You won’t hear Virginia Tech coach disrespecting Lynn Bowden
Justin Fuente is one Hokie who doesn’t disrespect Lynn Bowden.
At the Belk Bowl Media Day on Monday morning at the Charlotte Convention Center, a mini-controversy arose when Kentucky players, specifically Bowden, were apparently upset about something supposedly disrespectful Virginia Tech players supposedly said about UK.
[Kentucky football outlook for 2020]
Anyway, at Monday’s media event, Tech’s coach had nothing but good things to say about Bowden, who moved from wide receiver to quarterback midway through the season and led the Wildcats to five wins in their last seven games.
Fuente was asked if he had ever prepared for a quarterback like Bowden.
“The closest thing I could give would be the triple option at Georgia Tech,” he said. “You get a guy there if you’re a half-man out of your gap, he can score. Not just get a first down, not just get yards, but it’s going to the house. That’s a dangerous combination right there.”
That was Georgia Tech under former coach Paul Johnson, who ran an option-oriented, run-heavy offense. Kentucky lost to the Yellow Jackets 33-18 in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville.
As for Bowden himself, Fuente said this:
“I don’t think he’s gotten enough credit on the national level for making the switch. It’s not like he’s catching the ball and running it up the middle, he’s running an offense. He’s a pretty remarkable player.”
Here are Bowden’s game-by-game rushing totals since taking over at quarterback (rushes-yards-TDs):
- Arkansas 24-195-2
- Georgia 17-99-0
- Missouri 21-204-2
- Tennessee 26-114-0
- Vanderbilt 17-110-1
- UT Martin 11-129-2
- Louisville 22-284-4
UK and Virginia Tech play at noon at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. ESPN has the telecast.
Kentucky football 2019
- Aug. 31 Toledo W 38-24
- Sept. 7 Eastern Michigan W 38-17
- Sept. 14 Florida L 29-21
- Sept. 21 @Miss State L 28-13
- Sept. 28 @South Carolina L 24-7
- Oct. 12 Arkansas W 24-20
- Oct. 19 @Georgia L 21-0
- Oct. 26 Missouri W 29-7
- Nov. 9 Tennessee L 117-13
- Nov. 16 @Vanderbilt W 38-14
- Nov. 23 UT Martin W 50-7
- Nov. 30 Louisville W 45-13
Virginia Tech football 2019
- Aug. 31 @Boston College L 35-28
- Sept. 7 Old Dominion W 31-17
- Sept. 14 Furman W 24-17
- Sept. 27 Duke L 45-10
- Oct. 5 @Miami W 42-35
- Oct. 12 Rhode Island W 34-17
- Oct. 19 North Carolina W 43-41 (OT)
- Nov. 2 @Notre Dame L 21-20
- Nov. 9 Wake Forest W 36-17
- Nov. 16 @Georgia Tech W 45-0
- Nov. 23 Pittsburgh W 28-0
- Nov. 29 @Virginia L 39-30
This story was originally published December 30, 2019 at 4:43 PM.
