Keaton Upshaw (SEC Photo)
It’s hard to imagine any game that Mark Stoops coaches where running the football will not be a priority for Kentucky.
“We need to continue to run the ball and do what we do well. We need to try and keep some balance and I know it’s not there and certainly the second half (vs. Alabama) is not how we want to play. It got away from us very, very quickly,” Stoops said.
That was the 63-3 loss at No. 1 Alabama last week that UK does not want a repeat of when it plays at No. 6 Florida, another explosive offensive team, on Saturday.
Kentucky’s passing game has been inconsistent at best. That’s why Stoops knows as important as the running game is to him and UK, there has to be more balance in the offense.
Josh Ali has been UK’s best, and most consistent, receiver all season. But Stoops hopes tight end Keaton Upshaw and receiver Isaiah Epps might be ready to help the passing game based on what he saw at Alabama.
“I think Isaiah coming back (from injury) gives us some fresh legs and he is doing some really good things and helping us. I want to say, the entire receiver corps, especially the first unit that played quite a bit for us really competed and worked hard and fought to get open (at Alabama),” the UK coach said.
“I thought we had some opportunities. We need to put the ball in a place where we at least give them an opportunity for a competitive catch.”
Stoops said Upshaw is “growing” more into his role and getting better weekly.
“We had high expectations for Keaton the entire year and I finally feel like he is taking steps,” Stoops said. “Keaton is a big target and we like that and feel like he is working harder in practice and working harder in games, He is getting open and can be a weapon for us and we need to continue to look at him.”
Stoops played three quarterbacks — Terry Wilson, Joey Gatewood and Beau Allen — at Alabama to try and jump start the passing game. He thought Wilson did well the first half but went to Gatewood and Allen the second half.
“I did want to see if one of the other quarterbacks could give us a spark. We will just evaluate it game-by-game,” Stoops said.
