and then we'll see who can rush opposite.”
With another year under his belt, Weaver is extremely likely to crack the top five of the alltime Kentucky sack leaders list as he currently has 17 sacks, tied for sixth all-time, while Jeremy Jarmon (‘06-08) sits in fifth with 17.5.
Perhaps the group with the least questions about its capabilities is the inside linebacker corps led by D’Eryk Jackson.
Kentucky’s leading tackler in both 2022 and 2023, and All-SEC defensive player will play a key role in both executing plays on the field and helping transfer Jamon “Pop” Dumas-Johnson adjust to the Stoops defense.
Pop transferred in from Georgia, where he piled up 34 tackles — 5.5 for a loss — and 3.5 sacks in just nine games after missing the rest due to an injury.
“He's (Jackson) been really good for Pop in terms of being able to essentially translate our defense, help him grow within,” White siad of the duo. “Because every time you change systems you have to get adjusted.”
Based on the stats alone, Jackson and Dumas-Johnson have potential to be the best inside linebacker duo in the entire nation.
Overall, the ‘24 Kentucky defense will be the anchor of this year's team; the veteran group will provide stability for a unit with numerous questions on the offensive side of the ball.
Kentucky football will kick off its 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 31, against Southern Miss. Kickoff against the Golden Eagles is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET and will air live on the SEC Network.
MATTHEW MUELLER | STAFF
Running back Jamarion Wilcox pushes past defenders during Kentucky football’s open practice on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, at their practice field in Lexington, Kentucky.
SEC continues to be toughest conference in college football with additions of Texas, Oklahoma
By Parker Scott sports@kykernel.com
conference a year earlier.
With the expansion from
Missouri, the conference will be expanding.
Texas and Oklahoma will be competing in the SEC for the first time in the 2024-25 athletic season, after jointly inquiring about joining the conference on July 27, 2021. Two days later, the presidents of the current schools unanimously voted to extend offers of admission.
The schools were originally scheduled to join the SEC in 2025, but in February 2023 they reached a buyout agreement with the Big 12 that would allow them to join the
dergo a few changes.
Previously, the conference was split into Eastern and Western divisions for football and the schools in each division with the best conference record would meet in the SEC Championship game at the conclusion of the regular season.
The SEC decided to eliminate divisions following the expansion, though, so at the end of the year the two schools with the best conference record overall will play for the conference title.
Another change many people speculated is an increase from eight to nine intraconference games each season, which is the standard in most major confer-
ences, but the SEC instead made the decision to stick with the eight-game conference schedule despite the expansion.
Both schools have traditionally been powerhouse programs in the Big 12 as it was rare for them to not be towards the top of the conference standings with both having made previous College Football Playoff appearances pre-expansion.
Texas finished last season with a 12-2 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff for the first time and Oklahoma ranked No. 15 in the final AP Poll following a 10-win sea -
Additionally, the Long horns and Sooners have always done an exceptional job at pro ducing pro talent, with each school currently having over 40 active players on NFL ros ters.
In fact, Texas ranked second in players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft with 11, including two picked in the first round. Because of the strength of both programs, it should not take long for them to rise up the ranks in the conference and compete for conference titles, or so they hope.
Brad Crawford of 24/7 Sports even projected the Longhorns to finish 11-1 overall in the SEC this sea son, saying that, “this Texas team may have the *it* fac tor as conference shocker in 2024.”
With the new sched uling format in the con ference, all 14 of the other teams are sched uled to play either Texas or Oklahoma once in 2024.
As for Ken
tucky, the Wildcats have Texas on their schedule this season and will face the Longhorns in Austin on Nov. 23, 2024 with another matchup between the two schools set to take place in Lexington in 2025.
Prior to this season, they have only met once, when Paul “Bear” Bryant’s Wildcats came up short against the Longhorns by way of a 7-6 final on the road in 1951.
Texas will be a tough squad to beat not just for Kentucky, but for any team this year, as both its offense, led by standout quarterback Quinn Ewers, and its defense, which pos -
building their offense around sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold using the transfer portal, are sure to be competitive in an already very competitive conference..
Even though it usually takes a while for schools joining a top-tier conference like the SEC to become a dominant force, Texas and Oklahoma have what it takes to make noise very quickly and the existing SEC schools, including Kentucky, should be on the lookout.
