Vandy at UK game thread

[Westtncat]

Great win considering how poorly we played offensively. Our defense was stellar. Benny was Superman tonight. We lose next 2 games if we don’t find some kind of passing game. How does a QB with 18 yards passing for the game keep his job

If something doesnt change we will be exposed against Missouri.

[40bill]

I just looked at the stats, and couldn't believe we only had 35 penalty yards tonight.

A couple were possible game changers that didn't show yardage....Bowdens kick off touchdown and the INT that wasn't.

[Lighthouse]

A couple were possible game changers that didn't show yardage....Bowdens kick off touchdown and the INT that wasn't.

You're right. I had expected many more.

[Blue Heaven]

Stoops post game says the passing game will get fixed. Sounded concerned about Terry's constant turnovers.

[40bill]

Stoops post game says the passing game will get fixed. Sounded concerned about Terry's constant turnovers.

We all are.
wilson is probably passing at a better percent than he did as a JUCO.
But man... Secure that ball.

[Matt Dillon]

If something doesnt change we will be exposed against Missouri.

Absolutely.

[KevinHall]

This is a great defense. They will take UK as far they as can. Not many will be able to do much against that defense. UK's only answer on offense is Snell. They are going to have to ride his coattails it seems to be able to do much on offense. He ran the ball 32 times last night and they are going to have to do that just about every week. Wilson is just too turnover happy and just not enough options at WR either. I wish they would find ways to get Bowden the ball more. Also look for Conrad over the middle on short passes more. But none of that happened last night.
Yet UK is bowl eligible again. Although we know this team deserves much better than another Music City Bowl or the like. They will have to score more next week against Mizzou. Mizzou can score on just about anyone. They may not score 60 but they will put up more than 14 which what UK has scored the last two games. This is another big game. Win this one and its sets one of the biggest games ever at Commonwealth Stadium against Georgia. But next week will be very tough to win considering how the offense is looking overall.

[fastkat]

With them stacking the box we averaged 5.3 ypc and were 7 of 13 on third down conversions.

[TrueblueCATfan]

WOW.......UK's defense is the real deal and we are 6-1

[Pobilly]

Glad for the WIN! Great D again minus one or two plays only. Very happy with D. Offense is too late in the year now to change QB. Not sure why Gunner has not been given a chance. Sad at this point. Benny will continue to get dinged up from here on out as the body can only take so much punishment over a few months. 32 carries a game here on out and he will be only a portion of what he was to start the year. Love Benny but he has to have help.

[Pobilly]

Kash is spirit of a Kentucky kid proud to play in the COMMONWEALTH! He is a blast to watch.

[Matt Dillon]

Glad for the WIN! Great D again minus one or two plays only. Very happy with D. Offense is too late in the year now to change QB. Not sure why Gunner has not been given a chance. Sad at this point. Benny will continue to get dinged up from here on out as the body can only take so much punishment over a few months. 32 carries a game here on out and he will be only a portion of what he was to start the year. Love Benny but he has to have help.

I like you, Pobilly, and I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I disagree with you on a couple of points. I'm not sure it's ever too late to make a change if the player in question isn't getting the job done. Also, I don't want to lose Benny, or even see him relegated to a greatly reduced number of carries, but I feel we have a capable backup in Rose.

[Old School]

Nice to see the penalties drop, but unfortunate to see two huge plays (Bowden kick return for TD and Baity INT) negated by penalties.

It would've really been nice to see Hoak and Clark get some action. Hopefully they will against MTSU and Louisville.

Whatever the problems are with the passing game, they're a huge issue, and won't likely be fixed by the Missouri game. I suspect Wilson just doesn't see the field and 3rd and 4th options. It may also be that WRs' routes and/or route execution aren't consistent. Wilson's throwing isn't consistent, especially on any sort of midrange throw (which he almost never even attempts). He threw a poor pass to Conrad last night that Conrad couldn't catch. It was just past the line of scrimmage when we needed far more on 3rd down. Wilson just can't do certain things well as a passer right now. I don't know if that'll change. We may have to see some of Hoak at Missouri. If Hoak can play even like Mike Hartline or Maxwell Smith, his abilities are going to be needed at some points. That said, I don't know if we're lacking in talent, consistency or coaching with the WRs; it may be none of that, or some of that. I don't think we're fielding a solid group there right now other than Bowden and, sometimes, Baker; I wouldn't stack it up vs. many other SEC teams' groups other than Bowden. But wherever the problems are, the passing game is a real concern right now. It just isn't working.

I liked seeing a spark of cleverness on special teams last night: on midfield 4th and shorts with bad wind Vanderbilt had incentive to try fake punts. We sent guys in who them posted up near the upbacks instead of rushing the punter. That established that fake punts weren't going to be an option and forced Vanderbilt to punt into winds. The results were favorable for Kentucky. It also precluded handing them any first downs for contact with the punter.

FG kicking is a real deficiency. I think Chance Poore can come out to attempt some for most of the rest of the season without losing a redshirt. I think we'll see that if we need to kick one beyond 30 yards or so, maybe even 25, in a competitive game, maybe even Saturday at Missouri.

We have some really unrecognized, solid contributors at long snapper (Yeomans and Best).

Also far too unappreciated: defensive coordinator Matt House. He is producing excellent results with that unit. When was the last time we had a coordinator who did so well with a unit at Kentucky? Mark Nelson, ST, Joker Phillips, OC, Mike Leach, OC Terry Bowden, OC...anyone else? And did those four even do as well as House is doing this year?

Daniel was a workhorse, Bohanna and Edwards made some big plays, and the defense as a whole is producing really solid work. It's terrific to see some effective depth all over the defensive chart, especially at LB and DL despite unanticipated departures.

The offensive line and its depth are terrific.

[40bill]

I had been one pulling for House to be out last year. I'm tickled to be wrong.

Not real sure what happened to Terry the second half of SC on. He hasn't seemed to be the same player.

For all the handwringing, me included, I think Wilson gets healthy against Missouri. I think the entire offense does.
I have yet to see these Tigers in any way better defensively than last year....period.

Kentucky will be 7-1 after next week.

[Pobilly]

I like you, Pobilly, and I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I disagree with you on a couple of points. I'm not sure it's ever too late to make a change if the player in question isn't getting the job done. Also, I don't want to lose Benny, or even see him relegated to a greatly reduced number of carries, but I feel we have a capable backup in Rose.

I get your points. It is hard to keep the ball out of 26's hands. But he is getting tired.