Kentucky may not have gotten a single vote in the AP Poll following the Florida loss, but the Cats are still in the top 20 of Pro Football Focus’ power rankings. Kentucky dropped two spots to No. 20 in the rankings, which are based on the site’s unique offensive, defensive, and special teams grades. PFF’s Ben Brown says Saturday’s game at Mississippi State is a must-win for the Cats if they want to remain relevant in the SEC.
“If it wasn’t for the reliance on their kicker, the Wildcats could have easily emerged victorious against Florida last Saturday. Kentucky didn’t have the same playmaking ability at quarterback, with Sawyer Smith struggling to fill the shoes of Terry Wilson. Despite decent box score stats, Smith had three turnover-worthy plays and an adjusted completion percentage of just 66.7%. The Wildcats now head to Mississippi State as seven-point road dogs. With just a 33.4% win probability, Kentucky is dangerously close to falling out of relevance quickly in the SEC.”
After losing to Kansas State at home, Mississippi State dropped from No. 16 to No. 22. Here’s how the PFF Top 25 (analytics) compares to the AP Top 25 (opinions) this week:
|
AP Top 25 |
PFF Top 25 |
||
| RANK | TEAM | RANK | TEAM |
| 1 | Clemson (57) | 1 | Clemson |
| 2 | Alabama (5) | 2 | Alabama |
| 3 | Georgia | 3 | Georgia |
| 4 | LSU | 4 | LSU |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 5 | Notre Dame |
| 6 | Ohio State | 6 | Ohio STate |
| 7 | Notre Dame | 7 | Oklahoma |
| 8 | Auburn | 8 | Florida |
| 9 | Florida | 9 | Michigan |
| 10 | Utah | 10 | Auburn |
| 11 | Michigan | 11 | Penn State |
| 12 | Texas | 12 | Iowa |
| T13 | Wisconsin | 13 | Texas A&M |
| T13 | Penn State | 14 | Missouri |
| 15 | UCF | 15 | Texas |
| 16 | Oregon | 16 | Washington |
| 17 | Texas A&M | 17 | Utah |
| 18 | Iowa | 18 | Wisconsin |
| 19 | Washington State | 19 | Virginia |
| 20 | Boise State | 20 | Kentucky |
| 21 | Virginia | 21 | Michigan State |
| 22 | Washington | 22 | Mississippi State |
| 23 | California | 23 | Wake Forest |
| 24 | Arizona State | 24 | TCU |
| 25 | TCU | 25 | UCF |
Here we are once again, back to examine Kentucky’s game-by-game odds and projected points spreads after the Cats were handed their first loss of the year in heartbreaking fashion to Florida.
There isn’t too much change in the way Sagarin’s ratings and the ESPN FPI see the rest of the season for Kentucky, coming off that missed opportunity at home last weekend. Sagarin’s point spread for the upcoming Mississippi State game is a little tighter than how Vegas sees it, while the ESPN FPI upped UK’s chances of victory by about six percent from a week ago.
Overall, both Sagarin and the ESPN FPI love Kentucky in the Arkansas game and the four games to finish the year — Kentucky is a double-digit favorite in those five — but it will take some good football to win games at Mississippi State and South Carolina. The game at Georgia is a long shot, as expected, while we’re down to a Pick ‘Em in the home game against Mizzou.
Win the five games in which you’re heavily-favored and at worst it is a seven-win season:
Here’s a glossary in case you’re lost:
Sagarin Predictor — Jeff Sagarin’s College Football Ratings provide predictions for upcoming games by comparing the two Sagarin ratings for each team, plus an additional amount of points for home field advantage. For example: In Sagarin’s Week 2 ratings, Kentucky has a 76.06 rating; Eastern Michigan is a 61.52; and he sets home field advantage at 2.25 points. So you add home field (2.25) to Kentucky’s rating (76.06) and subtract Eastern Michigan’s rating (61.52) to get a difference of 16.79 points. Round to the nearest half-point to find Sagarin’s predicted point spread is Kentucky favored by 17 over the visiting Eagles.
ESPN FPI — Kentucky’s win probability in each game, using ESPN’s Power Football Index.
Actual Score — The actual score of the game, obviously.
Opening Line — The opening betting line on the game, via VegasInsider.com.
Closing Line — The betting line on the game at kickoff after taking into account the number of bets and money on each side.
Photo: @vitotisdale7
Kentucky is still in the mix for one of the top players in the state. Four-star safety Vito Tisdale released his top four this afternoon and the Cats made the cut, along with Alabama, Georgia, and Texas A&M:
Blessed to announce my top four schools NO ORDER…
University of Alabama ?
University of Georgia ?
University of Kentucky ?
Texas A&M University ??— V7?? (@vitotisdale7) September 17, 2019
Kentucky still leads Tisdale’s 247 Crystal Ball with 75% of the predictions. The Bowling Green native was at Kroger Field for Kentucky vs. Florida alongside fellow in-state star Octavious Oxendine (North Hardin), four-star all-purpose back Michael Drennen II, and four-star defensive end Tyler Baron:
#bbn pic.twitter.com/zYIRPtmExF
— doubleooooooo? (@octaviousoxend1) September 15, 2019
Tisdale will announce his decision at the All-American Bowl on January 4.
Getty Images
Apple is investing $250 million in a manufacturing and technology company located in Harrodsburg, KY.
