Stoops: Rodriguez Situation "Out of My Hands"

With game two of the season against Florida just five days away, there is still no clarity surrounding Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez's availability.

"I don't have anything I could report," Stoops said on Monday at his game-week press conference. "I've always been transparent with you. Tried to be the best I can, again i've been advised... there's things going on, there's layers to this that I've been advised I really can't comment on it. It's not that I'm trying to hide things from you."

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. Reports indicated that he would likely miss "three or four" games to begin the year.

The term "suspension" was thrown around throughout preseason camp, but Stoops did not say that any player was outright "suspended" last week. "They are unavailable to play," he said. Stoops did not confirm or deny the alleged "off-the-field" issue playing a role in Rodriguez being unavailable.

"If I could say it, I would. I mean, it's that simple. I'm not trying to hold anything back. I can't be more clear now. I've been advised...I think you can understand that it's out of my hands," Stoops said on Monday.

Stoops' remarks echo what the head coach said in the lead-up to the season-opener against Miami (OH) this past Saturday, as it sounds like Kentucky is no closer to announcing how long Rodriguez will be unavailable.

Starting in Rodriguez's place for the season-opener was senior Kavosiey Smoke, who totaled just 32 yards on the ground against Miami (OH). Kentucky ran for just 50 yards on Saturday night against the Redhawks—the second-worst single-game rushing performance of the Mark Stoops era.

In addition to the lack of a run game, two running backs picked up injuries on Saturday, as Ramon Jefferson and JuTahn McClain both left the game. Neither are listed on Kentucky's depth chart ahead of Florida. Jefferson, in particular, will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

"Ramon will be out for several weeks for for the extended future," Stoops said. As for McClain, he is currently "week-to-week" though he is not listed as a running back on the depth chart ahead of the matchup against Florida. His status for the weekend is not clear as of Monday.

The backup behind Smoke in Gainesville will be redshirt freshman La'Vell Wright, who picked up 10 yards on three carries to close out the win against Miami (OH). In the. matter of four quarters, Kentucky's running back depth has been chopped in half.

As for Rodriguez, it remains to be seen if we'll see the senior out on the field anytime in the near future.