Kentucky's defense stops Ohio
Wildcats' 2 quick TDs more than enough in 20-3 win
By Lonnie McMillan / Contributor
Saturday, September 6, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky got all the offense it needed and then some in the first seven minutes and the defense did the rest as the Wildcats defeated Ohio, 20-3, on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.
The Wildcats (2-0) scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and neither team found the end zone in the final three and a half quarters as defense dominated. The Bobcats (1-1) were held to 223 yards of offense. Kentucky had 402 yards, but 155 of those came on its first two possessions before Ohio’s defense began matching its foes’.
“I think our defense played well enough,” Ohio coach Frank Solich said. “If we could have gathered an offense that was able to get more first downs, especially early in the first game, in the first half, we could have put together some first downs and some ball control and work field position, but it really didn’t happen that way.”
Ohio gained just one first down on its first four possessions, and while J.D. Sprague gave the Bobcats a spark at quarterback with some extended drives, they stalled out well shy of the end zone. And by the time Sprague entered, the Wildcats already had a 14-0 lead.
Quarterback Patrick Towles kept the Bobcats defense on edge early by mixing in some big scrambles with the passing game. He threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Dorian Baker on third and goal on Kentucky’s first possession and then Boom Williams found room up the middle for a 53-yard touchdown run at the 8:24 mark.
“I think a lot of it was our execution,” Ohio redshirt freshman linebacker Quentin Poling said. “We weren’t quite hitting our gaps right. We came out a little bit maybe on our heels and we weren’t executing well.”
The Bobcats defense found its groove after that, but the offense never did, though Sprague had more success than starter Derrius Vick, who was so solid in a season-opening win against Kent State that Sprague never saw the field as was planned. Vick was 0-for-6 passing to begin the game Saturday before the former walk-on took over.
On his first drive, Sprague moved Ohio from its own 20-yard line to the Kentucky 32-yard line, but on third-and-2, Daz’mond Patterson gained only a yard, and on fourth down, Sprague threw incomplete.
That became a common theme the rest of the day. Sprague’s second drive ended with a missed 42-yard field goal attempt by Josiah Yazdani to end the first half with the Bobcats down 17-0, and his third attempted netted the team’s only three points with Yazdani kicking a 44-yarder.
“(Sprague) responded well,”Solich said. “He had some scrambles and did a good job of keeping some drives alive. He threw the ball well at times and in the situation we had him in, I thought he performed well.”
Sprague finished 13-of-25 passing for 143 yards and added 20 yards rushing on six attempts.
Kentucky kicker Austin MacGinnis answered Yazdani’s field goal with a 33-yarder six minutes later and the Wildcats held their three-score advantage the rest of the game. MacGinnis missed attempts of 28 and 35 yards, but made a 53-yard try late in the first half.
“As the game went on, we started making some plays offensively and we were able to make a few plays defensively and pretty much got to where it became a punting game for both teams,” Solich said. “… That start, we didn’t handle the game very well. After that, we settled in.”
Patterson carried the load running back for Ohio, gaining 44 yards on 14 attempts, but Ohio finished with just 74 yards on the ground while Kentucky gained 232, including 59 on 22 attempts by Towles.
Ohio was outgained 187-22 in the first quarter, but the teams were virtually even after that with Kentucky holding just a slight 215-201 advantage.
After a strong debut against Kent State, Poling was even more active against Kentucky with 10 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and two sacks. Jovon Johnson led the Bobcats with 12 tackles.
“We got a little energy going again and made a couple big stops and after that, we felt like we were at home,” Poling said. “We felt natural playing together and kept making more stops even though they had some longer drives. It just felt better.”
Though Solich said he did not to get into a “merry-go-round” situation at quarterback, he said he was not sure how the playing time at quarterback would break down between Sprague and Vick at quarterback next week at Marshall.
“I think both of them had their moments and both of them needed a few more moments,” Solich said.
Sprague said he would be ready no matter what his role is next week against the Thundering Herd.
“I know that if I go in there, I’ll be ready to go, but I support Derrius and Derrius supports me,” he said. “Whatever the coaches feel like is going to get a win, that’s who they’re going to go with.”
Ohio and Marshall meet at 12 p.m. Saturday at Joan C. Edwards Stadium on CBS Sports Network.
|
