In search of a sixth win, Kentucky hit the practice field on Wednesday in preparation for a trip to face Missouri this weekend.On another productive day, the focus was clear for the Wildcats.”We’re really harping on fundamentals,” defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot said. “We’re pushing the kids to the limit and they’re responding well to that, getting ready for Missouri.”Fundamentals, for Eliot’s defense, start in the running game. Last weekend, UK allowed 326 rushing yards to top-ranked Mississippi State, many coming after initial contact.”Give them credit,” Eliot said. “They have some very good runners: quarterback, tailbacks, wide receivers. They’re all big. But I think that we could have played a lot better fundamentally. Tackling being the biggest thing. The players saw that too so we’ve really harped on that this week.”That began in the film room, where a long run with numerous broken tackles by running back Josh Robinson was a featured attraction after making the rounds online over the weekend.”It was embarrassing just to watch how people were missing tackles,” senior Bud Dupree said. “People had him wrapped up. There’s no excuse for missing that many tackles.”Embarrassing as it may have been, Eliot called the play and others like it “a good learning opportunity” in the coaches’ continuing quest to hammer home the importance of fundamentals. It’s a message the Cats have heard all season long and even before.”They say fundamentals every day,” Dupree said. “All the meetings, just showing us fundamental things that we could do better. Showing you if your shoestrings aren’t tied the right way, you need to tie them the fundamental way.”Tying shoelaces, however, hasn’t been the primary emphasis in practice so much as not going for the forced fumble on first contact and flocking to the football.”You gotta get a good swarm, swarm of guys to the ball,” Eliot said. “When the first guy hits him and wraps him up, if he doesn’t bring him down there’s somebody else to bring him down.”

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