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EDITORS' PICKS: The 2023 Kentucky Football Season

By Cole Parke, Samantha Money and Ali Cetinok sports@kykernel.com

Another year means another college football season is on the horizon.

While students at the University of Kentucky have kicked off the fall 2023 semester with multitudes of classes and events going on, one constant upcoming event in the minds of most sticks out more than others: the first Caturday.

Kentucky football kicks off the 2023 season on Sept. 2 in the only way it knows how: against a Group of Five school. This year’s victim? Ball State.

The Cardinals are one of the easier opponents on Kentucky’s schedule, but with so many incoming freshmen and even more returning students eagerly awaiting the season, it’s fair to wonder how the Cats will do overall this year.

Having said that, here’s how your fall 2023 sports editors predict the Wildcats will do this season:

GAME ONE: VS. BALL STATE (9-2-23)

Cole: Kentucky has played a total of eight games against MAC schools under Mark Stoops. After this season that number will be 10. Kentucky’s record against MAC schools? 8-0. This feels pretty straight forward, although it is cool to see Kentucky play a team for the first time since 2001. Won’t make much of a difference, though.

Kentucky wins 33-7

Smoney: Kent State transfer RB Marquez Cooper is going to be the best thing Ball State has going for them, but it’s still not enough for me to think the Cardinals will at all be a threat to the Wildcats. This game will be about Kentucky getting to see its new offensive line in action and introducing new NC State transfer QB Devin Leary.

Kentucky wins 38-13

Ali: Ball State was not a good team in 2022. The Cardinals went 5-7, but the offense now has Marquez Cooper working behind a decent line and transfer QB Layne Hatcher, who has been around long enough

to not be fazed on the road against an SEC team. The Cardinal offense should be able to keep up the pace in the early goings but it is hard not to imagine Devin Leary, with a potentially loaded group of receivers, doesn’t crush this Ball State team no matter the questions still yet to be answered with the offensive line.

Kentucky wins 42-14

GAME TWO: VS. EASTERN KENTUCKY (9-9-23)

Cole: Growing up in Richmond, I want so badly to say “Roll Kerns” and pick EKU to win this game. I want to, but I can’t. EKU is going to lose and it’s going to lose badly. That brings me no joy, but it’s a simple fact of life.

Kentucky wins 49-10

Smoney: This will be the game where Liam Coen’s offense really starts to show out. EKU does have QB Parker McKinney, who threw for nearly 4,000 yards last season, but that was against FCS competition and not a top SEC defense.

Kentucky wins 42-10

Ali: Kentucky will be a huge favorite in this game as well while Mark Stoops faces off against former UK assistant coach Walt Wells. The Colonels finished 7-5 overall last year, losing in the FCS playoffs, but they did bring back the school's all-time leading quarterback in Parker McKinney, the No. 4 ranked player in the 2023 FCS Positional Ranking. EKU will also be coached by former UK quarterback Maxwell Smith, but the Cats will get off to an easy 2-0 start, winning big anyway.

Kentucky wins 49-10

GAME THREE: VS. AKRON (9-16-23)

Cole: I could go on to reiterate Kentucky’s 8-0 record against MAC schools or highlight the oddity that will be Kentucky playing AT Akron in the coming years, but the simple fact of the matter is that Akron doesn’t stand a chance here. I see this one going similar to the Ball State match.

Kentucky wins 35-0

Smoney: There’s not too much to say about this game. It will be important for

Letter from the editor: The Kentucky Kernel, in keeping in line with journalistic integrity and brand beliefs, finds it necessary to mention that one author, Ali Cetinok, currently lives and frequently spends time with many members of the Kentucky football program. The Kernel does not believe this devalues the opinions expressed in this piece in any way, or that Cetinok is not capable of being a professional, but decided it necessary to disclose any conflicts that could potentially sway one author’s opinions on matters.

Kentucky to work out all of its kinks in this final game before SEC competition.

Kentucky wins 38-3

Ali: Akron and Ball State are in a similar tier in the MAC this year, which means neither have enough firepower to challenge a good Kentucky team this season. Expect a similar result to Ball State.

Kentucky wins 42-14.

GAME FOUR: AT VANDERBILT (9-23-23)

Cole: Last season Kentucky football was embarrassed by Vanderbilt, suffering its first loss in a decade to the Commodores on its own turf. What was Kentucky’s answer to that? Well, it poached Vandy’s best running back, Ray Davis, for itself and brought back offensive coordinator Liam Coen to lead a rejuvenated attack with transfer quarterback Devin Leary. Kentucky is winning this one.

Kentucky wins 28-3

Smoney: There is just no way the Wildcats will let the Commodores embarrass them again. Kentucky took Vandy’s Davis this season, who rushed for 129 yards against UK last year and was arguably Vanderbilt’s best player.

Kentucky wins 28-10

Ali: After dominating in Lexington last season, Davis now finds himself on the opposite sideline and has a day to remember in Nashville, rushing for more than 100 yards for the Cats this time. Vanderbilt will be a better squad this season but will still find themselves finishing last in the SEC East. Kentucky will come into this game with a lot of confidence and an undefeated record and leave 1-0 in SEC play and 4-0 after four weeks of play.

Kentucky wins 24-10

GAME FIVE: VS. FLORIDA (9-30-23)

Cole: This is the first real intense matchup Kentucky has on the schedule and even then, I don’t imagine Kentucky being at too much of a risk of losing this one. Last year, the Cats marched into Gainesville and beat a Florida team that had all the momentum in the world. Sure, the Gators were overhyped, but the point stands. UF has less excitement

now than it did prior to that game, and Kentucky is a better team than it was.

Kentucky wins 31-21

Smoney: If everything goes as planned, the Wildcats should be 4-0 going into this home matchup against Florida. The Gators will be the same team they were last year, and Kentucky had no issue beating them at the Swamp. This year will be no different, just with the home advantage at Kroger Field.

Kentucky wins 24-17

Ali: This is a huge game for Florida’s Billy Napier to establish a winning culture again in Gainesville as the Wildcats have won three of the last five against UF. Expect more of the same this year, with the game at Kroger Field and Kentucky having the quarterback advantage. The Cats will make it four out of six wins, which would have been unthinkable not long ago.

Kentucky wins 21-17

GAME SIX: AT GEORGIA (10-7-23)

Cole: Kentucky is a better team than it was last year. Unfortunately, it won’t matter too much. Georgia is fresh off two national titles and are looking for a third. Brad White will work his magic on the defensive side of the ball and Liam Coen will do his best to fight Georgia’s elite defense, but I think Georgia hands the Cats yet another loss.

Georgia wins 23-13

Smoney: As well as Kentucky’s offense will hope to be by this point, it would take a miracle to beat Georgia. White’s defense will hold the Dawgs to a respectable measure, but playing in Athens is pretty much a death sentence for any team that’s not Georgia.

Georgia wins 28-13

Ali: White’s defense always plays great against Georgia, but winning against the Dawgs requires perfection. Unfortunately for Stoops and Kentucky, the Wildcats are not a perfect team and that will land Kentucky its first loss of the season in Athens.

Georgia wins 27-13

Continued on page 3

Continued from page 2

GAME SEVEN: VS. MIZZOU (10-14-23)

Cole: A nice opportunity for a bounce back win. Kentucky hasn’t lost to Missouri at home since 2013, Stoops’ first year at UK, and this year won’t be any different. It will be close, because it always is, but Kentucky will pull it out again.

Kentucky wins 23-17

Smoney: Returning home after Georgia, the Wildcats have only ever lost one time to Missouri (back in 2013). This will be a nice win for Kentucky after picking up their first loss of the season.

Kentucky wins 24-14

Ali: Kentucky returns home to take on a Missouri team that it has defeated six of the last seven years. Make it seven out of eight thanks to the superior quarterback. This game is always close and will continue to be close this year, but the outcome won’t be any different.

Kentucky wins 20-10

GAME EIGHT: VS. TENNESSEE (10-28-23)

Cole: Last year was a particularly brutal example of what Tennessee is capable of during a good year, but even in the rougher years of the program, Tennessee has managed to have Kentucky’s number. I think this year will be no different.

Tennessee wins 38-31

Smoney: Kentucky will be predicted to lose this game, but out of all the games the Wildcats are expected to lose, I think this is the one where they could turn the tables. The rivalry between the two is hot this year and, with UK at home, I believe a healthy defense and pumped-up offensive line can take down the Vols.

