Kentucky assistant makes puzzling statement ahead of matchup with Tennessee
Kentucky Wildcats offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello made a comment this past week that's puzzling and also likely to bring a sly smile to the faces of Tennessee Vols fans. Scangarello, a California native who is in his first year on Kentucky's staff, was recently asked by a reporter about Tennessee's up-tempo offensive approach. The UK […]
Kentucky Wildcats offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello made a comment this past week that's puzzling and also likely to bring a sly smile to the faces of Tennessee Vols fans.
Scangarello, a California native who is in his first year on Kentucky's staff, was recently asked by a reporter about Tennessee's up-tempo offensive approach.
The UK assistant noted that every team has its own style and the Wildcats simply aren't a team that's going to score 50 points a game.
This is a wild thing to say before playing a team that averages 50.1 points per game.
Kentucky's best shot at beating Tennessee is to get into a shootout and hope that Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker makes some mistakes (something he doesn't usually do, but I'm sure the Wildcats' defense believes they can force some mistakes).
Instead, it appears that Kentucky is going to try to slow the game down and limit Tennessee's opportunities to score.
That sounds like a sound strategy on the surface, but it almost certainly won't work.
If the Wildcats are going to slow the game down, it means they're going to have to run the ball.
And for all the criticisms about Tennessee's pass defense, their run defense has quietly played at an elite level.
The Vols are No. 6 in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game.
If Kentucky commits to the run, they'll likely give their punter plenty of work. Or they'll find themselves going for it in fourth-down situations (that's what kept Florida in the game against Tennessee, but it didn't work out too well for LSU earlier this month).
The Wildcats have a good team. And Mark Stoops is a great coach (one of the best in the nation in my opinion), but this isn't a good matchup for Kentucky. The Vols will obviously have to prepare for UK just like they prepared for Florida, LSU, and Alabama. But if Tennessee plays as they did against those teams, this should be the Vols' eighth win of the year. And it will set up a huge showdown with Georgia in Athens on November 5 in a game that will likely determine the winner of the SEC East.
Featured image via Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
