Octavious Oxendine stepping up as a leader on Kentucky's defensive line

With Josh Paschal and Marquan McCall off to the NFL Draft, Kentucky needs leaders to step up on the defensive line; so far, Octavious Oxendine is rising to the occasion. The junior defensive tackle is still working his way back from the season-ending knee injury he suffered vs. LSU on Oct. 9 but is drawing praise from his coaches for his attitude in spring practice.

“Ox is doing a great job with the leadership,” Defensive line coach Anwar Stewart told reporters this morning. “That’s the thing too, getting Justin Rogers and a lot of those guys we’re dependent on to step up this year. Their leadership, that’s one of the things we’ve really got to lock in on upfront. So, Ox and Justin, they’re doing a really good job.”

Before being injured, Oxendine played in six games last season, starting three, making 15 tackles, 2 sacks, and a quarterback hurry. Even though he’s still in a red no-contact jersey in practice, he has found other ways to lead, following in the footsteps of his old teammate Josh Paschal.

“It’s fine. He’s good, he’s flying around. He’s limited to what he can do but it’s great having him out there in his little red dress — I call it a little red dress. But you know, he’s very vocal. He’s in every meeting and a lot of the young guys, he’s directing those guys. He’s kind of doing what Josh [Paschal] did and that’s the thing about when you’re building a culture. Teaching those older guys how to train and how to teach those young guys so now when the older guys leave, now the guys that have been taught the way to do it, they’ve got to come in now with the leadership. I think he’s done a really good job.”

Oxendine was playing his best football before going down with the knee injury vs. LSU. Against the Tigers, he had three tackles, including two sacks, a performance that won him SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week. He’s expected to be back at full strength by the time fall camp rolls around; Stewart expects him to make the most out of his junior season.

“It is their moment,” Stewart said of Ox and Rodgers. “It’s their time. We just talked about Josh Paschal, he’s out, he’s gone, and Marquan [McCall]. So, they’re up. They’re our upperclassmen right now so it’s their time to shine. So, it’s my job to keep developing them and keep my thumb on them and make sure they’re doing the right things all the time. They’re being students of the game, they’re coming in early and they’re leaving late. They are doing all the right things to be successful.”