KFB-02205-UKProgram(8.375X10.875).indd 16/13/19 10:44 AM 2020 Kentucky Football Yearbook is published by the University of Kentucky Athletics Department. University of Kentucky Athletics Director: Mitch Barnhart Communications and Public Relations: Susan Lax, Matt May, Tony Neely 546 East Main Street First Floor Lexington, KY 40508 859-226-4540 UK Sports Marketing Powered by JMI Sports Brandon Baker, TJ Beisner, Seth Boyle, Curtis Burch, Randy Carter, Adair Mattingly, Seth Poteat, Kim Ramsay, Lance Reed, Brian Sayre, Kim Shelton, Brad Tucker, Erin Vaughn Design & Publishing Managing Editor Jai Giffin Creative Director Jamie Barker Production Assistance Laura Doolittle, Adam Peterson, Lisa Roberts, Bob SlaterContents 2020 Wildcats 20 .................................... Josh Ali 22 .................... Quinton Bohanna 24 ..........................Yusuf Corker II 26 ..............................Jamin Davis 28 ........................ Cedrick Dort Jr. 30 ................................Max Duffy 32 ......................... Brandin Echols 34 .............................Luke Fortner 35 .............................Phil Hoskins 36 .......................... Drake Jackson 38 ........................ Darian Kinnard 39 ...................... Quandre Mosely 40 ............................. Josh Paschal 42 ................................Justin Rigg 44 ................... Davonte Robinson 45 ................... Chris Rodriguez Jr. 46 .............................. A.J. Rose Jr. 47 ....................... Kavosiey Smoke 48 .......................DeAndre Square 49 ........................Keaton Upshaw 50 ............Jamar “Boogie” Watson 52 .............................Terry Wilson 53 ...........................Jordan Wright 54 .......................... Landon Young 56 ..................Alphabetical Roster 58 ..................... Returning Players 69 ..............................Newcomers 71 .......................Cats on the Map 72 .................Breakdown by Class 2020 Coaching Staff 74 .........Head Coach Mark Stoops 78 .....................Assistant Coaches This is Kentucky 82 ..........Joe Craft Training Facility 84 .................Player Development 86 ............. University of Kentucky 87 ................................... Housing 88 ................................. Gameday 89 ................................Nike Swag 90 ............................ # WEAREUK 92 ............................... Academics 94 ... Kentucky Football in the NFL 96 ........................ SEC Dominates 2020 Opponents 98 .....................................Auburn 99 .................................. Ole Miss 100 .......................Mississippi State 101 ................................ Tennessee 102 ....................................Georgia 103 ...................................Missouri 104 ................................ Vanderbilt 105 .................................. Alabama 106 ..................................... Florida 107 ......................... South Carolina The University 108 .................. UK Sports Network 110 .............President Eli Capilouto 112 ...................AD Mitch Barnhart On the Cover (From the Top L-R): Boogie Watson, Terry Wilson, Drake Jackson, DeAndre Square, Max Duffy, A.J. Rose, Landon Young, Brandin Echols, Quinton Bohanna, Yusuf Corker, Davonte Robinson, Josh Ali, Darian Kinnard, Josh Paschal, Justin Rigg No Ordinary Season Veteran Wildcats have high expectations in season of uncertainty. 4 Nearly Perfect Kentucky finished the season 11-1 and was 1950 National Champions after defeating No. 1 Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. 10 @UKSportsNetwork 3NO ORDINARY SeasonSeason Veteran Wildcats Have High Expectations In Season Of Uncertainty By Tom Leach | “Voice of the Wildcats”@UKSportsNetwork 5 To say that 2020 will be an “atypi- cal” college football season is an understatement. But could it be that the “culture change” Mark Stoops frequently talked about in building his program at the University of Kentucky might just serve the Wildcats well as they navigate uncharted waters this fall? At SEC Media Days in 2016, Stoops’ time at the podium included a prophetic quote: “It’s easy to change the climate. It’s difficult to change the culture and I’m proud of the culture change. I know we’re creating a pos- itive winning culture within our program. The results will happen. I’m confident. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t believe it.” One can rightly wonder how many BBN fans still shared that belief when the Cats began the season 0-2, blowing a big lead against Southern Miss and getting routed at Florida. Stoops’ instincts were correct, though, as Kentucky won seven games and reached its first bowl game in six years. That “winning culture” has continued with three more bowl trips, including back- to-back victories, and the first 10-win sea- son at UK since 1977. In 2020, the Wild- cats have a veteran team thinking its goal of putting Kentucky in the SEC title game for the first time-ever is realistic and senior nose guard Quinton Bohanna says that is motivat- ing him and his teammates to buy into the protocols the school has set for getting back on the field in a pandemic and to hold each other accountable. “All of us want to play, no matter what,” the Cordova, Tenn. product said on the UK Network’s “Behind Kentucky Football” pod- cast with Curtis Burch. “Whatever we need to do to get back on the field September 3, we’re going to do it. We’re going to keep masks on and social distance. The steps we need to take to play, we’re doing that. We want to play. The thought of not playing due to COVID-19 is driving us to do the right things to get back on the field.” Kash Daniel lived the transformation after signing with his home state school in 2015. “Bringing guys in that don’t need to be pushed by a coach or told what to do every single day,” Daniel said. “He always told us the best teams he’s ever been a part of are team-led teams.