For six games Chris Rodriguez looked like the best running back in the Southeastern Conference. He ran with power and confidence. He was the face of the Kentucky offense and used the Big Blue Wall to open holes that helped Kentucky get off to a 6-0 start even though he had a few costly fumbles early in the season.
However, at Georgia, he was held to seven yards on seven carries. In Saturday’s 31-17 loss at Mississippi State, he ran eight times for 34 yards with a long run of 15 yards. But he dropped a pitchout and fumbled the ball away on another play. He had a third fumble but the call was overturned on replay when it showed he was already down before he fumbled.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops did not quit playing Rodriguez, who also had two catches for 23 yards.
“He was dealing with something this week but no excuses,” Stoops said after the game when asked if there was a reason for the running back’s ball security issues.
Stoops said the fumble was a combination of things from getting “blown up at tackle, pressure in the backfield and the handoff looked a little high” before adding the miscue was “not very good.”
Whatever the issue, the UK run game has disappeared. Kentucky had just 66 yards on 20 carries against State and only one run over six yards. That just won’t get it done.
6 Responses
The coaches know these players, and I hold to the view that the coaches make all decisions based on what gives the team the best chance to win. Last night, Rodriguez put the ball on the ground 3 times. Fortunately, there was only 1 lost fumble, but there could have been 3. It does not matter how much he might gain if given the ball nearly as much as it matters that he does not secure the ball.
I doubt that the coaches rejoice in this situation, and I also doubt that the coaches are going to discuss this publicly. It is what it is, and it has been this way with Rodriguez since the beginning of the season.
The interceptions are in the same category. Levis has thrown entirely too many. So why not give Allen a chance, especially early in the season when some game experience could give the coaches more options for games now? I fall back to the same principle, e.g. the coaches see these players every day, and these coaches are doing what they believe gives the team the best chance to win games. The coaches are not going to speak publicly about the merits and demerits of the two QBs.
Finally, the pass defense. This also has been an issue throughout this season. Opponent after opponent has picked this defense apart at will. We have seen it time and time again, and when an opponent stretches the pass coverage to its limits as MSU did last night, then it creates opportunities to run the ball against what is otherwise a stout run defense.
Mississippi State exposed and exploited every weakness that this team has shown since game 1. That should go to Coach Leach’s credit, and to the debit of the UK coaching staff who have failed to correct these well-established problems over the last 2 months, and also failed to find ways to exploit the weaknesses of the MSU football team, of which there are several.
This season is not over, and now the entire focus of this team must be prepared to beat a Tennessee team that is much stronger than I would have expected before the season began. Has there ever been a Tennessee football game with greater importance than this one?
UK can beat Tennessee at Kroger Field, but it will not beat them with a negative turnover margin, and will have trouble beating them without forcing any Tennessee turnovers.
By the way, last night a UK defender had an opportunity for an interception but failed to make the play. This has been an earmark of this team on defense, failing to make the plays that are there for the taking (allowing a Georgia fumble to lay on the ground unattended long enough for a Georgia player to figure out it is still a live ball). For me, these type of mistakes are on the players not the coaches. Coaches can put players in position to make a play, but the players must make the plays, and the players must understand the basics of the game, like the ball is live until the officials blow the whistle to stop the play.
Frustrations are extremely high for this fan, as they are for most if not all fans this morning. Nevertheless, Coach Stoops is my man, and his team of coaches and players are my team. He will get this job done, but as I have posted here so many times, usually after a disappointing set back like this one, the building of a football program from a pile of ashes takes a lot of time and patience. Coach Stoops is continuing to progress in his work.
It is hard to defend a pass when you never look for the ball. UK’s secondary has been taught to face guard as much as possible. Go look at the tape. Very seldom does a defender even know where the ball is, because they are not looking; they are trying to not lose their man but forget about the ball. Several times this year, they could have had interceptions if they would have just been looking.
UK does not have a run game because the other teams know that Levis will not beat them with the pass. Close the gaps, stop the run, and keep pushing toward the QB. Get some pressure on him and Levis will panic and make a bad decision. When you watch Penn State, it is not hard to see why Levis was not the starter. He is not even close to the starter they have and he has not improved while he has been here.
I don’t know if C-Rod is in the doghouse or not but his mind is not on the game. I guess it does not really matter one way or another. But you gotta know that he has to get his head right real soon. Every time he lays the ball on the ground his draft stock goes way down. I hate it for him. There’s a lot of talent there.
C-Rod needs his OL to knock people off the ball at the POA. They were doing that in the past, not so much of late. C-Rod is the "bell cow" for this football team without a doubt. He will run through holes with power and ability if one is there. The offense starts upfront with human "bulldozers" making wide open gaps for RB’s to get to the second level. If the UK OL is getting pushed around, all the RB’s have tough sledding. That happened in Starkville all night long too. To many hats on our big back. That must change quick.
Go Cat’s win lose or draw. I’ll stand behind these young men. As a parent of one of these Cat’s. I realize the strain all the negativity can cause, especially on a hometown athlete that bought into the rebuilding of this program. Since being here UK has played in a bowl every year. He was a major defender in the Outback Bowl!!! So just let the coach’s and player’s work this out. It’s only the 2nd loss of the season!
Thanks Derek and your son has had an amazing career