Kentucky star Chris Oats in attendance for Wildcats’ game against Georgia
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Game day: Georgia 14, Kentucky 3
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky-Georgia football game at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky.
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University of Kentucky linebacker Chris Oats was in attendance for the Wildcats’ game against Georgia at Kroger Field on Saturday.
It was the first time Oats, who has been away from the team because of an undisclosed medical issue suffered during the the summer, has attended a game during the 2020 season. He was shown on the video board during a break in the first quarter and received a loud ovation from the reduced-capacity crowd.
Kentucky coaches Mark Stoops, Vince Marrow and Jon Sumrall delivered Oats the game ball the day following its first win of the season, a 24-2 decision over Mississippi State. Oats earlier this month left a rehabilitation facility in which he’d resided since June.
The junior was expected to be one of Kentucky’s top defensive players this season and a lock to start at one of UK’s two inside linebacker positions. He was fifth on the team with 46 tackles in 2019, starting two games as a sophomore.
Before coming to UK, he played for Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati and was considered a four-star recruit by both 247Sports and Rivals. His other top scholarship offers out of high school included Georgia, Ohio State and Michigan.
Stoops during his weekly radio show this month said he believes Oats will eventually be able to play again at Kentucky.
“That is being very optimistic, but that is what I believe,” Stoops told co-host Mike Leach. “He has a long, long way to go and he needs our prayers.”
For each game this season, a different player on UK’s roster has worn Oats’ jersey number, 22, as part of a yearlong tribute to the junior. Josh Paschal, normally No. 4, donned Oats’ number against Georgia.
Other players who’ve worn Oats’ number this season, in chronological order, were: DeAndre Square, Keaton Upshaw, Jamin Davis, Jordan Wright and Jamar “Boogie” Watson.
This story was originally published October 31, 2020 at 1:50 PM.
