Kentucky Basketball: Auburn In The Rear-View Mirror, Gamecocks Dead Ahead
by Glenn Logan on Oct 11, 2010 8:03 PM EDT
in Kentucky Wildcats Football
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PrintWhen this season began, I saw this three-game home stand as an opportunity for Kentucky to make a statement. A victory versus the Auburn Tigers would have been a validation of that perception. A close loss does nothing for it. Kentucky football futility is filled to overflowing with tough losses, from the Bluegrass Miracle to the overtime Tennessee loss two years ago.
As we look back at Auburn, I have heard people suggest that Kentucky should have allowed Auburn to score a touchdown unopposed and tried to tie or win on the ensuing possession. I respectfully disagree with all those thinking that. Did anyone notice that Cobb did not play the last couple of plays on the final UK drive? That drive right there could have won the game, but Cobb was unable to go and Derrick Locke was out with a stinger. The odds of him doing it after an Auburn touchdown were therefore vanishingly small, as were UK's odds of pulling it off without him on the field. In my view, Joker made the right call. The defense just didn't do what it had to do for Kentucky to win.
It is possible, though, that UK is going to have to start taking some chances, even some big chances, against future opponents. As well as the defense played in the second half, we all know that our depth is not sufficient for them to have played that well for an entire game. This defense is young and not really SEC-worthy right now. They have shown recent signs of improvement, but a complete game, at this moment, seems beyond them.
So perhaps we need to take some chances on a few exotic schemes, more blitz packages, or some other unusual plays that might throw a monkey in the competition's wrench. Maybe that will fail utterly, but I have always heard that the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. That's a fallacy when applied to this situation, of course, but it wasn't meant to be a truism, merely food for thought.
Lying right in front of us now stands a Steve Spurrier-coached South Carolina Gamecocks team fresh off a convincing 35-21 upset of the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide. If Auburn looked like a tough out, the Gamecocks with their powerful freshman running back Marcus Lattimore look at least as tough. I would say the win over the Tide offsets the loss at Auburn, and South Carolina looks mighty strong right now. Stephen Garcia has managed a QB rating of over 200 for two games in a row now, a feat that Mike Hartline has managed only once, against Western Kentucky.
Alshon Jeffery is another major concern for Kentucky. Last year he burned Kentucky for 138 yards in Columbia. This year, Jeffrey is the leading receiver in the SEC, averaging 125 yards/game. He is a big, tall, sure-handed target in the mold of Georgia's A.J. Green or Alabama's Julio Jones, and he will make life very difficult for Kentucky's pass defense.
Another concern is the current status of Derrick Locke. He is now listed as doubtful for the South Carolina game, as is starting defensive end DeQuin Evans. If Locke cannot play, it is a major blow to the offense that UK will have a lot of trouble recovering from. DeQuin Evans loss to an ankle injury is arguably just as critical, as he is a senior and one of our better defensive players.
But injuries are a part of football, and if these guys are going to be out, somebody else must step up. Both Donald Russell and Raymond Sanders have been sound in limited relief of Locke, so this will be an opportunity for them to excel. Also, after a really good game against Ole Miss, Chris Matthews disappeared again versus Auburn, an ominous sign. UK will need his skills versus the Gamecock's secondary.
The seventh game of Kentucky's season is pivotal game, make no mistake. If Kentucky pulls this one off, Kentucky not only breaks a long streak, but also puts its season back on track. Another loss, and the losing streak goes to four.
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Bama Falls To #8, 4 SEC Top 10
Buckeyes, Ducks and Broncos 1, 2, 3.
Socialism is not an alternative to capitalism; it is an
alternate to any system which men can live as human
beings." Ludwig von Mises
On another note
Tonight on DWTS’s Bristol Palin’s son was wearing a “Kentucky” hooded sweatshirt. Must be a story there somewhere.
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
Pointless.
Chicago has the Cubs. We have Wildcat Football. They couldn’t beat Spurrier if he showed up with a high school squad, let alone a squad that just beat the #1 team in the country. They will never beat Tennessee even if Dooley has only 11 guys left (and at the rate they’re going that just might happen).
The Cubs reaching the world series is one of the signs of the apocalypse. Kentucky winning 10 games in a season in football is the other.
I mean, I guess they’re improving. When I arrived as a Freshman the team was lamenting a 7 game loss streak to Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt. And somehow no matter how good LSU gets Kentucky has their number half the time, which is comical in a way. Come to think of it, the SEC should let us switch drop Mississippi State and instead have LSU as our permanent west opponent. At least we can beat LSU half the time, though it defies logic (granted, most things involving Les Miles defy logic).
I’ll take some solace in knowing there is no champion in college football I suppose. Elections do not make championships. If Hell froze over and Kentucky ran the table they’d play for a national championship, while Boise State has run the table 3 years running and can’t get above 5th place. No one can call such a system fair or say it has anything resembling integrity.
