LSU at Kentucky: Around the Blogosphere
by Truzenzuzex
on Oct 10, 2007 5:18 PM EDT
in Football
LSU at Kentucky is a big game for several reasons. One, because the two teams are ranked in the top 25. Two, because LSU is the newly minted unanimous #1 team in the land, and unless the #1 team is feasting on pastry (like USC vs. Stanford -- oops!), their games always draw a national audience and a lot of attention. Three, because LSU is visiting an unusually competent and dangerous Kentucky team.
The college football blogosphere is still buzzing a bit about Florida's recent visit to Death Valley, but some attention is now being paid to the upcoming struggle in Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday. Lalover at the LSU blog New Orleans Love notes that he picked Kentucky to upset LSU in the pre-season, and he admits to having some fear of André Woodson. But he also notes that somebody will have to block Glenn Dorsey, and that is very hard.
Richard Pittman writing for the Geaux Tuscaloosa blog pronounces the game a mental one:
No matter how much I hate to have the Wildcats referred to as "soft", I have to admit that compared to LSU, the adjective is apt. LSU plays "hard" football, a kind of throwback, smash-mouth, beat-you-with-defense, in-between the tackles kind of football that has largely disappeared from the SEC these days. Oh, they haven't gone back to the single-wing or anything, but this team relies far more on brute force, defensive speed and raw power. It is a deadly combination.
Some bloggers seem to think that there is absolutely no way we can beat LSU. Then again, some of them (well, one at least) are picking Kentucky in a big upset:
Crazy? Well, if you accept this description of the Tigers, you might have to say yes:
Well. I have no doubt that there might be a bit of hyperbole in that description, but it does conjure a rather scary image. Scary, too, is Les Miles success with all the gambles he took last week. We can only hope that LSU will need Miles to roll the dice, and that unlike the game in Death Valley last week, some of those rolls come ups craps.
In spite of all this, we shouldn't give up hope, and regardless of Kentucky's unfortunate past against SEC powerhouses and last year's shellacking at the hands of the Tigers, more people than just Wildcat fans are aware of just how dangerous this team can be. The Dead Guy has us beating the spread of 9.5 points, which is confidence of a sort, I suppose. Parish Alford, an Ole Miss blogger, has us beating the spread as well.
So there we go, a look at what the blogosphere currently thinks of the game. It's hard to find a lot of people picking Kentucky to win outright, but there are many who figure this game will be closer than 9 points. I'll have a more in-depth look at this game on Thursday and a Q&A with And The Valley Shook on Friday.
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Go Cats
by Gatorpilot on Oct 10, 2007 7:17 PM EDT 0 recs
From the H-L
by The Lexpatriate on Oct 10, 2007 8:43 PM EDT 0 recs
I pick all three!
Praying the Football Cats pull it out :)
by blueninja on
Oct 10, 2007 9:31 PM EDT
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you suck...
i'll be at the game too..would be awesome to see them win.
by UKWildCatFanatic on
Oct 10, 2007 11:40 PM EDT
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BBM Tix
I happened upon a guy at the FAU game who was like hey you know anyone that needs BBM tix? I ended up getting them for $20 bucks each!! 20th row upper arena on the sideline.
Dollars well spent! It is my first one.
by blueninja on
Oct 11, 2007 11:20 AM EDT
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That ...
But beating out Keeneland is impressive.
by Truzenzuzex on
Oct 11, 2007 6:53 AM EDT
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capacity
by UKWildCatFanatic on
Oct 11, 2007 10:06 AM EDT
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Charmin?
LSU while a terrific team, can be had. They have a tendency to start slow. If UK can take advantage of this trend, the crowd then becomes a factor. The players start to believe, and an avalanche of Blue fortune ensues. We've seen it on the hardwood. A superior team lets their opponent hang around, and before you know it, a dog fight breaks out.(Apologies to Ron Mexico)
I admit a superior effort must be given in order to have any kind of legitimate chance of pulling off the upset. Oh, there's that word, upset. In a year as wacky as this, I have come to expect the unexpected. The unexpected would be a UK victory, say 21-20.
