With Florida ready to square off against Kentucky tonight on the road, I watched a little bit of film from UK-SC and UK-ULL plus compiled a few key Wildcats statistics.
--Patrick Towles has been inconsistent two games into the season and his accuracy has been all over the place. One drive he’ll make a handful of sharp throws, and then next he’ll overthrow it or place it too behind his receiver. He's is 67th in the nation in yards per passing attempt (7.1) and 82nd overall in completion percentage at 58.7%. He threw an early pick facing pressure against SC, but bounced back, finishing with 192 yards, no TDs and that lone INT on 21/29 passing. Towles completed only 16/34 passes for 257 yards, three touchdowns and an INT against ULL.
--In two games, Kentucky’s top four wide outs -- Garrett Johnson (124 yards, TD on nine catches), Dorian Baker (101 yards on seven catches), Jeff Badet (99 yards, TD on five catches) and Blake Bone (44 yards, TD on five catches) -- have been responsible for about 82% of UK’s receiving yards and 44.1% of the total offensive output. UK has run a few jet sweeps with Johnson working out of the slot. In UK’s Air Raid offense, all four WRs and a RB have seen the field on occasion. Often, Kentucky rolls trips on one side. The Wildcats have run some quick screen plays with the tailback motioning out of the backfield in these formations. Johnson has continued to blossom since his breakout performance against Florida last season, while Badet has shown some playmaking ability (including the 43-yard diving catch downfield from Towles vs. South Carolina). Baker has been a reliable option for Towles on the outside and has also excelled as a downfield blocker on the sidelines.
--Kentucky’s top three running backs, Stanley “Boom” Williams, Jojo Kemp and Mikel Horton, have combined for 384 yards and five touchdowns on 63 carries (6.1 YPC) in two contests. Horton, a big, bruising back and a physical runner at 6-1, 226, is expected to play Saturday after suffering an unspecified head/neck injury in the South Carolina contest. Williams is a speedy athlete who excels at cutting and bouncing to the outside and gaining yards after contact. When he finds space, he’s tough to stop. He is 22nd in the nation in individual rushing and has made a bunch of impressive games so far this season, including a 75-yard touchdown run up the middle of the field on Kentucky’s first play of the game versus Louisiana-Lafayette. Often, UK has its FB and a TE to the sides of Towles in the pistol as two lead blockers for the running back. Saw that on a good number of plays versus the Gamecocks, as well as a few times against the Ragin’ Cajuns (including the 75-yard TD run). Kemp, a good athlete in his own right, has also shown some impressive moves two games into the year and could also be a dangerous threat when he gets moving on the outside.
--UK’s offense is 56th in the nation in scoring offense, 64th in rushing offense, 74th in passing offense and 69th in total offense.
--Meanwhile, the Wildcats defense is 83rd in passing defense, 111th in rushing defense and 103rd overall in total defense allowing 448 yards per game. The Wildcats’ defensive tackles, Melvin Lewis, Regie Meant and Matt Elam, have found successful penetration up front and have done some decent things in the pass rush. Redshirt freshman DE Denzil Ware (INT, defensive PAT vs. SC) has done a good job in DE/LB Jason Hatcher’s absence, but Hatcher is slated to return vs. Florida tonight. Hatcher had two tackles for loss, including a sack, against the Gators in 2014. UK’s starting safeties, A.J. Stamps and Marcus McWilson, have been one of the strengths of the defense, while Chris Westry had himself a heck of a game vs. SC with a sack and the game-winning INT. However, UK has had a few struggles at the other corner spots with cornerback Cody Quinn and nickelback Blake McClain, while the linebacker play has been somewhat shaky. Senior linebacker Ryan Flannigan (shoulder) may not return for the Florida game.
--In two games, Kentucky’s offensive line has allowed four sacks and three quarterback hurries. An early standout so far has been freshman offensive tackle Georgia Asafo-Adjei, who has opened up a bunch of things on the right side of the line, including Horton’s TD run vs. SC early on in the game. The left side of the line has been a bit shaky in run-blocking, and pass protection-wise the whole has had its ups and down. Tackles Jordan Swindle and Kyle Meadows did a few nice things at SC, but were suspect at times.
--Kentucky achieved a near 50/50 run-pass ratio in its first two games, rushing the ball 64 times and passing it on 63 attempts.
--The Wildcats have struggled on third down with a 32.14% conversion rate, ranking 103rd in the nation. UK converted only 4/14 times on third down against South Carolina last weekend.