Kentucky wins 35-31

Ali: Was last year’s success because of the UT players or was it the system? With Hendon Hooker gone, it’s Joe Milton’s team. Milton has a strong arm, but almost every quarterback has a strong arm (that’s what they do), and not every quarterback is great. Regardless, the last two times the pair have faced off in Lexington, UT have won nail biters, so I expect the same this season as Kentucky falls to 6-2 on the season.

Tennessee wins 38-35

GAME NINE: AT MISSISSIPPI STATE (11-4-23)

Cole: This rivalry between the Bulldogs and Wildcats has recently been defined by whichever side had home field advantage. The teams have traded wins in eight straight battles with the home side winning every

time. Unfortunately, this year’s Mississippi State will have the cloud of former head coach Mike Leach’s passing. As unfortunate as that is, the game of football tends to show very little sympathy.

Kentucky wins 24-19

Smoney: The Wildcats have not found success in Starkville since 2008 when Kentucky held on by a singular point over the Bulldogs. Sitting in between Tennessee and Alabama will be a tough spot to be in, but a new head coach for Mississippi State could give the Wildcats the upper hand they will need on the road.

Kentucky wins 21-17

Ali: Kentucky has lost 15 straight road games to SEC West teams, but there's a new regime in Starkville and Stoops has a tendency to end streaks. Even though the home team has dominated this series, Kentucky will leave Mississippi with the win, albeit a very close one.

Kentucky wins 17-14

GAME TEN: VS. ALABAMA (11-11-23)

Cole: Alabama and Nick Saban come into Kroger Field for a spectacle game. Unfortunately, since it’s Bama, there's little doubt about the outcome. Kentucky has beaten Alabama twice in history: in 1997 and 1922. I don’t think 2023 is the year that will end a reign of team-on-team dominance that has lasted over two-and-a-half decades.

Alabama wins 42-20

Smoney: The wait is over — Alabama is coming to Lexington. It’ll be a hard-fought match for both sides, and while there has been much buzz around Nick Saban and who will be his quarterback, there is no shot he will let the Wildcats beat them. Kentucky has found victory against the Crimson Tide only twice, and I can’t say that is going to change any time soon.

Alabama wins 35-21

Ali: One major concern for Nick Saban is the question of who will start at quarterback, but this is still Alabama. It’s still Nick Saban. What does he do best? Remind the country exactly who he is. Now, this game will be close and won’t be the same as the 2020 meeting in Tuscaloosa, but the Tide will leave Lexington with the win.

Alabama wins 42-28

GAME ELEVEN: AT SOUTH CAROLINA (11-18-23)

Cole: Some have gone as far as to say that South Carolina is one of the toughest places to play in college football. It very well may be, but that hasn’t stopped Kentucky from winning three of the last four in Columbia. If I were a betting man

(I often am), I would pick Kentucky to win an ugly one.

Kentucky wins 19-12

Smoney: Nearing the end of the season and coming off of a loss is an exhausting spot to be. As much as I want to believe the Wildcats can hang in there and pull through, there’s going to be one game this season when UK loses when it wasn’t expected to. South Carolina had a strong finish to its season last year and having the home advantage over Kentucky might help it earn an upset win.

South Carolina wins 21-17

Ali: Columbia can be a very intimidating place to play, but not necessarily for Kentucky, as the Cats have only lost one time against the Gamecocks since 2015. That loss came last year without Will Levis. Now, many people are high on South Carolina after it finished last season with wins over Tennessee and Clemson, but I am not feeling that same sentiment. This game will be reminiscent of the 2021 matchup where the defense pulled through for the win.

Kentucky wins 20-14

GAME TWELVE: AT LOUISVILLE (11-25-23)

Cole: Everyone loves a good Governor’s Cup battle. Especially Kentucky, considering the Cats have won four straight now. Louisville is looking to build a new identity, but identities aren’t crafted overnight. The Cat will once again catch the bird.

Kentucky wins 42-24

Smoney: New head coach Jeff Brohm will no doubt be looking to end the 4-game win streak Kentucky currently holds over Louisville, but he’ll have to wait.

Kentucky wins 24-17

Ali: Louisville hasn't been good for awhile but, with the arrival of Brohm from Purdue, I expect this Louisville team to at least be competitive. Sooner or later, the Cards will be back to their former glory, but not this season. Growing pains for Brohm’s program and the fact that Kentucky possesses more talent will see the Cats win the Governor’s Cup yet again.

Kentucky wins 35-24

FINAL PREDICTIONS

Cole: 9-3 with losses to Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.

Smoney: 9-3 with losses to Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina

Ali: 9-3 with losses to Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.

Hannah Stanley, editor-in-chief editor@kykernel.com

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KENTUCKY KERNEL OFFICE

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University of Kentucky

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On the front cover: ABBEY CUTRER| STAFF

Kentucky football players wait to get their photo taken during Media Day on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.

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Kentucky football’s 2023 season… from the eyes of its opponents

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

Another college football season is on the horizon and the predominant questions on everyone’s minds in the Bluegrass is how the Wildcats will do this year.

Last season was a step back from the two-Citrus-Bowl-wins-in-four-years fans had come to expect, with the Music City Bowl shutout loss to Iowa bringing fans back to the early days of head coach Mark Stoops’ tenure in Lexington.

Regardless, with several coaching changes and major acquisitions in the transfer portal, the excitement is back — and even palpable — in the Bluegrass State.

Kentucky fans are eager for the first Caturday of the season, but opinions as to how the Cats will do is mixed. Some think the sky's the limit, some are hesitant to get their hopes up again.

With that in mind, the Kernel was curious: how do Kentucky’s opponents feel about the Wildcats this season?

Reaching out to the students newspapers from all 12 universities Kentucky faces, here’s what they had to say:

BALL STATE –THE BALL STATE DAILY

Starting things off with a dud, the Ball State Daily did respond to our emails but were unable to fulfill our request. With that said, there’s a pretty general consensus that Kentucky will have little issues getting past the Cardinals and improving to 9-0 against MAC schools.

EASTERN KENTUCKY – THE EASTERN PROGRESS

Keeping in line with what has already been established, we did not hear back from the folks of Eastern Progress. Sure, we could have taken the short trip

down I-75 and been at their front door within an hour but, as someone who grew up in Richmond, I had no desire to do that. Kentucky will easily beat EKU. That’s all that needs to be said.

AKRON – THE BUCHTELITE

Similar story to Ball State here, unfortunately. Akron did not appear to even have a cohesive sports section of their production anyway, and there’s little doubt about the outcome of this one either. Akron’s goal should be to not go 2-10 this year, not to beat Kentucky.

VANDERBILT – THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

I was able to reach out to Andrew Wilf of the Hustler, but due to the Commodores’ ongoing stadium construction — along with an actual Week 0 football match against … Hawaii — he was unable to fulfill my request. Be on the lookout for an in depth collaboration with the Hustler later in the season from us, but for now we will have to wait. Kentucky should beat Vanderbilt, I’m sure Wilf would agree.

FLORIDA –THE DAILY ALLIGATOR

Great Scott, we’ve done it! We have a reply and did not waste your time, dear reader!

Here’s what Jackson Reyes had to say about the Gators’ matchup with Kentucky:

“The Gators will travel to Lexington this season carrying a two-game losing streak against Kentucky.

Getting the run game going will be crucial for Florida to win this game. In last season’s matchup, UF’s running back duo of Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne only rushed the ball 16 times but used their attempts effectively averaging 8.9 yards and 5.1 yards per rush, respectively. Questions surround new starting quarterback Graham

Mertz, but if he can protect the ball and keep the offense on schedule then he will do enough to give UF a win.

The defensive side of the ball will feature several new faces but returners like edge rusher Princely Umanmielen and cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. will look to slow down the Wildcats offense. This could be another close matchup that could come down to the final possession, but ultimately, I see the Gators snapping their two-game skid against Kentucky and leaving Lexington with a win.”

You’ve heard it here first folks, Reyes has the Gators handing the Cats their first loss of the season! Many in Lexington would disagree, including us editors at the Kernel, but that is the beauty of this project.

GEORGIA –THE RED & BLACK

I had a great conversation with Owen Warden of the Red & Black over the summer. He even invited me on their podcast! Here’s what he had to say about the matchup:

“I think that Georgia v.s. Kentucky has the potential to be one of Georgia’s toughest matchups this season.

