Georgia transfers were program culture fits for Kentucky football

Brock Vandagriff and Jamon Dumas-Johnson were both members of Georgia’s 2021 signing class that included three five-star recruits and 16 top-300 prospects. Brock Bowers probably ended up being the biggest name from that haul. Those signees went on to win two national championships at Georgia and help lead the Bulldogs to an undefeated regular season in year three.

After three years in Athens, both Dumas-Johnson and Vandagriff are on the move. Each will stay in the SEC after signing with Kentucky this week. The Wildcats are hopeful that each will bring over some of that winning culture from Kirby Smart‘s juggernaut program. Early signs seem to indicate that each will be strong culture fits in Lexington.

Scheme and culture fit at QB

Brock Vandagriff is leaving one pro-style scheme for another and seems locked in from the jump. Kentucky appears to like the fit here.

“You can look at a lot of his film going back to high school. You look at what he did at Georgia. You look at the offense he ran at Georgia. You know they’re complex. You know going through that he’ll be able to come in and work with us,” Stoops told the media about Vandagriff on Wednesday. “When he came on his official visit, I think if you would’ve just locked him in a room and him and Coach [Liam] Coen just would’ve talked football all day long he would’ve been just fine with that. He’s definitely a football guy. Extremely talented player and very excited about him.”

The redshirt junior with two years of eligibility remaining has some experience in a pro-style scheme in college and that should help with his transition into Kentucky’s offense. Add in the fact that Vandagriff appears committed to learning the offense and getting to work with a no nonsense approach and that should make him a good fit for a re-tooling offense that needs some leadership.

Winning culture

Kentucky’s defense has less needs in the transfer portal but a huge hole opened up when Trevin Wallace declared for the 2024 NFL Draft. The Wildcats needed to go find some help at off-ball linebacker. UK quickly landed the top available off-ball linebacker in the transfer portal.

Former All-American Jamon “Pop” Dumas-Johnson signed with Kentucky on Wednesday. The senior with one year of eligibility remaining will make an immediate impact in Lexington.

“Brings an awful lot to our football team. Again a guy that’s got unbelievable experience but has that burning desire to bring that winning culture with him and work extremely hard and fit in with us,” Stoops said. “Pop is a guy that will obviously have an immediate impact in our program so we’re very excited about him.”

Similar to Brock Vandagriff, Kentucky will ask Dumas-Johnson to fill a leadership role early in his tenure at Kentucky. The Wildcats are hopeful that the former top-250 recruit will bring some of UGA’s winning culture to the Joe Craft Football Training Facility.

Kentucky seems to have found two great culture fits from Georgia.