Kentucky Football Countdown: No. 8 Octavious Oxendine

College football will be on our televisions this weekend. In eight days the Big Blue Nation will flock to Kroger Field for the first Kentucky football game of the season. No. 8 Octavious Oxendine will be back in the starting lineup ahead of a highly-anticipated third season in Lexington.

About Octavious Oxendine

Kentucky won a contested recruiting battle over Tennessee to secure a commitment from Octavious Oxendine. A talented defensive lineman from North Hardin High School, he’s better known by his teammates simply as “Ox.”

He played in three games in 2020 to retain a redshirt season. Last fall he was a part of the Wildcats’ rotation on the defensive line, tallying 15 tackles, 3.5 for loss and two sacks in six games. His season ended early after suffering a knee injury against LSU. It sidelined him for the final seven games of the 2022 season, but unlike J.J. Weaver in 2021, it was not severe enough to limit his offseason schedule. Ox will be 100% healthy when he takes the field against Miami, Oh.

Octavious Oxendine Career Highlight

Ox was playing his best football when he suffered that season-ending knee injury. Against LSU he had three tackles and his first two career sacks in the 42-21 win. Following the performance he was named SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week.

.@octaviousoxend1 getting after the QB. He will come back bigger, faster, stronger.#ForTheTeam 😼🏈 pic.twitter.com/d4w0ELUmR1

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) October 13, 2021

Not the Only D-Line Single Digit

Octavious Oxendine rocks an unusual number for a defensive lineman. No. 8 is perfect for the alliterative O-name, and it’s just a sleek look for a pass rusher. There’s also a new kid on the block rocking a single digit. After initially grabbing No. 51, this week Deone Walker switched to No. 0. The highly-touted true freshman from Detroit looks even more intimidating in the unique number.

2022 Forecast

Octavious Oxendine is the key to unlocking the potential of the talented Kentucky defensive line. The most experienced player in the group, he slimmed down this offseason, allowing him to slide outside and play defensive end instead of just defensive tackle. That gives interior players like Walker and Josaih Hayes more opportunities.

Arguably the most explosive player on the defensive line, he’s drawn multiple comparisons to Josh Paschal during the preseason. It’s not only for his ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, but because he is a leader. Ox has taken the reins on the defensive line. Now it’s his time to shine.