What's to like?
Boom Williams, 123 yards rushing...very nice.
123 yards on only 15 carries...very, very nice, because someone else shouldered a big part of the burden (bigger than Boom's, even, slightly), saved him some wear and tear, and gave defenses a different look.
123 yards on only 15 carries...very, very nice because that comes out to a terrific 8.2 yards per carry, too.
Benny Snell, 73 yards, 1 TD, on 16 carries - sharing the load back there is great. He's a first year freshman. 4.6 ypc is great for a true freshman. Keep it going, Benny.
The defense delivered when it was needed.
The defense held an SEC opponent to 10 points.
The defense held South Carolina to 3 of 14 on third downs. That's an area where Carolina has historically torched UK. Carolina was 6-16 vs. Vanderbilt, and 6-17 against Mississippi State (plus 3-3 on fourth down).
268 yards of total offense for Carolina: granted, they have some real problems on that side of the ball, but their personnel has to be better than New Mexico State's, and one would hope better than Southern Miss's, too. Carolina gained 308 vs. Vanderbilt, which fields a defensive unit projected to be pretty good this year. (Carolina held Vanderbilt to 242, and only gained 243 against Mississippi State though.)
91 rushing yards for Carolina: most of us would've thought 291 was more likely going into that game. Whatever changed there this week, keep it going.
Soaking up the clock in the fourth quarter: manage to do that with a lead against Georgia, and that is a winnable game. Getting the lead in the first place will be a challenge, for sure, but they are beatable. It'll take a productive passing game (which UK did not have on Saturday) and good DB play, but it isn't impossible.
Penalties: Kentucky was 4-30, a decent showing (but with room for improvement). SC was 5-45. UK didn't hurt itself much, and didn't have to depend on the other team doing so to itself.
Denzil Ware: for the second year in a row he had a good showing against South Carolina. Let's see it continue against some other opponents.
Concerns:
Passing: 11 of 19, 135 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. This team will need an effective passing game to win any more SEC games. Missouri's front seven is very solid and will likely embarrass any team with a one dimensional ground-oriented offense. Mississippi State will too. Both of those teams will eventually wear down most opposing OLs. Vanderbilt's defense is good enough that they aren't likely to lose to a team that can't both throw the ball and run it. UK's passing attack must improve. Badet, Johnson, Timmons, Richardson, Conrad, Ross, Bone - these guys have to catch some passes for this team to keep it going. Seven of them caught passes on Saturday, which is nice. But only one of them had more than 2 catches, and none of them totaled even 40 yards or 1 TD, which is weak and has to change. More is needed there.
50 rushes vs. 19 pass attempts is not likely to get it done against any remaining SEC opponents.
4 of 13 on third downs: that needs to improve. It could've been fatal in this game if not for Carolina's really bad problems on offense.
30 passes thrown by Carolina, 0 interceptions by UK: UK's DBs need to haul in some turnovers, especially against any team that throws the ball that much against them. That'll be needed in those upcoming SEC games. Similarly, 2 turnovers by UK vs. 0 caused: UK needs to flip that, especially vs. Mississippi State and Missouri.
351 yards of offense and 17 points against South Carolina's defense. Mississippi State put up 485 and 27 on them. (Vanderbilt, though: 242 and 10.)
Looking ahead to Mississippi State: their QB had 178 passing and 195 rushing (plus 3 TDs) vs. South Carolina. We all know UK's historic struggles with QBs that can run. The same QB had 120 passing against LSU, and only 13 on the ground. To beat MSU, UK must control that guy on the ground. Manage that, and defend those WRs, and that is a winnable game absent the offense coming apart or turning the ball over. MSU's RBs are not that great. Contain that QB and have someone like Baity or Westry lock down Fred Ross and UK can win that game. (In holding that QB to 13 rushing yards, LSU held MSU to 1 of 14 on third down. That wins football games.)
All in all: definitely a better showing. Whether that's due to improvement by UK or a significantly weaker opponent with some serious problems and a new staff remains to be seen.
