If Kentucky football is going to finish strong, its defense must return to form

Here’s the good news: Kentucky football just played the three best offenses it will face all season. Georgia is fourth nationally in total offense. Missouri is 27th in scoring offense. Tennessee’s turbocharger continues to be a thorn in the Wildcats’ pride.

The bad news: Kentucky’s defense flunked all three tests. Georgia gained 608 yards on the way to 51 points. Down 14-0 early, Missouri rolled 38-21. Tennessee popped a 52-yard touchdown run on its fifth play and scored on seven of nine possessions. Hello, three-game losing streak.

“We can definitely play better,” UK coach Mark Stoops said Monday of his defense, “and I expect we will.”

Not counting the 2020 COVID campaign, you have to go back to 2016 for the last time a Mark Stoops defense gave up more than 122 points in three successive games. In the first three games of that campaign, the Cats lost 44-35 to Southern Miss and 45-7 at Florida before beating New Mexico State 62-42.

In fact, starting with 2018, Kentucky has ranked 26th or better nationally in scoring defense in four of the last five seasons —-- sixth in 2018 at 16.8 per game; 14th in 2019 at 19.3; 26th in 2021 at 21.7 and 11th last season at 19.2.

This year? This year, Kentucky is allowing 24.8 points per game. That ranks 61st nationally.

What gives? Coordinator Brad White didn’t suddenly forget how to call a defense. With deep roots in defensive strategy, Stoops didn’t suddenly lose his acumen. Though certainly not completely healthy --— who is this time of year — the Cats haven’t been overwhelmed by injuries.

For starters, go back to the opposition. As the schedule fell, the Cats faced three of the league’s best coordinators, schemes and talent. At Georgia, coordinator Mike Bobo and quarterback Carson Beck have seamlessly replaced Todd Monken and Stetson Bennett. Stoops has showered praise on Eli Drinkwitz’s offensive creativity at Missouri. Kentucky’s not the only defense caught flat-footed by Josh Heupel’s quick-snap attack.

As well, we underestimated who Kentucky lost off last year’s defense. Outside linebacker Jordan Wright led the Cats in tackles for loss a year ago. DeAndre Square and Jacquez Jones were cagey veteran leaders at linebacker. Cornerback Carrington Valentine, now of the Green Bay Packers, led the team in pass break-ups. Justin Rogers, now at Auburn, started 12 of 13 games at nose tackle. Cornerback Keidron Smith was a second-team All-SEC choice.

Missed tackles are a problem. Glaring examples persisted in Saturday’s loss. Here’s one: Having kicked a field goal to pull within 33-27 with 4:24 remaining, the Cats needed a stop to get the ball back for a big finish. Second play of the UT possession, facing a second-and-5 from its own 30, Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson appeared tackled behind the line of scrimmage after a quick pass from quarterback Joe Milton. Instead of a third-and-long, however, Sampson wiggled free and gained 6 yards for a first down.

It would be three more plays before Kentucky forced the Vols into a third-down situation. Even then, on third-and-7, Milton carried 11 yards for a first down. Ballgame.

Back to the good news. Saturday’s opponent, Mississippi State, isn’t Tennessee or Missouri or Georgia. Under first-year coordinator Kevin Barbay, the Bulldogs are 92nd nationally in total offense and 86th in scoring offense. They are more balanced than under the late Mike Leach, but less effective. Last year, the Bulldogs averaged 48.8 passes per game. That number is 28.3 this year. Last year, State averaged 31.6 points per game, this year 25.1.

Then again, with Will Rogers questionable because of a shoulder injury, Mississippi State could start Mike Wright at quarterback. Yes, that’s the same Mike Wright who rushed for 126 yards and threw for 184 more as Vanderbilt’s quarterback in the Commodores’ 24-21 win over Kentucky last season at Kroger Field.

Having navigated the gauntlet, I look for a better Kentucky defensive showing come Saturday among the cowbells in Starkville.

“This group has always played with a lot of pride,” Stoops said Monday, “and I expect them to want to bounce back.”

Saturday

Kentucky at Mississippi State

When: 7:30 p.m.

TV: SEC Network

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Records: Kentucky 5-3 (2-3 SEC), Mississippi State 4-4 (1-4)

Series: Tied 25-25

Last meeting: Kentucky won 27-17 on Oct. 15, 2022, in Lexington

This story was originally published November 1, 2023 at 12:12 PM.

John Clay

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-472-4218

John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky, he covered UK football from 1987 until being named sports columnist in 2000. He has covered 20 Final Fours and 42 consecutive Kentucky Derbys. Support my work with a digital subscription