SB Nation - Justin Jeffries

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- SEC Officials Stink Edition

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:47:23 -0000

Cal and Lebron, they be buds.

By now you have surely heard all the sturm und drang about successive weeks of bad calls by the same SEC officiating crew. Needless to say, this situation has many SEC watchers, bloggers and pundits fairly displeased. The SB Nation SEC blog Team Speed Kills has more on the subject here.

The bottom line is, there have been a lot of really bad calls in the SEC this year, and with all these admissions of error, there are sure to be calls for some kind of overhaul of the officiating crews. I have no idea if this will happen or not. What I do know for a fact is that Georgia and Auburn have a serious beef about the potential impact of those bad calls on the outcome of their games.

The worst thing about the Arkansas call was that there were two other situations, one a pass interference call and the other a non-call that clearly (to my eyes, anyway) was PI on the Gators, that have the unfortunate effect of making the officiating look intentionally one sided to the conspiracy-minded. That's not a good thing, especially in case where the SEC is repeatedly forced to admit error.

Now, for the news

UK Basketball News

Player rankings: Wall beats out Collins as best point guard - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com
Wild Weasel posted this earlier, but I think it deserves a re-post.

I would dearly love to see John Wall and Sherron Collins go at it. Strength against length, athleticism vs. even more athleticism.

I think it would be a much closer match than most might believe.
Calipari full of it at Big Blue Madness... - VolNation
Oh... my... goodness!. If you want to laugh, you have got to read some of this.
Brooks: Newton likely starter for ULM
UK doesn’t want to relive La.-Monroe escape | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Three years ago, a confident University of Kentucky football team coming off significant Southeastern Conference wins had to escape an upset-minded Louisiana-Monroe team at Commonwealth Stadium.

The Wildcats haven’t forgotten their 42-40 escape that day.

I remember that all too well. I hope the past does not need to be repeated.
Vaught's Views: Cats want 'historic' season: AMNews.com
"We all believe we can be one of the greatest teams and have a historic season and be remembered across the world," said Patterson. "We want to go undefeated and win the national championship."

Well, why not?
Intentional Foul " John Wall Introduces Himself To Kentucky
Bluegrass State Basketball: John Calipari and Kentucky: I Want My MTV
A Q&A with Kentucky Coach John Calipari | The Big Lead
Q: Your arrival in Lexington is the perfect storm: The SEC is down, the program returns some talent, and the recruiting class is top notch. Between your prior success at UMass and Memphis, will you be surprised if the Wildcats are Final 4 preseason favorite, along with maybe Kansas, Michigan State, and North Carolina?

Calipari: We’re overrated. I’m serious. We’ve got six new guys who all think they poop ice cream. We’ve got six returnees who all think it’s their turn. It’s great to be mentions in with those schools, but right now – before practice has even started – we’re not a Top 10 team – maybe not a Top 25 team. But that’s what I love – I love molding a team and bringing them together and watching them grow and learn to respect each other and then love each other.
Rupp Arena stage entrance kicks off Calipari era at UK in style | Washington Examiner
On a stage befitting a rock star, John Calipari got his first taste of a packed house at Rupp Arena on Friday night and promised to return Kentucky basketball to "its rightful place at the top of the mountain."

Oh, Hell yeah!
The Dark Days Are Over — Accidental Akronite
Big Blue Good Times this past weekend with Midnight Madness, the launch of the NCAA basketball season and, more importantly, Coach John Calipari’s promise to return the University of Kentucky basketball to its rightful place at the top of the mountain. In the words of many of our more erudite friends, "Dude, you have no idea." Translation: we’re stoked.

I'm thinking she's right.
John Calipari On Midnight Madness: 'Best I Ever Had, Best I Ever Haddd' - SB Nation
Well, say this for Kentucky's John Calipari: As players' coaches go, he's certainly one of the hippest ones in the business.

