With the SEC East showdown against Missouri looming, here are five Kentucky players to keep an eye on when the Wildcats take on the Tigers at 7:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday night.
1) Patrick Towles
All eyes will be on Patrick Towles Saturday night. Towles had a rough outing against Florida, constantly being pressured with no time to throw and oftentimes holding on to the ball too long in the pocket. A 33 percent completion percentage will not cut it against a Missouri defense that is one of the best in college football. Although their competition has not been the strongest, the Tigers are only allowing 217 yards per game.
The Tigers have a strong defensive line and one of the best linebackers in the league in Kentrell Brothers, who is leading the country in total tackles. If the Wildcats want to win, Patrick Towles will need to do his part in making plays in the passing game by making quicker reads, getting the ball out sooner, and being accurate with his throws. If Patrick Towles accuracy is above 60 percent, I think the Wildcats have a good chance of winning Saturday night.
2) Dorian Baker
In the last two games, Dorian Baker has had critical drops on down-field passes that could have easily turned into points. Every receiver drops passes. Even Shannon Dawson noted that Kevin White (the #6 overall pick out of WVU last year) dropped passes. I do not think Baker's dropped passes should be considered a major issue yet, but it is definitely something to watch.
Baker had a nice catch on a critical fourth down in the Florida game that the coaching staff hopes will elevate his confidence and get him in a rhythm. Baker has all the makings to be an All-SEC wide receiver, but he has to continue catching passes and avoiding drops to get to that point.
3) The Offensive Line
This doesn't individually fall on one person, but many will be paying attention to the offensive line after their struggles with a speedy Florida defensive line. The Cats will not catch a break this week, as the Tigers' defensive line is one of the best in the conference.
Kentucky's offensive line will have to win one-on-one match-ups in order to allow Patrick Towles time in the pocket to make plays.Any quarterback struggles when constantly under heavy pressure from pass rushers, and the hope is that with more time to throw and less defenders breathing down his neck, the passing game will be much more efficient.
4) Ryan Flannigan
Flannigan makes his long-awaited debut for the Wildcats after sitting out the first three games of the season due to injury. Khalid Henderson has played well as the second linebacker during Flannigan's absence, but I am interested to see Flannigan hit the field this season.
With him in the fold, Josh Forrest can likely take a few more possessions off and allow him to be better rested late in the game. Flannigan was the fourth-leading tackler on last year's team, so I am certain Coach Stoops and Defensive Coordinator DJ Eliot are welcoming his arrival.