Middle Tennessee Postgame

I have to keep this one short because I need to be working on this fine Sunday.

Last night I made a pact with the football gods as the fourth quarter began. I promised that if UK somehow won the game, that I would not complain about the performance for the rest of the night. Today, I don't feel much like complaining either. UK is 3-0, came from behind, and survived a game that they very well could have lost. Let's also not forget that but/for a called back touchdown and a terrible night from the field goal unit, we could have won this game by two touchdowns.

That said: if, with a minute and forty seconds left, a team with a six point lead has first and ten on its opponent's 17 and then comes within 18 inches of losing a game, questions have to be asked. Before Sieber lined up for the fateful field goal attempt, I turned to the woman next to me and, god is my witness, said, "this is a big mistake, there are too many things that can go wrong". As I will say repeatedly, I do not profess to know 1/100th as much as Rich Brooks does about football. But with the kind of night the team and Lonas were having, I think this was the wrong call. I will also acknowledge that Rich is in a tough spot. Had we run the ball up the middle on that play, then had MTSU found some way to score (which I still submit would have been next to impossible), then the stadium would have been filled with people saying "if Brooks would have just kicked the field goal, we would have won". The bottom line is if we execute the field goal correctly, the whole discussion is moot.

Watching the blocked field goal almost run back for a loss (UT in 2007) followed up by the hail mary (duh) allowed me to relive my two least favorite Commonwealth Stadium moments in the span of about 45 seconds. The only thing that could have made it worse was if Marcus McClinton would have fumbled the ball back during his fourth quarter interception return.

Micah Johnson was tearing up the field when he got hurt. I've heard nothing more than that he Cobb and Rickey Lumpkin have high ankle sprains. Here is hoping that the sprains aren't severe, because a bad one of those can derail the better part of a season.

Our offense last night was reminiscent of the early Brooks years. Runs up the middle and ineffective screen passes. Hartline looked best throwing crossing routes downfield. I thought he played well. His numbers would be better if he had more sure handed receivers.

Based on comments made by the coaches, I think UK is really missing out on the leaders it had last year. This year's team seems less focused.

More later in the week.