Now if we could only get Nick Saban back on the LSU sideline to be apart of a gut wrenching loss to UK. That would go a long way toward relieving some of the nightmares I have about the "Bluegrass Miracle".
One can always hope.
by Ken Howlett on Oct 10, 2007 10:42 PM EDT 0 recs
prediction
anybody care to predict Dorsey's sack total...i set the over/under at 4.5
by UKWildCatFanatic on Oct 10, 2007 11:42 PM EDT 0 recs
Re LSU at Kentucky
- Take care of the ball, UK fails here they lose.
- Play ball control and try to keep the defense off the field, a must.
- Shorten the game, stay inbounds and keep the clock running. This heightens any turnover difference in our favor.
- Use the two-back set meaning only three receivers. In his progression Andre won't get past two anyway.
- Expect LSU to do what SC did, play the safeties deep an run to the ball. They believe they can do it better, and they'd be right.
- Split Tamme all the way out on the left and put Burton in the slot on the left. If their safeties stay back that means a linebacker on Tamme or Burton which is a mismatch either way. If they bring a safety up that opens up the downfield pass. If they play the nickel that helps our running game.
- RUN THE BALL, RUN THE BALL
- Get out the ole playback and find the page that says Utah pass. Take advantage of their pass rush by throwing it to Conner and having him run it right up the gut.
- Bootleg and throw it on time. If it's not there throw it away.
- Run the ball 2/3 of the time.
- DO NOT PLAY FOR FIELD GOALS. That means taking chances. You don't beat a great team by playing timid.
- Prayer meetings start at 0600 Friday and continue until gametime. Pray early, pray often.
by 58Fan on Oct 11, 2007 9:13 AM EDT 0 recs
Pittman's Take.
He does note that UK is a "finesse team", which is incorrect. He evidently has not seen Kentucky play much this year. His "unusual" logic leads him to the conclusion that because a team has a nice set of skill position players they are therefor soft. Perhaps he did not read McFadden's comments after the Arkansas game noting that UK was the most physical team he had ever played in the SEC.
No matter. You have some very astute observations as far as gameplanning is concerned. It is hard to disagree with anything you wrote. I feel the most important aspect of the upcoming "titanic struggle", (Thanks to Marty), is your #1. Take care of the ball. If this advice had been heeded for the SC game, UK would be 6-0.
I do not believe God cares who wins, but prayer certainly can't hurt.
by Ken Howlett on
Oct 11, 2007 11:20 AM EDT
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You don't ...
I kind of see them that way. We really haven't seen the kind of smash-mouth football from UK (or Florida, or ... well, any other SEC team) that we have seen from LSU.
Personally, I think we are softer than LSU. Our players are not as physical, although they are physical. Our players are not as fast or athletic, although they are both. And our defense simply doesn't hit as hard player for player. That isn't saying Woodyard doesn't hit as hard as Highsmith. But Dorsey hits harder than anybody on our team (just ask Florida's 305# guard Jim Tartt -- Dorsey knocked him almost unconscious in their last game).
Comparatively speaking, it is my opinion that LSU is "harder" than we are. They don't finesse anything. They don't run much outside the tackles. They pretty much try to manhandle every team they play. We don't. So by comparison, I think that saying we are a finesse team is pretty much apt.
by Truzenzuzex on
Oct 11, 2007 12:24 PM EDT
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Concur...
LSU players said after the UF game that Florida was the most physical team they played all year.
by Gatorpilot on
Oct 11, 2007 4:07 PM EDT
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Re: Tru
Will UK smack you in the mouth. Yes. Both offensively and defensively. I would wager Locke would take umbrage at being characterized as soft. Same for the other backs.
