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Trailing 13-12 late in the game against Georgia, Kentucky had incomplete passes on second and third downs before coach Mark Stoops decided to punt on fourth down and eight near midfield with just over three minutes remaining in the game.
Georgia basically ran out the clock to avoid the gigantic upset and many wondered why Stoops did not gamble on fourth down trying to get a first down.
Others also wondered why with the second UK had been having running the ball, it didn’t run on second and third downs to set up a more manageable fourth down. However, receiver Fred Farrier was wide open on second down when a Georgia defensive lineman tipped the pass at the line.
So did Stoops regret not running on second and third downs?
“Yeah, I do. I do,” said Stoops at Monday’s press conference.
However, he also said he didn’t “put handcuffs on the play caller” and let offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan call the plays.
“I want him to feel good and feel comfortable. I’ll say this, before the one that went back to the 22, I said on the headsets prior to it beforehand, ‘Hey, this is going to be one of those games.’ You know what I mean, those are tough yards, man. Don’t take negative yardage plays and turnovers. And, it’s not his fault, but that’s who you’re playing. That’s where you’re getting in the danger zone,” Stoops said.
“So, the recipe was right, especially with the way we ran it. And again, we took our shots. It’s a lot like NFL football. You watch NFL football, they make hay on first and second down. You give those beasts time to bear down on you in a predictable pass, nobody’s comfortable, especially with the situation we’re in right now.
“And so, we only had three explosive plays out of 78, so all of a sudden we’re just supposed to convert a fourth and eight like it’s nothing? I mean, second and third damn near were disasters. So, yes, in hindsight, what if we’d of grinded it out there and got it to a manageable third down? We were very efficient, extremely efficient, in third and short and third and medium.”
Stoops noted UK had one “nice” third-down conversion pass to Dane Key and another scramble by quarterback Brock Vandagriff for a first down on a third-down “fluke” that doesn’t happen often.
“So, that’s where we needed to live, live in that world. I think we were three for three, sorry four for four, in third and two or three or two or one, which is pretty good against that defense.,” Stoops said. “And again, I’m not trying to be defensive, I’m just trying…when you just see one play…watch the game, watch the whole game, like we watch it on film, and what you’re in, the situation you’re in, that’s all I’m going to ask, watch it.”
5 Responses
The timing to try back to back pass plays was the real issue, a lack of mixing it up has been a problem in the entire Stoops era.
Stoops ALWAYS regrets losing after he plays not to lose. He is consistent in that way. The man REFUSES to change.
I agreed with them punting the ball. I didn’t understand why we passed on 2nd and 3rd down? We was carving them up on the ground gaining 5-6 yards a clip. We had been poor at passing the whole game. What was Bush thinking? You go away with what was working for something we have no business doing and that’s passing the football we don’t have the line to protect the quarterback and I’ve never seen so many passes hit receivers hands and they drop the ball. Isn’t that the first thing you learn as being a receiver? You catch the ball first then you worry about everything else. Our receivers look scared they always run out of bounds like they fear contact. If Brown is covered you might as well not throw it in his direction. If he hears foot steps he drops the ball. He definitely shouldn’t even be thinking about the NFL. Key has better hands but he’s very slow for a receiver. Brock said they took the long throw away. If that’s the case why didn’t the offensive coordinator run 5-10 yard routes instead of 15-20 yard routes? Shit just doesn’t make sense.
Hamdan has not shown Jack. It was a questionable hire then and is just as questionable 3 games in. Our receivers can’t seem to get open anytime let alone down field so why not call shorter passes, keep confidence up and move the chains.
Yes!!! Shorter passes. It’s a no brainer.
Fully agree. The OC from a non-power conference has not shown he is able to prepare against the big boys in the SEC.
UK has gone through so many OC’s, it may be difficult to hire a good one even if offered big money. UK has become an OC graveyard under non-offense $9 Million HC Stoops!