Deone Walker Knows Cats Have to “get after it” Now

Deone Walker (Vicky Graff Photo)

Defensive tackle Deone Walker certainly would be a hot prospect if he put his name into the transfer portal that any team in the country would like to have. However, the good news is that Walker has no intentions of leaving UK since he just posted an image of a newKentucky football related tattoo on his forearm

He’s already earned All-American honors and is on the watch list for every NFL team. But first Walker wants to do better than the 7-6 seasons UK has had the last two seasons.

“I feel like we have to get after it. The spring is when the championships are won. We just have to go after it at practice,” Walker said after UK’s Gator Bowl loss to Clemson. “We just all have to get back healthy and practice for these hard times like the game today.”

Walker became a more vocal leader this season on and off the field. He wants to do even more in 2024.

“Leading by example. Whenever we get ready to run, make sure I’m the first up there. Just making sure the morale is up even though we had this tough loss. Making sure everyone’s hands are good, they don’t have any complaints with the coaches because if they have any, they can go through me, and I go to the coaches. You know?” he said.

Walker said he knew he had to be more outgoing and more vocal for his team and coaches.

“You know, being Big Deone. Just having that outgoing, warm aura around me to make my teammates feel like: ‘Oh, yeah, I can tell him about that; yeah, I have a complaint about this, how this coach has been acting towards me,’” Walker said.

But wait … it gets even better for UK fans.

If the Cats are bowl eligible again next year, Walker could be a player who might consider opting out to prepare for the upcoming NFL draft. He still might but he sure didn’t sound like that would happen after the Gator Bowl.

“I’m thankful that we got picked for this bowl game. It was an experience. It was great. Ten out of ten. I would do it again next year, hopefully, if we get picked again,” Walker said.