BTI’s Rants and Ramblings: Monday Morning Playcalling Breakdown (Missouri)

1st Down
Pass: 6-8, 62 yards
Run: 26 rushes for 140 yards (5.4 ypc), 1 TD

Combined Season Statistics
Pass: 39-67, 527 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 3 sacks for -23 yards (1 fumble lost)
Run: 171 rushes for 964 yards (5.6 ypc), 3 TD

RECAP: On 1st down, UK ran rushing plays for their final 14 plays, all in the 2nd half.  UK obviously knows where its bread is buttered but I was also encouraged by the passing attack too.  Johnson made a lot of good throws, especially on 1st down.  And despite the fact that UK abandoned the passing game in the 2nd half, it was nice to see some improvement in Johnson as well.
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2nd Down and Long (6 yards or more)
Pass: 3-4, 38 yards, 1 INT
Run: 10 rushes for 68 yards (6.8 ypc)

Combined Season Statistics
Pass: 26-43, 354 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT, 6 sacks for -37 yards (1 fumble lost)
Run: 79 rushes for 450 yards (5.7 ypc)

RECAP: The Johnson INT at the end of the half was maybe the Cats worst play but other wise UK ran 13 plays for 106 yards just in this set.  They were methodical in their attack as well with one rush over 20 yards but a slew of 4-7 yards runs.  Removing the negative plays, either by sack or rush, has been a key in this surge.

2nd Down and Short (5 yards or less)
Pass: 1-4, 9 yards
Run: 11 rushes for 61 yards (5.5 ypc), 1 TD

Combined Season Statistics
Pass: 8-12, 162 yards, 1 TD, 1 sack for -5 yards (1 fumble lost)
Run: 34 rushes for 176 yards (5.2 ypc), 2 TD

RECAP: Johnson’s worst set of plays in terms of throwing the ball but it didn’t matter much because Mizzou had no answer for the rush attack.
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3rd Down and Long (6 yards or more)
Pass: 2-3, 78 yards, 2 TD (converted 2 of 3)
Run: 3 rushes for 12 yards (4.0 ypc) (converted 0 of 3)

Combined Season Statistics
Pass: 19-42, 302 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT, 7 sacks for -58 yards (converted 12 of 49)
Run: 15 rushes for 92 yards (6.1 ypc), 1 TD (converted 2 of 11)

RECAP: All 3 rushing “failures” occurred in the 2nd half when the Cats were just milking clock, so no issue there.  Obviously, 2 huge pass touchdowns in this scenario, a scenario the Cats have been AWFUL all year on.  If they develop any kind of threat in this situation, the offense becomes very dangerous.

3rd Down and Short (5 yards or less)
Pass: 3-5, 18 yards, 1 sack for -1 yard (converted 3 of 5)
Run: 7 rushes for 97 yards (13.9 ypc), 1 TD (converted 5 of 7)

Combined Season Statistics
Pass: 7-16, 75 yards, 1 INT, 2 sacks for -4 yards (converted 7 of 17)
Run: 24 rushes for 181 yards (4.9 ypc) (converted 18 of 24)

RECAP: Boom’s 65-yard burst inflates the rushing stats some but UK still converts 7 of 10 other 3rd and short situations.  They controlled the football pretty much the entire game and this was key.