My revised list: Kentucky football’s top 10 all-time defensive players
In my column on Art Still for the Herald-Leader’s “We Meet Again” series, I wrote that the former All-America defensive end was the best defensive player I’d seen play at Kentucky.
That got me thinking. Who are the 10 best defensive players in the history of the Kentucky football program? After a little thought, I posted my list.
Then came the push back. Why did I leave out Bob Gain? After all, Gain starred for the Bear Bryant teams of the late 1940s and early 1950s. He won the Outland Trophy in 1950. Truth is, though I knew Gain was a great player and I knew he played both sides of the ball, I had in my head he was more of a star on the offensive line. Turns out, I was wrong. So, I am revising my list, putting Gain in at No. 2, and pushing everyone else back a spot, with the exception of Marty Moore.
Here is my revised list:
1. Art Still (1974-77): A member of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame, Still was a First Team All-American in 1977 after leading Kentucky to a 10-1 record overall and a perfect 6-0 mark in the SEC. The No. 2 overall pick in the 1978 NFL Draft, Still went on to play a combined 12 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.
2. Bob Gain (1947-50): An Akron Ohio native, who played his high school football in West Virginia, Gain was a consensus All-American at UK i 1949 and 1950. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980. The fifth overall selection in the 1951 draft by the Cleveland Browns, he went on to win three NFL titles with the Browns and was chosen for the Pro Bowl five times.
3. Josh Allen (2015-18): As a senior outside linebacker, Allen was a dominant player in 2018 as UK finished 10-3 with a Citrus Bowl victory over Penn State. The New Jersey native recorded 14 sacks to become the school’s all-time sack leader with 27.5, was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and won both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award. Allen was taken seventh overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2019 NFL Draft.
4. Lou Michaels (1955-57): A two-time All-American under Blanton Collier, Michaels played defensive tackle as well as handling the kicking and punting duties. He was named the SEC’s Outstanding Player in 1957 by the Nashville Banner and went on to play 14 seasons in the NFL. Like Still, Michaels is a College Football Hall of Fame member.
5. Oliver Barnett (1986-89): A gentle giant off the field, the Louisville native was Kentucky’s all-time sacks leader with 26 until eclipsed by Allen. A First Team All-SEC pick, Barnett earned Third Team All-America honors in 1989. He played six years in the NFL and was a member of the 1994 Buffalo Bills team that reached the Super Bowl.
6. Dave Roller (1968-70): A terrific player who toiled on bad teams, Roller played defensive guard, defensive end and defensive tackle during his three seasons at UK. The Tennessee native was named First Team All-SEC both his junior and senior years and played 10 years in the NFL with the New York Giants, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.
7. Bud Dupree (2011-14): The Georgia native was a First Team All-SEC choice after recording eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss his senior season. Dupree recorded seven sacks as a junior in Mark Stoops’ first year as the Kentucky coach. The 22nd-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dupree was placed on the franchise tag for the 2020 season by Pittsburgh.
8. Danny Trevathan (2008-11): The quick, hard-hitting Florida native was the first UK linebacker to ever earn All-America honors. In fact, Trevathan was twice named to All-America teams. His senior season, Trevathan record 143 tackles, including 11.5 tackles for loss with four interceptions and five forced fumbles. He’s an eight-year NFL veteran with the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears.
9. Wesley Woodyard (2004-07): Another hard-hitting linebacker from the Rich Brooks era, the Georgia native was a First Team All-SEC selection in both his junior and senior seasons. Woodyard led the SEC with 139 tackles as a senior and played a key role in helping the Cats progress from doormats to Music City Bowl winners in 2006 and 2007. Undrafted, Woodyard has played a dozen years in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans.
10. Joe Federspiel (1969-71): One of the more hard-nosed players in Kentucky football history, the Louisville native earned First Team All-SEC honors as a senior on a team that went just 3-8. He was named to the SEC’s All-Decade Team in the 1970s and played a combined 10 years in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Colts.
10. Marty Moore (1990-93): A tackling machine at Kentucky, the former Fort Thomas Highlands star was named First Team All-SEC in 1993 after leading the Wildcats to the Peach Bowl. He led the conference in tackles as both a sophomore and junior. The last pick of the 1994 draft, Moore went on to play a combined eight years in the NFL with the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns.
This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 7:46 AM.
