Kentucky and Rocky Top: How different are the measurables?

There's no point in rehashing the loss to the Bulldogs down in Starkvegas. We simply got Prescotted, out-coached and outplayed. While many in the BBN expected a loss to a very good team, what bothered many was how we lost. This week is another week and another game against Tennessee. So, how do we stack up with the Vols, Georgia, Vanderbilt and Louisville? We're going to have to beat one in order to get to a bowl game. If you think any of these games are going to be easy, send me some of the stuff you're smoking. Sagarin ranks all of them ahead of Kentucky.

Patrick Towles hasn't thrown for a touchdown since the EKU game.  Mark Stoops has a record of 0-20 when Kentucky is behind at the half. D.L. Eliot has two full years and seven games of experience this season as a defensive coordinator. Shannon Dawson admits that he's going through on the job training as an offensive coordinator. These are points that those who are negative say.

Those who are positive point to how young and inexperienced our team is. They also point to the dropped passes and an OL that is unreliable, at best.

I am going to let the stats tell the story by comparing Kentucky with the remaining opponents. We need two wins to become bowl eligible. We can, I believe, rightly assume that the game against Charlotte will end in victory. Our last game will be against Louisville and the game many point to Vanderbilt as a likely victory. That may very well be true, but after looking at the statistics, reasonable people have reason to worry. Especially after the EKU, Auburn and Mississippi State games, a simple man can have his doubts about Kentucky.

What you will see below is that the Wildcats show some strength in some areas and some glaring weaknesses on both sides of the ball.

Kentucky has a definite talent difference and it isn't good. Butch Jones inherited a roster full of four stars and he's recruited many more while beating Kentucky in the recruiting wars since he's been there. I say that Mark Stoops has actually done a better job on the field with lesser talent. Kentucky fans have to be patient because Stoops inherited a roster with very little talent that his staff has had to develop. Patrick Towles is one of the success stories.   

I might suggest that Boom is under-utilized and I think the stats show it. He needs to touch the ball more.

We have to worry about Tennessee's first-half production because they come out strong...very strong.

One good thing is that Kentucky has a deeper receiving corps and stronger targets, but we have to worry about UT's Alvin Kamara and Jalen Hurd, who are a load to bring down once they get the ball.

If Kentucky can hold (not literally, please) down in the first half, we have a chance. I would love for this game to be Kentucky's best of the year on both sides of the ball.

Regardless of the outcome, I believe both teams have brighter days ahead.