The Wildcats have always played the Bulldogs competitively or at least physically these past few seasons. While it’s really early to predict what may or who could heavily impact the game, I think you have to look at both teams’ new starting quarterbacks: Carson Beck for Georgia and Devin Leary for Kentucky. Leary was arguably one of the top quarterbacks in college football two years ago with N.C. State, but dealt with injuries last season. Beck has sat behind guys like JT Daniels and Stetson Bennett and looked fairly impressive in the games he got playing time in.

Both, I believe, are top quarterbacks

in the SEC right away, and to prevent offensive drop off, they’ll need to be impressive this season. Both defenses, I believe, will also be impressive, but the offense will be key, especially to avoid another low scoring, 16-6 finish from last season.”

While he did not provide a final score, I think the writing was on the wall. Warden projects another Georgia win over the Wildcats, moving Kentucky to 4-2 on the season.

MISSOURI –THE MANEATER

Another dud for us. We were unable to secure a response from the sports department at the Missouri Maneater but alas, man-eating is busy work, I’m sure. When us Kernel Sports editors broke down this matchup, all three of us projected a Kentucky win here, so that’s what we’ll go with. Kentucky improves to 5-2 on the season after a two-game losing skid.

TENNESSEE –THE DAILY BEACON

Caleb Jarreau was actually the first of any of these wonderful journalists to get back to me on this project, and I even used his example to show others what we had in mind for this project. So, thank you for that, Caleb. You’re an all-star.

Here’s what he had to say:

“Kentucky traveled to Neyland last year and took a thrashing from Hendon Hooker and Tennessee's offense.

Most notably, though, the Vols held Will Levis to under 100 yards and played very well defensively. The defense last year was the biggest question mark. Going into 2023, the defense has improved and is looking to take a step forward.

Continued on page 5

Continued from page 4

The questions now rest on the offensive line, where the puzzle pieces haven't fit together yet in the preseason. Hopefully, by the time the Vols make the trip to Lexington, that will be solved. You also have to wonder if Joe Milton can have the same production as Hooker. All-in-all, the matchup should be a good one at Kroger Field, but it is one I don't see Tennessee losing.”

Jarreau has the Vols giving Kentucky a third loss before even reaching Alabama! Kentucky fans won’t be pleased with this one. The Cats fall to 5-3.

MISSISSIPPI STATE –THE REFLECTOR

Our final dud of the project. We were unable to get a response from The Reflector, but once again, the editors reached a consensus in this matchup so that’s what we’re going with. Kentucky beats Mississippi State to improve to

6-3 on the season.

ALABAMA –THE CRIMSON WHITE

Why did I feel like I was reaching out to a celebrity for this matchup? Perhaps the aura of Alabama coming to Kentucky is felt in all avenues of this matchup. Here’s what Abby McCreary had to say about this one:

“It's been a while since Alabama and Kentucky faced off, but history is on the side of the Crimson Tide, winning the past seven matchups.

In 2020, the last time they met, things stayed close in the first quarter at 7-3 but the Crimson Tide defense didn't allow any other scores the rest of the game, and Mac Jones led the way to match Alabama's highest point total of the season with 63.

This year, I'm hoping to see the same dominance. Alabama plays Kentucky after two tough rematches — Tennessee, then LSU. If the defense can withstand those tough weeks and

then whatever offense Devin Leary puts together, Alabama will come out on top in this matchup.”

Unsurprisingly, McCreary had the Crimson Tide winning this matchup to drop Kentucky to 6-4. The editors had a consensus loss on this one as well.

SOUTH CAROLINA –THE DAILY GAMECOCK

I was able to get a response from Griffin Goodwyn of the Daily Gamecock! Awesome paper name, first of all. Here’s what Goodwyn had to say:

“Last season, South Carolina earned the first of its three victories against ranked opponents in Lexington against a Kentucky squad that did not feature Will Levis, who was out injured.

One of the Gamecocks’ keys to success that night was keeping the Wildcats’ run game in check, something that has tipped the balance in Kentucky’s favor in years past.

South Carolina held Kentucky to 121 rushing yards (despite a 126-yard performance from Chris Rodriguez) in last season’s 24-14 win. The year before, Wildcat running backs exploded for 230 yards on the ground in a 16-10 victory in Williams-Brice Stadium. Though South Carolina ran for 297 yards in 2020, it was not enough as its defense allowed 291 rushing yards in a lopsided 41-18 loss to Kentucky.

For the Gamecocks to repeat last year’s result, it will be up to the likes of Tonka Hemingway, Jordan Strachan, and Debo Williams to keep Kentucky from running away with a road win. Regardless of the game’s outcome, it will be an exciting affair between the two teams – especially with a performance by Darude, the creator of “Sandstorm,” as part of the pre-game festivities – and one I see the Gamecocks earning a second-straight victory in the all-time series.”

Goodwyn projects yet another Kentucky loss here to drop the Cats to 6-5 heading into the Governor’s Cup battle! Very similar to last season. Kentucky fans won’t like this one either.

LOUISVILLE – THE LOUISVILLE CARDINAL

The final opponent for Kentucky is a familiar one! The famous Governor’s Cup battle will return between these two bitter in-state rivals. Here’s what Tate Luckey, editor-in-chief of the Louisville Cardinal, had to say about the matchup:

“Last year’s matchup was the closest of the Scott Satterfield era — that is to say, not a very competitive game. It was

the only matchup of the series in the last five years that didn’t end in a blowout alongside a Kentucky win.

Cardinal fans are hopeful for change with the arrival of first-year head coach Jeff Brohm, who brings with him a fiery passion, elite coaching acumen, and is backed by a nationally ranked transfer recruiting class. Brohm has brought in players at all positions of need, starting with former Purdue and Cal quarterback Jack Plummer. All-ACC players Storm Duck and Cam’Ron Kelly help to shore up a secondary that lost one of its top corners to the NFL draft, and hometown Trinity High and Stanford star Stephen Herron will help fill the gaps left by all the departures at linebacker. The obvious question for this team: will all the new moving parts gel in year one?

Mark Stoops and Kentucky bring in a nationally recognized transfer class, led by the crown jewel of the transfer quarterbacks, Devin Leary. With Liam Coen returning as offensive coordinator for the Wildcats, and Vanderbilt standout running back Ray Davis joining the mix of already explosive skill players (highlighted by Barion Brown and Dane Key), this offense could be a lethal compliment to the yearly tradition of tough Stoops defenses. The biggest question mark will be about the Big Blue Wall: will the offensive line get back to what it’s been in years past?

While Stoops did address the O-line in the transfer portal with four new additions, some from the powerhouses that are Ohio State and Alabama, this matchup could become tightly contested by game day. Based on the recent history of this series, however, it’s hard to pick against Kentucky in this one.” With that, Luckey projects yet another Kentucky win in the Governor’s Cup, though hints that this reign of dominance could be coming to an end in the near future.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While all three editors projected a 9-3 Wildcats squad, Kentucky’s opponents projected the Cats to go 7-5. If you were looking for somewhere in the middle, it’s likely 8-4 is a safe bet for the Cats this season.

I would like to personally thank all the talented journalists who took time out of their busy weeks to get back to me with their projections, and I hope everyone reading this, even if they disagree with the picks, can appreciate them for making this project possible and look forward to future, more indepth collaborations throughout the college football season!

ISABEL MCSWAIN | FILE PHOTO

Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Barion Brown (2) runs the ball up the field for a first down during the Kentucky vs. No. 25 Louisville football game on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.

Dane Key, Barion Brown and the brotherhood of Kentucky football

By Samantha Money sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky football wide receivers

Barion Brown and Dane Key are their own movie.

Last year, that movie broke box office records — Key with the most touchdown receptions by a freshman in program history and Brown with three SEC Player of Week awards in one season.

It’s not very common when a sequel tops the original, but Brown and Key are ready to film something even better: The “Terminator 2” of Kentucky football.

The duo came to Lexington last fall for each of their rookie seasons and found not only a plethora of success on the field but also a lifelong friendship.

Instead of letting competition create a rift between the receivers, the two grew closer through their accomplishments and wholehearted support for each other.

“Man, I love Dane. That's my little brother,” Brown said. “Us coming in as freshman and basically having the same goals — me wanting him to reach his goal, him wanting me to reach my goals — just made us way closer.”

