Josh Ali, Isaiah Epps will miss Citrus Bowl following auto accident

Kentucky will be without a pair of senior wide receivers in the Citrus Bowl. Liam Coen announced Monday afternoon that Josh Ali and Isaiah Epps will miss Kentucky’s bowl game after the two were involved in an auto accident. Neither player suffered a serious injury in the incident, but they will be unable to play against Iowa Jan. 1.

“All is well. They are okay but will not be available for the game against Iowa. They are totally fine, doing well. They’re here getting treatment. They’ve been doing all of those things. They’ve been trying to get back to be able to play but it just doesn’t look like they’ll be available for us,” said Coen. “It’s just probably not worth it for their futures.”

Ali was Wan’Dale Robinson‘s righthand man for the Wildcats, ranking second on the team in every pass-catching category in 2021 with 41 receptions for 601 yards and three touchdowns. Epps caught 11 passes for 171 yards and his first career touchdown. Members of Kentucky’s 2017 recruiting class, the accident will likely end each of their UK football careers.

Who will fill in for Ali, Epps

Regardless of the circumstance, every time one player goes down, the Wildcats immediately look to the next man up. In this case Coen singled out two players in particular to fill the void left by the seniors, DeMarcus Harris and true freshman Chauncey Magwood. Magwood appeared in almost every game for the Wildcats, catching his first career pass against Tennessee for a 17-yard gain.

“He’s a guy that we trust to play multiple different positions,” Coen said of the true freshman receiver. “Whether the ball comes their way and makes a play, I’m not sure. I mean, that’s just kind of gonna have to happen in games. You can do it as much as you want in practice, but when it’s a different situation when you go down and you’re playing in a live situation a live game, big stage, all those type of things.”

Harris came on strong in the middle of the season with a few opportunistic receptions against Mississippi State and Georgia. The redshirt sophomore totaled 10 catches for 122 yards and one touchdown.

“Harris needs to step up for us in a big way, which he has been doing, playing a significant amount of reps, giving us a ton the ability to function as an offense when we do get in to 11 and personnel to be an extra receiver there,” said Coen. “Those are the guys that we need to step up and make plays for us and contribute this win and I have faith that they’ll do that for us.”

Relying on Production Elsewhere

Without Ali and Epps, Kentucky needs to find at least 5.5 receptions from another source. That could be from Harris and Magwood, or Coen could distribute the ball to other position groups. Robinson might get another target or two, the running backs might get a screen or swing pass, but the tight ends are the ones most likely asked to do more in the Citrus Bowl.

“I definitely see myself being used a lot more now, just to get more different reps, different types of route concepts,” said tight end Izayah Cummings. “I just have to get more comfortable at these different routes I’m getting hit with, just preparing as best as I can.”

Cummings got banged up in the Louisville game, but he expects to be at full strength for the Citrus bowl.