Game Thread

[Joneslab]

The thing was though I didn't think Auburn was better than us. If anything the difference was negligible.

I just think we shot ourselves in the foot enough times for it to eventually matter. It was actually a game that was pretty well-played for the most part, so the small, incremental things became huge. Those two field goals at the end of the first half were absolute killers.

[gerntz]

This. I think if you put this team in the Florida and Auburn games next year we would make the plays necessary to win.

Not sure why you think that. AU had a younger team than us on the field - fewer SR starters & as many FR playing. FL isn't very old either.

[gerntz]

The thing was though I didn't think Auburn was better than us. If anything the difference was negligible.

I just think we shot ourselves in the foot enough times for it to eventually matter. It was actually a game that was pretty well-played for the most part, so the small, incremental things became huge. Those two field goals at the end of the first half were absolute killers.

As far as the playing problems, I rank them as :
- The lack of 1H pass rush that allowed AU to jump out & we couldn't come back enough.
- PT's uncalled for INT when he could have throw it out of EZ on 1D. What a brain fart.
- Major repeated pass drops.
- The inability to get a 1D at end of 1H.

[fastkat]

- PT's uncalled for INT when he could have throw it out of EZ on 1D. What a brain fart.

I wouldn't put that on PT. I think had our receiver had made a better effort for the ball it's incomplete

[Matt Dillon]

I wouldn't put that on PT. I think had our receiver had made a better effort for the ball it's incomplete

You may or may not be right. The thing about it is, in my opinion, the pass should never have been thrown to begin with. The DB had excellent coverage on our receiver. IMO, Patrick should have tucked it away and seen how much he could get by running the ball or, as gerntz said, thrown it out of the EZ.

[Cblue]

Really poor clock mngt from the next to last series on. We have to pay attnetion to clock with 10 mun left in either half. Did anyone notice that when AU ran Oob for the first down on the last series they started the game clock on the ready rather than the snap? There was a 29 sec runoff before next snap.

[SBCatMan]

OK, here is something that almost everyone is missing on the INT. PT was NOT throwing for Baker. He was NOT trying to force the ball in to his favorite receiver. He was throwing to Johnson who was WIDE OPEN in front of Baker, but just missed him so badly -- it was way high and behind him -- that the ball appeared to be for Baker, who was tightly covered. PT himself admitted this in his post-game interview. The INT was a total fluke.

[Spiritof96]

OK, here is something that almost everyone is missing on the INT. PT was NOT throwing for Baker. He was NOT trying to force the ball in to his favorite receiver. He was throwing to Johnson who was WIDE OPEN in front of Baker, but just missed him so badly -- it was way high and behind him -- that the ball appeared to be for Baker, who was tightly covered. PT himself admitted this in his post-game interview. The INT was a total fluke.

Are we sure that is true. He missed the wide open guy by a mile. Like NOT CLOSE.

[Matt Dillon]

If that's the case, he couldn't have thrown it any better to Baker had he been trying.

[Catsrock]

Test message CATS. Hey it works. Thanks James, Paul T.

[SBCatMan]

I watched his interview on KSR last night. Could not sleep. of course. He said he was definitely throwing for the short guy and just missed him badly. Just one of those things. Sometimes a throw gets away. That was one of them.

[kyduckman]

Just one question for the "they're learning lessons from these losses and missed plays" theorists. At what point would you say the coaches and players should be able to reduce the number of learning moments?

The same mistakes and poor effort was there last year. Some of those players and coaches are now on their 2 or 3rd year, and they are still making the same mistakes. So, what good is PT's ability to throw 75 yds if he consistantly under or over throws the receiver? If he hasn't learned to look for the 2nd or 3rd reciever in 3 years of college, how long do you think he needs?

I don't understand why it takes a half of football to adjust to what the other team is doing. Stoops and UK did not hire the staff off the street, everyone of them had prior exp. When does the Staff realize they're coaching in the SEC and you can't wait until half time to adjust?

It is true that the 8 man "circle jerk" on the last punt return did not hurt us in points or in yards. It was however on NATIONAL TELEVISION and on a Thursday night when it was the ESPN prime time game. How many potiential recruits had the priviledge of seeing that stellar moment? The bottom line is we need to shine last night and we pissed on the fireworks for that celebration. Bama, LSU, AU, TN, SC, FL, Miss State, Ole M, A&M & MO can survive missed opportunities and bad nights. We can't!

While the few posts I have on this site have been critical, I do see individual and team improvement, and I think the future is bright but we can't survive a 5 yr program rebuild and continue to get 3 &4 star recruits. Now that our facilities are "some of the best in the country", we had better win more than 2 or 3 games against conf foes that are "down" this year. We have to have an upset and soon! You can't maintain a program being mediocre and going to the Liberty Bowl.

I have heard some say we will never be Bama or TN, we just want to be competitive. Why would we not want to be on the level of those teams? Why can't we expect to compete for the East? This State is ready to go bat crap crazy over football. So what is it going to take? I remember the time when Oregon, Washington, and Colorado were never mentioned during National Title talk. They became contenders the same way we can by winning and upsetting bigger and better programs. By winning they got the players, players that went to Big 12, Big 10 and SEC schools. Right now we're getting some of those guys, but not for long without a big win. I'm not sure we can wait until next year for the big one, there's too much at stake.

I hope the worm turns soon or you can count on another program rebuild. Having followed UK sports since the 60's, I've lived through what seems like 40 program rebuilds, all of which failed to get us over the hump.

Go CATS!

[kyduckman]

I guess that was more than one question. Got started and couldn't stop.

[UK39]

Two years ago, if you had told me that UK can make it to a Belk bowl or Texas Bowl, I would be thrilled. If you ask me that same question 3 years from now, I'd be disappointed.

It's progressionary, walking before running. Let's get some consistency 1st within the same season. UK needs some more strong classes. Auburn, USC, UF, Mizzou all have higher recruits.

UK has done more with less, the players margin for error is less than other teams.

They outplayed Auburn last night. It's a new OC this year who had his best game last night vs a solid defense.

They're a middle of the road SEC team. That much better than where they were 2 years ago.

[teamchemistry15]

Not sure why you think that. AU had a younger team than us on the field - fewer SR starters & as many FR playing. FL isn't very old either.

What hurt us the most? Stupid penalties and dropped passes because guys weren't watching the ball in. Typically when guys get more experience and older they tend to make less stupid mistakes.