While Brown may think that he’s the big brother, Key has a different opinion.

“If I see him doing something, I smack him in the back of the head and make sure he's ready to go,” Key said. Brown and Key are always looking for how to help the other improve. Competition simply isn’t the mindset this receiver room has, and Key believes that is what makes their team different.

“I really feel like that can separate a lot of teams,” Key said. “You know, just a lot of guys out there who just want to be for them, but we know in our receiver room that we want to be for the team, and

we want to go out there and be together.”

Although it’s rare to find a moment when Key isn’t cracking jokes or laughing with Brown, he acknowledges just how blessed he is to have genuine support from someone who could easily be his competitor.

“Barion is one of my closest friends,” Key said. “Having him in my corner and just knowing that he's going to help me grow and help me be a better player on the field and a better person off the field is something really cool to have.”

Last season, the two of them together totaled 1,147 yards with 87 catches and 10 touchdowns for the Wildcats.

Going into this season with several new faces, having those two guys to be the backbone for the new of-

fense is game-changing.

Will Levis has moved on to the pros, and filling his shoes is senior NC State transfer Devin Leary. Fans should know that Key has approved of the new star.

“With Leary, I just see a playmaker at quarterback just because of the fact that I've seen him make throws and plays that I couldn't see a lot of other college quarterbacks making,” Key said. “(I’m) really excited to work with Leary and watch him make plays and watch us make plays together.”

On top of that, it must be nice for Leary to know that his wide receivers have no issue giving him some extra relaxing time on the sidelines, for Brown showed last year that he’s capable of running the offense himself.

In the rookie’s first ever collegiate game against Miami (Ohio), he made history by becoming the first Kentucky freshman since Kio Stanford in 1994 to return a kickoff for a touchdown.

As much as Brown loved that rookie year, he knows he’s still capable of more.

“With my pops, we’ll just watch game film and not so much look at things I did good, but more of what could you do better,” Brown said. “We love the accomplishments, but we know we got way more stuff to work on. So, just seeing what I can do better.”

Also at the forefront of helping Brown work on more of that stuff is new offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who was initially at Kentucky when recruiting the sophomores out of high school before taking a year off from the Wildcats to coach for the Los Angeles Rams.

Now he’s back like he never left and, according to Brown, is the definition of “swaggy.”

“I like his swagger,” Brown said. “He can talk his talk for sure. That’s something I do, so that's why we get along so well because when we feel it’s ‘swaggy,’ we are going to bring it out. If he brings it out, I get turnt. If I bring it out, he gets turnt.”

Coen knows how to get on the level of his receivers, and with the energy and excitement Brown and Key bring to the field with their bond, Lexington is sure to see some explosive plays.

Perhaps the most important part of these plays that Brown and Key would like Big Blue Nation to know is that they will all come with some touchdown dancing to celebrate properly.

“Every touchdown, I’m dancing in the end zone,” Brown said. “Me and my little brother.”

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF

Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Barion Brown (7) poses for a portrait during Media Day on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.

The transfer portal: Three players not named Leary who could make an immediate impact this fall

By Ali Cetinok sports@kykernel.com

In the past few years, Kentucky football has utilized the transfer portal as well as anyone in the nation.

This spring's transfer window, which closed in April, saw head coach Mark Stoops add 13 scholarship players to the 2023 roster, while picking up six players in 2022.

With recent success in the portal with the likes of Wan'Dale Robinson and Will Levis still fresh in the minds of the Big Blue Nation, many fans are anxious to see what big names will make an impact for Kentucky this fall.

Of course, former North Carolina State quarterback Devin Leary, the Wildcats' biggest off-season addition, will be Kentucky's starter come week one, but here are a few more names to

keep an eye on this season.

RAY DAVIS

(running back, Vanderbilt)

Kentucky players, coaches and fans will be very excited to see the arrival of veteran running back Ray Davis from Vanderbilt, as they know exactly what he is capable of.

After watching the California native run for 129 yards on 26 carries to spark the upset as Commodores stunned Kentucky in Lexington last year, fans will look to Davis to fill the void for Kentucky that Chris Rodriguez's departure to the NFL left and potentially be even bigger of an impact for the Cats.

After two seasons at Temple and another two in Nashville, Davis ran 232 times for 1,042 yards in 2022 and had 29 receptions for 169 yards on the way to scoring three touchdowns, a number

he would no doubt like to increase this season. He also averaged 100.9 all-purpose yards per game.

The arrival of Davis will definitely be exciting for Kentucky fans, but he won't be a workhorse like Benny Snell or Chris Rodriguez were for the Cats.

With as deep a backfield as Kentucky possesses, with the likes of fellow transfer Demie Sumo-Karngbaye (more on him later), returning players JuTahn McClain and Ramon Jefferson, and freshman Jamarion Wilcox all also looking to make an impact, it is very clear that this talented group will be running-back-by-committee this season. That’s not to say, however, for Davis, that one or two wouldn’t be able to separate themselves ahead of the pack at the same time.

MARQUES COX (offensive line, Northern Illinois)

Having announced his arrival to Lexington on Dec. 15, Cox was one of the first transfers to commit to UK this past window.

He would go on to waste no time making his presence felt all spring as the unquestioned starter at left tackle.

Having started 33 straight games at left tackle at Northern Illinois, Cox's arrival has played an important role in fixing up Kentucky's disappointing 2022 offensive line by allowing left guard Kenneth Horsey, center Jager Burton and right guard Eli Cox to shift over one spot from where they played last season. More importantly, this allowed Horsey and Cox to return to the positions they had played, and seemed more comfortable in, two years ago in 2021.

Northern Illinois only allowed 12 sacks in 12 games during the 2022 season to make the Huskies' offensive line

a top 10 unit in the nation compared to Kentucky, which went on to give up the most sacks in amongst all power five programs with 47, while also being ranked dead last in the SEC in points (22.1) and yards (336.3) per game.

DEMIE SUMO-KARNGBAYE (running back, NC State)

Most of the Big Blue Nation probably won't know a lot about transfer running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye going into the Ball State game, but he very well may be destined to become a fan favorite for the Wildcats’ faithful in no time.

Having played with Leary for two years at North Carolina State before making the decision to transfer to UK this season, Sumo-Karngbaye played in 14 games during his two years for the Wolfpack, running for 305 yards while averaging 5.5 yards per carry with three touchdowns.

He is also a capable threat in the passing game as he caught 12 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown.

After his high school career in New Jersey, where he had 1,321 all-purpose yards his senior year while also making a name for himself on the other side of the ball with 53 tackles and two interceptions on defense, he ended up being ranked a top 50 running back nationally.

While not as big of a name as Davis, Sumo-Karngbaye will be a huge piece for the Cats this season and cannot be understated as an important acquisition.

Overall, there are many reasons to be excited for the new faces that we will see this fall at Kroger Field, as it is very clear that several could have an immediate impact with the season set to begin Sept. 2 against Ball State.

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF

The Kentucky Wildcats running backs pose for a photo during Media Day on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF

Kentucky Wildcats running back JuTahn McClain (4)and defensive back Zion Childress (11) lay in the end zone during Media Day on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF

The 2023 Kentucky Wildcats pose for a photo during Media Day.

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Barion Brown (7) during Media Day.

kernel

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF

Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Barion Brown (7) is interviewed by teammates during Media Day.

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF

Kentucky Wildcats offensive lineman Kenneth Horsey (68) waits for his portrait to be taken during Media Day.

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF

Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Barion Brown (7) throws his phone to a teammate during Media Day.

1

ON THE PROWL:

BALL STATE

When:

Saturday, Sept. 2 at noon

Location:

Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky Series Record: 1-0, Kentucky

5FLORIDA

When:

Saturday, Sept. 30 time TBA

Location:

Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky Series Record: 53-20, Florida (Longest win streak: 31 for Florida)

Last Meeting:

9

Last Meeting: Sept. 8, 2001 (UK won 28-20)

2022 Record: 5-7

Key Player: Junior running back Marquez Cooper. Transfer from Kent State, 1,331 rushing yards in 2022.