The technology giant announced on Tuesday morning that the investment to Corning Inc., which has a research and development center and manufacturing hub in Harrodsburg, would be dedicated to the innovation of scratch-resistant glass made for the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad.
“Apple and Corning’s rich history dates back more than a decade, and our partnership revolutionized glass and transformed the technology industry with the first iPhone,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “This award underscores Apple and Corning’s shared belief in the vital role that ingenuity plays in creating industry-leading products, and the pride that both companies take in applying American innovation and advanced manufacturing to solve some of the world’s toughest technology challenges.”
Today’s award builds on the $200 million the company received from Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund in May 2017.
Back in 2007, Apple and Corning became product development partners, with the Harrodsburg facility has played a key role in delivering glass solutions for the iPhone to replace the scratch-prone plastic covers. According to the release, some of the most important innovations in glass have happened at the Kentucky plant — glass for every generation of iPhone and Apple Watch, and many generations of iPad, have all been made in the Harrodsburg facility. Since iPhone launched in 2007, Apple has spent nearly $3 billion with Corning on the glass used in iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad.
Apple also confirmed that the glass for the new iPhone 11 set to release this week was also made in Harrodsburg with the Corning’s own Gorilla Glass.
According to the official release, the award will go to “capital investments, new technology, and process development.”
“The Harrodsburg facility serves as Corning’s global glass technology center, working closely with scientists at Sullivan Park in Corning, New York, to develop advanced glass solutions for next-generation technologies,” the release said. “Apple’s investment has helped to ensure the facility’s reputation as a global center of excellence, and supports the nearly 1,000 Corning jobs created by the Apple business. The team of nearly 400 highly skilled employees in Harrodsburg averages 14 years of experience, with Corning consistently rated one of Kentucky’s top places to work. Corning has been a part of the fabric of the Harrodsburg community for more than 65 years and the plant there is Corning’s longest-running US-based manufacturing facility.”
Photo: Jon Lopez/Nike
One of Kentucky’s top point guard targets in the class of 2021 is ready to make his decision.
Devin Askew, the No. 10 prospect and No. 1 overall point guard in the class of 2021 announced on his Instagram page this afternoon that a commitment was on the horizon.
“Commitment coming soon!!! Date coming out soon!! Let’s get this!” he wrote.
Askew, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound point guard out of Santa Ana, CA, currently holds offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Villanova, Arizona, and Memphis, among others, though most expect the decision to come down to the Cats and the Cards.
And if you ask Evan Daniels, he believes it will be Kentucky that comes out on top in the end.
“It’s still early,” he said in his weekly recruiting column on Friday. “But if I were going to make a prediction I would lean towards Kentucky.”
Askew’s father, Brian Askew, told KSR last week that Kentucky head coach John Calipari was out to visit the five-star prospect in California on September 12. Louisville head coach Chris Mack then followed it up with a visit on Monday, just a little over two weeks after he took an official visit to the school on September 1. Askew is also expected to take an unofficial visit to Memphis on Oct. 3 for the school’s version of Midnight Madness, followed by an official visit to Villanova on Oct. 4. The 6-foot-3 guard had also been in the process of planning on an official to Kentucky in either October or November, though that’s now expected to happen sooner rather than later due to his rather abrupt commitment plans.
Another factor to keep in mind is that Askew has been a rumored reclassification candidate for several months now, and despite shutting down those rumors back in July, the buzz continues to grow louder that he will ultimately wind up in the class of 2020. With Kentucky and Jalen Green deciding to mutually part ways this weekend, along with point guard options dwindling down for the Wildcats moving forward – Cade Cunningham and Josh Christopher are seen as the only legitimate UK guard targets right now – this news could prove to be quite significant.
On his Crystal Ball page over at 247Sports, Askew only has one prediction, with Jody Demling of Cardinal Authority picking Louisville to land the elite point guard. Over at Rivals.com, recruiting analysts Corey Evans and Dan McDonald made picks this month in favor of Kentucky, while Sources Say Podcast co-host Jake Weingarten currently has a pick in for Louisville.
Check out some of his most recent highlights below:
Don’t miss out on this fantastic trip to watch the Kentucky men’s basketball team play two games in Las Vegas. Plan a fun holiday getaway as UK will play Utah on Wednesday, Dec. 18 in the Neon Hoops Showcase. Then three days later Kentucky will take on Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic. All games will take place at T-Mobile Arena.
The Kentucky vs. Utah game benefits Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative spearheaded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.nabc.com) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, t-mobilearena.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX.
Now you can also sign up to experience the famed Shadow Creek golf course as part of your #BBNVEGAS experience. Spots are limited so make sure you register early. Proceeds from the golf outing will benefit Coaches vs. Cancer.
For information on hotel accommodations and other fan activities, please visit bbnvegas.
Kentucky wide receiver Ahmad Wagner’s status as a local offensive star is quickly spreading nationwide.
In three games this season, the Huber Heights, OH product has totaled nine receptions, 198 yards, and two touchdowns, managing a ridiculous 22 yards-per-catch. To take it a step further, he has secured a whopping seven pass interference calls on balls thrown his direction.
On today’s edition of SEC This Morning on the SEC Network, Wagner’s impressive start to the season was discussed in-depth, with the show’s moderator posing an interesting question about the 6-foot-5 wideout.
