La'Vell Wright: Meet the Kentucky Football Rookies
You’ve seen their recruiting profiles and watched their high school highlight reels. Now it’s time to meet Kentucky football rookies that will be making plays at Kroger Field for years to come. After profiling wide receiver Chris Lewis and offensive guard Jager Burton, it’s time to hear from another home state star, running back La’Vell Wright.
North Hardin Star
Wright emerged onto the recruiting scene as a sophomore. He captured the attention of college football coaches after rushing for 1,316 yards and 17 scores. Just shy of eclipsing the 2,000-yard threshold as a junior, Wright committed to Kentucky the following spring.
With all of the eyes of the Big Blue Nation watching closely, Wright’s senior campaign began at Frederick Douglass High School. In the inaugural Kroger KSR Game of the Week, his star shined brightest among the dozen Power Five recruits on the field. Trailing by one outside of field goal range with only seconds remaining, Wright caught a short pass and powered through one defender after another to set up the Trojans’ game-winning field goal.
Wright told KSR at UK football media day what was going through his mind on the final play.
“We just have to win the game. I didn’t even know I was going to get the ball whenever that happened, but it just ended up falling in my hands and I had to take care of business. My teammates expected me to do it and I did it.”
In seven games of the shortened 2020 season, Wright had 884 yards to conclude his prep career with 4,396 rushing yards and 56 touchdowns.
La’Vell Wright’s Versatility
Wright’s high school rushing numbers are impressive. He developed a reputation as a powerful back that used brute strength to break through tackles. Do not be fooled. Wright is much more than a between-the-tackles rusher.
He is best described as a north-south back. He does not hesitate to hit holes and can quickly break free from defenses. Wright makes plays in space, evident by his impressive pass-catching numbers. Throughout his career he gained 1,260 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns, leading Rivals to rank Wright as the nation’s No. 12 all-purpose back.
Kentucky Proud
Joined by Octavious Oxendine and Jordan Lovett, Wright is one of three North Hardin Trojans to commit to the Wildcats over the past two seasons. There are 38 players from the Commonwealth on Kentucky’s opening day roster.
“I feel like everybody that gets offers in the state should come. It’s a great program,” he told KSR.
Wright comes from a family full of Kentucky fans. They cannot wait to see him wear blue and white on Saturdays at Kroger Field.
“My mom is a big Kentucky fan, my brother is a big Kentucky fan, so it’s like I’m wearing it for pride right now.”
Ahead of the Curve
Wright got a head start on his collegiate career by enrolling early. Even though the Wildcats have a deep running back room, the true freshman’s work ethic quickly impressed offensive coordinator Liam Coen.
“La’Vell Wright is a kid, midyear enrollee freshman who’s supposed to be taking geometry class right now and that kid has done an unbelievable job learning the offense, knowing what he’s supposed to do, alignment, assignment, just as well as some of those older kids,” Coen said in March.
Wright earned the praise by studying his playbook for two hours a day in his dorm room. The young running back did not let Coen’s kind words go to his head.
“I really just try to keep my head down and focus on myself, well, not really myself, just focus on the playbook and getting quality reps.”
It is taking some time for Wright to adjust to the speed of the game. In Coen’s offense the running backs are tasked to read defenses and blocks at a split-second’s notice. Not every read will be perfect, but when in doubt, run north and south.
“You really just have to read your blocks. Be patient. Don’t ever go side-to-side, go downhill and get yards. Don’t try to pitty-pat in the backfield. That’s what I learned,” he said.
Kentucky has a crowded running back room, but Wright’s versatility fits Coen’s scheme perfectly. The early introduction to the new offense could put the true freshman on the field earlier than expected.
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