UK lineman battling cancer worked out on field Saturday. Is he on his way back?

It’s still too soon for Kentucky to make any announcements about the status of Josh Paschal, who has been battling a form of cancer all season.

But the sophomore defensive lineman looked well on his way to good health before UK’s game against Vanderbilt on Saturday. Paschal was seen before the game being put through a strenuous workout by Corey Edmond.

UK’s director of performance didn’t appear to be taking it easy on Paschal, which made one wonder if there is any hope of the player being able to play this season.

Mark Stoops wasn’t ready to make any announcements about Paschal on Monday at his news conference to preview Missouri, but the head coach had some good news about the sophomore.

“He’s working his way back to the field,” Stoops said on his coaches’ radio show late Monday.

The wound on the bottom of Paschal’s foot from the surgeries to remove the malignant melanoma has healed. Paschal has been doing strength training regularly as he’s continued to improve.

“Then there’s the matter of just getting in shape, in football shape and just controlling the foot,” Stoops said. “There’s a lot of factors that go into it, not just the wound itself. So he’s working his way back into shape.”

Paschal has been asking to go on the road with the team and was planning to go with the team to Texas A&M before coming down with an illness.

“He traveled with us to the team hotel here this past week, so he’s around,” Stoops said of Paschal, who was probably a starter coming out of last spring. “He’s just working his way back into the fold.”

A new NCAA rule allows a player to play in up to four games and still be permitted to take a redshirt season. The bowl game is included in that four-game limit.