Ole Miss Rebels 13 @ Kentucky Wildcats 30: Postmortem
by Glenn Logan on Nov 5, 2011 8:06 PM EDT
in Kentucky Wildcats Football
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PrintYeah. All that.
Kentucky, after a year of frustration, picks up its fourth win of the season at home versus the Mississippi Rebels in a game that saw the Wildcats look mostly competent on offense. That's the first time we've been able to say that all year against an opponent who was not a mid-major or FCS team.
Kentucky, for the first time all year against an opponent that was not notably inferior, moved the football pretty well. It was an outstanding debut for Maxwell Smith, who reprised his strong performance against the Mississippi St. Bulldogs with an even more impressive one against Ole Miss.
Observations:
- A serious investigation needs to be done into the apparent replacement of Matt Roark with the spirit of Chris Matthews. He is unquestionably Smith's favorite target, and has earned that by catching the football, and today, he ran with it as well.
- Max Smith was very good. 19-36 (52%) is not really a super completion rate, and he missed some easy throws, three of which would have been touchdowns. But what he did not do was eat the football, or look like a deer in the headlights when his first option did not come open. He even spread the ball around a little and got six receivers involved. In summary, was prime rib for a starving man compared to the soul-destroying futility of Morgan Newton.
- CoShik Williams was once again a major contributor, and I'm not quite sure why Sanders didn't use him more. 111 yards on 25 attempts for 4.4 yards per carry. Those are SEC numbers. Offensive game ball.
- Danny Trevathan. 17 tackles., 1 interception. Defensive game ball. Winston Guy was pretty okay too with 10 tackles and 4 tackles for loss.
- We really missed Collins Ukwu, and he was an improvement today on the pass rush.
- The offensive line only gave up 1 sack and opened good holes for the running game most of the time. This is what we were promised early in the season, and it's nice to see it show up.
- Our secondary still needs help.
Overall, I have little to complain about and much to celebrate, and I'm starting with some of this:
Yeah, the old Four Roses Single Barrel bottle is going down tonight.
Nashville, here we come. Get ready, Commies, we know you're better this year, but we found ourselves a quarterback and are anxious to take him on the road.
Go, 'Cats!
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Ladies and Gentlemen
We have a QB, and a leader…..and he is just a freshman…..
He stepped up, and it infected the whole team.
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 5, 2011 8:01 PM EDT reply actions
It's about time ... better late than never, and all that jazz
it was great to finally see what may become a semblance of a football team parading around Commonwealth.
Beat the ’Dores next week, a tough task considering Zac Stacey averages about 20-yards per carry, and a bowl game becomes plausible. I cannot believe I just wrote that!!
by Ken Howlett on Nov 5, 2011 8:03 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
and I just greened it!!!
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 5, 2011 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I can't either.
In fact, I can’t assimilate it. My mind is too small. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Glenn, please put this on top of the front page.
Many wanted a LSU/Bama thread and this is much more important.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Done. :-)
Thanks for posting the ’Bama thread.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
SMITH RULES!
There was a lot to like for us beleaguered believers.
But, my favorite moments from the broadcast came near the end when they showed Maxwell Silver Hammer going down the line thanking and congratulating every player on the team with smiles and chest bumps; looking like both a team player and a very appreciative team leader.
That is something we just never saw with Morgan.
I say get MN ready for a role in the Wildcat package as soon as he is healthy if his ego can handle it. If not, transfer now and best of luck.
We have our QB and will have an honest competition for stater next season with Patrick on the way.
Amen on his repoire with his team - and it is his team now.
And I have a question: Did they ever show Newton on the sideline? They mentioned him several times but I never saw him during the broadcast. It seems you always have the injured starter at least shown when the anchors are talking about the replacement.
War is God's way of teaching Americans geography. - Ambrose Bierce
Good question.
I remember asking myself the same during one of his many mentions last night. I have no answer though.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
I did some searching and saw him in the Cat Walk, fwiw.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
You know......
you have to admire a coach for sticking with a kid to the point of it threatening his job, as Joker did in his defense of Newton.
But I will say this, it concerns me when winning “winnable” games takes a back seat to it.
All in all, I guess crisis averted for now.
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 5, 2011 8:08 PM EDT reply actions
Lets be fair.
Up until last week, Smith showed less than Newton. That’s a fact, and it is indisputable.
Moving on …
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
OH I meant nothing "malicious" about it....
on the contrary….I applaud him…..I couldnt have done it.
Smith’s development aside….I am speaking only about Newton.
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 5, 2011 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Moving on .... a great win for a team and its fan base really hungry for a win .... now what??
A good problem to have, I guess. I’m sure Smith will start at Vandy …. but what of Newton??
get through the season, then worry about what happens to Newton
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 5, 2011 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions
it has been pointed out that Newton might not be the right guy to be a fit for the Wildcat
but, in all fairness, he probably has never tried it much…..
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 5, 2011 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions
"you have to admire a coach for sticking with a kid to the point of it threatening his job"
Really, I have to? If it was only Newton, maybe.
How about Crawford, Roark and others. Crawford played lights out, again. If Joker hadn’t kept him in the dog house many games last year and this year our defense could well have been more dominant and definitely would have been more cohesive. Has Roark suddenly learned how to run a route and catch a ball – unlikely. It just seems to illustrate the unyielding nature of Joker et al to the reality of the situation.
