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  • Four Things that can get the Cats to the Next Level

    By: LONNY DEMAREE

    I contend that the Wildcats have to break the long losing streak to the Florida Gators to first start to get that respect they have been thirsting for. From the fans Mark Stoops constantly wearing the Gator brand on his forehead and likely sees it in his sleep every night.

    Prior to coming to UK, one of the things that has sustained him as a college coach is his success as a defensive coach. Granted, when he came to UK the cupboard was bare but there are some things defensive he has to accomplish.

    The University of Kentucky football Wildcats have been hovering around the seven win mark the last two seasons and really all throughout the Rich Brooks era, also. UK football has posted four SEC wins the last two years in a row. There are four things and one of them seemingly is in need of a pole vault to accomplish that feat and that’s beating Florida. Throughout the UK season certain breaks, certain metrics, certain coaching decisions, and the like could have been different to determine a more positive results. There are fans that say they Wildcats should have won eight games and there are certain concrete evidences that show the Cats finished right where they belong. When it is reduced to its common denominator the Cats were a 7-5 team, regular season and if it could be extrapolated out taking in consideration could have been an 8-5. Overall season considering the fact Benny Snell got booted from the game by an over overzealous referee.

    One very key difficulty for UK in cutting into the deficit in the SEC is the dumbing down of the nature of football. This meaning the rules put in place and being via continuous litmus test. A team like Kentucky that has to leave it all on the field on each opportunity is hindered. High scoring is at a premium in the future because defenses are being hindered.

    • Former player Anwar Stewart grad assistant working with the defensive said – “Our job is to get the ball back to the offense and that will be our sole mission this season.” He and the rest of the staff realize that past numbers are not conducive to raising the scoring average of the team. Last year’s 25.2 points per game is not where the Cats want to be to reach the next level.
    • To accomplish the aforementioned the offensive numbers have to change. The overall average number of offensive plays ran by the team in 2017 was 62.9 as opposed to the opponents 70.3. UK ran 818 and the opponents ran 914.
    • The Wildcats must solve the closing seconds before half-time both offensive and defensively. There several occasions last season when the opponents scored right before going into the locker room. The coming out of the locker room for the second half against the top teams were anemic, also.
    • The second half SEC numbers in in term of plays run were similar in the second half of SEC play when UK had 305-plays to SEC opponents 334-plays – But the second yardage was very lopsided – UK 343.2 to opponents 446 due to the blowouts again Mississippi State, Georgia, and Louisville.
    So in order for the Cats to accomplish their goals they must be able to runs more plays than the opposition. And by all means stop the run. The big question is did UK get beat down in the second half or was the competition that much steeper. GO BIG BLUE!
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    Harlow

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    See ya next guys with a new coach

    Harlow 03-22-2024, 08:36 AM Go to last post