Kentucky’s backfield depth took another hit this week, and this one is especially cruel for Tovani Mizell.
Head coach Will Stein said Saturday that the reserve running back suffered another season-ending injury and had surgery earlier in the week. For Mizell, it’s the latest chapter in a frustrating run of setbacks that has followed him for years.
“That’s really disappointing for him more than anything. The guy’s battled a lot of injuries here, and honestly, just had a string of bad luck.
It isn’t for a lack of want-to or working through, you know; he just had some really unfortunate injuries,” said the Kentucky head coach. “We’re praying for him, and they’re for him.
So it really sucks for him.”
Mizell entered college with plenty of buzz. He was once a four-star prospect committed to Georgia, but a knee injury before his senior season in high school changed the course of his path.
He then dealt with setbacks that kept him out during his freshman year at Kentucky. He wasn’t healthy last summer, either, though he did manage to get back in time to appear in three games for the Wildcats.
This preseason, though, he finally seemed to be turning a corner. Mizell was healthy in camp and caught the staff’s eye early.
“He’s light on his feet, very light. He looked like a horse coming out there walking around the paddock,” said running backs coach Kolby Smith.
Offensive coordinator Joe Sloan also saw plenty to like.
“He’s a thick, good-looking cat. He’s thick.
He can move laterally. I think he’s got good twitch.
He just hasn’t been healthy. So, that’s the thing.
He hasn’t gotten to play that much football the last couple years.”
Now that progress has been wiped away, Kentucky is again looking for answers at running back. The Wildcats have reportedly checked on former UCLA and SMU back TJ Harden, who got an injunction last week allowing him to play a fifth year of college football. Kentucky also added two JUCO running backs in July, Ahmir Smith and Jordan Colbert, to help shore up the room.
Mizell wasn’t the only Kentucky player with injury-related questions as fall camp opened. A few others were working through their own situations, and Stein gave an update on several of them.
RB CJ Baxter received “real reps” with the team in practice.
RB Jovantae Barnes is “Still limited.”
OG Tegra Tshabola took part in today’s scrimmage.
WR Nic Anderson ran routes this week and was “out there pre-scrimmage, running full speed.”
Stein said the group’s health matters because of what Kentucky can look like when the roster is intact.
“When we have our full strength, we look like a real SEC team. We’re really big up front. We got big receivers, big tight ends, and backs,” said the Kentucky head coach.
For now, the focus is on getting those players ready to go without pushing them too hard.
“It’s just about managing those guys’ workload, and I think we’ve done a really good job of the staff being on the same page, pushing them to where we need to get them to be, playing week one.”
In Other News...
Kentucky Is Counting On A Homegrown Lineman In A Huge Way
Malachi Wood has spent much of his Kentucky career waiting for the kind of opportunity that now appears to be right in front of him. The junior offensive lineman is positioned to step in as the Wildcats starting right tackle for the upcoming season, a notable spot for a player who has seen limited playing time but has stayed committed through coaching changes and the uncertainty that can follow them.
Woods rise matters because Kentucky is leaning on him to help anchor an offensive line that will feature several transfers around him, including Baylor transfer Coleton Price at center. The staff has been impressed by Woods talent and work ethic, and now the challenge is turning that promise into steady production when the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Jager Burton Is Forcing His Way Into A Packers Battle
Jager Burton has been one of the quieter success stories in Green Bays preseason, and the rookie offensive lineman is starting to look like more than just a depth piece. Officially listed as a backup center, Burton has caught attention for the way he has handled himself at left guard, where his blocking and overall steadiness have stood out to coaches and analysts alike. The early returns have been encouraging enough to turn a developmental player into a legitimate part of the conversation.
For a Packers line still sorting itself out, Burtons rise matters because it gives the staff another option when the roster gets healthier. Coaches have already pointed to his progress and his work ethic, and the fact that he has forced his way into a position battle says plenty about how quickly he has adapted. If the competition tightens once other players return from injury, Burton appears to have given himself a real shot to stay in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky May Be Gaining Early Ground With A Coveted Future Star
Mark Popes early work on the Kentucky basketball roster is already giving the program something to sell to the next wave of recruits. With Mark Mitchell committed for 2026-27, the Wildcats are building a future picture around talent and continuity, and that matters when the staff is trying to stay in the conversation with elite prospects who have plenty of options. It is the kind of background momentum that can shape how a younger player views Lexington before he ever steps on campus.
Benjamin Benji Berrouet looks like the sort of recruit who can turn that groundwork into a real battle. The top-ranked 2028 small forward has scheduled his first official visit to Kentucky for Oct. 9, giving the Wildcats an early chance to impress one of the most sought-after names in his class. Berrouet has drawn interest from multiple programs and recently added to his profile by earning MVP honors at the U16 FIBA EuroBasket tournament, so Kentuckys opening in this recruitment is promising even if the finish line is still a long way off. [Read more 🡒]