Linebacker Sam Greene, left, needs surgery and won't play again this season for Kentucky. (UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky will have to continue its late season push without two key defensive players for sure and might also be without another one.
Coach Mark Stoops confirmed Monday that injuries safety Jordan Lovett and linebacker Sam Greene suffered in Saturday’s win over Florida will sideline them for the rest of the season. Both will need surgery.
“Really disappointed for these young men and our team,” Stoops said at his weekly press conference. “But unfortunately they will be out the remainder of the year. They have significant injuries that will require surgery. Really disappointed and greatly appreciate the leadership that they’ve shown in the way they played.”
Lovett was hurt on the game’s opening series as was starting linebacker Alex Afari. Stoops does not expect Afari to miss the rest of the season but said he would “more than likely out at least a week or more” because of his injury.
Greene was injured later in the first half and left the field on crutches. The USC transfer had been playing extremely well the last month and had the game-sealing quarterback sack in the win at Auburn. He will have two more years of eligibility. He had 25 tackles, three tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries this season.
“He’s a very good player and he’s been a great leader,” Stoops said after the Auburn win. “He’s another great person, and I just love his energy. I love the way he works, and he’s very passionate. He’s definitely a guy that we like to have here. He’s a great fit.”
Lovett, a redshirt senior from North Hardin, was the first Stoops player to record multiple interceptions over four seasons. Lovett has 41 career starts and has nine career interceptions. The safety has 44 tackles and 3 tackles for loss this season.
With Lovett out, redshirt freshman Cam Dooley will become a starter. He has 19 tackles this season.
“I have a lot of trust in Cam. He’s played a lot, probably could play more, but those two guys are playing so good with Ty (Bryant) and J-Love (Jordan Lovett). I think they are both really good players. Cam is a guy that we look at as a starter, and he’ll do a nice job,” Stoops said.
Freshmen Martels Carter and Dyllon Williams will also likely play more but Stoops would like to be able to maintain a redshirt season for them both.
“It would be good to get Dyllon going and certainly see (Carter), he’s a guy that we also have a lot of trust in. It’s kind of that balancing act that you don’t want to burn redshirts for a lot of players,” Stoops said. “We’re getting very thin here and the guys are very willing to play.
“Between the two of those youngsters, we have some games to play with, and so we just kind of try to manage that the last three games here.”
Stoops is not prone to move some cornerbacks to safety because he trusts his young backup safeties.
“Q Scott (Quay’sheed Scott), you saw him actually the way we were rotating that defense, he was in a safety position there, and the overlap on the interception, just with the way we were disguising and doing some things there. He’s very versatile, but he’s playing so good at that position, you don’t want to mess with that,” Stoops said.
“You’ve heard me say through the years how important that nickel position is. He’s gaining valuable experience there and playing very well. We kind of don’t want to mess with that.”
Kam Olds will move into Greene’s starting spot with Steven Soles Jr. and Lorenzo Cowan as the backups. Sophomore linebacker Grant Godfrey also got valuable experience against Florida.
“Really proud of Grant. I thought he really stepped up, did some really good things. The experience of playing a talented team in space against Florida, want to see proper angles, leverage, just playing. We appreciate it because we trust him more and more,” Stoops said.
Defensive lineman Tavion Gadson was also injured against Florida but Stoops sounded like he could play this week against unbeaten Tennessee Tech.
“Let’s hope he’ll be back to full strength this week,” Stoops said. “We’ll take it day by day right now.”
Stoops still hopes to get junior cornerback DJ Waller, who was expected to be the leader of UK’s secondary, back. He played in only one game before injuring his hamstring. He was “close” to playing against Florida but was a late scratch.
“I feel like he really wanted to go in that game,” Stoops said. “We couldn’t see him fully open up leading up to it. It’s getting very close, let’s hope this last three-game stretch he could be at full speed.”
“Certainly he was a guy that was playing as good as anybody on our defense, but with the way it’s played out, we have three games to play with for a redshirt for him as well.”
He played only against Toledo and could play against Tennessee Tech, Vanderbilt and Louisville but still be redshirted.
5 Responses
Waller has only played in one game and has never been redshirted. So he can play in the last 2 games. I don't think I would play him against Tennessee tech. If we beat tech he needs to play against Vanderbilt and Louisville. With Hardaway and Waller and Bryant we still have a very strong secondary. It also give the freshman and second year guys more playing time and more experience. We should still be able to finish strong. Gadson has had a great season along with sam green we need both of these young stars to come back next year. I think we have a better chance to beat Louisville than Vanderbilt. I still think we can beat Vanderbilt. If get pressure on Pavia and cause him to rush his throws we can keep the game close and win it in the end. Afari is a must have to finish to the season off. Our defense has played great since the Tennessee game. The last 3 games they seem to have gotten better and better. That should help close the year out going 2 for 3 wins. Or possibly 3 for 3. If we finish 6-6 or better I'm proud of this team. I called 7-5 before the season. When we were 2-5 I said damn I was way off. Now we are 4-5 about to be 5-5 and we have a chance at a bowl. Great job Kentucky football!
Coach Stoops IMO deserves credit for this late eye opening record of 4-5, and after a dismal first half of the season. Boley is growing up as a SEC QB, and Kentucky receivers are catching footballs in space. McGowan is a big time tailback, and UK is finding success in their ground attack. U gotta love it. The defense is stellar right now. I was elated to see UK humble that arrogant bunch from Florida 38-7. UK should have beaten Texas, and Ole Miss, but fate fell otherwise. I can see 6-6 and a bowl, but it will take great effort and some breaks to fall UK's way. Should UK win out it would be remarkable. Stoops' job would be very safe. Also, UK probably has no shot at Sumrall right now with the cost of the Stoops buyout and so many storied football jobs open now. That said, BBN needs to be very careful what we might wish for now as a head coach hire, and the future for UK football. I look for the Vandy and Louisville games to be wars indeed, both on the road, and with so much at stake for Kentucky football, and indeed every team it will face down the stretch. The win I would most love to see is against Louisville. Current injuries piling up now on the UK defense could be a problem. On On UK!!!
Stoops MUST win 2 of our last 3 games and get a bowl bid. Winning a bowl game would get him off of the hot seat for a while, but we play a 9 game SEC schedule + Louisville leaving room for only 2 cupcake games. Hopefully Boley finishes the season on a high note and Stoops brings in some kids from the portal who can actually play and not kids just hoping to get off the bench. If Stoops can keep being bowl eligible each season and win every other bowl game, he just might make it to 2031.
Like I've been telling everyone Boley will be the best QB in the SEC next year as a sophomore. It's scary to think how great he will be as a junior and possibly a senior.
Stoops has the team playing great football at the right time.
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