Mark Stoops hopeful for potential DeAndre Square return against Vanderbilt

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops revealed on Monday that injured linebacker DeAndre Square could return for Week 11 versus Vanderbilt.

An injury in Knoxville during the Tennessee game sidelined the senior linebacker for the Week 10 game at Missouri. He’s back on the Kentucky depth chart this week, however, and Mark Stoops is optimistic Square will be available against Vanderbilt.

“He has a chance (to play),” Stoops said. “We’ll know more today, but he’s definitely better and he’s going to go out there and do some things later this afternoon and test it out.”

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So far this season, the fifth-year linebacker has 55 tackles, including one sack, along with an interception and three passes defensed. He is the team’s leading tackler after finishing third with 81 last season.

Trevin Wallace excels in stand-in role for DeAndre Square

Starting in Square’s place for just the second time in his young career was Trevin Wallace.

The true sophomore led the team in tackles on Saturday with nine, including three for loss and a sack. He ultimately earned Kentucky’s defensive MVP of the game award.

On Monday, Stoops went on to share an example of Square’s leadership. Ahead of road trip, Wallace told the vet that he was nervous and Square was quick to provide him with reassurance.

“That tells me two things,” Stoops said. “Number one, the leadership of DeAndre doesn’t surprise me and the unselfishness of DeAndre doesn’t surprise me. But what’s also great to see is that nervousness comes from performing for his team. And not just being out there because ‘I want to play, I want to start.’ It’s ‘I want to play and I want to be effective.’

“And I say this a lot to the team — It’s not about how you play. Yes, we take pride in our individual responsibility to perform, but more importantly, how does the team play when you’re in the game?”

Square may be back on the field for the Wildcats on Saturday but Wallace could see time on the field regardless. Kickoff is at 12 p.m. ET with the broadcast on SEC Network.