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Mark Stoops Calls Out and Challenges His Team Ahead of Tough SEC Schedule

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Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops looks on before the game at Kroger Field.
© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops has always been known to be there for his players and his team through thick and thin. He has always shown his support for his guys, but things are slightly different heading into Florida. Instead of loving on his players, Stoops actually made it a point to call out some of his players and challenge them to be better moving forward.

The first four weeks of the season were looked at as the easy part of the schedule, for the most part. Playing against two MAC schools, an FCS team, and a rather weak Vanderbilt team, Kentucky should have cruised into Week 5, but there are some very evident issues.

Now, as if it’s a weekly ritual, Stoops opens the week “pissed off”, and it sounds like that he is finally done waking up on the wrong side of the bed. If Kentucky is going to finish the way they want to in 2023, it’s time to get their butt in gear.

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Problems at Center Are Unacceptable

During Stoops’ Monday presser, he talked about how Jager Burton’s critical errors against Akron were just flat out unacceptable.

“I’m not happy with that. We have to overcome it. We overcame one [bad snap] and scored a touchdown. I don’t want to make a habit of that. It killed one drive, but we have to get better. There’s options. We look at other players, we continue to develop other players. We continue to develop Jager [Burton] and give him experience and opportunity to grow.”

Rest of the O-Line Needs to Step Up

It’s not just Jager Burton that has underperformed this season. The offensive line as a whole has not played up to the standards set at UK in previous years.

Stoops made note of this as well, saying, “As a group, I challenged the offensive line this past week and we’ll continue to. I think as a group you know, we need to continue to grow.” He added, “We had a well-designed play and we got to block. We missed a block on the perimeter and [Brenden] Bates is usually a hell of a blocker and a good player. He missed blocking flat with the guy in open space or we’re one-on-one with a safety and Barion.”

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Stoops wrapped up his offensive line talk by saying that the blame “not all on any one player”. The protection as a whole has a lot of room to get better.

“There’s a Reason People Call It a Sophomore Slump”

Against Akron, Barion Brown had just two receptions for 19 yards, and Dane Key saw no production on offense. Going into the season, those two were expected to be big contributors. That, however, hasn’t quite been the case, and Stoops isn’t happy about that.

“I talked about it with them. ‘Don’t believe all this (hype).’ You’re going into your sophomore season — there’s a reason people call it a sophomore slumpBecause you had some success as a freshman, maybe you’re not truly in tune with every aspect of the game.”

Stoops said he wants Brown and Key to continue “grinding it out”. Otherwise, they’ll finish with disappointing years, and that would not bode well for Kentucky.

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All of the kinks and inner workings should have probably been settled by Week 5, but they aren’t. People who should be leading this team are just not living up to expectations. If Kentucky is going to be competitive in the SEC this season, then they must figure things out soon because the schedule only gets tougher from here.

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Deone Walker Drafted No. 109 To The Buffalo Bills

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Caleb Bowlin | UK Athletics

Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker has been selected No. 109 by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Walker stands at 6-foot-7 and 331 pounds, making the former Wildcat one of the biggest defensive lineman not only in the draft, but in the history of the NFL.

Since earning a starting spot as a true freshman, to now exploding with excitement when he heard his name called, Walker’s unique blend of mobility and enthusiasm will cement him as one of the most beloved Kentucky players in program history.

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Earning All-SEC honors and letting his disruptive play become the Wildcats’ identity, Walker will now cause terror for defensive coordinator Bobby Babich to go alongside his former teammate Maxwell Hairston, who was selected by the Bills in the first round.

Ray Davis also welcomed BBN to Bills Mafia moments after the selection.

The main worry about Walker not only has been his back injury that he played with all of last season, but what technique he’ll be able to play due to his stature that’s unlike any other.

However, even the NFL admitted that Walker could dominate the league.

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Before the draft, Walker visited with the Buffalo Bills, who emphasized interior pressure heavily last season, which is right up his alley. He’s been evaluated as one that can be a high-level backup or a potential starter as the season goes on.

The Bills are taking a swing with Walker, but many who watched him every Saturday at Kroger Field will tell you that this is a home-run pick.

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Maxwell Hairston Drafted No. 30 To The Buffalo Bills

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Maxwell Hairston
Caleb Bowlin | UK Athletics

Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston has officially started the next chapter of his career, selected No. 30 by the Buffalo Bills in the late first round.

At 6-foot-1 and 186 pounds, Hairston has come a long way since signing with the Wildcats as a 3-star prospect out of Michigan in 2021.

Although he missed five games this past season due to injury,  Hairston was still selected to Second-Team All-SEC with 19 tackles, two forced fumbles, an interception and four deflections.

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“Mad Max” took a huge jump in the draft boards after running the fastest 40-yard dash among cornerbacks in Indianapolis, completing the drill in just 4.28 seconds.

At 21 years old, Hairston brings a level of experience from the toughest conference in college football, the SEC, to go along with elite speed and length to make him a potential starter for defensive coordinator Bobby Babich.

As one of the few invited to the NFL Draft, Big Blue Nation had a good look at Hairston with his family before his name was called.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called the former Wildcats’ name just before the night ended, making the West Bloomfield native’s dreams come true.

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Ray Davis went to social media to share his excitement to have a familiar face in the locker room.

The National Football League shared an emotional video of Hairston embracing his father after the Bills drafted him.

Time will tell how Hairston’s role will pan out in the league, but rest assured, “Mad Max” will go down as one of the best defensive players in the Mark Stoops era.

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Running Back Revamp: Kentucky Adds Former Oklahoma, New Mexico State Transfer

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New Mexico State University Athletics

The Wildcats bolstered their backfield with the addition of former Oklahoma and New Mexico State running back Seth McGowan on April 20, per KSR’s Nick Roush.

Standing at 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, McGowan brings size and downhill power to Kentucky’s offense. Coming off a productive season at New Mexico State, he rushed for 823 yards and three touchdowns while adding 23 receptions for 277 yards and three more scores through the air.

A former four-star recruit in the class of 2019, McGowan originally signed with Oklahoma and logged 370 rushing yards, three touchdowns and 201 receiving yards with one touchdown during his lone season with the Sooners.

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On May 7, 2021, McGowan was removed from Oklahoma following his involvement in a legal case in which he was arrested and charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The charges were ultimately dismissed, but he pleaded guilty to larceny from a person at nighttime in December of that year.

After a stint at NAIA school Texas College in 2022, where he did not see game action, McGowan continued his path back to Division I football, playing six games with Butler Community College before transferring to New Mexico State for the 2024 season.

Now, with his past behind him, McGowan has a chance to turn the page and contribute in a major way to the Wildcats’ offense.

Running backs coach Jay Boulware, who helped Oklahoma sign McGowan out of high school, likely played a role in bringing him to Kentucky, where he is expected to have one year of eligibility remaining.

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Along with Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell, McGowan could be a part of a versatile and punishing backfield tandem for the Wildcats. While Dowdell brings a physical, downhill rushing style, McGowan’s ability to contribute in both the run and pass game adds a dynamic layer to offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan’s pro-style system, which emphasizes balance and explosive playmaking.

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