Our Offense Turns the Corner

[UKWinsAgainYep]

I think this is our break out year on Offense under Stoops.

Our running game and short passing game should improve considerably with Gran running the show.

We have talented RBs who are now upper classmen. Our running game could give some teams problems. I like Mikel, Jojo, and Boom a lot running the ball this season.

Our short passing game should be decent if Barker has improved a lot.

I don't know if we have a capable O-Line for the long-passing game.

 

[sluggercatfan]

I think this is our break out year on Offense under Stoops.

Our running game and short passing game should improve considerably with Gran running the show.

We have talented RBs who are now upper classmen. Our running game could give some teams problems. I like Mikel, Jojo, and Boom a lot running the ball this season.

Our short passing game should be decent if Barker has improved a lot.

I don't know if we have a capable O-Line for the long-passing game.

You forgot Sihiem...gonna have a big year

 

[RealCat41]

Well I wouldn't say under Stoops. If Stoops stays away from the offense I think you might be right.

 

[ulismyman]

Good enough offensive line??? Thats a strength this year ya know

 

[seccats04]

Good enough offensive line??? Thats a strength this year ya know

I hope you're right but I am concerned about OT, specifically LT. Mosier does not have the foot speed to keep up with SEC DE's. Look at the EKU game last year. He was beaten repeatedly by Spence and he will face similar talents week in and week out in the SEC.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

I hope you're right but I am concerned about OT, specifically LT. Mosier does not have the foot speed to keep up with SEC DE's. Look at the EKU game last year. He was beaten repeatedly by Spence and he will face similar talents week in and week out in the SEC.

Yeah, that's why I like our running game up the middle and short dump off passes to the RBs.

 

[ulismyman]

So he cant improve his foot speed in a year??? Thats coaching

 

[Kybluedude]

Nobody can improve with training and effort. Spence drafted into the NFL. Cole was an underclass man. Got beat. That's it . Bench him. Nobody at Bama ever gets beat. Career over. That's an educated fan's opinion. Wow.

 

[JPFisher]

Worst case scenario, we throw tight ends on the left side to bolster the blocking there.

Riggs is playing well and both CJ and Hart are coming along nicely. Wish we hadn't lost Long, but at least we have three nice TE's.

Gran says that Barker is throwing at 68-70% in live scenarios against guys like McClain, McWilson, Westry, Harmon, Baity, Edwards, West, etc. I feel decent about his development. Needs game experience, though.

 

[JPFisher]

Our line should not be a strength this year, but it should be serviceable. Decent experience, decent talent, scheming to hopefully offset weakness at LT. The line should be improved, but I will not go as far as to say it's a strength before I even see them against another team.

 

[Beatle Bum]

So he cant improve his foot speed in a year??? Thats coaching

I have to assume this ridiculous comment is a bait.

 

[JPFisher]

I have to assume this ridiculous comment is a bait.

Always assume anything they post is bait. Try not to draw too much attention to it, though.

 

[ulismyman]

Bait for what??? Thats coaching?? If a kid has bad footwork the coach job is to correct it...that's real baity stuff right there

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

I hope you're right but I am concerned about OT, specifically LT. Mosier does not have the foot speed to keep up with SEC DE's. Look at the EKU game last year. He was beaten repeatedly by Spence and he will face similar talents week in and week out in the SEC.

While true, lets not pretend Spence was chopped liver. Without his off the field stuff, hes definitely a first rounder. Maybe top 10. He destroyed alot of good tackles.

Still, I agree with you. We need someone else to step up at LT.

 

[Beatle Bum]

Always assume anything they post is bait. Try not to draw too much attention to it, though.

Good advice.

 

[allabouttheUK]

I fully expect to see a completely different look about the WR's this year. Some of them have been confident in the past, but I think this year begins an entire new level of swagger. The entire until will perform so much better than they have in years past. My reasoning for this is they have a position coach now who knows the position, and knows about attitude. Coach Thomas if allowed could infect the entire team with a level of swagger and confidence that we have never seen at UK, and I for one hope that Stoops allows it.
IMO all we are lacking to reach the next level are two more highly thought of and respected position coachs (OL, DL).

 

[Gary4UK]

I think this is our break out year on Offense under Stoops.

Our running game and short passing game should improve considerably with Gran running the show.

We have talented RBs who are now upper classmen. Our running game could give some teams problems. I like Mikel, Jojo, and Boom a lot running the ball this season.

Our short passing game should be decent if Barker has improved a lot.

I don't know if we have a capable O-Line for the long-passing game.

I agree, I think the offense will be the best since Woodson.....

 

[Rickman]

While our OT spots remain a concern, failing to understand that Spence was a top 10 NFL Draft talent hurts any point being made.