Heh.
Tom Leach - Kentucky Football, Kentucky Basketball, UK Football, UK Basketball
Be sure to check out the links to Clark Kellogg talking about Coach Cal. I can't link those directly, for some reason, but they are worth listening to.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " Closing Out Midnight Madness…
John Calipari is revitalizing Kentucky Wildcats basketball and fans - ESPN
"I don't ever remember it being like this,'' said 74-year-old Tom Wilson, who has served as an usher at Rupp for 21 years and was at his usual perch Friday night for Big Blue Madness. "I usually get here about two hours early, and it's quiet. I got here at 4:45 tonight, and you couldn't get a seat at the food court. People are just so anxious to get this season going.''

Yessir, we are.
Media picks UK, Patterson tops in the SEC | Vaught's Views
Southeastern Conference media members don’t think quite as highly of Kentucky freshman John Wall as some others do.

But they will.

UK Football News

UK wary of potential trap game | The Kentucky Kernel
They had better be.
" Clay Travis and his Kentucky-Auburn wedding John Clay’s Sidelines
The Associated Press: Rare win at Auburn boosts Kentucky's confidence
Junior offensive tackle Brad Durham said the Wildcats used to have problems letting leads slip away at the end. No more, he said.

"Now we're turning the page," Durham said. "We're not the same old Kentucky anymore. We're the Kentucky that is going to finish games."

I like it. I hope it's so.
Great Weekend in the Big Blue Nation
Two years ago, Kentucky had a weekend to remember.

They opened up the weekend on a Friday night with Billy Gillispie's and Patrick Patterson's first Big Blue Madness and a renewed sense of vigor on the hardwood.

The next night, we all witnessed Kentucky battle #1 LSU at Commonwealth Stadium and come away with triple overtime victory and a rise in the rankings to #8 nationally.

This weekend was right up there if not slightly ahead.

Well, it was certainly a great weekend.
" Video: Justin Jeffries talks about no penalties John Clay’s Sidelines
Heh.
Johnson is SEC Defensive Player of the Week - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
State-Journal.com - In praise of Rich Brooks
Nice read.

Other UK Sports News

Klefot Honored as SEC Freshman of the Week - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

NCAA Sports News

Big-time scorers? 16 who could top 60 - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
Pick your favorite scoring outburst from 2008-09. Was it Ryan Toolson hitting 63 against Chicago State? Or Ben Woodside’s 60 vs. Stephen F. Austin? Or Jodie Meeks dropping 54 against Tennessee?

Other News of Interest

Is the C-J serious? - Card Chronicle
Heh. One wonders ...

The Daily Schadenfruede

Calipari era begins at UK / LJWorld.com
The Tar Heels draw 19,000. I'm sure they think that's pretty good. :-)

Week Five Preview: #3 Alabama at Kentucky

outsidethesidelines — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:15:10 -0000

More photos » by James Crisp - AP

2 months ago: Kentucky coach Rich Brooks looks on during the second half of their NCAA college football game against Florida in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

Browse more photos »

Almost a year to the day after earning an ugly, 17-14 win over Kentucky in Tuscaloosa, the Tide now takes the return trip to Lexington for the re-match. Historically Alabama has dominated this series, putting it mildly, and the Tide is once again a heavy favorite as we go into Lexington. Of course, though, the Kentucky program under Rich Brooks is a far better one than the Tide has historically faced when going up against the Wildcats, and conference wins rarely come easy. Kentucky is a formidable foe in their own right, and they present the Alabama coaching staff plenty of challenges. Let's take a closer look at the match-ups.

Alabama Offense v. Kentucky Defense

Despite being a general juggernaut throughout the first four games of the season -- averaging over 35 points and about 500 yards of total offense per game -- the Alabama offense did encounter its first real problems of the season last week against Arkansas, as the Hogs were able to shut down the Tide's running game. Thankfully we still scored a lot of points because we had three long touchdowns, plus one short drive created by Lorenzo Washington's blocked punt, but the chink in the armor was nevertheless somewhat revealed. Simply put, the Hogs had a big, physical defensive front seven, they committed the resources necessary to stop the run, and we simply could not do much with it.

And in all fairness to Kentucky, the Wildcats do have a fine defense. Oddly enough, after spending years of having a prolific offense mixed with a defense that couldn't stop anyone, Kentucky now sports a fine defense, and it will easily be one of the best defenses we face all season. It's just a good group, top-to-bottom, with good coaching and a couple of legitimate star players to boot.

