Kavosiey Smoke out with a broken rib; Bryce Oliver could return this week

The Kentucky Wildcats will be without one of their leading rushers for the next few weeks, if not longer, as Mark Stoops announced Monday that running back Kavosiey Smoke will be out with a broken rib.

In addition, Stoops said wide receiver Bryce Oliver should be good to go this week after missing the first two games with an undisclosed injury.

The injury to Smoke came on a horse-collar tackle in the Ole Miss game, which caused him to miss the entire second half of last Saturday’s game. Through two games, he has 12 rushes for 91 yards and a touchdown. He’s also caught two passes for 10 yards.

The silver-lining for losing one of your best rushers? Fellow running back, Chris Rodriguez Jr., was the highest graded running back in the country following Saturday’s loss to Ole Miss, putting up over 100 yards and a touchdown, one of Rodriguez’s best performances as a Wildcat.

Kentucky will almost certainly miss Smoke’s speed and change of pace from Rodriguez, but luckily UK had a three-headed attack at running back, with AJ Rose as well.

As for Oliver, the redshirt sophomore caught six passes for 111 yards and one score during an injury-riddled 2019 season. He was expected to be one of Kentucky’s top pass-catchers this season.

Kentucky will look to get their first win of the season when former UK offensive coordinator, Mike Leach brings his Mississippi State Bulldogs to Lexington, following their loss at Arkansas.