Kentucky football will kick off its 2024 schedule against Southern Miss on Saturday,
KENTUCKY FOOTBALL’S
2024 MATCH UPS
EDITORS PICK: How will Kentucky football do in the 2024 season?
By Colton Johnson, Sara Gibson, Jonathon Bruner, Parker Scott sports@kykernel.com
As the 2024 season approaches in Lexington, the Kentucky Kernel’s football beat-reporting staff provided their projections of how the Wildcats will fare while also highlighting a must-win game for the blue and white.
GIBSON:
While Kentucky football’s offseason work seems promising on the surface, the Wildcats face one of the most difficult schedules in the country during the ‘24 season. For starters, Kentucky has numerous “easy” wins including Southern Miss, Ohio, Vanderbilt and Murray State. Any loss here would be a disappointment.
On the other side of that coin, Kentucky will face four teams ranked inside the AP preseason poll: No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 15 Tennessee, all of which I have chalked up as losses.
There are a few close matchups I have the Wildcats taking including an absolute must-win in the SEC opener against South Carolina.
Shane Beamer has Kentucky figured out and the Wildcats cannot afford to drop this one early considering how difficult the schedule is.
I also have the Cats winning close ones over Florida on the road and securing the Governor's Cup for the sixth consecutive year in front of a home crowd.
When the season is all said and done, I have the Wildcats sitting at 7-5 and bowl eligible.
MATTHEW MUELLER |
STAFF
Defensive back Jaden Smith and outside linebacker Tyreese Fearbry run conditioning drills during Kentucky football’s media day on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at their practice field in Lexington, Kentucky.
JOHNSON:
When looking at the Wildcats’ 2024 slate, it’s hard to overlook the difficulty across the board as Kentucky’s away schedule is one that even the most optimistic fan would be happy to steal just one win out of.
It will be pivotal for the Wildcats to handle their out of conference opponents in Southern Miss, Ohio, Murray State and Louisville.
In fact, it would be disappointing if the Wildcats don’t secure comfortable wins in every one of those matchups aside from the Governor's Cup, which I anticipate being a hard-fought Kentucky win.
Looking at the Wildcats’ SEC matchups, I expect strong showings from the Cats in their home bouts with both Vanderbilt and Auburn as they take advantage of a home crowd to secure wins.
Unfortunately for fans, I see losses in the rest of the Wildcats’ matchups with them failing to secure an away
victory while dropping home games to No. 1 Georgia and South Carolina.
With what I believe to be inevitable losses to No. 4 Texas, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 15 Tennessee and Florida, I see the Wildcats ending their season with a 6-6 record.
SCOTT:
Kentucky should be exciting to watch this year as it has added many potential playmakers on both sides of the ball while also retaining some fan favorite stars to help it finish strong against one of the toughest schedules in the FBS.
The Cats are lined up to play four teams appearing in the AP preseason poll and only No. 1 Georgia is a home game. None will be easy, but it’s not out of the question to come out with a win in any of those matchups.
I think the Cats should come out on top against Southern Miss, Ohio and Murray State, and, although a win over Vanderbilt is not guaranteed, it’s likely.
The other three conference games — South Carolina, Florida and Auburn — feel like toss-ups because of Kentucky’s recent history with conference games that seem evenly matched.
Out of those three, I think a victory over Auburn is most likely and the Wildcats will probably defeat Florida, but not South Carolina.
As usual, the season will close out against in-state rival Louisville, and I am confident that the Cats will triumph over the Cardinals for the sixth straight year with home-field advantage playing a big role.
Overall, I have Kentucky finishing its 2024 campaign with a 7-5 record and earning a bowl berth for the ninth consecutive year.
BRUNER:
Kentucky football is quite an interesting story coming into this year as it seems like it has gotten better on paper, but may fall victim to a really rough schedule.
When analyzing this season, I think breaking it down into categories would be beneficial as there are likely wins, likely losses and toss-ups. Below is how I feel that shakes out:
Likely wins: Southern Miss, Ohio, Vanderbilt and Murray State.
Likely Losses: Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas.
Toss-ups: South Carolina, Florida, Auburn and Louisville.
All in all, I think the toss-ups will make or break this year and I think the most important and winnable game out of those is Auburn, which is why I would vote it as my game to watch.