“6’5”, 233 pounds, he has 16 targets and eight catches,” the SEC Network moderator said. “But SEVEN pass interference calls. Is there a more surprising SEC breakout player this year?”
The general consensus? Absolutely not.
“I don’t think there is. He’s a matchup nightmare for cornerbacks,” co-host Chris Doering said. We’re not talking about a guy that moved into playing tight end, we’re talking about a guy that’s playing outside against the smaller corners having to pass-interfere him to catch up.”
Doering actually went on to say that Wagner’s pure dominance on the outside reminds him of a fairly prominent retired NFL superstar.
“It’s like when you used to split [Rob] Gronkowski out wide back in the day,” Doering said. “It’s difficult to defend because of not only his size and length, but he’s a guy that [as a former Iowa basketball player] can jump up and grab a rebound off the rim and a big body that can box guys out. That’s a tough red zone weapon.”
Fellow SEC Network analyst and SEC This Morning co-host also had high praise for the Kentucky wide receiver, adding that he finds it a bit funny that there is a two-inch difference between where Iowa listed him as a basketball player height-wise and where Kentucky is listing him as a football player.
“I love Ahmad Wagner,” he said. “I think it’s incredible that he’s 6-foot-5, but back at Iowa, he was listed at 6-foot-7. So I love how teams do their media guides where in basketball, it’s always giving guys two extra inches. Wagner, though, has been great and an unbelievable story here for the Wildcats.”
Before signing off, Doering added that while Wagner has been the biggest breakout star, he was also impressed by some of the other offensive weapons Kentucky has to complement Lynn Bowden.
“He’s one of several people who have stepped up at the wide receiver position for the Wildcats, it’s making them difficult to defend,” he said. “Josh Ali had another big catch on Saturday, Bryce Oliver is another guy that has stepped up, so they’ve got some other weapons that are complementing Lynn Bowden.”
Take a look at the segment below:
The SEC’s biggest breakout player is …
“@UKFootball’s Ahmad Wagner is a matchup nightmare.”
?: #SECThisMorning pic.twitter.com/UsgUWa3G6E
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 17, 2019
While we’re at it, let’s take a look at Wagner’s ridiculous touchdown grab against Florida one more time.
This grab my Ahmad Wagner deserves another look! ?
(Via @espn)pic.twitter.com/6ckmpQPmgR
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 17, 2019
I still don’t know how he pulled it off.
Kentucky has not just one, but two quarterbacks on the short list of the best third down passers in college football.
Pro Football Focus, the leader in performance grading for all positions in both the NFL and college football games each week, shared its highest-graded quarterbacks on third and fourth down attempts, and both Terry Wilson and Sawyer Smith are among the best.
Smith’s 89.6 grade is fifth best in the NCAA; Wilson is tenth with an 87.0:
(Photo: Twitter/@PFF_College)
As a team, Kentucky is ranked No. 24 in the nation in third down conversion percentage. The Cats have successfully converted half of their 40 third down scenarios so far this year.
I know one of the 20 unsuccessful attempts — a 3rd-and-2 against Florida — we’d like to try again.
Through three quarters on Saturday night, Kentucky dominated the football game. The Wildcats owned an 11-point lead heading into the final quarter and if it wasn’t for some ball security issues, they might have pitched a shutout. The offense was rolling, but the Wildcats needed to pickup a 4th-and-1 at the Florida 38 to move the chains and land a knockout punch.
Before we take a look at this unsuccessful play, we must take a peek back to last season. A.J. Rose received some short-yardage opportunities out of the wildcat formation and they didn’t have much success.
Fresh off a Penn State touchdown, Kentucky needed to move the chains to stem the momentum the Nittany Lions were building in the fourth quarter. On their first third down of the drive, they went with a wildcat formation look with A.J. Rose in the backfield. On the split zone, Rose does not allow his blocks to set up and runs right into the Mike linebacker at the line of scrimmage. Fast forward to last weekend and we saw more of the same.
On the most important offensive play of the game, Kentucky comes out in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three receivers) with trips lined up in the field. Right before the snap, Sawyer Smith motions into the boundary while Florida’s free safety sneaks into the box to give the defense an eight-man look against an obvious running formation. What comes next is one of Kentucky’s biggest staple plays.
What differs split zone from inside zone the kickback block element. On split zone, the playside tight end/H-back/fullback will be responsible for the backside defensive end/outside linebacker in order to prevent a chase down tackle on a slow developing play and/or create an alley for a backside cut if the defense over pursues. That’s why you see Justin Rigg run out of the picture.
In theory, Drake Jackson will work on the nose with left guard Logan Stenberg on a double team and then climb onto the Mike linebacker while right guard Mason Wolfe handles playside defensive end/outside linebacker who runs a twist stunt on the snap with the defensive tackle.
If Kentucky does all of that, there’s a great chance that this play turns into a touchdown. However, Florida nose tackle and former UK recruiting target makes a great move Tedarrell Slaton on the stunt call by Todd Grantham.
Slaton is lined as a shaded nose in between Drake Jackson and Mason Wolfe in the playside A gap. Before the snap, Jackson is thinking he’s going to have a one-on-one block with Logan Stenberg coming down to help. This will allow A.J. Rose to sneak right in behind the two for the first down. However, Slaton pulls out a great inside swim move and jumps from one A gap to the other. This catches Jackson off guard and off balance. That means it is Rose vs. Mike linebacker David Reese for all the marbles since the double team has now been neutralized.