The defensive front seven, much like last week against Arkansas, does present some major issues simply because they are big and physical. The front four averages around 270 pounds, with a couple of 300 pound players in Corey Peters and Ricky Lumpkin anchoring the interior defensive line. The defensive ends are about as big as you will find for legitimate 4-3 teams, and the linebacker corps is big even by 3-4 standards. As a whole the corps averages around 240 pounds, while standout Micah Johnson comes in at around 260 pounds and Sam Maxwell is nearly as big. Bottom line, just like Arkansas a week ago, this is a very big, physical defensive front seven, and that will probably give us a lot of issues up front.

In particular, don't sleep on Micah Johnson. He is probably the best defensive player in the SEC you've never heard of, and it's only because he isn't playing for a high-profile program. He was a five-star recruit out of high school that could have legitimately gone to any school in the country, and he's practically been a standout player since first setting foot on campus. Truth be told, he's every bit as good as Rolando McClain or Brandon Spikes, and he will play on Sunday one day very soon. He can make a very big impact on a game, and we'll have to do all we can to limit his effectiveness. If he played for a high-profile program like Alabama or Florida, everyone in the country would know his name.

The biggest concern, though, that this defense poses as a whole is their ability to play the pass. Arkansas was big and physical in the front seven, but they couldn't rush the passer effectively, nor did their defensive backs cover well in space. Perhaps not too surprisingly, then, the Hogs shut down the running game with ease, but were torched in the passing game by Greg McElroy and company. Kentucky, on the other hand, faces no such limitation. Kentucky is big and physical in the front seven, but they can also effectively rush the passer, and they also have a fine defensive backfield to boot. Simply put, that's a big problem for 'Bama.

The pass rush itself is probably one of the best in the conference. The off-season loss of Jeremy Jarmon -- Jarmon tested positive for a banned supplement, lost a year of eligibility, and entered the NFL Supplemental Draft -- was a big one for the 'Cats, but the pass rush hasn't exactly struggled in his absence. Junior college transfer DeQuin Evans has played well in his place, and Collins Ukwu has been a force at times as well. Moreover, freshman Taylor Windham brings a lot of speed off the edge and he has already proven that he can rush the passer well (see the knockout blow on Tim Tebow last weekend). The Kentucky defense has racked up seven sacks this year on 79 passing attempts, so they have already showcased an ability to get after the quarterback.

That's bad enough for the Alabama offense, but making matters worse is the strength of the Kentucky defensive backfield. Cornerback Trevard Lindley is easily the cornerback in the SEC, and he will be a first round draft pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He's an impact player who opposing teams generally loathe throwing against, but unfortunately the rest of the Kentucky defensive backfield is a solid group as well. Paul Warford normally starts opposite Lindley at cornerback, but he is missing the Alabama game with an injury, and Randall Burden will play in his place. The good news for Kentucky is that Burden seems like a solid option, and if nothing else he can really dance. Likewise, Winston Guy and Calvin Harrison really aren't game-changers at safety, but both are decent players at this stage who can get the job done.

All in all, the Kentucky defense is a fine one, and they present a lot of problems for the Alabama offense. They are big and physical enough to stop the run, and once they stop the run, you have to throw the football successfully, and to that end they can rush the passer and cover in the defensive backfield. Again, it's a fine unit, and if they can stay healthy it's perhaps the best defense the Tide will face all year. Objectively speaking, points ought to be hard to come by.

Alabama Defense v. Kentucky Offense

Remember earlier when I talked about how Kentucky used to be a team with a prolific offense and a laughable defense? Well, now the roles have entirely reversed, and its the offense that suddenly cannot get out of its own way. The Wildcats finished 87th in the country last year in scoring offense, and if the early returns are any indicator this offense is likely to much more closely resemble the 2008 offense than it does either the 2006 or 2007 units.

The biggest problem that this offense faces is simply that they don't have a lot of high-end players, particularly at the skill positions. At quarterback, Mike Hartline is a big, tall quarterback with decent mobility, but that is generally where his positive attributes end. He can put up a good completion percentage when throwing a lot of dink and dunk routes, but he doesn't have the arm you would probably imagine given his frame, nor is he overly accurate. On the whole, most of the time he's just an average-at-best passer.

