Rodriguez Prepared for Bigger Role in New Offense
When new offensive coordinator Liam Coen arrived at Kentucky, he was already aware of Chris Rodriguez Jr. Coen has seen Rodriguez’s talent on film and he’s ready to feature the redshirt junior running back in UK’s new offense in 2021.
“Chris Rodriguez needs to touch the ball as many times as possible,” Coen said on Tuesday. “But I think it’s my job and our job as an offensive staff to find different ways for him to touch the football as opposed to just turning around and giving him the ball. That’s something that’s new. I do know that we want to get Chris over 25 touches a game.”
Rodriguez is ready for the responsibility of taking on a bigger role this season. But he also knows that there are other running backs who can contribute as well.
“It feels good but at the end of the day, it’s not just me back there in the backfield,” Rodriguez said. “If I’m not able to get those carries, those other guys can step up.”
Coen also noted that the running back position is deep and has lots of options.
“I believe that group is a skilled group,” Coen said. “Chris, (Kavosiey) Smoke, Ju’Tahn (McClain)’s coming along, (Travis) Tisdale’s coming along. I like the young kids a lot. For them, it’s a matter of, OK, we’re going to have protections where they’re involved in the pass pro. And we’ll also have protections where they’re free releasing from the back field. We’ll also have some where they’re lining up in empty. That’s new to them.”
Coen knows it will be important for the running backs to be involved in a number of different ways, including in the passing game.
“We’ve got to be able to use these guys in the pass game,” Coen said. “It’s a talented group and we need to get the ball in their hands as much as possible. Screens, jet sweeps, things like that. Get them out on the perimeter. Get the ball to our athletes in space. And they do such a nice job of making plays when they are in space.”
While Rodriguez has only caught two passes during his UK career, he’s ready to do that more this season.
“I’m very comfortable doing it, it’s part of the game,” Rodriguez said. “If you watch a lot of NFL, you see that those guys catch the ball a ton. For me, I like it.”
Rodriguez led the team in rushing last season while splitting carries with AJ Rose. Rodriguez had 119 carries for 785 yards with 11 touchdowns. He had a career-high 149 yards, with a pair of touchdowns, on just 12 carries against Vanderbilt last season. With those numbers, going to the NFL was a realistic option for Rodriguez after last season. But he had his mind set on another goal first.
“I came back because my whole goal was to finish college,” Rodriguez said. “That’s one of my main things. Being a first generation for my family, that’s one of the things that me and my mom talked about was, when I go to college, I don’t want to go and not finish. The whole plan was to come to college and finish. That’s the reason I came back.”
And when he finishes college, Rodriguez is preparing for a career at the next level.
“I’m starting to change my eating habits, trying to get my body back,” Rodriguez said. “I’m trying to hit the weight room different, get my speed right, basically build my body for the next level.”
Rodriguez will have ample opportunity to showcase his skills this season as the featured back in UK’s new offensive attack.
