Chris Rodriguez sees bright future for La'Vell Wright

Kentucky’s running back room is in good shape. Chris Rodriguez currently leads the SEC in rushing yards. Wednesday morning he shared that another young running back is right on his heels, La’Vell Wright.

“When he gets in — that dude knows how to play football,” Rodriguez said on Wednesday morning’s edition of Kentucky Sports Radio.

Before Rodriguez meets fans Thursday evening at KSBar and Grille for an autograph session, Matt Jones asked the UK star to name some players that aren’t currently on the BBN’s radar. C-Rod believes wide receiver Rahsaan Lewis will make some plays this fall, then mentioned Wright as a rising star.

La’Vell Wright will not be taking carries away from Rodriguez this fall. That is why C-Rod was so impressed with the North Hardin product’s work ethic. It starkly contrasts from Rodriguez’s first year on campus when Benny Snell was the Wildcats’ one-man band.

“What I like about him is he’s always trying to perfect his craft. My freshman year when I first got here and Benny was starting, I wasn’t worried about trying to rush into learning everything, and getting that extra bit of film in because I knew Benny was never coming out of the game. Benny, he runs the show,” said Rodriguez.

“What I like about La’Vell, is when he first got here, he’s like, ‘Hey Chris, can you teach me how you watch film on other teams?’ or ‘Hey Chris, can you stay after and we can get some extra work in?’ That’s just the off the field kind of part. Even when we’re at practice he runs hard, he doesn’t play slow and he knows just about everything. He puts in that extra effort to be great. I think when he gets his time, he’s going to take advantage of it.”

Wright’s off the field approach is why Liam Coen was quick to praise the midyear enrollee during spring practice. It may seem coach-y or cliche, but after a decade of close observation, it’s clear that how an individual handles his business off the field directly translates to on-field production. The best of the best have what it takes between the ears and practice perfecting their craft daily.

Wright has all of the physical tools to be an exceptional SEC running back. How La’Vell Wright approaches the game at such a young age is what will make him a difference-maker in the future. As Rodriguez said, when it’s Wright’s time to shine, watch out.