Kentucky players to watch against Tennessee Tech

The final home game of the season has arrived for Kentucky. It’s Senior Day at Kroger Field as the Cats look to close the season with consecutive victories in Lexington. The FCS part of the schedule has arrived, but this year’s challenge will be a different one.

Tennessee Tech has won 15 consecutive games and is a legitimate national title contender in 2025. The Golden Eagles play an aggressive brand of defense and utilize an RPO-heavy tempo spread offense. This is squad that is built to attack some of Kentucky’s weaknesses.

Some individual players will be put into the spotlight on Saturday afternoon. This is who KSR will be watching closely in Week 12.

Scouting Report: Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles

Another chance for explosive plays on the ground

Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell has twice issued the final statement with long explosive touchdown runs against Toledo and Florida. The junior could find some more explosive plays on the ground on Saturday afternoon against Tennessee Tech.

The Golden Eagles do not have a player bigger than 270 pounds on the front. This 4-2-5 scheme will use a lot of movement post-snap to try and create quick penetration to pile up havoc stats. But when you get them blocked, there could be some huge rush lanes. That’s where Dowdell could make a big impact on the game.

Dowdell only has seven runs of 10-plus yards this season, but when he gets a crease, we’ve seen the 227-pound tailback go the distance. Seth McGowan will still be the lead back for the Cats, but Dowdell could have a big play opportunity or two due to Tennessee Tech’s style of play.

Another start for Grant Godfrey

Grant Godfrey was a notable recruiting win for Kentucky during the 2023 high school cycle. The Metro Atlanta native was UK’s second-highest ranked prospect in the class, and was expected to fill a big role, but the development has taken some time.

Godfrey redshirted in 2023 and played in seven games in 2024 with a start against Murray State. However, the linebacker played just 48 defensive snaps. We’ve seen that role increase in 2025 with Godfrey getting an opportunity to play some more snaps at Will. That has led to a big opportunity.

On the first play of the game against Florida, Alex Afari Jr. left the game with an injury and Godfrey had to play the entire game. The redshirt sophomore finished the game with three tackles and one tackle for loss. Now he will step into a bigger spotlight making a start against a scheme that UK has struggled with this year.

Godfrey is a rare high school prospect from that 2023 class in line to become a starter. Kentucky will find out now if he is ready to become a starter. This is a big opportunity for Godfrey and Tennessee Tech’s scheme will put him in some conflicts.

Saturday will be a good test for the former four-star recruit as Kentucky is looking to develop depth — and future starters — on defense.

Senior Day for Josh Kattus

On senior day in 2022, Josh Kattus recorded a 70-yard reception to start a double-digit win for Kentucky to keep the Governor’s Cup in Lexington. Now the Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller product will play in his senior day.

Kattus has played 1,305 snaps in his career and has set career highs in receptions (16) and receiving yards (189) this season. The veteran tight end could be in position to have another big game on Saturday.

Against Group of Six competition, Kattus has recorded six receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown. The biggest games have occurred in these spots for the senior tight end. Facing a pressure-heavy defense, the passing game plan could be to get the ball out as fast as possible. Facing linebackers that like to get downhill, UK’s tight ends could replace those linebackers on routes and give Cutter Boley some easy completions.

Kattus has made a two-way impact for UK as a blocker this season, but this game sets up to be a good matchup for both him and Willie Rodriguez as receivers.

The beginning of a new era at safety

Jordan Lovett played in 46 career games and made 42 starts at safety for Kentucky. The Radcliff (Ky.) North Hardin product logged 2,274 defensive snaps while recording 200 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and nine interceptions. Unfortunately, the mainstay saw his season come to an end with an injury suffered last week against Florida.

Kentucky is now having to turn the page at safety. The program’s next potential multi-year starter in the secondary is in position to take advantage.

Cam Dooley was a four-star recruiting win for Kentucky in the 2024 high school cycle after the Cats flipped the prospect from Missouri. The sophomore has been a rotational player for the defense all season long but will now be asked to play big snaps over the last three weeks.

Facing a scheme that UK has struggled with, Dooley will need to make some tackles in space and be in the right spots in coverage. This defense will find out what they have a safety in the future this season with Dooley taking over in the backend.