Kentucky Football: Shannon Dawson Talks Auburn Game, Mississippi State and the Evils of Cowbells

Three plays, specifically two dropped passes and an interception, are the lasting memories the Big Blue Nation will carry from last Thursday’s loss to Auburn.

Offensive Coordinator Shannon Dawson, however, saw plenty of positive things in his unit’s performance against the Tigers.

"Offensively we executed about as good as we have this year. That’s probably as close as what I envision offensive football looking like."

He added that both teams played a clean game and that UK’s lone turnover was the difference in the game. Dawson thought that the interception was not the result of a bad read by Patrick Towles but how the ball was thrown in relation to the wide receiver’s route.

"The ball needs to be high to the back of the end zone. It was kind of low and away", Dawson explained.

Much like in the Auburn game UK will face a physical defense against Mississippi State this weekend in Starkville.

"They might be the biggest team we’ve played yet", said Dawson, but he also added that facing such a defense is old hat for Kentucky at this point in the season.

The Wildcats offense has struggled against the pass rush this season and MSU already has 19 sacks but Dawson is confident that the O-line’s protection has improved enough to counter whatever the Bulldog’s will throw at them.

One thing that UK has not faced this season is the unique challenge home atmosphere at Mississippi State, specifically the home crowd’s fondness for cow bells. Dawson said that staff has been preparing the team for the noise level and that personally the cowbells are driving him up the wall.

"I’m about to kill myself", Dawson joked.