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Luther Burden III didn’t have his best game on paper versus Kentucky, at least in the mind of one reporter, but coach Eli Drinkwitz took a reporter to task on Tuesday over Burden’s numbers.
Burden mustered 2 catches for 15 yards against the Wildcats on Saturday after 5-straight 100-yard games. The sophomore wideout otherwise has 56 receptions for 808 yards and 5 TDs this fall.
“What does it mean not his best day? What do you mean? He didn’t have 100 yards? Again, we don’t get caught up in statistics. We get caught up in winning and losing football games,” Drinkwitz said during Tuesday’s press conference. “And if we win, that’s everybody’s best day. Right?”
“And then, you go back and look at it, but it’s not like he didn’t do everything he was supposed to do. He was impactful. He had 2 runs for positive gains,” Drinkwitz said. “His run on 3rd and 6 might have been his best run that he’s had all season. He only gained 7 yards, but he had to make 2 guys miss — stiff-armed 1.”
Drinkwitz also highlighted Burden’s 2 catches that came on a go-ahead drive for the Tigers late in the first half. It resulted in a TD and a 17-14 lead before the break.
“You’re not always going to have a 100-yard game as much as you like for it to be,” Drinkwitz said. “As long as we win, he’s very excited. He’s the least-selfish player I know and have been around.”
