Sep 30, 2020; Auburn, AL, USA; Head coach Mark Stoops talks with officials during the game between Auburn and Kentucky at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics
How can Kentucky go from having not just one of the Southeastern Conference’s best pass defenses last year but one of the best in the nation to having the worst pass defense in the SEC after two games? Kentucky has almost everyone in the secondary back along with LSU transfer Kelvin Joseph and Devontae Robinson who missed the 2019 season with an injury.
But both Auburn and Ole Miss shredded UK’s pass defense with a lot of big plays. Some were great plays by receivers, some were just receivers being wide open.
So what went wrong?
“There was a variety of things. We got beat one-on-one. We got beat in another jump ball tough matchup with a PI (pass interference) that was critical late in the game,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said.
“I thought there was three PIs that I am not questioning the call, but I’m just saying they were bang-bang plays. Our defenders are challenging talented wide receivers and I am OK with that, we have to make plays on the ball. It was very hard, they had a lot of stress on them.”
Now here comes the troubling part of what went wrong.
“Then there were times when we just flat out did not compete well enough. That is not good enough,” Stoops said.
No it is not. Maybe some teams could get by with that and win in the SEC, but not Kentucky.
“I feel like we had some guys in there and we have to find the right mixture. We had some guys that set a couple things free that we do not normally do with access and guys running down the field with deception, the tempo of the game and how they operate and stress you from sideline to sideline. They’re a little bit unique,” Stoops said.
“Even from this week, as much pressure as Mike (Leach) puts on you and the way they are so effective throwing the ball, it is different than this past week. That group is a bit unique with their style.”
Leach will bring Mississippi State to Kentucky Saturday night. State opened the season with a stunning win at defending national champion LSU and then suffered a stunning home loss to Arkansas. But one thing is a given — State will throw the ball and then throw it some more against this underachieving UK pass defense.
“I’ve known Mike for a long time and how good of a coach he is. I know he’ll have his group fired up and ready to go after playing so, so good in the first game and not playing to the level of their expectation, I’m sure, this past game,” Stoops said Monday.
“He’s a lot to handle. He’s going to do what he does. I like the way that team plays, they’re playing extremely hard on defense, and you know what Mike can do offensively, he’s as good as you get, very creative. It puts a lot of pressure on you as well.”
