Kentucky loses Dante Dowdell to the portal as CJ Baxter commitment nears

With rumors swirling around that the former number 1 running back recruit in the country will be a Kentucky Wildcat, one Wildcat running back is hitting the portal. Dante Dowdell will be a one-and-done in Lexington as the former Duck and Husker hits the portal for the 3rd time in his career.

Dante Dowdell does not want to be a backup again

Dowdell was the hero of week 1 with a huge 79-yard touchdown run that was one of the only explosive plays Kentucky's offense would put up against a Toledo team that was hunting for an upset. There was just over 9 minutes left in the game with Kentucky clinging to a 17-9 lead, when the ball was given to the big man who made a house call.

That would wind up the difference in the game as the Cats would win 24-16 in a rare feel-good moment in the early season. But Dowdell never really found his rhythm in Lexington, with Seth McGowan being the lead back. Dowdell was used in short-yardage situations, with mixed results.

He leaves Kentucky with 560 and just 3 TDs, a disappointing drop from the year prior with Nebraska, where he had 614 yards and 12 TDs. With just a year left, it is doubtful that he wants to play second fiddle again, which is why he is entering the portal.

Dante Dowdell must not like Will Stein

This will be the second time that Dante Dowdell will transfer away from Will Stein, as he left after his freshman year with the Ducks while Stein was the offensive coordinator.

At 6'2 and 227 pounds Dowdell is a tank out of the backfield and will look to be more of a feature back than he has been with Kentucky, Nebraska, and Oregon.

Dowdell is the first running back to leave Kentucky this portal window, but he is far from the only player to do so. Click here and bookmark our transfer portal tracker.