Defensively this team hits, and hits hard. This started last year, and thankfully has continued.
To me, making a statemnet that UK is soft, because they aren't as physical as LSU is akin to saying that Larry Bird wasn't any good, because he wasn't as good as MJ.
If one wants to see a soft football team, put in a tape of a Mumme era team. Now those teams were squeezably soft.
by Ken Howlett on Oct 11, 2007 2:58 PM EDT 0 recs
Eh?
That isn't really a good analogy. I'm not saying the Cats aren't good, I'm just saying they aren't as "hard" as LSU. That's just the way I see it. Maybe they'll prove me wrong. I hope so.
I'm relating my perception, and if Locke wants to "take umbrage", let him. That's my considered opinion, right or wrong. I neither apologize for it nor back down from it. I agree with what Pittman said, generally speaking.
If UK proves me wrong during the game, I'll say so later. I may be wrong, but I don't thinks so.
by Truzenzuzex on
Oct 11, 2007 5:01 PM EDT
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Continued
Jordan= Greatest Player
UK= Physical Team
LSU= Uber Physical Team
I agree that UK isn't as physical as LSU, but who is?
Soft is the adjective in Pittman's piece that is incorrect.
My reference to Locke refers to his ability to flat out hit defenders as well as take a hit. As evidenced in the Arkansas game.
If the statement had been: "UK, while physical, is not nearly as physical as LSU", I would have no problem wholeheartedly agreeing.
I just hope UK scores more points.
It is refreshing to debate something like physicality, instead of what UK should be doing differently to win games. Progression.
by Ken Howlett on
Oct 11, 2007 5:38 PM EDT
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Agree
Look back at the hits we were putting on Tennessee last season and Mcfaddens comments.
I get the LB/MJ analogy.
LSU says UF is the most physical team they played becuase they havent played us yet.
(GP please do not respond to this comment its a joke. While UK is much much more physical than they used to be I am not here to debate whether or not they are more or less physical than UF. )
They are more physical by the way though.
by davw83 on Oct 11, 2007 6:32 PM EDT 0 recs
One Big Happy Family
As I stated earlier, it is a lot more fun to debate the ATTRIBUTES of a UK football team, and NOT how they're going to eke out 4 wins.
Loved your dig to GP.
by Ken Howlett on
Oct 11, 2007 7:01 PM EDT
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My Gators don't play this weekend...
LSU is a beatable team. I'd say their biggest 'weakness' if you could call it that, is its methodical offense. They don't break open many big plays, they just keep brutalizing their opponent. They were stunned for a couple of quarters when they were down vs. UF. The same can happen against UK, especially a week after such a big game last week -- emotional letdown?
I can't PREDICT an upset here. But I'm sure hoping for one! Go 'Cats.
by Gatorpilot on Oct 12, 2007 6:41 PM EDT 0 recs
Expanding on that...
Their defense is a great one, definitely #1 in the SEC. Still, I think they're a little bit overrated. Our freshman lineman, Maurkice Pouncey, handled Glenn Dorsey all night.
Please, Andre Woodson, do not bread-loaf fumble in the first possession of that game. Thanks in advance.
by Gatorpilot on Oct 12, 2007 6:44 PM EDT 0 recs
Thanks ...
Your are exactly right about their weakness. If we can find a way to score on their defense, it will put pressure on their offense. That is as close as LSU comes to having an Achilles' Heel.
Woodson has undoubtedly learned a thing or two about taking care of the football. I agree, thanks in advance for not fumbling the ball due to careless handling.
Dorsey became a problem for you guys in the 4th quarter. He almost put Tartt out of the game with a savage blow, and Tartt is a big, big boy. I fear for the left side of our O-line, and for the health of Woodson. We just aren't as big or as talented as the Gators are in the O-line, but we have to find a way to keep him from living in our backfield, or lose.
by Truzenzuzex on
Oct 12, 2007 11:38 PM EDT
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