2

EASTERN KENTUCKY

When:

Saturday, Sept. 9 at 3 pm

Location:

Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky Series Record: 3-0, Kentucky

Last Meeting:

Sept. 9, 2017 (UK won 27-16)

2022 Record: 7-5 (FCS)

Key Player: Redshirt senior quarterback Parker McKinney. EKU’s career leader in total touchdown passes, passing yards, pass completions and pass attempts.

Sept. 10, 2022 (UK won 26-16)

2022 Record: 6-7

Key Player: Sophomore running back Trevor Etienne. Finished 2022 season with 118 rushes for 719 yards and 6 touchdowns. SEC Freshman of the week (Week 11, 2022).

6GEORGIA

When:

Saturday, Oct. 7 time

TBA

Location:

Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia

Series Record: 62-2-12, Georgia (Current win streak: 13 for UGA)

Last Meeting: Nov. 19, 2022 (UGA won 16-6)

2022 Record: 15-0 (National Champions)

Key Player: Junior tight end Brock Bowers. 2022 John Mackey Award Winner. Named to Preseason Media Days All-SEC First Team, logged 63 catches for 942 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

When:

Saturday, Nov. 4 time

TBA Location: Davis Wade Stadium in Mississippi State, Mississippi Series Record: 25-25 (Longest win streak: eight for UK)

Last Meeting: Oct. 15, 2022 (UK won 27-17)

2022 Record: 9-4

Key Player: Senior quarterback Will Rogers. Finished second in the SEC and ninth in the nation with 3,974 passing yards, only SEC player to average more than 300 yards per game.

10ALABAMA

When:

Saturday, Nov. 11 time TBA

Location:

Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky Series Record: 38-1-2, Alabama

(Last UK win was in 1997)

Last Meeting: Nov. 21, 2020

(Alabama won 63-3)

2022 Record: 11-2

Key Player: Junior defensive back Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry. Earned first team All-America honors from Pro Football Focus at cornerback in 2022, averaged 15.8 yards per return.

KENTUCKY'S 2023 MATCH-UPS

3

AKRON

When:

Saturday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m.

Location:

Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky Series Record:

1-0, Kentucky

Last Meeting:

7

MISSOURI

When:

Saturday, Oct. 14 time TBA

Location:

Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky Series Record:

9-5, Kentucky (Longest win streak: five for UK)

Sept. 18, 2010 (UK won 47-10)

2022 Record: 2-10

Key Player: Junior wide receiver Alex Adams, averaged 77.3 yards receiving per game and 13.5 yards per catch in 2022.

4

VANDERBILT

When:

Saturday, Sept. 23 time TBA

Location:

FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee

Series Record: 48-43-4, Kentucky

Last Meeting: November 12, 2022

8

TENNESSEE

(Vanderbilt won 24-21, first SEC win for the Commodores since 2019)

2022 Record: 5-7

Key Player: Senior wide receiver Will Sheppard. Finished second in SEC receiving touchdowns in 2022 along with 60 catches for 776 yards.

Last Meeting: Nov. 5, 2022

(UK won 21-17)

2022 Record:

6-7

Key Player: Senior linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper. Finished regular season with 77 tackles, led the team with 14 tacklesfor-loss and six quarterback hurries.

11SOUTH CAROLINA

When:

Saturday, Nov. 18 time TBA

Location:

Williams Brice Stadium in Richland County, South Carolina.

Series Record: 19-1-14, South Carolina

(Longest win streak: 10 for USC)

Last Meeting: Oct. 8, 2022

(SC won 24-14)

2022 Record: 8-5

Key Player: Senior wide receiver Anwane “Juice” Wells. Gamecocks’ top receiver in 2022 with 68 catches for 928 yards and six touchdowns, recorded four 100-yard receiving games.

When:

Saturday, Oct. 28 time TBA

Location:

Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky

Series Record: 83-9-26, Tennessee (Longest win streak: 26 for UT)

Last Meeting: Oct. 29, 2022 (UT won 44-6)

12

LOUISVILLE

When: Saturday, Nov. 23 time TBA

Location:

L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky

Series Record: 19-15, Kentucky

(Current win streak: four for UK)

2022 Record: 11-2

Key Player: Redshirt senior quarterback Joe Milton. Completed 53-of-82 (.650) passes for 971 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions in 2022. 2023 Preseason All-SEC Third Team.

Last Meeting: Nov. 26, 2022

(UK won 26-13)

2022 Record: 8-5

Key Player: Junior defensive back Jarvis Brownlee, Jr. Recorded two interceptions, eight tackles and 1.5 tackles-forloss against Kentucky in 2022.

UK Athletics announces department-wide sale of alcohol at sporting events

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

UK Athletics and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart announced a department-wide sale of alcoholic beverages at all sporting events for the 2023-24 school year.

The official confirmation came from Barnhart during his annual yearly address into the state of UK Athletics as a whole.

The school made the decision in the Spring to test a pilot program by allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages at baseball and softball games, something that was seen as a test run for the potential sale of alcohol at other events such as football and basketball.

Barnhart confirmed this, speaking on the success of the pilot program and lack of overly disruptive fan behavior as a key reason for the new department-wide implementation.

“We had a pilot initiative this year with our baseball and softball venues with the sale of beer and seltzer. That went well,” Barnhart said. “We had no real issues. It was a very enjoyable Spring in terms of baseball at KPP and fans enjoyed the amenities that were provided so in an effort to continue that we’re going to expand this to all our athletic venues.”

The athletic director continued by confirming that the sale of alcoholic beverages at the other sporting venues will begin with the

first sporting events in the fall semester.

Barnhart stated that the beverages sold at the different sporting venues will be beers and seltzers, similar to the beverages sold at Kentucky Proud Park and John Cropp Stadium.

He additionally emphasized that the decision was not made purely based on the revenue generated by the alcohol sales.

“It’s not a revenue decision,” Barnhart said. “I think if you start making decisions on just revenue there’s other things that we would do. Other ways we’d price our things and

do differently. You make decisions based on other things you’re trying to do whether it’s the atmosphere at games or amenities that your fans desire. Frankly I don’t think it’s life-changing money (from just the alcohol) anyway so I don’t ever want to let that drive what we do.”

The decision will likely be music to the ears of many Kentucky fans who have been clamoring for the sale of alcoholic beverages since the Southeastern Conference (SEC) repealed its rule banning the sale of alcoholic beverages in 2019. While other schools such

as Kentucky’s border rival Tennessee were quick to adopt alcohol sales, other schools like UK were more hesitant, though it did allow the sale of alcohol in special suites and sections.

It wasn’t until the pilot program was announced that general admission fans were able to purchase alcohol at concession stands, which officially kicked off with UK baseball’s home opener against Evansville on Feb. 21.

“We paid attention to other experiences other schools were going through,” Barnhart said. “We did our research with

organizations on the effect it would have with crowds and safety. We just kept gathering information and then we watched the experience at KPP to see how that was managed and our fans were awesome.”

It was not as though it was purely a calm baseball season either, which speaks volumes to the importance of the lack of any major disruption to kill the pilot program, with the Wildcats hosting an NCAA Tournament Regional for the first time since 2017.

In that Regional the Wildcats set a new record for fan attendance in KPP before blowing that figure out of the water by 700+ fans when 6,796 spectators packed into the venue for the Region’s finale against Indiana.

Despite the big announcement, Barnhart also stated that further details of the decision are still being discussed and more information is still to come regarding the program.

On Aug. 25 UK Athletics debuted a map of where fans will be able to purchase alcohol at Kroger Field, confirming four beer kiosks, four draft beer stations, one craft beer stand, three beer trailers and 10+ other locations where alcohol can be purchased.

UK Athletics kicked off its fall 2023 semester when Kentucky women’s soccer defeated Eastern Kentucky on Aug. 17. The first event within Rupp Arena will take place on Sept. 1 when UK volleyball hosts Pitt.

PROVIDED BY UK ATHLETHICS

Editors' choice: A consensus of control on alcohol sales at Kroger Field

Another college football season is on the horizon, and Kentucky is set to break new ground with the sale of alcohol at Kroger Field for the first time in program history.

With this monumental decision, public opinion is divided as to whether or not the choice was truly the right one to make. The editors of the Kentucky Kernel share their thoughts below:

Hannah Stanley, Editor in Chief:

We all know it was simply a matter of time until the college drinking experience made its way into the stands — well, legally, I should say.

I’ve seen plenty of fans stumbling up and down the stairs or sneaking a shooter from their boot the last three years. While I’m not condoning this behavior, I do believe providing a safer alternative — and one that strays away from hard liquor — could minimize such cases.