Instead of taking his time and waiting on the blocks to develop, A.J. Rose decides to plow straight forward to pick up the yards to gain. That may work if you’re a 240-pound power back, but that is not Rose. There are not many backs in the country that are going to win that matchup with David Reese in the hole and the result ends up being a fourth down stop. If Rose hesitates and use a jump cut into the B gap (between the guard and tackle), he may have been off to the races if he could just slip one tackle.
This was not a bad play call. The wildcat formation has worked well for Kentucky in the past and it’s clear that the head football coach loves to use it. He forced Shannon Dawson to run it in 2015 after two months of not using it. It’s been a staple since Eddie Gran arrived in Lexington and has been a very successful short-yardage option in the past. However, the running style of Rose gives UK a small chance to convert in these situations.
In the zone run game, vision is the most important attribute a running back can have. There is no assigned gap for this play to go through and that is important to remember. You are running a track and you have to adjust on the fly to take what the defense gives you. Despite the center being blown up, there was still an alley for Rose if he could’ve made just one man miss. Instead he tried to steamroll one of the best inside linebackers in college football.
You can bet that Kentucky is going over this play ad nauseam in their team meetings this week. This is the most used run play in Eddie Gran’s playbook and it is one the Wildcats must be able to go to no matter what the defense is doing on the other side. Outside of Drake Jackson, the play was actually blocked fairly well. The center lost his individual battle and the running back did not react quick enough to help move the chains.
The wildcat formation is not going anywhere and UK is still going to use it in short-yardage situations. Expect Drake Jackson to adjust and correct this mistake, but if Rose cannot start reading the play better it may be time to give Kavosiey Smoke or Christopher Rodriguez, Jr. a shot as the primary short-yardage back.
The Kentucky football program is past its days of “ucky ball” so let’s try to keep this gate closed whenever the area is not being used for deliveries, please.
Mark Stoops and his staff have done a phenomenal job of lifting the program to new heights and they deserve respect on this double-doored gate outside Kroger Field.
Thank you.
Mitch Barnhart’s decision to not expand alcohol sales at Kroger Field has been a touchy one in the Big Blue Nation since it was announced last month. At the time, Barnhart said he made the call based on feedback from fans over the summer. According to a new report, that’s true — when it comes to his inbox, at least.
Through an open records request, the Courier-Journal obtained Barnhart’s emails on the issue from the summer, the majority of which were against expanded alcohol sales at Kroger Field and Rupp Arena.
Among the emails provided by UK, nine voiced an opinion about expanded alcohol sales between the SEC’s adoption of the new policy on May 31 and Barnhart’s announcement on Aug. 1.
Only one of those urged Barnhart to approve expanded sales.
Since Barnhart’s announcement on August 1, his inbox has been flooded with backlash from fans who want expanded alcohol sales, proving it’s still a hot-button issue. Emails are just one way to measure the pulse of a fan base, but it’s clear Barnhart takes them very seriously.
To read some of the emails, head on over to The Courier-Journal.
[‘Do the right thing’: Inside Mitch Barnhart’s inbox during UK’s alcohol sales decision]
Good morning, friends, and welcome to the Tuesday edition of Kentucky Sports Radio. Today’s show is coming to you from three locations: the Lexington and Louisville studios, and Lyon County, where Matt’s posted up on the latest stop of his book tour. Tune in to hear the gang discuss Mark Stoops’ comments from yesterday about playcalling, recap a little basketball recruiting, and look ahead to Mississippi State.
Join in on the fun by calling (502) 571-1080 or send a text to the KSR Texting Machine at (772) 774-5254.
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@TheTimMcGraw
You’ll never believe this: people in Louisville are complaining. This time though, it’s not about TopGolf.
Over the weekend Hometown Rising became the first of three weekend music festivals to perform at Kentucky Fair and Expo Center’s new Highland Festival Grounds. When the country music stars began their sound checks, residents from miles away went on NextDoor to voice their complaints.
The Courier-Journal reached out to a few of the folks who were unhappy about the noise, one of which provided this incredible quote. “Calling something ‘Louder Than Life’ suggests to me that it might be a different style of music and a different volume expectation for us,” she said. “I’m an opera aficionado, so I don’t know any of these music genres.”
The music is just one piece of the loud puzzle that is right in the middle of the city, as this sketch from Doug Profitt illustrates wonderfully.
@WHAS11Doug
Organizers of the three weekend festivals have not commented on the complaints. Residents will just have to suck it up for two more weekends.
Before Bourbon & Beyond and Louder than Life kickoff, there’s plenty to talk about in the world of UK sports.
Injury Uncertainty
At Monday’s press conference, Mark Stoops revealed that Phil Hoskins and Taj Dodson are both “questionable” for Saturday’s game in Starkville. Neither appeared on the weekly depth chart. Isaiah Epps still does not have a return date and MJ Devonshire underwent wrist surgery. The freshman cornerback will be in a cast, and if he can manage the pain, he’s available to play.
Stoops Answers Critics
After any loss, questions about play-calling always rear their ugly head. This loss to Florida is no exception. If you didn’t read all of Stoops’ comments, allow me to paraphrase:.
