Kentucky Wildcat Football – Know Your Enemy: Jacksonville State Gemecocks

GAME 7

OCTOBER 22, 2011, 12:00 PM

JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS (5-1)

COMMONWEALTH STADIUM – LEXINGTON, KY 

TV – ESPNU

FIRST MEETING EVER

Kentucky is coming off the bye week looking to rebound from 4 straight losses in embarrassing fashion. They will look to take out their frustrations against 1-AA opponent Jacksonville State this Saturday. Don’t let the 1-AA tag fool you though. Jacksonville State is ranked 10th in the NCAA FCS (Division I-AA) poll and is tied for 16th in the NCAA in rushing offense (209.67 yards/per game). This is the same team that beat Ole Miss in Oxford last year (who also beat UK), so this team is fully capable of upsetting UK if the Cats don’t come ready to play. Here are some notes and what to watch for from JSU:

•  Jacksonville State defeated Austin Peay their last game, 44-14.
• Their defense forced six turnovers against Austin Peay and returned two interceptions for TD’s
• They scored scored 28 points in a 10-minute span, so they have the ability to score quickly on both offense and defense.
• They are 5-1 and 4-0 in their conference with their lone loss being to Chattanooga, 38-17.
• They have posted over 400 yards of offense in four straight games.  

OFFENSE:

RB Washaun Ealey
The former Georgia RB has been a workhorse for JSU this year. He rushed for 124 yards in the team’s last game, which marked his third consecutive 100+ yard rushing game. Ealey is averaging 93.7 yards per game, and is the key in stopping the Gamecock’s attack. He’s also got five catches for 97 yards and one score, so he’s also a threat out of the backfield. Before coming to JSU, he played for Georgia last season, and when they played UK, Ealey had the game of his career, rushing for 157 yards and five touchdowns on 28 carries in a 44-31 drubbing of the Cats in Commonwealth Stadium. He doesn’t have UGA’s massive offensive line now, or a dynamic receiver like AJ Green to stretch the field, so UK can focus its defense on containing the standout RB.

QB Coty Blanchard
The dual-threat QB leads the team in passing with 860 yards on a 59 completion % and 6 TD’s to only two picks. He’s also third on the team in rushing with 244 yards and 3 TD’s, and we all know how much dual-threat QB’s give UK fits.  And here is a fun fact for you.  Blanchard is also the punter for the Gamecocks and has pinned 11 of his 30 punts within the opposing teams 20 yard line.  So don’t be surprised if the Gamecocks attempt a fake punt at some point. 

DEFENSE: 

DB Robert Gray
The versatile DB leads the team in interceptions with two picks and can line up in multiple defensive back positions. Newton will have to keep an eye out for where Gray lines up, as he’s shown he’s a great playmaker when the ball is in the air.

LB Rashad Smith
Smith leads the team with 37 stops and has one interception to go with it. He’s been JSU’s most consistent player on defense all year, and UK will need to get a hat on him every play to keep him from blowing up running plays.  Smith is the one player on the Gamecocks that can create a turnover. 

LB  Clarence Jackson
Jackson gives the Gamecocks a  SEC caliber LB as he was a member of Ole Miss’s 2010 class but had to transfer due to off the field issues.  At 6’2, 220, he will be a player to keep an eye on for Jacksonville State. 

PREDICTIONS

Jason Marcum:  UK comes out of the bye refocused and prepared for a new six game season, and it all starts with JSU. UK comes out firing on offense, hitting JSU with a dose of Raymond Sander and Coshik Williams runs, and Morgan Newton will reignite the passing offense, finding LaRod King for several big plays. JSU’s defense can’t match up with UK and gets burned for several big plays, and Rick Minter uses his blitz schemes well enough to contain Blanchard. Ealey will break off a few nice runs, but gets held in check for most of the day.   UK 33  JSU  17

Paul Jordan:  All of the talk about a JSU upset ends now.  The biggest weapon that JSU had going for them was the element of surprise and trust me, Kentucky is well aware of what the Gamecocks have done to SEC teams that have taken them lightly.  This team also gave a weak FSU team all they wanted in 2009.  In all reality, this is not a good defensive team as they rank 91st amongst FCS schools.  If Kentucky’s offensive woes are going to be healed, it has to happen this game. 

Kentucky has taken the news that JSU was favored in this game as an affront to their manhood, and I actually expect a different Wildcat team  I know that JSU wants to jump to the FBS, and back to back wins over Ole Miss and Kentucky would make a definitive statement for them, but Kentucky is still a SEC team and has SEC talent.  There is no way Kentucky should lose this game, and if they do, this will open a can of worms Joker Phillips does not want opened.  Look for Kentucky to win 27-10. 

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