Kentucky Football: Senior Cole Mosier to miss 2017 season

Some terrible news struck the hearts and minds of Kentucky fans when head coach Mark Stoops announced on Monday that senior offensive lineman Cole Mosier would miss the entire 2017 season after suffering a torn ACL during a team scrimmage.

Mosier, who originally joined the Kentucky football program as a walk-on, earned a scholarship as a redshirt sophomore and became an integral part of Kentucky’s offensive line. Mosier would go on to play in 32 games and earn 13 career starts at left tackle for the Wildcats.

Stoops reflected on Mosier’s collegiate career in a press release and had nothing but positive things to say about his former player.

“We’re extremely disappointed about Cole’s injury,” Stoops said. “He has been with us all five seasons we’ve been at Kentucky. He helped set the example of hard work that is the theme of this program, as he came in as a walk-on and earned a scholarship. We know Cole will continue to support his teammates this season and we wish him the best in his recovery and in the future.”

As a fifth-year senior, Mosier’s career in Lexington has officially come to an abrupt end, but that hasn’t stopped the 335-pound lineman from giving up his NFL aspirations. Mosier informed the media that he intends to rehab after surgery in an effort to participate in Kentucky’s Pro Day in March of next year.

WHO DOES KENTUCKY TURN TO NOW?

More from Southbound and Down

• Texas A&M vs. Auburn: Line, Prediction, TV Channel & Live Stream for SEC Football
• 3 Up’s, 3 Down’s from Georgia’s 24-14 Win Over South Carolina
• Ole Miss Football: Looking back at the Rebels career of Zedrick Woods
• Alabama vs. Ole Miss: Line, Prediction, TV Channel & Live Stream for SEC Football
• “Horns Down” will not be a Penalty in the SEC

A fifth-year senior on the offensive line won’t be easy to replace, but, thanks in large part to Kentucky’s renewed success on the recruiting trail, its’ offensive line is brimming with more depth than you would expect to see on a Kentucky roster.

Insert former 4-star recruit Landon Young. 

When Mosier went down with an injury in week two of last season, Young was thrown into the fire against an aggressive Florida Gators pass rush.

Young’s presence in that game didn’t seem to matter much as the Gators crushed the Wildcats in a 38-point victory, but it certainly benefited him in the long-term. The playing time that Young grasped as a true freshman over the course of multiple games last season really helped prepare him for the opportunity that presents itself now — a starting job entering his sophomore season.

“It was like getting dipped in gas and thrown into the fire. But I felt like as I sort of got he experience and got to see everything, I sort of calmed down, settled down, got into my spot,” Young told SEC Country’s Joe Mussatto.

Next: Cats and Dawgs have the most returning starters

Typically, Mosier’s injury would spell deep trouble for Kentucky’s offensive line, but not this year. The Kentucky football recruiting has taken a boost in recent years, and those  past successes on the recruiting trail have given this team the depth necessary to overcome unexpected preseason hurdles that hare inevitable for any team.