I agree with all of these.
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/kentucky-football/5-kentucky-predictions-2015/
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/kentucky-football/5-kentucky-predictions-2015/
SDS 5 Predictions For UK
- Thread starter Onomatopoeia
- Start date
I don't agree with the defense giving up a bunch of points again. I believe we can drop that # to around 25-26 ppg. If you look at the D during the first 6 games, we gave up 18.6 ppg (including the 3OT game) and in the last 6 gave up 44 ppg. Now obviously the last 6 games had no cupcakes but it also shows a team that was beat up and couldn't sustain the momentum. With better depth and a more forgiving schedule, we should see improvement in this area. I don't see us giving up 50pts or more to anyone this year.
Other than that, pretty positive article.
Other than that, pretty positive article.
I think those are all reasonable predictions including the one about the defense. A bunch of points doesn't really point to a bad defense any longer, gone are the days were a team gives up an average of 10-12 points a game over a season because the offenses have opened things up in the passing game, they run many more plays than the old days, so defenses just aren't going to keep points off the board like they use too. So in today's game, a pretty good defense will still give up 20+ a game over a season, which in my old school eyes is "a bunch of points". No idea how many UK gives up a game this season, depth should be a lot better, returning starters should improve by experience. The big question is what kind of production will the replacements produce for the 2 best defenders who headed for the NFL after last season.
This report was actually pretty favorable for UK, 4 big positives and 1 somewhat negative predictions, seems they are pretty in tune to the program and what Stoops is doing at UK.
As good of a write as I have seen this season.
Hope to be surprised by the defense this year, but we got to score a lot of points this year in order to go bowling.
Hope to be surprised by the defense this year, but we got to score a lot of points this year in order to go bowling.
I agree with pretty much everything said. Even if we do give up lots of points this year, with this offense, we should be able to score a lot of points this year. I look for the defense to improve to about 28 ppg given up. about a 3 ppg improvement.
As the ESPN commentator during the South Carolina game said last year "it's gotten to a point where it doesn't matter how good the offense is, because Kentucky's defense can't stop anyone"
The defense (especially the run defense and pass rush) has to improve and improve dramatically. It was just atrocious last year..there's no other way to describe it. Against Power-5 opponents our run defense was about as close to completely inept as a unit can get.
We can't ask the offense to completely shoulder the burden yet again this year. That might win us a shoot out, but we're not going to outscore every team we play in shoutout fashion..especially when their defense is night and day better than ours..it's just not a formula for consistent success to rely solely on your O. It's like a team playing with one arm behind their back when you have a D like ours last year.
I know some of our fans seem to be okay with giving up 40 points a game on defense (maybe because it's exciting, who knows) but it's a formula for disaster to give up that many points.
YES, more points are given up in college football these days, BUT there's a big difference in giving up 20 points and giving up 40-50 points. We have an accountability problem around here. We had a significantly better offense than defense last year, yet the offense received 99% of the blame from our fanbase. I can recall MAYBE one or two negative defense-related threads on this board all of last season..our defensive coordinator DJ Eliot's name wasn't mentioned a single time..I find that a little odd.
Neal Brown (who was leading what might have been the most-improved offense in the nation) received constant criticism and blame for each and every loss (along with Patrick Towles). Around here we need to learn that football is more than just exciting offense. We've never held the defense accountable, and it's part of the reason we've been so bad. We've had some of the best offenses in the history of the SEC, and this year's O looks to be yet another high-powered unit.
Let's hold the D accountable. The offense can't do it all.
The defense (especially the run defense and pass rush) has to improve and improve dramatically. It was just atrocious last year..there's no other way to describe it. Against Power-5 opponents our run defense was about as close to completely inept as a unit can get.
We can't ask the offense to completely shoulder the burden yet again this year. That might win us a shoot out, but we're not going to outscore every team we play in shoutout fashion..especially when their defense is night and day better than ours..it's just not a formula for consistent success to rely solely on your O. It's like a team playing with one arm behind their back when you have a D like ours last year.
I know some of our fans seem to be okay with giving up 40 points a game on defense (maybe because it's exciting, who knows) but it's a formula for disaster to give up that many points.
YES, more points are given up in college football these days, BUT there's a big difference in giving up 20 points and giving up 40-50 points. We have an accountability problem around here. We had a significantly better offense than defense last year, yet the offense received 99% of the blame from our fanbase. I can recall MAYBE one or two negative defense-related threads on this board all of last season..our defensive coordinator DJ Eliot's name wasn't mentioned a single time..I find that a little odd.
Neal Brown (who was leading what might have been the most-improved offense in the nation) received constant criticism and blame for each and every loss (along with Patrick Towles). Around here we need to learn that football is more than just exciting offense. We've never held the defense accountable, and it's part of the reason we've been so bad. We've had some of the best offenses in the history of the SEC, and this year's O looks to be yet another high-powered unit.
Let's hold the D accountable. The offense can't do it all.
The D can reduce the number of points it gives up & still being giving up plenty. I think both will be true with the reduced plenty helping us reach 6-6/+. Should be very entertaining with lots of 3.5+ hr games with all the time stops due to scores.
I think we are all going to be pleasantly surprised at how improved this defense will be this year. Not great, but significantly better and good enough.
I agree with this. I think we'll be improved. Will we be where we want to be? No....but we will be improved.
I agree with all the points as well. The defense lost its two best players but essentially return everyone else. I think the offense is good enough to get into the thirties so as long as the defense doesn't give up more than 28 points per game then UK should win enough games to get into a bowl game.
I'm not sure which board you were looking at, but I saw plenty of threads crushing the defense last year.
But overall, I agree.
"The defense will continue to give up plenty of points"
So what's the definition of "plenty"? I agree with other posters; I think UK's defense will be improved, but will probably give up about 25 ppg. Of course the "Points Against" column in the standings will include TDs given up on Special Teams and Offensive turnovers to the other team's D. It goes without saying these need to be kept to a minimum.
So what's the definition of "plenty"? I agree with other posters; I think UK's defense will be improved, but will probably give up about 25 ppg. Of course the "Points Against" column in the standings will include TDs given up on Special Teams and Offensive turnovers to the other team's D. It goes without saying these need to be kept to a minimum.
Agreed. I look for a little improvement mostly because of added depth at most defensive positions. We still don't have the talent necessary to have a decent SEC defense, but Stoops is trying to recruit us out of this hole. Players like Kash will eventually turn this defense around.
Our offense was much improved last year but we still got behind the chains and didn't hold the ball long enough to give the defense a break in many games. For much of the season (except for a few games) our defense kept the game really close for a half and ran out of gas by the fourth quarter. I think the transition to a 3-4 from a 4-3 will pay dividends this year after a full year to learn the system. Our offense won't give the defense a short field as often, our special teams coverage will improve giving us better field position, and our defensive depth will improve so we won't get killed at the end of the game. I think it's too simplified to just call the defense atrocious without acknowledging the factors working against them when they weren't even on the field
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If Kentucky wins two SEC games on the road (vandy and South Carolina) I believe they will win at least one SEC game at home, so the Louisville game would be the 7th win of the season. It would be great to go into that game with a bowl game in hand and just concentrating on beating the cards with no pressure t reach a bowl.
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