Florida quarterback Kyle Trask has thrown 31 touchdowns in seven games this season. (SEC Photo)
Kentucky’s historic win at Florida in 2018 will not have any bearing on UK’s game at Gainesville Saturday. Or at least that is what Kentucky coach Mark Stoops believes except for a few minor things.
“The only way you can use it is if the plays are similar. Certain defenses that they were playing then that they play now. Certain offensive plays that they did then, what they do now or how they present it, different ways and different packages. Florida’s offense looks a bit different this year, but it is still (coach) Dan Mullen,” Stoops said.
“He still wants to run the football and you can see the growth in their offensive line. You can see them getting the way Dan wants to be and be very physical. Obviously, they are throwing the heck out of the football with their quarterback and the weapons that they have.
“But it also comes from a balanced approach as well. You can use bits and pieces of it (2018 game) , show them clips and hopefully that will spark our guys and pick up their confidence again and get them back to the level that we know we can play.”
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask has become a national name with his spectacular play this year. He had three touchdown passes in last week’s win over Vanderbilt and now has 31 in seven games. That’s a league record for most touchdown passes in a single season in seven conference games.
“Just a guy that is getting more and more comfortable with reps,” Stoops said. “I knew watching him last year against us that he was a special talent. He certainly has gotten better with every opportunity.
“He is really, really confident, what he is doing and how he is throwing the ball. He has a lot of weapons to get the ball to. He is playing at a really high level.”
Alabama quarterback Mac Jones had his way with Kentucky’s defense last week when the Tide rolled up 63 points. Stoops knows his team needs a better pass rush to help disrupt Trask but also understands playing from behind so often has made it hard for UK to get a consistent pass rush.
“That is on us as a defense. You have to earn the right to be a pass rusher and that is getting them in predictable pass with third and longs, second and longs, things of that nature. We haven’t done that,” Stoops said.
“They are still working hard and they are close. I feel pretty good about the front-line guys but we need to continue to develop some depth behind them. We can still create some pressure, it is just the matter of earning that right and getting them in predictable pass.”
