Kentucky Wildcats vs. Tennessee Volunteers Preview: Senior Sendoff Edition
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PrintFor the first time in five years, the Kentucky Wildcats (4-7, 1-6) will play their final game of the year in the month of November, as they take on the 5-6 (1-6) Tennessee Volunteers at Commonwealth Stadium Saturday afternoon at 12:21 ET (SEC Network).
Today is also the day we say goodbye to 20 Wildcat seniors. Danny Trevathan, Winston Guy, Ryan Tydlacka, Stuart Hines, Matt Roark, Randall Burden, Chandler Burden, Nick Melillo, Ronnie Sneed, Billy Joe Murphy, Jake Lanefski, Taiedo Smith, Mychal Bailey, Luke McDermott, Mark Crawford, Anthony Mosley, Antwane Glenn, James McDevitt, Jon Thomas, and Nik Brazley all end their collegiate careers today on the turf of Commonwealth. In a year filled with disappointment, fan frustration, and unfulfilled promise, how sweet would it be to erase the memory of the season lost with a disgustingly long-needed win over Tennessee? Talk about goin' out in style.
Simply put, the Vols are playing for a bowl bid, a fact surely not lost on the boys in orange, but perhaps more important, this team, and particularly this coach, are playing to NOT be the first team to lose to UK since Flock of Seagulls rocked the charts.
The Vols
After missing five games with an injury, sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray (6'6" 210-pound) made a triumphant, if not spectacular return to the UT lineup in the Vols' 27-21 overtime win over Vanderbilt last week -- UT coach Derek Dooley showed his significant hind-quarters in the Vol locker room after the game by proclaiming, "The one thing that Tennessee always does is kick the sh__ out of Vandy." Uh, coach, the average score of the UT/VU game over the last four years is 25-15 (now, back to the game) -- Experiencing some obvious rust, Bray tossed two touchdown passes, but completed only 16 of 33 passes with two interceptions against the 'Dores.
A prototypical drop-back passer, Bray, if given time (and if he's shaken the rust off), is capable of picking apart a defense, even a defense which should be in nickel coverage for most of the night -- Prior to his injury, Bray was putting together a very solid season through the first five games with 1,579 passing yards, a 65.9% completion rate, while tossing 14 TDs and only two picks.
In last year's 24-14 Volunteer win over the 'Cats, Bray threw for 354 yards on 20 of 38 passing with two picks and two touchdowns.
Bray's favorite target today will be 6'3" 215-pound sophomore receiver Da'Rick Rogers. On the season, Rogers has caught 65 passes for 1,002 yards (15.4 yard per reception) and nine touchdowns. Speedy and strong to the ball, Rogers poses a real problem UK's secondary, who have given up a number of big plays to wide outs this season, and lead the SEC in allowing 18 touchdown passes on the year.
Mychal Rivera, a 6'3" 254-pound junior tight end, is a distant second to Rogers in receptions with 27, good for 326 yards (12.1 ypr), but only one touchdown. True frosh DeAnthony Arnett (6'0" 175-pounds) has contributed to the Volunteer offense this year with 21 catches for 222 yards (10.6 ypr) and two touchdowns. Another freshman, 6'0" 205-pound running back Marlin Lane (no relation to Nathan), has snagged 16 passes for 159 yards (9.9 ypr) and two touchdowns.
When running the ball, UT will go with 5'10" 215-pound senior Tauren Poole. On the year, Poole has rushed for 661 yards and five touchdowns on 178 carries (3.7 yards per carry). Poole will also catch the ball out of the backfield, evidenced by his 18 receptions for 152 yards (8.4 ypr). The Tennessee tailback is a bullish runner between the tackles, but has the speed to get to the edges. Last year versus UK, Poole carried the ball 17 times for 59 yards and scored one touchdown on a two-yard run.
Helping Poole carry the Orange mail is the aforementioned Marlin Lane. When not catching passes, Lane has rushed the ball 68 times for 255 yards (3.8 ypc) and two touchdowns. Sophomore back Rajon Neal (5'11" 210-pounds) will also get in on the running act; on the season Neal has recorded 25 carries for 130 yards (5.2 ypc) and two touchdowns.
Defensively, the top tackling Vol is senior linebacker Austin Johnson (6'2" 240-pounds). Surrounded by two freshman UT linebackers, Johnson has 74 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and a team-high four interceptions. The first of two rookie backers for the Vols is A.J. Johnson (6'3" 245-pounds), who is second on the team with 71 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss. Curt Maggitt, a 6'3" 215-pound rookie, leads the linebacker corps with 5.5 tackles for loss to go along with his 49 tackles.
