Kentucky football has a brand-new shining star with back-to-back national championships with Georgia… but it’s not the big name on offense that throws the ball.
Jamon “Pop” Dumas-Johnson chose to return to college football rather than turn pro after a forearm injury cut his senior season short in Athens.
Before entering his name into the transfer portal, Pop amassed 126 tackles with 17 being for a loss, 9.5 sacks and seven pass break-ups, standing as a surefire name that will see immediate production for Kentucky.
Said production will be needed as Kentucky said goodbye to team captain Trevin Wallace, who was drafted No. 72 overall by the Carolina Panthers, in the offseason.
After getting a few practices in blue and white under his belt, Pop has already began to build on-the-field chemistry with Kentucky’s tackling leader D’Eryk Jackson.
“Me and D-Jack talk a lot… football is a connection game, so two inside backers that’s hanging out every day, that’s a good deal,” Dumas-Johnson said.
Between Jackson teaching his knowledge of the ins and outs of a Mark Stoops defense and the addition of helmet communication, it’s safe to say Dumas-Johnson is adjusting quickly.
“Every day you see a guy that’s more and more confident, more and more comfortable within our scheme,” defensive coordinator Brad White said.
Looking at UK’s DC, it’s he who should most likely be credited with bringing Pop to Lexington as he was the only coach to sit down with him for a longer period of time while recruiting him out of high school, which made Kentucky stand out.
The addition will be key for Kentucky as the starting duo of Dumas-Johnson and Jackson provide a serious threat to opposing offenses, though the two haven’t let the noise get to their heads.
“Be where your feet are and we have practice right now,” Pop said. “Game days in 23 days? Can’t take no steps back, you gotta keep going forward.”
Outside of just elevating themselves, the starting inside linebackers have also begun the process of helping Alex Afari Jr. adjust to inside linebacker as he just made the switch from safety this season. The change will allow Afari to play at both spots as needed during the season, providing much-needed depth.
“I feel like the sky’s the limit,” Afari said on media day. “We got a lot of depth, a lot of experience, a lot of people that played SEC football, so we know what it takes.”
Kentucky football will kick off its 2024 season at home on Saturday, August 31, against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. The game is set to begin at 7:45 p.m. ET and will air live on the SEC Network.
