KSR Today: Kentucky Roster-Building Hits High Gear, NCAA Volleyball Tournament Action

Good morning. Today is Thursday. The transfer portal has only been open for four days. It feels like we’ve been in roster-building season for four weeks. The chaos isn’t slowing down anytime soon for Kentucky.

Things are moving at a rapid rate. You gotta keep your head on a swivel. Here’s a little bit of what you’ve been missing and what’s ahead.

The Cats have a Quarterback

Brock Vandagriff is a Kentucky Wildcat and it’s a big deal. Liam Coen found his next less than 72 hours into the start of college football free agency. The highest-ranked player to join Kentucky’s roster in the internet era, the former five-star has tools that experts rave about. He has a high ceiling, but he needs live reps and lots of them to reach it. Far from a polished product, it’s the job of Kentucky’s offensive coordinator to unleash Vandagriff’s potential.

If that’s not enough, you’ll find everything you need to know about Vandagriff linked in stories on First Down Kentucky. Hopefully you enjoy the new daily football and basketball notebooks. I can’t speak for Jack, but they’ve been a fun addition to the daily routine.

New Running Back Target Emerges

Now that one positional need has been satisfied, it’s on to the next one. The running back market has been weak. That’s what made Wednesday night’s development was a pleasant surprise. Ohio State running back Chip Trayanum entered the portal and immediately jumped onto Kentucky’s radar.

The guy who scored the game-winning, walk-off touchdown against Notre Dame has had an unusual career. The No. 5 player from the state of Ohio in the class of 2020 is built like a Midwest running back, but ultimately decided to begin his college career in the desert at Arizona State. After two years he moved back home to play linebacker. The Buckeyes eventually moved him back to running back. Maybe Kentucky is finally the place that can unlock this athletic freak‘s potential.

Kentucky Assistants Receive Extensions

Not one, not two, but four Kentucky assistant coaches received contract extensions. Wednesday morning we learned Mark Stoops is finished shaking up his staff this offseason. Zach Yenser, Frank Buffano, Anwar Stewart and Mike Stoops all inked new deals. It’s a bit surprising there weren’t more significant changes after back-to-back 7-5 seasons. We discussed that and much more on 11 Personnel.

Which by the way, shout out to all of you for helping us reach a new milestone with 25,000 subscribers on YouTube. You people are crazy and we love it.

Sweet 16 SEC Showdown for Kentucky Volleyball

They say it’s hard to beat the same team three times. It’s being put to the test tonight when the Kentucky volleyball team takes on Arkansas in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Craig Skinner’s Cats won in five in Lexington, then brought their brooms to Fayetteville for a sweep that clinched an SEC title in the final week of the regular season.

It’s an 8-vs-9 matchup that could produce fireworks. Can Kentucky extend its 18-game winning streak to return to the Elite Eight? We’ll find out in Lincoln, Nebraska at 4:30 pm EST on ESPNU.

The Kentucky Women’s Basketball Team Lost, Again

It’s kind of their thing. This time it was 76-57 to Minnesota. I’ll let Phoenix Stevens share with you how this one to Golden Gophers unfolded.

Mark Stoops is Speaking Today

He’ll be joined by Dabo Swinney for a virtual news conference ahead of the Gator Bowl. If you could ask Dabo a question, what would it be? Send ’em my way. I might feel froggy enough to ask. The action will unfold this afternoon around 2 pm EST. We’ll have live updates on KSBoard, followed by a few news stories right here on Kentucky Sports Radio.

UK Athletics Posts Record-Breaking Graduation Success Rate

People forget that all of these athletes that entertain us spend a lot of time in the classroom learning. They’re doing a pretty good job fulfilling those duties. The UK Athletics department posted a 92% graduation success rate, a four-year composite statistic, tying a record set more than a decade ago. Well done, Cats. Well done.

Isaac Humphries has a Christmas Album

Let your holiday season be accompanied the dulcet tones of a former Kentucky Wildcat. Isaac Humphries’ A MERRY ‘little’ CHRISTMAS is available on iTunes and YouTube.