Interesting (not surprising) stats from ESPN on 22 Remaining Unbeatens

[JasonRDunn]

We are ranked as the #12 team in this list of unbeatens. 3rd down distance -- uggghhh!

12.

Kentucky Wildcats (5-0)​

SP+ and FPI rankings: 21st and 31st

SP+ strength of schedule to date: 110th

What the Wildcats did in Week 5: def. Florida 33-14

Last week's ranking: 17

Biggest statistical strength: They make big plays, and you don't. They rank fourth in marginal explosiveness on offense and ninth on defense. They've ripped off 16 gains of 30-plus yards (16th) and allowed five (seventh). We're used to Mark Stoops' Wildcats being a pretty burly and physical squad, but this team has afterburners too.

Biggest statistical weakness: They're always behind schedule. When you're inefficient and reliant on big plays, that can render you inconsistent and unpredictable. Kentucky scored more on Florida than Eastern Kentucky, and a big factor in that is that they rank 82nd in success rate. Average third down distance: 8.2 yards (123rd).

Next big test: Week 6 at Georgia.

 

[EliteBlue]

Dang that’s a rough avg 3rd distance. I wonder how much of that is due to all the drive killing penalties in the first 4 games

 

[JasonRDunn]

Adding info on UGA

Georgia Bulldogs (5-0)​

SP+ and FPI rankings: fourth and seventh

SP+ strength of schedule to date: 104th

What the Bulldogs did in Week 5: def. Auburn 27-20

Last week's ranking: 2

Biggest statistical strength: Good luck trying to pass on them. Injuries and slow starts have put the two-time defending national champs on the back foot more than expected, but the defense still looks mostly as you would expect. The Dawgs rank second in passing success rate allowed and eighth in yards allowed per dropback. Against the best offense they've faced, they held South Carolina's Spencer Rattler to 22 of 42 passing with three sacks and two interceptions.

Biggest statistical weakness: Slow starts and no big plays. Big plays create easy points, and Georgia ranks just 81st in marginal explosiveness (107th rushing, 71st passing). Combine that with some dreadful starts -- despite a soft schedule, the Dawgs' first-quarter scoring margin is +0.0 per game, worst of any team in the AP top 20 -- and you've got a team that has to work for quite a long time to get up on opponents as they should.​

Next big test: Week 6 vs. Kentucky.

 

[JHB4UK]

Georgia has a shocking lack of big play explosive skill players besides Bowers. Their weaknesses on defense is our strength on offense, running the rock. Sat night I'd love to see a couple read/options and Leary keeps it around the end. He's got the wheels.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

WE ARE KENTUCKY!

 

[SosaUK1987]

Dang that’s a rough avg 3rd distance. I wonder how much of that is due to all the drive killing penalties in the first 4 games

Or the constant drops by WR’s?

 

[SosaUK1987]

Georgia has a shocking lack of big play explosive skill players besides Bowers. Their weaknesses on defense is our strength on offense, running the rock. Sat night I'd love to see a couple read/options and Leary keeps it around the end. He's got the wheels.

I don’t know man, if Leary goes down, we are ****ed. He hasn’t looked great but the backups would be terrible.

 

[Girthang]

I don’t know man, if Leary goes down, we are ****ed. He hasn’t looked great but the backups would be terrible.

I have no idea if we'd be

****ed

and I wonder how anyone would know that decisively since we've not seen much of the backups with this OLine and skill position players. I think we would be very surprised with how well the backups would do with Coen's offense and the support around them.

It continues to suprise me, though, how few reps the backup QBs get in SEC competition. They really need some to see what we have and to see what they're facing in conference. At some point we have to keep the offense and defense playing their regular systems throughout the game so that we're getting more reps for the backups with a comfortable lead. The kneel downs are not reps. Simple handoffs to the back up the middle aren't gonna get it done either.

I guess the gap is still too big to take a chance right now

 

[RonRajon]

Is that WR that transferred from Mississippi State still alive? I’ve seen Lovett’s name from Mizzou several times. They should get much better by December overall offensively.

