'He's critical': Jamarion Wilcox could have big in Kentucky's offense

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Kentucky RB Jamarion Wilcox vs Ohio, via Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Benny Snell Jr., Chris Rodriguez Jr., and Ray Davis all became first-team All-SEC selections and Day 3 draft picks after reaching a 1,000-yard rushing season at Kentucky. Boom Williams also rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2016. A.J. Rose left Lexington with 1,971 career rushing yards.

Do the Wildcats have another All-SEC performer on the roster at tailback? That feels like something that Kentucky needs to have to be at their best on offense. Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell was added to the roster to help fix Kentucky’s short-yardage issues and potentially give offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan a true RB1.

But Jamarion Wilcox might have the highest ceiling of any individual player on the team.

The high three-star recruit led UK in rushing yards (590), yards per rush (6.41), and rushes of 10-plus yards (22) on 92 carries as a redshirt freshman in 2024. Wilcox forced 30 missed tackles and was effective both in zone and gap schemes. The tailback grinded out tough yards against Georgia and Texas and rushed for over 100 yards against a Tennessee run defense that was among the best in college football.

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The Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding product is ready to step into a bigger role in 2025.

“He’s critical,” Hamdan told KSR about Jamarion Wilcox on Wednesday.

Reliability was an issue for the tailback in 2024. Wilcox played less than 20 offensive snaps in eight games last season due to the trust factor. The tailback fumbled twice against Louisville, had his head coach say part of the reason he wasn’t playing was due to not tying his cleats, and some other behind the scenes issues.

However, results are results.

Jamarion Wilcox produced when he was in the lineup. Hamdan believes that the tailback is in position for a better year due to having SEC experience. The play-caller also admitted that Kentucky played better as an offense when Wilcox was in the lineup.

The young tailback is in position to potentially become this program’s next star tailback.