We’re less than a month from Kentucky football’s season-opener. Usually rosters are finalized, but this year, thanks to a recent ruling, many players are awaiting their eligibility status. For Kentucky, that’s Alex Afari Jr., who we received some news about on Saturday.

During his press conference on Saturday, head coach Will Stein revealed that Afari is now cleared to practice with the team, but he is still waiting for clarification on his eligibility status, as he and many others across the country who are a part of the 2022 recruiting class are fighting to gain that fifth year.

“Alex Afari has been cleared to practice with our team based on the guidance from our compliance staff and the SEC,” Stein said. “So his competition eligibility remains under review like most of these cases. We’re awaiting further clarification before he would be permitted to play in games with us this season.”

Stein knows what kind of impact Afari can have on the team if he does become eligible. “He cares a lot about UK, this place as a whole, and we would love for him to have the opportunity to come back and represent us and the University of Kentucky moving forward. I think he can help our team immediately.”

Also in the news and significant to the development with Afari, Stein also announced on Saturday that linebacker Antonio O’Berry has exhausted his eligibility and will not play for Kentucky this season. Berry is a 2021 high school graduate and played five years, three of those in Division ll. The NCAA’s new 5-for-5 ruling is the reason for his loss of eligibility.

Once the Colorado judge ruled for all class of 2022 athletes to become eligible, Afari was instantly a name circled for Kentucky to potentially return. Now, with him practicing, that’s something to watch closely if he does become eligible. Stein isn’t wasting any time trying to get the chemistry up with he and his new teammates. Based on Stein’s comments on the ruling a few weeks ago, it was easy to see he was on board with adding a player.

“If there’s a five-for-five option that we believe that can make us better, we’re going to attack it full-force,” Stein said a few weeks ago at Media Day. “I think it’s still a wait and see. People are not quick to act just because it’s something that’s reported on Twitter, and there’s some judges that are ruling in favor of student athletes getting their fifth year back. But any time that we can enhance our roster, I’m going to be full steam ahead.”

Now we play the waiting game with a decision needed soon as the season starts in just a few weeks, as the NCAA continues to fight the ruling that they believe should begin this coming season and not include the class of 2022. While we wait, it sounds like Kentucky is a step ahead in the process.

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