Rehab progressing well for injured Kentucky stars Terry Wilson, Davonte Robinson
Davonte Robinson and Terry Wilson, two of the University of Kentucky’s most important returning football players, have been sidelined for most of the season. Both are on track with their rehab.
The duo joined “The Mark Stoops Show,” a weekly UK Sports Network radio broadcast, Tuesday night. Host Tom Leach asked both Wildcats about their injury status and return timetable.
Robinson, a safety who in July suffered a torn quad before fall camp got underway, has started running in an oxygen pool and expects to be able to go through some drills come spring. Wilson, UK’s returning starter at quarterback, recently got off crutches. He is progressing as expected but won’t be able to participate in spring practice.
Wilson tore the patellar tendon in his left knee in the third quarter of Kentucky’s 38-17 win over Eastern Michigan, the Cats’ second game of the season.
Both players described the rehab process as a lonely one.
“It’s more of a mental thing than anything,” said Robinson, who spoke in a public forum for the first time since his injury. “You gotta put your head down, you just gotta grind. You gotta get back out there and be with your brothers.”
Kentucky’s secondary — perhaps the team’s biggest question mark coming into the year — ranks in the top 10 nationally at 174.7 passing yards allowed per game and is tied with Clemson and Ohio State for the fewest passing TDs allowed (six).
That’s impressive, but more so after the defense lost its only defensive back with significant experience to a preseason injury — months after watching multiple defensive backs get drafted in April (in addition to superstar Josh Allen).
“I think they’ve stepped up big because everybody was worried about Josh and everybody in the secondary being gone,” Robinson said. “ ... All season there’s been guys stepping up in huge ways.
Lynn Bowden, a wide receiver, has started Kentucky’s last five games at quarterback and was officially named the starter ahead of the Cats’ game against Tennessee Martin.
Bowden succeeded Sawyer Smith in the starting job after Smith sustained multiple injuries. Wilson was asked about the job Bowden has done in a role no one imagined he’d have to assume.
“The first time I ever met Lynn, I pulled up his high school highlights because I heard all the hype,” Wilson said. “He’s definitely doing his job out there. They’re doing similar things to what he did in high school ... He’s just doing a good job out there, trying to put everything together.”
Stoops earlier in the show suggested that Kentucky might be able to apply some of what it’s learned offensively with Bowden at quarterback and apply it with Wilson when he returns next fall.
“Adding some of those run schemes to the game is gonna be powerful, and just stacking the passing game on top of it, I feel like we’ll be untouchable,” Wilson said. “So I’m really excited about it and I just can’t wait to get back out there, get on the field, be with my team and go have fun.”
This story was originally published November 19, 2019 at 7:32 PM.
