Kentucky loses new running back to torn ACL. Chris Rodriguez still out. What happens now?
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One week into the 2022 season and Kentucky football has already lost one of the transfers it was counting on for an impact for the year.
Senior running back Ramon Jefferson, who transferred from Sam Houston State to Kentucky in the summer, tore the ACL in one of his knees in the Wildcats’ season-opening win over Miami (Ohio). In an Instagram post confirming the injury, Jefferson wrote, “my senior season was unfortunately cut short this past weekend.”
“Moving forward I’ll take my rehab one day at a time to make sure I recover and come back stronger mentally and physically,” Jefferson wrote.
The injury happened on Jefferson’s second carry as a Wildcat. He finished his one game for Kentucky with two carries for 10 yards.
Kentucky was already without star running back Chris Rodriguez, the SEC’s top returning rusher, due to what is expected to be a multiple-game suspension for an undisclosed off-the-field issue. Senior Kavosiey Smoke started the opener with Jefferson as his backup. Third-string running back JuTahn McClain also was injured in the second half versus Miami (Ohio) and will be evaluated on a “week-to-week” basis moving forward, according to Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops.
“It’s really unfortunate what happened,” offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello said Tuesday. “Both of those guys have been playing really well. ... I’ve yet to be anywhere where I’ve gotten through a season without having (running) back injuries. Just the nature of the position, the physicality of what we ask guys to do, you’ve got to be ready for it. Next man up.
“The cool thing is we built a deep room for this reason. ... I think we can sustain it.”
With Rodriguez, Jefferson and McClain all expected to be unavailable for Saturday’s game at No. 12 Florida, Kentucky is expected to use redshirt freshman La’Vell Wright as Smoke’s primary backup. Wright was in the thick of the competition to replace Rodriguez as starter early in preseason camp but was briefly sidelined with his own injury.
The former North Hardin High School star tallied three carries for 10 yards in the opener. He totaled nine carries for 118 yards and one touchdown in four games while redshirting last season.
“It’s nice to have La’Vell back because he’s a tough, physical runner,” Stoops said. “At some point he was running with the ones in the middle of summer and last spring, so we have a lot of confidence in him as well. He’ll get some more reps this week with Kavosiey. I think we all understand we need to run the ball more efficiently.”
Jefferson was using the extra year of eligibility granted all players in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic this season. He would need a waiver from the NCAA to play another season. It is not clear if he will pursue one.
This story was originally published September 7, 2022 at 4:42 PM.
