Kentucky vs. Florida After Action Review

An After Action Review, or AAR for short, is a military process used to analyze what happened, why it happened, and how it can be done better. Thanks to our friends at the Kentucky Army National Guard, KSR applies that concept to analyze how the Wildcats fared against its most recent opponent. Here is the breakdown of pregame goals compared to results against Florida.  

This specific post is all about pregame goals and postgame numbers. While statistics paint the outcome’s picture, there is only one number that matters when describing the Kentucky Wildcats. The ‘Cats are 5-0. UK’s 20-13 win over Florida wasn’t derived from a fluke. Mark Stoops’ squad went toe to toe with Florida and proved to be the better team. 

Beating Florida was a milestone that UK has been chasing since Stoops stepped foot on campus. It did so in Gainesville in 2018. Kentucky’s victory over the Gators on Kroger Field was the program’s first home win in the rivalry since 1986. Kentucky won the game on the backs of its defense. This season’s Wildcat team has won four close games in a row. A sign of a good football team is finding ways to grind out victories. Let’s take a deeper look into how the ‘Cats beat the Gators. 

OFFENSE 

I’d be sincerely concerned about the Kentucky offense if not for the thrill of the 20-13 win. Ok, I’m am worried but we’ll get into that later. UK managed just 224 total yards including a season-low 87 in the passing game. The Wildcats have been on a continual offensive skid since opening the season with a 564-yard explosion against ULM. UK averaged 542 total yards in the first two games of the season. That number has dropped to 304 vs. Chattanooga, South Carolina, and Florida. 

Kentucky’s 4.8 yards per play was also a season-low. It struggled in early downs which led to a 1/9 outing on 3^rd down. 11 percent on money plays shortened drives which was a significant factor in its season-low 47 offensive plays. Will Levis struggled at times but came up with a critical 3^rd down conversion that led to an eventual Chris Rodriguez Jr. touchdown. Regardless, the ‘Cats won. Let’s see how Kentucky fared in pregame goals. 

Block the Edge: Limit Brenton Cox Jr. and Zachary Carter to 3 tackles for loss and 1 QB sack

YES. Darian Kinnard and Dare Rosenthal regulated the duo to one tackle for loss and one quarterback sack. Brenton Cox Jr. accumulated four tackles and zero havoc stats. Zachary Carter registered three tackles, one TFL, and one sack. 

Hit some shots: Pass for 250 yards

NO. Kentucky didn’t come close to achieving this objective. Will Levis completed just seven passes for 87 yards. UK’s low production in the passing game vs. Florida followed a 102-yard outing vs. South Carolina. Levis did have a 41-yard touchdown pass to Wan’Dale Robinson. Besides that, the ‘Cats passing game was not a factor. 

Hang on to the football: Zero turnovers

NO. Zero fumbles must be considered a success. But, Levis threw his sixth pick of the season. 

Pound ’em: 225 rush yards

NO. UK managed 137 rushing yards off 30 carries. Chris Rodriguez Jr. ran the football 19 times for 99 yards. UK’s 11 percent conversion ratio on 3^rd down limited its total number of plays and reduced run game opportunities. 

DEFENSE

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again now, Brad White is an absolute star. The defensive coordinator dialed up a beautiful game against the Gators’ vaunted rushing attack. UK limited UF to 171 yards on the ground. The Kentucky defense was the star of the game. The star of stars was defensive end Josh Paschal. The senior defensive end totaled seven tackles including 2.5 for loss and was a disruptor on the line of scrimmage. Linebackers DeAndre Square and Jacquez Jones combined for 22 tackles. UK’s defensive effort in its 20-13 win over Florida was its best performance of the 2021 season. Heck, one of the best performances by a UK defense that I can remember, ever. 

Florida ran 71 offensive plays including eight inside the 10-yard line that resulted in zero points. Jacquez Jones’ pass deflection in the game’s final play sealed the deal. The ‘Cats were effective tacklers and prevented explosive plays that were Florida’s most threatening aspect of its offensive attack. Let’s take a look at goals vs. results. 

