Montavin Quisenberry Showing he has a Bright Future

Montavin Quisenberry caught a touchdown pass in UK's spring game with UK Radio Network announcer Tom Leach (right) watching him. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Montavin Quisenberry had to cover a lot of ground on the final day of Kentucky’s spring football practice.

First, he made several big plays, including a touchdown game, in Kentucky’s spring football showcase at Kroger Field that was open to fans and media.

Next, he was off to northern Kentucky to watch his sister, Danville Christian Academy point guard Alaya Quisenberry, play in the Kentucky-Ohio All-Star Game at Thomas More University in Crestview Hills.

“I got home (from football practice), took a quick shower and we headed off to see her play,” Quisenberry, who was at the game with his parents, said. “I got to watch her like four or five times during the season. I did get to see her play in the state tournament. It makes me proud to watch her play but also makes me miss basketball.”

The 5-10, 165-pound receiver gave up his senior basketball season at Boyle County High School to enroll early at UK, a move that certainly seems to be paying off based on what he did in the open practice.

“He is a guy that definitely has some big play ability and a bright future,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “We are down some guys (receivers) with nagging injuries but he is a guy that has a bright future.”

Quisenberry helped Boyle County go 41-2 in his career and had over 8,000 total yards and accounted for 127 touchdowns receiving, rushing, passing and returning kicks.

“He is a young guy who is going to be really good for us in the future. He is going to have a big impact on us this year,” veteran receiver Ja’Mori Maclin said.

Quisenberry said before spring practice started that he felt even faster and more elusive than he did at Boyle when he swept the Paul Hornung, Mr. Football and Gatorade awards given to the state’s best player.

“The speed workouts here are so much different than high school,” Quisenberry said. “I have worked a lot on my speed and upper body strength. I’ve gained a lot more power and more weight.”

Quisenberry believed he could make an impact at Kentucky as a freshman before spring practice started. Now he’s confident he can do that.

“Just get being able to play the games has given me a lot more confidence,” the freshman receiver said.” I’ll say it’s been great to just get out there and go against the second team.

“Like Coach (Stoops) said, it was great to go out there (at the stadium in front of fans) and get the feel of a real college game. I know it was really nowhere near that but it was still really good to get out there and see how it is.”

Stoops has emphasized more accountability is being put on players and both on and off field work has been held to a higher standard after the disappointing 4-8 finish in 2024.

“It’s not that bad once you get the hang of what he wants,” Quisenberry said.

The former Boyle standout appreciates that former Franklin County receiver Fred Farrier was a huge help to him during spring practice.

“He’s helped me a lot. Just how to get plays, how to be a college receiver. I would say he’s helped me a lot in a lot of ways,” Quisenberry said.

He knows many have been surprised by his productive play so far at Kentucky but has a simple message for anyone who might have doubted him, especially after what he did in the spring showcase.

“I would just say, ‘Keep watching this,’” Quisenberry said.

He said the next few weeks he’ll be finishing spring semester classes and then start more speed training.

“I hope I can still get faster,” Quisenberry said. “I am just gonna keep working on my speed even more and get it down to like the 4.3 (second) range (in the 40-yard dash). No matter how fast you are, you can always be faster to compete in the SEC.”