Kentucky vs. Miami (Ohio) After Action Review

An After Action Review, or AAR for short, is a military process used to analyze what happened, why it happened, and how it can be done better. Thanks to our friends at the Kentucky Army National Guard, KSR applies that concept to analyze Kentucky football games. Here is the breakdown of Kentucky’s 37-13 win over Miami (OH).

Before we get started with football, I’d like to take a moment to pass on my admiration and thanks to the men and women of the Kentucky Army National Guard. Picture after picture of Guard members assisting flood victims were both heartbreaking and heartwarming. My trips to the area were filled with individual stories talking about how family members were saved by the National Guard and how soldiers delivered vital supplies to the region. Again, I’d like to offer KSR’s sincere thank you to Major General Haldane Lamberton and the Kentucky Army National Guard for their service and dedication to the Commonwealth in times of need. Respect.

B.L.U.F. (Bottom Line Up Front)

Kentucky defeated Miami (Ohio) 37-13 to open the season. A 24-point win over a quality MAC opponent must be considered an overriding success given the high number of newness surrounding Mark Stoops’ program.

OVERVIEW

The ‘Cats faced a projected MAC divisional champion and won the game by 24 points. That outcome exceeded Vegas projections. Miami’s passing attack and quarterback were tops in the conference a year ago. UK held their opponent to 100 fewer passing yards than their season average from 2021 in front of a heavily attended Kroger Field. The visitors ran for 111 yards, which was more than anticipated.

Miami scored on its first possession of the game but the Wildcat defense limited the visitors to field goals from that point on. UK’s first offensive series was beautiful. A perfect mix of run and pass, new coordinator Rich Scangarello dialed up a touchdown-scoring series that was efficient and crisp.

The ‘Cats went on to rush for just 50 yards for an average of 1.9 yards per attempt. That wasn’t ideal. Levis and his collection of new pass catchers combined for 303 yards in the air. The revamped Wildcat skill group displayed a level of explosiveness that motivated the crowd. The star quarterback was sacked four times and influenced in the pocket on far too many occasions.

The third phase was exceptional. It featured a blocked punt, a kickoff return for a touchdown, 3/3 FGs, and seven kickoff touchbacks. Here are my pregame goals compared to game results.

OFFENSE

Kentucky has a future NFL quarterback and three new receivers to go along with multiple first-time starters on the offensive line. Newness abounded, expectations were high. Maybe too high depending on how you consume content. 14 of UK’s 37-points came off a kickoff return and a near scoop and score to begin the second half. Thus, 23 offensive points off sustained drives were less than I expected. Here are specific goals and game results.

Surpass 425 total yards and seven yards per play – NO

The Wildcats finished the game with 353 total yards. That number included 303 via the pass and 50 on the ground. Saturday was one of Kentucky’s most futile rush games in quite a while which is a rarity in Lexington. UK enjoyed a tremendous size and strength advantage on the line-of-scrimmage but never seemed to dominate up front. Miami played defense as I would have against Kentucky. Crowd the line, play upfront games with stunts, twists, and utilize run/pass blitzes in order to confuse inexperienced offensive linemen and test the unit’s communication. The plan worked.

6.1 yards per play were the results of a frustrating at times performance that failed short of the seven yards per play goal. Will Levis averaged 14.4 yards per completion and 9.5 yards per attempt. Both numbers were improvements from a year ago.

70% completion percentage – YES

My numbers are different from stat sheets. I don’t count drops or throwaways as incompletions. Levis completed 66% of his throws on the official stat line but surpassed the goal by my standards. He also threw three touchdowns and was intercepted once.

Chips and Help – NO

See above for Miami’s emphasis on twists, stunts, and blitzes. That can be fixed and was actually a positive outcome because coaches can correct those types of mistakes. As we saw on Saturday, offensive line experience matters. But, the tackles lost one-on-ones at times and will require chips and help from TEs and RBs going forward. This will especially apply next week at Florida which has two high-level, edge pass rushers. UK’s offensive line has to play better at Florida than it did vs. Miami. That’s non-negotiable.

