After Action Review: Southern Miss

I thought we could analyze Saturday’s game by utilizing an Army efficiency tool as we close out the Southern Miss mess. An After Action Review, or AAR, is a militaristic method to analyze the success or failure of an intended action/mission.

Here we go:

WHAT WERE INTENEDED RESULTS

-- Win the football game

WHAT WERE ACTUAL RESULTS

-- Lost the football game: Southern Miss 44, Kentucky 35

WHAT CAUSED OUR RESULTS (Why did it happen)

-- Surrendering a late first half touchdown pass due to blown coverage started an avalanche of 34-point unanswered points. Kentucky continued its late second half–early second half trend of late-game struggles.

-- Southern Miss finished the game by dominating the Cats in offensive plays: 95-50. UK could not extend second half drives coupled with three turnovers. Defensively it couldn’t stop a simple rushing attack that exploited a limited defensive line as well as improper gap integrity run fits.

-- Southern Miss rushed for 262 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. Conversely, UK only managed 96 yards on 25 attempts.

-- UK surrendered 520 total yards of offense.

-- Kentucky did not score a second half point as it allowed 27.

-- Inability to flip momentum.

WHAT WILL WE SUSTAIN? IMPROVE? (What can we do better next time?)

Sustain

-- First half offensive efficiency. Scoring 35 first half points was a byproduct of schematic diversity and upper-level quarterback play.

-- Produce defensive turnovers as it did by intercepting three Nick Mullens passes. In doing so, UK appropriately pressured the USM quarterback that forced errant throws.

-- Explosive running back and receiver plays. Kentucky exploited a C-USA defense with speed, pace, depth, and variance.

-- First half momentum. When things go right for UK, they do so in bunches.

-- Defensive secondary risk/reward mentality. Defensive backs properly risked in the first half that resulted in being rewarded by three interceptions.

-- First half, offensive line pass and run blocking. USM did not effectively pressure Drew Barker in quarters one and two.

Improve

-- Redundant; end-late first half more effectively as well as start the second half more efficiently.

-- Evaluate first half result and implementation of adjustments by the coaching staff during halftime.

-- Remain true to offensive game plan by executing plays that had first half success.

-- Tackle opposing ball carriers. Ineffective tackling led to USM’s success on third down.

-- Front seven gap integrity. On far too many occasions a defender was out of place which aided Southern Miss run game success. Out of place defenders also carried over to the passing game.  Three blown coverages resulted in wide-open USM receivers.

-- Player-leadership to stop opponent’s momentum. When things go bad for the Cats, they do so in bunches.

-- Halftime operations. From coaching adjustments to 3^rd quarter attitude; current actions have been proven to be ineffective.

A different take on Saturday’s game. Kentucky’s opening loss to Southern Miss will be put to bed with this post.

It’s now time to move forward to Florida.