From Dave Matter:
Missouri’s defensive line must be salivating for Saturday’s matchup. Kentucky has built such a strong reputation for offensive line play the program dubbed the position group the Big Blue Wall. It’s more like a sieve this year. UK has allowed 30 sacks, tied for the most among all Power Five teams. Opponents’ 3.8 sacks per game are more than any SEC team has allowed during a season since the conference expanded in 2012. Right tackle Jeremy Flax leads the SEC with five sacks allowed, per Pro Football Focus, and four other UK linemen have allowed at least three each. Meanwhile, here come the Tigers and their revitalized pass rush. Led by All-SEC candidate Isaiah McGuire on the edge, Mizzou leads the SEC in tackles for loss with 57 — more than all but five Power Five defenses. D.J. Coleman has developed into a pass-rush force on the outside, while a deep set of tackles have consistently pushed the pocket in SEC play. Expect defensive coordinator Blake Baker to bring pressure against UK quarterback Will Levis. In SEC play, the Tigers have blitzed opposing quarterbacks on 30% of their drop-back passes, per PFF, and as much as 40% (against Georgia) and 34% (against Auburn). Last week, the Tigers brought relentless pressure against South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, matching their season-high with four sacks. Here’s what should concern Kentucky. “We're far from a finished product and our guys understand that,” Baker said this week. “We came in on Sunday and pointed out things that we can get better at. We could have played a lot better on Saturday.”
Missouri’s defensive line must be salivating for Saturday’s matchup. Kentucky has built such a strong reputation for offensive line play the program dubbed the position group the Big Blue Wall. It’s more like a sieve this year. UK has allowed 30 sacks, tied for the most among all Power Five teams. Opponents’ 3.8 sacks per game are more than any SEC team has allowed during a season since the conference expanded in 2012. Right tackle Jeremy Flax leads the SEC with five sacks allowed, per Pro Football Focus, and four other UK linemen have allowed at least three each. Meanwhile, here come the Tigers and their revitalized pass rush. Led by All-SEC candidate Isaiah McGuire on the edge, Mizzou leads the SEC in tackles for loss with 57 — more than all but five Power Five defenses. D.J. Coleman has developed into a pass-rush force on the outside, while a deep set of tackles have consistently pushed the pocket in SEC play. Expect defensive coordinator Blake Baker to bring pressure against UK quarterback Will Levis. In SEC play, the Tigers have blitzed opposing quarterbacks on 30% of their drop-back passes, per PFF, and as much as 40% (against Georgia) and 34% (against Auburn). Last week, the Tigers brought relentless pressure against South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, matching their season-high with four sacks. Here’s what should concern Kentucky. “We're far from a finished product and our guys understand that,” Baker said this week. “We came in on Sunday and pointed out things that we can get better at. We could have played a lot better on Saturday.”
