Chris Rodriguez, left, had nine 100-yard rushing games last season. (UK Athletics Photo)
Now we officially know that preseason all-SEC running back Chris Rodriguez will not play against Miami of Ohio Saturday.
What we still do not know is when he will play again or exactly why he is not playing this week.
If that’s not enough, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops added that Rodriguez will not be the only UK player to miss the season-opening game even though he would not specify who else might not play. Super senior linebacker Jordan Wright, a returning starter, also is not listed on Saturday’s depth chart.
“I expect a few of them to have multiple-game suspensions. But I don’t know. I’ll address it next week,” Stoops said at his press conference Monday.
Don’t know? How can the head coach of a top 25 program not know what is going on?
“There’s layers to things. It’s not always black and white. The players have rights and there’s processes involved. That’s where we’re at,” the coach said.
We do know Rodriguez pleaded guilty to DUI charges in July. We also know that on BBN GameDay on WLEX-TV Saturday the coach said he would be “extremely loyal” to Rodriguez.
“Nobody’s perfect, and people make mistakes here and there. I think everybody’s human, but we all appreciate what Chris has done for this university,” Stoops said on the TV show.
Rodriguez needs 1,134 yards to surpass Benny Snell and become the school’s all-time leading rusher. His 2,740 current yards rank sixth in school history. Last season he had nine 100-yard rushing games and he has 15 in his career. His 26 rushing touchdowns are tied with Sonny Collins and Moe Williams for second on UK’s career list.
We know Rodriguez is a powerful, punishing runner who seldom loses yards and averaged over 6.0 yards per carry last season.
What we still don’t know is there is more than a DUI playing a role in Rodriguez’s potential suspension or exactly who is making the final decision. Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart said a few weeks ago it would be a “collective” decision on Rodriguez without revealing who would be part of that decision or exactly what it involved.
“I’ve been in tune to this situation for a while,” Stoops said. “I haven’t been withholding. It’s just things change.”
“Things evolve, things change. Information comes and goes. There’s different layers to things. That means there’s multiple different entities involved. I prefer not to dig anymore into it. I’m not withholding anything. I’ve been pretty in tune with what I felt like things were going to happen, but I have bosses and they have bosses and so on.”
So what this tells me is that those “bosses” are the ones deciding after game one when Rodriguez plays again and Stoops may still be waiting to see exactly what they decide.
And yes, UK does play at Florida on Sept. 10 in a huge game. However, if Rodriguez was going to be playing then, I think Stoops would already know that so it will stun me if Rodriguez does not miss at least one more game after the opener.
10 Responses
That sounds like a lot of double talk to me. Stoops said, "I expect a few of them to have multiple game suspensions." Say what? Are you kidding me now coach, and after all this hype, and right here at kick off we may see more players suspended and we may not know why?Larry V, what is he talking about? Did I just read what I thought he said?
I know one thing, C-Rod can forget about breaking Snell’s rushing record. With this 49’ers offense, I suspect the ball will be in the air a lot, and the running game will not be as robust as in the past, wide zone or not. The tailback, whoever it is; sounds like it will be Smoke, will not get near the carries is my guess. Not impressed with Stoop’s answer here at all on this subject involving key players right here at the start of a hyped up season, and with all the secrecy, and cloak and dagger BS. If this keeps up UK won’t win 10 games. What a bummer. Something is not square here,
Larry Pup, you gotta read the fine line Stoops is not required to give out information that’s why he’s not saying much. Just take it one week at a time and see what happens.
Not required or not allowed? Cats79, in all due respect, the football fans deserve more than what they are getting about this issue, and for months now. Here is an "all world" UK running back being sidelined, and kept out of games, in a season unparalleled in UK football history, with no satisfactory explanation from the head coach. It sounds like Stoops is being told what to say, and what not to say about the star running back. . I guess from a legal standpoint.
Whatever C-Rod did besides the DUI must be of an extremely serious nature is all I can think of. That is what many of us football fans are now assuming too. What an age we live in today. I am concerned this decision could change the outcome of this upcoming season in a negative fashion. I truly believe it may very well hurt UK’s chances in the SEC East race. Only time will tell. I hope Smoke sets a season rushing record as the starter, I do, but it is hard to sit a back like C-Rod for multiple games and it not break something. No back on this team will move that pile of SEC defenders on 3rd and short like C-Rod does. You can mark that down. That is all I am saying.
Sound like Stoops has been put on spot not say too much. The way he talked to me there’s more than legal matters to be solved whom ever is involved and he’s right the players have there legal right of protection of reavling what else is going on.
Great to be back on here. Many years spent away in foreign countries.
I am hoping Chris returns soon. We all have sinned and have came up short. The DUI I feel he has paid for his mistakes. Not sure if there is anything else but if there is I hope we get by it soon and let him set a new record in rushing and touchdowns
Glad to have you back David. Curious where all you might have been
Hi Larry. Afghanistan the majority of the time and also had a brief stint in Amman Jordan. Looking forward to football season. Hope we compete well this year. I am proud of the achievements Kentucky Football has made. So many years of wondering if we would ever make a bowl game. Now our sights have been set on winning the SEC east. Times have changed
Well glad you are back home David. Assume those were military stops for you
Actually I worked for the government but alongside with the military. Decided to retire last July. Left Kabul and it all went to hell after I left. Lol
Well I bet you have some great stories to tell David