Kentucky punter Colin Goodfellow to miss rest of season after game-saving play at Missouri

Kentucky punter Colin Goodfellow is set to miss the remainder of the 2022 football season with a leg injury he suffered while making a game-saving play in the Wildcats’ win at Missouri.

With Kentucky leading 21-17 and 2:25 remaining, Goodfellow reacted quickly to field a ball near the goal line that was snapped over the top of his head. He was able to kick the ball just past the Wildcats’ 30-yard line before being tackled by a Missouri defender.

Missouri was flagged for roughing the kicker on the play, giving Kentucky an automatic first down and allowing the Wildcats to grind enough time off the clock to ice the win.

Goodfellow was carted off the field after the play. As a sixth-year senior using the extra year of eligibility granted all players in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Goodfellow’s playing career ended with the injury.

“He made a great play, sacrificed for the team,” Stoops said, noting Goodfellow is undergoing more tests Monday but has already been confirmed to miss the rest of the season.

After some fans sent donations to his personal Venmo account after the game Saturday, Goodfellow took to Twitter to express thanks and direct anyone wishing to show support to the UK Children’s Hospital fundraiser launched by him and kicker Matt Ruffolo in August or UK’s Fanatics team shop, where fans can purchase sweatshirts with players’ names and numbers on them. Portions of the sales go directly to players through name, image and likeness deals.

“Woke up today feeling grateful for my teammates, coaches, our medical staff, and the outpouring support from you, BBN,” Goodfellow tweeted. “I can not thank you enough! ... Thank you so much for your support and making it known that I have another whole family here in Lexington and in BBN around the country! Love y’all!”

As for the play on which Goodfellow was injured, the penalty became the latest in a line of controversial calls in the Kentucky-Missouri series.

After Kentucky’s 2017 win over Missouri, the SEC office acknowledged a mistake in officials not flagging Kentucky for delay of game when Josh Allen slapped the ball out of a Missouri player’s hands in the final seconds as the Tigers tried to drive for a game-tying score. In 2018, Missouri fans took issue with a pass interference penalty that set up a final untimed down on which Kentucky scored a game-winning touchdown.

While not exactly arguing the call was wrong, Missouri Coach Eli Drinkwitz expressed frustration with the rule that resulted in the roughing-the-kicker penalty after the game Saturday.

“How a guy can still be a protected punter 50 yards down the field and how our guy is supposed to know he can’t tackle him is beyond me,” Drinkwitz said, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune. “But I’m sure I’ll get an explanation and I’m sure it will defend (the referees).

Stoops said after the game he was told by officials that because Goodfellow was still in the tackle box, even though he was dozens of yards behind the line of scrimmage, he remained protected by the roughing rule.

“They’re rewarded for a huge mistake,” Drinkwitz said. “The young man was able to kick the ball. At least give us the ball at the 30. But they snap the ball over his head, and they rewarded them with a first down.”

With Goodfellow unavailable, backup punter Wilson Berry made his first punt of the season following Kentucky’s final offensive drive at Missouri. Berry was the only punter listed on UK’s depth chart Monday.

A former professional Australian Rules Football player, Berry was recruited to Kentucky to replace Ray Guy Award winner Max Duffy. He opened the 2021 season as UK’s starting punter but struggled with inconsistency due in part to a back injury and was eventually replaced by Goodfellow.

The 35-yard punt at Missouri, which was fielded at the Tigers’ 6-yard line and returned to the 13-yard line, was the only punt of the season for the 23-year-old redshirt freshman.

While the injury news on Goodfellow was not good, Kentucky could be boosted this week by the return of super senior weakside linebacker DeAndre Square, who missed the Missouri game. Stoops said Square has a chance to play against Vanderbilt. He was listed on Monday’s depth chart.

Time set for UK-Georgia game

The kickoff time for Kentucky’s Nov. 19 home game at Kroger Field against No. 1-ranked Georgia was announced Monday.

The Wildcats and Bulldogs will square off at 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised nationally by CBS.

Next game

Vanderbilt at Kentucky

When: Noon Saturday

TV: SEC Network

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Records: Vanderbilt 3-6 (0-5 SEC), Kentucky 6-3 (3-3)

Series: Kentucky leads 48-42-4.

Last meeting: Kentucky won 34-17 on Nov. 13, 2021, in Nashville.