My Fear for Rest of Season - Defensive Depth

[UKWinsAgainYep]

We've all seen UK crumble the last 2 years during the last half of the season.....

My fear is that our lack of depth on Defense could cost us and there may not be anything Stoops can do about it.

I think it is REMARKABLE what Stoops is doing with our current Defense because we simply do not have much depth to be playing in the SEC.

I just hope we can win two more games and get to a bowl before our depth starts causing us too many problems.

This fast-paced Mizzou team will be a serious test of our depth if our Offense cannot dominate Time of Possession and run the ball all game long. Eddie Gran needs to continue to help our thin Defense.

What say you?

 

[Sparkaces]

Well the strength of the team is supposed to be the secondary. We will see this week. I agree that if we run it all day it will help the defense tremendously!

 

[Anon1660081258]

I think with some ball control offense and pressure defense, we stand a good chance of getting Lock into situations he won't deal with well. The length of our corners can really make a QB pay if he starts playing the gunslinger rather than the technician. The key is getting that pressure, so he makes rushed, inaccurate throws. If we can build a fair lead before half, take it into the locker room, and then come out and extend it to three scores in the third, he might implode once in a situation where they must try to extend every drive. He has already done it this season.

 

[stucknbig10country]

Valid concern...I think ball control is key the rest of the way. It seems like we have ditched the whole "hurry-up offense" (good riddance), and I think that's a good thing as it does nothing but tire out our defense.

 

[BARRYBLUE1]

I think our band hinders the hurry up offense. I've noticed the offense having to wait for the band to stop.

 

[allabouttheUK]

T.O.P was the key going into the year, and will be the key until the season is over in late December. We have the O Line and backs to control the clock and keep the defense off the field and that is exactly what UK should do. Play to your strengths, and cover your weaknesses.

As for Missouri, we should, could and probably will run the ball well on them, and should have a good passing day as well. If UK can come out the 1st half and hit them hard it may be enough to take their will for the rest of the game. I see a 10-14 point game. I like the idea of playing a 4-2-5 like someone mentioned yesterday, it seems we've been in a defense that resembles that a lot since Stoops took over the D and it's paid off. Keep going with what is working. I think Lock will look very average against our Secondary as well. He hasn't seen this type of length this year, and the outstanding UF secondary ate him up. Not saying we have a UF secondary by any stretch, but UK is closer to their secondary than the rest of the competition he has faced.

 

[Deeeefense]

The defensive depth is not where you want it, but it's better than it's been here in many years IMO. Our injury situation is a lot better than most teams, and our new found ability to run the ball consistently is, and will continue to pay dividends down the road.

 

[vhcat70]

The defensive depth is not where you want it, but it's better than it's been here in many years IMO. Our injury situation is a lot better than most teams, and our new found ability to run the ball consistently is, and will continue to pay dividends down the road.

Good post. [thumb2]

Did I say that?

 

[Rockford]

On Miss St's last possession, we were totally gassed. Lack of depth showed. After they got their second 1st down of that drive, I knew that short of them stopping themselves, we had no shot.
Like Stoops going all out on that 3rd down where they scored, making it do or die. It gave us just enough time to score again.

But as to OP, we still are not deep on D and teams like UT and UL will exploit that and there is not a lot we can do about it.

I just hope Mizz and UGA can't exploit it as much and we are in a one score game.

 

[lex cath]

We have the depth but Stoops won't play them :scream:

 

[allabouttheUK]

We have the depth but Stoops won't play them :scream:

Just because there are bodies available doesn't mean they are ready or should play.

 

[lex cath]

Just because there are bodies available doesn't mean they are ready or should play.

:cheers2:

 

[RDF922]

Just because there are bodies available doesn't mean they are ready or should play.

I have to disagree with this. I'm fairly certain that a well rested backup is/would be more productive than a "gassed" starter. There can not be that much difference in recruited players that have been in the system for more than one year.

Everyone else subs except UK. Hell its why we lost to USM. 90+ snaps on D a game is and we still trotted the same guys out there. We should be subbing at least once a quarter. Not all 11 guys but rotate. It's how you build depth...

 

[allabouttheUK]

I have to disagree with this. I'm fairly certain that a well rested backup is/would be more productive than a "gassed" starter. There can not be that much difference in recruited players that have been in the system for more than one year.

Everyone else subs except UK. Hell its why we lost to USM. 90+ snaps on D a game is and we still trotted the same guys out there. We should be subbing at least once a quarter. Not all 11 guys but rotate. It's how you build depth...

I agree with you to an extent. The depth isn't an issue across the board, but only at certain positions. The MLB position is the QB of the defense, so those that say Love is too slow or missing assignments although they are right in that aspect, maybe, just maybe he has the intelligence and experience to put his teammates in a position to make the plays that they do. That is probably the only thing keeping Kash from getting time as a backup at this point....just a guess though.
We lost to USM because of more than being gassed. We had ZERO defense that game.

