Kentucky will recognize 22 seniors on Saturday, but some could be back in 2022
The final opponent Kentucky will host at Kroger Field this season isn’t the type that puts butts in seats, but Mark Stoops hopes fans will bring the kind of energy for New Mexico State that they did for the Cats’ last three opponents.
Even with temperatures projected to reach the 50s on Saturday, a noon kickoff against a 1-9 football team without a conference to call home is a tough sell. The Aggies have lost six straight, their latest a 59-3 shellacking handed out by Alabama, which announced a crowd of 97,011 (about 4,000 shy of a sellout). New Mexico State got a $1.9 million dollar check for its trouble last weekend; Kentucky is paying out $1.2 million for the Aggies’ visit this Saturday.
“I encourage and ask our fans to continue to come out and support,” Stoops said during his weekly news conference Monday. “It’s been an amazing year as far as their presence and packing the stadium. We greatly appreciate it. This’ll be the last time quite a few players are playing in this stadium.”
Kentucky will officially recognize 22 of its 28 seniors during Saturday’s Senior Day ceremony. Three of its “super seniors” — Josh Ali, Luke Fortner and Justin Rigg — were honored during the 2020 season. Three others — linebacker Jacquez Jones, wide receiver Clevan Thomas and offensive lineman Naasir Watkins — aren’t “super seniors” but aren’t participating in the senior recognition. Their absence immediately begs the question: Have they decided already to return for another season of play under the COVID-19 waiver?
“Don’t read too much into that. I mean, we had guys walk last year that are playing and that aren’t walking again because they’re like, ‘Dude, we walked last year,’” Stoops said with a laugh. “So we’re like, ‘Well, you played another year. At least get the shirt.’ ... We tried to be very thorough with with the COVID year. It makes things a little bit complex, you know, and some guys may walk and come back. You know, so don’t don’t read too much into that. It’s kind of what they want to do.”
At least one senior taking part in Saturday’s pregame festivities won’t be on Kentucky’s roster come spring. Darian Kinnard projects to be one of the first offensive tackles off the board when the NFL Draft rolls around come April. He was named co-Offensive Lineman of the Week by the Southeastern Conference following the Wildcats’ 34-17 win at Vanderbilt, in which he played “exceptionally well,” according to Stoops.
Kinnard returned to UK with intentions of playing left tackle — historically the position on NFL offensive lines that attracts the biggest contracts — but continued to be a better fit at right tackle, where he was a First Team All-American last season, after the Cats added Dare Rosenthal — a prototypical left tackle with less positional flexibility — from the transfer portal late in the summer. Stoops believes Kinnard, who probably would have been a middle-round selection in this year’s draft, has improved his stock with an additional year in Lexington.
“When you’re built like him, you can play just about any position,” Stoops said. “Maybe not center cause he hasn’t done that, but he’s so big that he could be a dominant guard. ... For us, he’s just been very unselfish. He could play right or left.”
Josh Paschal is another senior honoree who probably won’t be back in blue come 2022. Stoops was asked Monday about the draft prospects of Paschal, who’s shuffled positions multiple times in his career but has this season played at defensive end. He reminds Stoops of Earl Mitchell, who played for 10 seasons as a defensive tackle in the NFL; at Arizona, where Stoops coached Mitchell, he was a fullback.
The former four-star prospect’s recruitment was free of “bells and whistles,” Stoops says, and Paschal brought an “all-in” mentality with him to UK from day one. Like Kinnard, he started contributing right away as a true freshman, but his career was briefly sidetracked after doctors discovered a cancerous melanoma ahead of his sophomore season. You’d never know that ever happened based on his play, but also his demeanor.
“I mean this,” Stoops said. “I’ve coached a long time, and some really good football players and some amazing individuals. He’s, if not No. 1, it’s hard to beat him as far as a person and the way he empties his tank and the way he goes about his business, the way he impacts players.”
Notes
▪ In addition to Kinnard and Paschal, Kentucky’s other senior honorees are: Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald; Tyrell Ajian; Marquez Bembry; Zac Berezowitz; Yusuf Corker; Cedrick Dort; Austin Dotson; Darren Edmond; Isaiah Epps; Colin Goodfellow; Collin Hartmann; Zach Johnson; Tyler Markray; Marquan McCall; Quandre Mosely; William Nalty; Davonte Robinson; Matt Ruffolo; DeAndre Square; and Jordan Wright.
▪ Kentucky’s final regular-season game at Louisville is scheduled for Nov. 27 but still doesn’t have a kickoff time or network broadcast announced. Those bits of information won’t be decided until after the completion of Saturday’s contests.
Next game
New Mexico State at Kentucky
When: Noon Saturday
TV: SEC Network
