Quarterback isn’t the only position that could see a change at Kentucky. The question is if any change will be enough to end a four-game losing streak.
Running back Boom Williams is expected to return from a right elbow injury suffered against Tennessee game two weeks ago, and the Wildcats hope that addition jumpstarts an offense that didn’t convert a third down in the third quarter last week at Georgia.
At Vanderbilt this week, the Wildcats will look to end a five-quarter touchdown drought against a Commodores defense that’s fifth in the SEC in scoring defense and total defense.
Coach Mark Stoops said Monday at a press conference that Charles Walker or Garrett Johnson could see time returning punts. Ryan Timmons muffed a punt at his own 25-yard line that led to a turnover against Georgia.
Also at his weekly meeting with reporters, Stoops reiterated that he didn’t believe his players believed they could beat Georgia. Asked about the climate in the locker room, Stoops said there are some different opinions, but not a divide.
“There’s no problem whatsoever,” Stoops said. “Zero. Are there frustrations? I would hope so. I hope some guys are frustrated. That doesn’t mean you’re starting to point fingers.”
Without detailing personnel changes, Stoops admitted that the Georgia game was the Kentucky offensive line’s worst game of the season. Kentucky is 11th in the SEC in sacks allowed at more than 2.5 per game.
Stoops repeated Monday that the offensive line is like much of the team, “a little bit more inconsistent than we want it to be.”
“There’s no quick recipe,” he said. “There’s no quick fix. You get back, you work, you fundamentally get better.”
Two days after Stoops said his coaching staff would consider a change at quarterback, he noted that the reps in practice this week between Patrick Towles and backup Drew Barker would be “slightly” different because Barker typically gets plenty of reps, anyway.
Stoops said he’s considered whether it’s more difficult to make the change against an above-average Vanderbilt defense that held East champion Florida to nine points last week.
“It’s crossed our mind,” Stoops said. “It’s difficult. We’ll see how the week goes. Whoever gives us the best chance to go into Vandy and win will take the first snaps … They’re good, and they’re back to where they were a couple years ago when you saw a Vandy team that was capable of winning a whole heck of a lot of games.”
Ultimately, while some of the fan base has already “jumped ship,” Stoops said the key to ending the losing streak is not directly tied to personnel changes.
“We need to get back to playing with that great passion and energy that we all want and that we all will be proud of when our team plays that way,” he said. “We just haven’t been consistent enough in that area and we haven’t been consistent in a lot of areas.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
