By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Kentucky will be shorthanded in the backfield in the Music City Bowl.
One day after quarterback Will Levis announced he would sit out the team’s Dec. 31 contest against Iowa in Nashville, running back Chris Rodriguez declared his intentions to sit out the postseason contest.
“Big Blue Nation, thank you for everything! I can’t tell you how much your support this past year has meant to me,” Rodriguez said in a social media post. ”Although I’m going to sit out the bowl game to focus on my health and prepare for my lifelong dream of playing in the NFL, I’ll be in the Music City to support my brothers and I hope to see you there! Kentucky always.”
The Kentucky running back ended his collegiate career with 3,644 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns. He added 116 yards and three scores as a receiver. During his senior year, Rodriguez rushed for 904 yards and added six touchdowns. he averaged 5.2 yards per carry and finished his career third on the school’s all-time rushing list behind Benny Snell and Sonny Collins.
On Wednesday, Levis announced his plans to transfer.
“It’s hard to describe what he’s meant to this program an awful lot,” Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops said earlier this week. “He came at a time when we desperately needed him … Coming in and being a two-time captain and having command of the locker room and command of this team in short order, that’s not always easy. And that says a lot about him. And he did it in such a way that’s very respectful.
“He’s not one of those people that’s going to just come in and try to overpower you with words. And it’s more about how he goes about his business, how hard he works, and and how authentic he is and how he does lay it on the line, you know, and you could see it.”
Portal talk: Alabama lineman commits to Cats
Tanner Bowles, an offensive lineman from Glasgow, has committed to Kentucky and will have two years of eligibility remaining. Bowles confirmed the decision on Kentucky Sports Radio on Thursday.
“Growing up, my father played baseball at the University of Kentucky so I’ve always been around the colors, the atmosphere, things like that and I’ve already gotten to experience what it’s like to play for another team, one of the great dynasties as people call it, and I’m thankful for the opportunities,” he said on KSR. “(I) can’t be more appreciative to Coach Saban and all he’s done for me but things happen where you feel like you might not get exactly what you want out of it, so entering the transfer portal, there were a lot of options I could have taken but just having that atmosphere of being around the University of Kentucky, I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity. Thankful for that and I’m excited.”
Stoops is still in search of an offensive coordinator.
Keith Taylor is the sports editor for Kentucky Today. Reach him at keith.taylor@kentuckytoday.com and via Twitter at keithtaylor21