Larry Vaught Photo
For Kentucky to have any chance at No. 3 Texas Saturday afternoon the UK defense will have to be just as good — or maybe better — as it was in an upset win at Ole Miss and near win over Georgia.
The Texas offense is led by Quinn Ewers, a Heisman Trophy hopeful.
“Quinn is a phenomenal quarterback. Does a great job in terms of understanding where he wants to go with the football,” said UK co-defensive coordinator Chris Collins said. “Not only understanding where he wants to go with it because he has good players, but based off what the scheme of the defense gives him.
“They’ve got a plethora of receivers, from outside to inside, and tight ends and the backs do a great job in the passing game as well. We’ve got a challenge, and we’re excited.”
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said earlier this week that Texas had no weaknesses even though Georgia exposed plenty when it smacked the Longhorns earlier this season in Austin. No other team, though, has been able to beat Texas.
“A very skilled, dynamic group. They are deep at a lot of positions,” Collins said. “Coach (Steve Sarkisian) does a phenomenal job in terms of what they are attempting to do, stretching the ball down the field but also balancing with the run game, with the screen game.”
Collins noted that Kentucky coaches have to figure out how to put players in the best positions to make plays.
“At the end of the day, it’s about what we do and our guys going out there and executing at a high level,” Collins said.
Kentucky will not have linebacker D’Eryk Jackson, its leading tackler, and two defensive backs able to play but starting tackle Deone Walker and linebacker J.J. Weaver are both expected back after missing last week’s game. Defensive back D.J. Waller is also on the probable list after not playing last week.
3 Responses
If Hairston, Weaver, Walker, and Hayes are all healthy. Which Hayes came back last week and played great for having Achilles surgery 7 months ago. He will get a redshirt and be back next year. If you really pay attention Stoops redshirted alot of guys this year. Playing people only when he needed them and only for 4 games. We have a Daveryn Rayner or however you spell would have probably been one of the leading tacklers on this team and he redshirted. Henry Young also took a redshirt year as he’s almost back from his injury. Henry Young was my dark horse on the defense to have a really great year. Him and Rayner were going to excell this year we just had to much experience to waste a year for them on the second team. They could have easily started and actually bring more speed to the defense. Something weve been missing. I do agree as much as I hate to admit that Stoops deserves another year to prove his worth. If its much of the same next year then he needs to be fired and it wipes another 9 million off his payout so its a win win for Kentucky. Plus we will keep our recruiting class. Which is #20. Adding all the great defensive freshman this year and next year will help tremendously. Yes its always next year but I do think Stoops will address the o line and receivers. We should have every one back on the offense next year which means our offense should be night and day better next year. Bush will be in year 2 BVG will be in year 2 of starting which is usually when a starting quarterback starts playing at a higher level. That’s why you want your quarterback to start at least 3 years. The first year is a tune up year for the next 2 years. I really think BVG would do much better with a better o line. The one area besides the line that we need to address is wide receiver. We need at least 2 more play makers at receiver. We should have all of our tight ends back unless one or two transfer but that’s ok because we are 4 deep. There should be a quarterback competition in the spring and whoever wins takes over the offense. I think they should play Cutter Boley as much as they can next year and get him ready to start as Redshirt sophomore. I think the quarterback competition is going to be really good with Stone Saunders and Cutter Boley. I think we will finally upgrade at quarterback. Saunders is a winner. He does whatever it takes to win. The thing that we need to look at is if Brock has progressed this year any. If he hasn’t you might want to look at Cutter.
UK’s defense has a tall task because they can’t give up over a dozen points and expect to have any chance to win. That’s hard to do when you are on the field 50% more than your offense.
Stoops wants to tell us that he is "working his ass off to prepare for the future" Do you think there is a chance that is is doing that because, and maybe hopefully, that it is HOT? Just look at the dismal injury report again. It seems that almost every game we have had sometimes double what the competition has. 4-6 is still not going to wear well with this coach.