Defensive lineman Malik Jackson, a 6'5" 270-pound senior, leads the d-linemen with 49 tackles, and also has 9.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hurries.
Volunteer Results
Wins: Montana (42-16), Cincinnati (45-23), Buffalo (41-10), Middle Tennessee (24-0), Vanderbilt (27-21 OT).
Losses (otherwise known as "a good day"): 33-23 to Florida (thanks Will), 20-12 to Georgia (thanks Mark), LSU 38-7 (thanks Les), Alabama 37-6 (thanks Nick), South Carolina 14-3 (forget you! Spurrier), and 49-7 to Arkansas (what, are you kidding?).
The 'Cats and Vols Statistically (SEC rank in parenthesis)
Scoring -- UK 16.4 (12) UT 21.5 (10)
Scoring Defense -- UK 26.3 (10) UT 23.7 (9)
Total Offense -- UK 263.6 (12) UT 337.8 (9)
Total Defense -- UK 386.2 (10) UT 351.7 (7)
Pass Offense -- UK 146.5 (12) UT 245.1 (2)
Pass Defense -- UK 191.9 (6) UT 192.6 (7)
Sacks By -- UK 18 (t9) UT 16 (11)
Sacks Against -- UK 35 (12) UT 16 (3)
3rd Down Conv. -- UK 29.4% (12) UT 42.3% (6)
Opp. 3rd Dn. Conv. -- UK 40.9 (10) UT 40.4 (9)
Penalty Yards -- UK 36.1 (2) UT 48.1 (7)
Turnover Margin -- UK minus-2 (10) UT plus-3 (t4)
Red Zone Scores -- UK 22-28 (10) UT 31-37 (7)
Red Zone Defense -- UK 28-35 (t6) UT 30-38 (5)
Wildcats and Vols in the SEC Top 10
Tennessee
Tauren Poole: 10th in rushing with 60.1 yards per game.
Da'Rick Rogers: 2nd in receptions per game with 5.9; 2nd in receiving yards per game with 91.1; 5th in touchdowns with nine; 7th in all-purpose yards per game with 101.3.
Austin Johnson: Tied for 5th in interceptions with four.
Kentucky
Danny Trevathan: 1st in tackles with 135; 1st in forced fumbles with five; tied for 5th with four interceptions; 10th in tackles for loss with 10.0.
Winston Guy: 2nd in tackles with 106; 5th in tackles for loss with 12.0.
La'Rod King: Tied for 6th in receptions per game with 3.5; 7th in receiving yards per game with 54.2.
Matt Roark: 10th in receptions per game with 3.3.
Ryan Tydlacka: 2nd in punting with a 43.7 average.
Craig McIntosh: 2nd in field goal percentage, making 84.6% (11-13); 6th in field goals made with 11.
Prediction
UK 21 UT 20
Thanks for reading and Go 'Cats!
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Whack 'em
“The one thing that Tennessee always does is kick the sh__ out of Vandy.” Derek Dooley
The Vols are overdue for a firm-handed football spanking.
"He still carries a lunch bucket. What's up with that?"
Overdue by how long? Two weeks?
That kind of stuff gets said in every locker room. It wasn’t supposed to get leaked out. I’m not a fan of it either, but it’s the same everywhere.
by David Hooper on Nov 26, 2011 10:18 AM EST up reply actions
No real impact on the game,
but it looks like the more things change, the more things stay the same. Wonder what the “team rules” were – getting caught with weapons?
War is God's way of teaching Americans geography. - Ambrose Bierce
I really thought we had a great chance to end the streak today
But after watching the miserable performance we had against Vandy I now think we have no shot. The streak will continue 27 and counting – I do hope I’m wrong but doubt it.
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
Our getting spanked today may be inevitable.......
and in the eyes of some, well deserved.
