Mark Stoops calls upcoming offseason huge for Kentucky

The 2024 offseason is massive for the SEC as a whole given the addition of two new teams and the scheduling overhaul breaking apart the longstanding East and West divisions.

For a middling SEC program like Kentucky and head coach Mark Stoops, this first offseason in the new era of the conference is crucial to develop a team that can still hold its ground among the other 15 powerhouses. The Wildcats put together back-to-back 7-6 seasons the last two years following a 10-3 mark in 2021. However, even reaching that record becomes tougher starting next fall.

That’s why Stoops and UK hit the portal again this year for some major players. The Wildcats aren’t as prolific in taking transfers as some schools, but they’ve found success landing a couple of big fish each offseason to fill needs.

“It’s free agency, and you have to make sure you’re putting yourself in a position to make a team better,” Stoops said recently of the additions he and his staff made in the portal cycle. “It’s huge. The offseason is huge right now.”

The Wildcats landed some big names from fellow SEC schools as well, like former All-American Georgia starter Jamon Dumas-Johnson at linebacker, and another Bulldog in former five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff. There’s also former Tennessee starting right tackle Gerald Mincey who’s flipped allegiances north of the border.

Even with those additions already on board, Stoops says Kentucky will still be aggressive adding more talent if they see a good fit.

“I think we have a very good football team we’re putting together for next year that we’re going to try to keep on adding pieces to,” said Stoops.

“But I think we have an opportunity to have a very good team, and we just have to stay the course and adapt to the way things are and continue to bring in great transfers like Ray (Davis) and the others that we have and guys that fit our culture and continue to give us a chance to win.”

Davis, an intra-SEC transfer from Vanderbilt, became the latest in a long line of terrific UK running backs this past season, and he was far from the only transfer to provide major contributions.

In order to maintain or even improve the success Kentucky has had of late, Mark Stoops knows that internal development is important, but also alongside some very impactful older transfers. The transfer class is strong. Now, it’s up to this spring and summer for these Wildcats to develop.