Kentucky football LB Jacquez Jones out ‘for the foreseeable future’ due to injury
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Preview: No. 19 Kentucky at No. 3 Tennessee
Click below to read more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s preview coverage ahead of Saturday’s Kentucky-Tennessee football game scheduled for 7 p.m. at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
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No. 19 Kentucky football should be closer to full strength when it takes on No. 3 Tennessee, but at least one key starter will still be missing from the Wildcats’ lineup.
Super senior middle linebacker Jacquez Jones, who missed the last two games with a foot injury he suffered in the Oct. 1 loss at Ole Miss, was still missing from the pre-Tennessee depth chart released Monday. On his radio show Monday night, head coach Mark Stoops revealed Jones is still facing an extended spell on the sideline.
“There’s a chance that Jacquez will play late in the year,” he said when asked by a caller about Jones’ status. “He is out for the foreseeable future. I’ll update that week to week, but he is definitely out here this week and more than likely next week. So, we’ll see toward the end of the year how he’s feeling.”
Wide receiver Tayvion Robinson (leg) and right tackle Jeremy Flax (leg), who missed all or most of the Wildcats’ Oct. 15 win over Mississippi State, were on Monday’s depth chart. As was quarterback Will Levis.
Levis returned from a one-game absence due to a foot injury to play against Mississippi State but injured his left shoulder in the second half. He was able to return to the game but was wearing a sling to support his left arm after the game. Levis was spotted still wearing the sling in UK’s practice facility last week when coaches held him out of bye week practices to help recover from the shoulder and foot ailments.
“Will is getting better,” Stoops said at his Monday news conference. “He needed some time. There were a couple parts of his body I’m sure that needed some rest and needed some ice.”
With Jones out, junior D’Eryk Jackson is expected to make his third straight start at middle linebacker.
Jackson has totaled 22 tackles on the season with 11 of those coming in the last two games while Jones was injured. He has also been credited with three tackles for loss and two pass breakups on the season.
Despite missing the Mississippi State win, Robinson still leads Kentucky in catches (25), receiving yards (392) and receiving touchdowns (three). Flax has started six of seven games at right tackle. He missed the South Carolina loss with a hamstring injury. After returning to start against Mississippi State, he was sidelined by a leg injury on the Wildcats’ first drive.
Playing a larger role with Robinson out, walk-on wide receiver Rahsaan Lewis caught his first career touchdown against Mississippi State. Reserve right tackle Deondre Buford also received positive reviews from teammates and coaches while filling in for Flax in that game.
Backup quarterback Kaiya Sheron started in place of Levis against South Carolina then filled in for the three plays he missed against Mississippi State. However, for the first time this season, Stoops listed his backup quarterback as Sheron “or” freshman quarterback Destin Wade on Monday’s depth chart.
“He’s gotten better since day one here, and he just keeps on,” Stoops said of Wade. “He needs to keep on making strides like that. And if he keeps that same approach and put in the work like he is, and good things are going to happen to him.”
Kentucky certainly needs Levis to have a chance to upset the undefeated Volunteers. Missing Jones will not help slow down the Volunteers’ high-octane offense, which leads the country in points and yards per game, but the injury report is at least in a better place than it was before the Wildcats’ off week.
“I think we’re as good a shape as we’ve been in for several weeks,” Stoops said. “I don’t know if we’ll be at 100% or not, but we’re getting close.”
This story was originally published October 25, 2022 at 7:59 AM.
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