Kentucky vs. LSU 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 LSU.  

Kentucky beat up LSU on Saturday night. There’s no other way to describe the Wildcats’ 42-21 win over the Tigers in front of an energetic home crowd. LSU had the personnel advantage on paper based on recruiting rankings and NFL projections. That didn’t matter. UK develops players at a much higher level and has multiple future pros as well. Mark Stoops flat outcoached the belabored head Tiger Ed Orgeron. Coordinators Liam Coen and Brad White took Jake Peetz and Daronte Jones to school. UK’s cohesive team triumphed over a collection of individual skill. Any way you dissect this contest, UK clubbed the Tigers to move to 6-0 and 4-0 in the SEC. Let’s take a look at how the Cats stacked up against pregame goals. 

OFFENSE 

Liam Coen dialed up a beauty. UK reestablished its run game by dominating the line of scrimmage and creatively dispersing the football to multiple playmakers on its way to a 42-point performance. The Big Blue Wall-led rushing attack accumulated 330 yards in a four-quarter masterpiece. Quarterback Will Levis played his best game as a Kentucky Wildcat. After a continual statistical skid since the opener, Levis’ bounce-back performance was a gritty display of sure Will and determination. Wan’Dale Robinson is special. He did Wan’Dale things vs. LSU. Robinson finished the game with eight catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. Below are pregame goals vs. results. 

Average 8+ yards per pass attempt 

YES. Will Levis completed 14 passes out of 17 attempts for 145-yards and three touchdowns. His 8.5 yards per attempt exceeded this objective. The Wildcat quarterback completed 82% of his passes and looked confident for four quarters. When in doubt, run. As discussed on the KSR Pregame Show, Will Levis needed to relax, have fun, run around, and just simply play football. He did so on Saturday night. Levis often extended plays with his legs. The bruising runner (for a quarterback) had 11 carries for 75-yards and a score on the ground. 

Levis was decisive and accurate. His pocket awareness was keen and appropriate. Kentucky’s offensive efficiency runs through its signal-caller. He set the tone and maintained focus throughout. Additionally, Levis accounted for zero turnovers for the first time this season. 

Score three offensive touchdowns

YES. UK scored six offensive touchdowns. The Wildcats had averaged 1.5 offensive touchdowns against its two most recent SEC opponents South Carolina and Florida. Concerns were thwarted by Mark Stoops’ public comments that stated his full confidence in Coen and his offense. Stoops has certainly earned my trust. But, I have to admit I was somewhat worried.  

From the opening drive until the horn blew, UK executed a well-conceived plan to near perfection. The Cats rolled up 475 total yards including 330 on the ground.  It averaged 7.7 yards per play and 7.3 per rushing attempt. Coen dialed up pre-snap motions, varying personnel groupings, formations, and other nuances that he’d not put on display prior to taking on the Tigers. The outside zone run made its reappearance. Counters were equally as effective. Play action passing was competent after the ‘Cats gashed the Tigers behind two running backs that went over 100 yards for the night. Running backs Chris Rodriguez Jr. and JuTahn McClain were on the receiving end of a pair Levis’ touchdown passes. 

Roll with what got you here

YES. UK exceeded the pregame goal of 200 rushing yards and Chris Rodriguez Jr. went for over 135. The Wildcats imposed its will on the line of scrimmage. Kentucky’s offensive line continually punched LSU in the mouth. The Tiger defense had a weak chin and no counterpunch. Simply stated, UK whooped LSU. 

Kavosiey Smoke had his best outing of the season after running for 104 yards off 12 carries. His 9.2 yards per attempt supplied a perfect complementary punch in the Wildcats’ run game. Quarterback Will Levis joined the party after gaining 75 yards on the ground. 

DEFENSE

This Kentucky defense is special. Brad White’s unit didn’t allow Florida or LSU to score an offensive touchdown for over five consecutive quarters. LSU managed to put up late yards and a couple of scores after the outcome had been decided. Ed Orgeron harped on improving his run game during the week leading up to Saturday’s matchup. His team responded. But, it was too little too late. 

