Former Franklin County Star Fred Farrier Transfers to UK

UK Athletics Photo

Kentucky added depth — and a name familiar to central Kentucky high school football fans — when former Franklin County standout Fred Farrier announced Sunday he was transferring from UAB to Kentucky.

He redshirted at UAB in 2021, had 11 catches for 123 yards and one score in 2022 and last season had 18 catches for 266 yards and a score. However, he played almost 500 snaps last season and made six starts.

Tulane, Coastal Carolina, James Madison, Mass, Western Kentucky, Georgia Southern and Arkansas State also offered Farrier a chance to transfer but he chose to return to the Bluegrass where he’ll have two years of college eligibility remaining.

Farrier was a standout playmaker at Franklin County as a junior and senior. In 2020 he had 58 catches for 1,010 yards and 12 touchdowns in 11 games. He also scored on a punt return, interception return and rushing attempt. One defense he had 39 tackles. As a junior in 2019, he had 45 catches for 794 yards and 11 scores when he also returned a punt for a score. On defense, he had 45 tackles.

Farrier had about 25 Division I offers as a high school senior. He narrowed his list to Air Force, Toledo, Ohio, UAB and San Diego State before picking UAB. He did not have a Kentucky offer in high school.

He joins Ja’Mori Maclin of North Texas and Raymond Cottrell of Texas A&M as receivers who have come to UK via the transfer portal.

The transfers will join returning starters Dane Key and Barion Brown. Kentucky also returns Anthony Brown-Stephens, the team’s fourth-leading receiver in 2023. Redshirts Shamar Porter, Adele Banks and Brandon White also are capable of filling bigger roles in 2024.