OXFORD | Backfield depth was one of the main strengths for Ole Miss in the preseason, but it took just four weeks for Quinshon Judkins to be on somewhat of an island.
In the second half of a 35-27 win over Tulsa on Saturday, Judkins was the featured tailback after TCU transfer Zach Evans left the game with a “medical issue.” SMU transfer Ulysses Bentley is dealing with an injury, and Kentrel Bullock hasn’t played this season, likely preserving eligibility for a redshirt or transfer possibility.
Judkins, who has been excellent since stepping on campus, responded with 27 carries for 140 yards. He’s up to 429 yards and five touchdowns through four games. Former Ole Miss All-America selection Deuce McAllister was the ESPN color commentator for Ole Miss and Tulsa and predicted that Judkins will break his school record of 14 career 100-yard games.
Lane Kiffin isn’t one to elaborate about injuries, but his Monday update wasn’t definitive about the availability of Evans and Bentley. It’s possible Judkins is the featured back when No. 14 Ole Miss hosts No. 7 Kentucky at 11 a.m. Saturday in Oxford. Both teams are 4-0 on the season and 15-3 in their last 18 games.
"I would hope they go,” Kiffin said. “That's when we're at our best, when all three are there.”
Ole Miss is fourth nationally with 282 rushing yards per game. Minnesota is the only non-triple option offense ahead of the Rebels, though Kentucky will be a step up in rush defense. The Wildcats are giving up 3.07 yards per rush — good for 33rd in the country.
Judkins has shown ability to go around and through defenders this season. He’s averaging 3.97 yards after contact this season, good for 66 percent of his rushing yards this season. Judkins is 12th nationally in total rushing yards and eighth nationally in yards after contact. He’s also No. 2 in the country in missed tackles forced, one behind Texas’ Bijan Robinson who has 34 on the year.
Judkins is fourth nationally in runs for a first down.
“He's just a really elite talent and vision,” Kiffin said about Judkins. “You ain't teaching vision. You get really lucky when you have it as a coach, a running back that has it like him. You can see it. The way he makes people miss as they just appear. That's not coachable."
Evans’ availability is a key for Saturday, as he and Judkins are tied for 13th nationally in runs of 10 or more yards, and Evans is sixth nationally in runs of 15 yards or more. Twenty-two percent of Evans’ runs this season have gone for more than 10 yards.
Ole Miss has run on 60 percent of its offensive plays so far this season. Kiffin said that he’d like the balance to be close to 50 percent by the end of the season but that each game dictates the run-pass percentage. Quarterback Jaxson Dart is 51-of-82 for 697 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also run 29 times.
“They have run the ball extremely effectively and when you run like that, it can open up big plays down the field,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “They have two tremendous tailbacks who are playing at a high level. They are going to put a lot of stress on us defensively.”