DEFENSE

Allowing 13 points against that offense, quarterback, and receivers must be considered a positive. The visitors also returned nine starers, including four on the offensive line. Brad White’s defense tackled well which is sometimes rare in Week 1. The ‘Cats held Miami to 179 pass yards and limited the visitors to a 21% conversion rate on third down. Miami accumulated 290 total yards for the game which included a low 4.5 yards per passing attempt and 8.1 per completion. Those numbers were outstanding given Miami’s intent to get the football downfield. Let’s break it down.

Defend passes – YES

Kentucky registered four “Passes Defended” on Saturday which was up from its 3.6 per-game average from last season. The secondary appears to be an improved collective of new and old players.

Bend but don’t break – YES

Miami finished 11^th in the MAC in Red Zone touchdowns in 2021. After giving up an early touchdown, the visitors were relegated to field goals from inside the twenty.

Two defensive linemen sacks – NO

UK’s nose tackle, defensive tackle, and defensive end positions failed to record a quarterback sack in the opener. The team’s sacks were registered by linebackers and a defensive back.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Align – YES

Stoops’ special teams were well, special. The ‘Cats recorded a blocked punt, a kickoff return for a touchdown, went 7/7 on kickoffs into the end zone, and Matt Ruffolo was perfect on the night on PATs and field goals. There were no alignment or personnel issues.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

Kentucky beat a good MAC team by 24 points in the season opener. The outcome exceeded betting expectations but frustrated some fans. That’s the result of success.

I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of “juice” from the team. That could be the effects of a long training camp or perhaps the team was trying too hard. Both happen, seen it before. Regardless, UK will have to clean up a great deal of functionality before traveling to the Swamp. Florida beat Utah, which many had predicted to make the College Football Playoff. The Gators will be better motivated, prepared, and coached under Billy Napier.

The run game concerns, to say the least. I tried to tell everyone who’d listen that Chris Rodriguez’s absence would really hurt offensive production. The star running back was obviously missed in the rush game. Additionally, Miami had the luxury of ignoring play action because the run was simply ineffective which led to Levis being pressured or having to throw the football away.

Overall, Will Levis played well. The interception was a forced error in the Red Zone. But, the QB was under duress for most of the contest. That’s also distressful. Scangarello will identify his best five offensive linemen and let it play out. I’ll be interested to see Monday’s depth chart. The reconstructed Big Blue Wall is now under the microscope. But remember, it was the first time out as with this five. It has to start somewhere. Don’t hit that panic button just yet. 60 minutes is a long game. 12 games make for a long season. We are just at the beginning.

Brad White is a star. Been saying that for four years now. It may not sound like much or impress a lot of folks, but limiting the Miami quarterback for most of the outing was notable. The secondary appears to have improved. We’ll see next Saturday. The linebackers are solid and veteran. The defensive line played hero ball at times which led to personnel being outside their rush lanes. They played extremely hard and that’s a positive. Gap integrity will be fixed and was a coachable moment by Anwar Stewart. The room is deep. Production should rise as the season goes on. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson is on deck. He’s a scary good athlete and scoreboard changer.

It’s always good to get the first one out of the way. UK is 1-0 with a fresh slate going into SEC play. A trip to the Swamp and securing a victory is imperative in the grand scheme of things. It won’t be easy, at all. Matter of fact, it’s going to be a daunting task. The Wildcat offense appeared to have some communication issues at home vs. Miami. The noise in Gainesville will be overbearing.

The Cats are 1-0. Football state.

A message from the Kentucky Army National Guard, The Kentucky Army National Guard is YOUR Kentucky home team. The Soldiers of the Kentucky National Guard are your friends, neighbors, coworkers and classmates. We are from each county in Kentucky and we stand together to support our fellow Kentuckians in times of natural disaster and civil unrest. We also serve our nation at the direction of the president should the need for national defense arise. Soldiers in the Kentucky Army National Guard are able to take advantage of opportunities in education with trade skill training, student loan repayment and up to $60,000 in tuition assistance to state public universities while serving part time. Do you think you have what it takes to be a member of our team? For more information about joining the Kentucky Army National Guard, Text “KYGUARD” to 95577. Live Here, Serve Here, Kentucky Army National Guard.