Kentucky’s first SEC availability report of the season brought some good news before Alabama comes to Lexington on Saturday: the Wildcats appear close to full strength.
Head coach Will Stein said earlier in the week that Kentucky was expected to be “full-strength” for the matchup, and the report backed that up. The four players who had been absent last week - projected starting tackle Malachi Wood, starting corners Hasaan Sykes and Terhyon Nichols, and running back Jovantae Barnes - were all fully cleared.
That said, the Wildcats still had a few names show up on the first report. Kentucky listed four players total, with one ruled out and three marked questionable.
Sophomore offensive lineman Jay Clark was the only player listed as OUT. Tovani Mizell had already been ruled season-ending because of a fall camp injury.
Two other offensive linemen, Max Anderson and Aba Selm, were listed as QUESTIONABLE. None of the three offensive linemen on the report played in Kentucky’s week one win over Youngstown State, a game in which 10 different linemen saw action up front.
Freshman defensive back Andre Clarke Jr. was the lone non-lineman on the report, and he was also listed as QUESTIONABLE. He did not play against the Penguins either.
For Kentucky, the overall picture is encouraging heading into a heavyweight test with Alabama. If the Wildcats are going to beat the Crimson Tide for just the third time in program history, after wins in 1922 and 1997, getting key pieces back healthy is a solid place to start.
Kentucky and Alabama meet Saturday, Sept. 12, at Kroger Field. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
In Other News...
Kentuckys New Offense Just Unlocked A Weapon Fans Havent Seen Enough
Will Stein wasted little time putting his stamp on Kentuckys offense, and one of the clearest signs came through the tight end room. In the season opener, three tight ends combined for nine catches, 140 yards and two touchdowns, a workload and production level that stood out sharply from what the Wildcats had leaned on in recent years under Mark Stoops. It was the kind of shift that gives an offense a different shape, especially for a team trying to find more answers in the passing game.
The encouraging part for Kentucky is that this did not look like a one-off wrinkle. Players and coaches praised the tight ends performance and pointed to their value as real pieces of the system, which suggests Stein sees them as more than just check-down options or red-zone targets. If that usage holds, it could change the way defenses have to prepare for the Wildcats, and it may only be the beginning of how often these weapons show up. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Landed A Huge Big Blue Madness Recruiting Opportunity
Big Blue Madness is still a little ways off, but Kentucky already has one of the nights biggest recruiting storylines in place. The Wildcats are set to open the basketball season on Oct. 2, and five-star power forward CJ Rosser is expected to be there, giving Mark Popes staff a prime chance to put Kentucky in front of one of the elite prospects in the 2027 class.
Rosser, ranked No. 2 nationally by 247Sports, brings the kind of profile Kentucky has long targeted at the frontcourt: a 6-foot-10 forward with versatile skills and plenty of upside. He has visits lined up with several schools, but the chance to see the program in one of its most electric settings gives the Wildcats an important early opportunity to make their case and keep building momentum in a recruitment that figures to stay closely watched. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Heads Into Alabama Opener With Big Availability Questions
The first SEC test of the season is already taking shape as both Kentucky and Alabama sort through a long list of availability concerns heading into their Week 2 matchup. The second report of the week left each side dealing with significant uncertainty, with Alabama carrying several players on the out or doubtful lists and Kentucky also trying to piece together who will be ready for a road opener that suddenly looks a lot more complicated than a standard conference debut.
For Kentucky, the biggest concern is the mix of uncertainty along the offensive line and in the secondary, the kind of personnel questions that can change both protection plans and coverage looks in a hurry. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has already pointed to the Wildcats' offensive front and his familiarity with Will Stein's schemes, which only adds to the intrigue as both teams try to keep their cards close and survive the week with as many healthy bodies as possible. [Read more 🡒]