Big news dropping less than 48 hours before one of the season’s biggest games: Kalen Edwards, that absolute beast in the middle of Kentucky’s defense, just got bumped from questionable to doubtful for the Kroger Field showdown against LSU. Talk about a gut punch when the Cats are already eyeing playoff contention.
The Defensive Lineup Is Looking Rough
Look, this isn’t just about Edwards, even though losing him and his 117 snaps this season,especially after his 91.9 Pro Football Focus grade against Alabama in Week 2,is a massive blow. We already knew the Cats were going to be shorthanded on defense, with Alex Afari, Tavion Wallace, Antwan Smith, Jaden Smith, and Grant Grayton all out for this game. That’s a serious list. Plus, Aba Selm is out on the offensive line. It’s looking rough out there defensively, especially with those linebacker injuries potentially haunting us in what’s supposed to be a rainy and windy Saturday night.
Offensive Boosts and LSU’s Status
But hey, it’s not all doom and gloom on the injury front! Starting long snapper Cole Marszalek is back and good to go. Even bigger, DJ Miller isn’t even on the injury report. That’s huge for the offense, especially after Nic Anderson finally had his breakout game over in Columbia. Imagine that three-man attack of Miller, Anderson, and Kenny Darby firing on all cylinders. That could be a nightmare for any opposing defense, even if we are facing a stout LSU team. Speaking of LSU, they’re rolling into Lexington looking pretty healthy for Week 6. Their biggest loss is still starting linebacker Whit Weeks, who’s out with a leg injury, but that was known. Lane Kiffin’s squad seems relatively intact.
So, it’s a huge game on Saturday night, folks. The Cats are already having a successful season, and a win here would really push us to the top, squarely in playoff contention. We’re going to need everyone to step up, especially those guys on defense, with all these injuries and the messy weather expected. Let’s hope those linebacker issues don’t come back to bite us hard. Time to dig deep and show LSU what we’re made of!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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