Ty Bryant had an interception against Florida. He leads UK with three interceptions and also leads in tackles with 51. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Tennessee Tech is 10-0 for the first time in program history going into Saturday afternoon’s game at Kentucky where the Golden Eagles are a three-touchdown underdog.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops hopes Tech’s perfect record — and high powered offense led by quarterback Kekoa Visperas — helps motivate his team.
“It should. You give them all credit. There’s some teams that, when you’re undefeated, it says a lot. You know how to win. And these guys have done that, it’s a credit to them. And it should get our team’s attention,” Stoops said.
“Our team has been very motivated with ourselves, in trying to improve, and just trying to get better. If we continue that approach, then we’ll play well, because I fully admit we hadn’t always done that here, and we want to. We preach it, we talk about it, we coach it. But it doesn’t always happen. The better football team you become, the better you’ll play each and every week.”
Visperas has thrown for 2,104 yards on 168 of 257 passing with 22 touchdowns and only four interceptions this season. He has also ran for 440 yards and three touchdowns. Quintell Quinn has 655 yards rushing and nine scores on 87 carries. Q’Darryius Jennings has run for 497 yards and 10 touchdowns. Noah Robinson has 31 catches for 473 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Maury Sullivan has 472 yards and four scores on his 35 catches, including a 48-yard TD pass in last week’s win over Eastern Illinois.
‘They got a quarterback with a lot of experience. They have some experience across the board with their team. They’re very multiple. They’re a group that will get into quite a bit of sets,” Stoops said. “You’ll see a lot of 11 (personnel grouping, one running back, one tight end). You’ll see the standard sets out of 11, but you’ll see big sets. You’ll see 12 (one RB, two TE), you’ll see 21 (two RB, one TE), you’ll see 13 (one RB, three TE). You see multiple sets.
“They do a really nice job. Anytime you get a quarterback that can make plays and create and is confident … I think he plays very confident, and he rubs off on that team.”
The Golden Eagles have won 15 straight games, the longest active winning streak in the nation and the longest winning streak in program history. They average 45.2 points and 450 yards per game and are allowing 15.3 points and 279 yards per game.
Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley has 1,544 passing and 12 touchdowns with eight interceptions this season. Seth McGowan has carried the ball 136 times for 621 yards (77.6 per game) with nine scores. McGowan earned honorable mention Player of the Week by the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award after rushing for 92 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 38-7 win over Florida.
Kendrick Law is UK’s leading receiver with 36 receptions for 395 yards and three scores. Tight end Willie Rodriguez has caught 16 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown this year.
Stoops hopes his team’s conference has been boosted by the recent wins.
“When you look at it across the league, you look at the big picture. I tell them a lot, nobody’s gonna feel sorry for you. Watch the NFL. Watch SEC football. It’s tough. And when you feel like you have the opportunity to win games, you’re a play short at times, and doing things you know you can do,” Stoops said.
“It’s just about us getting better and making those plays when you need to, not always, but we know we’re capable. We know we’re getting better. I think it’s a tribute to the coaches and tribute to the players that you can definitely see the team getting better as we move forward. So we just want to keep that mindset.”
8 Responses
Just another pillow fight that we'll win and people will start mixing concrete for the Stoops participation statue.
Who's we? You're not on the team. That's a good thing. The players would give you a Code Red. Tell your friend to give his tickets to a Real Fan. Did he take your advice and quit going to games?
He hasn't missed a home football game in 32 years. Hasn't missed a home basketball game in 30 years. He's the biggest and best fan in BBN.
We just don't live in a world of rainbows and unicorns like a lot of "fans" do.
It's called being loyal to your team. No matter what you back your team. When things aren't going well that's when one finds out who is a true fan. A True Fan doesn't hope their team loses. Doesn't call for people to boycott games. Doesn't belittle wins against teams that has historically beat your teams brains out. Doesn't whine like a 2 year old because they think they are "Entitled".
I remember the mighty Chattanooga Mocs taking us down to the wire – TT is a much better team.
On any given Saturday you can get you butt's handed to you by anyone if you take your eye off the ball. NIL has leveled the talent field in college football. There are some really good coaches in every conference that would take this game in an instant to prove their Bonafide's. The Cats had better prepare for this game just like they would against any SEC opponent, lest they come back with another loss to a team they should have beaten.
Ole Miss will get Sumrall because Kiffin is going to Florida.
Who would go to LSU after they Welsch on a deal? If you are high profile enough to be considered for that job you are high profile enough to hire a bevy of lawyers to lock up your contract tighter than a locked jail cell. Therefore if you are high enough profile to be considered for that job why would you take it before another job? I think LSU just pooped in their own nest.
This is also why KY cannot afford to fire Stoops.
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