Let’s be trustworthy, Kentucky soccer’s actual season begins Saturday and its offense seems to be unprepared.
It’s the explanation head coach Mark Stoops was gritting his enamel within the postgame press convention after the Cats’ 35-3 victory over Akron on Saturday evening.
“Offensively, a lot of frustration again,” Stoops mentioned.
It’s the explanation offensive coordinator Liam Coen, 4 days after a two-day hospital keep following a “medical episode” suffered Sunday, may really feel his blood strain rising.
“At the end of the day,” mentioned a visibly upset Coen, “if we don’t start executing this stuff is going to bite us in the butt when we play better football teams.”
Yes, the Cats are 3-0. They took care of business on the scoreboard of their preconference schedule. They scored 5 touchdowns Saturday evening, averaged 9.2 yards per play, and produced 10 performs of 20-plus yards, together with scores of twenty-two, 55 and 58 yards.
Here’s the rub: SEC defenses aren’t going to surrender these sorts of explosive performs. SEC defenses not often discover themselves chasing working backs. They don’t enable receivers daylight. They’re too quick, too gifted, too well-coached.
And Kentucky faces the primary of eight consecutive SEC defenses when it travels to Nashville on Saturday. It’s not simply the convention opener for Stoops’ squad, it’s the primary highway sport of the season. Compared to the diploma of problem from the earlier trio of opponents — two MAC groups and an FCS foe — Saturday is a completely totally different problem.
Yes, I do know, it’s Vanderbilt. The league’s perennial Dore-mat. After a 2-0 begin, Clark Lea’s membership has suffered consecutive losses at Wake Forest (36-20) and UNLV (40-37 in a Saturday night heartbreaker within the desert). But this additionally the identical Vanderbilt that shocked Kentucky final season 24-21 at Kroger Field.
The Cats may fall to the Commodores once more if their offense doesn’t discover a method to repair the errors which have muddied these first three video games. Pre-snap penalties. Dropped passes. Errant shotgun snaps. Miscommunications with receivers. Missed blocks. Holding penalties. Fumbles. Poor go safety. All these little issues that may collectively morph into a giant loss.
Examples: Devin Leary’s lone interception Saturday got here when the quarterback and receiver Dane Key weren’t on the identical web page. A 53-yard discipline objective try by Alex Raynor grew to become a Wilson Berry punt after the Cats had been whistled for a delay of sport penalty. A primary-and-goal on the Akron 7-yard line grew to become a second-and-goal from the Akron 28 when Jager Burton’s shotgun snap sailed over Leary’s head for a 21-yard loss.
“We just shoot ourselves in the foot a lot,” Leary mentioned.
Said Stoops, “We can’t do that.”
No, they’ll’t. Did you see Florida on Saturday evening? The Gators whipped 11th-ranked Tennessee 29-16 in The Swamp. They’ll deliver a protracted reminiscence to Kroger Field on Sept. 30, keen to place a tough cease to a two-game shedding streak in opposition to the Cats. After that, Kentucky travels to Georgia. Kirby Smart’s team has also started slowly, nevertheless it’s nonetheless Georgia. The two-time defending nationwide champions. The Bulldogs are the lone SEC East group Stoops has but to beat.
What has magnified Kentucky’s September struggles is the data of how good this offense might be. When on level, Leary is a thread-the-needle passer. Running again and Vandy switch Ray Davis has exceeded expectations. Tayvion Robinson is the Tayvion Robinson UK anticipated final season. We know what sophomore wideouts Barion Brown and Dane Key can do.
“We put it all together, they’re can be a lot of good things,” Stoops mentioned.
So possibly the Cats have performed right down to their competitors. Maybe they’ve discovered it troublesome to focus in opposition to a mushy early slate. Maybe they’re too comfy within the pleasant confines of home. Maybe they’ve been lulled to sleep.
If so, they’d higher get up. Right now. That alarm sound means the beginning of play in an unforgiving convention. Right now, the Cats don’t look able to reply the bell.
Three takeaways from Kentucky football’s win over the Akron Zips
College football final: Kentucky Wildcats 35, Akron Zips 3
‘A lot of frustration again.’ Everything Mark Stoops said after Kentucky’s win over Akron.
‘It is a broken record.’ Why can’t UK football cut out the sloppy play?
First Scouting Report: At Vanderbilt, UK will try to give Ray Davis a happy homecoming
