Kentucky football is undefeated through four games, having outscored its opponents 152-62 in that period, a statistic that would be eye-catching for even some of the best teams in the nation.
Despite that, fans who have watched the Cats over these four games may not be as pleased with the on-field play as they are with the record.
The Cats defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores 45-28 on Saturday in Nashville, a powerful statement for their first SEC road game of the season.
The game script went the way many fans believed it would: the Cats came out firing and scored on two of their three opening drives, going up 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.
During that time, quarterback Devin Leary racked up 78 yards through the air while the tandem backfield of Ray Davis and JuTahn McClain came up with 70 yards on the ground.
Business as usual, right?
Through the next two quarters the UK offense seemed to hit a lull, only scoring 10 points while Vanderbilt put together two consecutive scoring drives as the half ended.
The comfort of the scoreline seemed to mask the shortcomings of the offense, especially since the UK defense had already had a pick six courtesy of defensive back Maxwell Hairston.
The offense only accumulated three points off of 82 total yards in the second quarter, whereas A.J. Swann and the Vandy offense decided to attack the outside secondary players, attempting deep passes to draw contact and get some yards downfield.
The third quarter was where the wheels came off the tracks.
While this quarter was similar to the second in terms of scoring, the Cats offense ground to a screeching halt, ending the quarter with negative-five yards. This quarter brought a plague of similar offensive woes that have been commonplace so far this season.
Leary struggled to contain his massive arm, over and undershooting open receivers. Wide outs ran the wrong routes and dropped easy passes. The offensive line missed elementary assignments and led to some hard knockdowns on Leary.
These little things, when looking at the overall score line of the game, seem insignificant, but small problems eventually compound into disastrous displays.
Both head coach Mark Stoops and offensive coordinator Liam Coen commented on the lack of intensity during the second in third quarters, not explicitly blaming the inadequate Vanderbilt facilities and field, which were makeshift, as the stadium is undergoing a massive remodeling project, but hinting that it did play a psychological role on the players.
Without the three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, the Cats may have been left in a more precarious situation.
The sole UK touchdown in the third quarter came from a D’Eryk Jackson interception, which he was able to return to Vandy’s 12-yard line. Davis was then given the opportunity to get his second score on the day, which he converted.
This team shines in resiliency more than anything, it certainly does not lack heart, nor does it lack skill.
It is obvious from these first four games that the starting position players are some of the most explosive and talented prospects in recent memory – UK hasn’t seen this amount of talent in its receivers since Randall Cobb, Stevie Johnson and Wan’Dale Robinson.
Still, the fact remains that small errors can incrementally grow into something truly calamitous. Drops by receivers at this level, especially with four straight top 25 games approaching, will not go unpunished.
Not only do drops and missed routes stump drives, but it puts doubts into the minds of both the quarterback and the receiver. No quarterback wants to throw to someone who can’t catch, which negates that receiver as a factor entirely and UK needs all the weapons it can get.
I like to think of the UK offense as a massive jigsaw puzzle.
Putting together a puzzle requires work, and it requires thought – both of which are accounted for with Stoops and Coen at the helm, with both being competent and successful play callers in their own right.
With that in mind, now all that is left to do is figure out how the pieces fit together.
Leary is a talented quarterback. Flashes of brilliance at both NC State and here at UK make him a formidable shot caller behind center and one with a cannon for an arm and a unique ability to evade pressure.
These flashes of brilliance can be seen when Leary fires the ball downfield. He trusts that his arm can get it there and he knows that his receivers have the speed to catch up with the ball.
We’ve seen that with deep shots to almost every single receiver on the roster so far, with even tight ends Jordan Dingle and Brendan Bates getting in on the action.
On the other hand, a team that put up 45 points with its quarterback only tossing one touchdown does raise a few concerned eyebrows.
Ray Davis is a short, explosive runner that seemingly contrasts with what has been seen in recent memory as Chris Rodriguez and Benny Snell were both power runners that were eager to absorb contact, bounce off and accelerate downfield.
Davis’ uniqueness comes from his speed off the handoff, reading the defense quickly and quickly accelerating through the gap into open field.
The receiving corps has all the makings of exciting future NFL prospects and with Barion Brown and Dane Key out wide and Tayvion Robinson in the slot, there is a reliable option everywhere Leary looks.
With that in mind, the success of this Kentucky team all comes down to how these pieces can fit together and whether this puzzle will remain unfinished or turn into the masterful creation it’s capable of being.
Dale Goff • Sep 30, 2023 at 6:31 pm
an has to get better soon real soon