Mark Stoops previews priority for Kentucky in the transfer portal

How is Kentucky dealing in the transfer portal so far this cycle based on what Mark Stoops’ plans were right after the season?

Following their season finale in the Governor’s Cup, Stoops spoke about the portal. He noted that most teams are changing 35 to 40 spots on their roster with transfers in and out of their programs.

“I think the norm, you know, the normal team these days are going to turn over 35-40, over 40, I mean,” Stoops estimated earlier this month. “So that is different, you know.”

Now, one month later, Kentucky is right around that total with 37 portal transactions so far with 23 leaving Lexington while 14 have come to the bluegrass. They lost some of their top contributors and those among the best players transferring like WRs Dane Key (Nebraska), Barion Brown (LSU), and Hardley Gilmore along with DL Keeshawn Silver (USC). Still, over a nine-day span prior to the holiday, UK also added all of their transfers, including highly-rated names like OT Alexander Wollschlaeger (Bowling Green), IOL Josh Braun (Arkansas), RB Dante Dowdell (Nebraska), WR Kendrick Law (Alabama), and DE Kameron Olds (Kent State).

This is just the way things are now, though, with the portal. That leaves it to coaches to decide what’s best for their teams and how many players they’re willing to add or subtract via transfers.

“Well, it is not much different, you know, anywhere. I mean, the turnover is real, right,” said Stoops. “You know, and, um, you know, as I said a couple of weeks ago and, again, I think you guys may have done the research but I think the number one team in the country has 14 portal players, right, and they recruit pretty well, you know. So not every team needs to have massive turnover. Some of them do. You know, Ole Miss put together a heck of a football team with, you know, a lot of turnover.”

“It’s different everywhere. It’s most definitely going to be different. Is there things we can do better in that area? Absolutely, you know. So I didn’t think, you know, or ever say that that was perfect or, you know, end all be all. I said that last time. It’s not end all be all. You have to have a strong nucleus of some good players and then, you know, supplement,” said Stoops. “But it is everywhere. It’s every program.”

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.