Kentucky came out of its season opener without any new injuries, and that alone gave the Wildcats a boost heading into Saturday’s matchup with Alabama. Even better for Kentucky, several players who sat out the 45-13 win over Youngstown State are trending toward returning.
Right offensive tackle Malachi Wood missed the opener because of a lingering injury. Starting cornerbacks Terhyon Nichols and Hasaan Sykes were also sidelined, which forced defensive coordinator Jay Bateman to adjust his plan on the fly.
Coach Will Stein said after the win that he expected most of those players to be available this week, and he made that outlook even stronger Tuesday.
“We came out healthy, which is good. Obviously, getting the win was huge, but coming out healthy as a team, I thought was very beneficial as we move forward into conference play. I’m expecting us to be at full strength for this game, which is really exciting as well for us as a team.
“This is a game where depth is needed. This is a season, a league where depth is needed. So those guys are able to go in there and provide us meaningful snaps and play winning football.”
One of the most notable names in that group is linebacker Alex Afari, who could give Kentucky a real lift against Alabama. Afari has been cleared to play a fifth year and saw a few snaps against Youngstown State after a court ruling early last week. In his Kentucky career, he has appeared in 48 games with 31 starts and has posted 193 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
“Alex Afari, we’re planning on ramping up his workload this week and playing him as much as we can,” Stein said Tuesday.
Former UK all-SEC defensive back Van Hiles said Afari’s presence could raise the level of play at linebacker, especially alongside Bo Barnes.
“If you put him next to Bo Barnes, I think that has elevated that position way higher than what I expect it to be. Now the floor is higher because of the way Bo Barnes plays and now we know what Alex Afar gives,” Hiles said. “If those two are next to each other, now the floor is really high.”
In Other News...
Kentucky Just Lost A Guard Target Mark Pope Could Feel Later
Kentucky had been in the mix for Chase Lumpkin, a highly ranked 2027 combo guard out of McEachern in Georgia, after extending him an offer and keeping itself among the schools under consideration. The recruiting race ended with Lumpkin announcing his commitment to Alabama, a notable early miss for a Wildcats staff that has been casting a wide net in the next wave of backcourt talent.
Mark Pope still has plenty of work ahead as Kentucky pushes toward the early signing period, with other top targets such as Nasir Anderson and Lewis Uvwo still on the board. Losing Lumpkin does not close the door on this class, but it does show how competitive the fight already is for elite guards and how quickly one decision can reshape the path forward. [Read more 🡒]
Will Steins First Kentucky Test Comes With A Kalen DeBoer History
Will Steins first big test at Kentucky comes with a familiar face on the other sideline, and not a particularly comforting one from his past. The Wildcats new offensive mind is set to go head-to-head with Kalen DeBoer for the first time as head coaches, adding an extra layer to a matchup that already carries plenty of intrigue for Kentucky as Stein settles into his new role.
Stein knows DeBoers track record well from his time as Oregons offensive coordinator in 2023, when the Ducks ran into Washington twice and came up short both times. He has pointed to the changes in personnel and defense since then, but the respect for DeBoers operation remains clear, especially the creativity and efficiency that have followed him from stop to stop. For Kentucky, it is a first look at how Stein handles one of the games sharper offensive coaches with no shortage of recent history between them. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky's NFL Footprint Is Bigger Than Fans Might Realize
Kentuckys reach into the NFL has become easy to miss if you only track Saturdays in Lexington, but the Wildcats are still showing up all over pro football heading into the 2026 season. Twenty-two former Kentucky players are on 53-man rosters, injured reserve lists or practice squads, and two more are working in front-office roles, a sign that the programs pipeline has stayed active well beyond the college game.
The spread is wide enough that six NFL teams have multiple ex-Wildcats on board, with Buffalo and Jacksonville standing out as the places where Kentucky talent has clustered most. The Jaguars are especially notable from a Big Blue perspective because former Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen is entering his second season as Jacksonvilles head coach, keeping a familiar name tied to a roster that already has several Wildcat connections. [Read more 🡒]