Maxwell Hairston makes Kentucky Football history vs. Vanderbilt
No Kentucky Wildcat wanted revenge for last year’s loss vs. Vanderbilt more than Maxwell Hairston. Last season, the redshirt freshman came in to relieve an injured Carrington Valentine vs. the Commodores and was on the bad end of a 40-yard pass from Mike Wright to Quincy Skinner that set up Vanderbilt’s winning touchdown. Today, he bounced back in a big way, setting Kentucky Football history with two pick-sixes in a single game en route to the 45-28 victory. He’s only the sixth player in SEC history to accomplish that feat.
“I slept on that many nights,” Hairston said of the play last season vs. Vanderbilt. “That one hurt and I just knew this year, coming to Vandy, that I just wasn’t going to let that happen again. I wanted to come better prepared, more confident. And I felt like I did that and when I’m out there with my brothers, I feel like I’m on top of the world.”
Hairston finished the day with the aforementioned two interception returns for touchdowns, four tackles (all solo), and the first three pass breakups of his career. When asked, Mark Stoops, a former defensive backs coach, joked that Hairston’s pair of pick-sixes join a long list of accolades in his coaching career.
“I know it’s the first time in Kentucky school history,” Stoops said. “Probably not in mine.”
After the game, Hairston and Ray Davis joined SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang, who shared the news that Hairston made Kentucky Football history.
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“I didn’t know that,” Hairston said when informed of the record. “But that’s a blessing. Thanks to God on that one.”
Hairston may be humble, but Davis was more than happy to play the hype man.
“Man, you see what Max did today!” Davis said during his postgame interview with Alyssa Lang. “Two pick-sixes. Craziest thing about it, Max and I talked about it all week. This game meant so much to him, coming in last year, being a freshman, getting thrown in a big moment. He made a statement today. Hey, it showed man.”
“That’s my dog,” Hairston said of Davis. “We did talk about it. We talked about this all week, man. This was personal for me and Ray. We just came out here and did what we were supposed to do. I love the result.”
We do too. Congrats to Kentucky’s breakout star of the season.
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