Connect with us

Football

Some Ranting After an Embarrassing Loss to Missouri

Published

on

After two straight wins that gave this season some life and made us fans excited, the Cats took five huge steps back today and ended a five-game win streak as they got completely embarrassed by Missouri, 20-10.

Now, 20-10 doesn’t seems like an embarrassing margin, but it was on paper. The Tigers out-gained Kentucky by 276 yards offensively, got 18 more first-downs than the Cats, and possessed the ball for 43:10 compared to Kentucky’s 16:50. That’s flat out embarrassing. Especially when it’s against a team you have beaten five straight years.

In the past three years, Kentucky has played three games where nothing worked. This one, two years ago against Texas A&M, and two years ago against Missouri. Both games the offense looked horrible and you somehow won one of them.

Advertisement

Before I really get going, let me point one thing out. Kentucky came into this season with a ton of preseason hype and threw up a clunker to Auburn. After two straight big wins, Kentucky started to earn some more hype and then failed to show up against Missouri.

Keep in mind, this same thing has happened before in the Stoops era. Going all the way back to 2014, Kentucky gained some national hype after starting the season 5-1, with the only loss being an OT thriller in Gainesville. The Cats went to Baton Rouge for a prime-time showdown with LSU, and got their teeth kicked in. Same thing against Texas A&M two years ago. started 5-0, earned some national attention, and then Kentucky looked lost on the field in College Station.

Just thought I’d point that out. Anyway, today’s game was a complete embarrassment all the way around.

It was pretty obvious early on that the offense wasn’t in-sync and wasn’t having any success. Terry Wilson and Joey Gatewood only completed four passes in 13 attempts for 47 yards. However the passing game did produce the only touchdown for the Cats today.

Advertisement

The running game started to work, especially in the second half with Chris Rodriguez. The offense had been stagnant the whole game, but the Cats started moving the ball when Eddie Gran called Rodriguez’s numbers. After the Cats scored, Kentucky had a chance to tie it up. The biggest possession of the game and Chris Rodriguez didn’t see the field. How does that happen?

It was pretty clear to all of us that Chris Rodriguez was the only thing working today and he only got nine carries. ONLY NINE. Larry Roundtree was killing Kentucky all game and got 37 CARRIES. I honestly have no idea what Eddie Gran is thinking on the sideline. Why does he refuse to play Chris Rodriguez? Especially on the most important possession of the game?

When asked about who the QB will be next week, Stoops said he didn’t know. It’s not rocket science. Just hand the ball to Chris Rodriguez until the other team shows the ability to stop him, because guess what, the only guy that has shown the ability to consistently stop Rodriguez is Eddie Gran.

Benny Snell and Lynn Bowden covered up a lot of the offensive issues the past couple of years and now they are showing. Big time. They have the answer sitting on the sideline in Rodriguez, but refuse to play him.

Advertisement

It may not be this easy, but if Eddie Gran will just hand the ball off consistently, I swear it will open up the offense and make it easier on Terry Wilson or whoever is back there. It’s called mixing things up. Something Eddie Gran doesn’t know how to do.

If Eddie Gran keeps running this offense into the ground, I don’t know what WR will want to play here.

We are Bubble-screen, QB-draw, and an AJ Rose run for two yards university right now.

Now let’s go get pounded by Georgia.

Advertisement

Football

Louisville Football Player Charged With First-Degree Strangulation, Days After Committing Game Losing Personal Foul

Published

on

Louisville Cardinals defensive back Tayon Holloway (20) reacts to his defensive play.
Eric Canha | Imagn

On Monday, Louisville football defensive back Tayon Holloway was detained and charged with first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault.

This comes just days after the former four-star prospect committed a costly personal foul to put a 2-7 Stanford team in field goal range and upset Louosillve 38-35 with a walk-off field goal.

As expected, Holloway has been indefinitely suspended from the team.

Advertisement

“The University of Louisville is aware of the arrest of football student-athlete Tayon Holloway,” the university said in a statement. “As we gather more information, Tayon has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities.”

Things Cardinals seem to be in a downward trend as the Commonwealth Cup nears, November 30th.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Football

Kentucky snaps four game losing streak defeats Murray State 48-6

Published

on

Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops talking to Murray State football coach Jody Wright.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

Kentucky gets a much-needed victory over Murray St 48-6 to snap its four-game losing Streak. Brock Vandagriff led the way for the Cats, going 12-19 for 183 passing yards and two touchdown passes to Hardley Gilmore IV and Ja’Mori Maclin. 48 Points is the most points Kentucky has scored in a game since 2021 when the Cats scored 51 points against Louisville.

The defense held Murray St. without a touchdown. For the second time this season, Kentucky’s defense has held an opponent without a touchdown.

Freshman Standout today:

Advertisement

For the second time this season, Kentucky breaks the 40-point mark as three freshmen make impacts for Kentucky. Jamarion Wilcox had 13 carries and 124 yards with a touchdown in the 3rd quarter.

Receiver Hardley Gilmore IV had two receptions for 72 yards and caught the 52-yard touchdown pass from Brock Vandagriff on the game-opening drive.

Four-star quarterback Cutter Boley started the second half for the Cats, going 10-14 and passing for 130 yards with two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, both touchdown passes to sophomore receiver Anthony Brown-Stephens.

Defense Bounces Back:

Advertisement

After giving up over 475 yards of total offense each of the last three games, Kentucky’s defense holds Murray State to 256 total yards of offense while also having three takeaways from the Murray State offense

Defensive Lineman Tre’vonn Rybka led the way for the defense with five tackles and the only sack of the game for Kentucky’s defense. Jordan Lovett had two takeaways in the first half for Kentucky and one in the red zone in the second quarter. Jackson Schultz had the final takeaway, picking off Jim Ogle’s pass late in the fourth quarter.

Box Score

With the win today over Murray St., Kentucky moves to 4-6 (1-6 SEC) with two games remaining. They look to keep their bowl eligibility alive as they travel to Austin, Texas, and face the No. 3 ranked Texas Longhorns at 3:30 pm on ABC. 

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Football

Mark Stoops Responds to Retirement Rumors, “Zero Percent Chance I Do That”

Published

on

Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops responds to retirement rumors amidst disappointing season. "Zero percent chance I do that."
Jordan Prather | Imagn

To say there is unrest in the Kentucky Football fanbase would be an understatement. With a 3-6 record overall, and 1-6 in the SEC (15th out of 16) things look bleak, and there is still a quarter of the season to go. Considering the regression from the previous two seasons as well, it’s difficult to be optimistic about the future.

Over the last few weeks, rumors have circled that head coach Mark Stoops has considered retiring at the end of the season. Optics wise it makes sense, his older brother Bob Stoops surprisingly retired from Oklahoma at just 56, and Mark, now 57, has expressed a desire to spend more time with his children.

At his weekly press conference, Stoops was asked directly if there is any chance that he would walk away from Kentucky and retire at the season. To which he responded, bluntly:

Advertisement

“Zero percent chance I do that. Next question.”

Mark Stoops is still owed more than $44 million on his contract. That’s A LOT of money to leave on the table and is the reason that the decision will be Stoops’ to make, as Kentucky cannot afford the buyout.

If Stoops holds true to his word and returns next season, NIL fundraising efforts may be the most difficult it has been for him. However, he hopes it sparks motivation to donate.

“I’ve seen it at other SEC schools,” Stoops said. “I want to stay away from that. I really get tired of — I don’t want to be like I am whining, I am crying. It is reality. You have to have dollars.”

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending