If there has been one huge negative in this early part of the season for the Kentucky Wildcats, it is the deficiencies of stopping the running game in the first 2 weeks. The defense seems lost when it comes to stopping the run, and the last two games have been great examples of that. I love scoring, but if the other teams controls the ground and can run it down your throat, it doesn’t matter how many points you score when you get into SEC play.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] I love being 2-0, but the Western game got me thinking about the running games of our future opponents. It might be a good thing to know for Cat fans if there are some future backs like U of L’s Bilal Powell(16 rushes 153 yards 1 TD) and WKU’s Bobby Rainy(22 rushes 184 yards 2 TDs). The bad thing is these performances might be a product of our own defense. Ok, lets look at what we have to face next week when we play Akron.
[B]Akron Top Rushers[/B]
Nate Burney
[TABLE=”class: tablehead”]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]DATE[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]OPP[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]RESULT[/TD]
[TD]ATT[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]REC[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]FUM[/TD]
[TD]LST[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/4[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/183/syracuse-orange”][COLOR=#000000]Syracuse[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#bf0000]L[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302472006″][COLOR=#000000]29-3[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]38[/TD]
[TD]3.2[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]8.0[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/11[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/2241/gardner-webb-runnin-bulldogs”][COLOR=#000000]Gardner-Webb[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#bf0000]L[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302542006″][COLOR=#000000]38-37[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]119[/TD]
[TD]7.0[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]0.0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Alex Allen
[TABLE=”class: tablehead”]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]DATE[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]OPP[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]RESULT[/TD]
[TD]ATT[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]REC[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]FUM[/TD]
[TD]LST[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/4[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/183/syracuse-orange”][COLOR=#000000]Syracuse[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#bf0000]L[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302472006″][COLOR=#000000]29-3[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]3.0[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]0.0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/11[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/2241/gardner-webb-runnin-bulldogs”][COLOR=#000000]Gardner-Webb[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#bf0000]L[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302542006″][COLOR=#000000]38-37[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]110[/TD]
[TD]5.5[/TD]
[TD]33[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]4.0[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Akron is obviously not any good, getting beat by Gardner-Webb, and as long as Billy G. isn’t anywhere on the Kentucky sideline we should be ok this Saturday. The thing is though, the Cats need to improve week by and week and I think it should be a goal for the defense to not let this team gain over 100 yards on the ground. Heck, maybe they should not allow 100 yards at all of total offense.
[B]Florida Top Rushers[/B]
Jeffrey Demps
[TABLE=”class: tablehead”]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]DATE[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]OPP[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]RESULT[/TD]
[TD]ATT[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]REC[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]FUM[/TD]
[TD]LST[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/4[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/193/miami-oh-redhawks”][COLOR=#000000]Miami (OH)[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#007f00]W[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302470057″][COLOR=#000000]34-12[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]98[/TD]
[TD]12.3[/TD]
[TD]72[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]1.0[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/11[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/58/south-florida-bulls”][COLOR=#000000]South Florida[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#007f00]W[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302540057″][COLOR=#000000]38-14[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]139[/TD]
[TD]12.6[/TD]
[TD]62[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]21.0[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Mike Gillislee
[TABLE=”class: tablehead”]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]DATE[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]OPP[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]RESULT[/TD]
[TD]ATT[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]REC[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]FUM[/TD]
[TD]LST[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/4[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/193/miami-oh-redhawks”][COLOR=#000000]Miami (OH)[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#007f00]W[/COLOR] [URL=”http://espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302470057″][COLOR=#000000]34-12[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]55[/TD]
[TD]9.2[/TD]
[TD]41[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]0.0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/11[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/58/south-florida-bulls”][COLOR=#000000]South Florida[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#007f00]W[/COLOR] [URL=”http://espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302540057″][COLOR=#000000]38-14[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]7.3[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]0.0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Florida has not looked good at all in their first 2 wins, as the Miami game was alot closer than the score. The Gators have the Vols this week so we might be able to gauge a little better on how good Florida is, since I think UT favors the Cats in a lot of ways. Jeffrey Demps will be the guy we will have to keep an eye on as can he break a long one at any time. After watching Rainy and Powell streak down the sidelines, I am most worried about the Gators running us out of the gym.
[B]Ole Miss Top Rushers[/B]
Branndon Bolden
[TABLE=”class: tablehead”]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]DATE[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]OPP[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]RESULT[/TD]
[TD]ATT[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]REC[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]FUM[/TD]
[TD]LST[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/4[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/55/jacksonville-state-gamecocks”][COLOR=#000000]Jacksonville State[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#bf0000]L[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302470145″][COLOR=#000000]49-48[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]104[/TD]
[TD]6.1[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]34[/TD]
[TD]34.0[/TD]
[TD]34[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/11[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]@[URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/2655/tulane-green-wave”][COLOR=#000000]Tulane[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#007f00]W[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302542655″][COLOR=#000000]27-13[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]4.6[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]36[/TD]
[TD]9.0[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Enrique Davis
[TABLE=”class: tablehead”]
[TR=”class: colhead”]
[TD=”align: left”]DATE[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]OPP[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]RESULT[/TD]
[TD]ATT[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]REC[/TD]
[TD]YDS[/TD]
[TD]AVG[/TD]
[TD]LNG[/TD]
[TD]TD[/TD]
[TD]FUM[/TD]
[TD]LST[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: oddrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/4[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/55/jacksonville-state-gamecocks”][COLOR=#000000]Jacksonville State[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#bf0000]L[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302470145″][COLOR=#000000]49-48[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]61[/TD]
[TD]3.6[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]16.0[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=”class: evenrow”]
[TD=”align: left”]9/11[/TD]
[TD=”align: left”]@[URL=”http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/2655/tulane-green-wave”][COLOR=#000000]Tulane[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD=”align: left”][COLOR=#007f00]W[/COLOR] [URL=”http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302542655″][COLOR=#000000]27-13[/COLOR][/URL][/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]2.9[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]0.0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
After Ole Miss lost to Jacksonville State, I pretty much marked this one down as a win. The Rebels rebounded this week with a win at Tulane, and any win on the road is a good win. It doesn’t look like the Rebs run as much as the teams we will have played, so concentrating on the passing game might be more of a concern with the thief Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback.
It would be awesome to be 5-0 after Ole Miss, but if the Cats can’t figure out how to stop the run and get off the field it could easily be 3-2. I would think 4-1 is a lot more realistic, especially since we haven’t beaten Florida since the Ice Age. We will revisit the running game after the Ole Miss game and see if there is improvement. I am sure the overall record will already have answered that question for us. Go Cats!!
Stats provided by ESPN.com
