It's now late Tuesday afternoon. We have all had our Labor Day holiday and a chance to look at all the college games. Also, a chance to review the game with some clarity - a 20/20 look back in reality.
I am considered an optimist, a sunshine pumper and very pro UK and the coaching staff. So, I have always been an optimist and look at the bright side of things - so my view has positive blue tint when it comes to UK.
Here is what I would like to say about last weeks game versus ULL now.
1. We Won! And we had to perform when things were going against us - I would take that as a very good sign for the future - Why? Because in the past we probably wouldn't have won.
2. We played a lot of young players - who overall performed very well. We knew youth was going to be a problem, but we won - and we gained experience without losing.
3. Coach Dawson's game plan was criticized for being so vertical and going for scores - huh? This was what West Virginia did - now we don't like it? I think his plan wakes up the other teams and makes them have to prepare for what we CAN do that we couldn't do in the past.
4. Patrick Towles had an off day - yet he throws for 3 TD's and he should have had at least two more. Now consider this point - if he had hit just two of those wide open passes - what would the commentary been from most of you? 5 TD passes and 400 yards plus of passing offense. This was not a pipe dream - it SHOULD have happened. Pat is now on track to throw 36 TD Passes this year - is that enough for most of us?
5. Running backs - wow - we have at least 4 very capable backs if I watched the game correctly. Boom, Jojo, Mikel and Shiem. Looks like we have a 1,000 plus yard rusher for a change - is that enough for most of us?
6. I guess you can look at it as a negative if you want too - but isn't it great we had a walk on receiver make a game saving pass and run when the game was on the line. Yet we have a great stable of young receiver's - I for one am really pumped about this receiving corp. Looks like we have 6 plus quality receivers on the same team- ever seen that at UK before?
7. You haven't watched Coach Stoops at his previous destinations if you don't understand he tries to play a bend but don't break type of defense. The problem here is youth and lack of enough depth. We are getting closer and it will be much better in the future.
8. Missing extra points and a field goal. This ended up making a big difference. I'm glad this happened early, it is never good, but we now have a wake up call in that area - we have the talent - just not enough focus or attention to detail - I'm sure that we better addressed at practice this week.
I don't understand why no Drew Barker in game 1. We are not red shirting him, we will need him and when we were ahead 33-10, why not give him a series? It seems to be the perfect script for him to play. Maybe I missed something - maybe we fans don't know the whole story here. I have a feeling something happened or was said and a conscious decision not to play Drew occurred - I know nothing - just aimless speculation. But our coaches keep in house situations to themselves - a good trait and one that players can accept.
Finally, we are 1-0. Just what we were expected to be. In case many of you didn't know it, before the game we were rated 10 notches LOWER than the ULL. Now we have flipped places with them - we are rated 10 notches ahead of them. This game was not suppose to be a laugher for us - it almost was!
This week's game will tell the real story on a great season, a good season or a poor season. I think we learned this team has the ability to score, to come back, has great receivers and an offensive co-ordinator who is not afraid to make the other team play us honestly. We still have a young quarterback who is still really unproven. I think we have a quality backup quarterback - but I don't know because I don't have anything to gauge him against. I am still expect a great season!
Go Big Blue!
I am considered an optimist, a sunshine pumper and very pro UK and the coaching staff. So, I have always been an optimist and look at the bright side of things - so my view has positive blue tint when it comes to UK.
Here is what I would like to say about last weeks game versus ULL now.
1. We Won! And we had to perform when things were going against us - I would take that as a very good sign for the future - Why? Because in the past we probably wouldn't have won.
2. We played a lot of young players - who overall performed very well. We knew youth was going to be a problem, but we won - and we gained experience without losing.
3. Coach Dawson's game plan was criticized for being so vertical and going for scores - huh? This was what West Virginia did - now we don't like it? I think his plan wakes up the other teams and makes them have to prepare for what we CAN do that we couldn't do in the past.
4. Patrick Towles had an off day - yet he throws for 3 TD's and he should have had at least two more. Now consider this point - if he had hit just two of those wide open passes - what would the commentary been from most of you? 5 TD passes and 400 yards plus of passing offense. This was not a pipe dream - it SHOULD have happened. Pat is now on track to throw 36 TD Passes this year - is that enough for most of us?
5. Running backs - wow - we have at least 4 very capable backs if I watched the game correctly. Boom, Jojo, Mikel and Shiem. Looks like we have a 1,000 plus yard rusher for a change - is that enough for most of us?
6. I guess you can look at it as a negative if you want too - but isn't it great we had a walk on receiver make a game saving pass and run when the game was on the line. Yet we have a great stable of young receiver's - I for one am really pumped about this receiving corp. Looks like we have 6 plus quality receivers on the same team- ever seen that at UK before?
7. You haven't watched Coach Stoops at his previous destinations if you don't understand he tries to play a bend but don't break type of defense. The problem here is youth and lack of enough depth. We are getting closer and it will be much better in the future.
8. Missing extra points and a field goal. This ended up making a big difference. I'm glad this happened early, it is never good, but we now have a wake up call in that area - we have the talent - just not enough focus or attention to detail - I'm sure that we better addressed at practice this week.
I don't understand why no Drew Barker in game 1. We are not red shirting him, we will need him and when we were ahead 33-10, why not give him a series? It seems to be the perfect script for him to play. Maybe I missed something - maybe we fans don't know the whole story here. I have a feeling something happened or was said and a conscious decision not to play Drew occurred - I know nothing - just aimless speculation. But our coaches keep in house situations to themselves - a good trait and one that players can accept.
Finally, we are 1-0. Just what we were expected to be. In case many of you didn't know it, before the game we were rated 10 notches LOWER than the ULL. Now we have flipped places with them - we are rated 10 notches ahead of them. This game was not suppose to be a laugher for us - it almost was!
This week's game will tell the real story on a great season, a good season or a poor season. I think we learned this team has the ability to score, to come back, has great receivers and an offensive co-ordinator who is not afraid to make the other team play us honestly. We still have a young quarterback who is still really unproven. I think we have a quality backup quarterback - but I don't know because I don't have anything to gauge him against. I am still expect a great season!
Go Big Blue!
