Kentucky Football Spring Practice Injury Report

The Kentucky football team reported to spring practice Monday morning without perfect attendance. Each year as soon as the season ends there is a lengthy line of players that go under the knife to repair injuries that plagued them throughout the season. It’s necessary, but typically knocks them out of contention for spring practice.

That is the case for more than a handful of Wildcats in 2023. Vince Marrow’s tight ends have been affected the most. This spring UK will be without Josh Kattus, Jordan Dingle and Brenden Bates. The latter is returning for his super senior season after he played in 11 of 12 game in 2022 with a torn labrum in his shoulder.

“He’ll be fine,” Mark Stoops said after the team’s first spring practice Monday morning. “That’s a tough position. Those tight ends, they have to do a lot and they get banged up. Batesy will be be fine. I’m really looking forward to having them back and and being at full strength. I can relate going through shoulder surgery this offseason myself, that sucks.”

The light tight end room will provide more opportunities for Izayah Cummings and early enrollee Khamari Anderson.

As expected, RB Ramon Jefferson will be sidelined as the running back recovers from season-ending ACL surgery. In the trenches, DL Kahlil Saunders and OL Nik Hall will be absent. It’s a shame Kentucky will not have Hall this spring. The redshirt freshman was a decorated high school recruit that could have played his way into the rotation.

Healthy Wildcats at Spring Practice

Now that the bad news is out of the way, some good news: Vito Tisdale is back. The explosive defensive back from Bowling Green did not play in 2022 after suffering a season-ending injury last spring. Mark Stoops said he was out there running around during their first walk-through practice of the year.

Quarterback Devin Leary is looking healthy. Even though he’s supposed to be on a throw count, Mark Stoops couldn’t tell any difference in the way he was able to participate in practice.

“He looked really good and was able to go through basically an entire practice,” said Stoops. “I’m sure that the trainers are watching him and limiting him some, but to my eye it was basically an entire practice and he was just fine and looked really good.”