Kentucky transfer Kiyaunta Goodwin commits to SEC East rival Florida

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Isabel McSwain

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops coaches his team during the Kentucky vs. Iowa Music City Bowl football game on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. UK lost 21-0. Photo by Isabel McSwain | Staff

Aaron Benjamin, Reporter

Former Kentucky offensive lineman Kiyaunta Goodwin announced his transfer destination on Wednesday, choosing to join UK’s divisional rival Florida.

Goodwin is headed to Gainesville after only a season in Lexington under head coach Mark Stoops and offensive line coach Zach Yenser.

The Florida football team twitter account made the news public just prior to noon with the caption, ‘Be like Kiyaunta. Welcome to The Swamp.” with a graphic of Goodwin editing onto a magazine cover.

Goodwin was a five-star recruit coming out of Charlestown High School in Charlestown, Indiana, being the No. 5 ranked offensive tackle in the 2022 class.

He committed to Kentucky on Jan. 19, 2022, after visiting and being offered by other SEC schools such as Alabama and Texas A&M as well as other schools like Michigan, Florida State and Michigan State. 

Unfortunately for the Louisville native, he did not see any playing time on the offensive line that has often been dubbed the “Big Blue Wall”.

On Dec. 16, 2022, exactly one year after he signed his letter of intent to play for Stoops and Kentucky, Goodwin officially entered the transfer portal. 

Now set to play in Gainesville for the 2023 season, Goodwin will be under the reins of second-year coach Billy Napier.

Kentucky is scheduled to play Florida in week five of the 2023 season.

The game is set to be held on Sep. 30, 2023, at Kroger Field.

It is currently unknown whether or not Goodwin will play on the offensive line for the Gators.