 

[SosaUK1987]

I have no idea if we'd be


and I wonder how anyone would know that decisively since we've not seen much of the backups with this OLine and skill position players. I think we would be very surprised with how well the backups would do with Coen's offense and the support around them.

It continues to suprise me, though, how few reps the backup QBs get in SEC competition. They really need some to see what we have and to see what they're facing in conference. At some point we have to keep the offense and defense playing their regular systems throughout the game so that we're getting more reps for the backups with a comfortable lead. The kneel downs are not reps. Simple handoffs to the back up the middle aren't gonna get it done either.

I guess the gap is still too big to take a chance right now

Well Leary was supposed to be super world, our backups aren’t, at all. We have had ZERO QB competition in 3 years. 3 years.

 

[Smashcat]

UGA loses to UK (possible) and Missouri falls to LSU (likely), and UK is the only unbeaten in the SEC. Wouldn't that be nice?

 

[Bluegrass79]

We dont exactly need to kill it with passing. Georgia might not cover

 

[The-Hack]

Dang that’s a rough avg 3rd distance. I wonder how much of that is due to all the drive killing penalties in the first 4 games

That statistic is a tad misleading.

Our explosives on 1st and 2nd down have eliminated a lot of potential third and shorts, as have pick sixes and picks returned deep into opponent territory.

We are TERRIBLE on time-of-possession, for the same reasons.

We averaged 10.8 yards per Davis carry, Saturday, meaning we (averaged) not even having a second or third down, to add to the measurement.

How many of our failed third downs have come late when we were just running clock with a big lead?

 

[SosaUK1987]

That statistic is a tad misleading.

Our explosives on 1st and 2nd down have eliminated a lot of potential third and shorts, as have pick sixes and picks returned deep into opponent territory.

We are TERRIBLE on time-of-possession, for the same reasons.

Yep, I love our defensive takeaways but it absolutely ruins the TOP.

 

[The-Hack]

UGA loses to UK (possible) and Missouri falls to LSU (likely), and UK is the only unbeaten in the SEC. Wouldn't that be nice?

That would be nice.

 

[yoshukai]

Dang that’s a rough avg 3rd distance. I wonder how much of that is due to all the drive killing penalties in the first 4 games

And we were 1-8 on third down against Florida. One area we need to improve on.

 

[maysvilleky]

The RPO hurt UGA. Auburn was terrible passing the ball. Wonder if UK would bring in Wade a few times to run the RPO?

 

[Girthang]

Well Leary was supposed to be super world, our backups aren’t, at all. We have had ZERO QB competition in 3 years. 3 years.

Lol. People bought into and helped Inflate expectations, yeah. It's what a few UK fans have done for years. They are doom and gloom until the pre-season hype gets going. Then the hyperbole starts getting out of hand. Every program has those fans that overreact to everything.

Leary is still as good of a QB as he was before he came here. He's playing Inna system he's never played in, playing quite a bit under center, which he's never done. New patterns and muscle memory are fighting each other early in real competition. His instincts still kick in with his previous offense in the back of his mind.

It takes time to get those instincts turned around and he started to show it last game when he stepped UP in the pocket instead of trying to escape outside. Previously he had run right into a defender on the outside when he felt pressure, but the offense isn't designed that way. Now he just has to step into his throws with a little more confidence so he won't overthrow his receivers.

His receivers have their own things to overcome adjusting to the new offense. The one they had last year was different as well. I hope both positions can put it all together for this game and throughout the rest of the season.

I still don't think that Leary tells us anything about the development of the younger QBs. He's got the most playing experience. He's a really good QB and a leader. It makes sense he would win the job as he's a known quantity and has confidence from that experience. We could still have some good QBs behind him and not know it.

 

[Girthang]

The RPO hurt UGA. Auburn was terrible passing the ball. Wonder if UK would bring in Wade a few times to run the RPO?

Would be interesting, but dang that would be a switch up for everyone on the O. Not just the QB position. I kinda doubt it, but that would be pretty awesome to see.

 

[Girthang]

UGA loses to UK (possible) and Missouri falls to LSU (likely), and UK is the only unbeaten in the SEC. Wouldn't that be nice?

That would be a great by-product.