1. The Wildcat run would have been the same run if Sawyer handed the ball off to Rose. The play didn’t work because the offensive line, who had stellar offensive performance for all but a handful of plays the entire game, missed an assignment.
2. Stoops wanted to take the air out of the ball once UK got into field goal range because he was worried about giving Florida too much time to move the ball down the field against his secondary that was on its third string free safety. Brad White’s play-calling efforts were handicapped because Quandre Mosely simply didn’t receive significant reps that week in practice.
What’s Going on with Xavier Peters?
The Florida State transfer was finally ruled eligible by the NCAA last week but did not play against Florida. Stoops did not make any future promises for playing time.
“We’ll see how he progresses, how he picks things up. We need every available body we can get obviously, but we need him to understand and be able to execute our defense, too.”
All of the Podcasts
Moving on from a loss to Florida is never easy. A trio of podcasts is exactly what you need to recover. Austin MacGinnis provides words of wisdom on the KSR Football Podcast, Aaron Torres shares his college football week 3 takes from the west coast and Mrs. Tyler and Fake Barney accompany Florida talk with hi-jinx in a Man Crush Bracket. Subscribe! Subscribe! Subscribe!
Cal Visits Omoruyi
Once John Calipari locked in Terrence Clarke, Kentucky’s head coach turned to point guard and the post. Travis Graf reports Cal will go to New Jersey today to watch Cliff Omoruyi work out. The visit to the top ten center is two days after the Cats visited point guard Cade Cunningham, as the Cats try to squeeze their way in-between Oklahoma State and North Carolina.
Cheeseburger Time
Enes Kanter’s cheat days are on the hot seat. Now Bam Adebayo has the potential to become the biggest burger aficionado among former Wildcats. Adebayo is participating in an eating competition tomorrow against the world famous eater, Takera Kobayashi. God bless Bam.
An Audio/Visual Masterpiece
The Alaska-Fairbanks video team has put Bradley McKee on the hot seat.
Quick reminder that the greatest video ever produced in human history is the 2010 intro video for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks hockey team. It's a roller-coaster. pic.twitter.com/TkBRh2oPn3
— Pablo Maurer (@MLSist) September 16, 2019
Kentucky completely controlled the football game vs. Florida for three quarters. Things unwound rather quickly in the fourth quarter. Fans asked for explanations to certain decisions and Mark Stoops was happy to provide them at Monday’s press conference.
Why UK Kept it on the Ground in the Final Drive
Some fans wanted to put the ball in Sawyer Smith’s hands on the penultimate drive of the game. Trailing by one, Kentucky’s quarterback began the drive by completing a six-yard pass to Justin Rigg. Once Kavosiey Smoke moved the chains, an Ahmad Wagner pass interference gave UK another first down. A 21-yard gain by Lynn Bowden put the ball on the Florida 26-yard line, well within field goal range, with just under two minutes to play.
“At that moment we run for four yards on first down at the end of the game there,” Stoops said. “Time was an issue because if you noticed, we were a little thin in the secondary. Killing a little bit of clock was important because of the way Florida had been moving the ball in the second half, how thin we were in the secondary.
“Then you run it for four yards again on second down. Pretty efficient, I’d say, in that moment. Plus every yard was important. Florida had about 16 sacks at that point on the season, so they could disrupt you. They had some interceptions.”
Smith had great moments, but he also accounted for four turnovers (three if you don’t include the desperation Hail Mary as time expired). If Florida’s pass rush got to Smith, he could commit another turnover or get sacked and put UK out of field goal range. Eddie Gran gave the ball to Smoke on third and two. If he got one more yard, Kentucky is taking a few more shots at the end zone.
“People would be talking about it being a thing of beauty, but it wasn’t, so it’s not. If the kick goes in, we still have an unbelievably good chance to win.”
Why the Wildcat?
“It seems like the minute it doesn’t work, you’ll hear about it. Every time it’s effective, you don’t hear about it, and you don’t write about it. It’s been very effective for us,” Stoops said. “It’s the exact same run game whether he’s under there or not. Sometimes you can get an extra gap.”
In fact, it successfully set up a score the week prior vs. Eastern Michigan when Lynn Bowden connected with Terry Wilson through the air for a 32-yard gain.
On A.J. Rose’s fourth down run against Florida, Kentucky’s offensive line missed an assignment at the line of scrimmage, leaving David Reese II free to make the tackle.
“We had a play. We don’t usually make those mistakes,” Stoops said. “We missed that play. That hurt because we could have got, we felt, two, three, four, five yards on that play, maybe more. Again, doesn’t happen much. It happened in a critical moment.”
To Florida’s credit, they had the perfect stunt dialed up for that particular play.
The 4th and 1 to start 4th Quarter had a missed block pic.twitter.com/lYxeZmeAVU
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) September 16, 2019
Stoops Remains Confident in Chance Poore
Just like the previous two plays, Kentucky was a half-yard away from being successful. Poore’s miss is not going to deter Stoops from calling No. 12’s number in the future.
“He hit a good kick there. It was trying to turn, it just stopped turning on him. Missed it by a half yard. He cannot dwell on that. He hit a good kick, put a good stroke on it. He just missed it.”
Stoops said they tried getting the ball closer to the middle of the field before the attempt, but the Cats got stuck on the right hash before Poore lined up for the game-winning attempt.
