Kentucky Football Countdown: 98 Days till Kickoff

KSR is counting down the days until football returns to Kroger Field. We cannot profile a player on each day, so this will allow us time to shed light on some of the best to wear No. 98. But first, this year’s No. 98 on the Kentucky football team.

Isaiah Beasley — A defensive lineman from North Hardin High School, he formed a dominant defensive line alongside Octavious Oxendine. The Trojans went 13-1 in 2019 with Wildcats La’Vell Wright and Jordan Lovett making plays on both sides of the ball. A walk-on, Beasley made the Dean’s List and earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2020.

Myron Pryor — A staple on the defensive line during the most successful stint of Rich Brooks’ tenure, Pryor recorded 20 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks between 2005-08. The Louisville Central product served up his best for the hometown team. His scoop and score provided an exclamation point in Kentucky’s 27-2 win over the Cards in 2008.

Vincent “Sweat Pea” Burns — One of the best nicknames in Kentucky football history, Sweet Pea was an absolute monster in the trenches. He accounts for two of the top eight TFL seasons in Kentucky football history (02-03), recording 37 throughout his career from 2002-04. He was tied for second with Bud Dupree and Marlon McCree, until Josh Allen came to UK. Josh Paschal is now in the same company with Sweet Pea, racking up 37 TFLs during his time in Lexington.

Jerry “Haus” Bell — An absolute animal in the trenches, Jerry Bell was Kentucky’s Paul Bunyan in the late 80s and early 90s. He used sheer strength and will power to throw opponents aside. He delivered the hardest hit Emmitt Smith ever took in his record-breaking football career. Even though Jerry passed away this spring, his legacy lives on.

The 1998 Wildcats

One of the most exciting Kentucky football seasons in my lifetime, Tim Couch was an electric factory. The season opened in spectacular fashion. In the first game ever at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, Couch threw for a school record 498 yards as the Cats racked up a total of 801 in a 68-34 blowout victory. Couch broke countless Kentucky and SEC passing records to earn a spot in New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. The Cats finished the regular season 7-4 to earn a spot in the Outback Bowl, Kentucky’s first New Year’s Day bowl game since the 1952 Cotton Bowl.