Kentucky's defense has limited the last four opponents to 36 points total and only three touchdowns. (Vicky Graff Photo)
While Kentucky’s offense has been dramatically improved in recent games, Kentucky’s defense has to be at its best Saturday at Vanderbilt if the Cats hope to build on their current three-game win streak.
The No. 12 Commodores have a Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Diego Pavia who has been the Southeastern Conference’s most dynamic player the last two year. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops saw how difficult Pavia makes it for opposing defenses when the Commodores won in Lexington last year.
“It puts great pressure on the defense, and it doesn’t matter what defense it is. It doesn’t matter who you are. He makes plays, and he does it in every game he plays in. For us, you know, great team defensively, of course. He’s going to make some plays. We just have to make ours,” Stoops said.
Kentucky’s defense has been doing that. It held Texas to 16 points in an overtime loss. It limited Auburn to three points in a road win. It held Florida to seven points —set up by a muffed UK punt inside the red zone — in a win in Lexington. It limited Tennessee Tech’s high-powered offense to 10 points last week.
Pavia led Vanderbilt to 38 points in a win over Auburn in Vandy’s most recent outing before last week’s bye. Kentucky got only 10 points in the win at Auburn.
Kentucky’s offense has shown dramatic improvement in recent weeks behind redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley. However, Stoops has been really pleased with the way UK receivers have responded to help Boley.
“When we get the balance, we can put pressure on teams. With the receivers stepping up and making big plays down the field and being able to run the ball, it could create some opportunities,” the UK coach said.
Stoops said UK’s young receivers have played well but so has the overall receiving group thanks to receivers coach L’Damian Washington.
“Without a doubt, LD’s done a remarkable job,” Stoops said. “He does a great job at recruiting. He handles the room extremely well. They’ve been very unselfish and they’re getting better. They’re developing.”
Stoops emphasized at his press conference Monday that he was glad he was able to use so many players against Tennessee Tech but the team still needed to continue getting better.
“Played relatively clean from start to finish. There’s always things to improve on, but also a lot to build on. So, some good things are happening. Obviously, we’ve got to continue to do the things we’ve been doing well the last several weeks and improve on them,” Stoops said.
5 Responses
Playing not to lose will not work against Pavia. If the game is close in the 4th quarter, he will find a way to win it.
Your exactly right. He's the biggest winner I've ever seen. He is what you want as a QB. I think he's the best QB in college football and it's not even close. He plays for Vanderbilt they don't have the great recruits and great players that the other teams in the SEC have. In fact we have a much better team then Vanderbilt on paper. I'm going by recruits and transfers. We have a much better team than Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt has a great coach. A great QB and they will be harder to beat than Louisville. I think we can beat Louisville but idk about Vanderbilt they are playing great football. They are 2 wins away from the playoffs. We can spoil all of that. That's what we need to do. Knock Vandy out the playoffs. We need to pack the stadium. Nashville isn't far. If our defense is tuned in like they have been the last 3 games it will be a close game. You have to think about it like this Tennessee destroyed us. Vanderbilt is better than Tennessee and have a much better QB. That's what scary because they scored at will on us. I just hope it's close so we have a chance. If we win this game watch out next year. Just about everyone on our team is back except the offensive line. We need to get the best 5-6 guys in the portal for the line and we will be a playoff team next year.
They'll have to spy him.. he's pretty crafty
It doesn't sound to me like there is a lot of confidence that UK will be able to beat Vandy. Pavia is a great QB and seems to get total team buy-in and elevates all those around him. Clark Lea does exactly the same thing, and he is the exact type of coach UK needs. If Stoops losses out he still needs to be replaced as there will be defections and he already has the smallest recruiting class of his tenure coming in.
Back to football…Basketball sucks
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