Senior Jager Burton helped organize a relief drive for tornado victims this summer. (UK Athletics Photo)
When I talked to Kentucky senior offensive lineman Jager Burton during the summer after he organized a relief effort to help tornado victims in London and Somerset it was obvious he was already focused on the 2025 season.
Kentucky went 4-8 in 2024 and the UK offensive line was criticized heavily all season. Burton has shifted from guard to center — a move that did not work two years ago when the Cats tried it — and is certainly motivated to make the move work.
Remember he was the late John Schlarman’s final offensive line recruit and Burton does not take that legacy lightly. He admired Schlarman and his passing was a huge blow to the former Lexington high school star.
“Jager has just been awesome. He wants to help this football team any way he can,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “He’s very unselfish. For his future, being able to play both positions is super important for him, and he’s worked really hard at it, very conscientious.
“He’s busting his butt. He’s a guy that before practice, and certainly afterwards — my office looks over the field — 40 minutes later he’s out there snapping and working on things. He’s really working hard.”
Burton has always been a hard worker. He has started 34 games — 31 at guard, three at center — in his UK career.
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“It’s one of the hardest positions in football. There’s a lot going on, from having to line up and make calls and identifying fronts, to the execution piece,” UK offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan, who was not at UK in 2023 when Burton tried playing center, said.
Burton made it clear to me earlier this summer that there was one major difference in his potential move to center this season.
“I have more confidence in myself to be able to do it. I feel like the coaches have full confidence in me,” Burton said.
