GAME GRADES: Report card for each Kentucky position unit against USM

QB

C+

Stephen Johnson was the only true quarterback to take snaps and that wasn't really a surprise. The senior made some nice plays in the first half and the most encouraging sign was a great chemistry with C.J. Conrad, since that chemistry was lacking in the pass game last year. He extended one drive on third down with a scramble and rushed for a touchdown, also finding Conrad for a score. But in the second half the passing game became almost a non-factor in the game and Johnson's stat line (11/20, 176 yards, 1 TD) was very modest. He didn't throw any interceptions and he didn't fumble, which was an improvement, but on a day when the running game wasn't there to win the game (it was the defense and special teams), Johnson could have been more efficient. That said, Johnson's day was tough to grade because he avoided the big mistakes and had some moments, plus there's plenty of blame to go around on offense.

RB

C-

It was a forgettable performance for Kentucky's running backs. Benny Snell finished with just 67 yards on 20 carries (long of 10, no touchdowns) and it didn't look like he broke as many tackles or dragged as many piles on some of his carries as he did so frequently last year. Snell's fumble inside the five could have prevented a potential blowout. There were a couple of plays with his trademark power showed up and he was UK's best option in the backfield. Sihiem King had a very nice kick return but on offense he was a non-factor (8 carries, 12 yards) and when Snell briefly went out of the game he was unable to move the pile in short-yardage situations.

WR

C

It's hard to grade the receivers any lower because it's not like they did anything to lose the game for Kentucky, then again, they didn't make many game-changing positive plays. USM's defensive backs didn't appear to be allowing a lot of separation and none of Kentucky's receivers were able to get much going. Charles Walker did have a nice 21-yard reception and Garrett Johnson had two grabs for 22 total yards. There weren't really egregious drops but the receivers have to be more active in the offense.

TE

A+

C.J. Conrad did some nice things as a blocker but it was his pass-catching that nearly broke the game open in the first half. He finished with three catches for 97 yards and a touchdown and that's that kind of production any coach at any level would love to have from their tight end.

OL

D+

The good news is Johnson was sacked just one time. However, he didn't always have a lot of time and the biggest issue was the line's inability to blow open holes for the backs. It was a persistent problem throughout the game with Kentucky finishing with just 78 yards on 35 carries (2.2 YPC). There were too many penalties, missed assignments, and guys caught flat footed or using poor technique. For the second year in a row an unheralded USM defensive line got the best of Kentucky's offensive line and this group has a lot of improving to do before SEC play. The struggles started right at the beginning of the game with a poor snap from Jervontius Stallings to Snell in the Wildcat and it was far from Logan Stenberg's best performance as well.

DL

A-

This grade is in part related to the lower expectations for this group going into the season, but credit where it's due: Derrick LeBlanc's group far exceeded those expectations and the defensive line played as well as it has played in quite some time. Adrian Middleton was active and looked like the kind of SEC-caliber starter people have hoped he would be. Perhaps most surprising was Matt Elam's performance. He was in on a number of tackles, including one for loss, and got quite a bit of penetration. Calvin Taylor was in on a number of tackles and T.J. Carter, Kengera Daniel and Kordell Looney all made their presence felt. They can improve in their ability to pressure the passer, but this was a strong showing in Week 1. The defensive line's work helped UK hold Ito Smith to 37 yards on 16 carries, by far worse than any of his rushing performances all of last season.

LB

A

Jordan Jones "only" had five tackles and that was strange to see since we've become so accustomed to seeing him stuff a stat sheet, but the unit as a whole played well. There was a stretch with some missed tackles in the second half, but the linebackers pressured the quarterback, tackled especially well in the first half and made big, decisive plays that helped shape the game's outcome. Courtney Love wasn't perfect but he led the team in tackles (9, 1 TFL) and he recovered a fumble and stopped a fake punt. Denzil Ware had a sack, 1.5 TFL's and two recovered fumbles, one of which was a scoop and score. Josh Allen was a terror to block in the first half and finished with a sack, three TFL's and a force fumble. Smith did have nine catches for 73 yards, and while he's one of the better pass catching backs UK will face this season the linebackers need to tighten up in covering backs.

DB

C+

It was not the best day for Kentucky's secondary. They played fairly well in the first half, save for a big play Chris Westry allowed on a high-arching deep ball and another touchdown pass, but in the second half USM found its rhythm more in the pass game and UK's secondary didn't disrupt things enough. Jordan Griffin gave up a big long passing play down near the goal line although it appeared that safety help that should have been there wasn't. Derrick Baity tackled well in the open field in the first half. Mike Edwards played sound football but didn't put up his usual stat line or make any game-changing plays. USM picked on Lonnie Johnson a little bit, but it was only his first game. Darius West was second on the team with six tackles and had a huge hit on the quarterback, which jarred the ball loose and allowed Ware to rumble into the endzone for the score. Given USM's unsettled quarterback situation going into the day, and the way the front seven played, the secondary could have performed better especially given its talent.

ST

A+

It was one of the best performances from a Kentucky special teams unit in recent history. Austin MacGinnis nailed his only attempt (41 yards) and there were no real miscues. Matt Panton pinned USM near their goal line twice in the first half and was the kind of punting weapon UK hasn't had in a while. He still managed 42 yards per punt on nine attempts, a significant improvement from Grant McKinniss' numbers last year. Sihiem King broke a big kickoff return and Kentucky did also stop that fake punt attempt by Southern Miss.

Coaching

B

There were not obvious coaching blunders and you can't pinpoint any one moment in the game when there was a major miscommunication or problem that can be laid directly at the feet of the coaches. Everyone has their opinion on the management of the quarterback situation and that includes the use of the Wildcat. Should Kentucky have continued to go to the Wildcat when it was having such little success? Was it bothering Johnson's rhythm? Perhaps Kentucky could have played for points when they had it fourth and short at USM's 40-yard line with less than half a minute to go in the first half, especially since USM didn't have any timeouts. But, Kentucky looked like an organized team, played disciplined football on special teams, and showed real improvement on defense. The coaches clearly made the calculation over the course of the game that a conservative approach was the best path to a victory and that philosophy did lead to a win.