Mark Stoops provides injury updates following final summer scrimmage

Mark Stoops says his team escaped Saturday’s scrimmage without any serious injuries. After multiple injuries came out of last weekend’s scrimmage, the Kentucky football head coach took a lighter approach to the second scrimmage. He went shorter while including the younger guys more often than last Saturday.

“It looks like we came out of this one pretty clean, which was important,” Stoops said following the second scrimmage. “I feel good about where we’re at. Last week when I spoke to you I said I thought we got out this scrimmage unscathed.

“And that didn’t really happen. There were a few things that popped up on us after that. Two guys that will have some significant time missed that were important to us. But other than that, just bumps and bruises, few days, some guys that missed a little bit of time this week.”

With two weeks until the season opener against Southern Miss, no new significant injuries are a notable win for this team. But there are still some lingering issues from the first scrimmage that will likely extend into the season. KSR’s Matt Jones reported on Chip Trayanum‘s broken hand earlier in the week, with Stoops confirming during his press conference that the Ohio State transfer is going to miss time.

Stoops also confirmed an injury to freshman wide receiver Hardley Gilmore, who had been drawing rave reviews throughout the spring and summer before going down with an injury last weekend. KSR was first to report on Gilmore’s injury over KSBoard last Saturday, with the expectation that he would miss several weeks. Stoops believes it’ll be at least halfway through the schedule before Gilmore has a chance to return.

“Hardley will be out for a decent bit,” Stoops said. “It’ll be at least midseason or more.”

Additionally, while I was waiting for Stoops to begin his press conference, I noticed a couple of other players walking into the training facility with what appeared to be minor injuries.

Tight end Josh Kattus did not suit up in the second scrimmage and was walking around with a wrap on his left leg. Ohio State transfer defensive lineman Darrion Henry-Young was walking around with a crutch under his left arm. As for some good news though, DJ Waller Jr. was suited up and participated in the second scrimmage after missing the first one due to a minor injury.

But as Stoops mentioned, only two injuries are being deemed significant. Trayanum and Gilmore fit the bill for both. Luckily, there are still two weeks remaining until the season opener — plenty of time to rest and recover.

For even more info on Kentucky’s second and final summer scrimmage, head on over to KSBoard for the latest.

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