Fun Facts about the 2024 Kentucky Football Team

The first depth chart of the Kentucky football season will be released Monday ahead of Mark Stoops’ first game week press conference. You probably know the names, but how well do you know the Wildcats? KSR scoured through the player bios to find fun facts about players on this year’s team. I still can’t believe that one of them is true.

Kentucky Football Firsts

Before diving into the nitty gritty details with specific players, there are a few fun facts you probably did not know about Kentucky. The Wildcats were the first SEC school to introduce football, starting in 1881. The Cats were also the first SEC school to host a night game. Kentucky legend Shipwreck Kelly made his debut as the running back powered the Cats to a 40-0 victory over Maryville College. The first night game at Stoll Field was played before the NFL or Major League Baseball hosted a game under the lights.

There’s one more very important first boasted by the Kentucky football program. Kentucky was the first school to field an integrated football team in the SEC. The likenesses of Greg Page, Nate Northington, Houston Hogg, and Wilbur Hackett have been immortalized just outside of the gates at Kroger Field.

Kentucky in the AP Poll

Kentucky cracked the Top 25 twice in the 2023 season. The Wildcats have been featured in the AP Poll 33 times under Mark Stoops. Kentucky only made 34 such appearances between Stoops and Bear Bryant’s tenure that ended in 1953.

Cosmopolitan Kentucky Wildcats

The Kentucky football roster pulled players from 21 different states, Australia, and South Africa. That does not include linebacker Alex Afari, who grew up in Greater Cincinnati. Afari was born in Pordenone, Italy and his mother emigrated from Ghana. Afari fluently speaks Twi, a native language from the West African nation.

Alex Afari isn’t the only bilingual Wildcat. QB Brock Vandagriff is fluent in American Sign Language. If the new helmet-communication system breaks down, the Wildcat gunslinger should have no problem picking up the signals from the sideline.

Wait, that’s not his real name?

We’ve known Beau Allen for a long time. Long before he transferred back after attending a few different schools, Allen was a four-star recruit in the 2020 class from Lexington Catholic. His God-given name is not Beau Allen. You’ll find “William” on his birth certificate, the namesake of his father, who goes by Bill and also played quarterback at Kentucky.

Allen isn’t the only UK legacy recruit. Ty Bryant‘s father, Cisco, played for Jerry Claiborne in the 80s.

One Thing Kentucky Wildcats Will Never Do Again

OT Anfernee Crease: Eat sushi.
LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson: Swim in the ocean.
WR Hardley Gilmore: Participate in a hot chip challenge.
RB Tovani Mizell: Ride the Superman: Ride of Steel coaster at Six Flags.
LB Jaden Smith: Skydive.
WR David Washington Jr.: A backflip off of a house into a swimming pool.
EDGE Jacob Smith: Give up.

John Legend’s Kentucky Connection

Anthony Brown-Stephens is not the only college athlete in the family. His brother, Mike Brown-Stephens, catches passes at USF. Even though they’re both exceptional athletes, they aren’t the most famous people in the family. That title belongs to Uncle John Legend, the EGOT who hosted a NIL fundraising concert in Lexington this spring.

Another QB Transfer Success Story?

Two transfer quarterbacks have been drafted in consecutive seasons, but I’m not referring to Will Levis or Devin Leary. Brandin Echols was a high school sensation at quarterback who did not play defense until he reached the JUCO ranks. After a couple of years at Kentucky, he was drafted by the New York Jets where he has logged considerable snaps, and picked off a few passes, over the last three seasons.

Zion Childress has a similar story. He was a standout high school passer who rushed for 3,000 yards and threw for 21 touchdowns as a senior before transitioning to defense at Texas State. A big year in Lexington could put the safety on a path to following Echols’ footsteps at the NFL Draft.

A Super Duper Senior

The COVID-19 waiver led to the rise of Super Seniors in college football. Thanks to an early redshirt and a medical waiver, OT Marques Cox is entering his seventh college football season, which has to be a first at the University of Kentucky.

What People Don’t Know About These Wildcats

— DL Tommy Ziesmer is afraid of mice.

— DL Kendrick Gilbert wears glasses. It’s a revelation because sadly the redshirt freshman does not rock RecSpecs during games. We’re long overdue. It’s time to bring those back.

— Maxwell Hairston is an All-SEC cornerback, and potentially a future first-round NFL Draft pick. It turns out, the talented athlete who grew up down the road from Motown also has the voice of a songbird.

— We all know Hayes Johnson is an avid hunter. He made that abundantly clear during a call into Kentucky Sports Radio. The Taylor County native isn’t a one-trick pony. He also loves to play golf.

— Few people traveled farther to Kentucky than Jacob Kauwe. The kicker from Billings, Montana has a big boot and he’s also part Hawaiian.

— Noah Matthews is a physically impressive EDGE, but don’t be fooled by the brain. He has a brain that’s fascinated by the stock market. I can say without ever having a conversation with Matthews that he knows more than me about the S&P 500.

— Kyle Mixon is a freshman walk-on offensive lineman from Georgia. He is also a distant relative of Pocahontas. That fun fact stopped me completely in my tracks. That’s enough internet for the day.