A lot of blame going to Blake Baker; some earned, some not. He’ll be the scapegoat if they lose 2+ more games. However, Lane + Weiss haven’t been able to get Leavitt to stop turning the ball over.
Baker’s defense was bailed out by a missed FG against Kentucky; however, not Baker’s fault (who has a lot of them) that LSU’s special teams gave up a punt return TD.
In the first half, UK scored 3 touchdowns off of: 2 CJ Baxter runs (one 77 yards and another 3 for the score), 3 and out by LSU leading to a 55 punt return touchdown by UK, and a 6 minute drive capped off by a one yard QB dive/tush-push on 4th down as time expired. Interestingly, enough, they ran a qb dive on 3rd down & goal from a very similar 5 WR empty set that won them the game w/ the 2 point conversion. Not exactly the same tho.
With less plays per game, explosive plays matter more and more, and avoiding 3 and outs matters more and more.
In the second half, Kentucky went 3 & out or turned it over FIVE times. LSU had a total of three points off of these mistakes.
1. 3 and OUT by Kentucky; LSU’s RESPONSE = INTERCEPTION 1 play, 0 yards, in 0:11 seconds of game time 2. 3 and OUT by Kentucky; LSU’s response = 3 and OUT BY LSU, 3 plays, 4 yards in 2:25 of game time
3. 3 and OUT by Kentucky; LSU’s RESPONSE = FG, 11 plays, 73 yards in 4:33 of game time
4. MISSED FG/TURNOVER ON DOWNS; LSU’S RESPONSE = FUMBLE; 2 plays, -11 yards in 0:46 seconds of game time
5. MISSED FG/TURNOVER ON DOWNS; LSU’s RESPONSE = PUNT: 5 plays, 23 yards in 1:34 of game time
Opening drive of the second half; UK leads LSU 21-17:
3 and out by UK; 16-yard LSU return to LSU’s own 38: LSU INT on first down, UK ball at the LSU 36. 2nd UK drive goes to LSU’s 17; turnover on downs on a 4th and 2 pass play.
LSU takes over (2nd TurnOver response drive): 4 yard run, 1 yard sack by Leavitt, 6 yard catch and run. 4th and 1; lane takes the delay of game and punts it from his own 22 to UK’s 30. This leads to ANOTHER 3 and out by LSU’s defense. LSU gets down to the UK 6; get 3 points. 21-20, UK up.
I hate the Manny/Baker combo; however, to their credit, both guys are really talented at halftime adjustments.
I hate that combo because they give up so many explosive plays for one; a 35 yard pass on the next drive allows for UK to match LSU with 3 points after a redzone stop. 24-20. After scoring to take the lead, UK responds with a good drive. A crucial sack on 3rd and 4 prevents Stein from going for it, and leads to a missed 42 FG. 27-24, LSU up.
4th LSU Turnover response drive; off a missed FG, LSU runs for 4 yards to their own 28. On second down, Leavitt fumbles on a strip-sack for a 15 yard loss. UK ball. On a massive response by the LSU defense, from their own 13, they only allow a 5 yard qb run, and Stein decides to kick a 28-yarder. NO GOOD.
5th and final LSU turnover response drive; 3 minutes and 11 seconds left in the game. LSU up 27-24. LSU gains 23 yards on 5 plays. Time goes down to 1:46; and Lane punts it again on 4th and 1, which is reasonable given how the game was going and the kicker’s woes. Welp, Blake Baker Blake Baker’d. UK drives it 67 yards and nailed the 33 yarder to tie it up as time expired.
Not having Whit Weeks really hurt them in this game. Arguably the best MLB in the country. And typically the MLB calls out the defense. They got confused multiple times and got gashed.
Not having Whit Weeks really hurt them in this game. Arguably the best MLB in the country. And typically the MLB calls out the defense. They got confused multiple times and got gashed.
