What They’re Saying: ‘Cats vs. ‘Cocks Preview Edition

After notching the first victory of the 2016 season over New Mexico State, a greater challenge certainly awaits Kentucky when it plays host to South Carolina Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium. Here’s a look at what members of the media have been saying about Kentucky’s win and about the upcoming match-up with the Gamecocks:

2010 was also the last year Kentucky went to a bowl game. Just saying...

Doesn’t look like Barker will be active against the Gamecocks, but a bold call for a freshman to make in any scenario. Not that I disagree with him...

I certainly hope so. Wasn’t this the game where you were supposed to be taking a more active role with the defense?

Wait, what?

Kentucky Sports Radio’s Freddie Maggard gave us some positive notes from Kentucky’s offense vs. New Mexico State:

— True freshman Benny Snell Jr had himself a game. I made the comment on the broadcast, “I don’t think I could love a player more than I love Benny Snell.” Somewhat dramatic, but hey I was excited. His welcome to college football day included 17 carries, 137 yards and 4 touchdowns. Snell is a throwback, old school football player. Tough, determined, physical, and intense are appropriate descriptions for the rookie that resembled a Jerry Claiborne era running back. For the younger crowd, that’s the highest possible compliment that I can bestow upon a UK RB.

— Boom Williams averaged 10.4 yards per carry by rushing 18 times for 188 yards and 1 touchdown. The preseason All-SEC RB managed 25 rushes for 165 yards against Southern Miss and Florida.

— TE CJ Conrad emerged from the abyss to catch 5 passes for 133 yards and 3 touchdowns. The BBN has clamored for TEs to be incorporated into the offensive game plan on blogs, message boards, social media, and on the air waves. Greg Hart also had two grabs and was a physical line-of-scrimmage blocker.

— Punt returner Charles Walker broke a longtime drought by racing 65 yards through the NMSU punt team for a touchdown. Walker’s return score was UK’s first since Randall Cobb’s September 11, 2010 scamper for 6.

— True freshman punter Grant McKinniss averaged 47.5 yards per punt. That’s almost 8 more yards than UK averaged a year ago.

While the Courier-Journal’s Jon Hale rightfully graded Kentucky’s Defense through it’s first three games:

► What went right: Very little. Sophomore linebacker Jordan Jones, who leads the SEC with 35 tackles, has been one of the few bright spots for the UK defense. Jones made at least seven tackles in each of the first three games, including a career-high 19 tackles in the season opener against Southern Miss. Kentucky’s vaunted secondary has disappointed overall, but the Wildcats are tied for fifth nationally in interceptions (six). Two of those interceptions came at key moments of the New Mexico State win: one from senior safety Blake McClain immediately after UK lost a fumble and another from sophomore cornerback Derrick Baity in the end zone in the fourth quarter with the Aggies attempting to pull within six points.

► What went wrong: A lot. UK ranks 112th nationally in passing defense (285 yards per game), 116th in rushing defense (243 yards per game) and 122nd in scoring defense (43.7 points per game) and total defense (528 yards per game). Kentucky has surrendered at least 500 yards in each of the first three games despite playing two opponents outside the Power 5 conferences. The run defense was a significant question mark heading into the season, but the secondary’s inability to live up to its summer hype has been particularly worrisome. The Wildcats rank 127th of 128 teams nationally in third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert 57.69 percent of the time.

► Grade: F

Four years into the Stoops era, Kentucky’s defensive depth remains a significant problem, and the unit has done little to suggest improvements are coming soon. Stoops took a more active role in game planning and play calling before the New Mexico State game, but the Aggies still totaled 500 yards. That move will closely tie Stoops to the performance of the defense moving forward, for better or worse.

And then we look ahead to a critical game for Coach Stoops and the ‘Cats vs. South Carolina...

I’m good with that. Just have to make sure Johnson gets protection and stays healthy, because if he goes down, Kentucky is really in trouble.

Will definitely be interesting to see how McWilson responds Saturday. Stoops rarely calls out individuals in press conferences.

“Action Jackson?” More like, “Action Johnson,” right?

The Herald-Leader’s Mark Story asked the question on everyone’s mind earlier this week: “Is this the make-or-break week for Mark Stoops?” I think it’s somewhat of a trick question at this point, as Stoops has potentially four make-or-break games in the next five weeks. Here’s what Mark Story had to say...

If UK wins, even after all the kvetching over the meltdown loss to Southern Mississippi in the season opener and the no-show blowout defeat at Florida in game two, Kentucky will be 2-2.

With home games left against Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Georgia and Austin Peay plus a road trip to Missouri, there would still be a viable path to bowl eligibility open to the Cats.

Heck, even if a victory over South Carolina only ended up leading to a third straight 5-7 finish for UK, that would probably be enough — given the $12 million buyout it would cost to remove the Kentucky head coach after this season — to keep Stoops (13-26) from being fired.

However, lose to South Carolina and the road to bowl eligibility — or even to five wins — gets very problematic for Kentucky.

The Cats will be trying to beat the Gamecocks for a third consecutive season. Other than Vanderbilt, UK has not beaten an SEC foe in three straight seasons since Blanton Collier’s Wildcats bested Tennessee in 1957, ’58 and ’59.

Another 5-7 season would feel like yet another regression in terms of the Stoops era, in my opinion. And for Kentucky to get to five wins, it would still have to take two of three games against Vanderbilt and Mississippi State at home and Missouri on the road. That will not be easy.

Give Kentucky and Stoops props for having South Carolina’s number the past two seasons, and give the fans some props as well, because of what was reported by The State’s Josh Kendall:

“It’s the atmosphere,” Gamecocks senior Chris Moody answered when asked why it was such a tough place for his team to play. “It’s just so weird when you get off the bus and get into the stadium. It’s a weird place to play. I can’t tell you why. It’s just a weird place to go line up and play. It’s quiet. The last time we played, it was kind of foggy.”

Senior Darius English also remembered the weather from South Carolina’s last trip to Lexington.

“It was really cold and we weren’t really into it,” English said. “We expected to beat them and we didn’t take them seriously, but this year we are going to make sure we prepare fully and come out ready to go.”

Overlooking the Wildcats would be a temptation again this year. Kentucky lost to Southern Miss to open the season and was beaten 45-7 by Florida. It won its first game last week, despite giving up 42 points to New Mexico State. South Carolina senior Alan Knott figures that will make it tougher on the Gamecocks this week.

“With them having two losses, it’s going to be a tough place for us to play,” Knott said. “Their fans are always wild when we get there because I feel like we have a little bit of a rivalry there. We play each other really hard every year. It’s a tough fought battle.”

Overall, the Gamecocks have lost two in a row in this series. Two years ago, it was running back Jojo Kemp running out of the Wildcat formation 17 times for 131 yards and three touchdowns.

“That was frustrating,” South Carolina safety D.J. Smith remembered. “That’s not going to happen again I don’t think. Hopefully, it won’t.”

Last season, it was running back Boom Williams who burned the Gamecocks, gaining 107 yards on 14 carries. Both Kemp and Williams remain on Kentucky’s roster, although Kemp might not play because of an injury.

“I actually knew Boom, me and him played on the same all-star team in Florida,” Smith said. “I’m friends with him and I know he’s a good player. We just have to be ready to play. We don’t want to lose three in a row to Kentucky, nah. I think we’re going to be ready to play.”

Hopefully Cats fans show up in full-force yet again this Saturday and the Wildcats can take care of the Gamecocks for a third straight year. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Eastern and the game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network. Kentucky is currently favored by two.