Chris Rodriguez Surpasses Another Career Milestone

Another week, another career milestone for Chris Rodriguez. Saturday night No. 24 became just the fourth running back in school history to surpass 3,000 career rushing yards. He’s in good company, joining Moe Williams, Sonny Collins and Benny Snell in the 3,000-yard rushing club.

Rodriguez had 198 yards through two games of the 2022 season. He nearly eclipsed that total against Mississippi State, tallying 196 yards on 30 carries (6.5 yards per attempt). It was the second-best single-game performance of Chris Rodriguez’s career, trailing only a 207-yard night against Missouri in 2021.

“We had to go back and do what we do. The O-line really stepped it up. Chris really ran hard,” Mark Stoops told the SEC Network after the game. “We counted on Will in some really difficult moments to make some big-time throws and it was a great team effort.”

Rodriguez picked up difficult yards, slowing chipping away at the Mississippi State defense, until the dam finally broke. After the Wildcats fell behind, they put the ball in No. 24’s hands. Kentucky called seven-straight Chris Rodriguez runs and he carried the Cats all the way down inside the 5-yard line, in large part thanks to an explosive 47-yard run.

He did not cap off that impressive drive with a touchdown, but Chris Rodriguez did enter the end zone twice Saturday night at Kroger Field. The McDonough, Ga. native now has 29 career rushing touchdowns, second only to Benny Snell (48) in the Kentucky football record book.

“He’s going to be a very good NFL running back. It’s nice because I know a lot of scouts and people that come through here and you’re able to give everyone a real honest opinion about how special a kid he is,” UK offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello said postgame. “He’s a really talented player, but he’s going to be great in an organization just because he’s such a good guy.

“He has got competitive greatness. And it’s important to him and I trust him completely. And it’s, it’s the individual and the talent that makes him so special.”

Chris Rodriguez is a bad man. After sitting out the first four games of the season, he is finally doing what he does best: steamrolling SEC opponents. It is just what the BBN needed to see from the Wildcats’ superstar running back at the midway point of the 2022 Kentucky football season.