Kentucky preparing for Vanderbilt with COVID-19 issues starting to creep up
As it prepares for Vanderbilt off the heels of its scheduled bye week, the University of Kentucky football program is trying to fend off another opponent.
The team is dealing with COVID-19 within its ranks, head coach Mark Stoops said Monday during his weekly news conference. He did not specify who or how many individuals, though he did mention that he would be without three members of his offensive coaching staff this week.
“It’s not out of control,” Stoops said. “Let’s hope it stays that way.”
Outside of a small outbreak among a single position group (believed to be the secondary) during the preseason, Kentucky’s football team has gotten through 2020 without having its roster limited by the coronavirus. It was able to play its first six games of the season prior to its open weekend, and does not appear in danger of missing this weekend’s bout with the Commodores, who themselves have already had one game postponed due to the inability to field a full team. A couple of games on the Wildcats’ schedule were shuffled earlier this season, but that was in response to postponements prompted by COVID-19 situations elsewhere in the conference and not at UK.
This season more than most before it has tested the mental stamina of players, and has created even more urgency than usual when it comes to the development of depth behind first-stringers at every school. The potential for sudden, unexpected injuries always makes building a “next man up” mentality a priority, but the trite mantra takes on greater weight when your entire defensive line could be sidelined by an invisible enemy a day before a game.
“It’s a strange year. It’s definitely different,” Stoops said. “We all have to deal with this issue as it comes at us. ... I think some teams are deeper than others. We have to continue to just get better, whoever’s in there.”
Quarterbacks
Those seeking a definitive answer as to whom UK will start at quarterback won’t get one until about 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
Joey Gatewood made his first career start in UK’s 14-3 loss against Georgia in place of Terry Wilson, who was unavailable due to a wrist injury. Wilson returned to practice last week and has looked good, according to Stoops. He started every game prior to the Georgia bout.
“The person who’s gonna give us the best opportunity to win right now is who we’re going with, because we’re here to win games and (that’s) what we’re gonna do,” Stoops said, “but there is a balance there. I want to continue to be fair and be right to Terry, and if he gives us the best opportunity to win games, he’ll be in there.”
Injury report
If the game was played Monday, starting offensive linemen Luke Fortner and Kenneth Horsey would not have been available. Both were listed at their usual spots on the depth chart but continue to deal with injuries suffered against Georgia on Oct. 31; their availability for Saturday is up in the air.
“I’d say it’ll be close,” Stoops said.
The Cats would prefer to have them, but it could present an opportunity for less experienced linemen, like redshirt freshman Eli Cox who’ve had few meaningful on-field snaps, to get some against a Southeastern Conference foe.
Kentucky will have starting nose guard Quinton Bohanna back against the Commodores. He missed each of the last two games after suffering a knee injury in the first half of UK’s win at Tennessee.
The favorite
Kentucky is a 17-point favorite over Vanderbilt. The Wildcats three times this season have opened as the betting favorite and are 1-2 in those games (losing at home to Mississippi and at Missouri, and defeating Mississippi State).
Vanderbilt, for what it’s worth, is 0-5 but coming off its best statistical performance on both sides of the ball this season.
“The last time we went into a game as a favorite, we got our butts kicked from the beginning of the game to the end, and everywhere between,” Stoops said. “We got totally and utterly dominated.”
Etc.
▪ The Auburn-Mississippi State game scheduled for this weekend was postponed to Dec. 12 due to a COVID-19 outbreak at MSU. Vanderbilt hosted the Bulldogs last Saturday.
▪ The Wildcats’ game against Alabama on Nov. 21 will kick off at 4 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Next game
Vanderbilt at Kentucky
When: Noon Saturday
TV: SEC Network
Records: Kentucky 2-4, Vanderbilt 0-5
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Series: Kentucky leads 46-42-4
Last meeting: Kentucky won 38-14 on Nov. 16, 2019, at Vanderbilt.
