Can Kentucky football beat Florida without Chris Rodriguez? OC promises improved run game.

The absence of star running back Chris Rodriguez in Kentucky football’s season-opening win over Miami (Ohio) was nowhere more evident than a goal-line situation in the second quarter.

Facing fourth-and-2 from the Miami 2-yard line, quarterback Will Levis threw an interception on a play where tight end Keaton Upshaw was open in the end zone, but Levis misplaced his pass. Considering the opportunity to score was there, the play call was sound, but the fact that Kentucky was even throwing in that situation represented a stark contrast to most of the Wildcats’ recent run of success.

With Rodriguez and his normal bone-crushing running style on the field, it would have been an easy choice to hand him the ball and assume he could power forward for 2 yards against a Mid-American Conference defense.

But Rodriguez was not available. He was relegated to the sideline in street clothes thanks to what is expected to be a multiple-game suspension due to an undisclosed off-field issue.

Rodriguez and senior outside linebacker Jordan Wright were again missing from the depth chart released Monday in advance of a pivotal game at Florida. While last week Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said he would update the status of the suspended duo on Monday, Stoops again declined to address the status of those suspensions, saying he had been advised to not comment until the situation is resolved. Stoops suggested the Labor Day holiday might have prevented university administration from providing an update Monday.

“There’s things going on, there’s layers to this that I’ve been advised I really can’t comment on it,” Stoops said. “It’s not that I’m trying to hide things from you, but, again, the players have their own rights and things of that nature with this situation.”

Without Rodriguez, Kentucky totaled just 50 rushing yards on 26 carries against Miami (Ohio). Senior running back Kavosiey Smoke started and led the Wildcats with 32 yards on seven carries, but four different running backs recorded carries to little success.

“We’re going to be a physical run-the-football team,” offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello said after the 37-13 win. “I’d like to think we held back, too, tonight. I’m not going to lie. I want to be smart with what we put on tape as well, so I’m excited about what we can do.

“But yeah, we’ve got to do a much better job. It just wasn’t good enough.”

Rodriguez’s absence was not the only factor working against Kentucky’s rushing attack in the opener.

Scangarello was quick to credit the Miami defensive scheme for being stout against the run. The RedHawks, who like to pack defenders into the box, ranked 56th nationally in rushing defense a year ago (145.9 yards per game).

“They dare you to throw it over the top,” Scangarello said. “They dare you to do some certain things. So, I was probably a little hard-headed at times in the run game. I pumped it down the field a couple of times, probably could have done it much more.”

Kentucky coaches felt Miami’s defensive scheme presented an opportunity to establish some early momentum in the passing game.

Quarterback Will Levis responded with 303 passing yards and three touchdowns but struggled with accuracy for part of the game. Each of Kentucky’s top three receivers in the game (Tayvion Robinson, Dane Key and Barion Brown) were newcomers to the Wildcats’ locker room, emphasizing the need for Levis to build in-game chemistry with them early in the season.

DEPTH CHART REVEALS OFFENSIVE LINE SHAKEUP, RUNNING BACK INJURIES

A rebuilt offensive line that featured new starters at all five positions in the opener surrendered four sacks and several other pressures, making it clear that unit needed additional pass protection reps before Florida. Scangarello and offensive line coach Zach Yenser are also emphasizing the wide-zone rushing scheme they brought from the San Francisco 49ers, so the line faces an additional adjustment in its run-blocking assignments.

Stoops shookup the offensive line depth chart Monday, moving senior Kenneth Horsey from left guard to the left tackle. Redshirt freshman David Wohlabaugh, who started the opener at left tackle, was listed as the backup right tackle. Horsey played some left tackle last season.

Backup running back Ramon Jefferson, a transfer from Sam Houston State, was lost in the first half to an undisclosed injury. Third-string running back JuTahn McClain was assisted off the field by trainers in the second half.

Jefferson will miss “the extended future” due to his injury, Stoops announced Monday. He described McClain’s status as “week to week.”

The emphasis on building the passing attack meant Stoops resisted the urge to go into grind-it-out mode with the game in hand in the fourth quarter like he normally would. Those situations generally offer chances for Rodriguez and Kentucky’s other running backs to pile up yards against a tired opponent.

“It’s fair to say the run game and the pass game we need to work on,” Stoops said. “Run game and pass protection.”

If there was a positive development for UK’s rushing attack in the opener it was the play of redshirt freshman running back La’Vell Wright late in the fourth quarter.

He was credited with just 10 yards on three carries, but he exhibited some of the same physical running style that has made Rodriguez so effective. On another play, he picked up a blitzer to provide Levis the time needed to find Brown for a 38-yard pass down the field.

Wright missed time with an injury in preseason camp, stalling some of the momentum that had him mentioned as a possible breakout candidate entering the season. The late cameo was enough for Scangarello to list him alongside Smoke as the top options moving forward, though, assuming he can stay healthy. Wright replaced Jefferson as Smoke’s backup on the pre-Florida depth chart.

“He needs to play,” running backs coach John Settle said of Wright during camp. “He needs to have an opportunity to know what it is to prepare week in and week out. Last year, he redshirted. We were able to use the four games. … Now, it’s going to be week in and week out.

“So, he’s got to prove to us that he can stay healthy, he can recover after a game. This is a physical conference, he’s going to get hit, so he’s got to prove to us that he can stay healthy, can recover. And that he can learn it and be available to us week in and week out. I tell him all the time the greatest ability is availability. To me, that’s going to be the biggest part of his game. He’s got to prove to us he can do just that, be available.”

The loss of Jefferson and McClain could make the task at Florida even more difficult unless Stoops was to make a surprise announcement later in the week that Rodriguez would in fact be available for the trip to Gainesville.

Assuming Rodriguez does not play, Kentucky will almost certainly need to mount a more productive rushing attack from the available running backs to beat Florida for a second consecutive season. Utah totaled 230 rushing yards on 39 carries against Florida in the Gators’ season-opening win.

Scangarello admitted to making the conscious decision not to use the quarterback run game against Miami. It is unclear if that is one of the wrinkles he wanted to keep off film for Florida or if he will lessen the emphasis on that part of Levis’ game moving forward in an attempt to protect Kentucky’s most important player from injury.

Unlocking Levis could be the key to a more productive run game in Gainesville. Or maybe Wright emerges as a productive option with more carries.

Otherwise, the absence of Rodriguez will be pointed to as a possible turning point in Kentucky’s chances of factoring in the SEC East race. Lose at Florida, and hopes of pushing Georgia in the division race might already be on life support.

“I didn’t really think about it,” Levis said of Rodriguez’s status. “We’re going to play with what we got. We knew that Chris was not going to be there for this week. That’s nothing that even came in my mind, but excited to get back Chris whenever he does get back there.”

Next game

No. 20 Kentucky at Florida

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

TV: ESPN

Records: UK 1-0, Florida 1-0

Series: Florida leads 53-19

Last meeting: UK won 20-13 on Oct. 2, 2021, in Lexington

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