Jacksonville St. Gamecocks 14 @ Kentucky Wildcats 38: Postmortem
by Glenn Logan on Oct 22, 2011 4:23 PM EDT
in Kentucky Wildcats Football
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PrintThe first thing that struck me about this game is ... we won! Yes, I know that it's somewhat unseemly to celebrate a victory over an FCS team too much, but this was a good FCS team and what so far has been a loathsome Kentucky offense. But not today.
First things first. Nice effort by the Jacksonville St. Gamecocks. They came into Kentucky's stadium and played well in stretches, and displayed an uncommon amount of toughness for an FCS school. That's probably why they are ranked so highly in FCS, and they kept this game in doubt, though not too much doubt, well into the second half. They engineered one outstanding long drive for a touchdown and ran back a kickoff for their second score.
Joker Phillips, to his credit, took no chances with this football game. He did what every FBS coach wants to do when facing an FCS team -- run the football and let the much larger FBS lines push the little guys around. That's exactly what happened on both sides of the football. The Kentucky offensive line had an excellent day overall blocking both the run and the pass, and the Kentucky defensive line was in the backfield of the Gamecocks all day long.
Observations:
- Kentucky is still struggling to take care of the football, turning it over twice. They had three takeaways, but the turnovers are really hurting the Wildcats.
- Morgan Newton Made some nice throws today, but with only 105 yards passing, it was hardly a big day. He did do a very good job running the football, except for a fumble on the second UK possession of the day.
- CoShik Williams was great today, gaining 148 yards and averaging almost 7 yards per carry.
- Raymond Sanders is injured yet again. Durability is definitely an issue for UK's backs.
- La'Rod King had a very good day receiving, 5 catches for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns. He represented nearly the entire receiving offense of the Wildcats. Matt Roark caught 2 for 12 yards.
- 445 yards represents by far the high water mark for UK offensively this season.
- Winston Guy led all defenders in tackles today with 10 unassisted and 12 total, but he also dropped two interceptions and Cartier Rice dropped one. Danny Trevathan had only 5 tackles.
- Those who were expecting something new from the offense were disappointed. What we got was exactly the same as we have seen all season, executed better.
This is one of those games that will give Kentucky partisans a sliver of hope, but most other observers will rightly greet these results with a yawn. UK will now move back into SEC play where the size and talent is a lot greater, namely against the Mississippi St. Bulldogs next weekend. But for now, I'll take this result. For the most part, UK looked like an FBS team in handling the Gamecocks with relative ease.
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Sanders
What exactly is his injury? I was at the game and it was hard to tell
by UKfanNick on Oct 22, 2011 5:24 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Ah okay thanks
By the way I’m a long time reader but first time commentor, thanks for the great analysis you always give us
by UKfanNick on Oct 22, 2011 6:30 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The good guys won
I will always take that. It has been a good day. ’Cat fans rejoice whenever you can.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on Oct 22, 2011 6:01 PM EDT via iPhone app reply actions
Off topic but if anyone is watching this LSU team today....
they look unbeatable. Their defense is one of the scariest of all time.
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
I agree...and they're without Mathieu, who is better than Patrick Peterson.
I used to be of the mind that Bama was going to beat LSU by at least a FG on Nov. 5. I’m not so sure now.
by mrmondaynite on Oct 22, 2011 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I am not overstating this but
I am looking forward to this LSU/Bama game more than any regular season game in a long long time. It will be Mortal Combat
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
Ditto. I think it will be the game of the season.
by bluegrassgal on Oct 22, 2011 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Based on this 'Bama-UT game so far, I'm starting to think LSU may run away with it.
Tied in Q3 at 6? Did not see that coming.
Proud member of the Big Blue Nation - Let's Go Cats!!!
by jords on Oct 22, 2011 9:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
True that.
But they could have come in looking past Tennessee to their bye week and then LSU. Not usual for a Sabin team, but happens. Last week they spotted Ole Miss seven points then ran off 52.
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.
its over.....
Bama just scored 2 TD’s…..
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 22, 2011 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I'll still stick with Bama
Circle your calendar for Nov 5th. That game is for the national championship and will be a classic. Being at Bryant Denny will be the edge Bama needs to get things going against the Tigers.
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.
Glad I wasn't the only one watching in shock and awe...
After watching them run over Auburn, I am incredibly thankful our boys got out of Death Valley with all of their limbs more or less intact. Because the LSU defense? Is ridiculous. Like, “I think they’re cannibals in the off-season” ridiculous."
Proud member of the Big Blue Nation - Let's Go Cats!!!
by jords on Oct 22, 2011 9:08 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Maybe I'm biased, but
I think if either ‘Bama or LSU plays say, Oklahoma in the title game, it’ll be another blowout ala Florida vs. Ohio State.
LSU without Mathieu is still the best defense in college football, and he’s a darn good player. I don’t know it it’s the red jerseys or what, but ’Bama’s defensive players just look bigger than everyone else. Bigger, faster, and stronger.
If anybody has a chance of beating ‘Bama in Tuscaloosa, though, it’s the Mad Hatter. There’s no telling what kind of crazy, off-the-wall play calls he’ll come up with to gain the upper hand (and yes, I’ll be rooting for Miles … I love that guy).
too many people may not understand the importance of Keeneland here
however those pictures paint a sad picture
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
I believe today is Homecoming. I was told that many, many alumni groups had made the
Keeneland/UK football game their preferred plan and then the game is rescheduled to a noon kickoff less than a week ago. Plenty of upset people about that, I understand.
