Kentucky football’s roster has changed for Gator Bowl, but its biggest stars are available

So much of college football’s December is now devoted to building next season’s roster it is easy to forget the current Kentucky team still has another game to play.

But the squad that travels to Jacksonville to face Clemson in the Gator Bowl will look different than the one that upset Louisville in the regular season finale. Unlike a year ago in the Music City Bowl loss to Iowa, though, Kentucky has managed to maintain most of its key players for its bowl.

“I think it was just assumed that everyone wanted to play in this bowl game, which shows a lot about what Coach Stoops has done here, what the culture has done here,” quarterback Devin Leary said. “It’s really exciting to see guys that do plan to go onto the NFL, they want to get one last ride being able to represent Kentucky and wear that blue one last time.”

Linebacker Trevin Wallace, running back Ray Davis and cornerback Andru Phillips have already announced their intentions to forgo their remaining college eligibility to declare for the NFL draft but are set to play in the Gator Bowl. Leary is one of a handful of seniors with no eligibility left and NFL draft aspirations that will also play in the game.

Of the 13 Kentucky players to enter the transfer portal since the Louisville game, three (running back JuTahn McClain, wide receiver Cole Lanter and defensive back Elijah Reed) remain on the roster for the Gator Bowl. UK coach Mark Stoops told reporters earlier this month he would allow some outgoing transfers to remain with the team through the bowl, like he did at the Citrus Bowl two seasons ago.

Safety Jalen Geiger, defensive lineman Jamarius Dinkins, offensive lineman Grant Bingham, wide receiver Dekel Crowdus, tight end Izayah Cummings, linebacker Luke Fulton, quarterback Destin Wade, outside linebacker Keaten Wade, linebacker Martez Thrower and quarterback Kaiya Sheron have been removed from the roster after entering the transfer portal. No one in that group started a game during the regular season, but Keaten Wade, Geiger and Cummings had stretches of contributions.

Tight end Jordan Dingle and wide receiver Shamar Porter entered the transfer portal before ultimately deciding to remove their names and return to Kentucky. Porter could see his first game action of the season in the bowl as he is now listed as a backup to starting wide receiver Dane Key on the pre-Gator Bowl depth chart following Crowdus’ departure.

It is unclear if Dingle will be healthy enough to play in the bowl — he missed the final two regular season games with a hand injury — but his return was a win for the staff with SEC rival Tennessee showing interest.

“I’m not going to say the school’s name — we all know who the school was — they poked him a little bit and they did want him,” UK recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach Vince Marrow said of Dingle’s return. “They were at him pretty hard, and they offered him a lot. But I think he looked at the family, he looked at the relationship, he looked at our offense. It fit him more staying here.

“There were no hard feelings. This is a new era. It’s no different from the NFL, where if you’re an unrestricted free agent you go out and test (the market) and then you come back if the team wants you. We definitely did not want to lose him. He’s a big part of our football team.”

Senior offensive linemen Kenneth Horsey and Jeremy Flax were both still listed on the Gator Bowl roster but were missing from the depth chart, signaling they are unlikely to play in the game. Horsey has missed most of the season due to injury, but Flax started 11 of 12 games at right tackle. With Flax out, Courtland Ford was listed as the starting right tackle. Dylan Ray was listed as the top left guard, as he was during Horsey’s previous absences.

It is likely other contributors will be unavailable in the game due to injuries coaches have yet to disclose, but for now at least Kentucky looks close to full strength.

The outgoing transfers not staying with the team through the bowl game mean a handful of younger players might be needed in depth roles. No scholarship backup quarterbacks remain behind Leary following the exit of Sheron and Destin Wade.

Deuce Hogan, who opened the 2021 season as Will Levis’ top backup after transferring from Iowa as a walk-on but spent most of the last two years fourth on the depth chart, is now listed as Leary’s backup. Hogan actually tweeted plans to enter the portal earlier this month only to delete that post less than an hour later.

“He’s a guy that’s made a huge impact on me personally,” offensive coordinator Liam Coen said of Hogan. “As a coach-player relationship, I love Deuce Hogan. He’s a fantastic kid. He does everything you want in the program right. He’s just a tremendous human being, so when you’re able to see somebody come in, have an expanded role, get more reps in practice, his leadership skills are able to come to light a little bit. Kids feed off that. Everybody feeds off that.”

Exactly how much UK’s early draft entrants play in the game is uncertain, too. Before Davis confirmed he would play in the game, Stoops said he was eager for backup running back Ramon Jefferson to play an expanded role as a showcase to NFL scouts in his last college game.

Clemson’s defense has been hit hard by opt-outs and transfers, but Kentucky’s offense must still prove the inconsistency that plagued it for much of the regular season has been corrected. Having most of its best players available should at least make that goal more realistic.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Stoops said of Kentucky’s stars electing to play in the game. “This is a really good group of guys. It’s a good team.”

Friday

Kentucky vs. No. 22 Clemson

What: TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

When: Noon

Where: EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida

TV: ESPN

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Series: Kentucky leads 8-5

Last meeting: Clemson won 21-13 on Dec. 27, 2009, in the Music City Bowl at Nashville, Tennessee

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