Towles: Game gives Cats momentum into offseason

By: LARRY VAUGHT

LOUISVILLE — He's been a Kentucky fan for as long as he can remember and always dreamed of playing at Kentucky.

Patrick Towles patiently explained to teammates all last week what playing against Louisville meant — and even refused to wear a red jersey in practice that quarterbacks normally wear to make sure they don't get injured.

He was bitterly disappointed Saturday when the Wildcats led early, fell behind, came back to take the lead and then lost 44-40 to the Cardinals.

"It sucks. It's not fun," said Towles after the game. "This is a game you dream about playing growing up. We had opportunities and I didn't get it done today. We'll have to go back to work so we can win next year."

Towles was only 21 of 31 passing for 176 yards and no touchdowns. He was sacked three times and UK's final drive ended when his fourth-down pass was picked ott.

"No excuses. On short passes I can't miss those," Towles said.

"I think if you asked him, and you certainly saw the game, there are throws and there are plays that he has to do better," Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. "The quick throws and the plays that we're counting on that are an extension of our run game. That has to be on the money. That can't be on the shoelaces. There's a big difference between second and six and second and ten.

"Those are plays that you have to execute. It's fair to say that he wasn't on the money with some of that. Give Louisville credit. They have a great defense that played extremely hard and you know it's going to be a hard day. The plays that are there we need to make."

Towles felt UK's offense "did good" overall while gaining 327 yards and putting together a three-play, 75-yard scoring drive to give UK a 40-37 lead just 59 seconds after Louisville took a 37-33. That's a drive offensive coordinator Neal Brown said the team could not have made in 2013.

"I made plays. We sustained some of those drives. The game was good and it was encouraging. It was sometimes, I didn't make plays but I'll practice and get better," Towles said.

He felt bad that UK wasted a defensive effort that produced four turnovers, including two returns for touchdowns, and a blocked punt despite giving up 472 yards.

"We have NFL talent on that side of the ball. The defense played awesome. They got two defensive touchdowns that were huge for our offense. They were flying out there making plays," Towles said.

Despite ending the season with six straight losses and coming up short of a bowl bid, Towles insisted the team had momentum going into the offseason.

("It was a good game out there. This loss is going to stay with us until we get to August. So we just need to prepare and get in the weight room things like that," Towles, a sophomore, said. "Go back to work, things I need to work. I made a huge step from last season to this season. Now I'm going to take even more of a step following this season into next year.

"I need to be more consistent. I have to be more consistent. I have to get back to work and make more plays."

Towles struggled at times during the second half of the season and did again against Louisville when several times he failed to complete quick, short passes on first down.

"One thing for sure I'm going to give it everything I got and battle, from beginning to the end. I have to make more throws no doubt," Towles said. "We ran into some really good teams down the stretch. We need to get better and I'm confident we will."