ICYMI: Effects of Mike Edwards injury for Kentucky Football

Nov 23, 2013; Athens, GA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops shown on the sideline against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia defeated Kentucky 59-17. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

So there is some good, young talent already in Lexington. It’s great that Kentucky has built enough depth to absorb a loss like this. But a question that many fans are asking is why Edwards is postponing enrollment. Wouldn’t it make sense to enroll and let UK’s team doctors do the surgery and have Erik Korem monitoring his recovery? Yes that’s one solution that would make sense. On the other hand, by delaying enrollment to the Spring semester, Edwards is saving himself a redshirt season that he would have definitely taken this year with his injury. So if his rehab is slow or he suffers another injury in the future, Mike will be able to redshirt a year and not lose any of his Kentucky career. Basically he will still have five years to play four starting in 2015.

So that may have been a part of the decision process. With him not being on campus with the other freshmen already there have been some rumors floating around about academic issues. I couldn’t confirm or dispell any of those rumors but usually if a recruit is borderline to qualify, everyone knows a couple of months ahead of time. There wasn’t any of that with Edwards. He did transfer high schools for his senior year, so there may be a hangup involving that, but with the injury it’s a moot point.

All in all, Kentucky fans need not worry. Sources indicate that Edwards is expected to be a part of the team in January and take part in Spring practice. Losing him this season is a negative but it sounds like this injury has lingered since last season, so surgery was inevitable. Assuming any potential academics hurdles would be cleared up in six months, it will be like Mike just took a grey shirt. So here is to a swift recovery for Mike Edwards and good lukc with any other hurdles he faces that we don’t know about from the WBN and Big Blue Nation.