Kentucky Football: Rodriguez, Smoke ready to leave defenders in their wake

Rodriguez stands 5-foot-11, 224-pounds, and pounds the turf when he runs just powering his way through people. Smoke is two inches shorts and 22-pounds lighter and if he gets past you, it’s off to the races and the endzone.

C-Rod as he is known has aspirations of doing great things before his Kentucky career ends and while not plastered to his walls he can’t help but notice them each morning.

"“They aren’t really on the wall I have them on a note right above my sink and when brush my teeth they are there. I want to break records; I want to score touchdowns and be able to pick up pass protection. I want to be the best back in the SEC and that is what I am working toward right now.”"

So far he has run for 1,361 career rushing yards, good for 27th place in school history, and has six 100-yard games in his career.

If all that sounds familiar that’s exactly what his predecessor Snell did.

In Snell’s first season in 2016 we saw him run for 1,091 yards good enough for 10th all-time in a single season. He followed that with 1,333 the following season placing him fifth and then his season campaign his 1,449 is the third-best ever. Then there is Bowden in 2019 you surpassed Snell for 2nd place dashing for 1,468.

Moe Williams by the way holds the all-time season record of 1,600 set back in 1995.

Snell is the all-time leader in career rushing yards 3,873; career rushing touchdowns of 48 and first, second and fourth season rushing touchdown records.

There you go Chris that is your target. Now go get it.

Coen for one knows he is ready.

"“Chris has done such a good job, especially the last week. Chris has really amped up. He’s laser-focused, his approach to practice, his finishing of runs. I’ve got to believe Chris Rodriguez is going to be ready to go and I’m excited to see him go on Saturday.”"

He is more than capable of achieving those lofty goals.

As a high school sophomore at totaled 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns with eight separate games of 100-plus yards. He followed that with 1,660 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns as a junior and then as a senior romped for 1,669 yards on 233 carries with 25 touchdowns.

All that while playing strong safety as well as a two-way player.