Kentucky vs. Mississippi State 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 Kentucky football games. Here is the breakdown of the Wildcats’ 27-17 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs. 

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

Kentucky’s defense epically slowed down the high-powered Mississippi State offense and was aided by the Wildcats’ best offensive showing this season in a resounding 27-17 win over the ‘Dogs. 

OVERVIEW

How many times has Mark Stoops pulled out a tough victory in a must-win scenario? The answer is a lot. Kentucky played its most complete game of the season by beating Mississippi State 27-17. The score actually could have been much more lopsided if the ‘Cats hadn’t self-imploded with first-half offensive penalties. Lots of points were left on Kroger Field in the first and second quarters. 

We’ll get to specifics in a minute, but Brad White’s defense was astonishing for four quarters. Kentucky held Miss. State to 236 fewer total yards, 152 fewer passing yards, and 85 fewer rushing yards than their season averages going into Saturday. The Wildcats limited the Bulldogs to 31% on third and fourth downs in what would become the best defensive effort of the season. 

Rich Scangarello had his full complement of players in the starting lineup. The offense also played its best football of the 2022 season. A perfectly balanced stat sheet with 239 rushing and 239 passing yards kept the visitors off balance in order to secure the victory. First-half penalties hurt as did a questionable 4^th down pass that resulted in a pick-6. But, a cleaner second half prevailed. Let’s dig into this deeper. 

OFFENSE 

Give 24 the football. That was what the BBN wanted, and for the most part, that’s what the BBN got. Chris Rodriguez Jr. carried the football 31 times and rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Rodriguez Jr. averaged 6.4 yards per carry and was punishing and forceful throughout the duration of the football game. Kentucky was much more efficient than it had been previously this season. This applied to UK’s 50% conversion ratio on third and fourth downs, three red zone touchdowns, and by possessing the football for 39:22. 

Quarterback Will Levis is an old-school tough guy throwback to yesteryear. His toughness reminds me of former UK QB Bill Ransdell, whose legend grows larger by the season. After leaving the game with an apparent shoulder injury, Levis led his team to victory. The future NFL Draft pick completed 74% of his passes and was perfect on 3^rd down throws. Money, clutch performance from the franchise. 

Right tackle Jeremy Flax left the game early. Deondre Buford stepped into his spot and stepped up his game after a shaky start. I doubted UK could win without Flax, but Buford proved me wrong. UK also got timely catches from Dekel Crowdus and Dane Key. Barion Brown led the way with seven receptions. 

An important stat for this game surrounds the running back combinations for both teams. Mississippi State’s Dillon Johnson and Jo’quarious Marks had hurt opposing defenses leading up to Saturday. But, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and JuTahn McClain combined for 275 total yards compared to just 95 for Johnson and Marks. It must be noted that Johnson missed time due to injury, but the point is that the UK RB combo was the most dominant on the field.

Here are the offensive goals vs. results. 

Run the Darn Ball: YES

The goal here was for 150 yards. UK rolled up 239 for the game. The offensive line found its groove and 24 ran with vengeance. This game was always going to be about possessions. The ‘Cats won that area of the matchup. 

PROTECT WILL LEVIS: YES

The objective was three or fewer sacks. UK was 129^th in the nation entering Saturday’s contest after giving up 25 QB sacks through six outings. Mississippi State managed one for the game. UK got heavy in sets and protected Levis without putting one-on-one pressure on the edge blockers. Excellent adjustment and results in a personnel adjustment that could be more prevalent down the stretch. 

DEFENSE

I don’t know how much Brad White earns, but it would be the smart play to add some numbers to his contract. The UK defense has carried this team through seven games. As of Sunday morning, UK’s defense ranks 2^nd in the SEC after allowing 16 points per game. The ‘Cats are also 2^nd in the league in total defense by giving up just 295 yards per outing. UK is also among the conference’s top 5 in rush and pass defense. This defense is dominant and plays with a mixture of experience and youth. Both signs point to excellent coaching and player development. 

Kentucky tackled extremely well and hurried Will Rogers in the pocket. Rogers appeared to be uncomfortable for most of the night. Brad White mixed pressure with dropping eight, blitzes and disguised coverages that gave the experienced signal caller fits. UK also made MSU pay when OL depth and personnel adjustments occurred. White dialed up precise pressures against both the run and pass. In other words, White put on a clinic against the Pirate. 

The ‘Cats also didn’t give up a homerun shot and nearly shut down the Miss. State run game by giving up a mere 22 yards.

Here are expectations vs. results. 

Tackle: YES

See above. DeAndre Square was brilliant. Carrington Valentine was also great in open-field tackling. Overall, UK tackled extremely well and kept everything in front of them for the duration of the game. 

Generate a Smart Pass Rush: YES

UK only generated one quarterback sack, but rushers stayed in their assigned lanes which prevented leakage. Defensive linemen were terrific in getting hands in passing lines when they didn’t get to the quarterback. This made Rogers throw around the extended arms and passes were deflected. The DL played really well. The numbers may not reflect that, but they were effective. 

SPECIAL TEAMS

No Catastrophic Errors: NO  

Two penalties led to a return touchdown being called back was bad. UK also missed a field goal, but Matt Ruffolo nailed his next two which hopefully got the super-senior back on track. Collin Goodfellow bounced back with a 42-yards-per-punt performance.  

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN? 

UK needed this win in the worse way. After a disappointing loss to Ole Miss and an infuriating defeat to South Carolina, a sense of doubt had started to surround the 2022 Wildcats. Mark Stoops did what Mark Stoops has done for many years: he went back to work and toughed out a gritty win over a quality opponent. 

The ‘Cats are on a bye week. This comes at an opportune time. UK is dealing with multiple injuries and a week off may be just what the doctor ordered to heal up and refocus on the final stretch of the season. A 27-17 win over a good Miss State team was impressive, mandatory, and refreshing.  

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