Kentucky
Spring Briefing: New offense should not change much for Kentucky tight ends
Jeff Lebby full Interview with Andy Staples | Arriving in Starkville, Learning Along the Way | 02.15.24
Preparations for the 2024 college football season are already underway at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. The hiring of Boise State offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan means that Kentucky’s offense will be staying in the pro-style family. That is good news for Vince Marrow‘s position room.
The Wildcats are scheduled to have five scholarship tight ends on the roster in 2024, and four of them will be suited up for spring practice. Once again, this positional unit will have a sizable role in the offense.
In KSR’s Spring Briefing series, we will cover every position on Kentucky’s roster before spring practice begins. Next up is tight end where the Wildcats have experience and excellent depth.
Spring Rundown: Quarterback, Tailback, Wide Receiver
The Room
Jordan Dingle (6-4, 238, Redshirt Junior)
After flirting with Tennessee in the transfer portal, the Bowling Green (Ky.) High product is back for year four in Lexington. Dingle has recorded 34 receptions for 544 yards and three touchdowns in his career and will again play a key role for this offense.
Josh Kattus (6-4, 231 Junior)
The Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller product had some issues with penalties last season but still is a quality blocker in Kentucky’s pro-style scheme and can be a solid intermediate weapon in the play-action passing game. Kattus will again have a big role in this offense.
Khamari Anderson (6-5, 238, Sophomore)
Another recruiting win for Kentucky out of Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech, Anderson flashed in year one as a potential two-way tight end in the SEC. Expect the former four-star recruit to have a bigger role on offense after playing 64 offensive snaps in year one.
Tanner Lemaster (6-5, 253, Redshirt Freshman)
Another Ohio native, Lemaster took a redshirt season in year one and will look to find a role in year two. At 250-plus pounds, the class of 2023 prospect could give Kentucky another blocking tight end to utilize in heavy sets.
Willie Rodriguez (6-3, 235, Freshman)
Auburn and Tennessee made a late run at the Covington (Ky.) Catholic tight end who ultimately signed with Kentucky. Rodriguez is a legit two-way prospect who might be hard to keep off the field. The class of 2024 signee will not be on campus until the summer.
Top Storyline: How big of a role will the tight end position have in the new offense?
Kentucky is going to stay in the pro-style structure on offense under new play-caller Bush Hamdan. The former Boise State offensive coordinator is going to bring a no-huddle approach to the Joe Craft Football Training Facility, but do not expect this to be a full-out spread offense.
Kentucky will use the tight end position. Hamdan has featured a tight end in the passing game at Washington with Harrison Bryant recording 52 receptions for 825 yards. Will that happen in 2024? That is to be determined.
One thing we do know is this positional unit will be utilized. How big of a role will this group have? We should find out soon.
What to Watch: Jordan Dingle’s passing game involvement
If there was a player that could see a heavier involvement in the passing game it would be the oldest player in the room. Jordan Dingle is Kentucky’s most accomplished receiver at the tight end position and has produced 18 explosive receptions in 54 career targets. That is notable.
Dingle has All-SEC potential and could emerge as a key target for Bush Hamdan’s passing offense and a safety blanket for new quarterback Brock Vandagriff. Monitoring his usage during the spring could tell us how heavily involved the tight end position will be this season.
Bold Prediction: Usage rate of the tight end position will be high even if passing game targets do not come
Kentucky’s offense has a lot of mouths to feed at the wide receiver position. Barion Brown, Dane Key, and Ja’Mori Maclin each have WR1 potential for the Wildcats. The offense will also have an establish the run mindset. Kentucky will not be an operation that leads the SEC in pass play percentage. Not everyone can get targets.
I would not expect a huge receiving season from any of Kentucky’s tight ends, but that does not mean lack a of snaps for this position. The Wildcats will still value the tight end position and will carve out a role for this position. Vince Marrow’s group will play a key role in the run game, will factor in the play-action passing game, and will have a good volume of snaps in the new offense.
