Second halves

[VirginiaBlue]

I'm curious what you guys think about the second half meltdowns in 4 games last year. While we did end up winning 3 of the games, it was no less frustrating to watch! Here they are:

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
Cats manhandled them until late in the 3rd, leading 33-10, then let them score 23 straight to tie it up. Outscored in second half 16-26.

SOUTH CAROLINA
After the early pick and the TD gift, in the remainder of the first half, Cats played as well as I've ever seen them play. They then began the second half with 4 consecutive three-and-outs! Outscored in second half 2-15.

EASTERN KENTUCKY
EKU outscored us 21-7 from start of 2nd half to mid-3rd quarter. EKU....?

LOUISVILLE
Outscored in 2nd half 0-31. Over a span of SEVEN consecutive 2nd half drives, got ONE first down.

Even more perplexing is the fact that in 4 other second halfs, UK shut out Florida, out-scored Missouri 14-6, outscored Auburn 17-7, and shut out Vandy. (Yet lost 3 of them!) The difference in those games is that they were all close at the half.

That leads me to believe that in the 4 games where we had comfortable leads at the half, our coaches became much more conservative in their play-calling. Does that ever work - for anybody? What do you think?

[Matt Dillon]

I can't remember the details of any of last season's games, so I can't speak to whether the coaches got conservative or not. One thing I feel fairly certain of is that most of the games, since coach Stoops has been here, the def. has had to spend too much time on the field. Eventually, usually in the second half, that will bite a team in the rear.

[SBCatMan]

Interesting observation, but I think each has its own "explanation," for lack of a better word.

Louisiana-Lafayette -- I think it was a total team let down. Sometimes it is very difficult to stay focused when you have a big lead. And when 'ol Mo' swings, it is so hard to contain.

USC -- Yeah, I think we did get conservative on offense.

EKU -- They just wanted it more. I think we thought we could just show up and didn't really start to play until our backs were against the wall.

UofL -- When they changed QBs, they changed the whole game. Their offense got rolling and we were in full-out panic mode while their confidence grew with every play, on both sides of the ball.

So, just my two cents.

[Joneslab]

I can't remember the details of any of last season's games, so I can't speak to whether the coaches got conservative or not. One thing I feel fairly certain of is that most of the games, since coach Stoops has been here, the def. has had to spend too much time on the field. Eventually, usually in the second half, that will bite a team in the rear.

I think it's mostly this.

Like everything else there are probably a few things happening and not one simple explanation, but I have noticed (everybody has) a propensity the last two seasons to not be able to sustain offense. We'll do it in bursts (usually early in games) and then something happened where everything just grinded to a halt.

Then the defense took the field, and things pretty much fell apart.

Inconsistent running game. Green pass-catchers. Not enough playmakers. Inconsistent quarterback play. Sketchy-as-all-get-out o-line. All these things seemed to add up to an offense that sputtered. You get sputtering on top of injuries and the defense has to carry the load. UK's defenses haven't traditionally been built for that sort of slog.

[RV]

1) Dawson, Towles, defense, special teams

2) Dawson, Towles, defense, special teams

3) Dawson, Towles, defense, special teams

4) Dawson, Towles, defense, special teams

[largebluej]

How does Towles get the blame for the Uof L game? Barker started and played most of it, mostly in poor fashion. I think Towles got us one TD and threw 1 pick in mop up duty.And if Dawson gets singled out by name, then Elliott should get the same treatment for the D.

[johnkyblue]

Dawson and the injury to our DT and inability to replace him.

(That isn't a knock on the Mountain, need more than one!)

[Old School]

Towles didn't enter the U of L game until UK's final possession, down 14 points with less than 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter. His first attempt was an incompletion. The next plays were:

Towles to Timmons for 8
Towles rush for 8
Towles to Timmons for 10
Towles to Baker for 53, to the U of L 14
Towles incomplete, holding on Asafo-Adjei, back to the 24
Towles intercepted at the goalline

Though Towles only appeared on that one possession, he had a better second half than Barker. Barker had 0 passing yards in the second half. He threw 14 straight incomplete passes before being sacked the last time he had the ball in that game.

Once you're in the red zone on that possession, throw to Conrad, then look to do it again. That's a quick play to develop, takes little time off the clock, he's solid.

To the original post and question: playcalling wasn't solid, and depth was lacking but I also wonder if conditioning played a part. A team that goes toe to toe for 2 or 3 quarters and then fades that badly, that often, lacks either depth or stamina. You can overcome one with conditioning but the other takes time and recruiting. It's tough for a thin roster to go for four quarters. If you don't have reserves who can take enough snaps to spell your starters long enough, you're going to fade late. That and all the 3 and outs killed UK's front 7 in the Louisville game. That DL especially needs guys who aren't just big but who can bring it play after play until the final horn. If they're undersized it takes even more stamina. Ware on one end of the line at 255, Elam unable to consistently perform, the DL and LBs not coming out often due to the dropoff - all of that took its toll last year. Ware is a great player and I like a lot of what he does at his position but he might be at MLB on other SEC teams, or played at his position with more help from a capable backup and a deep DL holding up all game.

Average yards per rush allowed by UK last year:

vs. Florida:
1st quarter, 1.8
2nd quarter, 4.5
3rd quarter, 4.0
4th quarter, 7.3

vs. Louisville:
1st quarter, 8.4
2nd quarter, 4.3
3rd quarter, 9.7
4th quarter, 7.4

[johnkyblue]

People have been way too hard on Towles, especially RV. Yes, I'm his cousin, but I said the same thing about Maxwell, Bonner, and the other former UK QB to make a NFL roster for two years since Couch - the much despised Shane Boyd (two seasons both, Bonner and Boyd, who might have made practice squads a third, unlike Lorenzon, who everybody LOVES, and is a great guy, and was a good UK QB, no offense meant).

[RV]

People have been way too hard on Towles, especially RV. Yes, I'm his cousin, but I said the same thing about Maxwell, Bonner, and the other former UK QB to make a NFL roster for two years since Couch - the much despised Shane Boyd (two seasons both, Bonner and Boyd, who might have made practice squads a third, unlike Lorenzon, who everybody LOVES, and is a great guy, and was a good UK QB, no offense meant).

I've not been hard on Towles. You've been too hard on me.

[johnkyblue]

Arguments against blaming him for much have been solidly made, but he keeps getting listed as a major problem, 4x in that post.

[johnkyblue]

I'm afraid that too much credit, best scenario, or too much blame is going to fall on Drew's shoulders for this season. He's the most important part of 1 of 11, but it's still 1 of 11.

[RV]

John - you will have to admit that Towles had a very disappointing season and was evidently not capable of executing Dawson's offense efficiently. My post was somewhat tongue in cheek but the inaccuracy by Towles, the WR drops when he was accurate, the poor field position caused by special teams, the defense getting gassed by the lack of production by the offense and Dawson's seemingly incongruous offensive 'philosophy' were all factors in UK not reaching bowl eligibility which was certainly there for the taking.

[Old School]

Fair points all around. Towles' on field play against Louisville didn't cost that game...but the team would've been better off had he, as an upperclassman quarterback, played well enough through the season to merit going into that game as the starting QB. Starting a freshman QB against Louisville wasn't the initial plan, but was probably the best option by the time that game rolled around.

The offense consistently had a lot of issues with Towles at QB last year. It wasn't all his fault, but some of it sure was.

[Matt Dillon]

The offense consistently had a lot of issues with Towles at QB last year. It wasn't all his fault, but some of it sure was.

I agree completely.