After an enormous upset win on the highway M, the s will face off towards South Alabama on Saturday. South Alabama is led by head coach Main Applewhite, who has the Jaguars at 2-1 on the season. The Jaguars are led by their offense, they persist with establishing the run. Kentucky's protection might want to overwhelm the South Alabama offensive line to decelerate this run sport.
It’s price noting that South Alabama might be with out their beginning quarterback, Bishop Davenport, who was unavailable on account of harm of their week three win towards Ohio. Jared Hollins stepped in and had a stable efficiency, finishing 13-of-20 cross makes an attempt for 192 yards and a landing. Nevertheless, this South Alabama group leans on their operating sport to maneuver the soccer. The Jaguars are averaging nearly 50 rush makes an attempt per sport.
South Alabama has three upperclassmen at operating again that each one become involved within the sport plan. Keenan Phillips has 226 dashing yards on 43 carries. PJ Martin has 54 carries on the season for 222 dashing yards. And Trae'von Dunbar additionally contributes with 23 carries for 127 dashing yards on the yr.
The Jaguars have confronted Southeast Louisiana, Tulane and Ohio to begin the season, so it is a huge bounce in competitors. Kentucky is permitting simply 133 dashing yards per sport this season, and so they have been fairly stout towards the normal run sport. This can be a matchup the place the Kentucky defensive position ought to overwhelm the Jaguars offensive line to decelerate this dashing assault. If they will do this, South Alabama will actually wrestle to maneuver the soccer on this sport.
The Jaguars have been environment friendly within the passing sport regardless of being a run first outfit. They’re averaging 214 cross yards per sport on simply 26 cross makes an attempt per sport. They’ve a powerful 0.53 EPA/cross, however this Kentucky protection has expertise they’ve but to face in 2026. Kentucky is high 25 in EPA/cross allowed towards two ranked opponents of their three matchups.
The secret is to maintain South Alabama off schedule and dominate the early downs to place them in third and lengthy conditions. South Alabama has been spectacular on early downs this season, as they rank within the high 25 amongst Early Downs EPA/play. Nevertheless, this has been the power of Kentucky's protection. The Wildcats -0.16 Early Downs EPA/play ranks sixteenth amongst FBS groups.
Kentucky wants to point out off their SEC expertise and management the road of scrimmage. If they will proceed to win on early downs, it has exhausting to think about the Jaguars discovering success offensively. Kentucky's defensive position have created a ton of havoc performs within the first three weeks of the season, and that ought to be no completely different on this sport. This can be a nice alternative for Kentucky to check a few of their depth and rotate gamers extra continuously on the defensive aspect of the soccer.
This text initially appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: y