SEC football’s new availability system gave Kentucky a little more breathing room Thursday night, and the biggest name trending in the right direction is wide receiver DJ Miller.
Under the league’s 2024 policy, both teams in SEC games now file official availability reports every Wednesday, with nightly updates and a final status check an hour before kickoff on Saturdays. Players are listed as out, doubtful, questionable or probable based on their chances to play.
For Kentucky, the latest update brought several changes. Miller, who was originally listed as probable, was removed from Thursday’s report, which points to him being good to go against No.
10 LSU. Longsnapper Cole Marszalek also moved from questionable to available and will be ready for the Tigers.
The Wildcats still have plenty of names on the unavailable list. Linebacker Alex Afari Jr., cornerback Grant Grayton, offensive lineman Aba Selm, linebacker Antwan Smith, defensive back Jaden Smith and linebacker Tavion Wallace are all out. Tavion Wallace will miss his second straight game, while Antwan Smith and Jaden Smith are also expected to sit.
Defensive tackle Kalen Edwards was downgraded from questionable to doubtful, and running back Jordan Colbert remains questionable.
Kentucky was already dealing with a shorthanded offense and defense after its game against South Carolina. Miller missed his first game of the season in that matchup, along with starting nickel Aaron Gates. Running back Jason Patterson was pulled in the third quarter, though Gates and Patterson were not on Wednesday’s initial report.
One more key piece of the puzzle: Afari Jr. remains inactive after the NCAA won an appeal in court.
Even with the injuries piling up, Kentucky is positioned to get at least three top players back on the field this week.
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Kentucky Gets One Big Boost As LSU Test Meets Injury Trouble
Kentuckys setup for LSU got a little shakier this week, with the Wildcats preparing to play without several defensive pieces and one offensive lineman as the matchup approaches. Alex Afari, Tavion Wallace, Antwan Smith, Jaden Smith and Grant Grayton are all slated to sit out, and Abe Selm is also unavailable up front, leaving Kentucky to sort through its depth on both sides of the ball for one of the SECs tougher road tests.
There was at least one bit of good news in the availability report: long snapper Cole Marszalek is expected back, helping steady a special teams unit that cant afford any extra chaos in a game like this. Kalen Edwards, meanwhile, has been downgraded from questionable to doubtful, adding another layer of uncertainty as Kentucky looks to navigate LSU with a thinner margin for error, especially with the Tigers also missing linebacker Whit Weeks because of a leg injury. [Read more 🡒]
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Will Stein Is Earning Respect Kentucky Fans Will Love
Will Stein has wasted little time giving Kentucky fans a reason to believe, and the first-year head coach has done it by looking like he belongs in the job. A 4-1 start with two SEC road wins has already changed the temperature around the program, and Steins confidence has been as noticeable as the results. Even LSU coach Lane Kiffin took note during an SEC Coaches Teleconference, praising Steins youthful edge and the way he carries himself as an offensive mind.
Kiffins comments carried extra weight because he has seen Stein up close before, including a Kentucky win over his Ole Miss team. He said Stein reminds him a bit of his own early coaching days, which is the kind of comparison that tends to land with fans in Lexington. For a coach still settling into his first season, earning that sort of respect from a rival only sharpens the sense that Kentucky may have found a steady voice at the right time. [Read more 🡒]