JJ Hester is a former four-star recruit who had a 90-yard touchdown catch last season for Oklahoma. (Oklahoma Athletics Photo)
Kentucky has made the moves to strengthen its receivers by adding transfers JJ Hester of Oklahoma and Kendrick Law of Alabama to compensate for the transfer departures of Dane Key and Barion Brown.
The 6-4, 200-pound Hester is a former four-star recruit and last season had 14 catches for 315 yards — 22.5 yards per catch — and one score. Not only does he have great length, but he also had a 90-yard touchdown last season that showcased his speed.
He was a big-time recruit who was expected to be a perfect red zone target.
Hester originally committed to Missouri where the position coach at the time was Bush Hamdan, who is now the offensive coordinator at Kentucky.
Law also was a four-star recruit and was the No. 8 overall prospect in Louisiana in his recruiting class. He chose Kentucky over Arkansas and Florida State.
The 5-11, 202-pound Law played in over 30 games for Alabama during his three seasons and caught 33 passes for 343 yards and one touchdown. Last season he had 10 catches for 105 yards in only six games because of injury issues.
He originally picked Alabama and coach Nick Saban over Florida State, Texas and LSU.
Law was one of three Alabama transfers to hit the transfer portal after the Crimson Tide did not make the national playoffs.
6 Responses
Both of these receivers will have a good impact on next years team! I’m glad they are cleaning house! The last 3 years have been terrible! Yes we need a new coach but if we can’t get one for the next 2 years then we have what we have. Stoops knows how to win he just has seemed more lazy! Maybe he gets back to work and leaves Kentucky much better than how he found it! That’s what I’m hoping for I know we won’t win the SEC championship or go to the playoffs with Stoops but he can make it a little easier for the next coach to take us there! If we can make a bowl next year then improve off that the following year with a new coach then Stoops did his job and I think that would bother him to leave the program with a 4 win season. He needs at least to go out with a bowl game. We’ve had a roller coaster relationship with Stoops. I’d prefer he go out with a bang and try to at least get back to .500
They say Ky fans are the best in the country. I say they are the best whiners in the country. Ky will NOT get a better coach than Stoops when he leaves. I hope he can have a great season and then leaves along with all the best players transferring. That’s what BBN (Big BooHoo Nation) deserves.
Whining about what 4-8? Its not the record we even had if the games would have even been close I wouldn’t complain. Stoops is the coach he has done this to himself by not trying to change with the game. He has brought many great memories to Kentucky football and I appreciate him for that but there comes a time when its just time to go and he has reached that point. He’s a top ten paid coach with not even top 25 results. He’s overpaid and someone could do just as good of a job for less than half of what he makes. He’s bleeding the University and Mitch is the dummy who gives these coaches contracts that they don’t deserve. He also did the same thing with Cal. We will be stuck with Stoops for at least 2 more years. When they buyout gets under 30 million he’s gone. Which is 2 more years. I think we can get back to a bowl game next year and then we can build off that for the following year. I would like to see what kind of year Jon Sumerall has this year. If Tulane wins over 9 or 10 games again next year I would pull the trigger and bring him in after next year because if we don’t get him someone like Auburn Or Mississippi state will and he will then bring the pain against us when they play us. Whoever does get him will have a great coach for the next 10-20 years.
Don’t worry about the HATING VIRTUE-SIGNALER up there, TJ–hes not a real KY fan anyway–ppl who are true KY fans don’t come on here for the sole purpose of whining about other fans "whining", and telling fellow fans what they should or shouldn’t say. And when u refer to BBN as THEM or THEY rather than WE or US, that’s the first sign that HE AINT ONE OF US!!!
How can we possibly get to a bowl game next year with the attrition we are currently having? We are not exactly filling this voids with SEC quality prospects.
We will actually have a decent o line next year. Remember me saying that. Instead of going after SEC rejects we are actually getting smaller confrence guys who really excell in there league and i think with a little hard work and a better strength and conditioning coach these offensive lineman can take it to the next level. As it stands right now these 4 offensive lineman all graded out better than our starters from this past year. Bring back Jager Burton for his senior year and also a improved Jalen Farmer who was the best offensive lineman on this years team. We also have Malachi Wood who was a freshman all sec team o lineman and a couple more freshman that were redshirted who if not redshirted would have gotten playing time in 2024. We will have 3 good running backs next year. Gilmore and Farrier and Maclin will all improve from this past year actually getting playing time in the SEC. Our defense will have a great balance of youth and experience. Experience as the starters and all redshirt freshman backing up all these positions which will spring board them for the following year.