Tackle the quarterback: Hold Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson to a combined 130 rushing yards

YES. Florida entered the football game as the SEC’s top rushing offense. Quarterback runs were the Gator’s go-to calls. Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson combined for 88 yards on the ground. Brad White’s defense bent but it didn’t break. Containing the explosive Florida signal-callers in the run-game was a deciding factor. The duo’s long-run of the game was an Anthony Richardson 16-yarder. 

Force 2 turnovers

NO. JJ Weaver intercepted an Emory Jones pass which was the Gator’s lone turnover.  

Win money downs: 40% on 3^rd and 4^th downs

YES. Florida converted 4/13 on 3^rd down and 0/1 on fourth. 28.5 percent on money downs was the deciding factor in the Kentucky victory. 

Don’t chase shiny lures

YES. Kentucky maintained eye and gap discipline for four quarters. Florida’s pre-snap shenanigans weren’t a factor. A major credit is due to the Big Blue Nation. Kroger Field was rocking which made pre-snap communication nearly impossible. The Wildcat defense was disciplined in every facet of its game plan. This defense is solid. No, this defense is dynamic and is the strength of the team.  

SPECIAL TEAMS

Win field position in the punt game

YES. Football happens. When punt returns weren’t fielded, the football took a favorable backward bounce or rolled into the end zone. Punt returners caught the football when applicable. Colin Goodfellow produced three punts that placed the Gators inside the 20-yard line. Additionally, the ‘Cats flipped the game’s script with a Josh Paschal blocked field goal that resulted in a 76-yard touchdown return by true freshman Trevin Wallace. 

B.L.U.F (Bottom Line Up Front)

Kentucky beat a top-10 team in order to move to 5-0 on the season. More importantly, UK beat Florida in Lexington for the first time since 1986. 

What Does All This Mean? 

First, I’m happy for Mark Stoops. He deserved last night. I’m also happy for the Big Blue Nation. It deserved last night. I also disagree with most national media which shouldn’t come as a shock. I don’t think last night was an “ugly win.” Kentucky’s 20-13 victory over the Gators was a thing of defensive and special team’s beauty. Brad White and Jon Sumrall’s defense had a plan and stuck with its winning formula for 60 minutes. Kentucky out-slugged the Gators and was the more physical team. UK also won the line of scrimmage. 

This Kentucky team has won four consecutive close games. Its gritty nature is a reflection of its blue-collar head coach. UK has a unique culture under Mark Stoops. Defense doesn’t grab headlines, but it should after Saturday’s gem of a performance. 

Liam Coen’s offense has been somewhat wobbly for 12 quarters. But, it does have Chris Rodriguez Jr. and an offensive line that is a tough as its creator John Schlarman. Wan’Dale Robinson is special. The explosive playmaker is dynamic with the football in his hands. However, there are personnel voids at certain skill positions. But, the ‘Cats have shown it can win without wowing national media types and its infatuation with extraordinary stat lines. 

There’s a time and place for everything. We will dissect Kentucky’s offense over the next few days. But today, let’s appreciate UK’s resolve and its 5-0 record. 

A message from the Kentucky Army National Guard, The Kentucky Army National Guard is YOUR Kentucky home team.  The Soldiers of the Kentucky National Guard are your friends, neighbors, coworkers and classmates.  We are from each county in Kentucky and we stand together to support our fellow Kentuckians in times of natural disaster and civil unrest.  We also serve our nation at the direction of the president should the need for national defense arise.  Soldiers in the Kentucky Army National Guard are able to take advantage of opportunities in education with trade skill training, student loan repayment and up to $60,000 in tuition assistance to state public universities while serving part time.  Do you think you have what it takes to be a member of our team? For more information about joining the Kentucky Army National Guard, Text “KYGUARD” to 95577.  Live Here, Serve Here, Kentucky Army National Guard.