Kentucky
Tale of The Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Eastern Kentucky
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville (7-5, 1-1 ACC) is set to face Eastern Kentucky (6-6, 0-0 ASUN) on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 12:00 p.m. EST at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. Here’s how the Cardinals stack up against the Colonels:
*Mobile users can scroll left and right on the tables below*
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
AP/USAT |
NR/NR |
NR/NR |
SOS |
183rd |
9th |
SOR |
200th |
62nd |
BPI |
254th |
60th |
NET |
198th |
53rd |
RPI |
227th |
26th |
KenPom |
227th |
50th |
Torvik |
154th |
46th |
EvanMiya |
231st |
53rd |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Points |
Devontae Blanton (16.4) |
Chucky Hepburn (15.3) |
Rebounds |
Devontae Blanton (6.1) |
J’Vonne Hadley (7.8) |
Assists |
Devontae Blanton (3. 8) |
Chucky Hepburn (5.1) |
Steals |
George Kimble (2.9) |
Chucky Hepburn (2.9) |
Blocks |
Yvens Paul (1.6) |
James Scott 0.8 |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Points Per Game |
77.0 |
78.0 |
Field Goal % |
41.9% |
43.3% |
FGM/FGA Per Game |
28.2/67.3 |
26.2/60.4 |
Three Point % |
31.8% |
29.8% |
3PTM/3PTA Per Game |
9.4/29.6 |
9.6/32.2 |
Free Throw % |
66.5% |
71.7% |
FTM/FTA Per Game |
11.3/16.9 |
16.1/22.4 |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Rebounds Per Game |
38.3 |
37.3 |
Off. Reb. Per Game |
15.8 |
12.4 |
Def. Reb. Per Game |
22.5 |
24.9 |
Rebound Margin |
0.1 |
3.6 |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Opp. Points Per Game |
75.0 |
71.3 |
Opp. FG% |
46.8% |
45.1% |
Opp. 3PT% |
35.6% |
35.8% |
Steals Per Game |
9.8 |
7.3 |
Blocks Per Game |
3.7 |
2.8 |
Turnovers Forced Per Game |
15.6 |
14.6 |
E. Kentucky |
Louisville |
|
---|---|---|
Assists Per Game |
13.5 |
13.4 |
Turnovers Per Game |
11.2 |
12.1 |
Turnover Margin |
4.4 |
2.5 |
Assist/Turnover Ratio |
1.2 |
1.1 |
– ESPN Prediction: Per ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Louisville has a 95.6 percent chance to win against Eastern Kentucky. The Cardinals have a BPI rating of 9.8 (60th overall), whereas the Colonels have a BPI rating of -5.3 (254th overall).
– KenPom Prediction: Per KenPom.com, the Cardinals have a 94 percent chance to take down the Colonels, with a projected final score of 86-69 in favor of UofL. Louisville has an adjusted efficiency margin of +15.05 (50th overall), whereas Eastern Kentucky has an adjusted efficiency margin of -5.07 (227th overall).
– Torvik Prediction: Per BartTorvik.com, the Cards have a 90 percent chance to take down the Colonels, with a projected final score of 85-69 in favor of UofL. Louisville has a “Barthag” of .8412 (46th overall), whereas Eastern Kentucky has a “Barthag” of .5033 (154th overall).
– Personal Prediction: Louisville 91, Eastern Kentucky 73.
(Photo of Khani Rooth: Sam Upshaw Jr. – Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Kentucky
New laws coming to Kentucky starting in 2025
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — With the new year comes new legislation, and for Kentucky, a number of laws will begin affecting Kentuckians starting on Wednesday, January 1.
Starting in 2025, all Kentucky drivers seeking to renew their license will need to pass a vision screening.The exam will be the same as the one used for first time drivers. Free screenings are provided at driver license regional offices around the state.
The screening takes about a minute, and they do not require additional appointments.
“The important thing is we want you to be able to see well while driving, whether you need corrective lenses or not,” said Lori Weaver Hawkins with AAA Bluegrass.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 19 states already have a similar law as a measure to cut down on accidents.
“We know that vision, having clear vision, is important for drivers to be able to successfully maneuver through traffic and to reduce that incidents of traffic crashes,” said Hawkins.
Also starting January 1, retailers will only be able to sell certain vape products. It’s part of House Bill 11, which was passed in April of this year to curb vaping among young people.
Jerry Wayne, who manages Magic Vape in Jessamine County, said the new law will severely impact his business.
“We will be firing 25 employees, closing 8 locations, and taking that money what we can,” said Wayne, “Basically, we will be out of business.”
The bill states that the FDA must approve vape products that have nicotine, and if they’re not approved, they can’t be sold. Wayne said it cuts the product he can sell from 300 to two.
Medical marijuana can start being sold in 2025 as well. Two lotteries have already happened for growers and distributors. All products must be grown in the Commonwealth.
Kentucky
Alleged Kentucky deadbeat dad who owes over $100K in child support arrested getting off cruise ship in Miami
An alleged deadbeat dad who was on the run and owed more than $100,000 in child support was arrested last week as he exited a cruise ship in Miami, authorities said.
Dominic Weaver, a Kentucky resident, had been on the lam for more than 10 years when his holiday vacation ended after being taken into custody and brought back to Louisville, WDRB-TV reported.
FLORIDA ARTIST’S PATRIOTIC ANDY WARHOL PIECE FEATURED AT POPULAR EVENT DRAWING THOUSANDS OF VISITORS
Detectives from a local child support division flew to Miami and eventually brought Weaver back to the Bluegrass State.
“I don’t know when he left, but he fled the jurisdiction, and from the date of his sentence until today, and even today, he’s not paid one cent of child support,” Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell said.
MEXICO TO IMPOSE TAX FOR CRUISE SHIP VISITORS STARTING IN 2015
Weaver, 47, owes somewhere between $114,000 and $120,000 in child support, according to O’Connell.
O’Connell said Weaver has a total of four cases with the child support division.
“Two more of those are ready for indictment again of more felonies,” O’Connell said.
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O’Connell said he planned to ask a judge to revoke Weaver’s original sentence and ask that he be sentenced to four years in prison.
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