Stoops talks Oxendine, Kinnard injuries

Kentucky survived another weekend by defending Kroger Field against a visiting threat from the Southeastern Conference. However, not everyone in a Kentucky uniform survived the game without injury.

“We had some guys nicked up, some guys up front,” Mark Stoops said in his postgame press conference. “Gotta get back, get healthy, and look at some things.”

Defensive tackle Octavious Oxendine is one of the players who suffered an injury while laying the wood to LSU. Oxendine left the game on crutches with an ice pack over his knee, cutting his night short after a two-sack performance on Kentucky’s defensive line.

Oxendine’s injury seems significant, but Mark Stoops was unable to explain the injury or a timetable for a return during his immediate postgame comments.

“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Stoops replied when asked about Oxendine’s status. “He took a good lick… that hurts us.”

Defensive coordinator Brad White added, “Guys are going to have to step up and they’re probably going to have to learn a couple different positions.”

Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald started in Oxendine’s spot in the first three games of the season. Tre’vonn Rybka is a name to watch as a potential fill-in moving over from defensive end.

Darian Kinnard is OK.

On the offensive side of the ball, star left tackle Darian Kinnard sent 60,000+ people into a panic when he stayed down for a few minutes after a play.

Stoops said, “He took a shot to his leg, but he fought through it and it seems like he bounced up and really fought through it… I’m not going to lie, I was concerned and happy that it doesn’t appear to be anything major.”

“Not sure” on McCall, Ali

One more small injury update. Stoops had nothing to say about the status of both Marquan McCall and Josh Ali, two players injured last week against Florida.