Derrick Locke out for Kentucky Wildcats
The University of Kentucky Wildcats running back Derrick Locke will likely be out for the squad’s upcoming game against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday 16 October.
Locke is said to be suffering from stingers in both shoulders, one of which was sustained in the Wildcats loss to Auburn last week.
The loss of Locke poses a great threat to the Kentucky offence, as the youngster is fourth in the Southeastern Conference in rushing, averaging 95.7 yards per game.
Wildcats’ head coach Joker Phillips says that the team will have to rely on wide receiver Randall Cobb and Locke’s replacement Donald Russell for offence against a skilled Gamecocks side. Cobb is the club’s
number one receiver and routinely takes snaps out of the wildcat offence, acting as the club’s main cog on the offensive side of the ball. In addition, Russell replaced Locke in the game against Auburn and managed to record 51 total yards of offence.
Kentucky has had an up-and-down season thus far, winning their opening three games against the less skilled sides of Louisville, Western Kentucky and Akron, before suffering three straight losses to difficult
conference opponents in Florida, Mississippi and Auburn. Unfortunately for the Wildcats it does not get any easier when they face-off against the number 10 ranked Gamecocks, who are coming off a win over former number one Alabama on Saturday 9 October.
The Gamecocks are expected to take advantage of a poor Wildcats defence, which currently sits at 90th in the nation in points-allowed per game.
So far this year on 108 attempts Locke has managed 574 yards and seven touchdowns. Meanwhile his back-up Russell has been in for 27 attempts, managing 124 years and zero touchdowns. In addition, top Cobb
has accounted for 32 receptions, totalling 403 yards and 4 touchdowns.
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