For UK football fans, a reason to feel confident — and a reason to worry

After grading the video of Kentucky’s 28-23 escape against FCS foe Chattanooga on Saturday, Mark Stoops rendered a split decision.

“After reviewing the film, there were quite a few good things in there — believe it or not,” the UK football coach said Monday at his weekly news conference at Kroger Field. “And (there were) many things we need to clean up.”

That Kentucky struggled so against an opponent from the Football Championship Subdivision has taken some wind from the sails of a UK fan base that has seen 2021 as a season where Stoops and troops can be a viable factor in the SEC East race.

“‘It was one of those games, just aggravating,” Stoops said of the Chattanooga slog. “Let them hang around, and if you do that, you can lose a game that way.”

Now, as the Wildcats (3-0, 1-0 SEC) prepare to travel to South Carolina (2-1, 0-1 SEC) to face new head man Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks in UK’s SEC road opener, the Big Blue Nation has ample reason to feel torn about Kentucky’s immediate prospects.

Turning in a flat, dispiriting effort against a team from “down the college football food chain” has not been an uncommon occurrence in the Stoops era (since 2013).

Far more often than not, Kentucky has responded after such struggles by playing well the following week.

That has especially held true for road games at South Carolina.

In 2015, the Cats opened their season by blowing a three-touchdown lead against Louisiana and needing a 12-yard Mikel Horton touchdown run with 57 seconds left to escape the Ragin’ Cajuns with a 40-33 victory.

Yet the next week, Patrick Towles quarterbacked Kentucky to a 26-22 win over South Carolina in Columbia that ended a 22-game road losing streak for the Cats.

For the second game of 2017, UK trailed FCS foe Eastern Kentucky 13-10 at halftime. The Cats were up only a point, 17-16, entering the fourth quarter and settled for a lackluster 27-16 win over EKU.

Yet in the following game, Stephen Johnson directed Kentucky to a 23-13 victory over South Carolina in Columbia.

So if past is even remotely prologue, UK backers have every reason to feel confident that the Wildcats will bounce back from the dull showing against Chattanooga with a strong effort at Williams-Brice Stadium.

What should be concerning, however, for Kentucky fans — and for Stoops — is that some trends that have emerged in the Wildcats’ first three games are not UK’s friends.

▪ At minus-six, the Cats have one of the worst turnover margins in FBS football.

Because strong-armed quarterback Will Levis throws the ball with so much velocity, there are likely going to be some “tip-drill interceptions.”

You can live with those if Levis is also hitting home runs in the passing game — as he did in UK’s opening wins over Louisiana Monroe and Missouri.

However, Chattanooga mostly took the deep ball away from UK yet Levis committed three turnovers. He threw two picks and also lost a fumble on a strip sack.

▪ In its past two games combined, Kentucky has sacked opposing quarterbacks exactly once.

Both Missouri and Chattanooga were utilizing a quick-passing attack that emphasized getting the ball out of the QB’s hands with alacrity. Still, UK’s inability to get the quarterback on the ground is becoming concerning.

With its defensive-backfield depth diminished by an off-the-field issue, Kentucky desperately needs its pass rush to take the pressure off a very thin cornerback position.

So far, that is not happening.

▪ Kentucky has had special teams problems in all three of its games.

In the opening win over ULM, UK punter Wilson Berry, kicking with a back injury, averaged only 35.5 yards on two kicks. Meanwhile, new punt returner Wan’Dale Robinson fumbled a return, although he did get the ball back.

Against Missouri in week two, Matt Ruffolo had a 37-yard field goal with 2:07 left that would have given Kentucky a 10-point lead and likely clinched victory for the Wildcats.

Instead, it was blocked, and UK was beyond fortunate that Mizzou did not scoop and score off the ricochet.

Stoops said, subsequently, the problem had been a blown blocking assignment, not the trajectory of Ruffolo’s kick.

Against Chattanooga, Kentucky gave the Mocs favorable field position when Chance Poore booted a kickoff out of bounds. The Cats also surrendered ample “hidden yardage” by Robinson failing to field short Chattanooga punts and instead allowing the ball to hit and roll.

At South Carolina, the UK special teams figure to be challenged.

Shane Beamer is the son of legendary former Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer. The core tenet of “Beamer Ball” is using special teams to find a way — blocked kicks; trick plays — to score points.

As shaky as Kentucky’s special teams have been, it will be shocking if South Carolina doesn’t have something special installed to try to take advantage.

Next game

Kentucky at South Carolina

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

TV: ESPN2

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