The “test-pilot” of a program in Rupp Arena and Kentucky Proud Park introduced a stem of success by selling alcohol through vendors who are able to regulate how much one’s drinking inside the stadium, in which case, is better than fans chugging as many drinks as possible before the gates open.

There will also be the benefit of selling only beer and seltzers, which will reduce the overall alcohol content that selling mixed drinks would entail. We also cannot forget the immense profit that the stadium could make, let alone fulfill the overall experience many enjoy at a NFL game and wish to at a collegiate level.

Nonetheless, I don’t fore-

see it being smooth sailing with the massive amount of underage students and fans trying to schmooze, or should I say booze, their way in, but through proper staffing and an alert staff, I think things will settle as it becomes a regularity for attendees.

Abbey Cutrer, Managing Editor and Photo Editor:

The student game day experience is drastically different from my job as a photojournalist.

After my freshman year, I started working the football games. This looks different for every athletics staffer, and for me, it meant taking photos. When I’m working, I walk around on the field down the sidelines or in the stands.

When I’m in the stands around fans at football games, I typically get comments like, “Wow that lens is bigger than you are” or “Do you even know how to use that thing?”

The fan heckling, I’m sure, will increase with alcohol sales at Kroger Field. This is nothing new to me as a young woman covering sporting events. The heckling at a UK football game will have nothing on a NASCAR race in Tennessee, where a majority of the crowd is drunk old men.

Since I will be working and won’t be taking part in the alcohol sales, I can’t say that I will personally benefit from alcohol at Kroger Field. However, I do believe that with this decision, students won’t feel the need to over-drink at a pregame to prolong their buzz.

Hopefully this decision, as counterintuitive as it may seem, will create a safer environment for student body health in regards to alcohol consumption.

Gray Greenwell, Copy and Features Editor:

I am a senior at this university, and in my three years here, I have yet to attend a Kentucky football game.

Call me a cynic, you wouldn’t be wrong, but I’ve felt no need to brave the student section of Kroger Field — not when I can peacefully observe from a friend’s living room or brazenly run from my apartment to State Street just in time to watch from a distance as a couch goes up in flames.

I’m not blissfully unaware of what usually transpires in that student section or among other fans in Kroger Field and outside of the stadium at tailgates, whether it’s legal or not.

I don’t believe that the decision to sell alcohol at Kroger Field is as binary as “good or bad.” UK is no stranger to alcohol-related incidents, and the introduction of alcohol in any space can cause trouble — that much I understand.

However, I’d be remiss to ignore the benefits of regulated stadium alcohol sales, not only those that are economical and recreational but also lawful.

Alcohol sales at Kroger Field will augment profits for UK Athletics. Moreover, the mere choice to vend alcohol in the stadium could create a more enjoyable experience for fans, much like any other sporting or entertainment venue.

Alcohol, in moderation, is not intrinsically bad, and the promise of regulation regarding this venture — two sales per transaction and concession partner Aramark’s proprietary alcohol monitors — leads me to believe that it won’t create a significant problem.

As long as UK Athletics follows through on its word and maintains a safe environment for everyone, the integration of the sale shouldn’t pose too much of a dilemma.

Alexis Baker, News Editor:

While I can’t call myself an expert on alcohol sales or Kentucky football, I do know my way around Kroger Field and UK’s student section. I can confidently say that alcohol has always found its way into the stands, but at least now it can be safely regulated and profitable.

Easily accessible alcohol may inherently sound like a terrible idea for a college football game, but in reality, Kroger Field will be limiting private consumption and preventing overserving while creating a new source of revenue for UK Athletics.

We can’t ignore the fact that this will not alleviate all private consumption in the stadium — especially the student section. The current freshman and sophomores were both described as “record breaking classes.” Statistically speaking, this could be the root demographic of both private and overconsumption. While allowing alcohol sales is a positive first step for UK Athletics, they missed the ball if minor safety was on their radar.

While alcohol safety is an important issue to combat, we have to remember that freshmen and sophomores are not the only fans in the crowd. Both students and “real” adults are susceptible to the culture of game day and everything it entails from sunrise to sundown. Kroger Field’s two drink per transaction policy is just a chip off the pong table.

This decision has been talked about amongst fans for years. With multiple exciting home game matchups to look forward to this season, for many, alcohol sales will only add to the fan experience.

Cole Parke, Sports Editor:

Anyone who has ever been to a tailgate prior to gameday in years past knows that banning alcohol at Kroger Field went about as well as the Prohibition era in the United States.

Beer cans filled trash cans and littered grassy areas surrounding the stadium, and drinking games took place anywhere one could find cornhole boards or a personal tent.

An unfortunate consequence to the stadium ban on alcohol was that fans did everything they could to cram as much down their throats prior to entering the stadium, something that one could argue is even more dangerous than just allowing them to buy the beer in the stadium.

With alcohol sales inside the stadium, vendors will be able to properly manage and gauge the intoxication level of the consumer and cut off sales at a certain point. On top of this, it would also discourage the need to try to sneak alcohol inside or hide one’s consumption, providing security with a better grasp of who is or isn’t intoxicated.

Making an argument similar to that of many legalization causes across the board, allowing alcohol sales just means that everything can come out from under the table and be performed far more safely and efficiently. I support the decision.

Kentucky Athletic Director Barnhart’s contract extended until 2028

By Parker Scott sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart received a contract extension through June 2028, University President Eli Capilouto announced on Friday.

“We have, in my judgment, the nation’s best athletics director,” Capiluto said in the announcement. “Continuing that leadership at such a critical juncture and ensuring ongoing stability amidst so much change is the right thing to do for UK Athletics.”

The agreement does not change Barnhart’s base salary, but the retention incentives increased by $100,000 for the first year and $50,000 for the second and third years.

Barnhart has witnessed six Kentucky athletics teams win national championships and has also brought about $400 million worth of new and renovated facilities during his tenure.

“My enthusiasm for the job and commitment to being the best program in the country is as strong as it has ever been and I remain incredibly passionate about helping our students succeed in the classroom, on the fields of play, and most importantly, in life,” Barnhart told UK Athletics.

Barnhart is entering his 22nd season at the head of Kentucky athletics, making him the longest serving athletic director in the SEC.

At the time of writing, Barnhart is overseeing numerous major projects such as that of a indoor track and field facility that is being erected at the former site of Cliff Hagan Stadium, which itself became redundant with the construction of the state of the art Kentucky Proud Park, which just recently hosted an NCAA Tournament Regional in the spring.

The making of the track facili-

ty came as part of an agreement with football coach Mark Stoops, the winningest coach in Kentucky football history, for a football specific indoor practice facility.

On top of those developments, Memorial Coliseum, the home of Kentucky volleyball, STUNT and

women’s basketball, is also currently undergoing renovations to bring the stadium into the modern day after numerous complaints of its outdated nature. Upon its completion the stadium will feature two recent and prominent banners, that of the first volleyball national championship in school history

and the women’s SEC Tournament championship which, when it was won, was the first time in 40 years the Cats had won the title.

With a new athletic season officially underway, Barnhart will hope to oversee further growth and development across the board for UK Athletics.

JACK WEAVER | FILE PHOTO

Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart watches Kentucky vs. No. 1 South Carolina womens basketball game on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

No. 10 Kentucky volleyball gears up for 2023 season outside Memorial Coliseum

By Parker Scott sports@kykernel.com

No. 10 Kentucky volleyball is slated to begin its 2023 season away from home after finishing the 2022 season 22-8 and advancing to the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Head coach Craig Skinner, entering his 19th season leading the team, is ready for the upcoming season, though it will be one that sees the team undergo a unique issue.

As to the nature of that issue, it certainly isn’t the roster, as Kentucky volleyball is one of the most intact fall sports teams at Kentucky from last season.

Despite that, Skinner commented that the Cats have done well in practice and in its preseason match against Western Kentucky, but that he also thinks that the team needs to “find ways to be a little bit more consistent.”

“Offensively, we have a chance to do some special things,” he said. “We need to get a little bit better defensively and (work on) serving consistency, if you saw how many missed serves we have, but the serves that were in were tough.”

Many specific Wildcats were given a shoutout by Skinner for their outstanding efforts in practice and in the preseason, with the

coach even noting that his list was incomplete due to the large number of standouts.