Likewise, there are really no true game-changers at the skill positions. Randall Cobb, the former quarterback, is really the only true playmaker on the outside, and in general Kentucky does absolutely everything in their power to get the ball in his hands (including putting Cobb in the Wildcat). Aside from Cobb, though, there is just really nothing of note on the outside. Chris Matthews and Matt Roark are both very big targets (at around 6'5), but neither are particularly athletic and they have struggled to get separation. Kyrus Lanxter has been slowed by injuries, and while T.C. Drake is a decent tight end, he's probably not as good as Jacob Tamme was back when the Wildcats could really light up the scoreboard. Truth be told, outside of Cobb, their best receiver is likely the speedy Derrick Locke, a tailback, coming out of the backfield.

And speaking of tailbacks, Kentucky has a decent group there that generally features a mix of size and speed. Derrick Locke is the speedster of the group, and he is one of the quickest backs in the SEC. Physically he is almost a clone of Arkansas' Michael Smith, and he brings to the table the same strengths and weaknesses. The Wildcats, however, do have some physical backs that they use to run inside, so they can attack you in more ways than one. Both Alfonso Smith and Moncell Allen are physical tailbacks well over 200 pounds that can pound the interior running game. Likewise, fullback John Conner -- not related to this guy -- is a legitimate threat at fullback as a runner, receiver, and blocker.

The biggest strength of this offense is clearly at the point of attack with the offensive line. This is the most experienced offensive line in the SEC, and they start four seniors. Left tackle Zipp Duncan and right tackle Justin Jeffries are probably the best two players of the group, but the interior linemen aren't exactly shabby in their own right. It's not a unit featuring any true standout players, per se, but it's a capable group. They aren't mashers in the running game, mind you, but they do generally do a good job of protecting the quarterback. Kentucky quarterbacks have only been sacked three times this year on roughly 90 passing attempts, so these guys can clearly get the job done in pass protection.

All in all, though, again, this Kentucky offense just isn't very good. There simply aren't enough playmakers at the skill positions, and the quarterback isn't a standout player either. The offensive line is a solid group, as are the tailbacks, but they don't do enough in their own right to be able to overcome all of the shortcomings everywhere else that would allow Kentucky to truly light up the scoreboard.

As a whole, you really have to feel confident about how the Alabama defense looks to match up here. Kentucky is a physical team that likes to run the football, but even with the absence of Dont'a Hightower, it's hard to see this team having very much success against the Alabama defense on the ground. Likewise, while the Tide may struggle a bit to get to the passer, it's hard to see Kentucky having a lot of success in the passing game considering they lack quality depth at wide receiver or a consistently effective passing quarterback.

Putting It All Together

In the grand scheme of things, you really have to like the Tide's chances of winning this game. I think it's clear that we are the better team here, and there is a legitimate reason that we are favored going into this game.

On the other hand, though, Kentucky is no pushover. They may struggle offensively, but this is a good football team, and I personally think that Rich Brooks is easily one of the most underrated coaches of his generation. These guys have made three straight bowl games, and they will likely make a fourth straight in 2009. Likewise, after getting embarrassed by Florida, expect this Kentucky team to show up Saturday morning in Lexington like they just ate nails for breakfast. They'll be ready to play a long, physical contest, rest assured of that.

The good news is that the Kentucky offense ought to have very little success in terms of point production, unless we really give them some cheap points via turnovers and special teams breakdowns (speaking of which, Locke had a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown against Louisville). That said, unless we can really improve in terms of run blocking, the Kentucky defense may very well shut our offense down as well, and we could be in for another long, ugly, low-scoring game much like we had a year ago. Those who think that the Tide is simply going to walk into Lexington and come away with an easy win are probably in for a rude awakening come Saturday. Unless we suddenly play a lot better up front, or Kentucky decides to beat itself for the second week in a row, this is a game that is likely to be close going into the latter stages of the contest.

Hope for the best.

