Ex-Wildcat Trevin Wallace bursts onto the NFL stage, shines in spectacular first start

The Carolina Panthers had a disappointing outing on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, losing 36-10. They couldn't get their offense going and had to trust their defense to keep them in the game. That trust started with rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace, a former star at the University of Kentucky. He did not disappoint on the defensive side of the ball, recording 15 total tackles in his starting debut.

It was announced last week that he would get the start after the two starters ahead of him, Shaq Thompson and Josey Jowell, were out for the game (and perhaps much longer). His coaches put all their confidence in the former Wildcat, saying that he would call the plays, read the offenses, and help his teammates get set.

He was all over the place and did all he could to keep his Panthers team in the game including this huge fourth-down stop:

In the post-game interview, he said he was so caught up in the moment he didn't even realize it was fourth down when he made this huge play. He was just reading the offense and shooting the gap to help his team out. He led his team in tackles by a long shot, completing 10 solo tackles with 5 combined tackles. The next closest player on the Panthers had seven total tackles, with only 5 of them being solo; that was Xavier Woods.

He also said he enjoyed being the defensive leader and calling the plays. He checked in with teammates and coaches throughout the game to make sure that he was doing a good job. You can see those comments below.

Oh, did you happen to notice that shirt he's wearing? He may be in the NFL, but he continues to be a Wildcat and represent his alma mater. He is making his university proud, and he may end up getting another shot in week 6 when the Panthers take on the Falcons. Thompson is out of the season with a torn Achilles, and Jewell is week to week.