UK football stock watch: Have Wildcats finally found more offensive playmakers to showcase?

After four straight losses spread across six weeks, the Kentucky football team finally has something to feel good about after a 48-6 blowout of Murray State.

UK’s performance must be viewed with the giant caveat of poor quality of competition, but the ability to find extensive reps for young backups, including redshirting freshmen, could prove valuable for the future. The weekly UK football stock watch takes a closer look at who is rising and who is falling after the Murray State win.

STOCK UP: Wide receiver depth

It is no surprise that a Kentucky offense that ranks 114th nationally in passing yards per game (183.4) has struggled to spread the ball around to multiple receivers, but there is at least reason to hope there are more weapons available for whoever plays quarterback in the final two games than just Dane Key and Barion Brown.

With Brown unavailable due to the rib injury he suffered at Tennessee, freshman Hardley Gilmore saw his role expand again. He was the target of multiple deep balls early in the game and had the focus to catch the deflection off a Murray State defender for a 52-yard touchdown.

For the second consecutive game, senior Ja’Mori Maclin recorded a highlight reel touchdown catch through traffic, adding another reminder of the boost he could provide UK if he returns for his final season of eligibility in 2025. Sophomore Anthony Brown-Stephens connected with freshman quarterback Cutter Boley for two second-half touchdown passes. Freshman David Washington recorded his first catch of the season in the fourth quarter.

“With Barion being down again, more opportunities probably present itself to those guys, and it’s good to see those guys make those plays and step up,” offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said. “It’s been two straight weeks of Ja’Mori making those plays. I can’t be any more proud of guy. I talked about the year hasn’t gone exactly how he’s wanted to go, and for him to continue to be one of our best practice players, continue to make it important and go reap those benefits, it says a lot about him.”

STOCK UP: Jamarion Wilcox

UK’s emerging star running back recorded his second straight 100-yard rushing game despite just totaling 13 carries. Wilcox scored his second touchdown of the season and finished with 126 all-purpose yards.

The game could have been even better if Wilcox had not had a 73-yard run negated by a holding penalty.

“He’s grown,” UK coach Mark Stoops said. “There is no denying that running ability. No doubt about it.”

While UK coaches have in the past acknowledged they had to hold Wilcox accountable for his approach outside of games, Stoops and Hamdan both downplayed that talk after his latest standout performance. Instead, they pointed to his better understanding of the offense as the reason for his expanding role.

“It’s just simple fact, you got a young back who, again, going through the spring, going through the summer, probably was thinking he was in a developmental year, and we’re throwing a lot at him,” Hamdan said. “So for me as the coordinator, I think it’s more of just a situation, we’ve talked about it where it’s not just run game. It’s protections, it’s pass game, it’s handling all those things. And I think each week he continues to improve.”

STOCK DOWN: Injury report

While cornerback Maxwell Hairston and tight end Jordan Dingle returned to the field against Murray State, Kentucky was still down seven normal starters against the Racers, including two (Deone Walker and Jamon Dumas-Johnson) who were not among the long list of unavailable Wildcats for the last game against Tennessee.

Stoops has only ruled one of those injured starters (linebacker D’Eryk Jackson) out for the remaining two regular-season games, but he also did not guarantee any would be back for next week’s game at No. 3 Texas. The status of right tackle Gerald Mincey, outside linebacker J.J. Weaver, Brown, Walker and Dumas-Johnson will bear watching on Wednesday’s availability report.

Nose guard Josaih Hayes did make his season debut against Murray State after missing the first nine games due to injury and running back Chip Trayanum played for just the second time since transferring from Ohio State, but nose guard Tavion Gadson and offensive tackle Courtland Ford both picked up injuries during the game in just their second appearances of the season. Center Eli Cox also left the game early with an injury, but it is unclear if he would have been able to return had the score been closer and need necessitated him playing.

For Kentucky to have any hope of upsetting Texas, it will need to be much closer to full strength.

This story was originally published November 18, 2024 at 8:30 AM.

Jon Hale

Lexington Herald-Leader

(859) 414-6776

Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He joined the Herald-Leader in 2022 but has covered UK athletics for more than 10 years. Hale was named the 2021 Kentucky Sportswriter of the Year. Support my work with a digital subscription