Kentucky Wildcats starting nose tackle 'out for a little bit'

Kentucky football, fresh off a 20-13 win home win over the then-No. 9 Florida Gators — the first time the Wildcats have beaten the Gators at home since 1986 — was dealt a tough blow shortly thereafter, as starting nose tackle Marquan ‘Bully’ McCall is out indefinitely.

Head coach Mark Stoops said that McCall will be out against LSU after suffering an ankle injury early in the Florida game, but he did not clarify exactly how long the senior will be sidelined.

“He’ll be out for a little bit,” Stoops said, via Kentucky Sports Radio. “Lower extremity.”

McCall fell awkwardly on a teammate after trying to make a tackle downfield in the first quarter Saturday. After a few minutes on the ground, he was able to get up and limp to the sideline with assistance. He eventually returned to the sidelines in crutches and a walking boot on his left foot.

A 6-foot-3, 379 nose tackle out of Detroit, Michigan, McCall was named a preseason third team All-SEC player. McCall had six tackles in the 2021 campaign (including three solo stops), and 2.5 of his tackles were for a loss. He did not register a stat before exiting Saturday’s game.

McCall made his first collegiate start at Missouri in the abbreviated 2020 campaign, and in that game he notched a career-high six tackles, earning him not just a starting spot but also an appearance in all ten games that season. He ended 2020, his junior season, with 22 tackles a tackle-for-loss, a fumble recovery and a half-sack.

With McCall out, sophomores Josaih Hayes and Justin Rogers are listed No. 1 and No. 2 at nose guard on this week’s depth chart. Stoops praised both for their play against Florida and said even though Hayes suffered a slight injury Saturday, he should be good to go vs. LSU.

“Those two, in particular, played well. We’ve got to get some guys inside around them playing better but Justin and Josaih played well,” Stoops said. “Josaih got a little dinged up. Nothing major, he’ll be back this week but with him playing so many reps and taking a little shot, he got a little ineffective late once he got hurt but he’s got to learn to play through some of that. Overall, those two both did a good job and I was very pleased.”