Kentucky’s next challenger is a step down from SEC, but won’t be a ‘breather’
Regardless of how fair it might be to do so, don’t describe Chattanooga as a “breather” in Mark Stoops’ presence.
The University of Kentucky’s head coach during his weekly Monday news conference balked at the notion of any opponent being a walk-over, even if they arrive from the Football Championship Subdivision and are being paid $500,000 for their participation.
“You would never hear me use the word ‘breather.’ That’s not in our vocabulary,” Stoops said. “The only thing we’re interested in is pressing on and moving forward. Any great team, no matter what the competition level is, plays to the best of their ability, and that’s what we’re always trying to do. We have so much to do, so much work to get caught up on.”
Chattanooga was picked to win the Southern Conference and is right on the outskirts of the FCS top 25 poll. After dropping a close decision at Austin Peay to open the season, the Mocs blanked North Alabama, 20-0, handing the Lions their first shutout since 2010.
Kentucky is 2-0 after blowing out Louisiana Monroe and holding on for a 35-28 decision against Missouri. After getting overwhelmed by the Tigers in 2020, UK flipped the script and looked more like itself versus a team that it’s mostly gotten the better of with Stoops in charge; it was the Cats’ sixth win in the last seven meetings.
A betting line for the game won’t be available until later in the week, but UK will be a decisive favorite to start 3-0 for the third time during Stoops’ tenure. There’s no reason to think the Cats, won’t crush the Mocs. They may be a better football team than Louisiana Monroe, at least structurally, but that’s about it. This week will be a tune-up, a chance to work on healing some sore spots — hot passes deflecting into defenders’ hands, confusion on the defensive line, underwhelming contributions from special teams — that have kept Kentucky from turning up the heat, particularly against Missouri.
Just don’t expect Stoops to say it out loud.
“Physically, this game took a lot out of us. We’ve got to regroup in a hurry and get ready to play a good football team,” Stoops said. “This team was picked to win their league, so you know they’re talented and can do some good things. No matter who we’re playing, you’re gonna hear me always talk about us. We have respect for everybody that we play, but it’s about us and how we play.”
SEC honor
The SEC has wiped a touchdown from the resume of running back Chris Rodriguez.
Replays during the game showed that offensive guard Eli Cox recovered a fumble by Rodriguez to put UK ahead for good in the fourth quarter against Missouri. Officials at the time reviewed the play and determined that Rodriguez should be awarded the touchdown after crossing the plane with the ball, but the league office made its final determination Monday.
That left Rodriguez with just three TDs — two rushing and the first of the receiving variety in his career — and a career-high 206 yards on 27 carries against the Tigers, still plenty enough for the SEC to name him co-Offensive Player of the Week, along with Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett. Through two weeks, Rodriguez leads the SEC at 165.5 rushing yards per game.
Kentucky leaned more on its run game than it did in the opener, finishing with 52 carries to 18 pass attempts. Stoops and offensive coordinator Liam Coen both noted after the game that some of quarterback Will Levis’ rushing attempts were scripted into the game plan, but several of them were reads he made on the fly; he finished with 25 yards and a TD.
Much of the call disparity was the result of UK’s final meaningful series in the first half (it got the ball back with four seconds left before halftime and ran out the clock). It ran the ball 12 straight times, the last resulting in a momentum-shifting fumble by Rodriguez that led to Missouri’s second touchdown instead of Kentucky’s fourth. Balance has been the biggest talking point on offense, but the Cats are as well-equipped as anyone to butter their bread with the run game when it’s necessary.
“Don’t underestimate how demoralizing it is when you can run the ball for 12 straight plays,” Stoops said. “You can do that, run straight down the field and have an opportunity to go up 28 to 7. That’s a pretty big deal as well.”
Notes
▪ Offensive lineman Kenneth Horsey, defensive back Davonte Robinson and linebacker Jordan Wright all suffered undisclosed injuries against Missouri. Horsey returned to the game after taking a shot to his right leg, and Stoops on Monday said Robinson should be good to go. He described Wright as “day to day.” Either of those two missing extended time would put a strain on Kentucky’s front seven.
“We’ve got some ideas,” said Stoops when asked about building depth. “We’ll continue to bring K.D. (McDaniel) along and then he can help us. He’s doing some good things. He made a few critical mistakes Saturday with some inexperience, but we have some other guys that we can fool around with as well.”
▪ DeCarlos Nicholson, a three-star defensive back out of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, committed to Kentucky on Monday. Nicholson is ranked as the No. 1 cornerback in the junior-college ranks and as the No. 5 junior-college player available in the 2022 recruiting class. He chose UK after visiting over the weekend, and picked the Cats over Baylor, Florida State, Ole Miss and Mississippi State, to whom he was committed until last month. UK defensive backs coach Chris Collins is his primary recruiter.
▪ The SEC announced kickoff times and TV channels for Sept. 25 on Monday. Kentucky’s game at South Carolina was scheduled for a 7 p.m. start and will be televised by ESPN2.
Saturday
Chattanooga at Kentucky
When: Noon
TV: None
Online: SEC Network Plus
2021 UK football scores, schedule
(Home games in all capital letters)
Sept. 4: LOUISIANA MONROE, W: 45-10
Sept. 11: MISSOURI, 7:30, W: 35-28
Sept. 18: CHATTANOOGA, Noon (SEC Plus)
Sept. 25: At South Carolina, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Oct. 2: FLORIDA
Oct. 9: LSU
Oct. 16: At Georgia
Oct. 23: No game
Oct. 30: At Mississippi State
Nov. 6: TENNESSEE
Nov. 13: At Vanderbilt
Nov. 20: NEW MEXICO STATE
Nov. 27: At Louisville
This story was originally published September 13, 2021 at 2:57 PM.
