WATCH: Former Kentucky linebacker Chris Oats posts milestone following stroke
Chris Oats, a former Kentucky linebacker who suffered a career-ending stroke in May of 2020 and has been bound to a wheel chair ever since, stood up with the assistance of his family members. A milestone that made Big Blue Nation shed a collective tear for their beloved No. 22.
Oats came to Kentucky as a four-star recruit out of Winton Woods High School (OH) from the class of 2018. Nicknamed “Duece Duece”, the Cincinnati, OH native played two seasons with the Wildcats in 2018 and 2019, appearing in 25 games while recording 73 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Oats sat out the 2020 and 2021 seasons following his medical incident.
“It’s emotional. You know, it’s personal,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said. “When you’re dealing with Chris and his mother and his family, we are an extension to his family. And she knows that, and Chris knows that, but it is, it’s difficult.”
Big Blue Nation came together to collectively pitch in to help Oats and his family purchase a wheelchair accessible van to get Oats to and from treatment last summer after theirs broke down. The fundraiser raised over $43,000 at the time thanks to the generosity of the Kentucky family. It has now raised over $170,000.
Most recently, Oats was well enough to join the Kentucky football team on the sidelines in Orlando, Florida to watch Kentucky’s second Citrus Bowl win in four seasons — the first of which he was active on the field for.
Since he hasn’t been able to play, his teammates have carried his legacy with them on the field. Each week during the past two seasons, one rotating Kentucky player has worn his No. 22 jersey without a name on the back in honor of their missing comrade. The offensive line, or Big Blue Wall, does the same thing with former OL coach John Schlarman, who died of cancer in November of 2020. Schlarman was a former offensive lineman on UK and wore the number 65 jersey.
“There’s a lot of love on this team. [Oats] is very cognitive and he watches those games,” Stoops said. “He understands what’s going on … He has a long, long way to go, and he needs our prayers.”
You can help Oats and his family throughout his rehabilitation journey by donating to their GoFundMe at 22OatsStrong.org.