Fast Start Key for Two Bad First Quarter Teams

The key to winning this marathon matchup between Kentucky and South Carolina is sprinting out of the starting gate, something neither team has done consistently through five games of the 2022 season.

The Kentucky offense scored on its first offensive possession of the Rich Scangarello era. Since then the opening script has started, then stalled, all too often. Last week Ole Miss sprinted to a 14-0 lead before Barion Brown injected life into the Wildcats with a long kickoff return.

Opponents have outscored Kentucky 31-20 in the first quarter. The story is not much different for South Carolina. In first quarters this fall the Gamecocks are trailing 14-28 to all opponents. Eight of those South Carolina points came in the opening period against their FCS opponent. They kicked field goals on two other occasions.

Kentucky Can’t Afford to Fall Behind in the First Quarter

Will Levis erases mistakes. No matter the deficit, he has the skills and talent around him to overcome adversity and lead Kentucky to victory (see: the final vs. Iowa). Kentucky may be without its eraser Saturday night.

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If Kaiya Sheron gets his first start at quarterback for the Cats, Kentucky’s margin of error shrinks. The Wildcats would love to lean on Chris Rodriguez and the running game to grind the game away, but you can’t do that if you’re playing from behind. Now is Rich Scangarello’s time to shine.

If called into action, Kaiya Sheron does not need to be Will Levis. The Wildcats will not ask him to make a bunch of different reads on different plays, with one exception: the opening script. Throughout the week Kentucky has practiced the first 10-15 plays time and time and time again. The offensive coordinator’s play-calls need to be creative and his players must execute to score points.

Procedure penalties and negative plays have halted Kentucky’s progress in the first quarter. Even the best drives often end in field goals instead of touchdowns. This game could be decided after the first quarter. It’s imperative that the Wildcats play a clean game of football and turn the opening script into an imposing lead.