Kentucky Wildcats Football May Get $45 Million Training Facility

It may be safe to say there's never been this much excitement in an offseason for a football program that won only two games the previous season, but brighter days are certainly ahead for the Kentucky Wildcats.

They currently have a 2014 recruiting class ranked No. 13 by Rivals, and it could rise even further by the time national signing day is over.

With the team's football stadium needing significant renovations done to it, the school has already approved the issuance of $110 million to use for the renovation of Commonwealth Stadium, according to Linda Blackford of Kentucky.com.  

There are now plans in the works for a $45 million project that would give UK a new training facility and practice fields, according to an agenda for a meeting on Friday involving the school's board of trustees.

There, UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart will ask school president Eli Capilouto and the school's board of trustees for the approval of a $45 million practice facility for the football team. 

Here is a brief excerpt of what the facility would include: 

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The two-story structure for the football program will house administrative offices, locker spaces, team meeting areas, training areas, high performance and weight room spaces, equipment rooms, a hydrotherapy room, player locker rooms, lounge facilities, an academic lounge/study area, and an entrance lobby with enhanced visitor amenities. 

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This is the kind of dedication needed to improve a program that's won just nine combined games over the past three seasons and hasn't been bowl-eligible since 2010. 

If this project gets approved, it will be a tremendous step forward for a program looking to compete in the SEC, despite not having won a conference game in two years after going a combined 0-16 in the past two seasons. 

A lot of work needs to be done for UK to become a relevant team in the SEC, but they clearly are committed to making it happen sooner rather than later.   

Jason Marcum is a student in the B/R advanced sports media program. You can find more of his work at Stripe Hype and follow him on Twitter @UK_Fans