We grade Vanderbilt on all aspects of its 24-13 loss to Kentucky on Saturday.
Quarterbacks: C-
Other than his perfectly thrown touchdown pass to John Cole, Mackenzi Adams was awful on the day. He missed wide-open receivers at least five times with throws that were essentially uncatchable, and finished 11 for 24 with an interception, and also was ineffective running the ball, averaging only 1.5 yards a carry.
Running Backs: B-
The freshman duo of Warren Norman and Zac Stacy was not a big factor today against a Wildcat defense that had allowed 190 rushing yards per game coming into today. Their lack of big plays, however, can mainly be attributed to a makeshift offensive line not opening up holes and utterly predictable play calling from the offensive staff.
Wide Receivers: B+
The wide outs played a very solid game. They created separation and got open but Mackenzi Adams just missed a lot of throws, but that can't be put on the receivers. John Cole continues to come on strong despite playing with a broken bone in his hand with a great touchdown grab, and five total receptions for 61 yards.
Offensive Line: C
The line continues to struggle in what has been a disappointing and injury-filled season for them. They failed to open up holes against a weak run defense and committed a false start penalty on the first series, something that has become much too common this season, but they have been dealing with a myriad of injuries that has led to constant in-game shuffling along the line, killing any chance of developing continuity for the unit.
Defensive Line: C-
The line failed to register a sack on the trio of Kentucky signal callersand got no pressure on Morgan Newton on a key third-and-6 on Kentucky's fourth-quarter touchdown drive that allowed him to complete the pass and get the first down. They also allowed Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb to consistently get into the second line of defense, which was the primary factor in Locke registering a career-high 144 yards.
Linebackers: C+
The linebackers had a solid game, making a lot of tackles that saved big plays after the runner got past the d-line. Chris Marve was all over the field, registering 13 tackles, while John Stokes and Brent Trice also played well registering eight and 10 tackles respectively. The loss of Patrick Benoist hurt the unit in the second half.
Secondary: B+
The defensive backfield had a great game, with Eddie Foster and Myron Lewis each recording an interception. They played well in coverage, not allowing a lot of separation for the Wildcat receivers, and made nice plays on the ball when Kentucky did throw it, which wasn't often (15 times for only 91 yards).
Special Teams: B+
Ryan Fowler had his best game of the season, nailing field goals of 42 and 47 yards. As he always does, Brett Upson made great punts that pinned the Wildcats deep as he averaged 47.7 yards per attempt. Kentucky did a good job of keeping the ball out of Warren Norman's hands for the most part on kickoffs, and Alex Washington was unimpressive returning punts.
Coaching: D+
The offensive staff needs a total makeover. The play calling was way too conservative and predictable, and the no-huddle offense hasn't produced results on offense and it leaves on the defense on the field more than it has to be. Also, the defense didn't look prepared for the Wildcat formation with Randall Cobb as he ran for 102 yards on 14 carries.
