Details, Format for 2024 Kentucky Football Spring Game

The 2024 edition of the Kentucky football spring game will not look like a traditional spring game. Typically, spring games serve as a significant early recruiting event where fans get to take in an 11-on-11 intrasquad scrimmage. A lengthy injury report on defense is forcing Mark Stoops to change things up this weekend.

“It really bothers me and it hurts that I’m not able to do more of that… I cannot do a typical go to the ground (tackling). I have eight D-linemen that can’t participate,” Stoops said following last Saturday’s practice.

“What happens is it will put everybody else at risk if I go full-tilt. O-linemen are playing against freshmen and we’re going to get more injuries. Can’t do it.”

Without an 11-on-11 full scrimmage, what will the Kentucky football spring game look like? Today we discovered details from UK Athletics and they are sparse.

“The event will begin at 1 p.m. and will feature practice segments and interactive features for fans,” UK Athletics said in a release. “Due to injuries and other challenges accrued over spring practice so far this season, full game play could be limited, but fans will still get a look at the 2024 Wildcats in Kroger Field.”

Doors open for the event at noon. In another unexpected twist, the event will not be streamed on ESPN+ or SEC Network+. UK said, “Coverage will follow on social media and on SEC Network in the coming weeks.”

Even though you cannot watch from home, it should be a great day to take in a little Kentucky football action. Forecasts call for sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 60s.

Without many concrete details, Adam Luckett and I projected our best guess as to what Saturday’s open practice will look like on 11 Personnel. There will likely be individual drills, followed by a 7-on-7 period that climaxes with a few brief 11-on-11 “team periods.” Earlier this week, new offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan shared what his unit is prioritizing as it debuts to the public.

“I think execution is where it starts. We want to simplify it as much as possible, not necessarily from a what are we showing? What are we not showing? But simplifying it for these guys so they’re able to get out there and play fast,” said Hamdan.

There has been only one Kentucky football spring game since 2019. Even though Kentucky football fans would love to see this team in action with a full scrimmage, in this instance, something is better than nothing.

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