Kentucky left points on the field multiple times deep in Tennessee territory

The Kentucky offense is having a tough season in 2024. Not much has gone right for this group, and the injury bug arrived in a big way on Saturday night at Neyland Stadium. Despite all the issues, the Wildcats created five scoring opportunities in 12 possessions against a top-five Tennessee defense and twice had the ball inside the Tennessee 30 four times. Kentucky only scored 10 points total in those four possessions.

Finishing drives has been an issue for this football team all season, and that issue reared its ugly head on Saturday night in Knoxville. In a game where three Kentucky turnovers gave the Tennessee offense immediate red zone possessions, the missed opportunities to finish drives stand out just as much.

A respectable offensive performance could’ve turned into a great offensive performance if Kentucky could finish off these opportunities. The missed chances and the turnovers were too much to overcome in a 28-18 loss.

Failure to finish early

After Tennessee won the toss and deferred, Kentucky created its biggest rushing play of the season on the first snap. Jamarion Wilcox took a gap scheme run 50 yards to give the offense a first-and-10 at the Tennessee 27 immediately. Four plays later, Kentucky had a second-and-7 at the Tennessee 10.

An incompletion and a five-yard gain on third down draw set up a fourth-and-two at the Tennessee 5. Kentucky decided to roll the dice in the first high-leverage situation of the game, and the home team won.

Kentucky goes under center in 12 personnel and sends off-ball tight end Khamari Anderson in motion. The Wildcats use a hard play-action fake and looks for Anderson in the flat, but Tennessee does a good job recognizing the concept and locks up Kentucky in man coverage. Vandagriff comes off his top target and needs to get rid of the ball due to a pressure coming from the backside. The quarterback targets WR1 Dane Key, who is unable to finish a contested catch against tight coverage.

Kentucky’s first drive ends with zero points and was a huge missed opportunity to secure an early lead and, in hindsight, get up double-digits in the first quarter.

Settling for a field goal in the Middle 8

Tennessee finally got on the board with a 14-play, 64-yard drive with 4:45 left in the second quarter to tie the game. Kentucky got the ball back to begin the Middle 8 and needed to put a good drive together. That’s exactly what happened.

A roughing the passer call got the drive rolling, and then Kentucky had a third-and-one at the Tennessee 36. After moving the chains, a third-and-three at the Tennessee 15 arrived with under 40 seconds left in the half. Kentucky goes to a QB run, and there appears to be room for a first down, but Brock Vandagriff cannot make a second defensive back miss in space.

That tackle leads to a field goal but ended a drive that had a shot to reach the endzone.

Scoring opportunity turnover

After a sack fumble allowed Tennessee to take their first lead of the game at 14-10, a third down sack on the next series knocked Brock Vandagriff out of the game. However, a big punt from Aidan Laros flipped the field, and forced a Tennessee three-and-out. Nasir Addison nearly had an interception on third down but the defense played complementary football. Kentucky got the ball back at their own 45 with Gavin Wimsatt in at quarterback.

After seven consecutive run plays gained 28 yards, Kentucky faced a third-and-medium at the Tennessee 27 with under 1:30 left in the third quarter. As long as Kentucky avoided a turnover, points were highly likely with UK trailing by one or having a chance to score a touchdown to begin the final quarter.

Instead, disaster struck after Bush Hamdan called what appears to be a QB draw/stick RPO concept.

Tennessee safety Will Brooks is playing off coverage and is squatting at the sticks. Tennessee brings playside linebacker Jeremiah Telander on a blitz likely making this a needed run read. Instead, Wimsatt locks onto Josh Kattus, and a near pick-six ensues.

Wimsatt ultimately makes a tackle on the other end of the field, but yet another turnover turns into an instant red zone possession for Tennessee. The Vols grab a 21-10 lead and ultimately flipped this game with the takeaways.

The Kentucky defense struggled to get off the field on third down, only forced one takeaway, and could not create a second fourth quarter stop with the game within one possession but the offense’s inability to finish drive again stood out the most in another SEC loss.