Kentucky will have one of its biggest offensive pieces back for Saturday’s meeting with LSU, while the Tigers are set to roll with their quarterback despite some injury concern earlier in the week.
Wide receiver DJ Miller, who sat out last week’s win at South Carolina because of injury, is listed as probable on Kentucky’s first injury report. That puts him in line to play at Kroger Field.
The Wildcats also got encouraging news on a couple of other important names. Running back Jason Patterson, who left Saturday’s win in Columbia with an injury, is good to go. Safety Aaron Gates, who was a late scratch for that game, is not on the injury report.
Kentucky’s secondary and linebacker depth, though, are still taking hits. Cornerbacks Grant Grayton and Jaden Smith are out. Linebackers Antwan Smith and Tavion Wallace have also been ruled out, and with Alex Afari now ineligible to play, that group is once again thin.
There are a few more question marks on the Wildcats’ side. Defensive tackle Kalen Edwards and long-snapper Cole Marszalek are questionable, reserve offensive lineman Aba Selm is out, and reserve running back Jordan Colbert is listed as questionable.
LSU’s report is cleaner at the top. Quarterback Sam Leavitt, who some expected to appear while dealing with a hamstring injury, is not on the injury report and is good to go.
The Tigers are still missing several notable defenders. Standout linebacker Whit Weeks remains out with a leg injury, and linebacker Charles Ross II is also out. Safety Dashanw Spears is listed as out as well.
At receiver and tight end, LSU continues to be without Trey’Dez Green and Phillip Wright, both of whom are out for the season.
In Other News...
Jasper Johnsons Fresh Start Just Got Complicated At Oregon
Jasper Johnsons move into a new setting at Oregon was already one of the more interesting storylines for Kentucky fans to track, but the Ducks bench just shifted in a major way. Dana Altman has retired immediately after 16 seasons in Eugene, ending a run that produced a 382-182 record and helped make Oregon a steady national presence under one of the sports most established coaches.
Tony Stubblefield will take over as interim head coach, and for Johnson, that means the first chapter of his fresh start now comes with a different voice and a different plan than the one that was in place when he arrived. For Kentucky observers, it adds another layer to the transfer watch, because roster fits and development paths can look a lot different once a program changes hands, even before the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Could Get An Offseason Edge Mark Pope Really Needs
Kentuckys offseason could get a little more interesting if a new NCAA proposal clears the final hurdles later this year. The Division I Mens and Womens Basketball Oversight Committees have introduced a legislative package that would change how teams can use the summer, adding more room for competitive work while also loosening the limits on scheduled activity. For a program trying to gain traction under Mark Pope, any extra chance to blend teaching, evaluation and live reps is worth watching closely.
The package is still far from official, with more room for amendment before a December vote and possible implementation not arriving until April. But the direction of travel is clear enough for Kentuckys staff to notice: the sport is edging toward a summer model that gives coaches more access and players more time together before the real grind begins. If it survives the process, it could hand Pope the kind of offseason edge every new staff is looking for. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Pope May Get The Kentucky Change Hes Been Pushing For
Mark Pope has been pushing for more chances to turn summer into something closer to a real basketball laboratory, and the NCAA may finally be moving in that direction. Division I mens and womens basketball oversight committees have proposed a change that would give teams more flexibility in the offseason, with room for different formats and opponents while keeping the summer period compact and controlled.
For Kentucky, the appeal is obvious. Pope has made it clear he wants more meaningful summer basketball, not just workouts and drills, and the proposal now sits under review with a vote expected later this year. If it clears that hurdle, the Wildcats could be looking at a very different kind of offseason in the near future, one that gives coaches and players more live reps before the grind of the season begins. [Read more 🡒]