Kentucky vs. Youngstown State 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 the Wildcat’s 31-0 victory over the Penguins.

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

Kentucky took care of business and beat Youngstown State 31-0.

OVERVIEW

I expect a great deal from this football team. Thus, my grading curve is significantly higher than in years past. With that said, the offense sputtered at times and allowed far too much action in their own backfield. UK’s defense was dominant for four quarters. The third phase produced another explosive play with a blocked punt and was solid. Kentucky won the game 31-0.

OFFENSE

The Youngstown defense registered 10 aggravating tackles for loss. The Penguins also recorded four quarterback sacks. In the big picture of things, the TFLs were by far more troubling. UK rolled up 480 total yards including 377 through the air. Will Levis’s off-platform throws were elite. Dane Key has emerged on the national stage after grabbing six passes for 90 yards and a score. He and Barion Brown have developed into upper-echelon pass catchers in year one. 10 Wildcats recorded receptions including six from Tayvion Robinson.

The run game struggled mainly due to the 10 allowed tackles for loss. Even with first and second down TFL woes, Kentucky improved on third down by converting 60% and did a better job of establishing the line of scrimmage in the game’s late stages. It must be noted that the Big Blue Wall has experienced three different starting lineups in three games. Communication appears to be an issue but could improve. When Mark Stoops says not to panic or worry about his OL, I don’t. But, there is a lot to clean up on the front. Let’s dive into goals vs. production.

Balance: NO

Kentucky failed to achieve this objective. The Cats surpassed the 400 total yards target but failed to run for 200. In fact, the Cats produced 377 pass yards but only 103 on the ground. The optimal result would be for these two numbers to come together closer as the season moves forward.

Florida Second Half Carryover: NO

Youngstown State’s 10 tackles for loss and four QB sacks don’t scream line-of-scrimmage efficiency. This issue could be a derivative of rolling out three different starting lineups in three games. Communication suffers with newness. Regardless of why or how, UK has to be better in the run game and failed to match its second-half output from a week ago. Kentucky was -2 in the turnover margin. Levis tossed two interceptions and the ‘Cats put the football on the turf four times and lost one fumble.

DEFENSE

I must start this paragraph with the same comments I’ve typed over the past four years, “Brad White is a star.” The ‘Cats shut out the Penguins which was the program’s first since 2009. The 2022 Wildcats have kept their first three opponents under 300 total yards for the first time since Jerry Claiborne’s Wide Tackle Six in 1989.

This defense is sound, well-coached, efficient, connected, and plays extremely hard. The juice has been there for UK’s first three defensive performances. Front-seven depth was obvious. So was UK’s linebacker corps. The secondary battled. Carrington Valentine is ranked first in the nation and SEC with seven “passes defended” for the season. He recorded an INT, two PBUs, and one QB hurry on Saturday. True freshman Alex Afari paced White’s unit with five tackles and one TFL.

Let’s get into the details but I’m fairly certain all goals were achieved.

Fight Back: YES

Mark Stoops has educated the Commonwealth in the “Youngstown Toughness” and the culture of his hometown. I expected the visitors to be a physical football team. I wanted to see UK match that intensity. This happened and actually exceeded expectations.

Fire: YES

The question here was could UK retain the fire that it played with during its win in The Swamp. Outside influences were present for a letdown outing. That didn’t happen. The Kentucky defense competed on every snap. The specific number I was looking for was holding YSU to under 10 first-half points. The visitors were shut out for the game.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The ‘Cats were solid much like in their performance against Miami (OH) in the opener. The third phase also produced another explosive play with a blocked punt. Here are the goals vs. outcomes.

Score(Returns): NO

Got greedy with this objective. The “Cats didn’t have a return for a touchdown.

Snap the Football: YES

Kentucky struggled with snapping the football against Florida. All snaps were clean vs. YSU.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

Offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello wasn’t happy with himself, his coaches, or the players on Saturday. I get it. 480 total yards more than surpassed the team’s 312 average, but there were points left on the board. It just feels like there’s much more from this offense that has yet to surface. Turnovers reappeared. So did allowed action in their own backfield. With so much personnel turnover on the Big Blue Wall, this group needs time and reps to become more consistent. The ‘Cats have some exciting and explosive playmakers that surround Will Levis. UK is 3-0 and hasn’t been all that efficient on the offensive side of the football.

The defense played lights out. True freshman Alex Afari led the ‘Cats with five tackles and one TFL. DeAndre Square and Jacquez Jones are special and play behind a deep rotation of defensive linemen that eat up blockers. The secondary tackled well and was excellent in coverage. This unit is a fun watch for X and O fans. Edges are set. Rush lanes are closed. Tackles are violent and timely. I could go on with accolades but I won’t. The Wildcats gave up just 192 total yards including 58 on the ground. YSU was 0/10 on 3^rd down. Just an impressive performance.

Overall, a 31-0 win on a noon kickoff game following a huge win at Florida has to be viewed as an overwhelming success. Are there offensive issues or matters that need improvement? Obviously yes. But, a win is a win and should be celebrated regardless of the opponent.

Kentucky has nearly lost to FCS opponents in the Stoops era. EKU, Austin Peay, and Chattanooga gave the ‘Cats all they could handle and darn near left Lexington with a victory. The outcome of Saturday’s game was never in doubt thanks to Kentucky’s suffocating defense. What’s next? A good, not great MAC opponent in Northern Illinois. The Huskies lost to Vanderbilt 38-28 on Saturday.

UK is 3-0 and has yet to play their best football.

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.