a balanced attack
Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:20 pm
Kentucky has senior quarterback Andre Woodson and a bevy of talented wide receivers but coach Rich Brooks said what makes his offense go is balance. Keep defenses honest by running the ball. The statistics show the seventh-ranked Wildcats have had no problem gaining yards on the ground.
Senior tailback Rafael Little leads Kentucky, which upset then-No. 1 LSU in three overtimes last week, with 682 yards and three touchdowns on 107 carries. Little is not expected to play this week because of a thigh bruise. He suffered the injury in Kentucky's 38-23 loss to South Carolina on Oct. 4, the Wildcats' only defeat this season.
His backups are still dependable. Junior Tony Dixon has 328 yards and three scores on 53 carries. Freshman Derrick Locke has run 46 times for 275 yards and three scores and sophomore Alfonso Smith has also contributed to the running attack. No. 15 Florida has beaten Kentucky 20 straight times but this is a new-and-improved Wildcats squad.
"How can you not mention it?" Brooks asked. "It's written every day in the paper. The good news is I only have four of (the losses). Florida has been perennially a great football team. They've won national championships in that 20-game skid there for Kentucky and Kentucky quite honestly hasn't been very good in those years.
"Hopefully, we can do something that hasn't been done around here in a long time. We've done some of those things and we'd like to do a little more. This is a huge game in that regard."
Kentucky can throw the ball, too, and one of Florida's weaknesses is pass defense. The Gators are ranked No. 66 nationally in that category Getting sophomore cornerback Markihe Anderson (knee) back for this game is crucial.
Stopping the pass will still be one of the Gators' biggest challenges this weekend even if Anderson plays. The Wildcats average almost 43 points and 260 passing yards per game. Florida coach Urban Meyer said the Gators' offense must control the ball and the defense has to keep everything in front of them.
Woodson has thrown for 1,786 yards with 21 touchdowns and four interceptions. Senior Keenan Burton is his top target. Burton has 39 receptions for 511 yards and five scores. Dicky Lyons has 32 catches. Steve Johnson has 27 catches and a team-high six receiving touchdowns. Tight end Jacob Tamme (22) and Little have combined for 36 catches.
"As a group when you throw Jacob Tamme and not only Rafael Little, Tony Dixon and Steve Johnson at receiver and Keenan and Dicky it's a pretty impressive group," Brooks said. "Every one of those guys has made huge plays to get us in the position we're in. We'll need a few of those guys to upset Florida."
More SEC conference call quotes
Brooks on the challenges Florida's offense poses: "We come off a very physical, long three overtime game and we're going to play a team that had a week off so that's a concern. Our defense was able to make stops when we needed to make stops.
"Their challenge will be against a totally different offense and one that presents more problems than we've seen all year with (Tim) Tebow running the option plays from the gun, his outstanding passes. It kind of segments your defense so that is a concern and a problem. In a short time you have to prepare for that and it's a difficult assignment."
Brooks on being a lame duck coach in recent years: "I'm the same guy I was two years ago when everybody was beating their brains in. I'm old enough that I can laugh at myself. That I can deal with the adversity with some sense of humor. College football has gotten maybe a little too serious in some regards and the fans reaction to some things that happen. It's a game that's played at a very highly competitive level in this league and nationally. The good thing is now we're part of that picture."
Brooks on losing to South Carolina: "We ran the football on them. We did a lot of good things in that game. They took the ball away from us and scored on two (of four turnovers) and that was the difference in the game. It was on the road and communication and the noise it is tough to win on the road in the SEC."
Arkansas coach Houston Nutt on Kentucky's team: "Woodson is the leader. The thing that's deceiving is you have to stop pass, pass, pass. He can run the ball just as effective. They have a couple backs that can really hurt you. When you have that and a guy that can throw with accuracy, you have to stop balance.
"Woodson is athletic enough to buy time and avoid problems and he'll stay in the pocket and hit receivers. When you think he's going to throw he'll hand that ball off on draws. It makes it very difficult."
