This is some late shuffling on the Kentucky football roster before spring practice officially kicks off next week. Will Stein has brought a pair of analysts into the program.

Eli Wicklund will work for Jay Bateman on the Kentucky defense, while Adam Kleffner is serving as a senior offensive line analyst. Kleffner is the fourth coach in the offensive line room, essentially stepping in for Derek Warehime, who briefly held the position of run game coordinator before taking a job with the Minnesota Vikings.

Wicklund spent the last four seasons as the defensive coordinator for Christopher Newport University, a Division III program in Newport News, Virginia. That region is right in Bateman’s recruiting wheelhouse. Last year, Wicklund’s defense sparked a 10-0 regular season. In addition to his time in Virginia, he’s coached at a few other small schools, like Bucknell and Rice.

Kleffner already has a previous working relationship with Kentucky offensive coordinator Joe Sloan. The new offensive line analyst spent the last two years as LSU’s lead offensive analyst. Prior to his arrival in Baton Rouge, Kleffner had a similar role for three seasons at Illinois. He also has stops at Missouri, Portland State, and Stephen F. Austin on his resume.

Newcomers get Numbers

The roster is not completely set. We’ll probably get a piece of paper on Tuesday, the first day of spring practice, that includes numbers for every player on the roster. For now, we’ll just have to cherry-pick through the roster. A few notables include No. 3 for the starting quarterback, and No. 0 for Kentucky’s projected starting Mike linebacker.

0 — LB Elijah “Bo” Barnes
1 — RB CJ Baxter
2 — RB Javontae Barnes
3 — QB Kenny Minchey
3 — DB Aaron Gates
4 — WR Nic Anderson
5 — DB Jordan Castell
5 — WR Ja’Kayden Ferguson
6 — DL Ahmad Breaux
6 — WR Shane Carr
7 — DL Jamarrion “Chops” Harkless
8 — OLB Lorenzo Cowan*
8 — TE Mikkel Skinner*
9 — OLB Antonio O’Berry
10 — WR Davis McCray
10 — DB Dyllon Williams*
11 — DB Braxton Urquhart
12 — WR Brock Coffman
12 — DB Hasaan Sykes
13 — WR Denairius Gray
13 — DB Cyrus Reyes
* Indicates a number change.

There are still more than two dozen players without jersey numbers. WR Hardley Gilmore is officially on the roster. For the second consecutive years, Kentucky’s projected top two running backs will wear single-digits with consecutive numbers. We also have a scenario where Kentucky could start a pair of 300-pound defensive linemen who can line up next to each other to give the kids a “6-7.”