I never expect much from a UK defense, just been there, done that, and have seen too many seasons to think we will ever have a top drawer defense. Especially when Bud and Z graduated.
But going into the season, I was 100% convinced our offense would be at least pretty good. But damn, I was 100% wrong.
My two cents:
Offensive line, especially OT, has not only not improved, looks markedly worse than in 2014. Simply cannot protect the passer against any kind of a pass rush, and only marginal in run blocking, and even then, really only between the tackles. OT cannot block well enough to get to the edge so any running play wide is a near certain loss.
Towles has clearly regressed. Even when he is given time, he is wildly erratic. Someone can find my post early in the season where I said that PT was one of the top 3 or 4 QBs in the SEC. LOL at myself, what was I thinking? Just based on his woeful TD to Int ratio, we have to give Barker a shot.
RBs: I knew when we missed out on Harris that it would hurt, just have no real difference maker at RB. Boom is really fast . . . but also really small and injury prone to boot. Kemp and Horton are just run of the mill UK backs, OK if they get great blocking, but not able to make anything on their own. King has shown nothing to me to indicate he will ever be anything more than a KR or PR.
Only at WR and TE do I see improvement. It still is amazing to me that Timmons was our leading receiver last year, and is pretty much considered a total bust for his career at the moment. Have no idea what has happened to him.
As I posted after the Miss State game, whole season (hell, maybe the whole Stoops era) comes down to beating Vandy on Saturday. I guarantee that if we lose to Vandy, Louisville will run us out the stadium, they ran up nearly 600 yards yesterday and have a much better defense than we do. And much better coached, at least so far in the Stoops era.
Vandy is just God awful on offense. We simply need to not give them TOs. But they are pretty good on defense so I would not expect a big offensive day by Kentucky. I would start Barker, and throw lots of short passes to RB and TE, and run between the tackles. Keep the chains moving, and maybe occasionally throw deep to keep them honest. Just figure out a way to get 17 points or so, that may be enough to win the game. Just don't do anything stupid and give them cheap points on special teams and by offensive mistakes. About all I can hope for.
But going into the season, I was 100% convinced our offense would be at least pretty good. But damn, I was 100% wrong.
My two cents:
Offensive line, especially OT, has not only not improved, looks markedly worse than in 2014. Simply cannot protect the passer against any kind of a pass rush, and only marginal in run blocking, and even then, really only between the tackles. OT cannot block well enough to get to the edge so any running play wide is a near certain loss.
Towles has clearly regressed. Even when he is given time, he is wildly erratic. Someone can find my post early in the season where I said that PT was one of the top 3 or 4 QBs in the SEC. LOL at myself, what was I thinking? Just based on his woeful TD to Int ratio, we have to give Barker a shot.
RBs: I knew when we missed out on Harris that it would hurt, just have no real difference maker at RB. Boom is really fast . . . but also really small and injury prone to boot. Kemp and Horton are just run of the mill UK backs, OK if they get great blocking, but not able to make anything on their own. King has shown nothing to me to indicate he will ever be anything more than a KR or PR.
Only at WR and TE do I see improvement. It still is amazing to me that Timmons was our leading receiver last year, and is pretty much considered a total bust for his career at the moment. Have no idea what has happened to him.
As I posted after the Miss State game, whole season (hell, maybe the whole Stoops era) comes down to beating Vandy on Saturday. I guarantee that if we lose to Vandy, Louisville will run us out the stadium, they ran up nearly 600 yards yesterday and have a much better defense than we do. And much better coached, at least so far in the Stoops era.
Vandy is just God awful on offense. We simply need to not give them TOs. But they are pretty good on defense so I would not expect a big offensive day by Kentucky. I would start Barker, and throw lots of short passes to RB and TE, and run between the tackles. Keep the chains moving, and maybe occasionally throw deep to keep them honest. Just figure out a way to get 17 points or so, that may be enough to win the game. Just don't do anything stupid and give them cheap points on special teams and by offensive mistakes. About all I can hope for.