“ “I look back at that 2018 group, because of how team-led we were,” continues Dan- iel. “Me, Josh Allen, CJ Conrad, Bunchy (Stallings) -- we could have run a practice without the coaches out there. That’s the leadership quality you need to win in the SEC,” the spirited linebacker from Paints- ville, Ky. noted. A friend of mine, the late Dallas Owens, once told me a story about the evolution from good to great UK teams for which he starred in the secondary in the mid-1970s. Owens said a key element was when in- dividual players were accountable to their teammates and leaders could make adjust- ments or suggest changes before the coach- es ever got involved in the discussion. When I relayed that story to senior center Drake Jackson, the concept registered with him instantly. “I listened to (former NFL RB) Danny Woodhead and he thinks the veteran teams are going to benefit most,” Jackson says. “That’s what we have. There’s expectations set here at Kentucky that we didn’t have when I first got here. There’s more accountability.” (Former UK quarterback and Owens’ teammate) Derrick Ramsey talked to the team and he preached the same thing. Ram- sey said there was a moment when it clicked. “I don’t think a coach can force that. You have to have the right people in the right spots,” Ramsey said. “It’s no longer a guessing game of who are we listening to. We have leadership coming from multiple meeting rooms and that’s going to lift us Returning from last year's knee sur- gery, QB Terry Wilson's confidence is high coming into the 2020 season. He always told us the best teams he’s ever been a part of are team-led teams. n KASH DANIEL “ “over this barrier (with the virus).” With that kind of environment in place, it’s easy to understand why Stoops is so ea- ger to put this team on the field this fall. SEC Network analyst Peter Burns says since Stoops is a coach who doesn’t hide his true feelings, that kind of optimism is notewor- thy. He picked up on a similar vibe back in the summer of 2018 and it prompted Burns and broadcast partner Chris Doering to go on a show that aired during a power outage of a Kentucky basketball game in the Baha- mas and suggest the football Cats could win nine or 10 games. “I vividly remember two years ago at SEC Media Days, before the 10-win season,” said Burns. “Coach Stoops had just got off the podium and I see that he’s upset. I pulled aside and said ‘are you alright?’ “He felt like nobody was giving his team the credit it deserved,“ Burns continued. “That’s why me and (Chris) Doering went all in on Kentucky. It’s a body language thing. Coach Stoops is not going to ‘BS’ you,” Burns added. “A team that can ‘finish each others’ sentences’ has an advantage over less-experienced squads. I can’t wait to see what (co-offensive coordinator) Ed- die Gran can do with Terry Wilson back at 100 percent.” Stewart Mandel, college football editor at TheAthletic.com, has a similar view on the 2020 Wildcats. “People who follow college football closely know he (Stoops) may have done a better job coaching last year than he did the year before,” Mandel said. “It’s hard not to notice what they’ve been doing in recruit- ing. I think Georgia and Florida are consid- ered to be the class of (the Eastern Division) but Kentucky has a chance to be a factor,” Mandel explains. “UK can prove that get- ting highly touted recruits can last and that Coach Stoops is building a program in Lex- ington than can have staying power.” Replacing Lynn Bowden Jr.’s amazing production, including leading the SEC in rushing yards, won’t be a one-man job. Kentucky’s top three running backs return this season, along with Belk Bowl hero Josh Ali to lead the receiving corps. On the front line, the Wildcats are solid. Analysts like for- mer Auburn offensive lineman Cole Cubelic are raving about the Wildcats’ veteran offen- sive line as being one of the best, or possibly the best, in the SEC. “The first thing is talent but you also have guys that have played a lot,” Cubelic said. “Being able to go from an offense with a pass threat to start last season, to an offense that rarely went to the air and pounded op- ponents on the ground is impressive. “I think it’s either Jackson or Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey who will win best center in the nation this season,” Cubelic contin- ued. “Consistency and accuracy from Terry Wilson and finding a wideout to stretch the field will be crucial for Kentucky to compete at the top of the SEC this season. “If the completion percentage goes up for Wilson and he stays healthy,” says Cubelic, “I think Kentucky could be a real problem in the East.” Wilson’s level of productivity in return- ing from knee surgery is the most often-cited question mark by pundits analyzing the up- coming Big Blue season. To me, those ques- tions are valid but if Wilson is indeed fully recovered, BBN fans can be understandably optimistic about the improvement potential, as junior college transfers like Wilson often show much-improved production with one year under their belts. “His spirit and his confidence is so high and that’s what we want,” said co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw. “Going into last season, his fall camp was really, really good. This summer, when we did Zoom meetings, he was on it. 6 @UKFootball Yusuf Corker II will anchor the defen- sive secondary. He led the Wildcats in total tackles last season with 74. Next >