Georgia on my mind

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:22:45 -0000

So the time has come for us to face another top SEC in the form of the 14th ranked Georgia Bulldogs. Despite their lofty ranking, the Dawgs limp into Commonwealth Stadium after a rather embarrassing tangle with the Florida Gators down in Jacksonville in which the Bulldogs were on the short end of a 49-10 score.

So now, two teams meet on Saturday, one Red and Black, one Blue and White, one canine, one feline, one and SEC perennial power, the other a perennial doormat that has transformed itself into a competitive program. The only thing these two teams really have in common of late are that they have both had the experience of passing through the Gator intestine.

So let's have a quick look at the general areas of both teams and how they compare:

Offensive line

The Georgia offensive line has been devastated by injury, and that is one very big reason that the Dawgs have not met the lofty national expectations most pundits had for them this year. Lost are two of Georgia's best linemen, and that has made Matthew Stafford more vulnerable to the sack and allowed opponents to stack the box against Knowshon Moreno, as Kyle King discussed in our Q&A just below.

Kentucky has also taken a hit on the offensive line, with Stuart Hines out indefinitely and Jess Beets lost for the season to an ACL, and UK is currently operating only two deep on many offensive line positions. On the good side, Kentucky has recently regained the services of Justin Jeffries.

There is really not that much difference between these two lines except for depth and experience -- Georgia has more of the former and less of the latter. Close call.

Advantage -- Even

Offensive skill positions

Let's see here: For skill players, Georgia has the SEC's third leading rusher (Knowshon Moreno), the SEC's leading passer (Matthew Stafford), the SEC's leading receiver (A.J. Green) and 8th leading receiver (Mohamed Massaquoi), the fourth leading scorer and second leading all-purpose yards player (Moreno).

As for Kentucky, well, we don't lead the SEC in any offensive category. We don't have a player in the top five in any offensive category. In short, UK's offense is just plain offensive. The closest we come, believe it or not, is Mike Hartline, who is 8th in the SEC in passing.

Advantage -- Georgia by a country mile

Defensive line

The Dawgs have one excellent defensive line. #2 against the SEC in run defense, Georgia knows how to keep opposing backs from getting downfield. Georgia has held opponents to 88 yards/game on average, and that includes the 185 yards they gave up against the Gators. Georgia also has the leading tackler in the SEC in linebacker Rennie Curran.

But in the passing game, the Dawgs are not nearly as strong. Georgia is 10th in the SEC in sacks, and has only five QB Hurries on the season.

Kentucky's defensive line, on the other hand, is only 8th in rushing defense, but it is #2 in quarterback sacks, #2 in tackles for loss, and has 10 QB hurries on the season. The Kentucky defensive line also returns Myron Pryor to the starting lineup, and that will be a big help, since he has been mostly unavailable for the last 4 weeks.

Advantage -- Kentucky by a whisker

Defensive secondary

Georgia struggles defending the pass, and is 11th in passing defense in the SEC. That is a bit of a surprise considering how athletic they are in the secondary. Georgia also finds itself in the bottom third of the league in pass interceptions, and has no player in the top ten in that statistic.

Kentucky, on the other hand, is fifth against the pass, fourth in interceptions and has two players with four or more picks -- Trevard Lindley and Marcus McClinton. Kentucky has been good against the pass most of the year, and has picked off a pass in each of its last five games. In fact, the 'Cats have at least one pick in every game this year except one.

Advantage -- Kentucky

Fumbles and turnover margin

Kentucky leads the SEC in fumbles forced with 12, and Georgia is 11th with 4. Kentucky also leads the league in fumbles recovered with 17, while Georgia is again near the bottom with only 3.

On the other side, Kentucky is 8th in the league in fumbles lost with 8, while Georgia is tied for second with only 4. In turnover margin, Kentucky is second in the league with +14 (+1.75/game) while Georgia is sixth with -1 (-0.11/game)

Advantage --Kentucky

Special teams

Despite having special teams faux pas that have lead to embarrassing short-field situations and were in no small part responsible for the ridiculous score in Gainesville, both Georgia and Kentucky have adequate special teams. Neither of them stands out in any particular statistic except Georgia in punt returns (2nd in the SEC) and Kentucky in kick returns (3rd in the SEC).

