Terry Wilson threw for only 62 yards in UK's loss at Florida Saturday. (SEC Photo)
Certainly the 50-yard punt return for a touchdown in the final minute of the first half turned the game in Florida’s favor Saturday. However, one punt return that gave Florida a 14-10 lead cannot fully explain the meltdown Kentucky had in the second half in what turned out to be a 34-10 loss.
The Wildcats had 46 yards of total offense in the second half against the nation’s 65th-ranked defense. In the third quarter UK had 18 yards of offense and 78 yards in penalties. The Cats had six straight possessions without a first down. They threw three interceptions in the second half.
It was like a replay in many ways of the 60-3 loss at No. 1 Alabama the week before. Kentucky moved the ball the first half but got just one touchdown on three trips deep inside Florida territory. Still, if not for special team’s blunders Kentucky would have had the first half lead.
Florida set up its first touchdown with a fourth-down conversion on a fake punt and then got the punt return touchdown to take the 14-10 halftime lead. All-American punter Max Duffy was supposed to punt to the left where UK had seven defenders. Instead, he shanked it right. Kentucky also had a delay of game penalty on a punt and an illegal procedure penalty on a punt.
It was a continuation of special team issues this year but Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said he doesn’t have regrets about not having a special team coach this year.
“I am disappointed in certain plays. It was the Ray Guy winner who missed a punt. I love Max and he is our guy. He missed going dead left and he shanked it right. I am not going to give up on Max,” Stoops said. “We have the same guy coaching snappers, holders, punters and kickers that we have had the last five years.”
Linebacker Jamin Davis said the punt return touchdown did not take the fight out of UK.
“We knew they were going to make a few plays. It had little or no impact on us,” Davis said.
What had a lot more impact was no offense the second half. Kentucky did not have a drive of more than five plays after dominating time of possession the first half.
I asked Stoops after the game what happened to the offense the second half.
“It is not good enough. Not going to win games. Not good enough,” he said.
Stoops said UK coaches understand at halftime opponents are going to adjust to what UK was doing well.
“We have to counter that,” Stoops said. “We have to be able to convert. We have got to complete some passes. We were playing good defensively. But we are not creating explosive plays. We are trying.”
Stoops said if UK tries to throw on first down and doesn’t complete the pass, it puts the team in a bad spot. But defenses know that and stack the box to stop the run.
“We are just not good enough and that is on us. We have to get better,” Stoops said.
But not this year. Outside of the Vanderbilt game, Kentucky has not scored a touchdown on a drive that started in its own territory in its last 29 drives (thanks to Corey Price of UK Athletics Communications for that stat). No wonder UK has lost four of it is last five games with the lone win coming against Vanderbilt.
Kentucky has dealt with a lot of issues from the preseason loss of linebacker Chris Oats to COVID-19 protocols to the death of offensive line coach John Schlarman while having to play a 10-game SEC schedule for the first time.
Like it or not, UK has just not been ready for all that even with a veteran team. Other SEC teams have had the same problems.
But the lack of consistent offense is something UK has to fix. Teams in the SEC have figured out UK’s pound-and-ground and going forward UK has to have a better passing threat as Missouri, Georgia, Alabama and now Florida have taken advantage of to throttle UK’s offense.
