Lead Story: Batt Standing Firm on Kentucky Despite Michigan State Curveball
Kentucky's athletic director hire hit an unexpected snag Monday — but not the kind that changes the outcome. J Batt, who is leaving Michigan State to take over UK Athletics, reaffirmed his commitment to Lexington after news broke that Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz is staying in East Lansing rather than departing for the same role at Clemson.
The wrinkle is financial. Guskiewicz's expected departure had triggered a contract clause that cut Batt's buyout in half, from $5 million to $2.5 million. With the president's reversal, Kentucky may now be on the hook for the full $5 million. What isn't in question is Batt's destination. "J Batt and I spoke this afternoon and he has reinforced his commitment to UK and his excitement about joining the Big Blue Nation as soon as possible," UK president Eli Capilouto posted on Twitter. "We are working quickly to finalize his start date and his family is eager to join our community as well."
Batt's deal with Kentucky runs six years and is worth nearly $18 million. Amid a sweeping period of change atop UK Athletics, the incoming athletic director's arrival now appears to be a matter of when — and how much Kentucky writes the check for — rather than if.
Quick Hits
Mizzou lands two in PFF College's Top 20. Running back Ahmad Hardy checks in at No. 6 on PFF College's Top 50 players list after leading the nation in yards after contact (1,181) and pacing the Power Four in rushing yards (1,648) and forced missed tackles (96). His 2,994 rushing yards since 2024 are 399 more than any other returning FBS back. Left tackle Cayden Green ranks No. 18 behind an 89.6 pass-blocking grade — second in the FBS and tops among returning tackles.
Five-star wing DeMarcus Henry trims list to eight, Kentucky and Arkansas make the cut. The 6-foot-7 small forward — the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2027 class, per Rivals — announced a final eight of Kentucky, North Carolina, BYU, Louisville, UConn, Kansas, Ohio State, and Arkansas on Monday night. The lefty three-level scorer led the NBA Top 100 camp in scoring in June at 20 points per game while adding 9.3 rebounds.
Georgia counting on Chris Cole to fix the pass rush. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound linebacker enters his third season in Athens after posting 59 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, and a team-leading 4.5 sacks across all 14 games last year. Those 4.5 sacks led a Georgia defense that managed just 20 all season — tied for 107th nationally and last in the SEC — making Cole's continued development central to the Bulldogs' championship aspirations.
SEC volleyball well represented on U21 national team. USA Volleyball selected four Texas players — Henley Anderson, Genevieve Harris, Taylor Harvey, and Abby Vander Wal — to the Women's U21 National Team ahead of the NORCECA Pan American Cup, while Florida's Lily Hayes and Logan King also made final U21 rosters for the event.
Kentucky's 2027 hoops targets shuffle in updated rankings. UK's lone 2027 commit, Ryan Hampton, sits at No. 12 on 247Sports, No. 19 at Rivals, and No. 20 at ESPN after the sites refreshed their boards. Priority targets Marcus Spears Jr. (No. 1 on ESPN and 247Sports) and C.J. Rosser (No. 1 at Rivals, No. 4 at ESPN) remain at the top of the class.
Portal Watch
A quiet 12 hours on the transfer front — no new SEC portal entries or landings to report. With rosters largely set for summer workouts, expect movement to stay light until the next portal window approaches.
Recruiting Buzz
No new SEC commitments in the last 12 hours, but the recruiting wires stayed warm: Henry's final eight headlines the basketball side for Kentucky and Arkansas, and the updated 2027 rankings at ESPN, Rivals, and 247Sports give SEC staffs a fresh look at the board heading deeper into July.
Games to Watch
No SEC games are on the schedule today. Circle a date for the fall, though: the first Florida-Georgia game played in Atlanta lands on Halloween — a new venue and a new vibe for one of the conference's fiercest rivalries.
