Kentucky trusts Chauncey Magwood to go make plays

Chauncey Magwood was a forgotten man in Kentucky’s wide receiver room heading into 2022. That is no longer the case after two games.

The former high three-star recruit out of Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County was a solid recruiting win for the Cats in the class of 2021 as the high school quarterback/receiver picked Kentucky over Arkansas and Florida State. Magwood would play 101 snaps as a true freshman but only logged one reception. Then a coaching change happened.

Liam Coen left for the NFL, and San Francisco 49ers assistant Rich Scangarello took his place in Lexington. During 15 practices in the spring, Magwood became buried on the depth chart. Now he’s getting big fourth quarter targets in SEC games.

The sophomore has made a significant rise in a short amount of time.

“One of the things I love about Chauncey is he was probably stacked at the bottom of the depth chart going into the summer,” Scangarello told reporters on Tuesday. “Never complained, did his job play after play during camp, probably got the best hands on the team. He’s got great feel as a player, he’s gritty. He can block, he’ll do the dirty work. That play he caught on third down…a lot of guys would turn that down. It was not an easy catch running full speed through that line. It’s the same play I saw him make three or four times against our defense and it’s why we chose to put him in on that play.

That play was a big one. Facing a third-and-medium on the first play of the fourth quarter, Kentucky draws up on rub concept, and Will Levis goes to Chauncey Magwood on an in-breaking route. The sophomore plucks the ball with his hands and darts up field for a 22-yard gain. The play served as a drive starter and helped the Wildcats milk some clock and play the field position game with a touchdown lead in the fourth quarter.

The fact that the coaching staff and quarterback believe in the sophomore means a lot.

“It means I got their trust now,” Magwood told KSR. “Anytime on third down or game on the line, he can go to me.”

Through two games, Chauncey Magwood is one of four receivers that has played 40-plus snaps as he joins Tayvion Robinson, Dane Key, and Barion Brown as the top options for the offense. The versatile wideout has posted a 50 percent success rate on six targets reeling in three receptions for 55 yards early in his sophomore campaign.

Football intelligence and versatility are helping Magwood carve out a role in Kentucky’s pro-style scheme.

“Chauncey can play all three positions,” Kentucky wide receivers coach Scott Woodward said about the sophomore. “He’s very smart and you can count on him. He’s got incredible hands.”

Despite the early flash plays, Chauncey Magwood is still learning. On his 25-yard reception on a pass that glanced off the hands of DeMarcus Harris, the sophomore did not do his job. Magwood was supposed to run a full go-route to clear out a defender. That didn’t happen and nearly turned into disaster on the sail concept into a Cover 3 look by Florida.

However, the entire Kentucky offense still remains confident in Chauncey Magwood. There is a lot of optimism surrounding the South Georgia native at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. The sophomore will be a key part of the offense because of his dependability, work ethic, and versatility.

“You can trust Chauncey,” said Woodward.