War is God's way of teaching Americans geography. - Ambrose Bierce
I am afraid
that Joker will be another Bill Curry, so system oriented that he cannot fully utilize the talent he has on his team. He keeps trying to fit a square peg (Newton) into a round hole (pocket passer) when he had someone who has demonstrated better ability in that position. I know that this will bring a chorus of Smith didn’t show it in practice but I find it hard to believe that in practice situations Smith’s ability to actually throw nice catchable passes didn’t exist. Smith was offered a scholarship based on the recommendation of a professional quarterback. Someone out there saw the ability. The ball that Joker dropped on this situation is as big as any dropped by our receiving corps.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
Max Smith
How many times over the years have we seen a freshman quarterback-for another team-look great, and say to ourselves “why can’t we get a guy like that?”. Well, it looks like we finally did. Don’t want to anoint him too soon, but after two games, he’s shown an ability to learn and improve that Morgan hasn’t shown in three years. We know Joker is committed to his “how they practice” philosophy, but he should know one thing-in baseball, you go with the hot hitter, in basketball you go with the hot shooter. Joker-MAX IS HOT! GO WITH HIM!
SmokinDave
True enough, Glenn
But, after two solid weeks of performance under pressure, I prefer to see the glass half full.
He overthrew several, messed up some calls, got confused, etc. but looked confident the rest of the time and gave us what we all have been asking for… entertaining play calling that Sanders believed he could execute, catchable footballs and a VICTORY as an underdog at home.
IMHO, he has shown us much MORE than MN in the past two games.
Also big props
to the O line, the overall D and CO-SHEEEEEEEEK!
CoShik Williams
Can’t for get about him. Man has stepped up. Season looks a lot brighter today, but even if we don’t make a bowl game this year we at least have a glimmer of going in the right direction. Nice game for the whole team.
Kentucky Basketball - The Reason for Living
FRSB
Haven’t commented in a while, but this game made me smile. Go Cats.
On my second glass of Four Roses Single Barrel, and nice to be sipping to a win.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
--O.W.
by blbskue on Nov 5, 2011 8:50 PM EDT via iPhone app reply actions
Good to see you again.
Come back more often.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Hope - that's all we have been asking for
With Max we have it. Prior to the coming out of Max we had no hope, no reason to dream that this team had a future, now we do. Even if we lose out and not win another game this season, if we are competitve, we have hope for the future. That gives me some reason to look forward to next season and a fresh start – a clean slate to prove our selfs.
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
Eating crow-
I had posted awhile back that UK would not win a game in the SEC this year. I am very happy to say that I was wrong… I had to move one of my daughters in Nashville yesterday, and was able to watch the fourth quarter on tv. It was great! Finally, we have someone who can throw the football. We ran it well and played defense too. All I can say is WOW, and good luck the rest of the way UK!!! Vanderbilt and Tennessee can be beat. We could play in a bowl game…Did I just say that?
"You are what you are and you ain't what you ain't"
Finally got to catch the full game on the DVR.
Wow. This kid is a freshman? I was very impressed by everything he did. The announcers were almost laughable in their critique of Smith – calling a 2nd quarter pass “dangerous”, saying he was showing his nerves on a bobbled snap and razzing him on a sack (our only one!). The pass was an incredible effort and only missed by inches, the snap was low – Kentucky aims to have the quarterback receive the ball in the arm cocked position and the sack simply was an extraordinary effort by the UM defense.
Sure, several of his passes were a little off the mark but still catchable not thrown five feet over the receiver. On tight passes he had more that were on the money than off and his long passes will get better with a little more game experience.
His effect on the offense was palpable. The line created huge passing lanes, kept an inept UM pass rush at bay and overall picked up the relentless blitzes with aplomb. I must say that the play-calling was reminiscent of a Woodson led team, the UM defense was actually kept off balance. It sure is nice when the third and long play doesn’t always end up with a poorly shown bubble screen or a sweep to the short side of the field. Hats off to the coaches, you know they feel better having a quarterback with a reasonable chance of executing a play and not having brain/feet freeze.
On the “work to do” list the line still needs to get some consistency on the run blocking; UM created more problems than they should have and the Cats will have a good test with Vandy next week to improve before the Georgia game.
Defensively, our secondary is shaky at best. While the beef up front needs to put a little more heat on the QB, the secondary is our Achilles heel. Joker spoke very highly of the secondary during preseason and once again he should have just been honest with himself or not said anything. If they don’t step up next week, Rodgers will pick us apart passing and could scramble for 150 yards. Overall, we’re still susceptible to counters, reverses and traps.
In the end, what I saw I liked but victories are kinda like that. Very much looking forward to next week and seeing what our new wunderkid will do. Basketball? Nah…..not, yet.
War is God's way of teaching Americans geography. - Ambrose Bierce
The announcers were atrociuous
one kept saying that Smith should underthrow rather than over so that the receiver had a chance to come back and catch the ball. Hello! That is a recipe for interceptions, overpaid, under knowledgeable announcer dude! Where do they find these idiots?
Basketball? Nah…..not, yet.
Blasphemy!
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
Maybe I'm alone on this point but I hardly ever pay any attention to what they're saying BB or FB
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
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