Yusuf Corker (SEC Photo)
Safety Yusuf Corker had 18 tackles, including 16 solo stops that tied a school record, in Kentucky’s 20-10 loss at Missouri Saturday. Of course, he had a lot of chances to make tackles because Missouri ran 92 plays to Kentucky’s 36. The Tigers had 411 yards and kept the ball for about 43 minutes in large part because it kept converting third-down and fourth-down chances.
Kentucky’s offense also had trouble moving the football and had just 145 total yards that forced the defense to get back on the field.
However, Corker said not to blame the offense for the defense’s problems.
“We just didn’t get off the field on third down or fourth down when they were going for it,” Corker said. “We showed some heart in the red zone but we have to do better helping out the offense and trying to flip the field.”
I like a player who makes no excuses and blames no one else. That’s a leader accepting responsibility for what happened.
“Being out there for so long I am pretty sure had an affect on the defense but that is on us. If you don’t want to be out there, just get off the field,” Corker said.
Amen. The defense didn’t have to be on the field 43 minutes. Just get stops and UK had plenty of chances on third and fourth downs to do that.
Corker admitted it was “very frustrating” when Missouri kept converting third and fourth down plays. He also said UK needed more urgency getting lined up and making better checks.
“Everybody was doing their job,” Corker said. “I like how we stuck together. Nobody was pointing fingers on the sideline. We were all just playing our hearts out trying to get off the field.
“We just have to get things fixed, move forward and put this game behind us.”
