Kentucky at SEC Media Days: What You May Have Missed

When Kentucky takes its turn at SEC Media Days it feels like you’re drinking from a fire hydrant. The content is flying fast and furiously. Trying to keep up can feel like a bit much. Allow me to make it all more palatable. First up, all of the articles from Wednesday:

• Freddie Maggard’s SEC Media Days Diary: Day Three
• Mark Stoops still monitoring Chris Rodriguez’s situation, availability
• Will Levis is Self-Motivated to Improve this Offseason
• Jordan Anthony is so fast Stoops is worried he’ll bolt for the Olympics
• Making a Case for Kentucky
• Kentucky Football has One Goal: Return to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game
• Blue-chip recruits must become playmakers soon at Kentucky
• Depth Chart Podcast: Kentucky Steals the Spotlight at SEC Media Days
• Will Levis names dream golf foursome and best golfer on the Kentucky football team
• Stoops wants his mom in the stands when he breaks Bear Bryant’s record
• “No answers”: Mark Stoops opens up on issues facing college football
• Preseason All-SEC Projection: Offense
• Preseason All-SEC Projection: Defense

And now, the rest of the meat and potatoes.

No News on Chris Rodriguez

While the BBN did not receive any clarity surrounding the Wildcats’ star running back, we did learn a few more things about the roster. Dane Key is a starting wide receiver right now for Kentucky. Tennessee transfer Dee Beckwith will play offense, but where? “We’re going to keep it close to the vest,” Stoops said. Expect to see him do things from the hybrid tight end/H-back role.

Mark Stoops also confirmed that Ole Miss transfer Keidron Smith will line up at cornerback for the Cats. In Oxford he did a little bit of everything in the secondary, bouncing between safety, nickel and corner. His size and experience is much-needed on the outside.

One Bold Prediction for Kentucky

The SEC Network’s Chris Doering is picking Kentucky to knock off Georgia in November at Kroger Field. The former Florida pass-catcher said it on Wednesday, then doubled-down on his prediction Thursday morning.

“On the 19th of November … Kentucky knocking off Georgia, the defending national champions.”@ChrisDoering makes his bold prediction for the 2022 SEC 🏈 season 👀 pic.twitter.com/MSTWRniWAc

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) July 21, 2022

The Mics Broke when Mark Stoops took the SEC Media Days Stage

In the decade or so I’ve been attending various SEC Media Days, this was a first. When Mark Stoops completed his uncharacteristically lengthy opening statement, he kicked it to the gallery. The Big Js tried to ask questions, but the mics did not work. Thankfully, Bob Holt was there to carry the torch until the technical difficulties were cured.

DeAndre Square’s Emotional Relationship with Chris Oats

Chris Oats continues to make progress while rehabilitating from a stroke he suffered ahead of the 2020 Kentucky football season. Each time DeAndre Square sees a clip of Oats’ progress, it warms his heart.

It’s an emotional experience for Square. The two arrived in Lexington at the same time. They played the same position. They each got to be on the travel squad as true freshmen. He recalled holding Oats’ hand during the fourth quarter comeback at Missouri. There was too much tension to even watch. Square would not let Oats open his eyes for the final play, afraid he might jinx it. Square and Oats are brothers bonded forever.

Will Levis did the Mayo Thing

You knew at least one of his stops would involve some sort of odd food consumption. CBS put him up to the task.

Have you ever had Mayonnaise with your morning coffee?@UKFootball QB @will_levis is known to dabble w/ said combo 😳 pic.twitter.com/ZuR92Toa4m

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) July 20, 2022

We’ve all seen that before. There is one thing I did not realize or understand until this week. Will Levis has been coached by SIX different offensive coordinators since he began playing college football. That’s obscene. At least he should have no problem learning new things from Rich Scangarello. New coaching is an old hat for Kentucky’s QB1.

That’s not everything, but it’s a nice little sample of what went down on Wednesday. Freddie Maggard and I discussed it on The Depth Chart Podcast and KSR’s YouTube Channel.