Kentucky "committed to playing" freshman Kiyaunta Goodwin on offensive line

True freshmen are making plays all over the field for Kentucky Football this season.

On the defensive side of the ball, Deone Walker and Alex Afari are already showing pro potential at their respective positions on the defensive line and at nickel, in addition to a fast start for backup linebacker Keaten Wade. Those three names are a great foundation for the future of Kentucky’s defense.

On offense, Dane Key and Barion Brown are two of Will Levis’ favorite targets in the passing attack; in fact, Brown was named Co-SEC Freshman of the Week for his two-touchdown performance against Northern Illinois. Key already has three touchdown grabs on the year and his own SEC Freshman of the Week trophy from the Week 2 win in Gainesville, while tight end Josh Kattus and speedy receiver Jordan Anthony have also gotten some run within the offense.

However, the young career of the highest-ranked player in Kentucky’s entire freshman class, four-star offensive tackle Kiyaunta Goodwin, has been rather quiet behind a rotation at starting left tackle. Redshirt freshman David Wohlabaugh first earned the starting LT job out of fall camp, only to be replaced by veteran Kenneth Horsey, who left his natural position at guard to help fend off pressure on the end. Behind them, the blue-chip Goodwin has spent most of the first four weeks of his rookie year on the bench, despite the offensive line as a whole not leading up to the program’s standard.

Still, Mark Stoops has high expectations for Goodwin.

When asked about the freshman’s progress on Monday, Stoops said, “As I say every Monday, he’s a really good young man that’s working really hard, that’s working his way into shape, that I believe will be a very good player.

“When that is, we don’t need to rush people. Look at guys that have been here, they blow up as a fourth-year player, a fifth-year player. You just never know. Some guys are ready to go early. Not many are. It’s a hard game to play. It’s a hard position to play.”

Stoops then shot down the possibility of 2022 being a redshirt year for Goodwin, saying, “We’re committed to playing him.”