Meyer on comparing Tebow and Woodson: "Woodson is a very good athlete. He scored on a scramble against LSU. He gets himself out of trouble because he's an athlete. His anticipation throwing the ball right now is a little better than Tim. Both are competitors. Both are winners and it's going to be a great matchup."
Senior tailback Rafael Little leads Kentucky, which upset then-No. 1 LSU in three overtimes last week, with 682 yards and three touchdowns on 107 carries. Little is not expected to play this week because of a thigh bruise. He suffered the injury in Kentucky's 38-23 loss to South Carolina on Oct. 4, the Wildcats' only defeat this season.
His backups are still dependable. Junior Tony Dixon has 328 yards and three scores on 53 carries. Freshman Derrick Locke has run 46 times for 275 yards and three scores and sophomore Alfonso Smith has also contributed to the running attack. No. 15 Florida has beaten Kentucky 20 straight times but this is a new-and-improved Wildcats squad.
"How can you not mention it?" Brooks asked. "It's written every day in the paper. The good news is I only have four of (the losses). Florida has been perennially a great football team. They've won national championships in that 20-game skid there for Kentucky and Kentucky quite honestly hasn't been very good in those years.
"Hopefully, we can do something that hasn't been done around here in a long time. We've done some of those things and we'd like to do a little more. This is a huge game in that regard."
Kentucky can throw the ball, too, and one of Florida's weaknesses is pass defense. The Gators are ranked No. 66 nationally in that category Getting sophomore cornerback Markihe Anderson (knee) back for this game is crucial.
Stopping the pass will still be one of the Gators' biggest challenges this weekend even if Anderson plays. The Wildcats average almost 43 points and 260 passing yards per game. Florida coach Urban Meyer said the Gators' offense must control the ball and the defense has to keep everything in front of them.
Woodson has thrown for 1,786 yards with 21 touchdowns and four interceptions. Senior Keenan Burton is his top target. Burton has 39 receptions for 511 yards and five scores. Dicky Lyons has 32 catches. Steve Johnson has 27 catches and a team-high six receiving touchdowns. Tight end Jacob Tamme (22) and Little have combined for 36 catches.
"As a group when you throw Jacob Tamme and not only Rafael Little, Tony Dixon and Steve Johnson at receiver and Keenan and Dicky it's a pretty impressive group," Brooks said. "Every one of those guys has made huge plays to get us in the position we're in. We'll need a few of those guys to upset Florida."
More SEC conference call quotes
Brooks on the challenges Florida's offense poses: "We come off a very physical, long three overtime game and we're going to play a team that had a week off so that's a concern. Our defense was able to make stops when we needed to make stops.
"Their challenge will be against a totally different offense and one that presents more problems than we've seen all year with (Tim) Tebow running the option plays from the gun, his outstanding passes. It kind of segments your defense so that is a concern and a problem. In a short time you have to prepare for that and it's a difficult assignment."
Brooks on being a lame duck coach in recent years: "I'm the same guy I was two years ago when everybody was beating their brains in. I'm old enough that I can laugh at myself. That I can deal with the adversity with some sense of humor. College football has gotten maybe a little too serious in some regards and the fans reaction to some things that happen. It's a game that's played at a very highly competitive level in this league and nationally. The good thing is now we're part of that picture."
Brooks on losing to South Carolina: "We ran the football on them. We did a lot of good things in that game. They took the ball away from us and scored on two (of four turnovers) and that was the difference in the game. It was on the road and communication and the noise it is tough to win on the road in the SEC."
Arkansas coach Houston Nutt on Kentucky's team: "Woodson is the leader. The thing that's deceiving is you have to stop pass, pass, pass. He can run the ball just as effective. They have a couple backs that can really hurt you. When you have that and a guy that can throw with accuracy, you have to stop balance.
"Woodson is athletic enough to buy time and avoid problems and he'll stay in the pocket and hit receivers. When you think he's going to throw he'll hand that ball off on draws. It makes it very difficult."
Meyer on comparing Tebow and Woodson: "Woodson is a very good athlete. He scored on a scramble against LSU. He gets himself out of trouble because he's an athlete. His anticipation throwing the ball right now is a little better than Tim. Both are competitors. Both are winners and it's going to be a great matchup."