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The Kentucky Wildcats will be without Octavious Oxendine for the rest of the 2021 season.
Today, head coach Mark Stoops announced Oxendine suffered a season-ending lower leg injury in Saturday’s win over the LSU Tigers. The starting defensive tackle played what Stoops called “his best game” as a Wildcat. Kentucky manhandled LSU en route to a 42-21 victory.
The 6-foot-1, 318-pound native of Radcliff (KY) had two sacks and three tackles vs. LSU. He was actually named SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance. It’s the first college honor for the former Class of 2020 4-star recruit from North Hardin High School.
The good news is KSR reports it’s not a torn ACL or MCL but a torn meniscus, which is much easier to come back from than the former two. So while Oxendine will miss the rest of the season, he should be ready for spring football.
With fellow defensive tackle Marquan McCall sidelined for several weeks, Kentucky’s loaded defensive line is suddenly getting thin at the wrong time with the Georgia Bulldogs up next.
On the latest depth chart, senior Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald and true freshman Kahlil Saunders are the top two defensive tackles. Abadi-Fitzgerald actually began the season as the starter before Oxendine earned the job.
Here’s to hoping for a speedy and successful recovery for Oxendine.