May have been the best pure pass rush guy in the draft.

Now, failing to try to scheme to protect our OTs versus a guy like Spence is a pretty good indication that our OC was over his head!

 

[hmt5000]

Worst case scenario, we throw tight ends on the left side to bolster the blocking there.

Riggs is playing well and both CJ and Hart are coming along nicely. Wish we hadn't lost Long, but at least we have three nice TE's.

Gran says that Barker is throwing at 68-70% in live scenarios against guys like McClain, McWilson, Westry, Harmon, Baity, Edwards, West, etc. I feel decent about his development. Needs game experience, though.

If Barker throws for 65% and less than 13ish int's then we might win 7. You think about how close we were last year in 4 of those losses and 10% more efficiency wins at least 2.

The D is going to have to rise to the occasion but if we can get on a roll sometimes kids elevate their play. Missou had done that the last few years... looked bad then just seemed to start clicking.

We get back those 5 ppg Dawson left on the field plus some... but how much more?

 

[Rickman]

The D, while certainly not good, was actually not terrible in most games last year. BUT, the shortcomings on the O side and the putrid special teams really hurt. The D was put in bad situations continually.

I think we could actually work our way up to an average college D this year if we get any play at all from the DL. (big if, I know)

And if the O can actually produce like I expect they will, we'll have a decent team.

I really think bringing in Gran/Hinshaw will be looked at as the turning point for Stoops and UK football. Regardless of our final record, I think we'll be a much better quality football team this year. And with us only losing a couple of players, we are set for a true breakout year in 2017.

Not rushing through this year - I realistically expect 6-6 and us looking like a real SEC football team along the way.

 

[MusicCityCat]

One of the biggest reasons I think we will see a significant improvement in the offense is one that hasn't been discussed much. And that is offensive play calling.

Dawson's play calling was a disaster last year, and cost us the Vandy game and probably one or two others.

Remember the discussion about whether Dawson should be on the field or in the booth?

Well, this year we will have the best of both worlds, with Henshaw in the booth and Gran on the field. They are two very good, experienced offensive coaches, who are on the same wavelength, and work well together. We should see a marked improvement in offensive play calling, especially making in-game adjustments based on evaluating the defense. This should be a major factor in improving the offense.

 

[WildCard]

Our line should not be a strength this year, but it should be serviceable. Decent experience, decent talent, scheming to hopefully offset weakness at LT. The line should be improved, but I will not go as far as to say it's a strength before I even see them against another team.

So far, probably the most "insightful" post in this thread. To add on just a bit...

Regardless of how good you are at other spots, offense just doesn't happen without at least a "serviceable" O-line. I can think of no other position in football that can affect the overall course of a game more than O-line play. And, unlike other "units" one "weak" player can virtually negate the "good" done by the other 4. Great RBs are not going anywhere without some blocking. Great QBs going to be running for their life without some blocking. Great WRs are not going to get the ball if the QB is running for his life.

Other than "run away" from it (which creates its own problems) it is extremely difficult to overcome a true "weakness" at any O-line position. Sacks are nice but defense usually wins when they force the scramble and the pressure to do so does not necessarily come from the QB's "blind side".

Designating a second blocker (i.e., TE or RB) on a single rusher is likely going to create a "problem" somewhere else. If nothing else it "limits" the offense by taking the RB or TE out of the play as a receiver.

JMO, but I think that LT thing has been a bit over-hyped in recent years (e.g., The Blind Side movie, pro influence, some mouthy commentators, etc.).

Yeah, I know, the QB cannot see his blind side as well as the other. And that might mean an occasional big hit but so does holding the ball that split second longer waiting for the receiver to clear. In fact, I see more hard hits on QBs in this situation more than so called blind side hits.

Based on what we saw in the B/W game the Cats are going to mainly play 4 wide sets which means it will be pretty much mano a mano along the O-line. And, like a chain, the O-line is as good as its weakest link.

Peace

 

[akaukswoosh]

Tucker tweet:

Jojo Kemp is a man on fire today. Raving about how focused and intense camp has been so far. Says Eddie Gran has a plan, "on a mission."[thumb2]

 

[JPFisher]

If Barker throws for 65% and less than 13ish int's then we might win 7. You think about how close we were last year in 4 of those losses and 10% more efficiency wins at least 2.

The D is going to have to rise to the occasion but if we can get on a roll sometimes kids elevate their play. Missou had done that the last few years... looked bad then just seemed to start clicking.

We get back those 5 ppg Dawson left on the field plus some... but how much more?

Barker mentioned several defensive players as new guys who are standouts to him this fall. One was Carter, I believe. Maybe the defense can get some help from first year guys.