The Kentucky Wildcats visit the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday

By Michael Hicks
Wildcats Record: 4-0, (0-0)
LIVE TV: CBS Sports (Vern Lundquist, play-by-play; Gary Danielson, color analyst; Tracy Wolfson, sidelines)

Offense:
Kentucky is stacked at tailback and they will run the ball. With Derrick Locke averaging 5.8 yards a carry and Alfonso Smith averaging 6.3. Tony Dixon, who leads the team in scoring is nursing an ankle injury and may not play Saturday. Offensive tackle Justin Jeffries will be out with a sprained knee.

Defense:
The defense may be the best in the SEC. UK ranks No. 1 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense, allowing 5.5 points per game, and No. 4 in total defense at 227.3 yards per game allowed. They are also first in pass-efficiency defense, and have a turnover margin of plus-four. The defense may take a hit with starting Middle linebacker Micah Johnson doubtful for the game with an ankle injury. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound junior is UK ‘s second-leading tackler with 17.

Advertisement: Story continues below



Special Teams:
Kentucky ranks first in the FBS in kickoff returns at 38.5 yards a return. Derrick Locke had a 100-yard kickoff return Saturday against Western Kentucky .

Coaches
Rich Brooks is in his sixth season at Kentucky with a record of 29-35. Against SEC schools, Brooks composite record is 11-29 (.275).

Misc. Notes
Alabama leads the series 33-2-1. Alabama won the last meeting between the teams with a 45-17 win in 2004. The Wildcats are 0-8 in Tuscaloosa.

12 thoughts on “Scouting the Kentucky Wildcats”

  1. I always hate to see a kid suffer an injury, but it is to our advantage that Kentucky is a little more banged up than Bama this week. I have long been concerned about this game being a trap game for Alabama.

    I had gone to UK’s website to check them out prior to reading this. They have played well, but they haven’t yet played an SEC game. That would tend to pad their resume somewhat.

  2. YES i saw to.has not played any sec ball yet.bama will tear this team apart.just like ark game look for a lot of big runs from backfield.same game plan runs off tackles.may be a good time to let parker throw it down field a little.any way not a game to sweat over. bama just to strong.defense will shut them down.BAMA38 10

  3. Somebody’s an idiot.

    Alabama won that game 45-17. The last time Kentucky beat Alabama was 1997, when they beat us 40-34 in overtime in the first year of our demise.

  5. Pingback: Scouting the Kentucky Wildcats | College Sports Nation

  6. This is a game that raises my concern level. Kentucky is a great unknown and their stats against Western Kentucky were very similar to ours.

    I expect nothing more than a close game.

  7. For what it’s worth, I’ve been told by WKU people who watched the game that Western didn’t play very well. And then WKU’s running back even said that Bama is bigger and faster and that Kentucky is soft up front.

  8. WKU is a newbie in this division. They had a pretty good start this season, but I am not surprised if they are feeling a little beat down right now.

  10. TO my fellow bammers .this bama team will not have a let down.taking them one game at a time.sabin will not let that happen.trouble makers and non belivers are gone.this team wants to show FB NATION it is alive and well.GOD BLESS.ROOLLLL;;;;;TIDE

  11. I hear ya TI. One game at a time. I think Kentucky will put up a fight, but I expect Bama will be ready. Every game now is for a shot at the NC this year! It seems crazy to write that, but the way the season has unfolded so far, it is true. I think those guys have established their identity in the first game, and have been competing with themselves to live up to it the rest of the season. The only weakness I see is punt/KO coverage, and depth. If we lose any one of a number of key players, it will hurt this year. But you can say that about any team that is on a roll right now. Bama still isn’t quite there with depth yet. With the continuing recruiting and young guys playing early, it will be fixed soon.

  12. BAMABRANDO i think we have no problem with depth winning at georgia proved that.players that did get banged up went out and just like you said young players came in and done a fine job.so really i think we have no worry about depth.depth is where you find super star players who step it up another level and then you become even a better team.but i here what you are saying about key players but we have plenty of talent to over come injuries.GOD BLESS EVERY ONE ;;;;;;ROLLLLL/////////////TIDE

Comments are closed.