LEXINGTON, Ky. _ What could turn out to be one of the most important relationships in Kentucky football history didn't even start on the football field.
It started at Memorial Coliseum during a volleyball match last winter.
That's the place where Benny Snell first met Terry Wilson, who was on a recruiting visit trying to decide where he would finish his college career after a season in junior college after transferring from Oregon.
"We were at the volleyball game when they played Nebraska; it was a tournament game, I think," Kentucky's quarterback recalled. "And I got introduced to Benny."
Snell remembers it well.
"If you come here, we're going to make it happen," Snell said he promised Wilson at the time. "I'm going to be beside you and give you the extra effort every trip. I'm that running back who's going to give you extra. We look back on that, on some brother stuff."
Wilson had a good feeling in his gut about Snell.
"I was like, 'All right. I like this vibe. I like this vibe,' " Wilson said. "He's stayed to his word. He does that. Every day he comes ready to work and ready to execute. That's Benny Snell."
It's a combination that has proven to be game, set, match for opposing defenses in the first five games this season against No. 13 Kentucky.
Snell and Wilson have combined for 939 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Those numbers alone would make them the nation's No. 46 rushing offense right now, just ahead of Texas Christian (929 rush yards with eight scores).
There's a mutual admiration between the running back from outside Columbus, Ohio, and the quarterback from Oklahoma City.
"Me and Benny are close. That's my brother," Wilson said after a recent game. "He works so hard, he's passionate. I have to calm him down sometimes because he gets too riled up. He's awesome on film."
It's on film that Snell sees things from Wilson that the average football fan might not.
"The pocket will be collapsing or the play will go straight downhill and he'll make something happen," Snell said of Wilson. "He'll make something out of nothing. ... I'm glad to be beside him every snap."
Preparing for them next to each other every snap is less fun apparently.
Texas A&M has the Southeastern Conference's top rushing defense this season, holding opponents to just 85 yards per game and five touchdowns.
But the Aggies will have a big test in Kentucky on Saturday because of Snell and Wilson, coach Jimbo Fisher said Monday.
Of Kentucky's star runner, who just eclipsed 3,000 yards rushing in just his third season on campus, Fisher said: "He's just constantly moving the chains.
"He's strong and he's powerful and all of a sudden he breaks out. He's very patient. He finds space in places there aren't spaces or shouldn't be. It's going to be a huge challenge."
Snell has an innate ability to take a 1-yard run and turn it into an 8-yard run, the head coach said.
Fisher added: "Line does a great job, he finds holes, wiggles and then all a sudden, he's out there for 'boom,' big play."
Snell isn't the only explosive concern for the Aggies this weekend.
"The quarterback's dynamic, so you can't forget and totally commit there because he's so explosive in how he moves," Fisher said of Wilson.
If the defense doesn't keep leverage on UK's signal caller, he'll make it pay.
"He can run," Fisher said of UK's sophomore QB. "You get caught up in that run game and then they throw the deep ball over your head."
Explosive is a word used often to describe both players. When combined, they've become a nightmare for defensive coordinators five games into the season.
Snell and Wilson have combined for 17 runs of 15-plus yards already this season. There are 20 offenses nationally that still don't have that many runs of 15 or more yards.
Add in Wilson's passing prowess _ he's thrown for 595 yards and two touchdowns through five games, connecting on 66.7 percent of his throws _ and the explosive factor grows exponentially.
Each player has been the benefactor of the "pick your poison" defensive mindset.
For the most part, defenses have been forced to play UK straight up and not stack the box against Snell, offensive line coach John Schlarman said last week.
"That's a testament to Terry and how he's coming along," Schlarman said of Wilson, who is averaging 179 yards a game in total offense. "They really respect his game throwing and running, so you have to play honest."
The fact that Wilson brings that extra dimension to the offensive attack makes defenses "a little bit nervous because he could pull one and take it the distance," Schlarman said.
As Wilson becomes more comfortable with the offense and more bells and whistles are added, it could become even more interesting.
A fake toss from Snell to Wilson out of the wildcat formation against Mississippi State two weeks ago is one of several add-ons that Cats coaches hope will continue to confound defenses.
As he learns on the job, it's been a comfort for Wilson in his first handful of games to know Snell is beside him, just like he promised at that volleyball match when they met in December.
"He takes a lot of the load off my shoulders," Wilson said. "Not everything is on me. He does a great job. ... He's such a reliable back and when it's time for him to put the team on his back, he can do so."
