Kentucky Wide Receivers Motivated to Reach New Heights
The Kentucky football team lost its top two receivers from last season’s team. Both Barion Brown and Dane Key went into the transfer portal and picked new schools.
So, it would be understandable if the expectations of the 2025 UK wide receivers were lower than they were last year. Just don’t tell that to this group, especially returnee Ja’Mori Maclin, who admits that he and his entire wide receiver room are approaching the new season with a chip on their shoulder.
“I think for me personally, this is my last year,” Maclin said. “I had plans to go to the NFL after last season but it didn’t go the way I wanted. I’ve got a chip on my shoulder to be the best receiver in the nation. We’ve all got a chip on our shoulder to show that we’re the best.”
Kentucky offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan agrees that he has seen Maclin become the leader of a very hungry group of receivers.
“He’s a guy who has been extremely focused the first two practices, as the whole wide receiver group has been as well,” Hamdan said. “There’s a level of urgency with this offense, we know that and I think that group has got a little bit of a chip on their shoulder and that’s how we need to play.”
Maclin saw his production improve over the last two games of the 2024 season. He caught two passes for 52 yards against Texas, then caught three passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns against Louisville. Maclin attributed his improvement in numbers to something simple.
“Opportunities. That’s all it is for me. I just need opportunities,” Maclin said. “I just stayed ready all season, even though it didn’t go the way I wanted. When the opportunities came, I just made them.”
He also thinks that a move back to his natural position helped.
“Dane and Barion went down in some of those games that I played outside,” Maclin said. “That’s really my natural position. I played outside at North Texas the year I went for a thousand (receiving yards). That was natural to me. It wasn’t hard to me.”
The UK wide receiver group is under the direction of first-year wide receivers coach L’Damian Washington, someone Hamdan worked with at Missouri. Hamdan likes Washington’s credentials.
“Always been super impressed with him,” Hamdan said. “I met him about five or six years ago. A guy who was an NFL journeyman. I realized that he had been in six, seven NFL spots. And in some ways, as a player, you take a little bit of each coach with you. Extremely knowledgeable, ability to connect with the players, someone I really trust.”
Hamdan, Washington, Maclin and incoming transfer JJ Hester were all at Missouri at the same time, and have all be reunited at UK. Hamdan believes that could be something that’s seen a lot more in the future.
“In some ways, maybe that’s a new trend in college football,” Hamdan said. “You’ve been in a spot, you have trust in guys, you know exactly what you’re getting. So, we’re fortunate to have those guys here.”
Maclin likes how Washington makes all of the receivers better.
“It’s been good. I worked him with him my second year at Mizzou, me and JJ Hester worked with him,” Maclin said. “I already knew him and had a good relationship with him. He holds us to a high standard every day. He’s trying to push us to be our best.”
The UK receiver group is working hard to create their own legacy, and they are motivated to do just that.
