A Group With Lots Of Options
Hello everyone, we’re about two weeks away from Kentucky’s season opener versus Ball State. To get you ready we’re going position by position looking at Mark Stoops’ 11th squad. In case you missed it we started with Devin Leary and the quarterbacks. This time around it’s the running backs. While the Cats must replace one of the best runners in school history, they feel they’ve got more than enough options. Let’s break it down with our 2023 Kentucky Running Backs Preview.
Keeping It In The League
Chris Rodriguez left Lexington after finishing third on the school’s all-time rushing list with 3,643. That put him behind only Benny Snell’s 3,873 and Sonny Collins with 3,835.
With Rodriguez gone, Kentucky went looking to the portal for a new running back. They found their guy about three hours southwest of Lexington. Ray Davis, formerly of Vanderbilt, announced he was heading to Kentucky.
Last season Davis ran for 1,042 yards for the Commodores, putting him fourth in the SEC. In addition, he hauled in 29 passes and scored eight touchdowns. Davis started his career at Temple where he rushed for 1,259 yards and nine touchdowns during his two years with the Owls.
Of course, the Big Blue Nation remembers Davis helped lead Vandy to a 24-21 upset win over the Cats. In the process, they broke a 26-game SEC league losing streak. The running back gained 129 yards and scored a touchdown in the win.
Plenty Of Talent Returning
While Davis likely starts 2023 as the top Cat, new running backs coach Jay Boulware has several players who should see lots of playing time. That list starts with JuThan McClain. As a junior, McClain was the primary backup down the stretch in 2022. He finished second on the team with 278 yards and was fourth in receptions with 18 for 100 yards and a touchdown. The combination of Davis and McClain is a good one. However the Cats need depth, and they have it.
Sophomore La’Vell Wright appeared in all 13 games last season rushing for 120 yards. In addition, he caught six passes for 28 yards. Ramon Jefferson came in last year to provide depth when Rodriguez was suspended. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL during the season-opening win over Miami (Ohio). The former All-American at Sam Houston State applied for an extra year of eligibility and the NCAA granted his request.
UK is set at the fullback spot with Justice Dingle. The former Georgia Tech transfer caught one pass for 10 yards in 2022 but could play a role in short-yard situations.
More Help Through The Portal
There’s no doubt the Cats have a crowded running back room. However, if we’ve learned anything over the years you can never have too many players. To that end, Kentucky added a couple more through the portal.
Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, a former teammate of Leary at North Carolina State, joined the Cats over the summer. A season ago Demie rushed for 305 yards and three touchdowns. In addition, he caught 12 passes for 148 yards and another score. Most likely he could be featured as a third-down back.
Just this week Kentucky got a late transfer surprise in Jaquez Keys. Formerly at Wake Forest, Keys was a three-star player at Ironton, Ohio where he played both ways. He originally signed with Wisconsin in 2022 before reopening his recruitment. During his senior year, Keys ran for 1,063 yards and 21 touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, he made 56 tackles, three sacks and an interception.
As we wrap up the 2023 Kentucky Running Backs Preview let’s look at a couple of incoming freshmen looking for playing time.
Back Of The Future?
Shortly after the end of the early signing period Jamarion Wilcox announced he was coming to Kentucky. The 5-10, 195-pound running back chose the Cats over some heavy hitters. His final list included Auburn, Clemson, and Ohio State. Wilcox ranks as the 40th-best running back in the nation and 57th best player in the state of Georgia.
Another freshman on the roster is Henry Bennett from Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Florida. He ran for 1,020 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. Bennett chose the Cats over Ole Miss and South Florida and also played receiver and linebacker.
Thanks for checking out our 2023 Kentucky Running Backs Preview here at Last Word On College Football. Next time out we’ll look at the receivers.
Photo courtesy: Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal and USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK
