Being patient helps Snell rack up yards at Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Benny Snell has carried the football a lot for Kentucky this season, and the sophomore from Westerville Central has already notched several program milestones.
Snell’s 116 yards rushing on 17 carries in a 44-21 victory at Vanderbilt last week pushed him over 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season, making him the first player in Kentucky history to do so. His three touchdowns also gave him a school-record 28 in his career, breaking the mark of 26 shared by Sonny Collins and Moe Williams.
He has topped 100 yards rushing in each of the past three games, demonstrating more intensity and durability than his breakout freshman season.
“I’m finding the little holes, making cuts that I probably wouldn’t have made last year,” said Snell, the Southeastern Conference’s No. 2 rusher with 1,013 yards. “Just being a smarter runner.”
Snell’s growth has helped Kentucky (7-3, 4-3) become bowl-eligible for a second consecutive season. He’s helping the Wildcats’ offense click as they enter the season’s biggest test Saturday at No. 7 Georgia (9-1, 6-1).
Snell rushed for 114 yards and two TDs against Georgia last season in a 27-24 loss, some of it from the wildcat formation. Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart credited Kentucky’s success to offensive coordinator Eddie Gran showing different looks to the formation.
In acknowledging the praise, Gran noted Snell’s more deliberate approach after an overanxious start.
“He’s a little more patient, and his technique has been phenomenal the last three weeks,” Gran said. “From his alignment to his first step, just everything. He’s always been physical and runs with great passion.”
With an SEC-high 205 carries, Snell is proving he can carry a heavy workload.
He showed that two weeks ago against Mississippi with nine carries for 77 yards on a late go-ahead TD drive. The possession included consecutive runs for 21 and 13 yards that left him winded before he quickly recovered to rush three more times, including the 1-yard score. Snell finished with 176 yards on 28 carries, four fewer attempts than his season high at South Carolina.
“I feel like I’m the most durable back in the SEC,” he said. “I feel like my body can take a whole bunch of carries, and other backs can’t do that.”
After teaming with Stanley “Boom” Williams to form Kentucky’s first 1,000-yard rushing tandem last season, Snell has taken the lead role and become Kentucky’s ninth back with 2,000 career yards.
The added responsibility has taught Snell that yards and TDs don’t have to come all at once.
“I felt like I always needed to score, I always needed to make a play,” Snell said. “In the wildcat I’d catch the ball and would just run, I wouldn’t take my zone step and let the blocks lead. I was seeing things fast and would just want to score, score, score, and I noticed that you can’t do that.
“I’m just trying to be a student of the game.”
Saturday is Senior Day, but it’ll also be the last time working at Ohio Stadium for someone who’s done so since 1969.
Assistant director of event management Larry Romanoff is retiring next summer, so the Illinois game will be his finale. Romanoff has held a number of positions in his 49 years working for OSU, including the ticket department, academics, compliance, development and external relations.