Ronald Gaines will miss remainder of Kentucky's season, per Mark Stoops

Transfer long snapper Ronald Gaines will miss the remainder of the 2023 season, according to Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops.

“Ronald will be out, it looks like for a year. Crazy, non-contact, pre-practice injury. Very flukish,” Stoops said. “The nice thing is we have a lot of depth there. We brought in Walker (Himebauch), who has been doing the short snaps (field goals and extra points), and did a good job with the long snaps, he is very good. Then we have Clay (Perry) back as well to back him up.”

Gaines, a sixth-year senior, came to the program after spending the past four seasons with Temple. Before that, he redshirted at Illinois as a practice body.

As a graduate transfer, Gaines has the option to use his COVID-19 waiver to receive an extra year of eligibility for an astounding seventh season of college football.

Luckily, Himebach came to the program this offseason. He was bound to transition to long-snapping eventually. Coming out of high school, the true freshman was rated as a five-star long snapper by Rubio Long Snapping.

While the injury to Gaines is a tough one, it’s nothing that should slow Kentucky down during its preparation to host No. 22 Florida, who Stoops praised mightily on Monday.

“They are always talented and well-coached, you all know that. They have been dominant on the defensive side of the ball, first in the SEC,” Stoops said during his weekly press conference. “I think they’re giving up, I think it’s less than 2.9—less than 3 yards per rush. They’re not giving up very many yards at all in the passing game, so they have been very dominant defensively.

“Offensively, very efficient. They are going to do what [Florida] coach [Billy Napier] does and that starts with being a physical football team and being committed to the run game, and then booting, play-action, and things of that nature off of the run game. Again, a great challenge, but we’re looking forward to getting home. We need the crowd packed and we need them loud. It’s going to be a big SEC East game and I’m looking forward to that challenge.”

Kickoff between the Gators and Wildcats is set for a Noon ET kickoff live on ESPN as UK looks to win its third consecutive matchup against Florida. Kentucky is a 2.5-point betting favorite over Florida at home, per Vegas Insider, and the over/under total is set at 46.5.