Can Kentucky Capitalize on Quick Passing Game to Kendrick Law?

Kentucky did not make its hay in the transfer portal with wide receivers, but they did find a few pass-catchers who they believe can be vital weapons in this offense. At the top of the last is former Alabama wide receiver Kendrick Law.

At the Lexington Kickoff Luncheon, offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said that the passing offense would run through Law. That’s what made it bizarre when he had zero receptions in week one against Toledo. His only target was an explosive reception in the end zone that was ultimately ruled incomplete.

Fortunately, that changed against Ole Miss. Law caught six passes for 44 yards, and a couple of those were for first downs.

“I’ll tell you the truth. Early on, it just kind of felt like something new, because it’d been a little minute since doing it actually live,” Law told KSR this week. “But as the game started going, I kind of warmed up, and then it became natural like always.”

That does not include another explosive play that was taken off the board. A penalty erased a 30-yard gain that could have changed the game.

“I’m not frustrated at anybody. Things like that happen all the time. All we can do is move on,” said Law. “What can I do? Just tell the ref, ‘Give me the call.’ He ain’t gonna do that.”

Can Kentucky Connect with Law Passed the Line of Scrimmage?

The answer to the above question currently is, “No.” Of Law’s six receptions, only one was beyond the line of scrimmage. He caught it one yard downfield and turned it into an 18-yard gain. It was a big one. That fourth down reception kept a drive alive in the fourth quarter that put Kentucky in scoring territory with a chance to tie the game.

Kendrick Law had an Average Depth of Target of -2 in the game against Ole Miss. Kentucky is making a concerted effort to get him the ball quickly, let him make a move, and get upfield. He’s essentially acting as a third running back.

“He looked like one of the more explosive players on that field,” Bush Hamdan said after Tuesday’s practice. “I mean, that was without a doubt. Break one more tackle here, break one more tackle there, and we have more explosive plays, but I think that’s a guy who, we got easy touches to. He’s a guy that can get downfield and do all the receiver stuff, but we got to make sure he’s touching it quickly, because he’s got that explosive ability.”

The question is, can Kentucky actually utilize that explosiveness down the field? Surely, Eastern Michigan watched the tape and saw all of the quick-game to No. 1. Just because they know it’s coming, doesn’t mean Kentucky can abandon a key part of the offense. You know what else UK can do? Let opponents over-play the quick pass to Law, then unleash a double-move that allows him to streak wide open down the middle of the field.

Kentucky set the table in how they used Law against Ole Miss. Now, it’s Bush Hamdan’s job to find the right time to feast with an explosive downfield pass to No. 1.