Kentucky Football: Freshman Corner Darius West Lost To Injury

Some bad news on the football front. Darius West, a four-star cornerback recruit from Lima, Ohio, has suffered a "lower leg injury" that Mark Stoops did not characterize, but it appears to be related to the broken leg he suffered in January. It seems to be a recurring problem, as he’d broken that same bone earlier before his senior season. From the Courier-Journal:

West, a four-star recruit from Lima, Ohio, missed a month of his senior season in high school due to a broken right tibia, then broke the same bone again in a workout in January. Stoops noted that West "came in with an injury; we thought it was healed up – didn’t work out."

The Wildcats could’ve used his help in the secondary after ranking last nationally in interceptions last season. Although unlikely to start, he might’ve been in the two-deep. Stoops said West was injured Tuesday, just the second practice of the preseason.

Obviously, this is very bad news for Kentucky. West was definitely going to help add depth to a secondary that has been much maligned over the last couple of years due to youth and a lack of talent. While West couldn’t have helped with experience, he could have definitely helped shore up the athletic talent in that group.

The loss will hurt, but injuries are a part of football. Stoops said it best; "But next guy up." Yep.