Cats learn little in thorough loss to Alabama

 

By Alex Forkner | Football columnist

aforkner@kykernel.com

The University of Alabama’s defense was shutting down UK like it was the federal government.

Then, after an entire first half (plus one drive) of looking dead in the water against the Tide, Maxwell Smith threw a strike to Javess Blue for a 30-yard touchdown — only the third time Alabama has allowed a touchdown all season, and the first passing touchdown thrown by someone other than Johnny Manziel.

This glorious moment, when barriers were broken and the impossible accomplished, is all that UK should remember from this game.

Because the rest is a downright downer.

“When you’re playing the No. 1 team in the country, at least give them your best shot,” UK head coach Mark Stoops said after he watched the Tide trample his defense and stifle his offense. “Go toe-to-toe with them and let the chips fall where they may.”

After Alabama’s first three drives ended with a punt and two lost fumbles, it looked as if UK might do just that. The Cats held the Tide scoreless through the first quarter, the first team to do so this season.

But that was short lived.

“Even though we got a couple of turnovers, we were still behind the eight ball most of the night and chasing it,” Stoops said. “It was an uphill climb.”

Alabama looked exponentially better than UK. Just ask the numbers: Alabama’s 668 yards to UK’s 170, 35 first downs to 13 and an average of 8.3 yards per play to just 3.3.

The Cats didn’t break 100 yards in either passing or rushing. Alabama, for the first time in its program’s illustrious history, had a 300-yard passer and two 100-yard rushers.

The coaching staff shouldn’t just burn this game tape; they should melt it in sulfuric acid “Breaking Bad” style, or jettison it to the far reaches of outer space.

There’s nothing to learn from this game, nothing to glean other than Alabama is insanely good in all facets of the game. After a nightmarish stretch where UK played four top-20 teams, the Cats can now look at the upcoming bye and remaining schedule as a fresh start.

And what a much-needed bye it will be.

“I think we’re pretty banged up,” Stoops said. “I felt that. That bunch, they beat us up pretty good.”

The Nutter football facility’s training room ought to be a popular place this week. A number of Cats were hobbled by Bama’s onslaught, no injury more significant than Jalen Whitlow’s ankle sprain on the second offensive drive of the game.

Losing Whitlow not only meant crumpling up the game plan for Alabama, which featured plenty of designed quarterback runs, offensive coordinator Neal Brown said. But the injury also plants the QB situation back in the quagmire where it’s been for most of the season. Whether the bye week will be enough time for Whitlow to recover remains to be seen.

Then there are players like Demarco Robinson, Fred Tiller, Nate Willis, Donte Rumph, Ashley Lowery, Raymond Sanders and Kevin Mitchell, all who were slow to get up or missed part of the game with a battery of bumps and bruises.

The Cats now turn toward a second season, and they must put this game behind them.

“Alabama made us look bad,” Brown said. “We will not be the only team they make look bad.”

The coaches bemoaned UK’s competitive spirit in this game, its lack of execution and effort, but this game was practically decided before it began.

Now UK faces games immeasurably more winnable than a matchup with Alabama, a near-perfect football machine. Some UK players are even doing some optimistic math.

“We have to win five games to be bowl eligible so we have to grind and dig and try to get some wins,” senior linebacker Avery Williamson said.

Six games remain. The Cats managed to score a touchdown against Alabama, after all, so don’t rule anything out.