Kentucky has a big game looming before closing the door on its tumultuous season, and Mark Stoops' focus has been divided between devising a game plan to beat rival Louisville in the annual Governor's Cup game and managing the Wildcats' roster going into a pivotal offseason for his program.
National signing day has been moved up this season and has flipped positions with the transfer portal opening. High school and junior college prospects will now sign between Dec. 4-6 in the early period, while the ever-growing transfer portal will open on Dec. 9.
The Wildcats have a lot of work ahead of them in order to improve the roster for 2025.
“I think you just learn from any situation, any type of recruiting, whether it is high school or portal or any situation like that," Stoops said Monday during his weekly press luncheon. "I think you always have to do the best you can, evaluate it, and make sure we get some problems fixed.”
Chief among those issues is the offensive line. Kentucky ranks 113th nationally in scoring offense (21.2 ppg), 115th in total offense (330.6 ypg), and managed just 10 offensive touchdowns in eight SEC games this season. Those numbers have led to a 4-7 record and the likely end to UK's eight-year bowl game streak.
Three O-Line starters will likely be moving on after this season, including center Eli Cox and tackles Marques Cox and Gerald Mincey, and there is not a great deal of depth on the current roster.
“I think we have to get in the portal with some positions, but I feel good about the inside pieces," Stoops said. "We need some depth at center. ... It is no mystery that we need some help at tackle. Inside, with Jager (Burton), Jalen (Farmer) Aba (Selm) and Dylan (Ray), are all guys that have played good football for us inside. We need to go get some help at tackle for sure.”
Offensive linemen have been a hot commodity in the portal, Stoops has noted, but he also says UK is better prepared for the NIL market competition than in previous years.
"We're in a better position right now than I have ever been," he said. "Hopefully that will carry over. That doesn't mean it’s an end-all, be-all, but we've worked hard behind the scenes to put ourselves in a position to try to catch up."
Kentucky also hopes it can continue the trend of keeping its best talent in Lexington. To date, the Cats have lost very few starters or impact players to the portal.
Could that change after a disappointing 2024 season?
"We’ve been fortunate," Stoops said. "That’s not to say it’s always going to stay that way. Whatever it is, nobody needs to panic. We have an opportunity to get this roster fixed, and work hard, and that’s my plan – to work hard, to get the pieces in place. I’ve worked hard to get resources in place, and I have to do that. We have to get it done. So that’s the plan."
Kentucky needs some attrition to take place in order to get its scholarship numbers aligned. All SEC programs went through this season unsure if they would have the typical 85 scholarship limit or if the league was going to move to a larger number like 95 or 105 that some conferences may adopt.
Only recently the league announced it will play at least one more season at the 85 limit, which means UK will likely need about 10 players who otherwise may have returned to leave the program.
Due to the change in the early signing period date, there will be no in-home visits competing for Stoops' time. Nor will the Cats be practicing for a bowl game, so his full focus should be on constructing an improved roster for 2025.
"There will be a lot going on," he said.
