Notes from Kentucky’s 63-5 loss to Florida:
- Coming off his best game, when Mike Hartline put up a pass efficiency rating of 134.3 against Arkansas, the UK quarterback posted just a 48.6 rating in the loss.
- Hartline’s pass rating is the lowest by a UK starting quarterback in a game since — get this — Tim Couch’s 28.3 rating at Florida in the Cats 65-0 loss to the Gators in The Swamp in 1996. Couch completed six of 18 passes for 13 yards with one interception. Hartline was seven of 16 for 33 yards with an interception.
- Randall Cobb’s passing rating was 86.9. The true freshman completed nine of 18 passes for 78 yards.
- Tim Tebow completed 11 of 15 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. That figures out to a passer rating of 204.8.
- The Gators rushed for 214 yards. The UK defense has allowed 450 yards rushing in its last two games.
- Florida averaged 7.56 yards per play, most against a UK defense since Vanderbilt averaged 9.27 per play in 2006.
- Florida rushed for five touchdowns against a UK defense that had allowed just two all season.
- The Gators scored eight offensive touchdowns, most since Georgia scored eight in 2004.
- Kentucky’s 141 yards rushing was its best showing in an SEC game this year.
- UK cornerback Trevard Lindley made his fourth interception of the season and ninth of his career.
- In his two previous trips to The Swamp, Rich Brooks had lost 20-3 in 2004 and 26-7 in 2006.
- Oh yes, Florida has now won 22 straight over Kentucky.
I just don’t get it. Why has there been NO improvement in the offense eight games into the season? Why can’t, or they choose not to, the coaches see that the team has more energy with Cobb at quarterback? They pass block better, run block better, and look like a totally different offense with him at quarterback. I get it. They’ll need two quarterbacks, but!! Why can’t Cobb start and Hartline come in if needed or in certain situations? Very discouraging. Listening to some of the postgame comments by players makes me wonder if there isn’t the beginnings of some dissention on the team. Jarmon and Hartline both said some players were not playing with everthing they’ve got. Making the same old mistakes. This staff is going to earn their salaries this week.
The light has finally come on! I am anxious to see Cobb in a starting role this coming Saturday. I am anxious to see how the players surrounding him on offense respond to him as THE QUARTERBACK. I’m hoping that this change by the coaching staff, along with some other changes on the special teams unit, will translate into a productive offense. In addition, I’ll also be interested to see whether this team comes out fighting after the Florida debacle. Talk is cheap! Show me that you took that loss to heart by playing like a good football team. Show some grit!