Save the Hot Takes: EKU struggles do not tell future for Kentucky

Mark Stoops said, “It feels good to be 2-0.” It sure did not sound like he felt good after the Wildcats had to grind out a 28-17 win over Eastern Kentucky.

All week the Kentucky head coach preached to his players, ‘Play clean football.’ The message did not stick. Kentucky committed ten penalties, they turned it over and they did not execute on third down.

On the other hand, the offense responded to early struggles by rattling off four straight touchdown-scoring drives. On those drives Devin Leary was dialed in, completed 11-of-14 passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns. When I asked Mark Stoops how the offense could use those final drives to build momentum, he pointed out specifically what went wrong before they got rolling.

Stoops could have used his postgame pulpit to point out his team’s mistakes to sharpen their resolve to fix them as soon as possible. Instead, he gritted his teeth and told us to enjoy being 2-0.

So what exactly is the Big Blue Nation supposed to think of this mixed bag from the Eastern Kentucky game? Absolutely nothing.

Games vs. FCS Opponents tell us nothing about Kentucky

During his 11 seasons in Lexington, performances like today are more common than not against FCS foes. Most Kentucky fans were reminded of the previous close calls against EKU. How about the Chattanooga game? The one where Kentucky needed a 95-yard pick six from Ty Ajian to win. That was one of the ten wins from the Wildcats’ 2021 campaign.

The 2018 team blew out Murray State. It was almost as bad as the 34-point lashing Stoops’ two-win 2013 team gave Alabama State. Almost one year ago to the date Kentucky pitched its first ever shutout in a 31-0 win over Youngstown State. They scored 31 the following week and never surpassed that threshold again.

Mark Stoops has never lost to an FCS opponent, but there have been a few that were too close for comfort.

2013: Kentucky 48, Alabama State 14
2014: Kentucky 59, UT-Martin 14
2015: Kentucky 34, EKU 27 (OT)
2016: Kentucky 49, Austin Peay 13
2017: Kentucky 27, EKU 16
2018:… pic.twitter.com/ci8a3aMnwb

— KSR (@KSRonX) September 8, 2023

College football fans only get 12 games a season to learn about their team. This week we learned absolutely nothing about the Kentucky Wildcats*.

Did we expect the offense to be more crisp to start the season? Yes. Is it a bit odd to see the defense struggle on third down. Of course.

Above all else, this Kentucky football team entered the season with a three-game runway to prepare for SEC play. The preseason has not been perfect, and it doesn’t have to be. Just like you, Mark Stoops doesn’t love what he’s seeing, but he’s happy to be 2-0.

* With one exception: Don’t bet on Stoops’ to cover against FCS teams, dropping to 4-6 ATS against such foes.