Advantage -- Even

Intangibles

Playing the game in Commonwealth Stadium is a clear advantage for the Kentucky Wildcats, and Georgia has dropped perhaps more than their fair share of games in the friendly confines of the Bluegrass. The last time the Dawgs trundled into town, the 'Cats sent them home bloody.

But Georgia is coming off an embarrassing loss to Florida, and they will be looking for something to take that out on. The downside of that loss as far as motivation is concerned is the fact that most of their pre-season goals went down the tubes with that debacle in Jacksonville.

Advantage -- Kentucky by a little

Overall

The bottom line is that Kentucky is going to have to play some of its best football of the season to get the W here. Georgia is far more talented offensively, and while Kentucky has a strong defense, they are not likely to be strong enough to keep the powerful Bulldog offense from getting in the end zone.

Conversely, Kentucky's offense has been very weak, and even though we are not facing the toughest defense in the SEC, Georgia is more than capable of keeping UK out of the end zone much of the game. It will take a special performance by our offense to keep this game competitive. Randall Cobb must do things much better than he did against Mississippi State, especially in the first half of that game.

Overall, if UK can play solid defense, force a few three-and-outs, and turn the Dawgs over some, they have a chance at this game. If UK allows Knowshon Moreno to run amok in the secondary, nothing can save them from defeat. I think Lindley can handle A.J. Green, but I'm not sure UK can handle the combination of Green, Massaquoi and Moreno.

Since I have called every game for Kentucky this year, I see no reason to change. UK gets the win, 24-21.

So Randall Cobb is our starting quarterback. What now?

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:42:00 -0000

So what has changed as a result of the Florda game? Micah Johnson has re-injured his sprained ankle and is doubtful. Marcus McClinton's knee is a bit worse, Myron Pyor is still out, Kyrus Lanxter is still down with a knee, Ricky Lumpkin has a strained calf, Justin Jeffries and Maurice Grinter are banged up, as is Josh Minton. Dicky Lyons and Derrick Locke are both still out for the season (Yes, we have no miracles today). Finally, Randall Cobb is now the starting quarterback

The Wildcats are still far from 100% healthy as they head down to Starkville to take on the Mississippi State University Bulldogs, and MSU is much, much healthier than Kentucky with only one minor injury and one major injury. What this means is that even though UK is facing a foothill instead of Mt. Everest relatively speaking, the Wildcats still have a hill to climb against a team that went bowling last year.

Injuries are a part of football, and as much as we moan and groan about them, UK's troubles are absolutely nothing compared to what the Georgia Bulldogs have been dealing with -- they have 10 players with long-term injuries, seven of which are season-ending, and they just undressed LSU in Death Valley, 52-38. When you are in the SEC, injuries must be overcome, and great teams overcome them.

OK, so Kentucky is not a great team this year, but can they become a competent one? So far, UK is adequate only on defense, as even giving up 63 points to the Gators moved Kentucky down from #1 to just #7 in scoring defense. Obviously, the 'Cats defense is better than that, but a combination of injuries and a red hot Florida offense made them look like a high school team. The real problem, though is UK's offense, which has not been competent against SEC competition. Yes, it has had a few good moments in the Alabama and Arkansas game, but generally speaking, the Wildcat offense has put tremendous pressure on the defense to carry the load.

Will that change with Randall Cobb now at the helm? Obviously, we hope so, and Brooks at least thinks it may or he wouldn't have made the move. Don't think for a minute that Rich Brooks isn't stubborn enough to thumb his nose at Kentucky fans who have been screaming at the top of their collective lungs for Randall Cobb at QB if he thinks the things that are going wrong can't be corrected to some extent with this move. The fact that Brooks is making it is really a confirmation that the situation looks to Brooks pretty much like it looks to the rest of us -- Cobb provides an extra dimension that appears to take UK's offense from futility to some semblance of proficiency, something Kentucky has only known against inferior competition this year. Is a merely competent offense enough to overcome our other problems? We won't know until Saturday.

