UK vs. Tennessee: 3 Things We Learned

UK vs. Tennessee: 3 Things We Learned

By Paul Novielli. Nov 3, 2024

1. Mark Stoops Hasn’t Lost the Locker Room

Head coach Mark Stoops has been under fire recently as Kentucky spirals toward what might be their first losing season in nearly a decade. Fans and analysts have been wondering if he’s lost the locker room, but the team’s gritty performance against Tennessee suggests that’s far from the case. Despite injuries, setbacks, and a tough losing streak, the players showed fight and unity—signs of a strong locker room culture.

Stoops’ leadership and the team’s resilience show there’s still a healthy culture here, even in a rough season. There’s no doubt the results are frustrating, but it’s clear that Stoops has kept his players motivated and focused. The trust and camaraderie are still there, and that might just help them turn things around down the line. Will it happen? That remains to be seen, and there’s still a lot to discuss when it comes to the program’s direction. For now, though, this game showed some positives.

2. The Bush Hamdan Experiment Has Failed

Kentucky’s offense has been a mixed bag, and a lot of that struggle falls on offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan. They’ve consistently failed to capitalize in goal-to-go situations, and it’s been a problem over this losing stretch. For example, Kentucky is actually leading the SEC in yards per play on RPOs (7.8), yet they’re running RPOs less than anyone else in the league. On top of that, while they’re in the top 10 nationally for rushing success, only 47% of their runs go through the backs. If stats like these are so clear, why does the play-calling keep going in the wrong direction?

The disconnect was painfully obvious in a key moment last night. Late in the third quarter, Hamdan called a pass on a third-and-short in field-goal range instead of leaning on their effective run game and taking the points. The play ended in an interception, and Tennessee scored a touchdown just two plays later.

Some players, like wide receiver Ja’mori Maclin, who had over 1,000 receiving yards last year, haven’t been used much at all. Maclin’s speed and reliable hands could make a difference, but he’s barely seen the ball. The talented tight end group has also been underutilized, leaving fans scratching their heads.

Under Hamdan, the offense is averaging just 19 points a game—124th in the nation, which is even worse than last year’s numbers. If Kentucky ends up needing a new offensive coordinator, Stoops will have to take a hard look at his offensive approach, or else he risks being remembered for an offense that’s, frankly, hard to watch.

3. SEC Officiating Has Been Terrible

It’s no secret that officiating has been a growing issue across college sports, but what happened last night was something else. SEC officiating needs to hold refs accountable for the game-changing calls they make—or don’t make. In the first half, Tennessee scored on a clear false start on 3rd and goal. Would they have scored seven points if it were called? Then, UK was flagged for a false start even though no one moved, while two Tennessee players crossed the line. Somehow, Tennessee even managed to get four timeouts in the first half. How does that happen in 2024?

Maybe the worst no-call came on a two-handed shove to the head on the sidelines against UK’s Brock Vandagriff, which would have extended the drive and given UK a shot near UT’s territory.

Sure, Kentucky’s play-calling wasn’t good enough to win in the second half. But in the first half, officiating likely swung the score by a good 7-10 points, which just can’t happen in big-time college football. With NIL and sports betting involved, accountability needs to be even higher for officials to avoid any hint of unfairness. Last night was a clear example of what has to change. Will the SEC actually make it right? So far, they haven’t shown much interest in accountability or transparency.