‘We know he was … coaching us from heaven.’ Big Blue Wall steps up for its coach.
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Game day: Kentucky 38, Vanderbilt 35
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky-Vanderbilt football game at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky.
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Young people forced to deal with death, to manage grief, is an unpredictable equation in any circumstance.
On Thursday morning, after a grueling, two-year battle with cancer, Kentucky offensive line coach John Schlarman died at the way-to-young age of 45.
Barely more than two days later, the offensive linemen that Schlarman poured himself into were required to take the field in a Southeastern Conference football game against Vanderbilt.
Forced to play so soon after the loss of a member of its family, Mark Stoops and UK adopted a “win one for Coach Schlarman” mantra.
That could have been risky, resulting in an emotionally drained team with nothing in its tank.
Instead, the Kentucky offensive line channeled its hurt and grief into a performance that their late coach would have admired.
With “The Big Blue Wall” opening gaping holes that allowed the Cats to rush for a robust 308 yards and keeping UK quarterbacks from being sacked even one time, Kentucky defeated Vanderbilt 38-35 Saturday in one of the most emotional games ever played at Kroger Field.
“We came out on fire,” Kentucky senior left tackle Landon Young told the UK Radio Network after the game. “We wanted to score on every single drive. We knew (Schlarman) was looking down, coaching us from heaven.”
As it was, Kentucky (3-4 SEC) scored touchdowns on its first three offensive drives of the game, and scored points on six of its first seven possessions.
The Wildcats led 38-17 in the fourth quarter, just enough margin to withstand two late Vanderbilt TDs.
“Obviously, it was extremely important for us to come out with the victory today,” Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops said. “We were playing for LeeAnne (Schlarman), Coach John Schlarman and their kids. It wasn’t easy. This has been a very emotional week.”
In the pregame, Kentucky dedicated the playing of “My Old Kentucky Home” to Schlarman. The UK players wore “J.S.” stickers on their silver chrome helmets.
When Kentucky broke the huddle for its initial play of the game, the Wildcats had only 10 men on the field — and no left guard.
To honor its fallen coach, UK left the position in which Schlarman earned All-SEC honors as a UK player vacant and took a delay of game penalty.
In a classy gesture, Vanderbilt Coach Derek Mason declined the penalty.
Young, who was wearing the No. 65 in which Schlarman played for Kentucky instead of his normal No. 67, then jogged on the field to give UK 11 players.
“We left that spot open because we were missing one of our Wildcats,” Young said.
The greater tribute to Schlarman, however, was how his offensive line performed.
After missing UK’s 14-3 loss to Georgia two weeks ago, Terry Wilson was back at quarterback. Wilson was never sacked and rarely pressured while completing 13 of 15 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns.
Wilson said he could see in the eyes of his offensive linemen that they would play with a keen level of zeal. “This has been a hard week on us all,” he said. “But I know it’s especially hard (on the offensive linemen).”
As Kentucky tends to do when at its best in recent years, the Wildcats controlled the game with their rushing attack.
Sophomore power back Christopher Rodriguez rambled for 149 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 carries.
After a 3-yard run by Rodriguez early in the third quarter gave Kentucky a 31-14 lead, UK Radio play-by-play announcer Tom Leach exclaimed “’The Big Blue Wall’ is doing their late coach proud, opening up some huge holes.”
When Rodriguez subsequently put UK ahead 38-21 with a 74-yard burst, he roared through a massive hole basically untouched.
One suspects that Schlarman would have been especially proud of the fact that Kentucky’s offensive line controlled the game even though it played the entire game without injured left guard Kenneth Horsey and most of the game without injured right guard Luke Fortner.
In their place, Austin Dotson and Quintin Wilson filled in seamlessly at the guards.
“One of Coach Schlarman’s big things, when you are a freshman, he tells you that, at some point, your chance is going to come, and you have to be ready to step up,” Young said.
On Monday, the Kentucky players are slated to attend a memorial service for Schlarman.
In performing at a high level amid the grief and the type of adversity college kids are not supposed to have to face, John Schlarman’s offensive linemen paid tribute to their coach in the way he may have most appreciated.
It was especially meaningful to Young, who played in his late coach’s jersey number.
“That was a huge blessing for me,” Young said, “and a huge opportunity to be able to recognize someone who loved us and loved the game.”
This story was originally published November 14, 2020 at 5:42 PM.
