At least four UK seniors will use extra year of NCAA eligibility to play in 2021
At least four University of Kentucky seniors are returning to the football team for an additional season.
Receiver Josh Ali, specialist Zach Johnson and tight end Justin Rigg all took to Twitter following UK’s win over N.C. State to announce their intentions of playing one more year at Kentucky. They’re taking advantage of an additional year of eligibility extended to all players by the NCAA in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Safety Davonte Robinson, a graduate of Henry Clay High School, also officially announced that he would return, though his account is private. Head coach Mark Stoops following UK’s win over South Carolina suggested that Robinson would be returning to the program in 2021.
Ali was UK’s leading receiver in a 2020 season that saw little go its way as far as the passing game was concerned. He finished the year with 53 receptions for 480 yards and a touchdown.
Rigg has started 19 of UK’s last 24 games. He’s a heralded blocker and also reeled in 12 receptions and his first TD grab of his career this season. Incoming offensive coordinator Liam Coen has coached tight ends in the past, and the Los Angeles Rams, for whom Coen currently is an assistant, employ tight ends heavily in their offense.
Johnson has been Kentucky’s primary returner on kickoffs for the last two seasons. The former walk-on returned 11 kicks for 228 yards this season.
Robinson missed all of the 2019 season due to a leg injury but started three games and played in every game in 2020. He was credited with two tackles for loss and finished with 27 total tackles this season.
“Growing up in the great city of Lexington, I always dreamed of playing football at Kentucky,” Robinson wrote in his announcement. “These past five years have been some of the best times of my life and I am ready to make even more memories next year.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2021 at 7:11 PM.