“There’s so many talented players who are making a difference right now,” he said.

Notable returning players include junior Emma Grome, senior Reagan Rutherford,

senior Elise Goetzinger, junior Erin Lamb and fifth year Azhani Tealer.

The unique issue for the team will be that of its home arena.

Due to renovations in Memorial Coliseum, all ten home games will be played at Rupp Arena or Transylvania

University’s gym if there are to be conflicts with scheduling, starting with the 84 Lumber Volleyball Classic against Pittsburgh on Sept. 1.

Despite not having the home the team is familiar with — that even dons the 2020 National Championship banner — Skinner is optimis-

tic about the upcoming season at Rupp Arena.

“You wonder with that big of a place if you still feel a sporting event, and we did. Albeit different from Memorial Coliseum I think it’s a great place and (I’m) looking forward to some great opportunities for our fans,” he said.

Before the team can grace the court of Rupp, however, it starts its season on the road.

Although it may seem like a disadvantage for the Wildcats to start the season on the road, Skinner said that, while it is not ideal, it has its upsides.

“Some people say when you’re on the road, there’s no distraction other than playing the game,” he said. “You’re on the road, you’re together as a group, you’re doing your routine, it’s us against the world, you know, road warriors, as a couple of our players have already said. So yes, there’s advantages. You always want to be on your home court every match if possible, but there’s definitely some advantage to it.”

Kentucky opened its 2023 campaign on Friday, Aug. 25, against Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colorado, with a 3-1 loss before bouncing back with a 3-1 win over Northern Colorado. The Cats will return to action on Friday, Sept. 1, for their home opener against Pitt. The match will begin at 7 p.m. ET and will air live on the SEC Network.

TRAVIS FANNON | STAFF

Kentucky Wildcats middle blocker Elise Goetzinger (11) hits the ball during the Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky volleyball match on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 3-1.

Kentucky men’s soccer enters a new era after historic 2022 campaign

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky men’s soccer finds itself in unfamiliar territory early in the 2023 season.

The Cats are fresh off one of the most successful seasons, if not the most successful season, in program history. The team finished the regular season undefeated before sweeping the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, becoming both regular season and conference tournament champions during the team’s first season in the “Fun Belt.”

It is also worth mentioning that the year prior, when Kentucky played in Conference USA, it also won the conference championship.

Entering the NCAA Tournament as the only undefeated program in college men’s soccer, the Cats were handed the No. 1 overall seed, which it proved it earned with a 4-0 win over South Florida (USF) in the second round (all of the top 16 teams were given firstround byes).

Unfortunately for head coach Johan Cedergren, Kentucky ran into an all too familiar and unavoidable hurdle: the dreaded Sweet Sixteen.

Jumping back a bit, Kentucky entered the 2022 tournament not only as the best team but also as a team hoping to shed the ghost of its recent failures. While the 2020 and 2021 teams were nowhere near as impressive as the 2022 squad, they had created an unfortunate tradition for the Cats that Cedergren was hoping to break.

See, in 2020 — a season that was played under rather unorthodox circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic — Kentucky found itself 5-1 at the end of October. Following a European model, the season was halted until February when the pitch could dethaw and spring flowers could coincide with the college soccer NCAA Tournament.

Kentucky was by no means poor in the second half of the season, but it struggled far more than it did in the fall, picking up six more wins but also two draws and three losses. It entered the NCAA Tournament

seeded — meaning another first-round bye — and picked up a win over New Hampshire in the second round.

It then met Wake Forest in the Sweet Sixteen.

The Demon Deacons were able to get the better of the Cats, winning 2-1 before going on to hoist the National Championship at the end of the bracket.

Oh well, that’s all fine and well, losing to the eventual champions is certainly nothing to balk at.

Flash forward to 2021, Kentucky was fresh off a Conference USA title in the conference’s to-date final year of existence in men’s college

soccer, and the Cats were given another first-round bye.

Meeting Santa Clara in the second round, the Cats used their superior size to beat the Broncos 2-0 before drawing Clemson in the Sweet Sixteen.

The Tigers … got the better of Kentucky 2-1 before going on to hoist the National Championship at the end of the bracket.

A pattern had emerged.

Going into its Sweet Sixteen matchup against Pittsburgh, Cedergren was determined to right the wrongs of the past and finally get over that hump.

With that in mind, the pat-

tern was in fact broken. Unfortunately, it was broken by Pitt losing to Indiana, a team Kentucky had beaten prior in the season, in the Final Four. Cedergren’s Cats once again went down in the Sweet Sixteen … by a final score of 2-1.

“Losing to Pitt in the Sweet 16 wasn’t how we wanted to (end the season),” Cedergren reflected prior to the 2023 season. “I think that if we play that game again we win more than we lose but in the one that mattered unfortunately we did lose.”

Making matters worse, the success of the season prior to that matchup did not go unnoticed. Kentucky’s leading scorer, Norwegian Eythor Bjorgolfsson, was drafted in the MLS SuperDraft by the Seattle Sounders and joined the club’s reserve squad, the Tacoma Defiance.

Bjorgolfsson was joined by sturdy defender Clay Holstad, who was selected by Columbus Crew SC, and co-captain Enzo Mauriz, who was signed after the draft by Sporting KC. Luis Grassow was also selected in the second round but would later decide on retirement from Orlando City.

On top of that, there was the glaring issue that may not have seemed like one earlier in this narrative: COVID-19.

The pandemic had a drastic impact on college athletics but none are felt as frequently in the modern day as much as the additional year of collegiate eligibility granted to ALL active athletes on any roster.

Continued on page 17

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF

Kentucky players warm up before the Kentucky vs. FGCU mens soccer match on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, at the Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex in Lexington, Kentucky.

Continued from page 16

See, while many players came and went during the three years of consecutive Sweet Sixteens, Kentucky’s historic 2022 season was able to exist in big part because of “super seniors” — players who were exercising fifth or even sixth years of eligibility — and other veteran presences on the team.

The MLS SuperDraft athletes were far from the only Kentucky losses this past offseason. Other massive names within the program such as Lucca Rodriguez, Danny Evans, co-captain Robert Screen and Trey Asensio simply ran out of eligibility. Others, like German midfielder Nick Gutmann, decided they were ready to move on from college. Gutmann would later sign a contract with German semi-professional soccer club Eintracht Norderstedt.

There are certainly familiar faces on this Kentucky roster and even veterans including Martin Soereide, who will miss the beginning of the new season after having his leg snapped in half at the end of last season, Casper Grening, who finished last season as the team’s second leading scorer, Mason Visconti and Brennan Creek.

There are also returning underclassmen who made a serious impact last season such as sophomore goalkeeper Casper Mols and sophomore defender Max Miller.

All that said, the truth remains that, looking over Kentucky’s roster, the Cats are filled to the brim with new faces. In fact, the team’s season opener, a 3-0 thrashing of Florida Gulf Coast (FGCU), saw UK be composed of close to 50% new faces. That number is

over half if one considers sophomore Mathias Yohannes who, despite being within the program last season, did not see the field.

Two freshmen, Marqes Muir and Alfred Baafi, were given the starting nod in the match while three transfers, UC Santa Barbara’s Finn Ballard-McBride, Lafayette’s Eoin Martin and Louisville’s Aboubacar Camara, and Yohannes also were also a part of the starting 11.

To add to that, the Cats’ bench was composed of 85% (6/7) new faces with the only returner being veteran Ben Damge.

Simply put, this is a very new Wildcats squad. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, Cedergren has been forced to properly rebuild a roster, though he seemed to be up to the challenge.

“I think COVID spring then fall ‘21 and ‘22 there were slight tweaks that we had to do with two or three guys but with seven guys going pro after last fall of course it’s a bigger rebuild this year,” Cedergren said. “I think we did a really good job being intentional and planning on losing lots of guys from last fall, it’s easier now with the transfer portal. We were able to replace guys a little earlier with a little better players, maybe than we did in 2019.”

Coming off the success of last season, Kentucky was awarded the No. 3 slot in the preseason Men’s NCAA Division 1 College Soccer Rankings by United Soccer Coaches and projected to finish first in the Sun Belt’s preseason poll.

