After the upset at Texas A&M, Kentucky football got a recovery gift more often associated with the basketball program: a special Nike delivery.
UK shared video this morning of strength coach Brandon Roberts unveiling the team’s new Nike Air Zoom Hyperslides, and these aren’t ordinary sandals. Nike says the recovery slides use heat-and-vibration technology to “help reduce tension and promote relaxation.” Inside the strap sits a removable magnetic pod that sends targeted heat and vibration massage across the top of the foot.
The setup comes with three heat settings and three vibration settings, and users can adjust them by tapping the magnetic pod or using an app.
Nike describes the Hyperslides as a fit for “anyone who spends long hours on their feet, including elite and everyday athletes coming off training or competition, runners and those managing travel, work and everyday movement.” Football players certainly qualify, especially after a road win like the one Kentucky just pulled off.
According to Roberts, head coach Will Stein has a Nike connection dating back to his Oregon days and personally reached out to the company to get the slides for his players. The team wasted no time trying them on, quickly ditching their sneakers for the new recovery gear.
“Appreciate you all for this. Coach Stein was able to get this, Nike, the Hyperice collab here with these things. Nike, we appreciate what you all do for us.”
“Appreciate you, Nike!” the players said.
The Hyperslides retail for $249 and are set to launch on September 29 at nike.com, hyperice.com, and select retail locations.
In Other News...
Kentucky Earned SEC Respect With A Breakdown Fans Need To See
Cole Cubelics Sunday Takeaways have become a familiar stop for SEC fans looking for a sharper read on what just happened, and Kentucky was part of the conversation after a performance that clearly earned the leagues attention. The former Auburn center, now an SEC Network analyst, has made a niche out of detailed postgame breakdowns, often drilling down by jersey number and pairing the film notes with broader strategic observations.
For Kentucky fans, the appeal is obvious: Cubelics analysis offers a more exact view of where the Wildcats stood in a game like this, beyond the final score and the usual talking points. Since taking over the Sunday Takeaways from Anthony McFarland in 2018, he has built the segment into one of the SECs more useful weekly film sessions, and his latest look at Kentucky is the kind of breakdown supporters will want to see for themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Is Bringing Back A Beloved Game Day Feeling This Weekend
Kentuckys weekend at Kroger Field is shaping up to be as much about program tradition as the matchup itself. With BLUE-WHITE Day on the calendar and Hall of Fame weekend set to honor several former Wildcats, the school is leaning into the kind of game-day feel that reminds fans how much of the programs identity lives in its past as well as its present.
Wilbur Hackett and JoJo Kemp will serve as honorary captains for the South Alabama game, giving the day another familiar face from different eras of Kentucky football. Hackett, one of the first African American players in the SEC, also returned to campus to complete his degree in 2020, a fitting thread for a weekend built around recognition, continuity and the people who helped shape the program. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Got The National Validation Wildcats Fans Wanted
Todd McShay gave Kentucky football a dose of national attention this week, and not the routine kind that gets buried under blue-blood chatter. On a recent episode of The McShay Show, he singled out offensive coordinator Will Stein as a reason the Wildcats have a real chance to surprise people, pointing to Steins track record with quarterbacks and the growing confidence on that side of the ball.
For Kentucky fans, it is the kind of outside validation they have been waiting for, especially in a sport where the Wildcats are usually asked to prove they belong before anyone starts talking about bigger goals. McShay went so far as to suggest Kentucky could make an unexpected run toward the College Football Playoff, a level of belief that instantly raises the stakes for how this season gets judged and puts a sharper spotlight on what Stein and the offense do next. [Read more 🡒]