Mark Stoops doesn't expect any opt-outs for Citrus Bowl

Kentucky’s roster will be fully loaded when they take on Iowa.

According to Wildcat head coach Mark Stoops, UK should not be missing any of its players due to postseason opt-outs. Kentucky will travel down to Orlando for a New Year’s Day matchup against the Hawkeyes with the full 2021 roster.

“Not that I know of, no,” Stoops said on Thursday in response to whether or not any players would opt-out of the bowl game. The head coach quickly glanced over at UK Football SID Susan Lax, who agreed with him.

Players opting out of bowl games isn’t anything new to college football and there are perfectly good reasons why (unless you’re talking to Dabo Swinney, who is quite literally turning into The Simpsons “Old Man Yells At Cloud” meme). Outside of the playoff and a few of the big-name bowls, a lot of them are cash grabs. A talented player with NFL potential forgoing that in order to protect himself in the long term should never be questioned.

That being said, Kentucky never seems to have an issue of players not playing in bowl games. It doesn’t matter how big or small the bowl, everyone suits up. Even the ones with first-day NFL Draft stock stick around.

For UK, this means the likes of Wan’Dale Robinson, Darian Kinnard, Luke Fortner, Josh Paschal, and any others expected to make the jump to the professional ranks, will participate in the Citrus Bowl. On the flip side, Iowa has already seen its star running back, Tyler Goodson, opt-out of the game.

Culture is a major buzzword in college athletics right now; players don’t come back for a bowl game without it. Stoops has managed to build a culture that means something to these athletes. As a result, Kentucky will have the advantage against Iowa.