UK’s Jojo Kemp masters the Wildcat formation

Kentucky Wildcats running back Jojo Kemp runs through the defense during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday, October 4, 2014 in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky upset South Carolina 45-38. Photo by Michael Reaves

By Joshua Huff

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They say that football is a team sport. A game not won by an individual, but by a set of pieces working in unison to achieve victory.

But for one autumn night, the lights shined brightly on an individual, not on a team. An individual who has undergone his fair share of struggles this season, but when his name was called, he stepped onto the field and carried UK football to a stunning victory over South Carolina.

That individual was running back Jojo Kemp.

Kemp, out of the Wildcat offense formation, scored three of UK’s six touchdowns on the night. He finished the game rushing for 131 yards on 17 attempts.

“I’m so proud of Jojo,” said head coach Mark Stoops. “That was the first game ball I gave out tonight. I called Jojo up and gave him the game ball because of just the sheer determination that he had. He put the team on his back. He really dug deep.”

The Cats lived by the Wildcat and Kemp made it excel. Each time the Gamecocks sucked the wind out of UK’s sails, the Cats sent quarterback Patrick Towles out wide and set Kemp behind center. And each time, Kemp would take the snap, pause, find a hole and burst through the exhausted South Carolina defense.

“Whenever my number was called, I had to make the best of my opportunity,” Kemp said.

And that he did.

Zigzagging his way through multiple Gamecocks, Kemp averaged nearly eight yards per carry as he punished the hapless South Carolina defense.

South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier said it best about Kemps’ effectiveness on the night:

“Obviously we cannot stop that kid,” Spurrier said. “Obviously we can’t stop the Wildcat.”

With the Wildcat proving to be the most productive play in Stoops’ playbook, look for Kemp to have his name called many more times this season, and for the UK fanbase to continue to loudly chant his name as they did on Saturday night.

“It meant a lot,” Kemp said of the win. “We just wanted to come out, show the nation (and) our fans what we’ve been working so hard for and we just showed we really can win the game.”