By KEITH TAYLOR
ktaylor@winchestersun.com
Max Smith got his turn in the pocket and made the most of the opportunity.
In his most extensive action at Kentucky, the backup quarterback completed 26 of 33 passes for 174 yards Saturday night in the Wildcats’ 28-16 loss to Mississippi State at Commonwealth Stadium.
Smith took over for starter Morgan Newton on Kentucky’s third series. Newton suffered a shoulder and knee injury and didn’t return.
Prior to getting the call Saturday, Smith made spot appearances in Kentucky’s lopsided losses to Florida and South Carolina and started the second half of a loss at LSU. His seven completions in those three games went for 50 yards.
“This was a different game,†Kentucky coach Joker Phillips said. “He went in and competed.â€Â
Smith agreed.
“I felt more relaxed,†he said. “Having that experience in those first (three) games where I didn’t play well at all was huge. I started off a little shaky, messed up a couple of plays, but after that I was good (and) the nerves settled down.â€Â
Smith completed eight passes on 11 attempts in the first half for 25 yards. He threw for 91 yards in the third quarter, and his most impressive completion was a 19-yard strike to Matt Roark after getting hit in the pocket in the quarter.
“He took some big hits, but got himself off the ground, came back in and made some other big plays,†Phillips said. “It’s what we talk about every day, when someone goes down, the next guy’s got to step up, go in and compete, even if it’s a freshman.â€Â
Smith’s favorite target was Roark, who also made an 18-yard catch on a third-down play in the second half and another catch for 23 yards. Roark, who caught 13 passes for 116 yards, helped Smith feel more at ease in the pocket.
“We’re good friends and I throw a lot to him,†Smith said. “We’ve been working after practice and twice (last week) we were throwing (to each other). I threw a lot to him from the get-go when I first got here and me and him have a good camaraderie.â€Â
Smith and Roark became friends when Smith arrived on campus and have been close ever since.
“I just wanted to be kind of like his big brother and help him out, because I could tell he’s going to be a great player and I just wanted to be there for him,†Roark said. “We work a lot together and it shows. We have a chemistry.â€Â
Brian Adams made a diving catch on an 11-yard strike from Smith on fourth and six in the fourth quarter to set up a touchdown.
Smith’s performance leaves Phillips and his staff with a decision going into this week’s game against Mississippi.
“He played good enough that we will have to make a decision (on who will be the starter),†Phillips said.
Although he’s in the mix to be the starter, Smith isn’t changing his approach.
“I’m just going to prepare like I do every other week (and) just go with the flow,†he said.
12 Responses to UK’s backup quarterback Max Smith made most of his opportunity
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Matt did make the most of his opportunity and showed poise and confidence during his progression in the game. That is more than we have seen from MN since he has been here with few exceptions. The OL and DL are still a work in progress, and I feel oversold to us from the beginning. QB protection and defensive pass rushing still both weaknesses. I guess one could say the same for our passing defense. Our secondary play makes everybody look like L.S.U. Bottom line….we need a thorough cleansing of the coaching staff. They need to all be charged with “impersonating SEC coaching at the highest level”. We need coaching credentials to go along with recruiting credentials.
Was part of Roark’s success because he was seeing a more catchable ball from the quarterback?
“I wouldn’t say that,” Phillips said.
I would. Smith threw a more consistent ball. For the most part, his throws were on time, on target. The staff gave him short throws early to give him confidence, then opened it up a bit more for the backup as the game progressed.
“I hesitate to say this, but I’ll say it anyway,” said offensive coordinator Randy Sanders, “but Max has as much arm talent as any quarterback I’ve ever worked with.”
http://www.kentucky.com/2011/10/30/1940493/john-clay-backup-qb-smith-a-ray.html#storylink=mirelated
What confuses this fan is how a D1, BCS Head Football Coach could have been so wrong about how Newton would perform as a QB prior to this season, and how that same D1, BCS Head Football Coach could watch what I saw last night and then say that Smith did not throw a “more catchable ball”?
Joker is either not dealing with the fan base in a candid manner or has trouble evaluating QB talent.
More catchable balls no doubt—-and I’m not a coach. But perhaps I should be for our beloved Kats. I mean let’s get serious something clicked in the pass and catch game!!!!
I have a feeling when Coach said that, he was trying to play down any negativity towards Newton. Newton tends to get down and his body language on the field speaks for itself. But I do agree with you in that, Max Smith did throw catchable balls and actually moved the offense and gave us fans something worth watching. I hate to say this again n again but MN was never a good fit in Randys offense. Randy needs pocket passers and good decision makers. MN is better off in a spread offense but then again I think he would be a 2nd stringer on any other SEC team.
