LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW)- The sound of pads popping is going to be very frequent inside the Joe Craft Center now that Kentucky football players can fully suit up during Spring Practice. The elevated physicality is helping the team take on a new challenge as it redefines its culture after a disappointing 2024 season. “It felt really good to get out there and get some pads up,” said sophomore tight end Willie Rodriguez. Offensive lineman Jager Burton and Shiyazh Pete concur. “It was a solid test. Unique challenge. It was a lot of fun,” said Pete, who is in his first months at UK after transferring from New Mexico. “You work a long time for the first day of pads,” said Burton. Part of Head Coach Mark Stoops’ refocus has been to imprint a blue collar mentality onto his team. “Blue Collar,” has been printed on team workout shirts and seems to be seeping into them. “Coach Stoops has always talked about it. I love the saying,” said Rodriguez. “It’s what we should come into the season with and continue throughout the offseason.” “It’s a brotherhood for sure. A band of brothers,” said Pete, who added that his team has to embody the attitude of first responders, builders and other blue collar professionals. While there’s a lot of emphasis on changing the culture of UK’s program, offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan says that he will be patient in seeing if the results come with the effort. “I don’t know if you find out what your culture is until things get hard,” said Hamdan. “With as many new players as we have it does feel different. I do feel that from a blue collar and urgency standpoint every roster spot is available. The competition has showed that.” Categories: Featured, More Sports, Solid Blue, Sports Tags: bush hamdan, Football, Kentucky, Mark Stoops, spring practice ...read more read less