Tight end Keaton Upshaw had two first-down catches for Kentucky at Alabama. (SEC Photo)
Former Kentucky running back Anthony White has been critical of Kentucky’s overall play offensively this year — and that was before the 63-3 loss at No. 1 Alabama Saturday. In three of the last four games, UK has scored a combined 16 points in losses to Missouri, Georgia and Alabama.
Numerous Kentucky fans have gone on social media to blister UK offensive coordinator Eddie Gran. White did not try to defend Gran on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports. Instead, like he usually does, he tried to explain what he saw.
He knows fans were upset when UK ran a draw play with Wilson on third down at the Alabama 7-yard line when the game was still close. Wilson was stopped for no gain. After the game head coach Mark Stoops said UK had both pass and run plays called but Wilson opted for the run.
Get this? White thought Wilson picked the right option.
“I know the linebacker that tackled Terry is the player (running back Kavosiey) Smoke was supposed to hit. If Smoke hits him or gets in the way, Terry walks in (to the end zone). Instead, it was a one-yard gain and and then we botched the field goal.
“Those are type things where was it a bad call or poorly executed. It is clear to me (what the answer is). I would rather roll out with options to pass or run but Smoke goes in as lead blocker and he touches nobody and back shows up immediately after him. Backer he passes hits Terry. Big backer. Do you have the desire to make that block?”
White said it appears tGran wants to have a running game that UK’s personnel is not capable of executing and players are not “buying into” what the offense is trying to do.
“I think that Gran would modify or install a plan like he did for (Lynn) Bowden and ignore the pouting (of certain players), but I don’t think the receivers understand route running. So that makes it tough on Gran,” White said.
White said most of the game “we knew where the ball was going and Alabama knew where the ball was going” and that makes it hard to have a productive offense.
“Alabama got more comfortable and capitalized on things we were not doing,” White said.
White was not a fan of comments made by some players after the game.
“I just wish we could have kept our composure publicly,” White said. “It was an embarrassment and now guys just have to bounce back. You should never get beat 60 points.”
White is not one ready to make coaching staff changes because the Cats are 3-5 and struggling so much on offense.
“There is a disconnect with the fan base and if it goes on another year, there will need to be changes,” White said. “This year it has just been hard to put together all that you need to be successful. We have the Jimmy’s and Joe’s, just need to tweak the offensive system.”
