After suffering a beat down at the hands of Vanderbilt, Kentucky was able to come back and show some life against a Georgia team that clinched the SEC East title this past weekend. Despite the Bulldogs being a much better team than the Commodores, Kentucky played with a fire and a sense of urgency that was nowhere to be found two weeks ago. Now that a bowl is out of the question, can the Cats play with the same fire this week against Tennessee? The Volunteers were able to defeat the same Vanderbilt team that smoked Kentucky this past Saturday and will present a different challenge for the Cats. With a roster of players that is very comparable to the talent on Kentucky’s team, the biggest obstacle this week will be jumping the mental hurdle that exists between Kentucky and Tennessee more so than overcoming a talent gap. We all know the streak well, so can the Wildcats make a huge stride in saving Joker’s job and send Danny Trevathan and the other seniors out on a winning note?
What you really need to know about Tennessee:
The Volunteers are extremely young, but also extremely athletic. As one of the youngest BCS Conference teams, Tennessee has played 16 true freshmen this season. What they lack in experience though, they make up for in play-making ability. Tennessee has nine receivers that average over ten yards per reception and have seen their stable of running backs break several long runs. This offense lives on the big play, but dies by it too. The Volunteers have thrown ten interceptions this season and have fumbled the ball a ridiculous 25 times, losing five. Really the bottom line for this team is that they will run the ball to set up the pass, not to beat you. The trio of Tauren Poole, Rajon Neal, and Marlin Lane has been effective running the ball (averaging 92.7 yards per game), but has not been spectacular. The Tennessee defense has played well at times, but has been one of the most porous units in the SEC and is allowing opponents an average of 351.7 yards of offense a game. Teams have been equally successful running and passing against UT too. The Volunteer defense allows 159.1 rushing yards per game and 192.6 passing yards per game.
The players you really need to know for the Volunteers:
#1 – Da’Rick Rogers – WR – When it comes to stud receivers in this conference, few are better than Rogers. He has over twice as many receptions as the team’s second leading receiver and has managed to make big plays at big times.
#7 – Tauren Poole – RB – Poole is the type of bruising runner that traditionally gives the Cats trouble between the tackles. He doesn’t break as many of the long runs as his teammates do, but he’s consistent. The Kentucky defense will need to make sure they come to play against Poole.
#40 – Austin Johnson – LB – Johnson is a tough linebacker who does a little bit of everything for the Vols. He leads the team in tackles with 74 total tackles. He also has five tackles for a loss, one sack, and 4 interceptions. He’s all over the field.
#97 – Malik Jackson – DT – Probably one of the best defensive players on the Tennessee Roster, Jackson has been a load for opposing offenses to stop this season. He has nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks this season in addition to batting down balls left and right. The interior offensive line for Kentucky is sure to have their hands full.
Top 3 Matchups to watch:
UK’s Maxwell Smith VS. UT’s Prentiss Wagner
It’s unclear where exactly Smith stands with his injury from last week,but every indication is that he will start at quarterback againstTennessee. He will need to be on top of his game against the Volunteers and will need to keep an eye on Wagner at his free safety position. This season, Wagner has accumulated 43 total tackles and 2 sacks in addition to his two interceptions. As a guy who patrols the entire field, avoiding him will be Smith’s best bet to have a good game.
UK’s Randall Burden VS. UT’s Da’Rick Rogers
It’s been an up-and-down season for Kentucky’s Randall Burden. He has flashes of brilliance at times, but is out of position and gives up deep passes far too often for a fifth year senior. He actually had one of his better games of the season against Georgia, but the heat will be turned up this week against one of the SEC’s best receivers in Rogers. If Burden can at least slow down the dynamic Rogers, Kentucky’s chances for a win improve dramatically. If Rogers is able to dominate Burden the way he has dominated most of the corners in the league, Kentucky could be in for heartache for another year.
UK’s La’Rod King VS. UT’s Izauea Lanier CB
After a rough start, senior receiver Matt Roark has emerged as Kentucky’s most consistent target late in this season. Against Tennessee though, the Volunteers are sure to focus their defense on Roark and it will be up to La’Rod King to make plays. As a more athletic receiver, King will need to use his size and speed against Lanier, who is 6’1 himself. While he has yet to notch an interception this season, Lanier is the type of defensive player that could threaten the offense with a pick-six at any point in the game.
Potential breakout players
#4 – Raymond Sanders – RB – After sitting out a couple of games, Sanders appeared to be much healthier against Georgia. He quietly put together 37 yards rushing on only 7 attempts for a respectable 5.3 yards-per-carry average. Kentucky will need him to be much better against Tennessee though. The Volunteers have been susceptible to opponents’ rushing attacks and Kentucky’s ability to move the ball on the ground will be a key component to success.
#12 – Morgan Newton – QB – It appears that Maxwell Smith will start at quarterback again this week, but he took a beating against Georgia last week and is sure to still be feeling the after-effects of the game. Newton will need to be ready to go at a moment’s notice this week and if he is inserted into the lineup. If called upon, his presence might cause a Tennessee defense that was expecting
#99 – Donte Rumph- DL – An inexperienced offensive line should have Rumph and Cobble licking their chops. The interior of the Tennessee O-Line features a true freshman, a true sophomore and a redshirt sophomore and the trio isn’t particularly large or skilled at that. A solid push from the defensive tackle position could collapse the entire Volunteer offense.
#50 – Michael Douglas – DE – Tyler Bray returned for the Volunteers last week, but looked shaky after sitting out much of the season with injury. Douglas is the teams most athletically gifted defensive lineman and will be playing against an inexperienced offensive line as outlined above. Even if he doesn’t have a ton of sacks in the game, Douglas’ ability to put pressure on the UT offense could force turnovers.
Key for a Kentucky win:
This week it’s going to be short and sweet. Kentucky must overcome the mental hurdle they’ve put in place and BELIEVE that try can emerge victorious. If the Cats go into this game expecting to lose, they will.