Former Kentucky RB Michael Drennen Emerges in the MAC

“What happened to Michael Drennen?” It’s a question I received often this offseason. Despite receiving almost daily updates on the waiver wire, a.k.a. the college football transfer portal, the former Kentucky running back’s name never surfaced anywhere. Now a few weeks into the college football season, we finally have an answer.

Michael Drennen is back in his home state of Ohio, playing in the MAC. Even though UK has a pair of MAC opponents on the schedule, his school is not on the slate. Drennen is on the roster at Toledo.

Wearing No. 25 for the Rockets, he did not appear in the season-opening loss to Illinois. Drennen had seven carries in week two for 28 yards and scored a touchdown in Toledo’s 71-3 victory over Texas Southern. He also caught a pair of passes for 16 yards.

Drennen was a high-profile addition to Kentucky’s 2020 recruiting class. The only player to commit on February’s National Signing Day, he turned down USC to sign with the Wildcats. Drennen, a product of Dublin Coffman High School, was the No. 252 player in the country, doubling as a running back and wide receiver. With a nickname “Donut,” he quickly became an endearing figure around the Big Blue Nation.

He began his Kentucky career as a slot receiver, then shifted to running back in 2021. Liam Coen gave him a few opportunities to shine, but production never materialized. Drennen was still in Lexington last fall but was not on the sideline for the Cats. He entered the transfer portal in December, finishing his Kentucky career with the following stat line: seven carries for 17 yards and one score to go with five grabs for 29 yards.

Other Former Wildcats at Toledo

He’s not the first former Mark Stoops running back to test his mettle in the MAC. Bryant Koback spent one season in Lexington before transferring closer to home to play for Toledo where he became a bonafide star. In 2021, his final college football season, he wracked up 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns to earn First Team All-MAC honors. He ended his career with more than 4,000 rushing yards and has spent the last two years on NFL practice squads.

Another Kentucky transfer has played with both running backs. Cavon Butler made the move to Toledo after the 2019 season. Now in his third year as a starter on the Toledo defensive line, Butler has totaled 42 tackles and three for loss at his second college stop.

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The 2020 Recruiting Class in Hindsight

The Wildcats’ 2020 recruiting class was one of the best in school history, finishing No. 22 in the country. Stars matter, just not as much as production. This class has not had a lot of it.

The top-three ranked players all ended their careers elsewhere, and Justin Rogers was the only one who earned significant playing time in Lexington. Of the 23 commits, 14 ended their college careers elsewhere, or just quit playing football all together. That class does still have a few starters on this year’s team: D’Eryk Jackson, Andru Phillips, Izayah Cummings, Octavious Oxendine, Josaih Hayes and Jeremy Flax.

When the dust settles, the two most productive players in this class will likely be the lowest-ranked recruits to sign in 2020, D-Jack and Carrington Valentine. That is why Mark Stoops’ mantra is “Recruit and Develop.” The latter is just as important as the former.