Boom Williams, 123 yards rushing...very nice.
123 yards on only 15 carries...very, very nice, because someone else shouldered a big part of the burden (bigger than Boom's, even, slightly), saved him some wear and tear, and gave defenses a different look.
123 yards on only 15 carries...very, very nice because that comes out to a terrific 8.2 yards per carry, too.
Benny Snell, 73 yards, 1 TD, on 16 carries - sharing the load back there is great. He's a first year freshman. 4.6 ypc is great for a true freshman. Keep it going, Benny.
The defense delivered when it was needed.
The defense held an SEC opponent to 10 points.
The defense held South Carolina to 3 of 14 on third downs. That's an area where Carolina has historically torched UK. Carolina was 6-16 vs. Vanderbilt, and 6-17 against Mississippi State (plus 3-3 on fourth down).
268 yards of total offense for Carolina: granted, they have some real problems on that side of the ball, but their personnel has to be better than New Mexico State's, and one would hope better than Southern Miss's, too. Carolina gained 308 vs. Vanderbilt, which fields a defensive unit projected to be pretty good this year. (Carolina held Vanderbilt to 242, and only gained 243 against Mississippi State though.)
91 rushing yards for Carolina: most of us would've thought 291 was more likely going into that game. Whatever changed there this week, keep it going.
Soaking up the clock in the fourth quarter: manage to do that with a lead against Georgia, and that is a winnable game. Getting the lead in the first place will be a challenge, for sure, but they are beatable. It'll take a productive passing game (which UK did not have on Saturday) and good DB play, but it isn't impossible.
Penalties: Kentucky was 4-30, a decent showing (but with room for improvement). SC was 5-45. UK didn't hurt itself much, and didn't have to depend on the other team doing so to itself.
Denzil Ware: for the second year in a row he had a good showing against South Carolina. Let's see it continue against some other opponents.
Concerns:
Passing: 11 of 19, 135 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. This team will need an effective passing game to win any more SEC games. Missouri's front seven is very solid and will likely embarrass any team with a one dimensional ground-oriented offense. Mississippi State will too. Both of those teams will eventually wear down most opposing OLs. Vanderbilt's defense is good enough that they aren't likely to lose to a team that can't both throw the ball and run it. UK's passing attack must improve. Badet, Johnson, Timmons, Richardson, Conrad, Ross, Bone - these guys have to catch some passes for this team to keep it going. Seven of them caught passes on Saturday, which is nice. But only one of them had more than 2 catches, and none of them totaled even 40 yards or 1 TD, which is weak and has to change. More is needed there.
50 rushes vs. 19 pass attempts is not likely to get it done against any remaining SEC opponents.
4 of 13 on third downs: that needs to improve. It could've been fatal in this game if not for Carolina's really bad problems on offense.
30 passes thrown by Carolina, 0 interceptions by UK: UK's DBs need to haul in some turnovers, especially against any team that throws the ball that much against them. That'll be needed in those upcoming SEC games. Similarly, 2 turnovers by UK vs. 0 caused: UK needs to flip that, especially vs. Mississippi State and Missouri.
351 yards of offense and 17 points against South Carolina's defense. Mississippi State put up 485 and 27 on them. (Vanderbilt, though: 242 and 10.)
Looking ahead to Mississippi State: their QB had 178 passing and 195 rushing (plus 3 TDs) vs. South Carolina. We all know UK's historic struggles with QBs that can run. The same QB had 120 passing against LSU, and only 13 on the ground. To beat MSU, UK must control that guy on the ground. Manage that, and defend those WRs, and that is a winnable game absent the offense coming apart or turning the ball over. MSU's RBs are not that great. Contain that QB and have someone like Baity or Westry lock down Fred Ross and UK can win that game. (In holding that QB to 13 rushing yards, LSU held MSU to 1 of 14 on third down. That wins football games.)
All in all: definitely a better showing. Whether that's due to improvement by UK or a significantly weaker opponent with some serious problems and a new staff remains to be seen.
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