When the dust settles, I project Kentucky’s rough schedule will get the best of it and it will finish 6-6 with losses to South Carolina, Georgia, Ole Miss, Florida, Tennessee and Texas.
COLUMN: Kentucky football may be better on paper, but worse in record
By Sara Gibson sports@kykernel.com
The 2024-25 Kentucky football roster is one that has seen improvement on all sides of the ball, seeing new talent join the offense and defense, but the question remains: Will the final record reflect that?
With new additions from top to bottom, one would think the roster improvements will lead to a more successful season than last year’s 7-6 finish with a Gator Bowl loss to Clemson, but with the schedule the team will face this year it's likely that actually be the case. Starting with the most important position in football, this year's QB room is loaded with talent.
Transfer quarterbacks Brock Vandagriff and Gavin Wimsatt should provide at least one better option compared to last year's Devin Leary, who led the SEC in interceptions and had a lackluster 56.3% completion percentage.
Florida offensive lineman transfer Jalen Farmer was also brought in to help protect the quarterbacks. The 6-foot-5-inch 314-pound lineman was a top 35 offensive line recruit coming out of high school and will surely start right away for Kentucky.
The “Big Blue Wall” was once a prominent position group for the Kentucky offense but has struggled in recent years, sliding guys into new spots and learning by trial and error.
Even then, will the addition of Farmer and the returning experience of Eli and Marques Cox, as well as Jager Burton, be enough to
MATTHEW MUELLER | STAFF
Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt runs the ball past defenders during Kentucky football’s open practice on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, at their practice field in Lexington, Kentucky.
hold up against three of Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) top 10 defensive lines in the country in Georgia, Ole Miss and Texas?
Another question mark for the offense is the receiving corps, which led the SEC in drops a season ago and is set to face some of the top cornerbacks in the nation between the Georgia and Texas secondaries.
If Kentucky stands a chance at improving its record this cannot be a recurring problem but questions remain about whether the additions of Ja’Mori Maclin and Fred Farrier II — plus a new QB — can
solve the mistiming and drops.
Maxwell Hairston, Michigan transfer DJ Waller Jr. and the rest of the Kentucky secondary will have their hands full when playing teams like Ole Miss, which has a top 10 wide receiver in Tre Harris returning and a premier tight end.
Despite losing key players to the NFL Draft, both Georgia and Texas were active in the transfer portal, landing pass catchers that also landed them in the PFF top five receiving corps headed into the season.
Also, working against the Wild-
cats is not just the strength of schedule, but the way it's laid out.
Unlike recent years, Kentucky’s schedule gets tough early with the first SEC game coming in week two versus South Carolina and immediately being followed up by Georgia, leaving no time for early mistakes.
Later down the road the Cats will be tested in three consecutive weeks, facing Florida, Auburn and Tennessee with only the Auburn game being held at Kroger Field.
Only having four away games is ideal, but not when the squad is walking into some of the rowdiest environments in college football like Ole Miss and Tennessee, who are also teams Kentucky has failed to get a win against in its last three matchups.
Kentucky fans should hope those games are noon games and not night kick offs as playing in the heat may be favorable to an energized primetime crowd.
Even though Kentucky added star studded names in the transfer portal and saw the return of key players from the ‘23 season, the Wildcats will struggle to match up with powerhouses on their schedule.
Between the dominance of Georgia and Texas, the emergence of Ole Miss and Tennessee and even matched teams like South Carolina, Auburn and Florida, Kentucky may be better in every single way compared to last season but still go 7-5 or worse.
Not all seasons are created equal, as Florida State’s 2024 College Football Playoff exclusion proved, and as far as Kentucky is concerned, it may have been dealt one of the dead man’s hand.
LEXINGTON ROOTS: Ty Bryant plants the seeds of a storied Kentucky football career
By Jonathon Bruner sports@kykernel.com
There’s a saying in the sports world that pressure makes diamonds.
Wearing the same jersey your father once did while playing under the bright stadium lights of your hometown team could certainly count as enough pressure to make one feel like they’re destined to be the Hope Diamond, but for Kentucky football safety Ty Bryant, it's just the opposite.
“I don't feel any pressure when I walk out there,” Bryant said. “I play the game because I've been playing this game my whole life, since I was sev-
Born in Lexington, Bryant's football journey started with the aforementioned Southland Chiefs, but accelerated as a Frederick Douglass Bronco in high school.
