DeAndre Square Pens Farewell to the BBN
A staple of the Kentucky defense will be on the sideline for the 2022 season finale. Ahead of the Music City Bowl matchup with Iowa, Kentucky linebacker DeAndre Square penned a farewell to Kentucky fans.
“Unfortunately I will not be able to participate in the bowl game due to a lingering injury and some personal reasons,” Square said in a social media post. “But, you better believe I will be cheering my heart out for my brothers. I will now concentrate on preparing for the NFL Draft and chasing my dreams of being a professional football player.”
DeAndre Square suffered an injury against Tennessee. He missed four games, but did return to action for a Senior Day against Louisville. Sophomore Trevin Wallace, a former top 100 recruit from Georgia, will start in his place against Iowa in the Music City Bowl.
“Coming to Kentucky was one of the best decisions of my life. I have loved everything about my experience at UK,” says Square. “Thank you for your love and support.”
DeAndre Square was a three-time team captain at Kentucky, just the second in school history. He also wore three different numbers during his UK tenure: 43, 17 and 5. An SEC All-Freshman selection in 2018, Square developed into a starting inside linebacker after only two seasons. His best season came in 2021 as a true senior, tallying a career-high 81 tackles and securing the game-winning interception against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl.
The 6-foot linebacker from Detroit’s Cass Tech High School returned for a Super Senior season in 2022. Stuck on 299 career tackles for much of the second half of the season, he entered the 300-Tackle Club against Louisville. He is the 20th Wildcat to join the illustrious club and just the second player coached by Mark Stoops, joining defensive back Mike Edwards.
If you look up “Mark Stoops football player” in the dictionary, you’ll find a photo of DeAndre Square. He was not the greatest athlete or the highest-ranked recruit, but he brought his lunch pail to work every single day. He put in the hard work and results followed. A joy to cover closely over the last five years, it’s been a pleasure watching Square grow and develop on and off the field as a Kentucky Wildcat.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard