Will Levis said he threw "one of the worst interceptions" he's ever thrown Saturday. (UK Athletics Photo)
On paper, the numbers were not that bad as quarterback Will Levis was 23 of 35 passing for 246 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. He also had a 21-yard run. But numbers can be deceiving and the Penn State transfer was not nearly as sharp in Saturday’s 28-23 win over Chattanooga as he had been in Kentucky’s first two games — and both Levis and coach Mark Stoops didn’t try to sugar coat his performance.
“He’ll be better. We felt like he missed some shots in the first half and settled in, did some good things at times, but I think he’s pressing a little bit trying to do too much and he has just got to take care of himself and be him and be confident and he’ll be alright,” Stoops said.
The UK coach said Levis is always hard on himself but was just a “fraction off with his reads and throws” against Chattanooga which had the lead in the fourth quarter.
Levis did blame himself for several mistakes.
“I just say personally, I made some throws that usually I wouldn’t. That first interception was one of the worst interceptions I’ve ever thrown. I don’t know what I was thinking really, and it’s just frustrating looking back, well I haven’t done that all year and then all of a sudden, I get in that situation,” Levis said.
“It’s a big spot, even though it’s third and long, even just scrambling taking a few yards punting is much better than forcing the ball there, and that’s just learning moments.”
Not having a consistent running game hurt, too, and that was surprising after the way UK shredded Missouri with the win the previous game.
“I think that we definitely should have been able to run the ball a little better against them. If we would have got that run game going a little bit, would have helped us a lot,” Levis said.
Offensive coordinator Liam Coen told the offense “everyone had to get things cleared up” but Levis said players have to make plays.
“At the end of the day we were the players, we make it happen. We got to make the plays. So, it starts with preparation. Yesterday we did not have a very good day in practice, and we didn’t want to let that leak into today but obviously, it did,” Levis said.
“We just got to focus on every single day no matter the opponent. Going out there and practicing our butts off and preparing our butts off so it’s really it.”
4 Responses
Let’s hope for significant improvement when this team takes the field next week in Columbia, South Carolina.
This UK football team overlooked Chattanooga and it showed. Play like that against an SEC team and it will be another loss. Champions take care of business no matter the opponent. UK is not there yet, but the good news is they are 3-0. UK must get their mojo back at Columbia or it will be a long night. Prepare and then fight, get after USC CATS. You are better than you showed against the Mocs.
I will never complain about the cats being 3-0.
I’ve never talked to Levis but I get the sense that he is a leader in the front rather than behind. Sometimes young guys like that take more on themselves than they have the capability to accomplish. For example, when the team is playing sluggish they have a tendency to try for a big play or push the envelope to create a big play. Yes, the team needs him to be a big play maker but the team needs him to play within himself and do "his" job, not everyone else’s job. Before he can take more on himself than he has to have the chemistry right with his receivers and that takes time.