The 3-0 start to the season shows promise, but the truth remains that No. 1 and 3 rankings may be tough benchmarks for this young Wildcat team to

reach. Coach Cedergren recognized this fact, but remained optimistic that the club’s success in recent years has been enough to properly solidify Kentucky as a premier men’s college soccer destination.

“(The recent success) helps so much in recruiting,” Cedergren said. “I think every year we’re able to start working towards absolute top guys and it’s fun. I feel like the expectation now is that we’re going to be challenging for titles. Three Sweet Sixteens was nice but there’s one big trophy that we’re going for.”

While Cedergren himself admitted that he wasn’t sure if a national title would come this year or “a couple of years down the line,” he was adamant that one was in Kentucky’s future, and perhaps for good reason.

Without putting too much stock in a 3-0 win over

FGCU, it’s worth noting that all three Wildcat goals were scored by unfamiliar faces.

Camara, the ex-Cardinal, scored the first unassisted while fellow transfers McBride and Dorsey nailed the other two, both being assisted by the returning Miller.

On top of that, there is the aforementioned return of the goalkeeper Mols who, besides just starting last year as a true freshman for Kentucky’s historic season, gained preseason notoriety after being added to the 2023 MAC Hermann Trophy — an award that serves a similar purpose in men’s college soccer to that of the Player of the Year award in college basketball — watch list. Mols was also joined by McBride on the list.

“Anytime you can get a First-Team All American back you’re excited,” Cedergren said. “I think Casper and Max are very similar where they had

tremendous impacts as freshman but now they’re expected to maybe lead a little more. I think there’s some new challenges we’ve given them but they’re ready to step into more of a leadership role.”

Whether or not the Cats are able to live up to the expectations placed upon them is to be seen, but Cedergren certainly doesn’t lack any confidence in his squad and hopes fans will continue to come out to the Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex in droves just as they did last season to support the team.

Kentucky will have another chance to prove itself on Monday, Aug. 28, when it faces off against East Tennessee State. That match will be followed by a true gauntlet in the forms of Wisconsin, Louisville and Lipscomb, the latter two of which both received votes for the preseason rankings, which may serve as a proper trial by fire for the 2023 squad.

ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF

Kentucky players warm up before the Kentucky vs. FGCU mens soccer match on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, at the Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex in Lexington, Kentucky.

Kentucky women’s soccer kicks off new season with a new look

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky women’s soccer, famous every year for being the first varsity program to kick off its fall 2023 season at UK, is in an interesting position at the early stages of the new campaign.

It was just two years ago when Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart made the decision to fire former head coach Ian Carry mid-season after a 1-0 Senior Day loss against LSU.

One could hardly argue Barnhart wasn’t justified, with Carry, in the midst of his fifth season, having the team 0-7 in the SEC. In fact, in his time as the head coach, Carry had led the Cats to a dreadful 6-354 record in conference play with his best season being his first (2017), when the team finished 3-7 in conference play.

The Cats turned to Milwaukee Panthers head coach Troy Fabiano to right the ship and, while up to the task, Fabiano was not given an easy situation to inherit in Lexington.

See, unlike in men’s college soccer where high school seniors and juniors are the apple of a recruiter’s eye, women tend to mature quicker than men physically and thus often begin being recruited heavily and locked into commitments as early as their freshman and sophomore years in high school.

“Let’s face it,” Fabiano said during Kentucky’s pre -

season media day. “We’re living in a recruiting cycle where kids are making decisions 24 months (two years) before they arrive at UK. If you think of our 2023 class, we were actually 18 months behind on recruiting. With the 2024 class we’re six

months behind.”

Fabiano and the Cats were left with little options but to search for diamonds in the rough and try to scour the transfer portal in order to build a roster that could compete at the level expected of them.

forced to start fresh.

With a great many of those players graduating or running out of eligibility in the spring, including the likes of Taylor Hattori and Hailey Farrington-Bentil, the Wildcats will enter the 2023 campaign with around 20 entirely new faces, including 11 freshman and several transfers who will be expected to make an immediate impact.

That’s not to say there aren’t veterans or stars on Kentucky’s roster, however. Far from it.

One name that few can forget is that of Jordyn Rhodes, who could very well graduate in the spring as the greatest women’s soccer player to ever don the blue and white.

Scoring in the club’s season opener against Eastern Kentucky and against Valparaiso, while adding a brace on the road at Murray State, Rhodes currently boasts 40 career goals, just four off of the all-time Kentucky leader Kim LaBelle (44).

It’s little surprise then that last season’s Kentucky Wildcats held more than a handful of players from Milwaukee, meaning the players had simply chosen to follow their coach to his new school for one or two more years instead of being

Rhodes, especially with the departure of Hannah Richardson in the spring, will be expected to balance being the club’s scoring star with trying to be a leader within the program and help the incoming transfers and freshmen to fit into the culture Fabiano is attempting to build.

Continued on page 19

TRAVIS FANNON | STAFF

Kentucky players high-five their teammates before the Kentucky vs. Valparaiso womens soccer match on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2023, at the Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky reached a 1-1 draw.

Continued from page 18

“(Fabiano) has asked us to lead (the team) both during the game and even on the sidelines,” Rhodes said after the club’s 1-0 season-opening win over EKU. “(A big emphasis) is just communicating with each other. That’s the only way we’re going to be able to create chemistry is to be able to listen and talk to each other. It’s been a learning process and it’s been a long two weeks but it’s actually been a lot more successful than we were anticipating.”

Rhodes isn’t alone, though. Former Milwaukee transfer Maggy Henschler opted to come back for a fifth year, Kentucky veteran Anna Young returned for her senior season, Dana Dahm (when she returns from injury) will return as a junior and both Ulfa Ulfarsdottir and Lesley Kiesling also have names that will be

very familiar to Kentucky women’s soccer fans.

That said, few names have brought as much excitement as the incoming transfer goalkeeper Marz Josephson.

Coming to Lexington from North Carolina, which is by far the most decorated Division-1 women’s college soccer program of all time with 21 national titles and six more national title losses, Josephson is a brick wall in goal.

Taking over for Tallulah Miller and Steph Stull, both of whom are still on the roster, Josephson inherits a Wildcat team that gave up 31 goals last season, 26 of which came in conference play. This included a 6-0 loss to Arkansas, 3-0 loss to Georgia, 4-1 loss to Tennessee and a 3-2 loss to LSU.

While the Cats have outscored opponents 4-1 thus far on the season, which is to be expected for Kentucky’s non-conference

schedule, which in itself is also picked years in advance, fans already got a hint of what could be to come when Josephson stopped a one-on-one EKU scoring attempt at the top of the box, something that could’ve got the heart of even the most experienced soccer viewer racing.

While already a graduate student, Josephson has the opportunity to leave a serious impact on the program.

“I’ve told her this and I don’t even think she realizes, but her mindset and the way she approaches the game is just absolutely like a professional,” Fabiano said after the EKU match. “The way it will shape us at (the goalkeeper position) ... she will have an impact while she’s here and she’ll have an impact when she’s gone with the freshman coming in next year.”

While Fabiano himself admitted that he’s unsure

whether or not the team will have immediate success this season, one thing is for certain: a proper program is being built in Kentucky.

“If you look at it, a lot of these transfers have come in or are coming in from winning programs,” Fabiano said. “As we’re building the culture around here we want players that have experienced that success and realize what it takes to be successful. We’re in a unique situation but we’re excited for the season and the process of building this program.”

The SEC, in many sports but especially in women’s soccer, can be very unforgiving. Fabiano, after last season, knows that better than most. But as many high school football coaches across the country love to quote, iron sharpens iron.

It won’t be easy, but there are few better places to build a program that can

compete for national titles than in the Southeastern Conference, and it seems Fabiano is determined to do just that.

With many major talents having their swan songs and many more freshmen entering with hopes of becoming the legends of the future, the seeds are being sown for the future of Kentucky women’s soccer. Nobody knows what the future holds, but if one is to believe what Fabiano says of his program, the 2023 campaign will be a pivotal chapter in the creation of what hopes to be a nationally significant program.

The Wildcats return to action on Thursday, Aug. 31, at home against UT Martin. Fabiano and his team will hope to remain undefeated on the season and continue to grow as the threat of the SEC looms larger and larger with every passing week.

TRAVIS FANNON | STAFF

Kentucky Wildcats defender Grace Phillpotts (24) throws the ball onto the pitch during the the Kentucky vs. Valparaiso womens soccer match on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2023.