Kentucky football will have one of its suspended players back for pivotal game at Florida
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Preview: No. 20 Kentucky at No. 12 Florida
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One of Kentucky football’s suspended players is poised to return to the field for the No. 20 Wildcats’ game at No. 12 Florida on Saturday.
Super senior outside linebacker Jordan Wright is back with the team after missing the season opener against Miami (Ohio), UK tweeted Thursday. Wright was one of at least two players unavailable due to an undisclosed off-field issue in the opener.
Senior running back Chris Rodriguez, the SEC’s leading returning rusher, also was suspended for the game. Speaking after Thursday’s practice, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said there was no update yet on Rodriguez’s status.
In four seasons at Kentucky, Wright has totaled 106 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 42 games with 12 starts. After being limited to nine games a year ago, Wright elected to return to UK to use the extra year of eligibility granted all players in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With Wright available, Kentucky can use more of its base 3-4 defense with two outside linebackers on the field at the same time, which could be particularly important against Florida star quarterback Anthony Richardson. In the opener, Kentucky had to play a freshman opposite outside linebacker J.J. Weaver in those situations or use freshman nickle back Alex Afari as an extra defensive back.
“You have a lot of length to set the edge,” Wright said during preseason camp about formations with him and Weaver on the field together. “You’ve got speed to beat the tackles to get to the quarterback. We also can drop back in coverage. That’s good for us. Versatile at that position.”
Rodriguez is still expected to miss multiple games, though Stoops has declined to comment publicly on the length of the suspension.
On Monday, Stoops said the decision about when the suspended players would return would come from above him in the university administration. He expressed frustration about not having a final answer yet, speculating that the Labor Day holiday had delayed a decision.
“If I could say it I would,” Stoops said. “It’s that simple. I’m not trying to hold anything back. I can’t be any more clear than that. I’ve been advised not to. I can’t say.
“Anybody that’s hurt, injured, things that are out there I’ve told you for 10 years. I think you can understand that it’s out of my hands.”
This story was originally published September 8, 2022 at 2:43 PM.
