Chance Poore set to return for Kentucky Football

The Kentucky Wildcats’ kickoff specialist is coming back for another season.

Chance Poore is coming back for his final season of college football with Kentucky. In an announcement on Wednesday, Poore said he had “unfinished business” at Kentucky and is planning to pursue a master’s degree as he plays his final season.

Poore has primarily handled kickoff duties the last two seasons, as well as being the team’s holder, but has placekicking experience.

Poore has been a solid kickoff specialist for Kentucky. Last season, 44 of his 62 kickoffs went for touchbacks and his 63.3 average kickoff distance ranked in the top 30 nationally and top 5 in the SEC.

Many remember that he was rated as the #1 kicker coming out of high school by ProKicker.com and during his UK career, Poore is 8/13 on field goals and 32/34 on extra points.

With Poore coming back, it’s fair to wonder if he will be in the competition for the team’s placekicker role.

Matt Ruffolo has graduated, and Boyle County alum Jackson Smith — a highly touted kicking recruit himself — is set to be a contender for the job along with Lexington Catholic alum Max DeGraff and North Carolina native Jackson Moore.

Smith is a redshirt freshman who was also the ProKicker top prospect in 2022, and DeGraff and Moore are both part of the 2023 class.

Regardless of which role he plays, it’s good to have a veteran specialist back on the roster.