Josh Kattus (84) after his touchdown catch at Tennessee. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Tight end Josh Kattus had some big moments this season when he got a chance to make special plays.
He recovered a fumble and got into the end for UK’s game-winning touchdown in an upset victory at Ole Miss — Kentucky’s only Southeastern Conference win in 2024. He caught a 27-yard touchdown pass at Tennessee and also had a touchdown catch at Texas. All three of those teams could be in the college football playoffs.
The Cincinnati native was named one of four finalists for the 15th annual Pop Warner College Football Award, Pop Warner Little Scholars, on Tuesday. It is the same award former Kentucky offensive lineman Kenneth Horsey also won.
Kattus is a three-time Dean’s List honoree. The communications major has been active in the community also.
He participated in the Dancing with the Lexington Stars that helped raise over $34,000 for the Lexington Rotary Club Endowment Fund and Surgery, a nonprofit providing free outpatient procedures for those in need. He and his partner Mattie Lewis even won the coveted Mirror Ball trophy.
Kattus has regularly visited the Kentucky Children’s Hospital weekly during football season and spent time playing games and talking with patients. He also volunteers at Lexington’s Ronald McDonald House and the Scott County Humane Society to try and help get pets adopted.
The Pop Warner Little Scholars National College Football Award winner will be announced Monday.
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After Kentucky’s loss to Louisville, UK coach Mark Stoops stressed it would be important to maintain continuity on his offensive coaching staff. About 72 hours later, receivers coach Daikiel Shorts announced he was leaving to take a similar job at Nebraska.
Shorts was a receiver at West Virginia under Dana Holgorsen who recently signed a two-year extension with Nebraska as the offensive coordinator.
Kentucky’s passing offense ranked 82nd nationally last season and averaged just 203 yards per game.
Speculation has been that receiver/kick returner Barion Brown will enter the transfer portal after his numbers dipped last season. He has 122 career receptions for 1,528 yards and 11 touchdowns but his production has dropped every year he’s been at UK. Last season he had only 29 catches for 361 yards — 12 yards per catch and three touchdowns.