A handful of plays cost Kentucky the chance to beat Florida. The previous three are the most obvious, but the consequences from Yusuf Corker’s early ejection might have been the most costly.
“You go down two free safeties in that game, it really hindered Brad in the ability to make some calls,” said Stoops. “Sometimes it’s just bad luck, to have two free safeties go down. We don’t have time to rep three in a specific game, nor the depth to have three in there with all the different calls. There’s so many nuances and adjustments and things.”
Despite unfortunate circumstances, Kentucky was still in a position to win the game. They just didn’t make the two or three fourth quarter plays that would have secured a victory over Florida.
KSBar and Grille is the place in Lexington to catch University of Kentucky games (pre and postgame too) as well as other events such as the NBA Playoffs, UFC fights, the World Cup, MLB games, PGA tour events, and more.
KSBar might be known for their smoked wings but don’t miss out on the brisket platter, fried katfish, chicken and waffles, and the great assortment of burgers. Start off with the house chips loaded to the ceiling smothered with pulled pork or chicken straight off the smoker topped with the house BBQ sauce.
Head to the KSBar and Grille website ksbarandgrille.com to see a full menu and drink list.
Be on the look out for different specials and events.
KSBar and Grille is located at: 1030 South Broadway, Lexington, KY 40504
You can be a part of KSR’s Top 10 Tweets by using hashtags like #KSR #BBN or #KSRtop10. You can also nominate tweets by mentioning them with the hashtag. If we like what we see, it could be posted the next day.
If you are interested in sponsoring KSR’s Top 10 Tweets, please contact us at Via Email.
#10 Shawn Fasolo
Be sure and give some to your tracker.
— Shawn Fasolo (@Fozz23uk) September 16, 2019
Always have to share!
#9 Noah Peterson
if i drive from baton rouge to starkville can i party with @DrewFranklinKSR this weekend
— Noah Peterson (@noahpeterson11) September 16, 2019
Shoot your shot!
#8 Kevin Webb
So sad… get well soon. ?? #powerthrough #StayHungry #getwellsoon #BBN
— Kevin Webb (@kmwebb14) September 16, 2019
Always love to Cat alums
#7 Jackson Hancock
Despite the loss, meeting Rondo was pretty cool as a Celtics fan. pic.twitter.com/eMeEuf0Xje
— Jackson Hancock (@NotJackson00) September 17, 2019
Love the positivity!
#6 Jonathan deShetler
It was a long drive back from Lexington… @BrentW_KSR @KySportsRadio @DrewFranklinKSR @haydenhooper01 #ksr #ksrtop10 #bbn pic.twitter.com/C81urDm5Rb
— Jonathan deShetler (@JondeShetler) September 16, 2019
Always a sad day to see an “L” in the column
#5 Michael Rains
I got home from work and gave my 2 girls a hug and was called for targeting.I was penalized no hugs for the rest of tonight and the first half of tomorrow Thanks @NCAA and @SEC officials. @gbbcountry @vaughtsviews @BrentW_KSR @markcstory @KySportsRadio @Kentuckyweather #bbn #ksr pic.twitter.com/jjMPChshZn
— Michael Rains (@RuppArenaMike) September 16, 2019
Now that’s a targeting call I agree with.
#4 Terry Jordon
Matt going over the game today has created rebound depression for me regarding this Kentucky loss… #KSR pic.twitter.com/6r2F2GUvX9
— Terry Jordon (@tnjordon) September 16, 2019
I hate the Monday blues after a loss. It’s unbearable.
#3 Chris Fannin
@chance_poore16 Please keep your head up kiddo. That was a tough situation for anyone to be in, especially a youngster. I still have faith in your abilities, my friend. I know the rational and mature #BBN fans are still with you.
— Chris Fannin ??? (@wdkaatfan) September 16, 2019
Have to bring him up! He’ll make the next one.
#2 Turkey Baster
@raf_tyler #BBN loves you, now go and shock the NBA pic.twitter.com/8h0eAQsYI8
— Turkey Baster (@chucklehead7734) September 16, 2019
Boy Wonder!!
#1 KentuckyDude
Another Kentucky defender was just called for targeting….#BBN ?
— KentuckyDude (@JHNNsports) September 17, 2019
Seems about right!
Follow me on twitter and tag me in one of your tweets for a chance to make KSR’s top 10 tweets:
The OTT Podcast is back to cheer you up after the Florida loss. Tune in as Tyler and Fake Barney tackle a very important question: who is the ultimate man crush? Of course we put a bracket together to find out. Highlights include…
— Barney’s trip to Nashville, which included a chance meeting with Vince Gill
— Tyler’s top secret story about John Mayer
— Keifer Sutherland’s weird ears
— Is Jim Cantore on PEDs?!
— Which James Bond is the coolest?
…and much, much more. You can easily listen on the KSR App, available on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify. Streaming online is simple through Pod Paradise. You can also get it directly on your phone by subscribing to The OTT Podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, or via Android’s Podcast Addict app. Please leave us a review!
Today’s show is brought to you by The Kentucky Castle Spa:
Mention “podcast deal” to receive 20% off your first treatment. Valid for new customers only, one discounted treatment per person, and promo is valid for services scheduled before Nov.1st only. Call 859-682-4751 to schedule.
