Did Kentucky Utilize Chris Rodriguez Enough in His Season Debut?

Of all the storylines entering Saturday's SEC clash between Kentucky and Ole Miss, none were more important than the return of Chris Rodriguez to the Wildcats' backfield.

The program's sixth all-time leading rusher provided 112 yards of offense and a touchdown in Oxford, 72 of which came on the ground in 19 rushing attempts. Not too shabby for a season debut.

"It was great having him back, he ran tough. I love him, he's just got the right mindset, he made a big difference today," offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello said after UK's 22-19 loss to the Rebels.

While 19 carries is a fair amount for someone in their first bit of on-field action since the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day, many were left dissatisfied with how often Kentucky opted to hand the rock to Rodriguez. More specifically, there were multiple critical moments in Saturday's contest that pointed towards handing the ball off to the star running back, but Scangarello opted for other play-calls.

Rodriguez ran the ball just two times in the fourth quarter. Head coach Mark Stoops noted fatigue as a reason why the Cats didn't feed the RB late:

"I thought he played good, I thought he did some good things," Stoops said. "You could tell the game legs were a little—I don't want to say he's out of shape—but there's just a difference in playing games. You know, when you're amped up, I could tell it was wearing on him a little bit late in that game."

Mix some fatigue in with questionable play-calling and a shoddy offensive line, and Rodriguez wasn't as effective as many had hoped. Scangarello still saw a difference in the run game, even if it wasn't earth-shattering enough to will Kentucky to a win.

"He just has a physicality to him that you appreciate and value and you feel on the field," Scangarello said. "He did a nice job today, I wish we could've given more space to do more."

Kentucky finished with 108 rushing yards on 37 attempts against the Rebels. After Rodriguez, the running back with the most carries was JuTahn McClain, who had just five. Kavosiey Smoke, who started the first four games of the season for the Wildcats, had just two carries for six yards, both of which came in the first quarter. Smoke also dropped a pass in the first quarter, presumably leading to his lack of snaps for the rest of the game.

Whether it's been through Tayvion Robinson, Barion Brown or Dane Key, the Cats have found explosive plays through the air, even if they haven't been happening consistently. Welcoming back Rodriguez to the ground game should translate in seeing some explosion on the feet.

It didn't translate to victory on Saturday, but UK feels confident in C-Rod's ability to take the offense to new heights.

"He ran tough, he ran like Chris does, didn't seem like he skipped a beat at all," Will Levis said. "It's great to have him back, we've got a bunch of great ways we can use him in this offense."

With injuries all around the Wildcats, Rodriguez's fresh legs will pay dividends as they plunge into the bulk of SEC play, as long as he gets the amount of touches he needs.

For more on Kentucky's loss to the Rebels, click here.

Game Balls for the Wildcats

Post-game notes on the UK loss

Five Takeaways from the SEC tilt

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