Post by ukbelle on Sept 14, 2014 12:00:27 GMT -5
Box Score
There have been some painful, painful losses in my short Kentucky Football lifetime but last night hurt. Bad. Worse than Lorenzen vs. Florida bad. That all said, I feel as good about the program as I think I have since 2007 in terms of success going forward. I still don't know that we see bowl eligibility this season. The schedule certainly doesn't get any easier going forward. But I have little doubt that we double the win total from last season plus maybe another win. And next year is going to be a whole lot of fun. I think sometimes we forget about just how young this team is and they played like grown men last night. In a place where it was as hostile as it's going to get outside of maybe Death Valley later this season and the odds (and stripes) were against them. I really couldn't be more proud with how they played. That's not conceding moral victories, just a reality that this is definitely not the Kentucky Football of old.
The Good:
- Towles played as well as a RS could possibly play at QB in just his third start on the road in the SEC. Patty Ice is appropriate. The kid was straight ice water when the game was on the line. Does he still have some accuracy issues? Sure. But as said, two of those INTs were butterfingers by our WRs (and that happens as well).
- That defense. Man. They put it all out there when they were gassed and tired and cramping. They were nasty, didn't back down, and showed that they are at the very least one of the better defenses in the East. Forrest's name continues to get called and that's always a pleasant surprise at LB. Our front 7 is just physical and fast.
- Preparation by the staff was top notch. This is something we've lacked in the past, coming into games unprepared. We threw the kitchen sink at them on defense with multiple sets and schemes. And the guys handled it like a well coached team should. Very proud of this staff for that. It's not easy with a bunch of first and second year guys to have them playing like experienced players.
- WRs played like upperclassmen. Made some BIG BIG catches on those sidelines, feet dragging in the grass. Despite the two bobbles that led to interceptions, their night was really good. Those other catches will become more consistent with experience.
The Not So Good:
- Our secondary is just not good. And I hate it because it's not a current coaching issue and it's not a current player issue. It's that the cupboard was left so bare that we were converting WRs last season to that secondary and bringing in JUCOs to start. This is where the West injury hurts us the most because he would've provided some depth and some talent. It'll get better with recruitment and I think last night's game goes a long way to opening some eyes as to the potential if you come to UK. We were a few overthrown Driskel balls from a bad situation. But I think those kids play really hard, they just have a low ceiling.
- Screw the refs. I don't need to say anything else, but it needed to be said.
- Special teams hurt us last night. I'm really hoping MacGinnis' issues are just that he's a really young leg. He hit some big ones last night but he also missed a very big one and could've missed another without the craziest knuckleball I've ever seen. We've gotta get that cleaned up knowing we could very well have some chances to win some we shouldn't by a thin margin. We also struggled in coverage on punts/kickoffs.
- Brown's conservative playcalling early on put us at a disadvantage IMO. It may have just been he needed to earn that confidence in Towles in that situation. But it was really frustrating to see some plays called like trying to run a guy to the edges when we all know Florida's defense is fast enough that it's usually a minimal gain at best. The playcalling improved quite a bit later in the game when he decided to start taking some chances in the air. But there were definitely some headscratchers last night.
All in all a lot of things to be excited about after last night when it comes to this team and it's future under Stoops.
Prayers sent to Vandy though. The boys are going to have two weeks to sit and stew over this loss before getting them at home. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want blood after some of those games under Franklin.
There have been some painful, painful losses in my short Kentucky Football lifetime but last night hurt. Bad. Worse than Lorenzen vs. Florida bad. That all said, I feel as good about the program as I think I have since 2007 in terms of success going forward. I still don't know that we see bowl eligibility this season. The schedule certainly doesn't get any easier going forward. But I have little doubt that we double the win total from last season plus maybe another win. And next year is going to be a whole lot of fun. I think sometimes we forget about just how young this team is and they played like grown men last night. In a place where it was as hostile as it's going to get outside of maybe Death Valley later this season and the odds (and stripes) were against them. I really couldn't be more proud with how they played. That's not conceding moral victories, just a reality that this is definitely not the Kentucky Football of old.
The Good:
- Towles played as well as a RS could possibly play at QB in just his third start on the road in the SEC. Patty Ice is appropriate. The kid was straight ice water when the game was on the line. Does he still have some accuracy issues? Sure. But as said, two of those INTs were butterfingers by our WRs (and that happens as well).
- That defense. Man. They put it all out there when they were gassed and tired and cramping. They were nasty, didn't back down, and showed that they are at the very least one of the better defenses in the East. Forrest's name continues to get called and that's always a pleasant surprise at LB. Our front 7 is just physical and fast.
- Preparation by the staff was top notch. This is something we've lacked in the past, coming into games unprepared. We threw the kitchen sink at them on defense with multiple sets and schemes. And the guys handled it like a well coached team should. Very proud of this staff for that. It's not easy with a bunch of first and second year guys to have them playing like experienced players.
- WRs played like upperclassmen. Made some BIG BIG catches on those sidelines, feet dragging in the grass. Despite the two bobbles that led to interceptions, their night was really good. Those other catches will become more consistent with experience.
The Not So Good:
- Our secondary is just not good. And I hate it because it's not a current coaching issue and it's not a current player issue. It's that the cupboard was left so bare that we were converting WRs last season to that secondary and bringing in JUCOs to start. This is where the West injury hurts us the most because he would've provided some depth and some talent. It'll get better with recruitment and I think last night's game goes a long way to opening some eyes as to the potential if you come to UK. We were a few overthrown Driskel balls from a bad situation. But I think those kids play really hard, they just have a low ceiling.
- Screw the refs. I don't need to say anything else, but it needed to be said.
- Special teams hurt us last night. I'm really hoping MacGinnis' issues are just that he's a really young leg. He hit some big ones last night but he also missed a very big one and could've missed another without the craziest knuckleball I've ever seen. We've gotta get that cleaned up knowing we could very well have some chances to win some we shouldn't by a thin margin. We also struggled in coverage on punts/kickoffs.
- Brown's conservative playcalling early on put us at a disadvantage IMO. It may have just been he needed to earn that confidence in Towles in that situation. But it was really frustrating to see some plays called like trying to run a guy to the edges when we all know Florida's defense is fast enough that it's usually a minimal gain at best. The playcalling improved quite a bit later in the game when he decided to start taking some chances in the air. But there were definitely some headscratchers last night.
All in all a lot of things to be excited about after last night when it comes to this team and it's future under Stoops.
Prayers sent to Vandy though. The boys are going to have two weeks to sit and stew over this loss before getting them at home. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want blood after some of those games under Franklin.
