Eli Cox Broke A 10-Year Scoring Drought With Game-Winning Touchdown
Chris Rodriguez and Wan’Dale Robinson. That’s it. That’s the list of Kentucky Football players with more touchdowns than sophomore offensive guard Eli Cox through two games this season.
Cox scored his first career touchdown on Monday when UK Athletics announced a touchdown previously given to Chris Rodriguez had been awarded to Cox instead. Upon further review, Rodriguez fumbled prior to crossing the goal line in the fourth quarter of a tie game with Mizzou. A near-disaster, Cox recovered the ball in the end zone to give Kentucky a 35-28 lead, the eventual final score.
“I’ll be able to tell my kids about it one day,” said Cox of his game-winning TD, a one-yard rush in the books. “Probably no one will believe me, but it was a really cool experience just being able to be around the ball, lucky timing for me so it was an exciting play. I was glad to contribute… I was glad we got some points.”
An up-and-coming member of the Big Blue Wall, Cox has been solid at right guard so far in his first starting role at the college level. Mark Stoops thought he improved against Missouri. “More consistent, played better,” Stoops said in the postgame press conference.
SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic liked what he saw out of Cox too.
My goodness, he tried to take that poor linebacker all the way back home to Nicholasville. He could’ve carried that guy out of the stadium and dropped him at The Boot Store. Served him a pancake instead.
Anyway, back to that touchdown, Cox claims it is his second career score. The first was a 50-yard onside kick return to the house in fifth-grade little league. “It’s the only other time I’ve scored in football,” he said.
Maybe a third to come?
Tight end Justin Rigg joked about Cox getting looks at fullback now that he is a proven scorer in the offense.
It may be time to start thinking about how to celebrate.
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