Football

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

Published

2 years ago

September 29, 2023

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops looks on before the game at Kroger Field.

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.

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.”

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 slump… Because 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.

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.

Football

Two More Wildcats Eye NFL Futures

Two more Wildcats are receiving opportunities to accomplish their NFL dreams.

Published

1 week ago

May 10, 2025

Israel Schill

UK Athletics

Linebacker D’Eryk Jackson and kicker Alex Raynor are the latest Kentucky Wildcats aiming to make their mark in the NFL.

Go be great at the @Seahawks, @Derykjackson4. pic.twitter.com/ZHvVsVonNr— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) May 9, 2025

Jackson, a 6-foot-1, 244-pound linebacker, signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks after impressing during the team’s rookie minicamp.

In his five seasons playing college football, Jackson amassed 216 total tackles including 17 tackles for loss, 9 sacks and five interceptions.

The former Kentucky standout and the teams leading tackler from 2022 and 2023 will now compete for a spot on the Seahawks final 53-man roster.

Raynor, meanwhile, received an invitation to attend the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rookie camp, which runs May 9–11.

Go be great at the @Buccaneers, @acraynor1. pic.twitter.com/M8UOxK9rOm— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) May 8, 2025

The Kennesaw, Georgia, native made 25 of 27 field-goal attempts in two seasons with Kentucky, including a school-record 55-yarder.

His performance earned him SEC Special Teams Player of the Year honors in 2024 and a shot to prove himself at the next level.

With the addition of Jackson and Raynor to NFL rosters, the total number of Kentucky Wildcats now vying for a spot in the league has reached 10.

Football

Saskatchewan Roughriders Sign Octavious Oxendine to CFL Deal

Published

1 week ago

May 8, 2025

Isaiah Pinto

UK Athletics

On Wednesday, it was officially announced that former Wildcats defensive lineman Octavious Oxendine agreed to play with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.

Oxendine becomes only the fifth player from Kentucky to take their talents up north. Those before him included fellow Roughrider Micah Johnson, Josh Ali of the Calgary Stampeders, Lynn Bowden of the BC Lions and Quandre Mosely Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The Radcliff, Kentucky, native played five seasons in Lexington. Making 19 starts in 47 games played, Oxendine recorded 78 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.

In 2024, Oxendine appeared in all 12 games for the Wildcats and made one start against Murray State, finishing his final season with a team-second best four sacks.

A key performance by Oxendine helped Kentucky defeat the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford, Mississippi, as the defensive lineman recorded three tackles and a career-high two sacks for a combined 10 yards lost. His first sack came on a third down play, forcing the Rebels to punt, and the second led to Ole Miss letting the clock run out to end the first half.

The standout performance led to Oxendine being named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.

In December 2024, Oxendine graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in social work. Additionally, the recent graduate was named the 2025 CATSPY Male Supporting Role Award.

Now in green, Oxendine will take the field with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as they are set to kickoff the preseason on Saturday, May 24, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Football

Tre’vonn Rybka Signs With Dolphins As Undrafted Free Agent

Published

3 weeks ago

April 29, 2025

Israel Schill

John Clay | UK Athletics

Another Cat is heading to the NFL after defensive lineman Tre’vonn Rybka was signed by the Miami Dolphins in undrafted free agency on April 28, shortly after the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Go be great at the @MiamiDolphins, @trevonnrybka. pic.twitter.com/OkBHiubzyG— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) April 28, 2025

Rybka, who appeared in 48 games over five seasons with Kentucky, amassed 95 tackles including 5 sacks. As a senior, he started all 12 games, finishing with 34 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks.

He now joins a Dolphins defense that used their No. 13 pick in this year’s draft on Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, meaning Rybka will have to compete for a roster spot in a deep defensive front rotation.

Off the field, Rybka, who was adopted by his grandparents as a child due to his mother’s battle with addiction, is an active member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass. He was awarded the “Big Ambassador of the Year” award in 2024 for his commitment to mentoring and supporting the youth.

His commitment to give back to the community and its youth reflects dedication to make a positive impact both on and off the football field.

Rybka will report to the Dolphins rookie camp on May 9-12, before he officially fights for a spot on the 53-man roster in June.