(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
We have now reached mid-September, which means that with every single day that passes, we get a day closer to the start of college basketball season. At this point the season is so close, you can practically hear Jay Bilas complaining about the referees already!
And if there was any sign that we are in fact getting close to tip-off, it came this weekend, when John Calipari had his state of the union address with the media. He hit on a number of different topics that KSR has covered over the last couple days, ranging from this year’s team, to recruiting and his golf trip with Barack Obama.
Now, with Calipari’s preseason availability done for a few weeks, it’s time to reflect.
Here are nine thoughts on what Coach Cal said, and what it means for this season and beyond:
Kentucky should have beaten Florida. Instead, the Gators punched the Cats in the face in the fourth quarter, a feeling the KSR Football Podcast is all too familiar with. Nick Roush, Drew Franklin, Austin MacGinnis and Charles Walker touch on every topic from the UK-Florida game, like…
— Austin’s analysis of the game-winning field goal attempt.
— Can we change something about the Wildcat?
— The Sawyer Sneak!
— Austin’s completely reasonable solution to the targeting penalty.
— Bully Sighting!
— Why it was Drew’s fault we lost.
— Crowd Towels > Crowd Pom-Poms
Get the podcast delivered to your phone by subscribing to “KSR Football Podcast” on iTunes. You can stream the show online or on your Android phone through Spotify.
Former Kentucky guard Mychal Mulder will have a chance to make an NBA roster this fall.
This evening, the Miami Heat announced they would be signing Mulder to a training camp deal after trading for his G League rights earlier in the day.
Heat sign former Kentucky guard Mychal Mulder to camp deal. https://t.co/cVxsPuQeDz
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 16, 2019
In Miami, Mulder will be joining his former Kentucky teammate and roommate Bam Adebayo, who voiced his support for the signing not long after it was made official.
??? @MychalMulder https://t.co/ZlHUM6mnXH
— 13am Adebayo? (@Bam1of1) September 16, 2019
Mulder spent last season with the Chicago Bulls’ G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, where he averaged 13.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists in 32.9 minutes per contest.
Earlier today, Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, reached a trade with Windy City for his rights.
The Heat have signed him to an Exhibit 10 contract, meaning he has a $50,000 guarantee by playing in the G League if he does not make the official Miami roster. He can also agree to a two-way deal with the franchise, which would allow him to split time in Miami and Sioux Falls this season.
Either way, Mulder is going to be making some money this year in the states.
Congratulations to the former Wildcat on the big news.
Photo: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
After Saturday’s loss to Florida, Kentucky is 2-1, 0-1 in the SEC. How are the Cats’ future opponents faring so far this season? Let’s take a look.
Mississippi State (September 21, Starkville MS)
Record: 2-1 (0-0 SEC)
- Aug. 31: 38-28 W vs. Louisiana Lafayette
- Sep. 7: 38-15 W vs. Southern Miss
- Sep. 14: 31-24 L vs. Kansas State
The Bulldogs dropped their first game of the season on Saturday despite outgaining Kansas State and holding the Wildcats to 269 total offensive yards. Playing with a stiff shoulder, quarterback Tommy Stevens was pulled following his second interception of the game for true freshman Garrett Shrader, who became an internet star for this helicopter move:
Garrett Shrader doing his best helicopter impression for Mississippi State pic.twitter.com/fY8kGFvcD4
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinnerNFL) September 14, 2019
That’s impressive, but Joe Moorhead said Stevens is still the guy as long as he’s healthy. Regardless, the Bulldogs have Kylin Hill, who leads the SEC in rushing with 431 yards and six touchdowns this season. He’s good.
South Carolina (September 28, Columbia)
Record: 1-2 (0-1 SEC)
- Aug. 31: 24-20 L vs. North Carolina
- Sep. 7: 72-10 W vs. Charleston Southern
- Sep. 14: 47-23 L vs. No. 2 Alabama
South Carolina looked like it might give Alabama a scare, but that didn’t last. Regardless, freshman quarterback Ryan Hilinski looked very impressive, throwing for 324 yards and two touchdowns in only his second career game following Jake Bentley’s season-ending injury, a performance for which he won SEC Freshman of the Week.
Next up: at Missouri, Saturday 4 p.m. (SEC Network)
The Gamecocks head to Missouri for their first road game of the season.
Arkansas (October 12, Lexington)
Record: 2-1 (0-1 SEC)
- Aug. 31: 20-13 W vs. Portland State
- Sep. 7: 31-17 L at Ole Miss
- Sep. 14: 55-34 W vs. Colorado State
Texas A&M transfer Nick Starkel made his first start as a Razorback on Saturday, throwing for 305 yards and three touchdowns to lead Arkansas past Colorado State. Arkansas had 522 yards of total offense, the most during Chad Morris’ tenure as head coach.
Fun fact about Starkel: he loves Justin Bieber. While at Texas A&M, he sported a Bieber tee under his pads all season:
He also did this weird lip dub in hopes of meeting Bieber, even tagging Ellen DeGeneres:
??ATTENTION EVERYONE?? Help make my birthday wish come TRUE by RTing and tagging @TheEllenShow so we can meet @justinbieber on our spring break trip!! @JD_Rodgers #MeetBieber pic.twitter.com/4oSspYXiWS
— Nicholas Starkel (@NickStarkel) February 25, 2018
Yeah, we’re gonna have some fun with that in a few weeks.
