DJ Waller injury update: Mark Stoops addresses setback of Kentucky DB

Kentucky DB DJ Waller has been limited for the duration of this season with a hamstring injury. It’s now something he’ll likely continue to have to deal with over the course of the second half of the Wildcats’ season.

Mark Stoops provided the latest on Waller during his press conference on Monday. He discussed the disappointment for the junior defensive back after another setback in his rehab from that injury he has had since the opener against Toledo on August 30th.

“DJ is very disappointed, you know,” Stoops said. “He has worked his tail – I mean, he is a guy that I have to hold back, all the way back before the bye. Was trying like heck to play. And, people that – you know, he’s going through it now. But, you know, with hamstrings? You know, I’ve said before. You think you’re ready to go and then, it’s just unfortunate, you know.

“He went out there on Friday, so excited. I don’t know if he’s running around too much on a Friday, but just, you know, we did an MRI and there’s definitely a spot, you know. It’s a setback, you know.”

This setback happened late in the week going into Saturday’s matchup with No. 21 Texas, as Waller was not listed with any designation last week on the SEC Availability Report and Kentucky’s staff sounding confident or optimistic in his return. However, he did not end up dressing or playing in the three-point overtime loss to the Longhorns.

Waller appeared only in that opening win, posting one tackle against the Rockets. He has not played since, with one more non-conference matchup and four league games as the Wildcats sit at (2-4, 0-4).

Waller is in his second season with UK after transferring in from Michigan. He appeared in seven games, four of those being starts all during conference play, last fall in the Wildcats’ secondary, as he posted 13 tackles and a pair of deflections.

Stoops noted that they have yet to determine if the setback is previous scarring from the initial injury, or is now an all-new issue as far as his hamstring. But, with both bye weeks having already come and gone for the team over the first two months or so of the season, it’s a question of what kind of timeline could now be on Waller to potentially return to the defense for Kentucky.

“We’ll see whether it’s in the scar tissue, or whether it’s new and try to get him back as soon as possible,” said Stooops. “But I know he’s chomping at the bit.”