Josh Kattus (Vicky Graff Photo)
Last season, the Kentucky tight ends battled through numerous injuries. Largely due to that, the group was not as productive as the UK coaching staff hoped they would be.
Now, the tight ends are healthy and, in the new offense, under the direction of offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan, they are expected to have more of an impact in 2024.
Three returners figure to be among those contributors for the upcoming season. Junior-to-be Jordan Dingle caught 12 passes for 270 yards last season, while fellow junior-to-be Josh Kattus had eight receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Khamari Anderson caught one ball for 11 yards in his freshman season.
UK head coach Mark Stoops feels good about where the tight ends are as the Cats continue with spring practice.
“I think definitely, we feel very confident in that group,” Stoops said. “We feel like there’s a lot of playmaking ability in that group. They’ll be utilized. It will be different but we feel like there’s very good players there.”
Stoops hopes that, with Hamdan’s faster offensive tempo, the tight ends can play bigger roles in 2024.
“If we can get the tempo going, get some first downs going, get some plays going, you’re going to see a lot of touches by a lot of different people,” Stoops said.
Kattus believes that the tight ends are adapting well to the new offensive scheme.
“I think there’s similarities and differences to it,” Kattus said. “Everyone has their own little spin on it. It still has that pro foundation but there are a lot of shifts, motions and all that. I think we, as a tight end room, have picked it up pretty well. Learning a new system, after being in a different system the past two years isn’t easy. But I think we’ve done a good job of picking it up and learning.”
Kattus was featured on UK Football’s social media this week, making a spectacular one-handed catch. He spoke about that on Saturday.
“It was a one-on-one route,” Kattus said. “It was actually really good coverage by Ty Bryant and I think it was Cutter (Boley) threw it up and gave me a 50-50 chance and I came down with it.”
Kattus is a firm believer in players getting better during spring drills.
“Spring ball is a great time to get to work on your craft and some things you need to improve on,” Kattus said. “After each practice, if there’s something I know I need to work on, we have that day off in between that I can go out there and work on it each day. I think it’s a real key spot in your development as a player.”
By TIM LETCHER, UK ATHLETICS
5 Responses
There is a message to Mark Stoops to take from the Fraud’s running away.
It is time to take the football program up another significant step or he will have to go also. His flirting with Texas last season was unexcusable for this fan. His performance over the last few seasons has been disappointing at best.
I agree with Little Baron in "The Fraud Is Leaving" thread, that this University also needs to get rid of Barnhart.
Dude what in the hell are you talking about. We have been to how many bowls in a row? Some fans don’t realize how much Mark Stoops has done for Kentucky. He’s had 2 10 win seasons the last 5 years. If you look at the depth chart every position has 4* player. I’m talking about every single position at Kentucky their is 4 stars next to their name. I remember when Kentucky had 1 or 2 at the most 4 star players. He is doing the best job he can with what he has. Your what’s wrong with alot of Kentucky fans. Im happy Calapari left every year different players but Stoops retains players like Brown and Key who could transfer and start for Georgia or LSU or Texas. What about him stealing Deone Walker from Michigan. His recruiting classes are night and day better than they ever been. If you are whining about stoops we could go back to joker Phillips football were are recruiting classes are not even top 50 we only win 2 or 3 games every year. This could easily happen to Kentucky football. If they got rid of stoops in 2 years we would be irrelevant again. Watch what you wish for. Kentucky will have the best football team we have ever had under stoops. We are at least 2 deep at every position with even the 2nd string players are Better than our starters in years past. Nobody is going to come to Kentucky and win 10 or more games every year. Stoops is sending more players to the NFL than Kentucky has ever seen. Our program gets more publicity than it ever has. The only problem I have with stoops is that he gets conservative when we are up by 2 touchdowns. If he kept his foot on the gas we would do a little better but that’s because he’s trying to manage the clock. But thank you mark stops for all you have done to make us relevant in football, I apologize for comments like this.
I agree, TJ. I have enjoyed UK football, more successive years, than any other coach. Mumme was great. And a lot of fun, just didn’t last long enough. Stoops has UK competitive and that is enough for me to be happy. Yes, there are changes I’d like to see, but no way should he be on any hot seat.
Exactly. We have players actually ranked in the top 100. I think couch and Antonio hall was the only other players we’ve ever had in the top 100. And the linebacker from frankfort. But that was 3 players in 10 years. We will be solid this year. We have Silver who was a top 20 player coming out of high school. Barion Brown top 100. Brock top 100. Deone Walker top 100. Pop top 100. And a handful of top 150 recruits and a ton of top 200 players. Nobody else could do that at kentucky. Marrow is one of the top 10 recruiters in all college football. He goes were Stoops goes. Wolford was a home run hire and I think bush hamdan will eventually be a home run hire. Coach White his only downfall is not blitzing enough but you will see more of that this year we have the personnel to do that now. Like I said thank you stoops for making us competitive in the best league for football.
The Professor is right on target, just as he was heard before most fans began to see, realize & accept he fact UK BB was declining every year after the April 2015 fiasco.
I strongly cut off your indignant remark “it’s people like you…” referring to the Professor in a negative way.
He has been following UK and even making amazing analytical models to track individual and team performance for decades, with a superior degree of accuracy in projections/results.
UK FB slipped backwards in 2022 and 2023 and then lost both bowl games.
Recruiting? Give Marrow a good star and give Stoops a blue ribbon because Marrow has been the key cog in recruiting.
I have been a supporter of Stoops but not nearly as strong of a backer as the Professor. The Stoops OC annual turnover has taken a toll on the offense and therefore the entire team.
It’s time to rebuild the culture which elevated UK from the cellar into the middle of the SEC East & almost knocking at the door of the elite. If Stoopa reverts back to run up the middle over & over and then punt without passing to keep balance between passing & running, then yes it will be a 3rd year of decline.
This is the season to prove he has grown into the HC job and can handle adversity and lift the program back into contention as a team pushing to join the elite.
I’ve enjoyed most of your posts, but as stated take issue when a genuine fan is incorrectly called out.
No, I’ve never met him. His posts and knowledge of the game and 1/2 century of being a big UK fan is all I need.