Kentucky losing a key running back to transfer portal

With bringing in a new head coach, plenty of departures should always be expected. That's what heppened on Friday for WIll Stein and Kentucky football. After one season in Lexington, running back Dante Dowdell is transferring from Kentucky. According to On3's Pete Nakos, Dowdell plans to enter the transfer portal, now onto his fourth school in four seasons in his college career.

Dowdell transferred to Kentucky last offseason after spending the first two seasons of his college career at Oregon, with Will Stein, and then to Nebraska. The tailback was a blue-chip recruit out of high school, but had the best year of his career to this point at Nebraska in his sophomore year. He rushed for 614 yards and has 12 touchdowns on the year. This season at Kentucky, Dowdell totaled 560 yards and 3 touchdowns as he shared the backfield with Seth McGowan. He was hoping for even better results in Lexington, but that did not happen, as McGowan emerged out of the two. It didn't help that Kentucky's offense as a whole struggled mightily all season.

Dowdell is known as a powerback, but it was McGowan's speed that was used most in the backfield. Speaking of backfield talent, Kentucky will have Texas transfer running back CJ Baxter on campus for a visit this weekend, a major visitor. Dowdell is once again looking for another opportunity elsewhere as he enters year four of his college career. His best showing in the lone season at Kentucky? The season-opener against Toledo, where he rushed for 129 yards on the ground and a touchdown.

The former blue-chip recruit was ranked as the 8th-best running back in the 2023 class coming out of high school, and he's looking for a new home again. Dowdell is now the 14th Kentucky player to enter the transfer portal, with other notable departures being quarterback Cutter Boley, linebacker Steven Soles, cornerback DJ Waller, and wide receiver Troy Stellato. Check out the full list of all the current departures for Kentucky football:

QB Cutter Boley

QB Stone Saunders

EDGE Steven Soles Jr.

EDGE Jacob Smith

DL Jerod Smith

DL Javeon Campbell

DT Austin Ramsey

LB Landyn Watson

CB DJ Waller

CB Nasir Addison

WR Troy Stellato

WR Preston Bowman

WR David Washington Jr.

WR Montavin Quisenberry

Kentucky will be looking to get in good position with Texas transfer running back CJ Baxter when he arrives on his visit this weekend. That would be a huge addition to that position room, especially with Dowdell leaving.