Next up: San Jose State, Saturday 7:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Starkel will get another chance to build his confidence vs. San Jose State before the Razorbacks host No. 17 Texas A&M on September 28.
Georgia (October 19, Athens)
Record: 3-0 (1-0 SEC)
- Aug. 31: 30-6 W at Vanderbilt
- Sep. 7: 63-17 W vs. Murray State
- Sep. 14: 55-0 W vs. Arkansas State
There’s nothing to say here other than Georgia looks really good so far. They rolled through their first three games by a cumulative margin of 148-23, which has allowed key players like Jake Fromm, D’Andre Swift, George Pickens, and Dominick Blaylock to build momentum while also getting plenty of rest.
Next up: No. 7 Notre Dame, Saturday 8 p.m. (CBS)
We’ll find out how good the Bulldogs really are in Saturday’s primetime showdown with the Fighting Irish. From there, they go to Tennessee and host South Carolina before Kentucky comes to town on October 19.
Missouri (October 26)
Record: 2-1 (0-0 SEC)
- Aug. 31: 37-31 L at Wyoming
- Sep. 7: 38-7 W vs. West Virginia
- Sep. 14: 50-0 W vs. Southeast Missouri State
Missouri seems to have regrouped from its season-opening loss at Wyoming with dominant wins vs. West Virginia and Southeast Missouri State. After giving up 37 points on the road, Missouri’s defense held West Virginia and SEMO to a combined 265 total yards. On offense, they’ve looked good as well, with Kelly Bryant throwing for almost 800 yards and six touchdowns thus far and the Tigers’ rushing attack getting 259 yards on the ground on Saturday.
Next up: South Carolina, Saturday 4 p.m. (SEC Network)
The Gamecocks come to CoMo for a great measuring stick game on Saturday before the Tigers host Troy and Ole Miss and travel to Nashville to play Vandy.
Tennessee (November 9)
Record: 1-2 (0-0 SEC)
- Aug. 31: 38-30 L vs. Georgia State
- Sep. 7: 29-26 2OT L vs. BYU
- Sep. 14: 45-0 W vs. Chattanooga
Tennessee finally got its first win of the season Saturday with a 45-0 rout of the FCS Chattanooga Mocs. It’s hard to tell anything from that game, especially since BYU, the team the Vols lost to last week, beat No. 24 USC in overtime on Saturday while Georgia State, the team Tennessee lost to before that, got beat 57-10 by Western Michigan. Regardless, shoutout to this person who showed up at Georgia’s game in a Tennessee uniform with a bag on his head:
I spotted @ClayTravis at Georgia game pic.twitter.com/Q45wj4Ly3L
— Dr. Christopher Crow (@DrCCrow) September 14, 2019
Next up: at No. 9 Florida, Saturday 12 p.m. (ESPN)
I hope the Vols enjoyed the victory because they’re about to come crashing back to reality. Saturday they’ll play Florida in the Swamp and after a bye week, host No. 3 Georgia and Mississippi State before going to No. 2 Alabama on October 19. Ouch.
Vanderbilt (November 16, Nashville)
Record: 0-2 (0-1 SEC)
- Aug. 31: 30-6 L vs. No. 3 Georgia
- Sep. 7: 42-24 L vs. Purdue
The ‘Dores were actually off this past weekend, which will not help them vs. No. 4 LSU on Saturday. Quarterback Riley Neal threw for almost 378 yards vs. Purdue, but Vanderbilt also committed 13 penalties for 100 yards and couldn’t contain Elijah Sindelar and Rondale Moore.
Next up: No. 4 LSU, Saturday 12 p.m. (SEC Network)
I fully expect Tiger fans to invade Nashville and take advantage of Vanderbilt’s new alcohol policy, creating for an even wilder atmosphere on Broadway Saturday night. From there, the ‘Dores will host Northern Illinois before going on the road to play Ole Miss.
UT Martin (November 23)
Record: 1-2
- Aug. 29: 42-20 W vs. Northwestern State
- Sep. 7: 45-0 L at No. 11 Florida
- Sep. 14: 28-14 L at Southern Illinois
UT Martin got shut out by Florida in the Swamp. If you’re worrying about the Sky Hawks at this point in the season, you need a Snickers.
Next up: A bunch of OVC opponents
Louisville (November 30)
Record: 2-1 (0-0 ACC)
- Sep. 2: 35-17 L to No. 9 Notre Dame
- Sep. 7: 42-0 W vs. Eastern Kentucky
- Sep. 14: 38-21 W vs. Western Kentucky
Look at ya, Scott’s tots! Louisville fans are certainly feeling good after their moral victory vs. Notre Dame and easy wins over Eastern and Western Kentucky. Jawon Pass sat out Saturday’s game in Nashville with a foot injury, but Malik Cunningham looked good vs. a bad Hilltoppers defense. Tutu Atwell continues to look like Louisville’s best playmaker, catching four passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns vs. Western Kentucky.
Next up: at Florida State, Saturday 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Can the Cards keep up the momentum vs. a shaky Florida State team in Tallahassee? If so, maybe we should be seriously worried about the Seminoles coming after Stoops. After that, Louisville will host Boston College and travel to Wake Forest before playing No. 1 Clemson on October 19.