Kentucky turned over wide receiver room almost instantly

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Heading into the 2020 season, Kentucky entered the year with high expectations. There was some real talent on defense, and the offense had one of the best lines in college football to go along with a senior quarterback. However, wide receiver was a huge question mark.

After the SEC only regular season, Mark Stoops decided his program needed a facelift on offense. The top goal would be rebuild a passing game that had be woeful for multiple seasons.

Liam Coen was brought in from the NFL to run the show, and former Pittsburgh quality control coach Scott Woodward was the new wide receivers coach at Kentucky. After hitting the transfer portal to address quarterback with Will Levis and bringing home Wan’Dale Robinson from Nebraska, the staff worked quickly to rebuild the wide receiver room.

In the class of 2021, Kentucky signed three receivers — Chris Lewis, Chauncey Magwood, Devonte Ross— and was able to hold off some big suitors for both. Unfortunately, Ross never arrived on campus and will be suiting up for Troy in 2022. This was just the start.

With Coen and Woodward helping the recruiting efforts, Kentucky inked four receivers in the class of 2022 — Jordan Anthony, Barion Brown, Dane Key, and Brandon White. Both Brown and Key were significant wins as four-star prospects while both Anthony and White are bringing some elite speed to the table.

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After a bunch of success with Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky went back into the transfer portal and landed both Javon Baker (Alabama) and Tayvion Robinson (Virginia Tech). Each is expected to have a big role in the offense this fall.

On Friday, super senior Clevan Thomas Jr. decided to enter the transfer portal. That gives the program four former wideouts who have left the program since the season ended. Currently, DeMarcus Harris and Tae Tae Crumes are the only scholarships receivers remaining that were on the roster in 2020.

In the transfer portal era, things can change fast. Kentucky was able to flip the wide receiver room, and the passing game in 2022 will enter the season with high expectations under new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello because of it.