Along with his teammates, Bryant was a part of four district championships, three-straight region championships and two-state title runner-ups before capturing the KHSAA 5A State Championship in 2022 as a senior. Bryant himself was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in that state championship victory.
In high school, Bryant’s athletic ability shined as he was a weapon for the Broncos playing defensive back, wide receiver, punt returner, kick returner, gunner on punts and place-kick holder. Bryant also set the school record for all-time tackles with 273. His athletic versatility was on display off the football field as well as, in the springtime, you could see him playing in the infield on the base-
Bryant’s love for the game of baseball began at just three years old when he beganing. He shared that love
Bryant said. “I'm not gonna say overnight, but over a period of time, I just got a lot of attention in football.”
Once committing to Kentucky for his second sporting choice, Bryant even flirted with the idea of becoming a two-sport athlete, but realized if he wanted to make a future in football, he needed to fully commit to the gridiron.
While his baseball playing days may be over, Bryant still uses some of the skills from baseball on the football field.
“Me playing middle infield, you gotta be quick on your feet in everything you do,” Bryant said. “Tracking
the ball as well. Ball skills, I feel like ball skills is a great tool to have in both baseball and football. Just being able to bend down and make plays that people don't expect you to make, I feel like I definitely brought that onto the football field and got that from the baseball diamond.”
Moving back to the football field, following the state championship win, Bryant arrived on campus for his freshman season as a three-star recruit to the team his father, Cisco Bryant, played for from 1983-85.
Continued on page 11
Continued from page 10
During his time as a Wildcat, Cisco was a wide receiver under head coach Jerry Claiborne and he hauled in 29 career catches for 482 yards and six touchdowns.
While his son would not be suiting up at wide receiver for his freshman season, as a safety he saw action in all 13 team games including three starts.
“I’ll readily admit I thought Ty played at a level I did not anticipate (him) playing (at) as a true freshman,” Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White said. “We knew he was a mature young man, we knew he was conscientious, we knew his work ethic, all the things we loved about him, but to be able to step up in the moments he stepped up in was huge.”
On the season, Bryant accumulated 40 tackles and a pass breakup with his best performance coming in a start against Tennessee in which he tallied a career-high 12 tackles, which tied the most in a game in the 2023 season.
He also led the Cats in tackles with eight against Alabama and earned SEC Co-Freshman of the Week honors for his performance against Georgia. Coming into his second campaign as a Wildcat, Bryant will look to take the next step in his progression and a sophomore slump seems to be the least of the worries for the safety.
“I just feel like he's a guy that's going to continue to get better with every rep, because he just puts his head down, he’s very reliable,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said. “He's a very good player and he's done a really good job. I love the way he goes about his business.”
Coach Stoops also pointed to Bryant’s leadership as something that he’s noticed coming into the 2024 campaign.
Now that he is an upperclassman, Bryant noticed that several freshmen have come to him seeking advice on the things he went through and the best ways to navigate a freshman year. Being a leader is something that Bryant acquired at a young age from
his father and it’s been something that has stuck with him into the modern day.
“I remember when I was young, all my teachers used to say that I was just a natural leader,” Bryant said. “No matter if I wanted to or didn't want to, I was just a natural leader. So I feel like it's very important for me, and I take pride in that.”
When it comes to expectations, Bryant does not like to set expectations by saying he's going to set the record for the most tackles or do this or that. Instead, he lets a different part of his life control what's going to happen on the field.
“I kind of just want to go out there and play and just see what God has for me because I feel like everything's already written, I just haven't seen it yet,” Bryant said. “I'm definitely ex-
“I kind of just... want to go out there and play and see what God has for me because I feel like everything's already written, I just haven't seen it yet.”
pecting a big year for myself.”
Bryant’s faith is something that has always been part of him growing up as he was raised around the church. His faith only strengthened with curiosity as the young defensive star sought to learn more and took to reading his Bible every night since he was a junior in high school.
When looking at the scripture, Bryant credited Romans 8:18 as a verse that has stuck with him. The verse reads, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going
to be revealed to us.”
“Tough times don't last, but tough people do,” Bryant said about why the verse spoke to him. “I feel like during those times, you feel like your back’s against the wall, the world's against you, just stay forward, keep your head down, keep going. Eventually you're gonna look back on those times and (be) like, ‘Man, I really need ed that.’ The glory that's gonna be revealed to you here soon.”
