Earned, Not Given: The Eli Cox Story

Earned, not given, is an overplayed adage that accurately describes some, but not all, athletes. That phrase is the absolute truth in the case of Eli Cox. Cox arrived to UK’s campus as an uncelebrated prospect who went on to prove second guessers wrong by developing into one of the best interior offensive linemen in college football. How did he accomplish his rise up the ranks? Simple, hard work. 

Kentucky’s offensive line is a celebrated collection of big fellas steeped in tradition that was started by the great John Schlarman. One constant throughout the years has been strong play from the center position. Jon Toth started the custom. He later passed the torch to Drake Jackson via Bunchy Stallings. Luke Fortner snapped the football a year ago and is now preparing to hear his name called in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Cats were faced with a personnel dilemma until Mark Stoops moved Midyear All-American guard Eli Cox to center. The move just makes sense. 

Who is Eli Cox?

The 6’4, 300-pound junior hails from Nicholasville, Kentucky. He attended West Jessamine High School where he was rated as a three-star prospect and listed as the 14th best player from Kentucky in the Class of 2019. Cox’s recruitment didn’t grab headlines. There was very little drama regarding his college decision. He played in nine contests in his first two years as a Wildcat and was regarded as a depth contributor at best going forward. Cox wasn’t ok with that assessment. Word began to surface about his ascent up the depth chart in the summer leading up to the 2021 campaign. 

Cox flourished after working his way into the starting lineup in the season opener. He was named Midseason All-American by ESPN and AP. The guard graded 91% against LSU and was named as the SEC’s Co-Offensive Line Player of the Week after helping UK pile up 330-rushing yards in the win over the Tigers. He later suffered a season-ending injury against Tennessee. The Cats felt his loss. The player also struggled with not being on the field. 

Back to the being a lifetime Wildcat fan. He discussed on Monday how difficult the injury was and what it meant to him to take a step back and enjoy UK’s 10-3 season. 

“It was tough. I mean, it’s been a dream come true to be able to play football here, growing up in Nicholasville and being a UK fan my whole life,” said Cox. “It was tough to see it come to an end unexpectedly. But I think it gave me some time to kind of sit back and just enjoy the process a little bit more. Because when you’re game-planning everything you kind of forget that ‘I’m playing football at the University of Kentucky.’ You’re so worried about what blitz is coming next week, so it was kind of nice to just be able to take a step back. I was able to rest and heal and just be able to enjoy being around the guys.”

Offseason rumors surrounded Cox’s move to center. That seems to have become a reality. His temperament and body type are a match for the position’s demands. The junior’s experience also helps with interior newcomers that include Jager Burton and Tashawn Manning. Senior Kenneth Horsey is the most experienced guard with 21-career starts. It’s still unknown if he’ll kick out to tackle. As many have reported, the Big Blue Wall is under major construction. Most questions surround the tackle position. 

What Does All This Mean? 

Cox to center makes sense and ensures stability at the position which has been a benchmark for the Big Blue Wall. From Toth to Cox, the Cats have maintained a strong presence in the middle of the line of scrimmage. The move also confirms that two of the five starting spots are secured with the other three up for grabs. Cox and Horsey are locked in but competition will be heated at the others. 

Eli Cox is a wonderful underdog story of a local kid that went on to success at the school that he was a fan of since birth. Nothing was promised or given to the offense’s designated enforcer. Trust me, he’s worked his way into being named Midyear All American. In a sense, the Big Blue Nation can relate Cox’s journey from Nicholasville to Kroger Field. It just means more.