Redshirt freshman Gilbert emerging on Cats' D-Line
An already potent Kentucky defense may be getting even stronger heading into the 2024 season.
Redshirt freshman Kendrick Gilbert has consistently been praised by coaches and teammates alike as a player who has been disruptive on the defensive line, a unit that already includes preseason All-America pick Deone Walker and battle-tested veterans like Tre'vonn Rybka, Octavious Oxendine, Kahlil Saunders, and Keeshawn Silver.
"He's probably been the most surprising out of that group of guys because there's nothing that he can't do," UK defensive line coach Anwar Stewart confirmed after Thursday's practice at the Joe Craft Football Training Center. "He's still a baby, he's still young, but he's working hard, and it's paying off."
"I'm just taking in (the older players') advice and just sitting down and really learning from those guys," Gilbert said. "... You can really learn a lot."
The 6-foot-5, 275-pound Gilbert was a four-star prospect out of Indianapolis in Kentucky's 2023 signing class. He redshirted last season, getting a sneak peek in two games, but needed shoulder surgery in December.
Gilbert is just now rounding back into form after transforming his body during the rehab process. After bulking up close to 300 pounds, he lost almost 30 pounds after his surgery, requiring some special focus from strength and conditioning coaches Mark Hill and Corey Edmond.
While he's more sculpted and agile now, Gilbert is making the adjustment to playing at a lower weight while moving to the interior defensive line to help the Cats compensate for spring injuries to Josaih Hayes and Tavion Gadson.
"It's been hard," Gilbert conceded, "from playing the field end and moving to the inside. I'm getting that strength back and putting weight on. Getting better each day and just trying to stack those days."
"He's definitely been showing us flashes," said Oxendine, a senior with 35 career games and 19 starts under his belt. "I can't even say flashes because he's been real consistent with it. We've definitely been liking him. He's coming along. We've been putting that weight on his shoulders coming into camp, that we need you. Coach Stoops said we need you at that spot."
Each day in practice, he goes up against larger -- and more experienced -- offensive linemen like UK center Eli Cox.
"Eli's a vet, so he's been giving me a lot of issues," Gilbert said. "And going against guys like (redshirt freshman center) Koby Keenum, he's been getting better every day. Just battling with those guys every day has gotten me better."
Kentucky has a plan in place to use Gilbert in packages where he can take advantage of his impressive athleticism and length, characteristics that can compensate for a lack of girth.
"Coach (Brad) White is very smart," Stewart said. "He'll adjust his calls to the personnel that we have in there. If Kendrick's in there, we may move a little bit more to use his quickness. The one thing about O-Linemen that they hate is movement, so we get those quicker guys in there where they can go mess up the numbers and get after guys, play fast, get in the backfield, tackles for loss and stuff like that.
"We've got a plan. We've got a plan for him. He's just got to keep eating, keep lifting, and he'll be fine."
For Gilbert, it's more of a mindset than his weight.
"Aggression, playing hard, playing with your hands, extension," he said. "You should be able to make the plays you're able to make... But you've got to have aggression, that's for sure."