10/6 Kentucky Game
Very few games actually go just as I expect them to, but Saturday’s game against Kentucky was an exception. This game, pretty much from start to finish, contained very few surprises, at least to me. I expected us to be the far better team, and we were. I expected our defense to struggle in comparison to previous games, and it did. I expected us to have a tough time running the ball against the UK defense, and we did. Finally, I expected the final score to be slightly misleading in our favor, and it was.
First, I want to address the defense, because I’ve talked to several people that were surprised that UK was able to move the ball on us. I think those people simply underestimated the impact of the loss of Dont’a. Like I said in my previous blog, we simply aren’t going to be as good on defense without Dont’a. He was a real playmaker at the Will linebacker position, a particularly important position in the 3-4 defense. Without his physical presence in the middle, the Kentucky running game had more success than any team we’ve faced so far. Our pass rush seemed to be affected also. I think the move of Anders from the Jack to Sam position was at least partially responsible, because Upshaw, who moved into the Jack position, did not seem to be able to generate much of a pass rush. I find this particularly troubling, because I really thought Upshaw was a star in the making, and I’m afraid his off-season, off-field problems might have stunted his progress. Still, our defense played pretty well, and the turnover/TD right before halftime really changed the course of the game. And I really should mention that Rolando McClain played so well that he was awarded “SEC Defensive Player of the Week” honors.
Our offense had its moments, mainly in the passing game. Colin Peek had a huge game, reeling in 6 catches and 1 TD. Darius Hanks also had a nice TD catch late in the third quarter, which I believe was his first career TD (I might be wrong about that). Of course, the question that everyone is asking is, “What has happened to Julio?” I really don’t know the answer. I know that defenses are focusing on stopping him, but that didn’t seem to slow him down last year. I have the feeling that he might be getting a little frustrated, and maybe he’s pressing a little. In a way, I find that encouraging, because I feel like we’re playing such good offense with our best weapon doing very little. I think (and hope) that Julio has a breakout game in the near future.
One other very encouraging thing that I noticed in this game was the use of the running backs. I don’t know how many times we’ve had a running back that clearly was in a great rhythm get taken out of the game in favor of a running back that wasn’t playing as well. Remember back in Stallings’ days when Shaun would get benched just as he was starting to take over the game? We lost the 1996 Mississippi State game for just that reason. This coaching staff seems to understand who the best running backs are, not just overall, but also for each particular game. Mark Ingram played better on Saturday than I’ve ever seen him play. He ran with great vision, patience, and power. And unlike previous coaching staffs, this coaching staff noticed how well he was running and kept him in the game. Great game Mark!
Next week we face our biggest challenge yet. Yes, I know that Virginia Tech has proven to be an excellent team, but Ole Miss poses an even bigger threat. They have one of the best QBs in the nation in Jevan Snead, and they’re loaded at the skill position. Dexter McCluster is a nightmare as a running back / slot receiver hybrid, and Shay Hodge has always been a tough matchup for our defensive backs. On the defensive side of the ball, their defensive line is big, rugged, and fast. Greg Hardy will be a first-round draft pick, and they could make a feature film length highlight reel for him strictly from plays he has made against us. Plus, this game will be in Oxford, MS, so we’ll have to face a hostile crowd too. This one’s going to be tough. It’s exceedingly important, because as you know Ole Miss is an SEC West opponent, so a loss to them will really hurt our chances to make it to the SEC Championship game. I do think we’ll win, but to be honest, I don’t know if that’s just wishful thinking on my part or not.
That’s it for now. Be sure to check back next week as I review the Ole Miss game. Hopefully I’ll be in a good mood as I write it, but that remains to be seen! Until then, feel free to send me any questions or comments.
Roll Tide,
Kenny
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