Injury, Unavailability Report: Manning, McClain Warming Up

The No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats will look to improve to 4-0 for just the third time under head coach Mark Stoops as they welcome the Northern Illinois Huskies to Kroger Field. Following a 31-0 shutout of Youngstown State, the Cats enter tonight with a relative clean bill of health, though they remain down a few starters.

EXPECTED TO PLAY 

Starting right guard Tashawn Manning is expected to play against NIU after sitting out last week due to a potential foot injury. Mark Stoops reported on Monday at his game-week press conference that he expects the Auburn transfer to be good to go tonight. Fifth-year senior Quintin Wilson started in Manning's place against Youngstown State and will presumably take over at right guard if Manning is unable to play or comes out of tonight's game. 

Starting right tackle Jeremy Flax left in the second quarter of UK's win over Youngstown due to injury, but returned in the second half and finished the game. All signs are pointing to Flax being a full-go for tonight against NIU. Redshirt freshman David Wohlabaugh Jr played the remainder of the second quarter in Flax's spot when he went down. 

Running back JuTahn McClain is dressed and warming up with the team. He missed the previous two games after getting hurt in the season-opener against Miami (OH). Kavosiey Smoke and La'Vell Wright were listed as the top two RB options on the latest depth chart

OUT 

After leaving the Youngstown State game in the first quarter due to a left arm injury, outside linebacker J.J. Weaver was not listed on Kentucky's latest game-week depth chart and is not expected to play against NIU. Mark Stoops said on Monday that the team captain was "week-to-week." Freshman Alex Afari will start tonight at strongside linebacker in Weaver's place.

Free safety Jalen Geiger went down due to an illegal blindside block in the second quarter of UK's game against Florida in week two. After being carted off the field with a lower leg injury, he did not return and Stoops said that the injury "didn't look good." While he hasn't been officially ruled out for the season, it's not expected that he'll return for the remainder of the year. redshirt freshman Jordan Lovett remains the starting free safety in place of Geiger. 

The pair join running back Ramon Jefferson and defensive back Vito Tisdale, both of whom are out for the season, as primary players who will be on the sidelines due to injury. 

UNAVAILABLE TO PLAY 

Tonight marks Kentucky's final game without star running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. Rodriguez pled guilty to a DUI charge in July, and rumors have also circulated surrounding an "off-the-field" issue that would coincide with him not seeing the field for the first few games of the season. On Sept. 12, Stoops announced that the RB would make his return on Oct. 1 against Ole Miss. 

Wildcats Today will have live updates from Kroger Field. Kickoff between the Cats and Huskies is set for 7 p.m. EST.