Kentucky LB Josh Paschal returns to fall camp after final cancer treatment

With his final melanoma treatment behind him, Kentucky LB Josh Paschal is back on the football field. Paschal practiced before the final treatment, but needed some days to recover. His determination to be on the field has presented a challenge to Stoops and his staff.

“Josh is remarkable,” Stoops told reporters after Saturday’s scrimmage. “We talk about it a lot but it’s the truth. He’s a real inspiration to a lot of us. He got done with his treatment last Wednesday and sat out Thursday and Friday he came right back out there. It was hot. It was one of those days that were very humid and hot. He got a little sick. But he doesn’t want to be out long.

“A few days prior to his treatment, I had to pull him out and I sent him in just to get a shower and cool off because he just wasn’t feeling great. But he doesn’t want to ever come out, but we have to make sure we do a great job of managing him. Our staff does a great job. Our trainers do a great job and brought it to my attention. He argued with me for about five minutes and I said ‘no, no. Get in and hit the showers.’”

Paschal will have Big Blue Nation and football fans everywhere rooting for him in 2019. With the treatments complete, hopefully Thursday and Friday were the last practices he has to sit out.

Andrew Olson

Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.