When it comes to motivations for Bryant, he credits all as pects of his fam ily from his dad, who made sacrifices and put his own aspira tions aside to help him pur sue his dreams, to his mom, who did a lot for him off the field.
storm for Bryant to have a storied career with the Kentucky Wildcats and that all continues with his sophomore season this year.
Another motivating factor seems to be the naysayers — or people who have already told Bryant he couldn’t do something — or even the ones who continue to doubt the sophomore.
Above all else, the biggest factor for Bryant is being a role model for his niece and nephew.
“I know how much of a role model I am to them,” Bryant said. “They look up to me and growing up I had people tell me, ‘You can't do this, you can't do that.’ I know people gonna tell them the same thing, and it's like, ‘Nah, just look at your uncle, he's paving the way for you.’”
Wearing the same uniform as his father before him, making the change from baseball to football and strengthening his faith while also establishing his motivations as a pillar of who he is has created the perfect
Bryant will take the field along with his UK teammates for the first time this year on Saturday, August 31, at home against Southern Miss. Kickoff against the Golden Eagles is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET and will air live on the SEC Network.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.”
Romans 8:18
COLUMN: With the world of college football changing, can Mark Stoops and the Wildcats change with it?
By Colton Johnson sports@kykernel.com
When looking at Kentucky football under Mark Stoops, it's hard to deny the progress that has been made over the past eleven years. Stoops took a program that was nothing short of laughable and has since made eight bowl game appearances and produced a plethora of high-level professionals in the process.
Despite that, after every season, every bowl game, win or lose, there’s always one question that lingers around Lexington: What will it take for Kentucky to get to the next level?
Sure, the Cats are better than they used to be, but every time Georgia rolls into town or the Cats travel down to take on the Crimson Tide, it still feels like there is no hope of an upset.
At the conclusion of every season, when asked what he thinks needs to happen for Kentucky to take the next step, Stoops accredits the Wildcats complacency to one thing: money.
Ever since Stoops responded to questions about Kentucky’s complacency by saying that fans need to “pony up” if they want to compete with higher profile teams, Big Blue Nation has been significantly less patient with the Cat’s seven and eight-win seasons.
The highlight put on the financial discrepancy between Kentucky and other SEC programs made rumors of Stoops becoming Jimbo Fisher’s successor at Texas A&M this past November all the more concerning.
The Aggies are among the most
abundant when it comes to NIL capabilities, which at the time seemed like an easy solution to one of Stoop’s biggest problems.
When the smoke settled Stoops was still in Lexington, but the implications of his hypothetical departure for the deep NIL pockets of Texas A&M lingered.
With several reports alleging that Stoops’ hiring in College Station was vetoed, he then turned his attention back to the Wildcats to work to earn the elite status that has eluded them for so long.
But with all situations where a team has made long strides and finds itself at a plateau, it leaves one to wonder where the problems reside or if the man at the helm can even fix them.
Make no mistake, Stoops has been a sensational head coach for Kentucky, but if there are not signs of any ascent to the next level of SEC football, it brings to question if there is someone better suited for the gig.
It’s important to remember that not every coaching change comes because the current coach isn’t good, but sometimes rather because the aspirations of a fan base have surpassed the ability of the current coach.
One can recognize a coach’s accomplishments whilst understanding that he may not be the guy to lead you to the promised land and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Stoops has had the type of career that ends with a statue outside of Kroger Field and whether he leaves Kentucky by his own hand or not, that shouldn’t change.
But regardless of a coach’s history,
fans care about the now, and there’s not much glory in ascending above the bottom tier of SEC football.
Kentucky will have plenty of opportunities this season to show it can compete with the upper echelon of collegiate football as it takes on the likes of No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 15 Tennessee and the Cats will also find themselves in a series of matchups against other “middle tier” SEC teams including the likes of
Florida, Auburn and South Carolina. If the results show that Kentucky is right in the middle of, or even perhaps worse than, that middle tier of the conference, history can’t do much to save Stoops any longer.
Kentucky’s capabilities and the immediate importance of such discussions will soon be on display as it all starts Aug. 31, 2024 when it takes on Southern Miss in its season opener.
MATTHEW MUELLER | STAFF
Head coach Mark Stoops speaks with members of the media about Kentucky’s upcoming season during Kentucky Football’s media day on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.