UK football: Josh Paschal’s cancer treatment nears end; Xavier Peters status update
Early in his address to patrons at the University of Kentucky’s football season kickoff luncheon at Kroger Field, head coach Mark Stoops spotlighted assistant coaches who were seated among the crowd and not on the podium with him. One of them prompted immediate applause from the audience.
“I’d like to also recognize my man John Schlarman, who’s doing very good,” Stoops said. “… He’s just rock steady and working extremely hard.”
Schlarman, UK’s offensive line coach, was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer last summer but continued to coach at practices and in games while undergoing chemotherapy treatments. His battle with the disease isn’t finished, but his current level of treatment is less taxing than what he previously had to endure.
Josh Paschal, who also ahead of last season received a cancer diagnosis, next month will undergo his final treatment for a melanoma that developed on his right foot. Paschal last spring was moved to defensive end but played snaps at outside linebacker when he was able to play late last fall, and on UK’s latest roster he’s listed as an outside linebacker, putting him in the mix as a guy who could succeed Josh Allen in the defense this season.
Addressing secondary
First-year defensive coordinator Brad White joined Stoops on the podium in the Woodford Reserve Club along with offensive coordinator Eddie Gran and associate head coach Vince Marrow. Tom Leach, who moderated the panel, asked White about UK’s outlook in the secondary in the wake of Davonte Robinson’s season-ending injury.
“We as a coaching staff feel for D-Rob, first and foremost,” White said. “He’s put in a lot of time. He was ready to have a breakout season but he’ll come back from that better than ever.”
White said there was already a “heightened urgency” among the defensive backs heading into fall camp, and now it has been “ramped up another notch.”
Safety Yusuf Corker, a sophomore who made eight tackles in 13 games last year, was the only defensive back White mentioned directly by name during the event. He was impressed with Corker’s performance in the spring, but acknowledged there’s much to sort out with all the youth and inexperience present within the unit.
White has adopted a glass half-full mindset about it.
“They know the depth chart’s in pencil, and really that’s a beautiful thing,” White said. “They’re gonna have to come out every single day and compete for a job, and that’s gonna make all of them better. Come August 31, we’ll have the best 11 on the field.”
Peters’ appeal
Kentucky is still waiting to hear back from the NCAA regarding the eligibility appeal of Xavier Peters, a freshman who transferred from Florida State during the offseason.
Peters played in two games for the Seminoles in a redshirt freshman season. The NCAA requires transfers from FBS schools to sit out for one season but grants waivers for immediate eligibility based on certain personal circumstances. Peters has said his decision to transfer was based on wanting to be closer to his infant son.
A former four-star recruit who committed to UK before eventually signing with Florida State, Peters would likely make an immediate impact at outside linebacker if ruled eligible. He is able to practice with the team while going through the appeals process.
10-win effect
Leach asked Marrow how recruiting has changed from when he first got to campus to now in relation to UK’s uptick in success.
“We can recruit nationally now,” Marrow said. “We can go into any state because people have seen us. Beating Penn State, that was a big win. Our logo’s so strong now. We can go into (New) Jersey, we can go to California, we can go anywhere because people have seen us play.”
Saturday
Fan Day
9-10:15 a.m.: Autograph session at Nutter Field House
11 a.m.: Open practice at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility practice fields
Additional info: Fan Day is open to the public and admission is free. Free parking will be available in the Blue, Green and Red lots surrounding Kroger Field
This story was originally published July 31, 2019 at 3:32 PM.
