Kentucky hopes to create balanced attack vs. Iowa
Kentucky players enjoyed their first bowl practice in Central Florida on Monday as the Wildcats prepared to face Iowa in the Citrus Bowl on Saturday.
This season, much of the team’s success centered on an explosive offense that averaged 33 points and 429 yards per game, the highest totals in the nine seasons under coach Mark Stoops.
It’s a balanced attack featuring a 1,000yard rusher in tailback Chris Rodriquez Jr. (1,272 yards), a 1,000-yard receiver in Wan’Dale Robinson (1,164 yards) and a 2,000-yard passer in quarterback Will Levis (2,593 yards).
“I’ve been searching for great balance,” Stoops said after practice. “If you look at us, we want to be physical and we want to run the ball and play-action pass. We both want to do that. We’ve had struggles and we’ve had our ups and downs like most teams, but we did find some bounce and I think we want to continue to work that way and have the bounce that we’re looking for.”
Robinson, whose 94 receptions set the school’s single-season record, became the first Wildcats receiver with 1,000 yards since Randall Cobb in 2010. He believes the offense’s success is due to consistency.
“I would just say the way we practice, every week we’re trying to go out and just make sure that we don’t have any mistakes,” Robinson said. “We know that we practice a lot during the week and whenever it comes Saturday, we’ll be able to execute well.”
It was his first season in offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s system after Robinson arrived as a graduate transfer from Nebraska in the offseason.
“Learning the system didn’t take me long, maybe a month or two, but just being in it and the more you read the plays and things like that, everything gets easier and easier,” Robinson said.
“So now that we’re at the point of the end of the year, it’s everything’s just kind of like the back of my hand.”
Stoops: Wildcats in good spot with COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to play havoc with the college football postseason. Boise State became the latest team forced to pull out of a bowl game as the Broncos won’t be available for Friday’s Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl.
Stoops said Kentucky was in a good spot regarding COVID issues heading into Saturday’s game.
“We are, knock on wood, at this point, but you never know,” said Stoops. “We’re doing the best we can to adhere to the protocols that we have in place and in trying to live with as best we can.”
The team continues to follow COVID protocols, including masks and social distancing.
“[We’re] just making sure that we’re wearing masks and everybody’s sanitizing and doing things like that,” said Robinson. “Our staff does an excellent job of making sure that we’re safe and we’re away from everybody for chances like that.”
UK’s Square treasures Orlando visit
DeAndre Square was just a freshman when Kentucky made the trip to Orlando to face Penn
State in the 2019 Citrus Bowl. The experience stuck with the linebacker as the Wildcats came away with a thrilling 27-24 win over the Nittany Lions.
“I just remember preparing and all the fun events,” said Square. “Going to Universal and riding some of those rides and seeing everything. It was my first bowl game and it was like amazing, and it made me want to keep winning so we could get here again.”
Square, who finished second on the team in tackles (74) and third in tackles for loss (9), got his wish as Kentucky returned to Central Florida for another Citrus Bowl matchup, this one against Iowa Saturday.
“I was excited,” he said. “I could just think about how I was when I first heard the news, and I was 18 years old and now I’m 21 and it just came full circle.”
Receiver Robinson is making his first bowl appearance after starting his career at Nebraska.
“I’ve never gotten to experience this,” said Robinson. “I’m excited for that, so I’ve just got to take it all in and hopefully, the rest of my teammates do the
same.”