BTI's Rants and Ramblings: Your Monday Playcalling Breakdown

1st down (29 plays) Run: 15 rushes for 34 yards Pass: 5-11, 77 yards, 3 sacks (-18 yards) Recap: For the 3rd straight week, Kentucky was absolutely awful at running the ball on 1st down. They are averaging just over 2 yards per carry on first down. For whatever reason, UK decided running Morgan Newton on first down would be a good strategy. It wasn't. But then you look at the passing game, and Newton threw for 77 yards on first down on just 5 completions. That should tell the coaches something. Although Joker's post game comments suggest otherwise. I continue to say THIS TEAM HAS TO DO BETTER ON FIRST DOWN. The sacks and poor rushing plays continue to put them in 2nd and 3rd down and long situations, and they are not built for that. I am a football novice, as are most fans, and I think we all can see this! Season Combined (72 plays) Run: 44 rushes for 99 yards Pass: 11-23, 185 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 5 sacks (-37 yards) ________________________________________________________ 2nd down and 7 or less (9 plays) Run: 2 rushes for 5 yards Pass: 6-7, 22 yards Recap: The fact that Kentucky ran 29 first down plays, and only 9 times did they face a 2nd down and 7 or less should tell you something. Once again, and this will be a recurring fact for me, 1st down plays have been killing UK. Now, Kentucky did NOTHING with those 9 2nd down plays either. What it tells me is 2 things: when defenses know a run is likely coming, they are able to stop UK fairly easily. And second, Kentucky doesn't take risks with the passing game in this situation. Season Combined (22 plays) Run: 13 rushed for 157 yards, 1 TD Pass: 7-9, 22 yards _______________________________________________________ 2nd down and 8 or more (17 plays) Run: 5 rushes for 22 yards Pass: 6-11, 61 yards, 1 TD, 1 sack (-9 yards) Recap: Marginal success in these situations. The rushing attack was slightly better, and Newton threw a touchdown pass here too. But again, 17 plays of 2nd down and long is not the way to go. It forces you to put a good play together, and as you can see above, UK was not able to consistently do that. Season Combined (40 plays) Run: 15 rushes for 54 yards Pass: 12-22, 147 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 3 sacks (-24 yards) ______________________________________________________ 3rd down and 7 or less (11 plays) Run: 2 rushes for 18 yards Pass: 7-8, 65 yards, 1 sack (-14 yards) Recap: Kentucky actually found a lot of success in these situations. Do you hear that? When in short yardage situations, teams generally do better. Newton was able to find receivers more easily and UK averaged 9 yards per carry. As Herm Edwards once said, HELLO? Get more plays into these situations and you might be amazed at how much better the offense would look. Season Combined (25 plays) Run: 8 rushes for 54 yards, 1 TD Pass: 8-15, 71 yards, 2 INT, 2 sacks (-18 yards) ______________________________________________________ 3rd down and 8 or more (7 plays) Run: 2 rushes for 6 yards Pass: 2-4, 31 yards, 1 sack (-9 yards) Recap: Kentucky did have one good play in this situation, a deep pass to Mellilo to convert a 3rd and 21. Besides that, it was another poor sitatuion the Cats performed in. I again am stunned when a play is called in a 3rd and long situation for a running play. THAT IS GIVING UP. And I hate to see that from the coaches. I get you don't want to risk a interception, but what does that say about your confidence in your players that you are terrified they might turn the ball over in a tough spot. They have had 17 plays of 3rd and long this season, and have run the ball 8 times in those situations. Blah. Season Combined (17 plays) Run: 8 rushes for 91 yards Pass: 4-7, 42 yards, 2 sacks (-20 yards)