KSR Today: Kentucky Football at Kroger Field in the Spring Showcase

Boy, does this feel good to say: IT’S FOOTBALL TIME IN THE BLUUUUUUUUEGRASS!

Kentucky football is back as Mark Stoops’ squad completes their 15th and final practice of the spring season. Kroger Field will be open to the general public beginning at 10 AM EST for the Spring Showcase. Admission is free for all fans and there is free parking in the Red, Green, Blue, and Orange lots. Be prepared for some areas of the stadium to be blocked off ahead of next weekend’s Tyler Childers concert.

What exactly will the Spring Showcase look like? Different, in so many ways.

The roster turnover is jarring. That’s what the program needed, but it’s still stunning to see so many new names and new numbers. Take a closer look at the roster to get yourself acquainted before you watch the Wildcats in action.

The good news is we will get to see almost all of those new players pop some pads on the football field. We expect most of the event to be an 11-on-11 scrimmage. It’s unlikely that they will tackle all the way to the ground, but beggars can’t really be choosers.

This morning’s Kentucky football event at Kroger Field will not provide a moment of offseason enlightenment. It’s another datapoint that should help tell us if Mark Stoops is moving this program in the right direction.

.@UKCoachStoops talked with @rcobb18 about what to expect tomorrow at the Spring Showcase presented by Kroger. pic.twitter.com/NtT4o0cPO2

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) April 11, 2025

The event is not televised, but we will have you covered all morning with play-by-play on KSBoard. You can join KSR+ now, or catch updates on the KSR Live Blog. We’ll also be on the YouTube Channel with a Rapid Reaction and highlights once all of the action from Kroger Field concludes.

Kentucky Hosting Lengthy List of Visitors

Not only is this a chance for Kentucky fans to see their favorite team, it’s the tentpole recruiting event of the spring. Most players wait to officially visit until June. Kentucky got a pair of four-star talents, QB Oscar Rios and LB Terry Wiggins, to arrive on campus in April. Hopefully, dibs is the trump-card in these recruitments.

In addition to the OVs, there will be a few dozen unofficial visitors on campus to see the Cats. It includes a four-star linebacker, a Top 100 prospect in the 2027 class, and a talented Louisville Trinity prospect who will be at the center of a Red and Blue recruiting battle. Take a closer look at the most noteworthy visitors on the guest list.

Kentucky Baseball Hosts Texas

It’s a two-for-Saturday for Big Blue Nation. Part of the reason why Kentucky is hosting is Spring Showcase at 10 AM is because the Bat Cats are in action this afternoon right across the street. Kentucky will host No. 2 Texas at Noon. You can watch all of the action on the SEC Network.

In the first game between the two programs in Lexington, Kentucky got an early leg up on the Horns.  Shaun Montoya blasted a Big Blue Bomb over the rightfield wall to give the Cats a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning. Unfortunately, it was not meant to last. Texas picked up five earned runs on seven hits off of right-handed reliever Scott Rouse over 3 2/3 innings to pull away with a 6-3 win.

MY NAME IS SHAUN MONTOYA! YOU THREW ME A PITCH, NOW WATCH IT FLY! (iykyk)

B6 | UK 2, TEX 1@shaunmontoya10 📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/2bcX7nuUYQ

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 12, 2025

Two Kentucky Wildcats in the Nike Hoop Summit

Following the late defection from Acaden Lewis, there are now only two players in Mark Pope’s first full high school recruiting class. Both of them will be featured in a prolific all-star game tonight. Malachi Moreno and Jasper Johnson will showcase their skills in the Nike Hoop Summit. You can catch all of the action at 10 PM EST on USA Network.

Another Portal Target Off the Board

Almost every day, there’s a new bit of Kentucky roster news. This isn’t as significant as some of the other bombs we received this week, but it’s still noteworthy.

Alvaro Folgueiras was one of the first Kentucky frontcourt options that surfaced in the transfer portal. Once we learned the Spaniard from Robert Morris’ name, we didn’t hear much else. As Kentucky collected more pieces from the portal, it became clear that he wasn’t their top option. We learned on Friday that UK has moved on as Alvaro scheduled visits to Iowa, Providence, and Villanova.

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Future Star Shines at Keeneland

Carl Spackler already had a resume with multiple graded stakes wins. He closed out 2024 with a win at Keeneland, before finishing 6th in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. The horse returned to Keeneland on Friday and dominated the Maker’s Mark Mile. This horse will be a force in the turf division for the rest of 2025.

There are two stakes races on today’s Keeneland card, the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley for Fillies and Mares, and the Lexington Stakes, a Grade III that will award a few Kentucky Derby points to the winner. None of the entrants appear to be close enough to reach the Derby starting gate, but you will find a few of these horses in the Preakness. Down at Oaklawn Park, 2024 Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna is making her 4-year-old debut in the Apple Blossom.