UK and Levis need to run the ball to beat Georgia

Quarterback Will Levis has to be efficient running the ball for UK to succeed against the Georgia defense. (Vicky Graff Photo)

After watching Kentucky pound LSU 42-21 last Saturday night at Kroger Field it appears that the offense may be finding its stride at the mid-season point. After putting up only 35 points against an extremely weak Missouri defense in a 35-28 win early in the season and then following that up with minimal points in a 16-10 win over a so-so South Carolina Gamecocks team and a 20-13 victory against ranked Florida, it appears that LSU might have been just what the doctor ordered to jump-start this Liam Coen offense.

Against the Tigers the Wildcats rushed for 330 yards with both Chris Rodriguez (147 yards) and Kavosiey Smoke (104 yards) both cracking the century mark, but here is the most interesting part of that rushing equation. Quarterback Will Levis ran the ball for 75 yards on 11 carries — all at critical junctures in the game — on what would be his most productive night as a Wildcat.

Here’s why that’s important, because Levis — not Chris Rodriguez or Wan’Dale Robinson — is the straw that stirs the drink, in this case, the Kentucky offense. Will Levis’s ability to run the ball on the quarterback zone-read option and his ability to get out of the pocket on busted plays and get positive yardage is the difference between killing an offensive drive or allowing that drive to continue on to paydirt.

Several times against LSU Levis came up with exceptional runs at critical times to allow UK to continue moving the ball. Levis believes that is the case also. “I’m not necessarily the fastest dude, but I know how to use my body to get those extra yards. It’s a part of my game that I want to utilize, and I think I can use it to help us win games,: he said after the game. I think he is right.

It’s no coincidence that on a night when the SEC Network analysts said they believed that Coen was calling a perfect game he stayed away from multiple deep balls to Wan’Dale Robinson and instead mixed a lot of run game in with the short passing game.

Coen said after Tuesday’s practice that he expected to simplify the types of plays the offense runs — with fewer motions and multiple sets — and instead allow the players to play faster and make plays. Coen also said that based on the film he watched the teams that have competed with Georgia were the ones that had players go out and make individual plays, winning 50-50 balls and beating defensive players one on one in the run game.

He also said that ball security will be at a premium this week (which has been a point of emphasis every day in practice) and that the offense needs to stay ahead of the chains, meaning they have to be efficient on first and second downs.

Once again that’s where the run game becomes so critical. If Kentucky cannot run the ball on first and second down for positive yardage their chances of staying in the game are very slim. Any team that tries to be successful against Georgia’s defense while constantly looking at a third down and six yards or more will have a very long afternoon.

It seems like based on Kentucky’s ability to run the ball against some talented teams like Florida and LSU, it doesn’t appear that Coen will be taking too many shots down the field and instead will try to grind it out with the run game and short passing game. Coen said that Georgia likes to play more zone this year with the safeties back and allow the front seven to stop the run and disrupt the passing game by getting pressure on the quarterback. He implied that with Georgia’s defense there will not be a lot of time to set up in the pocket and make a throw.

It looks like for UK to be successful against Georgia on Saturday the Cats need to establish the run game early and Levis is a big part of that equation now. Hopefully, he can continue where he left off against LSU. If not, it could be a painful Saturday afternoon down between the hedges in Athens.