I would rather the cupcake scheduling stop. One reason we’re in this mess is we spent 3 games fooling around with worthless squads. Granted, the Cards won’t stay that way, but this year at least playing them is pointless. In any event that game should be moved to the end of the year parallel the other thanksgiving in state rivalry games like Florida/Florida State, Michigan/Michigan State et al. Such a season defining game has no business being the headliner of the season.
Bring in teams that we can improve our mettle against. Challenge the mighty Boise State and see how they fair against a perennial SEC doormat. Ohio State could use a tune up game in September. If that’s too high a bar what about Cincinnati? They at least played for a bowl recently. The Akron Zips? When I saw that crap on the schedule I actually started pining for a chance to play Indiana again and renew the Bourbon Barrel. Any of these games (except Indiana) would give the team a chance to learn something. If life has taught me anything, you don’t learn anything by winning because your flaws aren’t exposed and laid bare.
That the team is a paper tiger is pretty apparent now. Honestly, I’d rather see the team 2-9 (1-5 SEC) against worthy foes than 6-6 (0-6 SEC) off a mountain of cupcake wins. But it won’t happen because bowls have spread like an infection. We’re scheduling to make sure we make the Liberty bowl. That would be like Calapari loading the schedule to make sure the squad made the NIT. And like the NIT the non-BCS bowls are worthless feel good events. The only thing they accomplish is they insure we’ll never have any real college football championship.
BTW, I’m not mad at the players really. And I’m not mad at the coaches. They are doing the best they can. I am mad at the AD for setting up this crap schedule. Better 1-2 going into conference play prepared than 3-0 with no preparation at all. That’s the main reason we’ve opened the conference 0-3 — no preparation for it.
Anyway, here come the Gamecocks. The emotion of last Saturday’s win might cause them to choke the chicken, but don’t count on it. They’re now firmly in control of their destiny and have a legitimate shot at winning the SEC East.
As for us the question remains whether we can win the SEC before the Cubs get back to the World Series. If either one approaches check the thermostat down below :D
I agree that if we were talking about basketball at Kentucky in this fashion it would be
nigh onto armageddon at this point. And I think that you are right about scheduling, but maybe not in the way that you are putting it out there.
Cupcakes are what they are….it is simply a matter of choosing the dog with the least fleas. But to schedule all of them right in the beginning is probably not so smart.
Like you, I would like to see us schedule at least one mid range SEC opponent early, like right after Louisville. The Lousiville game will not remain a cupcake for us much longer, because by next year, or year after at the latest they will be back up to speed. What if the schedule looked like this?
Louisville
Mississippi St
Vanderbilt
Georgia
Auburn
Akron
South Carolina
Charleston Southern
Ole Miss
Western Kentucky
Florida
Tennessee
That kind of a schedule takes the pressure and the possible disappointment of the Florida loss off of the players. It also allows for a break of sorts between all of these high profile games . No three game runs like we are having this year. That schedule allows for us possibly being 4-0 going into Auburn, 5-1 going into SC, and possibly as much as 8-2, or 7-3 playing Florida. It also keeps the Tennessee game where it belongs, and makes for a “balanced” schedule where you can pick up a win at least every other week, even when you are struggling. I agree that an untested 3-0 going into the Florida game is a recipe for disaster. And even with the existing schedule, going 5-1 over the last six games is still within the realm of possibility, but I would just really like to see the Cats spread things out a little more and give themselves a chance to mend a little between big games. Kentucky playing South Carolina at full strength makes me nervous, Kentucky playing South Carolina without the likes of Locke, just plain scares me out of my wits. We need time each year to get ourselves built up for big SEC matchups.
Of course we still have to win 6 or 7 of those games no matter when they are played, but we could do a much more effective job of scheduling than we are doing at present.
I Shall Always Be The Cat......In The Hat!!! The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 12, 2010 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree
It would be SO easy to schedule the division 1 cupcakes on our Borders(Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Marshall, Kansas, Virginia for starters); yet we choose to play also-rans on our way to an also-ran bowl. Other than the Peach Bowl(a Bowl, like the Cotton Bowl, which has been intentionally diminished by the BCS), we have not been to a meaningful, traditional Bowl since the 70’s. The Outback Bowl was a made-up bowl, soley created by cash , with no real relevance or history.If maintaining the status quo was the goal, then making a coaching transition that did not involve a search was the proof that mediocre is fine.
"all the way"
dude why would we play ku, virginia or illinois
i like to get iu in the mix but since EVERY team plays at least 2 scrub teams why would uk in the hardest conference play a harder sched then most… yea mix up the non-con dates but playing harder comp wont improve uk.. they have plenty of comp, we just need more talented players… cobb and locke are beast for uk… they are a dime a dozen at bama and florida.. uk gets their lines and defense loaded with better talent then usual then watch uk do some damage
FREE ENES
by kentuckywild on Oct 12, 2010 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Why?
For wins that matter. For National respectability. For higher ratings if we do get in a position to be ranked. For more National Television .All those things lead to better recruiting. Better recruiting leads to more success. Are you saying that you don’t want more success?