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 26, 2011 9:00 AM EST reply actions
The Streak
I have said before on here that I am not a big UK football fan so I am saying this after watching maybe 10 mins of UK games this season. To lose 26 games straight to anyone is inexcusable expecially since the Vols haven’t been a powerhouse for several years. The Cats also have a similar streak of futility against Florida as well. The thing is UK has missed a HUGE opportunity the past few years with SEC programs like UT,UF and UGA somewhat on the downturn. Yes UK is a basketball school (Amen) and it gets the full attention of the athletic dept. but to have losing streaks like this should be unacceptable. Rich Brooks did an admirable job but any gains made are gone after just 2 seasons. Joker was a terrible hire…and unimaginative. In fact I believe the AD should have made a move BEFORE Brooks retired. And it should have been a bold move. Now I’m not sure of the timeline here but a bold move would have been to made a run at “the old ball coach” who went to SC. Love him or hate him (I know most hate) the guy wins and it’s fun to watch. I’m not saying he would have won a national title at UK…I doubt he will at SC either…but I think he would have brought lots of respectability to the program along with lots of national attention (how many of even the most passionate college football fans know who Joker Phillips is?). I think it’s time for the AD to get imaginative. Why not make a run at Urban Meyer? Yes you may laugh but what would it hurt? At least it shows your are willing to try something different.
Right now it may be hard to impossible to hire a top tier coach but hiring Mike Leach I think is very doable and would be a great hire
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
by KansasUKCat on Nov 26, 2011 11:16 AM EST up reply actions
Agreed
But at least try and make some noise doing it. Couldn’t hurt any to at least give the progam some much needed publicity because right now they are the most irrevelant program in the most visable conference in college football. If you can’t make it in the SEC with all the attention it gets then there is a problem. Look at Arkansas. Yeah they may have better history of success but do they really have better facilities than UK? Tell me because I don’t know….maybe they do. And they took a chance on a coach that NOBODY wanted. That was a hire UK would NEVER had even thought about. Would have been kinda fun stickin’ it to UL too. But again,no imagination.
by maysvilleblue on Nov 26, 2011 12:53 PM EST up reply actions
Well, I hope we win.
I’d like to see our seniors go out on at least somewhat of a good note. I’d like to see the streak end. And I’d like to see some hope in the program going into next year, regardless of who the coach will be going forward.
But it UT does win, regardless of how, let’s not whip our boys too much over it. It’s been done enough. They will feel a great deal worse than us.
Kentucky Basketball - The Reason for Living
I am not interested in "whipping the boys"
I think they are doing the best they can without proper direction provided by the coaching staff. This season is a failure of coaching that has reached it’s peak after several years of missed opportunities.
UL started this season more miserably than we did and look where they are now. “Coaching” is what got them there. They have improved as the season progressed. We have stumbled and failed. Often when this happens it is because a team thin with talent loses key players to injuries. We have had some injury problems but not to the extent to explain the continued awful performances. The coaching staff has failed to motivate and to implement game plans and play calling that are capable of leading to better performances.
Looking at the list of graduating seniors, they are, for the most part, the only major contributors to any moments of decent play we have seen this year. Next year looks dismal unless new hope is instilled through major changes in the coaching staff or in the current staffs approach to the game.
I think it is time to cut the losses and move in a new direction.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
I cannot recall one person on here criticizing the players - Coaching you better believe it
These kids may have really performed well under adequate to good coaching.
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
by KansasUKCat on Nov 26, 2011 11:25 AM EST up reply actions
I wasn't calling anyone out on here.
But there have been disparaging remarks made of some players on every board – Morgan Newton, the receivers, etc. The reason I come to this board is because you guys don’t do that #*%@ here. I also like the fact that we can have civil disagreements on various Uk-related subjects that always bring out very good points on both sides. Makes me think and that is a good thing.
Glad we won, though!
Kentucky Basketball - The Reason for Living
Hey, best of luck.
I always found that a weird thing to say to an opposing team/fanbase, but seriously. While I do hope the Vols win, I would rather see a good game than a blowout. And as always, that there are no injuries.
KENTUCKY HOMER FIRST WAS WHY OH MEN NOW ITS TURKEY
RABBLERABBLEDOWNINFRONTRABBLERABBLE.
______________________________________________
Boom. Here comes the Boom. Braydy or not. Here comes the boy from the West.
Thanks David and good luck to you all also
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
by KansasUKCat on Nov 26, 2011 11:22 AM EST up reply actions
only way we put up a good game is if the coaching staff all develops pneumonia and has to stay home.
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 26, 2011 11:46 AM EST up reply actions
cruel, cruel words!
…and unfortunately perhaps too damn accurate.
Being from an era when there were no expectations of a bowl game, let alone a winning season, all that was required for a Kentucky football coach to be successful was to beat Tennessee…..
…..and there were no successful seasons when I attended UK
I’ll be rooting for the team to end on a high note with a victory today, with the winning points coming from Danny Trevathan sacking the QB for a safety. It would only seem appropriate.
Go Cats Go!
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