PHOTO - UK Athletics
Kentucky quarterback Terry Wilson completed 24 passes to seven different receivers in UK’s season-opening loss at Auburn. However, despite preseason talk — again — that tight ends would be a big part of the passing game, the only reception by a tight end was a 3-yard throw to Justin Rigg.
What happened?
“They had seven targets in that game and did not get to them,” said offensive coordinator Eddie Gran. “They are going to be pinpointed (for passes).”
Gran explained that either tight ends did not get open when they were targeted on the play call or else Auburn’s coverage dictated that Wilson throw somewhere else.
“It’s usually about what the defense is dictating for us,” Gran, who split the tight ends wide several times, said. “But seven times targeted and the ball just did not go to them. Our tight ends will be fine.”
Kentucky could be in offensive shootouts the next two weeks against coaches Lane Kiffin of Mississippi and Mike Leach of Mississippi State. Gran was even on Kiffin’s staff at Tennessee for one year.
“Our job is to score points. Whatever we have got to do whether we win 17-16 or score 35, we got to do our job,” Gran said. “We didn’t do it on Saturday. That’s on me.”
He said he doesn’t see the next two games as personal offensive matchups with Kiffin and Leach.
“It’s never about me. I have got to do what is best for our football team,” Gran said. “If that is slow down and grind it out to give our defense a rest, that’s what we do. We have been pretty good at that.”
He said UK could play “fastball” if the situation dictated, but he’s not worried about anything but winning.
“I am who I am. Some people like me and some don’t. Our job is to score points, take care of the defense and us get in the end zone,” Gran said.