"all the way"
As much as I understand your point ro, we
Don’t get respectability until we win in the SEC. The fan in me understands completely your point. The part of me that controls reason says otherwise.
I Shall Always Be The Cat......In The Hat!!! The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 13, 2010 7:29 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I like that Greg.
I like the way you have laid out the schedule. That would be a much more effective way of scheduling the season, and Michael I sure as hell would not call Kentucky football an SEC doormat. I for one love the sport of football and love being able to actually root for an exciting team for once. Forcing the #8 team in the nation to win by a field goal is by no means easy. I think if we played 4quarters we quite possibly would have come away with the win. Just sounds like you are bashing them just because we have had 3 tough losses. Oh and have you seen Tennessee this year? We have every opportunity to end that streak ( I know we say it every year but I feel we legitimately have a shot this time).
Agree with both.
Greg’s schedule looks much more palatable than this years sequence and we are not a doormat. Teams actually have to figure out how to stop us these days and that hasn’t been the case in years past. It’s almost comical the hand wringing over each and every loss as though Kentucky has some right to win games. We have to earn them like every other team and we’ll have setbacks like every other team. If you think things are going poorly for Kentucky you have no further to look than our own division in the SEC. The states of Tennessee and Georgia are on suicide watch this year with the respective successes at Knoxville and Athens. Outside the SEC look at teams like Michigan, Southern Cal (snicker), Penn State, Colorado – there are a lot of teams with deeper football traditions experiencing frustrating losses. It’s not unique to UK, its part of football and its how you respond and move forward that defines what your program will be in the future. I’m confident Joker will make the right decisions to right the wrongs both on the field and on the sidelines to improve the program. He’s only half way through his first season and there is not near enough body of work to make an informed judgment. Being a “coach in waiting” presented some limitations in both his authority and direction he’s only just now able to implement.
Some people are like Slinkies, they're really good for nothing........but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
I have been a Cat fan
since early 50’s. That said I can’t remember many years when we were not thrilled for fall basketball practice. This weekend will be no different. Thank goodness for basketball and coach Cal!
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
Glenn/Tru is right...
We played them tough…in the second half, but we had nothing left in the tank. Hartline had his best game, but to think him or anyone could have led the Cats down the field with a minute left is absurd. Don’t get me wrong, I would have rooted like hell for them, but Joker made the right choice. Kentucky football is not just a footnote anymore, but we still have strides to make. As for the round ball season, bring it folks…It may not be like last year (for good and bad), but it should be a helluva ride!!!
Big Blue Stu
uk basketball is great
good or bad… only reason it sucked after 2006 was it was clear that coaching was the problem,, if this years team has to take some lumps because of youth and being thin down low.. thats cool but i cant see uk even if kanter cant play being horrible or boring.. without kanter we look like this
knight
lamb or liggins
miller
jones
harrelson or vargas
hood
poole
polson
and kanter if eligible … i can see miller playing pf sometimes .. here are some possible line ups
knight knight knight
lamb lamb liggins
miller liggins miller
jones miller jones
kanter jones vargas …basically you could start knight, lamb, liggins, miller, jones,harrelson,vargas and kanter in any particularl line up and compete.. uk will be fine
FREE ENES
by kentuckywild on Oct 12, 2010 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions
ok the names didnt line up
like i had them but you get the drift another year of good competitive uk ball… im hyped
FREE ENES
Doormat
When no team can claim a better than 5 game win streak on us we are no longer a doormat. When we can win at least 2 games each year from perennial powers Florida, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina we are no longer a doormat. When we can say with a straight face that non of our games is an auto-loss before the season starts we aren’t a doormat.
We’ve come a long way, but we’re still a doormat by any estimation. That the AD has us playing the weakest non-conference schedule in the country doesn’t change that fact.
Interesting...
I disagree we’re a doormat (see above) but I do like the measuring stick of consecutive losses to other teams. You might be setting the bar a bit high. According to that, the following teams would have been doormats: Alabama in 2005, 2006 (5th and 6th year of losing to Auburn), Georgia 2002, 2003 (5th and 6th year of losing to Florida), Ole Miss 2007, 2008, 2009 (LSU, Alabama), Tennessee 2009, 2010 (Florida) and I haven’t bothered to check out others.
The idea has merit and I’d give anything to get these stupid Spurrier/South Carolina and Tennessee streaks ended NOW.
Some people are like Slinkies, they're really good for nothing........but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
Sorry
Sorry but I can’t see how you can say this about our team. I could see you saying that if you were a rival opponent but not as a UK fan. I think your idea of a doormat is far from realistic. Maybe you are trying to compare the winning records of Kentucky football with Kentucky basketball, i don’t know. Sounds like you want us to be a Alabama or Florida like team overnight and that just doesn’t happen. However just because we aren’t doesn’t make us a doormat. The fact that we still pull out upsets every year and actually have teams worrying about the games they play us means something (at least to me). We aren’t a team that can just be walked over and any team that steps onto the gridiron thinking that is going to have a rough game on their hands. We can’t be a super power in every sport (as much as I would like to be and hope to be in football in the future).
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