2025 Kentucky Position Previews: Running Back

Kentucky’s fall camp is right around the corner. Before the Cats officially begin the 2025 season, KSR is taking a closer look at the roster and analyzing each position group. Personnel, storylines, questions, and one bold prediction will be included.

Tailback is up next where Kentucky is breaking in a pair of transfers with some young talent in Jay Boulware‘s position room.

Position Preview: Quarterback

Expected Starter: Seth McGowan

Jay Boulware spent seven years as the running backs coach at Oklahoma from 2013-19 working under both Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley. During that time, Boulware recruited Mesquite (Texas) Poteet tailback Seth McGowan (6-1, 215, RSr.) but never got to coach him after leaving for Texas ahead of the 2020 season.

That will change in 2025.

Kentucky’s biggest addition in the spring transfer portal window came via the C-USA. McGowan has joined former New Mexico State teammate Shiyazh Pete on the Kentucky roster. Each is expected to be a starter on offense.

McGowan top-200 prospect and a top-25 player in Texas in the 2020 high school recruiting cycle. The four-star prospect rushed for over 3,700 yards and 45 touchdowns during his prep career. McGowan spent one season at Oklahoma when he appeared in seven games, rushed for 370 yards, recorded 201 receiving yards, and scored four touchdowns. An off-field arrest led to some time off and multiple years spent in junior college. McGowan then re-emerged at New Mexico State in 2024 where he rushed for 838 yards and chipped in 23 receptions while scoring six total touchdowns.

The veteran with 1,193 career rushing yards appears to be a good fit for Kentucky’s downhill rushing attack and has a pass-catching skill set that will add value to the offense. McGowan was added to the team for a reason late in the process. Expect him to have a big role in 2025.

“I’m very excited about him. He brings a lot of juice, a lot of energy off the field and with the way he runs, with the way he plays. I think he’s a complete back,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops told reporters at SEC Media Days. “He’s an NFL back and we’re happy to have him on our team.”

Kentucky’s Running Back Room

There are four other scholarship tailbacks joining McGowan in Kentucky’s position room at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. The Cats have some legitimate experience to bank on at this position.

Dante Dowdell (6-2, 227, Junior)

One of Kentucky’s big-ticket transfer additions in the winter window came as a bit of a surprise. The Nebraska tailback entered the portal on Dec. 16 and committed to Kentucky on Dec. 20. The two-time transfer will be on his third school after beginning his career at Oregon. A former blue-chip recruit out of Picayune (Miss.) High, Dowdell isn’t a big-play producer, but was the best short-yardage tailback in college football last season playing in the Big Ten. Dowdell led the Huskers in rushing yards (614) and scored 12 red zone touchdowns as a true sophomore. The tailback will give UK some much-needed size in the backfield and should carve out a well-defined red zone role with this offense.

Jamarion Wilcox (5-10, 191, Redshirt Sophomore)

The Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding product was a big recruiting win for Kentucky in the 2023 high school cycle and everyone got to see the potential when Wilcox received carries in 2024 as a redshirt freshman. The explosive skill talent player rushed for over 100 yards against a very good Tennessee run defense, forced 30 missed tackles on 92 carries, and flashed the ability to grind out tough yards against Georgia and Texas. Wilcox has star potential, but there were also maturity and dependability issues with the young player last season. That led to Mark Stoops addressing an inability to keep cleats on as a reason Wilcox was being taken out of games. The talent is undeniable but Wilcox left the spring as a clear No. 2 (maybe even No. 3) before the addition of McGowan.

Jason Patterson (5-10, 209, Redshirt Freshman)

The Sneads (Fla.) High product led the state of Florida in rushing yards (2,721) as a junior in 2022. Patterson played in four games in his first season at Kentucky preserving his redshirt. The high three-star recruit — and former Cincinnati commit — rushed for 45 yards against South Carolina and 38 yards against Auburn. The second-year player made a positive impact during spring practice and has positioned himself to receive some playing time in 2025.

Tovani Mizell (6-0, 217, Redshirt Freshman)

A former Georgia commit, Mizell committed to Kentucky over North Carolina after his official visit in June. The class of 2024 product missed his senior season at Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Western due to a knee injury. The young tailback was not fully cleared for contact until the middle of last season.

Big Question: What does the rotation look like?

Kentucky has been at its best under Mark Stoops when the offense has a true RB1 it can lean on. Benny Snell Jr., Chris Rodriguez Jr., and Ray Davis were all 1,000-yard rushers, All-SEC players, and draft picks who the offense featured. There has only been a couple of seasons where multiple tailbacks had big roles.

It does not look like Kentucky has a true feature back on paper this year. Can the offense thrive with a committee approach at tailback? We are probably going to find out.

We still aren’t real sure what the rotation will look like when the games begin but it is safe to assume that Seth McGowan and Dante Dowdell will each have defined roles. Jamarion Wilcox is also going to be a part of the plan due to his natural ability. Jason Patterson is a wild card.

Kentucky appears to have rock-solid depth at the position as long as the injury bug stays away. That is a good sign. But can this offense be at its best without a true bell cow? We might just find out. The coaching staff is going to need to press the right buttons.

Top Storyline: Jamarion Wilcox’s role in the offense

Kentucky’s offensive staff went to work in the transfer portal in the offseason. The Wildcats added potential four new starters on the offensive line, went addition-heavy at wide receiver, found a new starting quarterback, and addressed depth at tight end. But in-house player development remains a vital need for the program. The Cats need to find some homegrown stars.

Could Jamarion Wilcox become one? We saw the talent in 2024 but more consistency needs to arrive.

Throughout the season, fans and media alike will be wondering where Wilcox sits and what needs to happen for him to get on the field. An argument can clearly be made that he is the most talented player on the offense. Now the young player must build up the trust factor.

Kentucky probably can’t be at its best unless Wilcox is contributing in some way. His role in the offense will be a storyline that will be followed and discussed all season after the star flashes we all saw last fall.

Bold Prediction: Kentucky makes a positive jump in multiple statistical categories without a 1,000-yard rusher

Despite the brutal offensive line play and atrocious passing game from last season, Kentucky was still able to run the rock. The Cats finished the season ranked No. 19 nationally in rushing success rate (45.5%). This program has almost always been able to run the football.

Kentucky then spent resources on fixing the offensive line and finding a higher floor at quarterback in the offseason. That should help balance out the offense and give this run game more chances to be successful. The plan is for Kentucky to get back to its run-heavy roots.

Offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan has had a true RB1 throughout most of his career but that probably won’t be the case this season. However, the Cats will have improved pieces and that should lead to a strong rushing attack. Kentucky will look more like the rushing attacks of old and that is what will carry this offense.

They will likely do it with a committee approach. Don’t be surprised if three players eclipse 500 rushing yards this season. Expect Kentucky’s yards per rush (3.94), run play percentage (56.15%), rushing touchdowns (11), third-and-short conversion rate (59.46%), explosive run rate (16.9%), and EPA/rush (0.01) to all increase this season.