Kentucky football’s failures on offense in one area have Liam Coen’s frustration boiling
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Preview: Kentucky at Vanderbilt
Click below to read more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s preview coverage ahead of Saturday’s Kentucky-Vanderbilt football game at noon in Nashville.
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Quick hitters from Joe Burrow’s bank vault:
21. Kentucky football offense. In major part due to three turnovers, UK ran only 49 plays from scrimmage in Saturday night’s 35-3 win against Akron. For the Wildcats, it was a continuation of an early-season trend of play paucity.
20. The numbers. Through three games, UK is running an average of only 53.7 plays from scrimmage per game.
19. Liam Coen. In his post-Akron media gaggle, the Kentucky offensive coordinator was visibly agitated about his unit’s lack of plays. “It’s extremely difficult,” he said. “We wanted to get a lot of guys involved, but when you don’t execute in the first and second quarter(s), it’s hard to get everybody involved.”
18. Big drop from 2021. Two years ago, in Coen’s first season running the Kentucky offense, UK ran an average of 66.3 plays a game.
17. Rich Scangarello. UK’s current average number of plays a game is well below the 62.5 that the Cats averaged in 2022 with Scangarello calling the offense — when the general consensus was that Kentucky’s offensive tempo was too slow.
16. Mark Stoops’ 2023 analysis. “We are giving up sacks, turnover(s), not converting on third downs, not getting enough plays,” the UK head coach said after vanquishing Akron. “We have to be more efficient, and that is the bottom line.”
15. The remedy to UK’s problem. Starting with Saturday’s SEC opener at Vanderbilt, the Kentucky offense needs to rectify what has, so far, been a pronounced propensity to self-sabotage.
14. Liam Coen’s lament. “I want every single kid on this offense to touch the football and help us win games,” the UK offensive coordinator said Saturday night. “But, if we don’t execute on a play-by-play basis, it’s really hard to do (that).”
13. “Buy games” in the books. Kentucky has now completed the section of its football schedule where it pays opponents to play against the Wildcats.
12. Ball State. UK paid David Letterman’s college alma mater $1.55 million for its season-opening visit to Kroger Field — which became a 44-14 Kentucky victory.
11. Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels received $550,000 for filling the “FCS slot” on the Wildcats schedule. EKU put up a spirited fight before falling 28-17 in Week 2.
10. Akron. The Zips got $750,000 for Saturday night’s drubbing in Lexington — which is part of a three-game deal with UK.
9. A rare road “buy game.” UK is slated to pay the Zips another $750,000 next season — when the Wildcats are scheduled to open their 2024 campaign on Aug. 31 at Akron. Kentucky will then pay the Zips $550,000 to make a return trip to Lexington on Sept. 5, 2026.
8. Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers received $1.8 million for traveling to Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday and absorbing a 63-10 strafing from Ohio State.
7. Alabama. Kentucky is not the only SEC offense having a difficult time getting out of its own way. In its past two games, the Crimson Tide have had a combined four touchdowns called back due to penalties.
6. Jordan Watkins. Through three games for Mississippi, the ex-Butler High School star — a former Louisville Cardinals wideout and Kentucky Wildcats recruiting commit — is the Rebels’ leader in receptions (15) and receiving yards (290).
5. Chris Lewis. Through three games for Troy, the ex-Kentucky wide receiver is second on the Trojans in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (144).
4. David Wohlabaugh. The former Kentucky offensive lineman, who had won Syracuse’s starting right tackle job after transferring before this season, is out for the year after suffering a leg injury against Western Michigan in the second game.
3. Neal Brown. In a season when the fifth-year West Virginia head man (24-26) is thought to be coaching for his job, the ex-Kentucky wide receiver and offensive coordinator got a boost when the Mountaineers prevailed over archrival Pittsburgh 17-6 Saturday night in Morgantown.
2. Won with backup QB. West Virginia’s chances in the “Backyard Brawl” looked dim when starting quarterback Garrett Greene left the game versus Pittsburgh with 6:42 left in the first quarter due to an ankle injury. But backup QB Nicco Marchiol entered and directed the Mountaineers (2-1) to triumph.
1. A shot to build momentum. This week, West Virginia plays host to Big 12 rival Texas Tech — a team Brown has yet to beat as WVU coach in four previous tries. A breakthrough victory over the Red Raiders would put real energy behind Brown, an ex-Boyle County High School star, in his drive to retain his Power Five head coaching job.
This story was originally published September 18, 2023 at 11:44 AM.
