UK Defense Rises to Occasion, Holds MSU in Check
Last Saturday at Kroger Field, the Kentucky football team found itself in a shootout against Ole Miss. The teams combined for 83 points and over 1,000 yards of total offense in a game that the Rebels eventually won 42-41 in overtime.
This week, the Cats were facing Mississippi State and head coach Mike Leach, who is known for his Air Raid offense that hung 44 points on defending national champion LSU in the season opener, a 44-34 MSU win in Baton Rouge.
While many teams might have wilted while thinking about what was ahead of them, that’s not how UK head coach Mark Stoops and his team handle their business. Stoops insisted during the week that his team had been close in their two games so far this season, and that they were not deterred by their 0-2 start. And to get the team where he wanted them to go, Stoops went back to his bread and butter, defense.
On Saturday night at Kroger Field, while many were expecting a shootout, a defensive struggle broke out. And, in a game where the numbers truly did not tell the story, the Cats came away with a 24-2 victory. It was the fewest points ever scored by a Leach-coached team in his 19 seasons as a Division I head coach.
Unlike against Ole Miss, Stoops was much happier with his team’s defensive effort this week.
“Really proud of our team. As I mentioned to them, what a difference a week makes. Last week I was not very proud and not very pleased with the way we played defensively,” Stoops said. “We couldn’t get the stops defensively. And that was very frustrating for us for a week knowing that you’re going to prepare for another explosive high-scoring offense that can throw it around and move you and move the ball if you’re not ready. So I felt like our team really responded all week. Obviously, we gave a great defensive team effort.”
The statistics did not tell the story of this game in any way. The Bulldogs had 295 yards of offense, including 275 yards through the air. Kentucky had just 157 yards of offense in the game, with 73 through the air and 84 on the ground.
However, the number that stood out was turnovers. Kentucky intercepted MSU quarterbacks six times in the game. And that was part of what led to MSU not scoring a single point on offense in the game.
Stoops knew that his team was capable and prepared to make big plays, they just needed to go out and do it.
“We were obviously in good position and we had the opportunity to make plays today and we did,” Stoops said. “We tell the players that all the time. And, again, I don’t want to be beat up over clichés, but it’s like when technique and opportunity meet, you’re going to have an opportunity to make plays. We had good technique. Our coaches had them in good position.”
Six different Wildcats had interceptions in the game. Jamin Davis, D’Eryk Jackson, Kelvin Joseph and Jamar Watson each had picks for UK. But the two biggest plays on defense came on the other two interceptions.
The first of those came in the second quarter when UK defensive end Josh Paschal intercepted MSU quarterback K.J. Costello at the UK 22 yard line. Paschal lumbered 76 yards, coming up just short of scoring, but giving his team the ball on the MSU two yard line. In one play, the Cats converted that turnover into a Chris Rodriguez Jr. touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
The second came in the fourth quarter when Jordan Wright intercepted a pass and returned it eight yards for a score, putting the game out of reach at 21-2 with just 6:25 to play.
After a less-than-stellar performance against Ole Miss last week, the UK defense took it on themselves to get better this week. And they did exactly that.
“Definitely, we all knew within the first two games we played, you know, not up to our standards,” said UK linebacker Jamin Davis. “We just wanted to come out tonight and show everyone what we’re really about and just making a name for ourselves, making a huge statement.”
Wright knew the entire defense was ready for the challenge that MSU posed.
“We talked about it heavy, you know, everyone was feeling the same, was tired of just giving up a lot of points and not showing everyone who we really are,” Wright said. “So, this week, we were really trying to stay focused on that and just play for each other.”
The Bulldogs’ only points came when Kentucky snapped the ball over punter Max Duffy’s head and Duffy kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone for a safety. MSU had several chances inside the UK red zone, but each time the UK defense stood tall and came up with a stop.
After not seeing what they wanted to see last week against Ole Miss, Stoops and the defense took it upon themselves to get better this week and to perform against a tough offense this week. Their hard work paid off in a big way and helped to produce the first UK win of the season.
