Kentucky Football: What Can Be Done About The Offense?

Maybe he could install some motion offense that might work.

We talked after Week 2 (I think) about this topic?? I think our Coaching Staff is trying to force ye old round peg into ye old square hole! Let’s face it, Morgan isn’t a pro-set style of quarterback and the longer it takes our Staff to figure that out the longer we’ll be in offensive purgatory.

You’ve got a very valid point about Morgan not being a great passer. What little of the game I saw yesterday included two passes that weren’t within 5’ of the receiver. One was on a roll-out and the other was a straight 3 step drop… Whatever happened to the passing drills of throwing the ball through the old worn out tire??

I heard Sam got in yesterday, but I don’t think there’s much to that… I think that was more to make a point to Newton then to get him any real time. If you don’t get the reps through the week, you’re gonna look like crap on Saturday! Don’t know what Morgan’s excuse is??

Now just to highlight in one place some of your points:
“Don’t look for Phillips to change the offense — it’s what he’s comfortable running”
“don’t think he has any idea how to design a spread or other unconventional offense, and I’m positive Randy Sanders doesn’t”
“Phillips seems unwilling to shake up the lineup much”
Taking the above plus (until yesterday) Jokers’ blind allegiance to Newton only can lead me to accept the fact that Joker is either too set in his ways to change or unwilling to operate outside his comfort zone. Neither choice is a good one.

First, consider the Newton experiment. From the first day of spring practice Joker has persistently given Newton great evaluations and spoken very highly of his improvement and grasp of the offense. What Joker has not done is taken an objective look at how he has performed and whether that performance justifies hooking the team wagon to his ability. It is as if Joker feels constantly praising and supporting Newton will magically transform him into an effective quarterback. Granted the receivers haven’t done him any favors but there are so many deficiencies in Newton’s passing game it amazes me it took until the LSU game for Joker to realize there might be a problem.

So what to do with Newton, our “other” 4 star quarterback recruit? Honestly, there is no easy answer but the status quo ain’t cuttin’ it. I don’t see him capable of running the wildcat, that position requires a player that is shifty and quick, a la Cobb, attributes that don’t come to mind when considering Newton. If he can block maybe the TE position suits him better. Joker needs to cut his losses and move on.

“Move On”. Just how does Joker move on? That’s where the rest of Glenn’s quotes come into focus. Joker is entering an area he has had no experience and is the greatest coaching challenge he is going to face, one that very well could decide his future. Will he continue to ride the Newton train and go down in flames if the offense never finds their footing? Or will he go beyond his comfort level, shake the team and coaching ranks then try to find another offensive answer. Changing an offense after 5 games into a season is a risky proposition at best but so is the direction we’re headed.

Joker is at a crossroads and needs to change and institute change. Spreads are a viable option and if he doesn’t understand the nuances of the offense then find someone that does and get them on the payroll. If he wants to go the direction of the Wildcat, find the player that can run it; don’t limit yourself to quarterbacks. UK is fortunate to have a lot of players on the roster that were recruited as “athletes” because they have multiple talents. Even if it is a freshman, give them a chance. Just some names to consider Cartier Rice, Christian Hudnell, Ashely Lowery, Glenn Faulkner, Bookie Cobbins or Daryl Collins.

In the end, I see Joker staying in his comfort zone and not trying to shake anything up, changing anything in the offensive attack and easily giving us more of the same. We’ll play a bit easier schedule from here to the end which will give the impression of an improvement but we will still have the same offense, same plays, same playcalling and same results. At most, we may get to see a little less of Newton and more of the backups.

Joker, the emperor has no clothes.

All that did was mess with two young men’s minds. It solved nothing.

Newton gets a no confidence vote and Smith get’s to mull over a bad performance after being thrown into a no-win situation. At the very least, leave Smith in.

Slice it any way you’d like, Joker was grasping at straws. Not good coach, not good at all.

As much as I, like Glenn, believe that Joker has such a firm belief in his system that he is not willing to vary from it, he has to throw it out, at least metaphorically.

The Wildcat idea Glenn mentions may help, but it is my assessment that if you run it, you need to get that freshman QB in there, and keep them both on the field at all times. The old addage that “trickery and deceit will overcome youth and enthusiasm” is being thrown in our faces. The Wildcat is only going to be effective if there is a credible threat in it. So, if you put two arms back there at all times, you give the defense a wrinkle they do not face every day. Plus, the freshman might not feel like he is being thrown to the wolves as he has been the last couple of weeks. If we want that young man to be successful, we have to put him in situations where he can succeed and get some confidence.It might be just enough of a glitch for other teams that the Cats might pick up a couple of off the cuff wins and salvage their season and just maybe a 6-6 record. Admittedly I do not hold out much hope for it, but it stands a better chance than the current debacle that our offense has become.

Also, we are going to have to gamble with the most productive part of our football team. We are going to have to try a few fake punts. I realize Tydlacka is about the only completely solid thing we have going, but we need to surprise a few people in some situations and get some yards that would not normally be a part of the offense.

And honestly, a phone call to Hal Mumme wouldn’t hurt. A few gimmick plays that no one is expecting could also have some impact, But it is going to have to come from a mind that no one knows, because honestly, someone has gotten inside Joker and Sanders heads and has taken up residence there. And not only that, they published their findings for everyone else to see as well.

Glenn has some great points, but as much as it hurts, it may be too late this year to do anything that is going to amount to much.

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Last year it was the Defensive Coordinator’s fault.

This year it is the Offensive Coordinator’s fault. Or the kids… we can always blame them in a pinch.

I am no math whiz, but even I can spot the actual common denominator to last year’s season-ending debacles and this year’s anemia.

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Why not run it all the time, or least 75% of the time on all drives.