I know this is obvious, but it bears repeating -- the biggest thing Cobb can give UK at quarterback is the ability to sustain favorable field position by moving the football. Yes, points are important also, but Kentucky has been able to beat opponents this year by keeping them in a hole and forcing turnovers and mistakes. Against three of our last four opponents, UK was unable to do that with any consistency. Even if a drive doesn't score, if it keeps the defense off the field a while and backs the opponent up to near their goal line, it has to be considered a strategic success.

Tactically, though, Kentucky needs to start putting points on the board. That begins with getting the football back into the red zone with some semblance of regularity, and getting at least three points out of those efforts. SEC teams are going to score on Kentucky, but they will score way less if the 'Cats keep them pinned down and our defense as fresh as possible. That gives the 'Cats an opportunity to be in every game.

Another thing Cobb brings to the table that couldn't be found under Hartline is a constant threat of a big play, which he can make either with his feet or with his arm. Cobb's mobility forces linebackers to always be concerned about him, the pass rush to be more conservative, and blitzes much more dangerous. That puts pressure on defenses, especially linebackers, not to make bad judgments or face the possibility of turning a running back or Cobb loose in the secondary. That makes scoring points when the Wildcats get behind much more probable.

The other thing Cobb brings, in my opinion, is confidence. It has been clear to me, as it has to others, that the offense has lost much of its confidence in Mike Hartline's ability to run the team. It isn't all Hartline's fault, but as I have said before, UK needs to forget about blaming people and start looking for ways to fix the problem. Cobb's presence gives the offense more confidence, and that is very important. A confident offense is a dangerous offense, as we all well remember from the gunslinging days of André Woodson & Co.

Finally, Cobb gives UK a look for which there is precious little tape for opponents to study. Cobb has been used sparingly at quarterback, and he gives Phillips the freedom to call plays that the opponents simply haven't seen, which is always an advantage, and Kentucky needs every advantage they can find against SEC opponents on the road. Mississippi State may not be as threatening a competitor as the Gators this year, but last year Brooks & Co. took the Bulldogs for granted, and they sent UK fans home from Commonwealth Stadium with frowns instead of smiles.

In the final analysis, Cobb's presence under center makes UK's offense look much more threatening than Hartline has this year. A lot of that is because of Kentucky's youth and inexperience at wide receiver, but as I said earlier, blame is not relevant here. What is relevant is making the offense a genuine threat, and taking some of the pressure off a defense that is trying to get healthy enough to compete for the SEC stretch run. It's a sure bet that if Cobb can't get that done, his stint at starting QB will be a short one.

Western Kentucky @ Kentucky: After Action Report

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:43:44 -0000

The Hilltoppers of WKU and the Wildcats of UK went at it last night in Kentucky's last out-of-conference game of the season. The Toppers, and particularly Bobby Rainey, produced some spectacular runs that should give them hope for the future, and I was impressed by the clean football that my alma mater played, having only one penalty (a roughing the passer call that was pretty close). Western is going in the right direction, even though they currently lack the kind of size and athleticism on the lines to compete against a league like the SEC. Kudos to the Toppers for taking on all comers and playing hard, clean football.

It has been an article of faith among SEC football watchers that Kentucky needed to show some offensive competence during the easier out-of-conference schedule. Up until this game, they have demonstrated very little offensively. The offense was almost non-existent at Louisville, struggled to score against Norfolk State, and despite gaining significant yardage against MTSU, struggled mightily to score in the red zone.

Yesterday against Western Kentucky, Kentucky demonstrated some offensive prowess, particularly on the ground. Unfortunately, the luster of this fact was reduced by two factors that should give 'Cat fans pause -- That most of the yards were gained in the second half, and that every other BCS team who has played Western gained more yardage than UK. Mark Story looks at the "Glass half full, glass half empty" viewpoint of the WKU-UK game. It would be nice to be able to say that UK has an SEC-worthy offense going into battle against an Alabama team that drubbed the highly-ranked Georgia Bulldogs yesterday in their home stadium, but unfortunately, we cannot. UK looked competent against a lesser foe last night, but I doubt that performance against the relatively weak Hilltopper defense will cause any SEC defensive coordinators to lose sleep at the thought of playing the Wildcats.

