Former players explain what's wrong with Kentucky football

Wondering what’s wrong with the Kentucky football program? Some popular former Wildcats have their opinions on why the team went 4-8 in 2024 and is experiencing a massive roster reset with 15 players entering the transfer portal and counting.

No, it’s not Mark Stoops or Bush Hamdan or Brad White or Vince Marrow losing their fastballs or not being competent enough in their current positions. It’s not because the schedule is hard and the SEC is a new beast adding Texas and Oklahoma to a league that was already second to none.

Instead, it’s the NIL and portal era ruining accountability with players quick to leave at the first sign of adversity or settling once those big-time checks hit their bank accounts.

“Why everybody leaving Kentucky?” former running back AJ Rose asked. “One bad year they (gonna) get right.”

“New generation can’t stand that heat,” former nose guard Quinton Bohanna responded. “We had to make it right we couldn’t get (away) from it.”

New generation can’t stand that heat we had to make it right we couldn’t get way from it https://t.co/EyEp9Zt8w5

— Quinton Bohanna (@QBohanna) December 6, 2024

“We played for each other too,” former linebacker DeAndre Square added. “They gotta get back to that.”

“Yea too many outside factors in (their) head,” Bohanna said. “We really cared (about) each other and the school, ain’t (none) of that (no more). NIL and the portal gift & a curse.”

Yea too many outside factors in they head we really cared bout each other and the school ain’t nun of that nomo NIL and the portal gift & a curse

— Quinton Bohanna (@QBohanna) December 6, 2024

You may remember Kash Daniel sharing a similar message during the season, the former Kentucky linebacker questioning the on-field leadership and heart inside the program.

“This is what happens when you have zero leaders and an opposing team that would rather die than lose,” he said at the time.

This is what happens when you have zero leaders and an opposing team that would rather die than lose.

— Kash Daniel (@KashDaniel15) October 13, 2024

Telling coming from a group that led the program to one of its most dominant runs in school history. There is a culture issue for Kentucky football.

Kentucky Football Transfer Portal Tracker

The transfer portal does not officially open until Monday, Dec. 9, but so far we know of 15 players who will be seeking out greener pastures this offseason.

• DL Keeshawn Silver
• DB Avery Stuart
• LB Jayvant Brown
• LS Walker Himebauch
• TE Tanner Lemaster
• TE Khamari Anderson
• TE Jordan Dingle
• OL Courtland Ford
• OL Ben Christman
• DL Tommy Ziesmer
• WR Dane Key
• WR Barion Brown
• WR Anthony Brown-Stephens
• EDGE Tyreese Fearbry
• EDGE Noah Matthews

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. Keep closer tabs on the Cats with our staff-only sticky thread on KSBoard, which will have updates on departures and targets throughout the offseason. Not a KSR+ member? Try it out today.