Kentucky recorded four quarterback sacks. Inside linebackers Jacquez Jones and DeAndre Square combined for 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a forced fumble. Before leaving the game due to injury, defensive tackle Octavious Oxendine was playing the best football of his short career. The North Hardin product registered two tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks. Cornerback Carrington Valentine is a playmaker. Quandre Mosely had three pass breakups. Outside linebacker Jordan Wright contributed six tackles, one tackle for loss, and a QB hurry. Let’s take a look back at our pregame goals. 

Stop the run 

NO. LSU exceeded the goal of 100 yards. The Tigers averaged 4.2 yards per carry and ran for 147 for the game. I had a feeling that LSU was going to dial up more runs than it had shown in prior games. Here’s my quote from Thursday discussing a concern that Orgeron’s focus could be on the run game. 

Strange right? LSU’s run game has been all but absent in 2021. This is the exact reason I feel that the Tigers will focus on improving that factor of the SEC’s 12^th ranked total offense. 

Offensive coordinator Jake Peetz has been criticized for his clock management and one-dimensional approach. LSU finished the game with 35 rush attempts compared to 38 passes. Its newfound balance didn’t matter in the end. Running back Tyrion Davis-Price carried the football 22 times for 147 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. The Tigers’ run game was aggravating and effective at times. But, at no time in the game did it alter the contest’s outcome. 

Don’t let Boutte beat ya 

YES. First and foremost, I hope that Boutte’s injury isn’t significant. The dynamic playmaker went down late in the game after the outcome was settled. Boutte registered eight receptions for 73 yards. He did not score a touchdown. He’s as good as advertised. 

Win 3^rd down 

NO. The pregame goal was set at 35%. LSU was 7/15 for 46.6% on money downs. UK stiffened on 4^th down by holding the visitors to 2/5 or 40%. 

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kentucky followed up its best special teams game of the season vs. Florida with another tremendous performance. The pregame goal was based on field goals. 

Match the 3s

NO. Neither team attempted a field goal. LSU sports the top kicker in the country in Cade York. He was not a factor. Coen’s offense was spectacular and a perfect 5/5 in the Red Zone. Matt Rufollo’s duties included six PAT’s but no FG tries. 

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

Kentucky is 6-0, 4-0 in the SEC. The ‘Cats outcoached, out-developed, and outplayed LSU in every facet of the football game. 

What Does All This Mean? 

Kentucky is good at the football game. The Wildcats won multiple close games before routing the visiting Tigers. Mark Stoops’ team now travels to Georgia for a nationally televised game with significant stakes on the line. A UK win would give the Cats sole possession of first place in the SEC and in the driver’s seat in the East. 

We’ll have plenty of time to diagnose the Georgia Bulldogs in the week leading up to Saturday’s matchup of undefeateds. For now, it’s appropriate to take a look at what Mark Stoops has built during his tenure in Lexington. His team has enjoyed unprecedented success and steadily climbed the ladder in the most unforgiving conference in collegiate athletics. He’s done so by developing a blue-collar culture, strategic recruiting, and maximizing talented. His team beat LSU in every way imaginable. Kentucky was a much better football team and program than LSU. UK has an identity. LSU does not. 

Enough can’t be said about Brad White and Jon Sumrall. UK is allowing 305 total yards per game which is good enough to be ranked 3^rd in the SEC. For two and a half seasons, the Wildcats have been listed in the league’s top-5 in total defense. The ‘Cats are so incredibly well coached. The veteran laden rotation is normally at the right place at the right time and doing the right thing. Opponents are regularly aggravated by Kentucky’s defensive consistency. 

Liam Coen’s offense had declined over the course of five games. That changed vs. LSU. Chris Rodriguez Jr. is leading the SEC after rushing for 128 yards per game. Will Levis is at his best when creating on the run. But, he was also effective in the pocket. UK’s personality lies within its offensive line and run game. The Cats are averaging 214 yards per contest. UK demoralized LSU by pounding the football with tremendous success. 

The Wildcats played a complete, complementary game in all three phases. UK won the turnover margin and did not cough up the football for the first time in six outings. Kentucky’s 6-0 and is the talk of the SEC. It doesn’t, or can’t get any better than this. 

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.