Kentucky’s running backs have shined through four games, so where does Chip Trayanum fit?

When Kentucky football traveled to Ole Miss two years ago, the Wildcats broke in star running back Chris Rodriguez for the first time in the 2022 season after he served a four-game suspension.

As the Wildcats prepare to return to Oxford this week, they could be working a new running back into the fold again.

This time the return is from preseason projected starter Chip Trayanum , a much-hyped transfer from Ohio State. Rather than a suspension like Rodriguez, Trayanum is returning from a hand injury suffered during a preseason scrimmage that caused him to miss the first four games of the season.

While Trayanum has been cleared to practice again, he still might not play at Ole Miss. UK listed him as doubtful on the first availability report of the week Wednesday night.

“He’s cleared to go,” UK coach Mark Stoops said of Trayanum on his Monday radio show. “We’ll see what type of strength he has in that hand. It was operated on. We’ll see how he comes along and what he’s like here throughout the week.”

When Trayanum was first sidelined during preseason camp, the injury added more doubt about a position with no proven quantities as Kentucky looked to replace Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis.

But four weeks into the season, the Wildcats can now afford to take Trayanum’s return slowly thanks to the emergence of starter Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and backups Jamarion Wilcox and Jason Patterson .

Sumo-Karngbaye ranks 13th in the SEC in yards from scrimmage per game (81.3) despite UK’s opener being ended five minutes into the third quarter due to lightning. Wilcox ranks seventh in the SEC in yards per carry (7) and is coming off a breakout performance with a team-high 82 yards on eight carries against Ohio. Patterson also looks close to a return after missing the last two games with an injury. He totaled 73 yards on 14 carries in the first two games as Sumo-Kargnbaye’s primary backup.

“The other running backs really are doing a good job, but Chip, he was No. 1 for a reason,” said recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach Vince Marrow, who recruited Trayanum to UK. “He’s getting back in slowly, but when he does come back, he’s a veteran guy. Blitz pickup is really good for him. He understands it. He played a lot of big games at Ohio State. So I think when he gets back, he’s going to be a guy that can run between the tackles, be physical, wear guys out, along with the other backs.”

Trayanum, an Akron, Ohio, native, signed with Arizona State out of high school. In two seasons at Arizona State, he totaled 691 yards on 127 carries with 10 touchdowns. Trayanum then transferred to Ohio State, where he initially was set to play linebacker.

Injuries at running back led Ohio State coaches to move Trayanum back to the position during the 2022 season. He remained at running back last season, totaling 373 yards and three touchdowns on 85 carries as the backup for Ohio Star TreVeyon Henderson.

When Henderson was sidelined by an injury early in Ohio State’s game against Notre Dame last season, Trayanum was handed the biggest moment of his career to date. He cashed in that opportunity with a 1-yard touchdown carry for what amounted to a 17-14 walk-off win.

“We’ve talked about a guy that’s played in big games,” offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said of Trayanum. “Knows what it’s supposed to be like. And I think the second thing is just from a size standpoint of big, physical back. So we’re anxious to get him back, obviously, and take one day at a time.”

While there were questions about how Trayanum would perform as a featured running back after he transferred to Kentucky, he was at least viewed as a weapon as a power back thanks to his 5-foot-11, 227-pound frame.

UK’s other running backs are all listed at least 17 pounds lighter than Trayanum, but have thus far held their own in short-yardage situations. Kentucky is 14-for-20 in third down conversions of 4 yards or less this season and 11-for-13 in those third-and-short situations in the last two games.

But as evidenced by injuries already to Trayanum and Patterson, it would be foolish to expect Kentucky to make it through the rest of the season without any more running backs being sidelined. More depth is better, especially experienced depth considering Wilcox, a redshirt freshman, and Patterson, a true freshman, will be playing in their first road game at Ole Miss.

“A guy that’s played a lot of football and is tough to bring down,” Hamdan said of Trayanum. “... As young as we are, I think first, you’re certainly looking at it from a veteran leadership standpoint. I think second, you’re looking at it as a 225-230-pound running back that can carry the load.”

When Rodriguez returned to the fold at Ole Miss in 2022 he was viewed as a savior because the Wildcats had struggled to produce any rushing success while he was suspended.

That won’t be the case for Trayanum, but Kentucky will need to use him when he is available since this is his last season of eligibility.

How the carries are split moving forward will be a storyline to watch, but don’t expect any of the young running backs to disappear from the rotation when Trayanum does play.

“With them being so young and really doing a lot of good things, you have to keep bringing those guys along,” Hamdan said. “And so, I think it’s a good problem to have. Now, hopefully we’re getting to a point where that group has certainly got a lot more depth.

“But we think, to your question, yes, we got to keep bringing those guys along. That position is a tough position to keep guys healthy, and we got to keep them in the mix.”

Saturday

Kentucky at No. 6 Mississippi

When: Noon EDT

TV: ABC

Records: Kentucky 2-2 (0-2 SEC), Mississippi 4-0 (0-0 SEC)

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Series: Mississippi leads 30-14-1

Last meeting: Mississippi won 22-19 on Oct. 1, 2022, in Oxford, Miss.

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