⚡ CFB Dashboard

Kentucky football is set to host its Spring game on Saturday, assuming weather permits. With it being the first time in a few years that fans have gotten a proper Spring game with all the festivities that come with it, new Head Coach Will Stein opted to provide some insight into what BBN can expect for the competition. "Should be a really fun format for the fans," Stein said. "I think these guys have had a really good Spring football, we were pretty competitive out there today." The contest is set to start at 11 a.m. assuming weather allows, with Stein promising fans that Kentucky will "keep them posted" on how that goes. Stein said that, if the weather does not allow, "we're gonna have to make the appropriate call." Beyond that, how will it function? It will be Blue vs. White, with the blue team being the offense and the white team being defense. They will not alternate or have two full teams. Once the game gets underway, for the offense, a touchdown is worth six points, a field goal worth three, an extra point worth one. All of that is standard. What isn't is the new modification to two-point conversions. The offense will have two options for going for extra, being able to attempt from the five-yard line for two or from the 10-yard line for four. On defense, a touchdown (pick six, scoop n' score, etc) is worth six, a turnover forced is worth six, a forced punt is worth one and a three-and-out or turnover on downs is worth three. "When you go offense vs. defense, you have to reward the defense for stops," Stein explained. "I've been a part of games like this. I just felt like this was best because of the availability of our certain players, just going O-D and mixing it that way was the easiest." The game will have a 15-minute running clock in the first half, but the second half will be 12 minutes with a stopping clock for a score, a penalty or a change of possession. The last two-minutes of both halves will "play out like a two-minute timeout." Kentucky will be live tackling for the beginning of the scrimmage, but that is liable to change depending on how things go. After live tackle ends, UK will be in "thud" mode, which is wrapping up, but not tackling to the ground. Within the contest, quarterbacks will wear black, meaning they're ineligible to be tackled, while select defenders with health concerns will also be adorned in black for "non-contact." "They just won't be able to live tackle in those settings or be tackled to the ground," Stein said. "Guys that might have a little shoulder here and there, you don't want anybody tackling and subluxing (partially dislocating) their shoulders. It's really more for protection for them. They'll be in tag mode. We just gotta get these guys to the Fall." Regardless, both coordinators also expressed excitement for the upcoming scrimmage, with Defensive Coordinator Jay Bateman calling it "a test" on what the players have learned throughout the Spring. "I'm excited to go out there and see (them) tackle live a little bit, do some of that," Bateman said. "You get lesson No. 3, you study, and then you go take that test. I feel like we've had a lot of kids really make progress." With that in mind, Kentucky football's 2026 Spring Game is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, from Kroger Field. Assuming weather permits, it will kick off at 11 a.m.