The goal for Kentucky football’s ‘frustrating’ offense is clear: Become more explosive
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Preview: Kentucky at Florida
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Kentucky football’s bend-but-don’t break defensive philosophy is being justified in an unexpected way this season.
By the Wildcats’ own offense.
UK coach Mark Stoops and defensive coordinator Brad White have drawn criticism from some fans in recent years for not being aggressive enough on defense and too often relying on a softer zone coverage that left the defense susceptible to teams driving down the field by taking short completions. But that defensive philosophy relies on the assumption that most college offenses are not going to be able to put together long drives without making a mistake.
The thinking goes if you can limit big plays, over the course of the game the defense will do enough to win.
See Kentucky’s 2024 offense against Vanderbilt which tallied at least six plays on seven of eight possessions (not including the one-play kneel down before halftime) but scored just 13 points.
Penalties and a special teams miscue prevented a drive that reached the 1-yard line from producing any points. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty stalled another drive that had reached the 29-yard line. Kentucky lost a fumble on another possession at the Vanderbilt 25-yard line.
“We got to finish drives,” offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said. “That’s the frustrating part of it. I think you look at every game we’ve played this year, from yardage and first downs and moving the ball on and on and on, but from the standpoint of finishing, it just hasn’t occurred.”
Kentucky ranks 67th nationally in first downs per game (20.8) and would probably rank even higher if its first game against Southern Miss hadn’t been ended early in the third quarter due to lightning. The Wildcats rank 98th in red zone touchdown percentage (55.6).
Finding more success in the red zone is just part of the problem for the offense though. The pressure to convert those situations into touchdowns would be lessened if Hamdan’s group could produce more big plays.
Kentucky ranks 109th nationally in offensive plays of at least 20 yards (21) and 123rd in plays of at least 30 yards (six). It is not coincidence that the Wildcats’ best win at Ole Miss came after a 62-yard catch-and-run from Barion Brown on a late fourth-down conversion.
“We know where the explosive plays have got to come from,” Hamdan said. “We’ve got to make some of those so we’re not in every drive where it feels like we’re going 12 to 15 plays.”
Hamdan appears to have zeroed in on who he thinks are his best options for explosive plays.
Wide receiver Dane Key has been the most consistent performer (though he did make two of the drive-killing mistakes against Vanderbilt. Brown is one of the fastest players in the country, so Hamdan continues to try to find ways to get him touches in space.
The rushing attack has been efficient, but starter Demie Sumo-Karngbaye has only one carry over 20 yards. Redshirt freshman Jamarion Wilcox has shown big-play potential but clearly has work to do in mastering the playbook and showing the consistency needed for coaches to trust him in big moments.
“Here’s a simple thing: tie your shoes,” Stoops said when asked what Wilcox needs to do to earn a larger role. “He doesn’t tie his shoes, so he runs it but his shoes fall off, so he’s got to come out. That would help.”
Backup quarterback Gavin Wimsatt ranks third on the team in rushing yards thanks to his role in a “wildcat formation.” He has one carry of at least 20 yards but had seven carries of at least 20 yards in the last two seasons at Rutgers, including one 80-yard run last season.
“You look at everybody on a roster, from the standpoint of what he did at Rutgers, he’s still a guy that’s showed or displayed the ability to create those runs for us,” Hamdan said. “And I think that’s the big focus. … Got to create some explosive plays when they’re playing us soft on the back end and not necessarily letting us get down the field. So we think Gavin’s one of our better players, and that’s why he’s getting that opportunity.”
The good news is Hamdan’s Boise State offense ranked seventh nationally last season in plays of at least 30 yards (20), so he has shown the ability to scheme big plays before.
Kentucky’s offensive struggles are no secret. Opponents are unlikely to change the strategy until the Wildcats prove capable of exploiting it.
Saturday’s game at Florida will represent a chance for Hamdan and company to flip the narrative. The Gators rank 108th nationally in plays longer than 20 yards surrendered but have allowed just nine plays longer than 30 yards.
“I think any smart defensive coordinator, especially with the speed in this league, understands that you can’t live giving up explosives,” center Eli Cox said. “And they’re smart. They’re going to force you to play disciplined football for 12, 13, 14, different plays, and that’s hard to sustain at times.
“It’s something we’ve got to get figured out. … I just think it’s getting creative as an offensive staff. I think they do a great job of putting us in position, and it’s now time to go out and execute. I think we had a good plan for it, and it’s something we are aware of and working on.”
Saturday
Kentucky at Florida
When: 7:45 p.m.
TV: SEC Network
Records: Kentucky 3-3 (1-3 SEC), Florida 3-3 (1-2 SEC)
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Series: Florida leads 53-21
Last meeting: Kentucky won 33-14 on Sept. 30, 2023, in Lexington
This story was originally published October 16, 2024 at 7:54 AM.
