Take a Note From Cal, Sometimes Adjustment is Necessary

The game plan has been scrutnized ad nauseum and many people have started saying Joker is on the hot seat; I disagree, but for different reasons. Fans are howling that his play-calling is boring, that he won’t ever provide the kind of excitement that will put fans in the seats and win some big upsets. People can point at any number of reasons why the Bluegrass is souring on Joker. Well I’m not ready to give up on him, and I hope the newly paid Mitch Barnhart isn’t either. Barnhart stayed strong throughout the entire Rich Brooks storm when people were calling for both of their jobs, and I can only hope that he can stay strong through these dark times. I’m betting that nice fat paycheck will help. Football programs take years to develop, and the talent has most certainly taken an upswing in the last two years. But Joker is a first time head coach, there will be some adjustments that need to be made that can only come with experience.
Remember the first year of the Calipari era (and how sweet it was) when Calipari complained that the team’s personnel didn’t fit the dribble-drive? He made adjustments and led the team to a resurgence that would make the most bitter UK fan flush with excitement. Calipari is a great coach because he can make adjustments to his scheme and make what he has work. If you don’t have a fast team, work on grinding the game out. Coach Phillips will need to take a good, hard look at his offense (whose OC, Randy Sanders, said this week,”We don’t know what we’re good at”) and see where his strength lies. The line will get back to form, once the injuries even out and all our veterans get into a rhythm, that will sort itself out. But what of the rest of the offense? Our receivers haven’t stepped up, our quarterback is getting beaten to a pulp and the offense is looking more like roadkill every day. So what can be done?
Adjustments.
Adjust the offensive scheme. Joker, sorry the pro style is a bit too much for this year’s team but when it’s clear that it’s a little too much for a lot of these guys to handle, then change it up. I wrote an article a while back that made mention of such adjustments, and now that article is looking a little smarter (surprised? Me too). The high octane offense that fans clamor for might have to be shelved in favor of a slower, more smashmouth offense. “But Zach, the running game has been absolutely awful, why would it be better?” Yes, the running game has been anemic to say the least, but the spread formations and other multiple WR sets leave less blockers on the field. By adjusting formations to make stronger blocking schemes might create a little more space for these studs in the backfield. Fans might not like it, but slowing down the offense might be the only shot we have for success in conference play. Every offense we see will be stronger, but few defenses will be more effective, so it would make sense to put more of the load on them to win the game, wouldn’t it? Fans might have to adjust themselves to seeing 14-21 point games, but at least slowing the game down like that will give us a chance. And right now, a chance is looking like the best option we’ve got.

Adjusting the gameplan to fit

Keep following www.http://wildcatbluenation.com for the best in Kentucky basketball and football news, rumors, and opinions. By Kentucky fans for Kentucky fans