Kentucky has confidence in rebuilt kicking game

Jay Boulware was hired by Mark Stoops in the offseason to coach running backs, but his biggest job will come in another area. The former full-time assistant coach at Oklahoma and Texas is the sole special teams coordinator for Kentucky this season. Boulware is looking to fix a kicking game that had a litany of issues in 2023.

To address the issues, Kentucky brought in new players at each position. Some were scholarship additions, and others were walk-on additions. There were transfers and high school signees. A lot of change is coming to Kentucky’s kicking game.

Alex Raynor is Kentucky’s new starting placekicker

Alex Raynor was a three-year starter at Georgia Southern where the placekicker went 45 of 59 (.763) on field goals and 110 of 113 (97.3%) on extra point attempts. Raynor has played in 36 career games and was 18 of 20 on field goals last season with a long of 46 yards.

The summer enrollee quickly seized the starting placekicker position during Kentucky’s fall camp.

“He’s been very, very solid. Very solid. The last time we kicked under some pressure the other day he was 9 of 10, and he missed a last one of 55 and it had the length,” Stoops told reporters on Monday. “He’s been very smooth and it’s been very consistent. Let’s keep it that way.”

Confidence is high in the new specialist.

Kentucky will have 2 snappers in 2023

Placekicker wasn’t the only position Kentucky needed help with in the third phase. Snapping was a major issue for the Wildcats last year. To fix the issue, Jay Boulware added two long snappers to the roster, and each carved out a starting role during fall camp.

True freshman Walker Himebauch will serve as the team’s snapper on field goals, and Temple transfer Ronald Gaines will handle punts. Kentucky has confidence in both players.

“Walker has been more consistent at the short snapping. He’s a guy that we feel very, very confident in. Ironically, his dad actually is the o-line coach for my brother Bob with the XFL. A coach’s son,” Stoops said. “He’s been very consistent with his short snapping, and its been smooth. Been a smooth operation.”

“Ronnie comes in with some real good experience and some games under his belt with the long snaps with the punts.”

Kentucky has committed resources to fix the kicking game

At the other spot, Wilson Berry returns and will open the season as Kentucky’s starting punter. Chance Poore returns as a super senior and will be Kentucky’s starting kickoff specialist. The Wildcats have spent scholarship capital adding multiple players to the roster. In practice, UK has devoted time in open practice settings to the kicking game.

“We’ve worked really hard at it. I feel like it’s improved. I like the leadership that we have and the players and the commitment that we’ve shown,” Stoops told reporters. “Now we gotta go put it on film.”

Now it’s time to see if the new personnel can deliver the goods when everything goes live on Saturday.