What’s next for Kentucky football WR Jordan Anthony after record-breaking track debut
Kentucky football’s freshman wide receiver class continues to rewrite the school’s record book.
During the 2022 season, Dane Key broke the UK freshman record for touchdown catches (six). Barion Brown broke the freshman records for catches (50) and receiving yards (628).
The football season might be finished, but the records are not for the group.
On Saturday, freshman wide receiver Jordan Anthony broke the track and field freshman record in the 60-meter dash (6.57 seconds) to win the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet in his collegiate track debut. His performance came despite Anthony having less than a week of practice since transitioning from football to track season.
“My expectations going into this meet were just to see where I’m at,” Anthony told the Herald-Leader. “Coming from football, I only practiced like two days last week.”
While Anthony is on football scholarship, he was a track star first.
Last June before enrolling at UK, Anthony won the United States under-20 title in the 200-meter dash. He broke Mississippi high school records in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes.
It should come as no surprise then that Anthony’s elite speed translated to success as a collegiate sprinter, but his performance over the weekend suggests there is even more greatness to come.
Anthony’s record-breaking time in the 60-meter dash is already the fourth-fastest time of any collegiate sprinter in the event this season. He beat UK teammate Langston Jackson, the program’s former freshman record-holder, in the finals. Only one Wildcat, Olympian Tim Harden, has ever recorded a faster time in the event while at UK.
Anthony tallied a second win in the meet as the second leg of UK’s 4-by-400-meter relay team.
On the football field, Anthony’s freshman season was a learning experience as he appeared in just two games without a reception. His speed was on display in his debut against FCS Youngstown State when he was open on a deep pass for what likely would have been a touchdown if quarterback Will Levis had not had to rush his throw due to pressure, but he took a backseat to classmates Brown and Key while redshirting.
“I felt great about it,” Anthony said. “It was a good learning experience. … I learned a lot. I’m looking forward to my redshirt freshman year.”
Anthony credits football strength and conditioning coaches Corey Edmond and Mark Hill in keeping him prepared for track season because many of the workouts they used applied to both sports.
Anthony’s time management skills are about to be put to the test. As he focuses on track season, he will continue to make time for offseason football activities.
Building chemistry with new quarterback Devin Leary will be particularly important if he wants to break into the wide receiver rotation in the fall. Anthony plans to participate in spring football practice, which usually starts in early March.
“I think sleep and eating right is the most important thing to balance,” he said. “I’m a very hard worker. When it’s time to work, it’s time to work. … If it’s important to me, it’s going to happen.”
Next up for Anthony is a sprints meet at Texas Tech on Friday. The track surface there makes Anthony optimistic he can break his own UK freshman record again.
He does not want to limit himself by setting specific time goals for the season. Instead, he is focused on winning an SEC championship as a freshman.
After breaking a record with so little practice time, it is easy to see while Anthony has big goals both on the track and the football field.
“6.57 (seconds) is nothing right now,” he said.
This story was originally published January 16, 2023 at 7:00 AM.