LEXINGTON – April 9, 2022 – DAVID LEVERIDGE
Kentucky Football returned to Kroger Field for the annual Spring Football game. For the first time since Kentucky defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes in the VRBO Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day, Kentucky played in front of a live crowd and looked to continue to build on the momentum that the team finished the 2021 season with. Kentucky football fans are eager for the season to kickoff and today fans got the first look at this year’s team. Today’s game was a scrimmage consisting of a blue team on Offense and a White team competing on the defensive end of the ball. Today’s weather was not ideal with cool temperatures, rain and even snow covered the field at one point, may have hindered the attendance of the fans who would have traditionally showed up in large numbers for a chance to cheer on their CATS.
Today’s game had the feel of what a typical Kentucky Football game was like with the band playing the schools fight song and Cheerleaders doing their best to entertain the crowd. The Popular Grove Street Party played over the loudspeakers during key moments of the game or when the offense would score. Very few fans attended the game though, with my estimates of around eight to ten thousand people compared to 60,000 or more for a sold-out SEC Football primetime matchup. If the weather had been better with temperatures warm and sunny the crowd would have easily doubled as today’s game required, no tickets and was free to attend for anyone.
The game today allowed for an even distribution of plays ran by a multitude of players who were subbed out on every offensive possession. Opening the game, the Premier offensive players of QB Will Levis, Chris Rodriguez, and Kavosiey Smoke among others to display their talents. The Blue Team responded with a passing touchdown From Levis to Rodriguez capping off an eight play fifty-seven-yard drive. The Next few offensive possessions were rotated with Beau Allen taking second team snaps, and Deuce Hogan taking third team snaps. Levis and the starting offense reinterned the game at the close of the first quarter and once again drove the ball down the field and once again scored on the White team with a passing touchdown. During this drive Levis looked to build the chemistry with Senior Transfer from Virginia Tech #9 Tavion Robinson who highlighted his speed and athleticism and gave the crowd a glimpse of what can happen this fall. Levis Finished the drive finding Freshmen Dane Key in the endzone for a twenty- two yard passing touchdown. Key is a native of Lexington, KY playing his high school ball at Frederick Douglas high school and will be a fan favorite during his career as a wildcat. At intermission, the blue team led the White team 14-0.
In the second half the offense continued to find their stride scoring eighteen unanswered points. The second half was more about giving the reserves and walk on players the opportunity to compete at Kroger Field and the ability to display their talents. The starters and offensive stars did not play a snap, but instead cheered on their teammates competing in their places. The half opened with Kayia Sherron at Quarterback who took the blue team down the field and scoring the ball. Mike Drennan II scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns in the half with a six-yard rushing touchdown. Drennan also scored late in the third quarter with a fifteen-yard passing touchdown from Beau Allen. The game was finished with a passing touchdown from QB Deuce Hogan to Freshmen Cole Lanter for an eleven play sixty-five-yard scoring drive. The blue team defeats the White team 32-0 to win the 2022 UK Football Spring Game.
The Wildcat Football team has concluded the Spring practice and will get a break from the grid iron for a couple of months. The Next time the Big Blue Nation will get to see this team in action will be when the season kicks off on September 3, 2022, hosting Miami of Ohio University Red Hawks. Fans are eager for this date to arrive and are excited for another season of Kentucky Football, today’s scrimmage gave us a glimpse of what is to come and the expectations for continued success has risen.