Let me start with a disclaimer. I tweeted saying I thought the call against Mizzou on the sideline looked correct. I am 150 yards away and saw one replay which made me think Josh Landry escalated that. I fully admit I am probably wrong after how many people have said I am wrong. You guys have a far better view than I do. I am reacting in real time. I very well could have been wrong and probably was. Just want to get that out of the way first so we can focus on plays that actually matter rather than why I hate Missouri and had multiple people telling me to **** off on Twitter.
*Kudos to the defense for the way it responded to that call and just about everything else in the first half. It is stunning how many times this defense is asked to get itself out of impossible situations and even more stunning how often they manage to do it. With an average defense, Missouri is behind three scores in this game.
*Now for that offense: 29 plays for 76 yards. That's 2.6 yards per play. Brady Cook is 7-9,..for 19 yards. That's virtually impossible. The best offensive play was a pass interference on a badly underthrown deep ball, which was the only target for Dominic Lovett in the entire first half.
*Two plays were particularly eggregious: On third and 7, Cook rolled right and had Luther Burden open for a first down. Instead, he tried to run for it, which is fine I guess. I thought he should have thrown it, but whatever. Except then he dropped the ball and Kentucky got it. Not fumbled really because no one hit him. He just dropped it. Last week, the Missouri offense was serviceable simply because it avoided tripping over its own feet. It wasn't good, it just didn't screw up. Well, the mistakes are back.
*Then on 4th and 1 at the UK 38 Mizzou lines up to go for it. Which I agreed with. And then does some junk with Tyler Macon moving under center and trying to draw UK offside but not snapping the ball. But then Mizzou goes for it anyway after the timeout. They put Cook under center and run QB sneak which I have no problem with. Yes, UK is stuffing the middle but you need a foot. The line didn't do its job. But more than that, Cook stands straight up after the snap. What is happening? Just shove forward. You need 12 inches. He wasn't even close enough to have to measure. Terrible execution all around.
*Someone has to explain the last minute to me. If I'm Kentucky I'd have gone for it on fourth and 4 from the Mizzou 42. But they punted and pinned Mizzou at the 7. Kentucky has three timeouts. Mizzou takes a knee...and Kentucky doesn't call timeout???? It's like the coaches just agreed to go to the locker room. If all Missouri is going to do is take a knee, why wouldn't you call three timeouts and at least make them punt? You're at least forcing them to execute a punt in the back of their own end zone and you might get a return. There's no danger they're scoring. I thought taking a knee was 100% the wrong call on Missouri's part for that reason...until Stoops bailed them out by not calling timeout.
*I predicted 17-16 Mizzou. I'm not sure either team can get to 16. Kentucky's offense has at least shown a faint pulse. Missouri's offense hasn't. To get to double figures, one of these teams might need its defense to score.
*Kudos to the defense for the way it responded to that call and just about everything else in the first half. It is stunning how many times this defense is asked to get itself out of impossible situations and even more stunning how often they manage to do it. With an average defense, Missouri is behind three scores in this game.
*Now for that offense: 29 plays for 76 yards. That's 2.6 yards per play. Brady Cook is 7-9,..for 19 yards. That's virtually impossible. The best offensive play was a pass interference on a badly underthrown deep ball, which was the only target for Dominic Lovett in the entire first half.
*Two plays were particularly eggregious: On third and 7, Cook rolled right and had Luther Burden open for a first down. Instead, he tried to run for it, which is fine I guess. I thought he should have thrown it, but whatever. Except then he dropped the ball and Kentucky got it. Not fumbled really because no one hit him. He just dropped it. Last week, the Missouri offense was serviceable simply because it avoided tripping over its own feet. It wasn't good, it just didn't screw up. Well, the mistakes are back.
*Then on 4th and 1 at the UK 38 Mizzou lines up to go for it. Which I agreed with. And then does some junk with Tyler Macon moving under center and trying to draw UK offside but not snapping the ball. But then Mizzou goes for it anyway after the timeout. They put Cook under center and run QB sneak which I have no problem with. Yes, UK is stuffing the middle but you need a foot. The line didn't do its job. But more than that, Cook stands straight up after the snap. What is happening? Just shove forward. You need 12 inches. He wasn't even close enough to have to measure. Terrible execution all around.
*Someone has to explain the last minute to me. If I'm Kentucky I'd have gone for it on fourth and 4 from the Mizzou 42. But they punted and pinned Mizzou at the 7. Kentucky has three timeouts. Mizzou takes a knee...and Kentucky doesn't call timeout???? It's like the coaches just agreed to go to the locker room. If all Missouri is going to do is take a knee, why wouldn't you call three timeouts and at least make them punt? You're at least forcing them to execute a punt in the back of their own end zone and you might get a return. There's no danger they're scoring. I thought taking a knee was 100% the wrong call on Missouri's part for that reason...until Stoops bailed them out by not calling timeout.
*I predicted 17-16 Mizzou. I'm not sure either team can get to 16. Kentucky's offense has at least shown a faint pulse. Missouri's offense hasn't. To get to double figures, one of these teams might need its defense to score.