Max has a very quick release…he got 3 or 4 passes off last night at the last fraction of a second before getting hit. 26 completions for a freshman. He only knows 50% of the offense and it was obvious plays had to be tailored to allow him to play within his knowledge level. From what has happened this year, is this a difficult decision? I still hate it that our defensive backs never look back at the QB to see where the pass is coming from. That is why we do not get more interceptions and do a better job of defending. I took clear note that LSU’s, USC’s and Florida’s DBs look back at the QB to see where the pass is coming from.
I have read and heard this morning about how UK’s offense was good last night because they gained over 300 total yards. In 2010, only 12 of 120 teams averaged less than 300 total yards of offense. Through Week 9 of 2011, only 7 of 120 teams average less than 300 total yards per game.
Yippee!!!!! UK is averaging 265 yds/game in 2011, and is ranked 118th out of 120, and last night UK gained 307 yards against Mississippi State team that had been allowing 336 yards per game against all of their other opponents in 2011. UK only gained 90% of the yards that the MSU opponents have gained against MSU this season, and UK fans should celebrate the offensive performance?
I don’t think so.
The median NCAA D1 offense gains over 391 yards per game. The only teams averaging less yardage than UK through Week 9 are Florida Atlantic and Kent State. At 307 yards in one game, UK gained more than Utah averages [currently ranked 112th overall].
I concede that 307 yards is an improvement over 191 v WKU, 290 v Louisville, 299 v Florida, 155 v LSU and 96 v South Carolina.
Yippee!!!!! Let’s have a party.
And before we cancel our “GO†[Great Offense] Party, and schedule a “GD†Party [Great Defense], let’s take a sobering look at UK’s defensive numbers. This season, UK has allowed opponents to average 390 yards per game, which is good enough to rank #67 out of 120 That is certainly better than UK’s offensive 2011 performance, but in 2010 [Which was bemoaned widely as a horrific defensive team], UK allowed 354 yards per game, which ranked 45th out of 120. Whew!!! And I thought the defense had improved?
In 2010, UK’s 45th national ranking was 6th “best†in the SEC, 0.2 yds/game better than South Carolina, and 2.7 yds/game better than Mississippi State. UK’s current 390 yds/game would have ranked 74th in 2010, better only than Mississippi and Vandy in 2010. However, in 2011, UK’s 390 yds/game is 9th in the SEC, better than Arkansas, Auburn and Mississippi.
So, has UK’s defense improved from last year’s defense? I think that it is debatable. Certainly, in some statistical categories, this team shows some marginal improvement, but in others, there are signs of decline.
Grrrrr!!!!! Perhaps we should not celebrate the 2011 defense too much either.
Great stuff Professor
I agree with you on most points, Professor, but part of the reason for the bad numbers for the defense is the ineptitude of the offense. Last year with Hartline, Cobb, and Locke, we had sustained drives where the defense got some rest. Now we have three and outs, and the defense is right back out on the field. Any defense including Alabama and LSU would fare worse with that scenario.
Mike since Coach Brown arrived the defensive backs never look back for the ball. I have watched replay after replay and the DB’s are in position to knock the pass down or intercept it but never look back. It has driven me crazy.
Don, that sure seems to be the case with the DBs every year
Professor, I think Andy is right on target with his comments. Coach Phillips did not directly state that Maxwell Smith does not throw a more catchable ball. Instead, he said in answer to the question, I believe, that “no, it had been…” such and such. Yes, I, too, think he had been, purposefully, “playing down” negativity toward Newton (and I would say such was a wise move).
Also, as Larry had said elsewhere (and I’ve just chosen to respond after Cip’s piece and here, for the discussion there had not fallen in line with what Larry had been trying to say in his piece), our offense had looked “much better” that second half. I have not been seeing folks’ raving about our “good” offense as you seem to have seen, Professor. If folks didn’t see the difference in our offense in those late drives led by Smith, in comparison to our other offensive possessions against other SEC opponents this season (and even against WKU, unfortunately), though, I don’t know what to say.
Yes, Larry, Smith’s performance had been a “silver lining” in last night’s loss to me, too. Also, as I had posted after Cip’s piece, IF (and, yes, playing that “Iffing Game,” as Coach Claiborne used to say, never changes a thing) Smith had not let that ball sail when under pressure, our Cats have battled back to a 23-28 game, and then anything COULD have happened. Such gives me more hope for the future. Our Cats simply MUST WIN this Saturday, though. May most fans have seen the promise and again show up and SUPPORT our Kentucky Wildcats, Wildcats who have shown that they themselves are still battling and NOT giving up!!! GO CATS! BEAT THOSE REBELS!
P.S. Don, I share the concern about our defensive backs’ not looking back at the ball and making plays this season — we must improve in that area.
Larry, I said at the beginning of the year that Max Smith should be the starting QB. I haven’t seen anything out of Morgan or Max to make me change my mind. Morgan is not a D1 QB and Max has much, much more upside as a QB. If he could get the offense moving it might help the defense perform better… more rest and maybe some HOPE of winning a game.