How Kentucky created 3 takeaways against Vanderbilt
Kentucky’s offense scored 31 points in 10 non-kneel possessions against Vanderbilt on Saturday. Ray Davis and JuTahn McClain combined to rush 142 yards on 6.2 yards per rush and two scores. Devin Leary averaged 13.7 yards per completion and connected on three vertical routes down the sideline to Barion Brown and Dane Key. There were some ugly moments in the second and third quarters, but the offense found ways to put points on the board.
But Saturday’s game wasn’t about Kentucky’s offense. Defensive coordinator Brad White saw his unit play some stellar football outside of allowing 17 points on end-of-the-half possessions. But that is OK when you create six consecutive stops to begin the game and do your part to help the scoring offense.
Three Kentucky interceptions on Saturday led directly to 21 points. Twice the Wildcats didn’t even need the offense to take the field to score touchdowns. How did White’s unit make this happen? Let’s find out now.
Passing down pressures creates a bad throw
Facing a 7-0 deficit on their second possession, Vanderbilt’s offense found itself in a bad spot. A personal foul penalty on left tackle Gunnar Hansen created a first-and-25. After a short run, Vandy asked quarterback AJ Swann to make a play.
Kentucky’s defense forced a bad mistake.
On what appears to be a slide right protection, linebacker Trevin Wallace comes as a free rusher and has Swann dead to rights. However, the big quarterback spun away but then faced direct heat from J.J. Weaver. That pressure forced a rushed throw after Swann took his eyes off the coverage. The quarterback did not locate squatting cornerback Maxwell Hairston. The rest is history.
The redshirt sophomore’s first career pick-six gave Kentucky a double-digit lead early in the first quarter. The scoring margin would remain in double digits for the rest of the game. Kentucky’s pass rush has been effective and efficient through four games this season.
Kentucky bows up and makes heady IQ play
For five consecutive drives from the end of the second quarter into the third quarter, the Kentucky offense went three-and-out, kneel, three-and-out, interception, and three-and-out. The Wildcats were playing ugly football and slowly losing the field position battle. Trailing 24-13, Vandy got the ball on their own 48 with just under 10 minutes left in the third quarter. The home team had some momentum.
Kentucky’s defense put that to rest quickly.
After a four-yard completion on second down, Kentucky brought a four-man pressure with boundary safety Zion Childress comes screaming downhill late. However, Swann never saw that and was working a read into the field. Despite having a clean pocket, the sophomore made a bad read and threw the ball into a heavy zone. D’Eryk Jackson made him pay.
Jackson smartly flipped the football to Andru Phillips to keep the play alive as the return stretched from the Kentucky 29 to the Vanderbilt 22. A personal foul penalty then created a red zone possession for Kentucky. Four plays later, Ray Davis punched in his second touchdown of the game to put Kentucky up 31-13 in the middle of the third quarter and unofficially end the game.
When Kentucky needed a play, the defense made one.
Kentucky defense drops one final statement
Trailing 38-21 in the fourth quarter, Vanderbilt was looking to build off of a touchdown drive that was aided by a questionable third down pass interference call in the endzone. After two completions advanced the ball to the Vanderbilt 40, AJ Swann made another big mistake.
On a first down, Swann attempts to force a throw into tight coverage, and the ball appears to bounce after hitting a player. Maxwell Hairston is again in the perfect position to take advantage of a bad throw. The cornerback then races down the right sideline to score Kentucky’s fourth non-offensive touchdown in four weeks.
Kentucky’s defense landed multiple knockout punches by forcing some key takeaways.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard