Ben Duncum’s path to Kentucky didn’t follow the usual script. Just two days before national signing day, the 6-foot-5, 255-pound defensive lineman from Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, found himself in limbo. He’d just wrapped up a recruiting call with Kentucky defensive line coach Anwar Stewart when the news broke: head coach Mark Stoops had been fired.
“It was definitely crazy,” Duncum said. And that’s putting it lightly. For two days, there was radio silence from Stewart, and with signing day looming, Duncum wasn’t sure where things stood.
But as the dust started to settle, a familiar name emerged as the frontrunner for the Kentucky job-Will Stein. That’s when things started to click for Duncum.
Stein had once coached at Lake Travis under Hank Carter, Duncum’s current high school coach. That connection turned out to be a game-changer.
“I asked my coach about him, and Coach Carter got hold of him pretty quickly to confirm everything,” Duncum said. “I called Coach Stew and he told me he was going to stay too, so I was ready to sign.”
That reassurance was huge. In the high-stakes world of college football recruiting, relationships matter just as much as facilities and depth charts. Duncum had a strong bond with Stewart-who’s built a reputation for developing NFL-caliber defensive linemen-and knowing he’d still be in Lexington helped solidify the decision.
“Coach Stew was the dude who wanted me the most out of any coach,” Duncum said. “He acted like he cared and was so genuine.
Every year Kentucky has a good D-line. I wanted to play for him.”
Duncum, a four-star prospect ranked among the top 300 players nationally by Rivals, had no shortage of options. Auburn, Colorado, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Wisconsin, and Houston were all in the mix. But it was Kentucky that stuck with him through the chaos-and that mattered.
“Coach Carter having that connection made it a lot easier for me,” Duncum said. “I loved Kentucky but did not want to go there with no connection. I wanted to have some ties to someone, so Coach Carter knowing him (Stein) made a big difference.”
The final piece of the puzzle came when Stein, fresh off being officially named head coach, called Duncum at 6 a.m. the morning of signing day. The two talked about Lake Travis, about Coach Carter, and about the kind of program Stein wanted to build at Kentucky.
“He was excited and talked a lot about Coach Carter and working for him,” Duncum said. “Coach Carter said he was a really smart guy and very ambitious. He’s a nice, genuine dude that is really easy to like and respect.”
That kind of endorsement carries weight, especially coming from Carter-a coach who’s seen his share of elite talent. Under Carter, Lake Travis went 26-4 during Stein’s two-year stint as offensive coordinator. And when it comes to Duncum’s potential, Carter doesn’t mince words.
“He played on the edge for us but also played inside when he was younger,” Carter said. “For a big guy, he is athletic and can bend.
He’s explosive and can run a 4.7 or 4.8. He is still growing into his body and I think eventually he will be a mountain of a man, the kind of player you have to have in the SEC.”
It’s not just the physical tools, either. Duncum comes from a football family-his grandfather played in the NFL, his dad suited up for Texas, and his brother played at SMU. The game runs deep in his bloodline, and Carter says that shows in how he approaches the game.
“Football is very important to him and he cares about it a lot,” Carter said. “He grew up knowing that being a good football player was part of his pedigree.
He got a flurry of over 30 offers last spring. Only two or three of them fired him up and Kentucky was definitely one of the three-and that never really changed.”
Now, with the coaching carousel behind him and his signature on the dotted line, Duncum is locked in. Kentucky gets a high-motor, high-upside defensive lineman with SEC size and a relentless drive to improve. And Duncum gets the kind of coaching continuity and personal connection that can make all the difference in a young player’s development.
It wasn’t the smoothest recruiting journey. But in the end, the Wildcats landed a player who feels like he belongs-and that’s a win on and off the field.