Coach Anwar Stewart says it is "now or never" for Octavious Oxendine. (UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky defensive line coach Anwar Stewart watched players on “both sides of the ball getting bigger and stronger” during UK’s offseason.
“Guys were pumping iron and working really hard,” Stewart said.
One of those players working the hardest was senior defensive lineman Octavious Oxendine who dropped weight before the 2022 season and was not as productive as he had been.
“Ox, it is his time. It’s now or never for him. Two years ago he was really good before he was injured. Last year he lost all of that weight. That was not on us,” Stewart said.
“Sometimes kids listen to the wrong voices. He was not good last year. He got pushed around a lot. If you keep getting beat up you sit down and think how do I get back to where I was. Now he’s back up to 280 (pounds). He has worked his butt off to get ready to have a great season and that’s the great thing about having the competition in our group that we do.”
Kahlil Saunders, a 285-pound redshirt sophomore, is another one of those defensive linemen Stewart has seen blossom. He played in 11 games in 2022 and had 13 tackles, including five against No. 1 Georgia.
“I think Khalil is probably the X-Factor. I think he’s very special. He’s what the next level is looking for because he’s long, athletic and can run. He’s just a very athletic, talented kid,” Stewart said.
“He showed flashes of what he could do last year. He did a lot of good work for us and then he hurt his shoulder. He’s back 100 percent and we’re really excited about him.”
