J.J. Weaver delights in rematch after tearing ACL at Florida last year
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Game day: Kentucky 20, Florida 13
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday night’s Kentucky-Florida football game at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky.
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J.J. Weaver took this year’s Florida game personally.
The sophomore linebacker tore an ACL during UK’s 34-10 loss at Florida last November. He’s not yet at 100 percent, but he has seen an uptick in snaps over the last few weeks and has been the Wildcats’ best pass rusher. He had a quarterback hurry to go along with four tackles and an interception, which led to Kentucky’s final touchdown in a 20-13 victory over the Gators.
Saturday’s game presented something of an opportunity to make amends on last year.
“This game meant the world to me,” Weaver said. “… I had to show up for my team tonight. I told ‘em, ‘Believe in me. This is a game I really need.’ I went down last year. This game was more than a football game to me. This game was the world, bro.”
Weaver, less than a year removed from his surgery, leads UK in sacks (3.5) and is the only player to have forced a fumble this season. He’s one of three Wildcats with an interception this year, but he was the first to fumble on the return; defensive back Ty Ajian recovered it for Kentucky.
Mark Stoops joked in his postgame availability that Weaver needed to work on his ball security.
“Don’t we all?” Weaver said with a laugh, before continuing, “That’s on me though. I was tired, being lazy. Excited for real. I caught a pick, so my mind was going crazy.”
This story was originally published October 3, 2021 at 1:06 AM.
