Joey Gatewood completed 15 passes but for only 91 yards and ran 16 times for only 23 yards in Saturday's 14-3 loss. (SEC Photo)
If you can’t score, you can’t win. That’s a pretty basic concept in any sport. Certainly for Kentucky football, that’s a huge problem this year.
The Cats failed to get into the end zone against No. 5 Georgia Saturday and lost 14-3 to the Bulldogs in a game that was not nearly that close. Maybe Kentucky did beat the point spread, but it really never had a chance to win.
Georgia threw two interceptions deep in UK territory and had a field goal blocked to keep the score as low as it was. But even with Joey Gatewood at quarterback instead of injured Terry Wilson, the UK offense had no downfield passing threat — and didn’t even try late in the game when that was obviously the only chance it had to try and mount a comeback.
SEC Network analyst Chris Doering joked he fell asleep during the game, not exactly the kind of national publicity any team wants.
“I have never seen a team more content not to lose by more points,” said Doering after the game. “It’s hard to believe you would not want to accomplish more than they did.”
Another SEC Network analyst, former Auburn coach Gene Chizik, blasted UK’s offensive philosophy as well.
“You don’t go into games just to hang around and make sure you do not look bad,” Chizik said. “I don’t care if it (passing downfield) is risky. You can’t win by showing that sort of game plan. If they don’t get that fixed …”
Let me finish that statement for Chizik. If they don’t get that fixed UK won’t win another game and yes, I know Vanderbilt is on the schedule. But no downfield passing threat makes it easy for teams to load the box, play for the short pass and rally to the run.
It’s pretty remarkable that Chris Rodriguez ran for 108 yards on 20 carries against a Georgia defense giving up just 65 yards per game. Kentucky actually bullied Georgia and its vaunted defense in the second quarter with a 19-play, 77-yard drive that took over 10 minutes off the clock before having to settle for a field goal.
Kentucky stayed in the game — give the defense and a running game that did take up time credit for that. But down 14-3 late in the game, UK never changed its offensive mindset.
Who cares if a deep pass got picked off or if Georgia won 28-3 instead of 14-3? At least look like you are trying to win.
“I don’t care what you are good or bad at (offensively). You have to try and push the ball down the field,” SEC Network sideline analyst Cole Cubelic said after the game.
Or at least you do if you want to have any chance of winning.
