I think the team is looking pretty good, but not great.

Strengths:

First and foremost: the defense is a beast and will only improve as we work on improving our pass coverage. It goes without saying that the defense has carried us so far, so I won’t beat a dead horse. But great Kentucky D, know you are appreciated!

Tim Masthay is also amazing. What a great improvement from last year. All of these touchbacks are just what the doctor ordered for our strong defensive team. It’s just what we need to put our defense in the position to succeed – and it’s working!

Hartline looked good in the MTSU game. His long pass isn’t in the same league as Woodson’s, but otherwise he looks every bit as good as Woodson looked at the end of last year. Of course, this is only against weak competition so far, so time will tell. I’m impressed with how quick a thinker Hartline is. When a play is busted, he makes a play out of it without hesitating. Besides, you’ve got to love a player who comes off being booed by low-class Kentucky fans to become the SEC Offensive Player of the Week.

We’ve got a great coaching staff. The strongest top-to-bottom that I can remember us having at Kentucky. I’d like to have seen us parlay our sucess into a few high-star go-to players, but other than that, we’re very strong.

We’ve got talent and depth at the running back position. If we can ever open up the offense to give these guys some space, they could do some damage.

Weaknesses:
The field-goal team was not looking good. 2-6 is not good, and only one was really long range.

Getting the big head and slacking off is a keeping this team from being great, if you listen to Coach Brooks (and you should!)

There’s a lack of player leadership this year. That goes into the mental focus issue above, and is just one of those intangibles you need to be a consistent team.

We had some injuries to key players. Explosives Randall Cobb and Micah Johnson will be especially missed in the upcoming weeks.

The receiving corps is hurting. Lots of talent, but too many blown routes and dropped passes. We had probably the best receiving corps we’ve ever had last year, making the drop off even more noticeable.

The offensive line is not very good at making holes for the running game. We’ve got some very good running backs and they just can’t get any headway. Look for this to get worse when SEC play starts.

Here’s what’s really keeping the team from being great: a lack of offensive balance.

Last year what was great about the offense was that it was balanced. If you overplayed the receivers, we could run it. If you overplayed the run, we could make huge passing plays. They defense really had to guard the whole field. With the receiving corps underperforming, and Hartline’s lack of strength at the long ball we really are getting punished with our screen passes and middle runs.

All the potential is there though. I think if the players can just get their heads around the problems and take ownership, this team could really upset some teams in the SEC and go to a good bowl. But that’s a big if and will take a lot of luck as well.

have become synonymous with one another lately, both in football and basketball.
Some memorable ones from last year are Keenan Burton, Rafael Little, Tony Dixon, Alfonso Smith, Derrick Jasper, Jodie Meeks, Michael Porter and Patrick Patterson…. and now this year seems to be more of the same. I am so tired of watching our teams play at 3/4 strength and having to make cheap excuses to all the haters down here in Nashville.
Maybe there is too much Limestone in the water up there? Perhaps it’s Late night Tolly-Ho or Mad Mushroom that’s to blame? It’s probably the K-Lair. I lived there for five years and once I even suffered a high ankle sprain crossing Rose St. on my way to the Chem/Phys building for Chem 105! I was out 2 to 4 weeks. :)

If the kicking game had not imploded this game would not have been as concerning. MTSU got one touchdown on a one long play and the other score on a gift from Hartline. The defense is fine. The receivers are what they are but the running game can and hopefully will improve. The line is a work in progress but the backs should be better. They were better last year. Nobody seems to be able to break a tackle or move the pile. I saw more backs getting tripped up by one armed ankle tackles than ever. Hopefully one of our backs will step up and take charge. I think that will happen and when it does happens we will be competitive.

And I didn’t stay in a Holiday Express last night. I will say that what I listened to last Saturday SOUNDED like the UK of old that so often snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. In those days, the Cats would beat a couple of patsies, maybe even surprise a decent team, and somehow get all cocky like they were up and coming, only to come out very flat against a team they ought to have over-matched and fall on their face masks (so to speak). I hope Coach can shake some sense into them before WKU, because that’s our last chance to get the kinks out before the schedule gets real, real tough.

Q: Kentucky Football: Is it good, or is it bad?

A: Not nearly as good as Coach Brooks led us to believe; not quite as bad as the MTSU game led us to believe.

Reasons not to get discouraged:

1. Hartline is looking better and now has confidence.
2. O-line will improve with Gary Williams’ return. Sure, they didn’t look great vs Louisville, but combine Williams with Hartline’s improvement and things are looking up for the running game.
3. T.C. Drake is now an offensive weapon.
4. Dickey Lyons has now stepped up.
5. Aaron Boyd hasn’t been able to play at full speed. Look for him to improve throughout the season and make a difference.
6. Ryan T. will improve the FG unit.
7. The punting team is great.
8. Nobody’s been able to run vs the defence.
9. The MTSU game will light a fire under every practise from here on out.
10. The bye week will allow coaches and players to make adjustments. We’ll see some new plays to take advantage of the strengths and hide the weaknesses of this team.