Not bad at all.
If LSU had been playing an FCS team, attendance would have suffered. And they don’t even have a race track competing with them for fan attention.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Actually, that 54,000 number was "tickets sold," according to the WHAS Radio postgame, ...
turnstile numbers were no more than 40,000.
That wouldn't be
Matt “I-would-never-embellish-or-mislead-to-make-a-self-serving-point” Jones, would it? :)
I wasn’t there, but that seems like an awfully large amount of walk-aways to me, but the actual figure is pretty easy to find out.
And if true, that’s very disappointing, but not as disappointing as the team has been, so I guess it’s a wash :)
Hopefully, next week there will be no such discussion.
Well stated.
Of course, the one picture showing an empty Commonwealth stadium 40 minutes before the game isn’t a fair example of support. How many people show up 40 minutes before the game anyway? I’d guess most stadiums look that empty that long before a game.
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.
yeah, but the picture 10 min before the game didnt look too good either
but, like it was stated above, it is Keeneland and we do suck this year….
I was offered free tickets and turned them down myself…..
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 22, 2011 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions
There were plenty of shots on the TV feed of a near-empty upperdeck
And scads of empty seats in the lower bowl, too. The wide shot covering kick-offs was telling. It did not look well attended at all.
TWeaver
Looks like the attendance was around 40,000 or maybe even less, at least that’s what I gleaned after paying attention to the crowd when I re-watched the game.
by Ken Howlett on Oct 25, 2011 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Exactly right.
Well, you can’t explain this to non-Kentuckians.
Horse racing is unquestionably bigger than football in the Commonwealth.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
BTW
“Those who were expecting something new from the offense were disappointed.”
I disagree. Execution is a change, and quite refreshingly different.
Hah.
Yes, that’s true. Execution is new, and I agree, it was refreshing.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
first 15 min were still scary bad......lol
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 22, 2011 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, a win is a win is a win
I wonder if the team added some new things over the break but decided to hold off on showing anything once they got out to a decent lead.
1/x doesn't die, it just fades away.
I certainly feel better about the team.
Something to build on, I would say.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
yeah, considering they increased their scoring on the season by 50%
That has to be good for morale. I am crazy enough to believe it might just be enough to spur a run in the 2nd half of the schedule.
1/x doesn't die, it just fades away.
We Won
I know there is alot being said about our football program. Right now I am going to cherish this win. I realize you have to look at who the opponent was, however a win is a win ! Go Big Blue !
A win is a win......let's just see if they can build on it.....
let’s say I am “overcautiously optimistic”
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 22, 2011 9:11 PM EDT reply actions
Yes, we won. BUT......
we only scored TDs on two drives, both in the first half. We only had one other sustained drive which resulted in a FG, If not for INTs and the fumble run in for a TD by Neloms this game could have been very ugly.
The two TD plus FG drives represent about half of our game total in offense, our time of possession was about a 3 minute advantage, play calling was still questionable at times, we were out passed (although JSU was playing catch up), UK was helped by several penalties by JSU, our secondary got burned by a quarterback that was at least under some pressure and we wasted a great opportunity to hone our passing attack. I didn’t see anything today that looked like they tried or succeeded in advancing our passing game. Future opponent will run weak zones for pass coverage, load the box and stuff us.
Like many, I’m not expecting any dramatic or even recognizable improvement over what we saw in the games leading up to today. Happy for the win, but not expecting any more wins this year. I sincerely hope they prove me wrong, as wrong as I was about Hartline.
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.
You're a big man to bring up missing on Hartline
The one tangible difference to me was the o-line, which has been improving incrementally the last few games, and opened up some nice holes for the backs. But, everything good and bad that happened needs to be tempered because of the opponent.
We’ll find out soon enough if this game was fool’s gold.
Shocker alert!
Mich State over the Badgers at halftime. Didn’t see that one coming, thought Wisc was the real deal this year. It’ll be an interesting 2nd half.
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.
Did you see the way that game ended? WOW!
I’m a fan nor hater of either team, but that was as lucky a play as I’ve seen in a while.
Incredible ending.
I’m glad the refs left it up to replay to call a TD. Looked like one on the replay. Good reversal of the call and a helluva ending.
Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.
Agree
Some people are against replay, but I say get the call right, especially a call which so impacts the outcome.
I don’t think there’s any doubt they got it right. I know Cousins was so excited he could hardly talk after the game.
Michigan St was one of the best bets of the week....
Just paid my mortgage :)
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
OK, as much as I know this is going to sound like a joke coming from me, I found this to be interesting
The Cats can still win the east and end up in the SEC Championship game
and as a result, the BCS.
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 22, 2011 9:40 PM EDT reply actions
And we would get to play against our old foe LSU once more
Ah the chance for a revenge game – how sweet is that.
Needless to say a little tongue-in-cheek.
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
Very happy we won
Watched it on replay, and we actually look like a half-way competent team. Not necessarily a good team, but a team that at least has an idea what it’s doing.
The fundamental probelm is the receiving corps, in my view. Newton may be a bit scattershot and definitely has his flaws, he gets NO help from that group. Newton threw that first ball perfectly, and it was just dropped – he catches it for 6, and Newton’s stat line is a lot different. Plenty of similar examples throughout the game (and season).
Not having Cobb (and Matthews) is killing us at that position. I’m happy for the guy, don’t get me wrong, but, man. . .
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