Kentucky OL at Spring Practice: No Tennessee Talk, A Cattle Wrangler, and Brawls

Pads were popping at the sixth Kentucky football spring practice. Players have noted an increase in intensity and physicality in practice compared to the previous year. When members of the offensive line spoke after practice, they made it clear that it is certainly the case.

“We got after it today,” said offensive tackle Lance Heard. “You know, a few brawls out there, but it happens.”

It might happen during fall camp, but it rarely happened during the glorified walk-throughs in previous spring practices. Will Stein‘s team is getting after it as the players learn the new scheme. Here’s what all we learned from the offensive line today.

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No Tennessee Talk from Lance Heard

Kentucky pulled off quite the coup during transfer portal season, securing a commitment from Lance Heard, who earned third-team All-SEC honors as Tennessee’s starting left tackle in 2025. It’s not the first time the Cats have recruited a Tennessee offensive tackle from the transfer portal. When Gerald Mincey arrived, he was eager to throw shade at the Vols. Those words did not serve Mincey well, ending his season in the concession stand line. Heard took a much different approach when I asked him to compare the pace of play between the two programs.

“It was different,” he said. “Man, I don’t really want to talk about Tennessee.”

He did share what made Kentucky so appealing in the transfer portal. Heard was well aware of the proud tradition of the Big Blue Wall and quickly cultivated a relationship with Cutter Leftwich.

“He’s gonna develop me and get me to the next level. He’s a great coach, outstanding. You know, I love Coach Cutter.” Heard added: “He’s just real with me. You know, he’s straightforward. He don’t treat me or no other player any better than the others. He treats everybody the same. He’ll get in your face and get on your butt, just like he will with anybody else, and that’s what I like.”

Coleton Price is Kentucky’s John Dutton

Every year since the pandemic, Kentucky has had at least one married offensive lineman. At this point, it almost feels like a prerequisite. This year, the experienced man in the middle of the offensive line is Coleton Price, who spent the last three years starting for the Baylor Bears. A Texas native, if football doesn’t work out for him, he has his eyes on the cattle business. Even though his future may look like a scene from Yellowstone, he currently doesn’t see himself whipping cattle into shape from the back of a horse.

“Right now I’m weighing, 310, 312,” said Price. “I don’t think it’d be good for the horse.”

Standouts on the Defensive Line

We know who the big three are on the Big Blue Wall. Coleton Price, Lance Heard, and Tegra Tshabola are multi-year starters who will certainly do the same at Kentucky. Who will join them with the ones? Members of the media were unsuccessful at prying names out of the players and coaches, although it is noteworthy that Olaus Alinen is taking more reps at tackle than guard, potentially playing opposite of Heard. Malachi Wood and UTEP transfer Mark Robinson are also competing to start at right tackle.

Even though they did not talk about their contemporaries on the offensive line, a few players did share which defensive linemen have been formidable foes. Heard gave a shout-out to CJ Works, Price said he’s getting great work in with Chops Harkless, and Alinen noted that Jaden Williams is a strong disruptor in the interior.

“(Quise Humphrey-Grace) brings it every day, brings a lot of effort in his play,” said Alinen. “He times up the cadence really well. So, you’ve got to be ready to get off the ball and pass protection.”

Kentucky Spring Practice Quote of the Day

From Coleton Price: “I’m not here on my last year just to go be okay and be average in the SEC, you know? I want to go win something. I want to win the championship. I want to win the Joe Moore Award. I want to do everything that we can do in our offense and our team. And so I think we can do that. That’s what we’re looking forward to.”

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