This week, Kentucky added four players from the transfer portal to complete its 2025 football roster. The details matter less for these depth additions. Reaching the magic number of 85 allows us to take a big picture look at what Mark Stoops did this offseason.
It was clear that Kentucky needed a roster overhaul following a 4-8 campaign. Ask, and you shall receive.
There were 29 transfer portal departures. Only 40 players from the 2024 Kentucky football team will be on the sideline in 2025. That’s a roster retention rate of 47%.
Kentucky is bringing in 21 high school signees, most of which will not be able to contribute immediately. There are 24 first-year transfers, and about 15 of those will be expected to play a significant role for the Wildcats this fall.
A Completely New Kentucky Offense
The Kentucky offense was apoplectic in 2024. Three quarterbacks received significant snaps, and one of those retired at the end of the year. They did not have a running back rush for more than 600 yards and only one receiver with more than 400 yards. It was bad.
It was clear the roster needed a makeover, but Mark Stoops wanted continuity from the coaching staff. There was only one change. Wide receivers coach Daikiel Shorts left for Nebraska. Second-year offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan was tasked to hand pick his new offense. When I say new, it’s brand spanking new.
There are only 14 returning scholarship players on offense. Only ten of them have played meaningful snaps in an SEC football game. From a production standpoint, Jamarion Wilcox has the highest output on his resume, with 590 yards and two touchdowns. There are only three offensive linemen who have started in an SEC game for the Wildcats: Jager Burton, Jalen Farmer, and Malachi Wood.
A Huge Void in High School Recruiting Production
Even though Kentucky is returning 47% of its players from last year’s roster, most of those players have not been on campus for long. They are signees from the 2023 and 2024 recruiting class who spent time redshirting or playing on special teams.
Many of the noteworthy contributors who are returning have played for another school. By my count, only 11 returning players who have logged meaningful snaps were recruited by Kentucky out of high school.
Transfer Portal Flip Makes it Hard for Casual Kentucky Football Fans
A drastic roster change was needed. One of the unintended consequences is that it’s left very few recognizable players on the roster.
Most fans know Cutter Boley, but he won’t be the starting quarterback this fall. The same applies for Jamarion Wilcox, a popular player for many fans who will not be RB1 when the season begins. Josh Kattus and Jager Burton have been around for a while. Can a center and a tight end be marketable players?
Kentucky football fans desperately want to see this program play winning football. Over the next three months, it will be a challenge for the program to create a clear identity they can sell to the fans as a winner, without recognizable names at the forefront.
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