Kentucky Running Back Chris Rodriguez Reportedly Facing Multi-Game Suspension

Kentucky Running Back Chris Rodriguez Reportedly Facing Multi-Game Suspension

With Kentucky Football's season-opening matchup against Miami (Ohio) just 15 days away, there are finally some rumors swirling surrounding Chris Rodriguez Jr's status. 

After being arrested for a DUI in May and pleading guilty to the charge in July, Rodriguez's status has been up in the air throughout preseason camp. There were rumblings that the UK senior was going to be suspended in some facet, but it was never made clear how long, or if it was going to happen. 

Head coach Mark Stoops had no comment on the status of his starting running back back at Kentucky football media day in early August, and Rodriguez has not been made available to the media since the players returned to campus over the summer. 

KSR's Matt Jones delivered an update on the potential fate of Rodriguez's suspension on Friday: 

Hearing from a couple of sources that Chris Rodriguez will be out suspended either 3 or 4 games to start the season.

Final total will be determined next week. He will miss the Florida game

— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) August 19, 2022

If the suspension turns out to be three or four games, the top running back will not be available for the Wildcats' first big game of the season, in Gainesville against Florida on Sept. 10. 

Lucky for the Wildcats, there are three capable replacements behind Rodriguez in the running back room. Kavosiey Smoke and JuTahn McClain return for another year in blue and white, while Sam Houston State transfer Ramon Jefferson enters the fray, having drawn praise from both Stoops and offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello since his arrival. Scangarello is yet to name a "backup" running back to Rodriguez, citing on Tuesday that all three would likely see snaps at some point. 

Rodriguez was recently named one of the top-50 best returning players in the nation by ESPN and is looking to break the all-time rushing record in Kentucky's program history.