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All I know is that I can’t imagine Kentucky going to plan at Tennessee again in football and not making a rest stop in Williamsburg. The Wildcats did that Friday for the first time on the way to Knoxville and practiced at the University of the Cumberlands before finishing the trip to Knoxville.
Call it what you want, but some kind of Cumberlands mojo worked because UK not only won, but won 34-7 and dominated the second half.
“I think it definitely helped us get our legs under ourselves and not feel slowed down,” linebacker Jamin Davis, who had an 85-yard interception return for a score in the win, said.
Davis said it broke up the three-plus hour bus ride and gave the players a chance to move around about two hours into the trip.
“Definitely worth it in my opinion,” Davis said about the stop.
Stoops had said early last week he planned to do something different this year to prepare for playing in Knoxville. However, he didn’t say what.
Stoops said UK went to the Tennessee Titans facility in Nashville last year when it played at Vanderbilt but that was after the team arrived in Nashville. Stoops didn’t like the way UK played in Knoxville two years ago when most believed the Cats were the better team but were not a match for the Vols.
“Two years ago I did not like the way we came out,” Stoops said.
He said breaking up the trip to have a Friday practice in Williamsburg helped.
“It was a beautiful day. We had a great practice and appreciate them and their hospitality,” the UK coach said. “Our players enjoyed it and it broke up the day. We cruised on into Knoxville and had our (team) meetings.”
Then Saturday the Cats cruised on the field and put the squeeze on the Orange for the first time since 1984 in Knoxville.
