Another Saturday and another big day for the Kentucky Wildcats football team. Three disappointing losses in conference play but today could bring new beginnings. A win against South Carolina today, a top 10 team who comes off a week when they defeated the number 1 team in the nation, could right the Big Blue ship. So, what’s Joker thinking about today’s game?[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
[B]Offensive keys – Continue to run the ball, even without Derrick Locke:[/B] “We need to establish some kind of running game. We need to get positive yards. We cannot have negative yards. We have to protect the football. We have to try to keep the same game plan that was working with Derrick in there. We also have to do a little bit more Wildcat to try to manufacture some type of run game and then throw the football. We have guys outside making plays for us. These guys will load up the box and try to stop the run. They held Alabama to 36 yards rushing, so there should be some one-on-one matchups and we need to throw the football some. It works when guys can scramble around and run for 41 yards when they think they have them in the backfield, but we will have to get in it and see what they are giving us. If they are giving us the throw we will throw it and if they are giving us the run we have to try to call it. We need the ball in (Randall Cobb’s) hands because he can create things that many can’t.”
[B]Defensive keys – Attack on first and second down:[/B] “We have to be sound in our gaps. You cannot get out of the gaps and try to do other people’s jobs. You also need to wrap up and tackle their big running back (Marcus Lattimore). He is a load and you have to wrap him up. We have to get them into third-and-longs. They have been in third-and-mediums and third-and-shorts and that is how you come to be 55 percent successful on third downs. We need to get them to some third-and-longs and make sure that they do not have success on first and second downs.”
[B]Key matchup – UK’s offensive line vs. the USC front four:[/B] “I love the matchups there. We play a team every week that has just had a big sack week (the week before). We played Florida and they got one and Auburn had one in the Wildcat formation. We will be fine up front and we like the matchup with the offensive line as long as we communicate and play with good technique. (Our young running backs) understand our blocking schemes and when they play with good technique, they can hold up. Like anybody else, if they don’t play with good technique, they will struggle. They just need to be patient and allow the defenders to come to them and not be in attack mode.”
[B]Joker’s biggest concern- Tackling Lattimore:[/B] “In every game we have been giving up a lot of rushing yards. We have to stop the run, period. Give up the passing yards if needed, but we have to stop the run. (Lattimore) is one of those guys that gets stronger as the game wears on. In the Georgia game he carried the ball something like 40-something times. We have to limit his touches by holding them to minus plays. I think when you keep stopping the run early, people tend to get away from it quicker than with the pass, so we need to make sure we stop the run and limit his touches. Every week tackling is important, but it is even more important with a guy like him who can get into your secondary and create problems.”
[B]South Carolina player to watch for (other than Lattimore) – Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery:[/B] “He’s very impressive. We’ve got to mix up our coverages. We’ll have to play some man-to-man on him with some help over the top. Alshon is one of the best receivers in the league as a true sophomore. He’s a big-time talent. The taller you are, you don’t have to be as fast. Alshon is not a blazer, but he’s fast enough and he’s got a big body and understands how to post up.”
[B]UK players that must step up – Backup tailbacks Donald Russell and Raymond Sanders:[/B] “We need one of our young running backs to step up. I feel confident in Donald Russell and Raymond Sanders to do the job that we ask them to do. We’ll probably do a little bit more of the Wildcat and see what we can do out of that. We’ve got to find a way to manufacture a run game, and we expect those guys to go in there and do the job for us.”
[B]Final injury report:[/B] In addition to Locke, defensive end DeQuin Evans is also “probably” out for Saturday’s game. Evans has been battling an ankle injury for the last few weeks. Freshman linebacker Qua Huzzie will also be limited as he continues to recover from a thumb and ankle injury.
[URL=”http://www.ukathletics.com/blog/2010/10/the-game-plan-joker-phillips-keys-to-the-game-4.html”]Source[/URL].
GO BIG BLUE!
