Kentucky’s offense has a simple assignment this week: find Nic Anderson and DJ Miller early, and keep finding them.
That’s the takeaway from Will Stein after watching the Wildcats sputter in the second half against Alabama, where the offense never really got back on track. Kentucky went 3-of-16 on third and fourth down, averaged just 3.3 yards per play, turned it over three times and managed only one touchdown across 12 possessions. The explosives never came either - only five plays gained 10 or more yards, and just two of those went for 20-plus.
Anderson’s role in that quiet night was too small for Kentucky’s liking. He caught one pass, a 13-yard grab on the opening drive, and was targeted twice more in the second quarter without a completion. Miller, meanwhile, still hasn’t recorded a catch this season.
Stein made it clear on Tuesday that the answer against Texas A&M isn’t to wait around and hope those two break free on obvious passing downs. Alabama, he said, showed a look that forced Kentucky to adjust.
“They played a little bit more man than we were expecting, right?” Stein said on Tuesday about Alabama’s defense.
“[Defensive coordinator] Kane [Wommack] was more of a three-deep zone cover-two guy. He played some man-to-man in the first game against ECU and came out and challenged our receivers.
“So, I think that’s something we have to expect now, is when you don’t just beat guys on vertical passing game, you have to create other ways to get guys the ball with rub routes, with mesh concepts, with stacks and bunches, a lot of different variations to try to help these guys out. And so I think that’s one, is try to get these guys open with some scheme, and then obviously, I mean, we’ve got to just target DJ; we’ve got to find ways to get him the football.”
He doubled down on that idea later on his radio show with Tom Leach, saying Kentucky has to get Anderson and Miller involved before third down even becomes the issue. That matters against a Texas A&M defense that has been nasty on money downs, ranking fourth in the SEC and eighth in the FBS in third-down defense. The Aggies have allowed just 4 conversions on 22 third-down plays, an 18.2% clip.
The problem is Kentucky hasn’t exactly been better in that area. The Wildcats are 4-of-22 on third down this season, including a rough 1-of-14 against Alabama.
“It’s how do we get them involved on first and second down, and not drop back past throwing as far as you can on post,” Stein said. “You can get guys involved with easy touch screens and just bubbles and hitch routes and slants that are just high-percentage catch-and-run opportunities. That’s how you get guys in rhythm, and so I’m looking forward to this week because I think those guys have earned the right to get the ball.”
Stein also acknowledged that Kentucky got a little more cautious after Kenny Minchey’s pick-six in the first quarter. But against a defense like Mike Elko’s, he knows the Wildcats can’t afford to play it safe for long.
“There were specific times in the game that I felt like we could have taken those punches. And that’s not a Joe Sloan problem.
That’s a me problem,” Stein explained on Tuesday. “So, what can I do as a head coach in those moments to give our players and our coaches that type of confidence to go out there and swing when we have a chance?”
In Other News...
Kentucky Just Drew A Clear Line In College Sports Chaos
Amid the churn in college sports, Kentucky is trying to make its position look a lot less messy. At the Champions Blue Board of Governors meeting on Sept. 17, university president Eli Capilouto again backed the Protect College Sports Act and put the emphasis on following Southeastern Conference rules, with athletics director J Batt echoing the same message about federal guidelines carrying more weight than a patchwork of state laws and court rulings.
The timing matters because the SEC has already moved to tighten its own house, recently voting to enforce transfer rules and bar former professional players from competing in the league. For Kentucky, the stance is less about slogans than about drawing a line on how the sport should be governed, even as the wider landscape keeps shifting around it. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Heads Into Texas A&M With One Huge Test Of Its Depth
Kentucky heads to No. 9 Texas A&M this week carrying the kind of availability questions that tend to matter even more in an SEC road game. The Wildcats are working through a list of players who are either ruled out or questionable, and that makes the lineup worth watching as the staff tries to sort out who can help in a tough matchup away from home.
There is at least a little good news on the defensive side, with Terhyon Nichols expected back at cornerback and Alex Afari Jr. available after missing the previous game. Still, the bigger picture is clear enough: Kentucky is a 16.5-point underdog, and Kenny Minchey is set for his first SEC road start at quarterback, which gives this trip to Texas A&M an added layer of pressure and uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Gets An Early Warning On Two Defensive Names Vs Texas A&M
The first SEC availability report of the season has already given Kentucky a clearer picture of what Saturday could look like against Texas A&M, even before the Wildcats get to game weeks late updates. Under the leagues new 2024 policy, schools now have to submit official player statuses each Wednesday and keep refining them through kickoff, which means the early read on this matchup matters a little more than it used to.
For Kentucky, the initial list includes several familiar names in different categories, with the most notable defensive concerns landing in the questionable column. Texas A&M has its own injury watch list to manage as well, so both sides are dealing with uncertainty before the teams even get to College Station. The Wildcats will keep tracking the report as the week goes on, but this first snapshot already hints that availability could shape how this SEC opener unfolds. [Read more 🡒]