The Kentucky offense has been dealt a notable blow by the injury bug ahead of the Wildcats’ season opener, according to a report.

UK insider Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio reported Tuesday that running back Chip Trayanum broke his hand. The injury is expected to sideline Trayanum for 3-4 weeks, which could make him unavailable for multiple games.

A notable pickup out of the transfer portal, Trayanum joined Mark Stoops’ troops in January. He is entering Year 5 of his collegiate career, after spending his first four seasons at Arizona State (2020-21) and Ohio State (2022-23). Listed on the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award, Trayanum came to Lexington with 1,157 career rushing yards and 13 touchdowns over four seasons.

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Last season, Trayanum appeared in 12 games and was Ohio State’s second-leading rusher with 373 yards on 85 attempts, an average of 4.4 yards per carry, scoring 3 touchdowns. He added 53 receiving yards on 9 catches.

If Trayanum is out for at least three weeks, he will miss UK’s season opener. The Wildcats host Southern Miss on Aug. 31 (7:45 p.m., SEC Network) to begin the 2024 campaign.

Trayanum may also miss Kentucky’s SEC opener based on the reported timeline. The Wildcats host South Carolina in Week 2 (3:30 p.m., ABC). A 4-week absence would slot Trayanum’s return for Week 3 of the season when Georgia comes to Lexington on Sept. 14.

Jon Hale of the Lexington Herald-Leader notes that Kentucky has been expected to use a committee approach at the running back position this fall, as there had not been any noticeable separation between Trayanum, Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and Jason Patterson. Hale wrote Tuesday that Jamarion Wilcox, a 4-star signee from the 2023 recruiting class, has recently impressed in camp.