By Jadan Basham Nov 2, 2024
Quick Fixes for Kentucky Football’s Offense
There is no way to describe the 2024 Kentucky football offense other than bad. Some of the
statistics they are in the bottom twenty for nationally include scoring offense (19.1 PPG),
touchdowns scored (17), passing offense (166.1 YPG), and plays of thirty or more yards (8).
They are in the bottom half nationally in third down conversion rate (38.78%) and red zone
scoring rate (81.82%). They have seven total runs of over twenty yards and zero runs on the
entire season have made it to a third yard gain, despite being top ten in the nation in rushing
success rate. This team has found no way to move the ball through the air and has not been able
to create explosive plays against conference opponents, but I am going to look at a couple quick
philosophy fixes that could help this offense improve through the rest of the season.
More RPOs
An RPO is a run-pass option where the quarterback reads the defense with the option to either
hand the ball to the running back, keep it themselves, or pass the ball. Teams like Ole Miss and,
in previous years, Wake Forest have made potent offenses based around RPOs due to the
versality these plays and the pressure it puts on the defense to play with good discipline and eyes.
Kentucky currently RPOs the least of any team in the Southeastern Conference despite being the
most successful team at executing them. Kentucky has a 57.78% success rate on RPO plays, first
in the conference, and averages 6.62 yards per RPO, good for third in the conference. Kentucky
also leads the conference by a half yard in plays where the run is chosen in an RPO. Trying to get
unconventional and more towards a college offense may give this team some advantages and
space they have not been able to find with a more traditional offensive attack.
Ja’mori Maclin
The lack of production from Ja’Mori Maclin is the biggest mystery to me from this season. In
2023, Maclin produced 83.7 yards per game and eleven touchdowns for the Mean Green of
North Texas. The explosive receiver averaged 17.11 yards per reception and was one of the most
sought-after receivers in the transfer portal this offseason. Since arriving at Kentucky, things
have been a different story. Currently averaging less than one reception per game and just 11.1
yards a game, it is safe to say the production has not matched the expectation. Getting him into
the lineup more and using him as an explosive receiver to compliment Dane Key’s ability to
create space in the middle of the field could open room the Kentucky offense has not had during
this recent skid.
Better Running Personnel Decisions
The big controversy in the Big Blue Nation is who is going to finish the season as the
quarterback for the Cats. There is the talented but raw Brock Vandagriff, and the versatile dual-
threat Gavin Wimsatt. In my opinion, the personnel decision that should be a bigger topic of
conversation is who is carrying the ball for the Cats. The two quarterbacks have carried the ball
114 times this season without counting sacks, accounting for 41% of Kentucky’s rushing
attempts. Jalen Milroe at Alabama accounts for 32% of his team’s rushing attempts and Diego
Pavia accounts for 40% of Vandy’s rushing attempts. Kentucky’s quarterbacks are the ball carrier
for their team more often than two of the best running QBs in the country. While RB depth has
been a concern all season, Gavin Wimsatt cannot lead the team in carries in an SEC game with at
least two running backs that have shown flashes of being productive players. Throughout the rest
of the season, the running backs need to see an uptake in carries because the QB run game has
been too ineffective to be this prevalent.
How Quickly Can It Be Fixed?
In the grand scheme of college football, Kentucky does not have the correct combination of
player talent and coaching to be a good offense in 2024. However, there are opportunities and
quick philosophy changes that can help the offense improve quickly before facing the final third
of the schedule. Running more RPOs, using Ja’Mori Maclin more, and changing the personnel in
the run game. While a long shot, Kentucky is still fighting for a bowl game and an injection of
offense could help them pull an upset and scrap their way to the postseason.
