< PreviousPLAYER DEVELOPMENT Kentucky football introduced #4for40 in 2018, an initiative which guides players during their four years on campus, and their 40 years after. UK also instilled programs to help prepare players for changes in life and to better connect with every player while at the same time bringing former players back who can offer career advice.COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Many Kentucky players choose to take part in serving the community in a variety of proj- ects, including mentoring, hospital visits, speaking engagements and food drives. In 2019, along with other UK engineering students and a team of Toyota Manufacturing engineers, senior offensive guard Luke Fortner worked for months to help design, test and manufac- ture a specially-built push cart vehicle through a project called “Lift Them Up.” The push cart vehicle provides a Kentucky Children’s Hospital patient the chance to both accompany the Wildcats on the Cat Walk and attend a game at Kroger Field. PERFORMANCE Every college football program puts a premium on developing student-athletes, but the Performance program is unique to Kentucky. From strength and conditioning, led by director of performance Corey Edmond, director of performance/head strength coach Mark Hill, and assistant directors Tyler Malone and Rafael Horton, to nutrition led by registered dietitian Becky Sauceda, to the latest in athlete-tracking technology spearheaded by director of applied science Chris Morris, the Performance program brings all aspects of performance under one umbrella.KENTUCKY • Record retention and graduation rates and bold goals for continued growth in our strategic plan • More than 7,000 degrees awarded in the last academic year • Diverse, inclusive campus community with students from all 120 Kentucky counties, all 50 states, and more than 100 countries • $2.8 billion in campus transformation, much of it financed in collaboration with private and public partners, focused on student living and learning communities, modern research laboratories, innovative teaching and learning space and one of the fastest growing academic medical centers in the country • More than $7 billion spent with Kentucky companies since 2011 • One of eight institutions in the country with the full range of undergraduate, professional, health care and medical colleges and programs on a contiguous campus • One of 18 institutions in the country with the trifecta of research designations for excellence in cancer, aging and translational science • $468 million in external grants and contracts supporting UK research • Nearly 100 national rankings for excellence in teaching, research and service • UK HealthCare and UK Chandler Medical Center is one of the nation’s finest academic medical centers with its state-of-the-art patient care facility and emergency rooms, advanced research space and network of affiliate health care agencies to serve the Commonwealth and region THE UNIVERSITY OFTalbott Todd Way is the site of UK’s pregame Cat Walk, where fans cheer the Wildcats on their arrival to Kroger Field each game day. Players and coaches walk from outside Gate 1 down Talbott Todd Way to the Joe Craft Football Training Facility two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff. The alley was dedicated to former Wildcat Talbott Todd (1963- 65). Todd, who passed away from ALS in August 2017, was an avid supporter of the program. In 2020, members of the offensive line chose to rotate No. 65, the number long-time offensive line coach John Schlarman wore as an offensive lineman at Kentucky. Schlarman died on Nov. 12 following a two-year battle with cancer. The team also honored linebacker Chris Oats all season by rotating No. 22 as he battles a serious medical condition.Thanks to Nike’s extensive research and product development, the Kentucky Wildcats stay on the cutting edge of quality and style with all of their gear. All 22 sports use Nike shoes and equipment and over the course of a newly signed eight-year contract, one of the lengthiest con- tracts in collegiate sports, the Wildcats will receive MILLIONS of DOLLARS worth of clothing and equipment. In 2016, Nike unveiled three new football uniform combinations, including an all-blue, all-white and all-anthracite combination. New matte-black , matte-blue and chrome helmets were also introduced. Each uniform features a blue collar which signifies Kentucky’s working-class background. “We’ve got a state that is all about hard work and effort, and we want people to understand that that’s what it takes. If you put that jersey on, that’s part of what it means at the University of Kentucky to represent the Commonwealth.” — UK Athletics Director, Mitch BarnhartBrand Protection, Enhancement, and Engagement KENTUCKY ROAD Kentucky has won three straight bowl games, tying the school record set from 2006-08.UK Athletics Department has intensified its commitment to providing best-in-class experiences and opportunities for student-athletes through The Kentucky Road, which describes the incomparable developmental experience provided for student-athletes during their time as Wildcats. Benefits include, but are not limited to: Providing industry-leading support for leveraging individual social media presence through education, opportunity and data-backed insights. Extended scholarships until a bachelor’s degree is achieved. Former Wildcat and NFL veteran, Avery Williamson (2010-13), returned to Kentucky in the spring of 2019 and graduated with a degree in integrated strategic communication (pictured above). In December of 2020, cornerback Derrick Tatum, who played from 1999-2002, and wide receiver Steve Johnson, who played at UK in 2006-07 and went on to an eight-year career in the NFL, came back to earn their degrees. Financial Education Lifetime Scholarships Visit TheKentuckyRoad.com Next >