Still, we have to grant that Hartline looked better than he has previously, and seems to be growing well into the position. He showed a strong arm in a couple of vertical attempts that, even though they didn't connect, looked very respectable in both where the ball was thrown and the velocity it had on it. 'Cat fans have reason to be encouraged about Hartline, and Fidler looked like a competent backup in limited action against a lesser foe.

Overall, here is how I saw this game:

Offensive line run blocking -- The run blocking looked better, but mostly in the second half. What happened in the the first?
Wide receivers -- The wide receivers, particularly DeMoreo Ford, did some better things than they have done so far, but not nearly enough to give anyone confidence that there are more real threats on the field than Dicky Lyons Jr.
Special teams -- Field goal kicking seem competent now with Ryan Tydlacka, but it is only his first game and against a lesser foe. The return game was excellent as usual, but kickoff coverage was really poor. Yes, Bobby Rainey was a phenomenal runner, but is he SEC-quality? I hardly think so. If not, we could be in for trouble against tougher foes if we don't improve. But on the plus side, Derrick Locke did return a kickoff for a touchdown, and Dicky Lyons barely missed doing the same with a punt return.
Pass defense -- This was quite possibly the most dominant performance against the pass I have seen in college football in recent memory. How do you hold a Spread Option team to 15 yards passing? That's just unheard of, and it was primarily due to the utter domination of the Western offensive line by Kentucky's defensive line. Yes, the UK defensive secondary was very good, but the 'Cats defensive front was always in the face of the Western quarterback, and got four sacks for thirty negative yards.
Run defense -- After the Wildcats figured out that Rainey was a serious threat, they shut him down, but not before he gained almost 100 yards against a Kentucky defense that has been very stingy against the run (#5 in the nation) up until now. It is a cause for worry. If the 'Cats struggled with Rainey, what will Knowshon Moreno do?
The passing game -- Kentucky was competent in the passing game, but the UK wide receivers still have issues with route running, catching the football and blocking. The blocking was somewhat improved, but it's clear that UK has a long way to go to get the receivers up to SEC quality with the exception of Dickie Lyons Jr. Brooks can't be all that pleased with what he saw yesterday, but it was a clear improvement over the last game.
Pass blocking -- Pass blocking was excellent against Western, but their defensive front is hardly SEC quality. Still, it was a good game for the line when it came to giving Hartline time to throw. I consider them untested at this point, except against a decent Louisville defense, but I think they may be fine.
The running game -- Impressive in the second half, but what happened in the first? The running backs hit the holes, such as they were in the first half, hard, but the line simply wasn't getting the job done. The 'Cats did a much better job in the second half, racking up impressive yardage and some long runs, and pretty much looking like the team we expected to see. This game gives me some hope that we may be able to move the ball on the ground if we can get some kind of threat out of the passing game.

Overall, it was obviously a great defensive game for Kentucky, and a comptetent if unspectacular offensive game. The coaching staff has greased a few squeeky wheels, and even though UK didn't look like the well-oiled offensive machine they have been in the last couple of years, the first signs of genuine offensive faculty showed up yesterday, and that is a very good thing.

On the injury front, Justin Jeffries has a serious knee injury and is very likely done for the season. Even if it is more benign than many think, it is still going to sit him for a number of weeks, perhaps more than are left in the regular season. I hope for the best, but fear the worst. T.C. Drake also suffered an ankle sprain, but it doesn't look likely to keep him out more than a week. Maurice Grinter served capably and even rather impressively in his stead.

On the good news side, it is looking more and more likely that Randall Cobb's high ankle sprain will heal in time for South Carolina, if not Alabama. I expect to see Micah Johnson back at practice this week, and Ricky Lumpkin as well.

Next week we get the Crimson Tide, and the Elephants are coming of an impressive manhandling of the #3 team in the nation at their place. As the Tide has an open date after the UK game, that places next week's tilt firmly in the "trap game" category for them. We need to hope that they are still licking their wounds an enjoying the glow of defeating Georgia and vaulting to a top 5 national ranking (which they surely will) when the Wildcats bring their 4-0 record into Tuscaloosa next Saturday.