Names and Numbers to Watch in the Kentucky Football Spring Game
The Kentucky Football Spring Game is on the horizon. Even though it’s not technically a spring game, just a practice, Saturday afternoon will give the BBN its first opportunity to see many new Kentucky Wildcats in action at Kroger Field.
There’s always an adjustment period while learning the new numbers for the new players. Allow this to serve as a shortcut before you see them in action at Kroger Field on Saturday at 1 pm EST.
View the entire 2024 Kentucky Football Numerical Roster during Spring Practice.
12- Brock Vandagriff
The Brocket Ship is officially landing in Lexington on Saturday. After hyping up Devin Leary all offseason, folks around the Kentucky football program have been much more tepid when talking about Brock Vandagriff. It’s not that we’re hearing bad things about Kentucky’s new quarterback, we just haven’t heard or seen much from him at all.
When the Wildcats opened practice to the media on Saturday, all of his passes in a team setting were thrown underneath. The spring game will serve as our first chance to watch No. 12 let it rip. Prepare to overreact to every pass attempt.
17 – Hardley Gilmore
The talented wide receiver arrived with hardly any hype at all. We may have overlooked the young four-star talent who reclassified into 2024. Hardley Gilmore got a head start and began practice with the team ahead of the Gator Bowl. This spring he’s been impressive, described by Barion Brown as a “freak of nature.”
Spring games are events that are not meant for the starters to shine. It’s all about letting the twos develop. He’ll get a ton of run and may very well be the player most Kentucky football fans are talking about once the action concludes.
10 – Jantzen Dunn
The Kentucky defense has been decimated by injuries, which is why we will not be watching a full-tackle scrimmage on Saturday. One player who will be available could play a pivotal role in the secondary this fall. Jantzen Dunn took some lumps in the Gator Bowl, but the end-of-season reps were vital in his development. Now more confident, he’s feeling comfortable on islands with UK’s talented wide receivers.
“I’d say watching Dru [Phillips] for a year helped me — especially him at the nickel spot. I’m pretty much at the same position that he was in last year because he was splitting time at nickel and corner also,” Dunn said this spring. “I watched a lot of him last year, and I learned a lot from him, and he taught me pretty much everything I needed to know about the defense.”
26 – Jason Patterson
There will not be full tackling to the ground. That is why it will be difficult to discern how well the running backs, like No. 4 Chip Trayanum, are playing. Nevertheless, Bush Hamdan recently said the running backs have arguably been the most consistent position group of Kentucky spring football practice. Jason Patterson is a big reason why. It’ll feel like deja vu all over again watching a freshman wearing No. 26 in the Wildcats’ backfield.
54 – Gerald Mincey
The Tennessee transfer will be starting at right tackle for the Cats until USC transfer Courtland Ford recovers from offseason wrist surgery. Gerald Mincey might be the largest offensive lineman to play for Mark Stoops. An impressive, physical blocker in the trenches, he might eat a pancake or two against the beat-up Kentucky defense.
23 – Brian Robinson and 95 – Jerod Smith
Without many healthy defensive linemen, Brian Robinson and Jerod Smith are receiving significantly more quality reps than typical early enrollees. The former four-star talents arrived on campus looking like SEC football players. That strength will be put to the test in the Kentucky spring football game.
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