Mark Stoops mum on availability as Chris Rodriguez, others missing from initial depth chart
By Keith Farner
Published:
Mark Stoops and Kentucky revealed the depth chart to open the season and RB Chris Rodriguez and other players were missing from it.
Rodriguez was expected to miss the season opener, along with linebacker Jordan Wright, but Stoops was mum on the details at his Monday press conference. In place of Rodgriguez, Kavosiey Smoke is listed No. 1 at running back
“We were discussing that,” Stoops said, per On3Sports, when asked about Rodriguez not being on the depth chart. “I knew it would be the first [question] and I want to say, I appreciate the respect that you all have had through this process. I think you guys know a lot of times because I’m very open and honest with you, you’re very respectful in return and when I have something to say, we’ll say it. I just have to say that these players have some rights as well and I have to be very conscientious of that. I expect a few of them will have multiple game suspensions but I don’t know. I’ll address it next week. I expect maybe one of them will be back next week. We’ll see how that goes.”
Kentucky’s depth chart for Week 1 vs. Miami of Ohio… Kavosiey Smoke listed No. 1 at RB pic.twitter.com/d6nd1PUPhu
— Jeff Drummond (@JDrumUK) August 29, 2022
Stoops then clarified the description, and said, “I didn’t say suspended, you did,” he said. “They are unavailable to play.”
Stoops later wouldn’t go into much detail about the process.
“There are layers to things. It’s not always black and white. The players have rights and there’s processes involved. That’s where we’re at,” Stoops said.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