 

[lex cath]

Isn't that an indictment on the defensive QB ? :flushed:

 

[allabouttheUK]

Isn't that an indictment on the defensive QB ? :flushed:

Explain

 

[lex cath]

Explain

Because we were gassed and didn't get the hand up for give me a breather :fire:

 

[allabouttheUK]

Because we were gassed and didn't get the hand up for give me a breather :fire:

I'm lost...how would that be an indictment on Love? I'm not saying he lights up the stat sheet or doesn't miss tackles, etc...I'm just saying that he is the started at that position for a reason. I believe that reason to be he knows the defense and can make the on field adjustments for the defense when needed.

I don't buy the gassed argument at all. I think the first 6 quarters of the season were more about who was calling the shots for the defense and less about the players on the field.

The last MSU touchdown you could see coming. Go back and watch as they line up to run the play, it was clear who the ball was going to, yet the defender gave him the inside rather than press or take away the inside. That's not about being gassed, that's about technique I would think.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

I have to disagree with this. I'm fairly certain that a well rested backup is/would be more productive than a "gassed" starter. There can not be that much difference in recruited players that have been in the system for more than one year.

Everyone else subs except UK. Hell its why we lost to USM. 90+ snaps on D a game is and we still trotted the same guys out there. We should be subbing at least once a quarter. Not all 11 guys but rotate. It's how you build depth...

I will say Stoops seems to have a tendency to play guys until they are falling on their face without giving them a rest. I do think he needs to sub more, but just IMO.

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

My fear is that I wont get to taste all the tears of opposing fans and players that they will shed after UK rocks their worlds.

 

[redbudman]

We've all seen UK crumble the last 2 years during the last half of the season.....

My fear is that our lack of depth on Defense could cost us and there may not be anything Stoops can do about it.

I think it is REMARKABLE what Stoops is doing with our current Defense because we simply do not have much depth to be playing in the SEC.

I just hope we can win two more games and get to a bowl before our depth starts causing us too many problems.

This fast-paced Mizzou team will be a serious test of our depth if our Offense cannot dominate Time of Possession and run the ball all game long. Eddie Gran needs to continue to help our thin Defense.

What say you?

I would like to go 1 game and have zero turnovers! And it may take that game to win this one!

 

[Poetax]

I have to disagree with this. I'm fairly certain that a well rested backup is/would be more productive than a "gassed" starter. There can not be that much difference in recruited players that have been in the system for more than one year.

Everyone else subs except UK. Hell its why we lost to USM. 90+ snaps on D a game is and we still trotted the same guys out there. We should be subbing at least once a quarter. Not all 11 guys but rotate. It's how you build depth...

But what if our depth has no quality in some positions and gives up a big run or pass for a TD? You got to know if the coaches were comfortable with the backups they would all play. You get no prizes by not playing backups that they feel can play.

 

[RDF922]

Where I'm talking about is the front 7.
It's not like our starters haven't given up big plays and such. I think one of CMS best moves was putting Pringle in the lineup.
Are there other players out there that if given the chance would perform?

 

[Poetax]

Where I'm talking about is the front 7.
It's not like our starters haven't given up big plays and such. I think one of CMS best moves was putting Pringle in the lineup.
Are there other players out there that if given the chance would perform?

I thought we have had great rotations for the oline and for the dline since early in the season and with the little depth that they have on the dline they are doing better then expected and the oline has been great. I guess if you're not happy with the coaching, you can believe there are better players sitting on the bench but I don't think there are.

 

[UKRob 73]

I don't see how we aren't going to just run it down their throats. They gave up like 355 rushing yards to middle Tennessee state. And now they lose their 2 leading tacklers, plus a couple other defensive starters, plus one guy is out for the first half for targeting.
The best medicine for a defense is an offense that controls the clock.

 

[J-Town Chargers]

Just thinking outside the box here. If it was my job I'd attempt to recruit the California juco scene. I'd find some Pacific Islanders that had the size and speed and I'd offer them the chance to play D-line in the SEC. The chance to compete against the teams in this league may intrigue a few giant Samoans to come east.
Snyder at K-State built a very competitive program on the back of juco players. Anyway just a thought

 

[mtn cat1]

Valid concern...I think ball control is key the rest of the way. It seems like we have ditched the whole "hurry-up offense" (good riddance), and I think that's a good thing as it does nothing but tire out our defense.

There was nothing wrong with the original thought of a "hurry-up' offense. However, when our starting QB went down due back issues, that strategy had to be re-evaluated. Coinciding with this problem, our defense was putrid at best! As a team we simply did not show-up in the Fla. Game. This issue was still haunting us until halftime of the NMSU Game. It was at this time that Coach Stoops took control of the defense and from a coaching standpoint began to influence the team as a whole, not just the defense.

Play the tape forward from this point and we become a run oriented team and due largely to our Jr college QB & his inconsistent production/proficiency, we were forced to "go to the run first" & just enough passing to keep the the opponent's defense honest