Detailed Process Translates to Results for Kentucky Offense

This time a week ago, the mood at the Kentucky football practice facility could be likened to Billy Reed’s South End, bleak and hopeless. Today there is significantly less gloom and doom, although the frustration has not entirely been eliminated. The Cats don’t get prizes for close losses.

Despite the loss, Mark Stoops learned something about his team in the loss to Georgia. They played with pride. More importantly, they put in the work during the week and it was evident when they lined up against the top-ranked team in the country.

“I think the thing we all realized was the attention to detail, getting lined up, playing fast, eliminating penalties, all of those things made us drastically better,” offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said Tuesday.

“Did the scoreboard show it? Absolutely not. But I think when you go through a week like we did with South Carolina where the second half is just penalties, self-inflicted wounds, you go and play the No. 1 team in the country, play relatively clean, and have a chance at the end to win the football game. Practice execution equals game day reality. That focus has been turned up and we gotta keep it there.”

It may sound boring from the outside looking in but a process-based mentality is what made Nick Saban and Bill Belichick the best in football. After getting their bells wrung in week two, the Kentucky offense focused on the details and it paid off.

“I could tell our execution and focus to detail, day one from the start on Monday after watching film, everyone was locked in. Everybody was still having fun, but I could tell our focus was times ten that week and we went out and played well,” said wide receiver Ja’Mori Maclin.

Kentucky had 23 first downs and more than 200 non-sack rushing yards, no small feat against the vaunted Georgia defense. But they still didn’t get into the end zone. To take the next step, they’re keeping their focus on the details.

“The plays are there and you come up an inch short. Eleven guys have to be on exactly the right spot every single play for those big plays to happen against a good defense,” said Eli Cox. “We were just one thing short. Whatever the play was, we had an opportunity, and the play was there. We just gotta make ’em.”

When backed into a corner, Kentucky showed some intestinal fortitude. This can’t be a finished product, but only the beginning for this burgeoning offense.

“This is not a final product in week two or three. It’s a constant state of improvement. That’s the message from them, from myself for everybody. We gotta keep taking the next step,” said Hamdan.

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