The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
Ground game carries UK to win after lightning delay
LEXINGTON — The opening statement of Mark Stoops' postgame news conference, which began half-past midnight Sunday, lasted more than three minutes.
Stoops, in his 12th season as Kentucky's coach, lauded his football team for never losing focus during a “very strange situation” with the weather, which delayed the start of Saturday's game against Southern Miss for more than two hours. Stoops praised quarterback Brock Vandagriff, who made his first start as a collegian. Stoops also dished out kudos for the Wildcats' defense.
After speaking for more than 180 seconds, Stoops noticed a lapse in his opening statement, prompted by a reporter's question.
He had neglected to mention the fans who stuck out the two-plus-hour lightning delay, never leaving their seats despite the dreary conditions at Kroger Field.
“I sincerely can't even begin to thank the fans for what they were like,” Stoops said. “To go out there two hours after we were supposed to and see them just going nuts and cheering us on and rooting (for) us? That was truly amazing.”
Their loyalty was rewarded: UK rolled to a victory in Saturday's opener, shutting out Southern Miss, 31-0, in a game called in the third quarter because of lightning that had reentered the Lexington area after the hosts' final score.
“Just great appreciation for our fan base and I'm glad we played a pretty decent game. Relatively clean,” Stoops said. “I know our guys played hard. I know they were excited to play for them, and I feel like our team really did that. I feel like
they played their hearts out. There’s so much we’ve got clean up on, but they were excited to play, and I felt like we’re relatively disciplined as well.”
Here are three takeaways from the Wildcats’ commanding victory over the Golden Eagles:
Kentucky defense solid in shutout performance
One might take issue with describing the UK defense as only “solid” in a game in which it didn’t allow a point. And permitted just 131 yards (126 passing, 5 rushing) of total offense.
But an issue that irked Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White to no end last season — third-down efficiency, particularly third-and-longs — reared its head in the first quarter. On the Golden Eagles’ second drive, they converted on third down three times, including a 34-yard gain on third and 18. Southern Miss eventually got to UK’s 8yard line, but defensive back JQ Hardaway picked off Tate Rodemaker to end the visitors’ best scoring opportunity.
It came one possession after the Wildcats’ other takeaway: Linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson also swiped a Rodemaker pass.
“I just tried to get my hand on it,” Dumas-Johnson said. “When I saw it spinning in the air, I knew I had a chance to get it. It was kind of déjà vu: My freshman year at Georgia, my second play of the game, I had an interception. It was a pick six, but I didn’t get (a touchdown) this time.”
The other good news for UK’s defense: After Southern Miss’ 3-for-3 showing on third downs in the the first quarter, it went 0 of 5 the rest of the way.
“First half, two-hour delay, I think that is what got us,” said Dumas-Johnson, explaining the unit’s early struggles getting off the field Saturday. “Just coming to the sideline and figuring out what they are doing ... (we made) a few adjustments and (took) it from there.”
Kentucky ground game takes advantage of opportunities
The Wildcats ran the ball twice as many times as they passed it Saturday (24 carries to 12 throws by Vandagriff). UK finished with 148 rushing yards and a touchdown (from Demie Sumo-Karngbaye). Kentucky averaged 6.2 yards per carry in the victory.
Not too shabby for a team missing the player who entered camp as the presumed starter at the spot.
Sumo-Karngbaye, who scored the Wildcats’ lone rushing TD, led the way with 59 yards on eight attempts (a teambest 7.4 yards per carry). True freshman tailback Jason Patterson added 28 yards on four carries.
“We felt very confident with Demie,” Stoops said, “and Jason I thought showed his physicality and vision.”
Still, Stoops wants to see more from another member of the running back room: redshirt freshman Jamarion Wilcox.
“I think he is going to give us something this year,” Stoops said. “He needs to continue to push and grow and be reliable so we can trust him.”
Kentucky special teams has error-free game
The third phase of the game didn’t feature prominently for the Wildcats on Saturday night. The way Kentucky’s offense and defense were playing, the special teams didn’t have to.
But in their limited chances against the Golden Eagles, Jay Boulware’s unit capitalized.
Placekicker Alex Raynor made the only field goal he attempted (from 41 yards) and went 4 for 4 on extra points. Punter Wilson Berry pinned USM at its 8yard line the lone time he kicked. Kick return prodigy Barion Brown didn’t even get a chance to field one, as the visitors kicked away from him to open the game; true freshman tight end Willie Rodriguez made them pay, scooping up the ball at Kentucky’s 28-yard line and taking it back 20 yards. And though the punt-return team didn’t come up with a block, pressure up the middle induced a shank from Southern Miss’ Bryce Lofton, as his kick went 23 yards in the second quarter, giving the hosts the ball at the visitors’ 32-yard line.
There will be games later this season Kentucky’s special teams will be called upon to do far more.
In less-than-ideal weather Saturday, what they provided more than sufficed.