Doomsday

What a difference a blocked field goal run back for a touchdown can make. This morning feels like doomsday in Cat nation. Had things gone a little differently in what should have been a more lopsided first half, we might be singing a totally different tune today. Because even as we built a 17-14 lead, the first half was truly when the game was lost. We are going to have to live with an offense that occasionally plays like ours did in the second half yesterday. But the things that prevented us from building a big halftime lead were not as excusable.

I have a lot of thoughts about the game yesterday. As you might guess, few are positive.

I've been praising Coach Brooks and his staff for the better part of three years now. But as Justin Timberlake might say if he were in a parody on SNL, "lets get to the real, real, real". Kentucky displayed all of the hallmarks of a poorly coached team yesterday. They were lined up wrong on defense, allowed a blocked field goal on what looked like a totally botched blocking scheme, had too many men on the field and were caught off guard by South Carolina lining up in a tackle eligible formation. The offensive staff was not able to push a single button to make anything happen. Instead we insisted on doing the same things that weren't working. Even when we did show some ingenuity, sending Cobb behind center with Hartline in the game, the offense checked out of the called play, gave USC an eternity to adjust, and totally spoiled the element of surprise.

Lets get real about one other thing. This offense is bad. It is kind of like my golf game. Every aspect, even those that are seemingly unrelated, stinks. I cannot drive, chip, hit middle irons, lag putt or putt from up close with a damn. Not one passable skill out there. The Cats have four running backs, none of which are SEC starting tailbacks. Hartline is shaky at best. The offensive line was supposed to be the strength of the team. Instead, they've suffered so many losses that the same five guys have not started more than one game together. If you've ever played offensive line, you know this alone creates problems. Even when healthy, though, they weren't impressive.

Which brings us to the receivers. Wow. Last night, my Dad and I went to see EKU play Jacksonville State. As an aside, JSU is quarterbacked by LSU refugee Ryan Perriloux. He could have been playing in the Swamp last night on the second biggest college game of the day. Instead, he was throwing five interceptions at Hanger Field. I gotta say, I felt bad for the guy. Anyhoo, I can tell you that I would trade UK's wide receivers for either JSU's or Eastern's. Even if I had to throw in Lyons. (More on him in a minute). I know what you are thinking, different level of competition, none of those guys could have played at UK, you are a nut and a negative nelly, and on and on. Here is the thing though. You can have the best 40 time, be tall, strong, rangy, tough, all of these great things. But if you cannot catch a football, you aren't much good as a receiver. Those guys were catching balls at their shoestrings, balls that were over their heads. . . .they were running under balls and catching them over their shoulders. We have none of that.

USC proved how important it is to have multiple good receivers yesterday. Here is what happened. Trevard Lindley could not cover everyone. So on critical third downs in the fourth quarter, Garcia found guys not named McKinley against our less talented DBs.

Yesterday was bad for more than just the lack of offense and the loss. Dickie's injury is devastating, for all the reasons just mentioned. Of course, it would be hard for the offense to be much worse than it was the last two games, so how much he is missed remains to be seen. Other bad developments came from around the SEC as two future opponents which were henceforth dead men walking resurrected their seasons by beating top 25 foes. If Arkansas can win at Auburn, it can certainly win here. If Houston Nutt's squad does so, they are 4-3 with two SEC wins, and still playing for a bowl. What looked like a near lock will now open as around a UK -3. Also, Mississippi State beat Vandy, which I guess cuts both ways as a predictor of future Cats outcomes.

Barring a pretty sizable upset, UK is going to have to beat 2 of 3 of Ark, Miss. St. and Vandy to go to a bowl. With a defense this good, it can be done. Whether it will is a different matter.

I said earlier in the week that USC was almost a must win game. The loss has set the stage for Bobby Petrino to bring his Razorbacks in here October 18th. On a beautiful Keeneland October evening, with the Homecoming King and Queen and 65,000 spirited faithful looking on, one thing is for sure. A loss Saturday and our beloved Cats become the dead men walking.