--Patrick Towles has been inconsistent two games into the season and his accuracy has been all over the place. One drive he’ll make a handful of sharp throws, and then next he’ll overthrow it or place it too behind his receiver. He's is 67th in the nation in yards per passing attempt (7.1) and 82nd overall in completion percentage at 58.7%. He threw an early pick facing pressure against SC, but bounced back, finishing with 192 yards, no TDs and that lone INT on 21/29 passing. Towles completed only 16/34 passes for 257 yards, three touchdowns and an INT against ULL.
--In two games, Kentucky’s top four wide outs -- Garrett Johnson (124 yards, TD on nine catches), Dorian Baker (101 yards on seven catches), Jeff Badet (99 yards, TD on five catches) and Blake Bone (44 yards, TD on five catches) -- have been responsible for about 82% of UK’s receiving yards and 44.1% of the total offensive output. UK has run a few jet sweeps with Johnson working out of the slot. In UK’s Air Raid offense, all four WRs and a RB have seen the field on occasion. Often, Kentucky rolls trips on one side. The Wildcats have run some quick screen plays with the tailback motioning out of the backfield in these formations. Johnson has continued to blossom since his breakout performance against Florida last season, while Badet has shown some playmaking ability (including the 43-yard diving catch downfield from Towles vs. South Carolina). Baker has been a reliable option for Towles on the outside and has also excelled as a downfield blocker on the sidelines.
--Kentucky’s top three running backs, Stanley “Boom” Williams, Jojo Kemp and Mikel Horton, have combined for 384 yards and five touchdowns on 63 carries (6.1 YPC) in two contests. Horton, a big, bruising back and a physical runner at 6-1, 226, is expected to play Saturday after suffering an unspecified head/neck injury in the South Carolina contest. Williams is a speedy athlete who excels at cutting and bouncing to the outside and gaining yards after contact. When he finds space, he’s tough to stop. He is 22nd in the nation in individual rushing and has made a bunch of impressive games so far this season, including a 75-yard touchdown run up the middle of the field on Kentucky’s first play of the game versus Louisiana-Lafayette. Often, UK has its FB and a TE to the sides of Towles in the pistol as two lead blockers for the running back. Saw that on a good number of plays versus the Gamecocks, as well as a few times against the Ragin’ Cajuns (including the 75-yard TD run). Kemp, a good athlete in his own right, has also shown some impressive moves two games into the year and could also be a dangerous threat when he gets moving on the outside.
--UK’s offense is 56th in the nation in scoring offense, 64th in rushing offense, 74th in passing offense and 69th in total offense.
--Meanwhile, the Wildcats defense is 83rd in passing defense, 111th in rushing defense and 103rd overall in total defense allowing 448 yards per game. The Wildcats’ defensive tackles, Melvin Lewis, Regie Meant and Matt Elam, have found successful penetration up front and have done some decent things in the pass rush. Redshirt freshman DE Denzil Ware (INT, defensive PAT vs. SC) has done a good job in DE/LB Jason Hatcher’s absence, but Hatcher is slated to return vs. Florida tonight. Hatcher had two tackles for loss, including a sack, against the Gators in 2014. UK’s starting safeties, A.J. Stamps and Marcus McWilson, have been one of the strengths of the defense, while Chris Westry had himself a heck of a game vs. SC with a sack and the game-winning INT. However, UK has had a few struggles at the other corner spots with cornerback Cody Quinn and nickelback Blake McClain, while the linebacker play has been somewhat shaky. Senior linebacker Ryan Flannigan (shoulder) may not return for the Florida game.
--In two games, Kentucky’s offensive line has allowed four sacks and three quarterback hurries. An early standout so far has been freshman offensive tackle Georgia Asafo-Adjei, who has opened up a bunch of things on the right side of the line, including Horton’s TD run vs. SC early on in the game. The left side of the line has been a bit shaky in run-blocking, and pass protection-wise the whole has had its ups and down. Tackles Jordan Swindle and Kyle Meadows did a few nice things at SC, but were suspect at times.
--Kentucky achieved a near 50/50 run-pass ratio in its first two games, rushing the ball 64 times and passing it on 63 attempts.
--The Wildcats have struggled on third down with a 32.14% conversion rate, ranking 103rd in the nation. UK converted only 4/14 times on third down against South Carolina last weekend.
