Kentucky’s Offense Broke Down Around Kaiya Sheron

Redshirt freshman Kaiya Sheron did not have a lot go in his favor throughout his first collegiate begin on Saturday night time. 

The Somerset, Ky native completed with 178 yards, two touchdowns and an interception by the air in Kentucky’s 24-14 loss at house to South Carolina. The field rating is not terrible to have a look at, however it was extra the mess around Sheron that doomed the Cats offense from the primary play of the sport onward. 

“We did not do an ideal job of placing a primary time starter able to achieve success,” UK head coach Mark Stoops mentioned after the loss. “I do not assume our crew performed with the traditional, aggressive character that we usually play with.”

On the primary play of the sport, a trick play went awry, as operating again Chris Rodriguez Jr could not toss the ball cleanly to extensive receiver Barion Brown, who was headed the wrong way on a reverse, leading to a fumble recovered by the Gamecocks close to the UK endzone. One play later, SC operating again MarShawn Lloyd punched in a two-yard rating, instantly placing the Wildcats in a gap.

From then on, Sheron confirmed poise beneath middle, principally making sensible choices with the ball in his arms, apart from taking a number of pointless sacks. He battled and made sensible throws. however with zero momentum in favor of UK, the offense by no means obtained rolling. 

“He did some good issues when he had time, once we put him able to achieve success,” Stoops mentioned. “I do not assume we responded and performed very nicely round him. I believed we performed as poorly as we have now all yr at sure positions round a first-time starter, and I do not assume that is proper for that younger man.”

Sheron linked with tight finish Jordan Dingle for a 16-yard rating after faking a handoff in what was the perfect play name of the night time for the offense, and the RS freshman’s first profession TD move. 

Kentucky entered the half tied 7-7, however would rating simply as soon as extra within the last half-hour throughout rubbish time after being put to mattress by the Gamecocks’ speeding assault. 

Even nonetheless, Sheron by no means wavered and continued to combat and try to get his crew again within the recreation.

Offensive coordinator Wealthy Scangarello took duty for by no means getting his first-time starter at QB in rhythm:

 “It is your first begin, you are attempting to get somebody to settle in, you by no means understand how you are gonna react, I did not really feel prefer it was too huge for him,” Scangarello mentioned. “I really feel like he was seeing it, composed and all that…I do not know that we had a adequate plan to offer him an opportunity to achieve success with the best way it performed out, fairly actually, in order that’s on me.” 

This is how Sheron evaluated his debut as an SEC beginning quarterback: 

“I believed I did fairly good for my first time on the market, did my factor once I obtained the ball, took a number of pointless sacks however that simply comes with the primary begin, I feel,” he mentioned. “The flexibility to learn the pocket was fairly good, one thing that I can enhance on nonetheless.”

Will Levis’ footwear are impossibly huge to fill. Not having the crew captain at QB was detrimental to UK’s success, however that is no knock on Sheron. Kentucky clearly wants somebody of Levis’ caliber at QB to have the ability to succeed and rating factors, albeit minimal factors. 

Even Sheron acknowledged after the loss that the gameplan needed to have modified because of the change at QB: 

“Will can do issues that I can not, he is a really gifted man, first-round draft choose in my view, in lots of people’s opinions,” he mentioned.

Regardless of being certainly one of 5 freshman starters on the Wildcat offense on Saturday night time, Sheron was nonetheless capable of lean on the few veterans that have been surrounding him within the huddle. 

“It was fairly straightforward with guys like C-Rod (Chris Rodriguez), Eli (Cox), the older guys on the road, T-Rob (Tayvion Robinson) all serving to me out and having confidence in me and simply constructing me up alongside the best way, each drive,” Sheron mentioned. “Irrespective of how we completed, they have been simply very assured in me and it felt good.”

That confidence trumped nerves after the primary play of the sport, based on Sheron. Describing himself as a “cool” man, not getting “too excessive or too low,” the second was clearly not too huge for somebody who was thrusted into the highlight on lower than a number of days discover. 

Whereas he knew he could play in opposition to South Carolina, nothing was made official till Saturday, that means Levis was a real game-time determination along with his turf toe harm. 

Scangarello talked about the gameplan not being adequate for achievement across the RS freshman, however Sheron did not really feel the identical manner…he actually felt as if the offense led by him had what it took to defeat SC.

“I’ve full confidence within the offense, the blokes that i am round, the plan that we had coming into the sport, I’ve full confidence within the coaches, the gamers, so I wasn’t fearful in any respect,” Sheron mentioned. 

Watch Mark Stoops’ response to the loss right here.

Offensive Coordinator Wealthy Scangarello Additionally Spoke on the defeat

Need the newest on nationwide soccer and basketball recruiting, together with Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the newest information, blogs, and updates concerning the nation’s finest prospects.

Sports activities Illustrated additionally affords perception, data and as much as the minute particulars for gamblers. Test it out right here.