Ramon Jefferson will be a sixth-year player for UK this season. (UK Athletics Photo)
Maybe it is just a coincidence that FCS All-American running back Ramon Jefferson of Sam Houston transferred to Kentucky Thursday.
Or maybe there is concern with the depth at running back if for some reason leading returning rusher Chris Rodriguez does have some disciplinary issues that could make him miss games — or possibly the entire 2022 season.
The 5-10, 215-pound Jefferson ran for 1,115 yards and 13 touchdowns last year to earn FCS All-American honors. He played two years with Sam Houston in Texas and ran for 1,907 yards on 299 carries in 22 games.
Jefferson, a New York native who ran for almost 5,500 yards in high school, had verbally committed to Colorado after entering the transfer portal but decommitted from Colorado on May 20.
He started his career at Maine where he was coached by former UK offensive coordinator Liam Coen. He redshirted in 2017 but played in 12 games with seven starts in 2018 and ran for 1,037 yards and eight touchdowns on 182 carries.
Jefferson transferred to Garden City Community College in Kansas for the 2019 season and was named All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference second team after rushing for 994 yards and 13 scores in 11 games. He did not lose a fumble in 168 carries for the season.
Jefferson had visited UK recently and was the second-highest ranked player available in the 247Sports Transfer Rankings. He also had considered Tennessee and Eastern Michigan.
The sixth-year running back will have one year of eligibility at Kentucky so obviously coach Mark Stoops must think he can help the team this year.
“We are excited to have Ramon join our Wildcat family,” Stoops said in a UK release. “He is an excellent tailback, providing another quality player for us at that position. He was one of the top rushers in the FCS last season and he is a good fit for our scheme.”
“He’s tough, physical and durable and we are looking forward to developing him even further under our coaching staff.”
Notice the emphasis on “tough, physical and durable” — all attributes that Rodriguez has.
Hopefully Jefferson is just a late transfer who was too good to pass up and depth for the backfield and not a needed No. 1 back because Rodriguez is not playing.
11 Responses
And they just add another transfer from Tennessee is this a sign of Chris Rodriquz will not play this fall?
The continuing silence on C Rod is not good news for us football fans. Jefferson looks like a very good TB on tape, at SH for sure, but the FCS is not the SEC, nor is Maine football. Looking forward to seeing him in action for UK and wish him well. Stoops seems high on him, and I am very glad he is not Tennessee bound. Why did he leave Maine after the year he had in 2018? Maybe because Coen had departed? It appears Smoke is down the depth chart now, what has happened to him? Jefferson has been around from the looks of his transfer resume.
I dont think smokes is down the charts, he was hurt for most part of season last year
What did Rodriquz do?
He got a dui here while back
Cats79, it seems there is more going on than his DUI. They are holding back info, it is obvious, and it looks like the silence could be telling. The RB room was loaded before Jefferson transferred, don’t you think? Smoke was hurt some last season yes, but he has had time to heal, and there is no news about him at all of late, and he has been a productive RB for UK in the past. Perhaps the talent level has passed him up. But to lose a back like C Rod for the year, as some are saying, is not good for this Kentucky football team, He is "Mr.Reliable." I wish Coach would put this matter to rest one way or the other. Perhaps he will soon.
My guess is there were drugs in addition to the alcohol involved, possibly an accident as well…maybe injuries. Such an event would be career/scholarship ending.
Whodat your guess is way off from all I have heard
Matt Jones of KSR did report little while back that there more issues in C-Rod situation than the DUI, but didn’t reveal what it was.
Or maybe not saying anything shows that Rodriguez will be on the team
I hope you are right Larry.