Chip Trayanum breaks hand, out multiple weeks -- and potentially start of season

Kentucky could be without its starting running back for the first couple of weeks of the season, sources tell KSR’s Matt Jones.

Chip Trayanum, the program’s prized backfield addition out of the transfer portal from Ohio State, has broken his hand and will be out 3-4 weeks and potentially 1-2 games. That would knock him out of the Southern Miss game in the home opener on August 31 with his status against South Carolina on September 7 in question.

Sources tell KSR that UK RB Chip Trayanum has broken his hand and will miss 3-4 weeks and likely 1-2 games

— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) August 13, 2024

Trayanum is a candidate for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding college running back. He comes to Kentucky after playing in 12 games last season for the Buckeyes and finishing as the second-leading rusher with 373 yards on 85 attempts (4.4 avg.) with three touchdowns. Prior to his two seasons in Columbus, he also played two years at Arizona State to bring his career total to 1,157 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns with 15 receptions for 91 yards.

The fifth-year senior becomes the fourth SEC starting running back to suffer an injury in fall camp, Texas’ CJ Baxter and Texas A&M’s Rueben Owens both out for the season with leg injuries while Florida’s Montrell Johnson Jr.‘s status is in question after having his knee scoped and missing time during training camp, officially listed as week-to-week.

In Trayanum’s absence, Kentucky will lean on Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, Jamarion Wilcox and Jason Patterson to carry the rushing load while quarterbacks Brock Vandagriff and Gavin Wimsatt are also scramblers in a pinch.

No other way to spin it, though: this loss is brutal. Running back was arguably the team’s biggest question mark entering the fall with Trayanum anchoring the unit. Now he’s not only missing the rest of camp, but likely the start of the regular season, as well.