Chris Rodriguez celebrated after scoring against Ole Miss. (Vicky Graff Photo)
I really cannot remember exactly how many years former University of Kentucky all-Southeastern Conference running back Anthony White and I have worked together on Sunday Morning Sports Talk on WLAP.
Over the years, I’ve learned when White talks football, I need to stop and listen. He’s great at analyzing a team and doesn’t pull punches when he talks about the Cats. He’s as honest about what is right as he is about what is wrong.
We talked a long time this Sunday about UK’s 22-19 loss at Ole Miss and how much blame — if any — should be on quarterback Will Levis. He had two late fumbles and again got rocked in the pocket by UK’s shaky offensive line protection.
“He is a winner, a tough guy. I cannot be mad at Will,” White said. “Will has a strong enough arm to throw the ball out of bounds on a deep corner route rather than take a sack of a hit. He does have to start doing that.”
Both Levis and coach Mark Stoops noted that Levis did hold the ball too long at times against Ole Miss, which continually blitzed him like other teams have done and future teams are going to keep doing.
Levis has been sacked 18 times in five games, most of any Power 5 quarterback. He’s a physical player but if he keeps getting hit like he has been, he likely will not survive the season.
“Things Will did were not because he was scared or selfish. He did what he thought was best for the team,” White said. “I do think you always have to have a hot route (to a receiver). Most teams are bringing pressure right up the middle and when that happens a receiver has to see that pressure and then just throw it to him over the pressure in the hole that was left.”
“We are not picking up basic stunts teams are running against us. The solution is quick routes over the middle. Take the five-yard catch and go to the next play. Will has to know in his head where his outlets are if it gets hot back there.”
I asked White if he thought Levis was not running as much to avoid injuries or if there just was no room for him to scramble out of the pocket.
“I do know they (coaches) have told him not to run if he does not have, too,” White said. “They are getting pressure in his chest and the ends are getting up the field. I don’t know if he really has any clear running lanes.”
“I just think Will is trying to make up for deficiencies we have on offense. We are getting so much pressure in the middle, I would run a screen every series because those guys blitzing are supposed to have (cover) the running back. If they did that, they (defenders) could not pin their ears back and come after Will so hard. We’ve got to play chess, not checkers.”
White amassed 3,278 yards running/receiving from 1997-99 at UK and averaged 5.9 yards per touch. He scored 19 touchdowns and had 194 receptions out of the backfield playing for quarterbacks Tim Couch and Dusty Bonner under coach Hal Mumme.
White says while the offensive line can improve, it’s not likely to change a lot in the next few weeks. That’s why he believes giving the ball more to Chris Rodriguez now that he’s back would be an easy way to help the offense.
“It’s not rocket science. Rodriguez did his thing (at Ole Miss). He showed he could still make yards,” White said. “We have to run Chris up in there to soften up the defense. We need to re-establish our identity. You don’t have to have perfect blocks to gain yards when Chris is in there.”
White was part of the Air Raid offense that threw the ball a lot. He knows fans want to see deep passes with the fast receivers UK has and the strong arm Levis possesses.
“But if we have to win 16-13, that’s fine,” White said. “We cannot cater the whole offense around Will’s ability to read the defense or throw the deep ball. If the offensive line can hold up blocking, it’s fine to throw it deep. If not, run the ball more and just wear the defense down. We don’t have to showcase anything for the NFL, recruiting or fans. Just go out and win games.”
5 Responses
I agree, we need to crawl before we walk and walk before we run. With our receivers, short passes can turn into long gains. When teams start playing us for the short passes, then air it out or run the ball.
With you Ben
Give that ball to C-Rod a lot and watch him move the chains for em. Throw to him on designed plays out of the backfield, out in the flat or out on the edge. Not running him more than they did Saturday cost UK big time against Ole Miss IMO. No back in the SEC runs any harder and is more punishing to defenders that Rodriquez.
You bet, run screens a lot! It keeps the defense honest and opens up the passing attack. UK’s receivers are threats, so keep throwing passes deep and across the middle, slants, etc. but this offense will thrive with a stout rushing attack. That is Kentucky football. I sure like the talent in the receiver room though. They are fun to watch.
I don’t think a team can win consistently in the SEC without an effective running game. This team has not had a running game averaging under 3 yards per carry. Part of that are the sacks, but there have also been a large number of tackles for loss.
This offense must get that fixed if this team will enjoy the level of success that we all have convinced ourselves that it will have.
Why has the running game suffered? The obvious issue for me has been the O Line. I don’t think Rodriguez’s running on Saturday was on par with what he had delivered in prior seasons. While I understand the argument that it was his first action of this season, I don’t buy the idea that his performance was Rodriguez-like. He was also tackled for loss, an outcome that had been so rare that on average only has occurred about once every 30+ carries, but I recall at least 2 times it happened Saturday with several other carries for little to no gain. That is not Rodriguez-like not because there is anything wrong with Rodriguez, but it is the same O line that has not been getting its job done at the line of scrimmage.
The passing game will go when the running game is established as the threat that the opponent must respect, and not any sooner. Once that does happen, then the passing game can do what it should be doing, taking what the defense gives it.
The UK defense is the real deal. It is classic Mark Stoops. So far, the defense has been the bright side of this team.
You are a wise man Professor