Scouting USC’s next opponent: the Kentucky Wildcats
Game info
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium (80,250)
TV: SEC Network
Radio: 107.5 FM
Three story lines
1. Is Kentucky really this bad? The Wildcats got all they could handle from a Southern Miss team that doesn’t look all the promising. They turned around and had to rally from down double digits against FCS Eastern Kentucky. Mark Stoops’ team came on late last season but has showed no signs of keeping that up.
2. Welcome home. South Carolina’s 2-0 start is all the more impressive because the Gamecocks haven’t yet played in Williams-Brice Stadium. The team had road struggles in recent years, and now they’re 40 percent done with games outside the 803 area code.
3. What’s next? USC saw its running game, offense in general and the defense all get better as the Missouri game went along. The question is: Can one of those groups throw together a more complete game so USC can be less reliant on big special teams plays and timely turnovers?
Three players to watch
1. For better or worse, running back Benny Snell Jr. remains the bell-cow runner for the Wildcats. They’ll use him in several spots, including a Wildcat package, but the sledding has been tough with 170 yards on 39 carries.
2. Quarterback Stephen Johnson actually got benched in the middle of the EKU game and managed to throw for 224 efficient yards behind a leaky and banged-up offensive line. His top target is Blake Bone, a 6-foot-5 Woodruff, S.C., product.
3. Linebacker Jordan Jones had a big forced fumble against the Colonels, one that prevented them from going up 10 in the second half. He has 13 tackles, third on the team.
Scouting report
▪ The Wildcats did not look great in either game. They ended up in a low-scoring struggle with Southern Miss, a team that didn’t look like all that great of a passing team. Kentucky was outgained on a per-play basis and the difference ended up being a fumble return touchdown aided by a peculiar bounce.
▪ After struggling early in 2016, the Wildcats settled into an offensive identity at the hands of respected coordinator Eddie Gran. His group wanted to come downhill, pound away and then bomb it deep.
▪ Kentucky relies heavily on playing out of the Pistol, usually running gap power and counter schemes. That also comes out of Wildcat packages, where Snell does a lot of damage.
▪ Johnson can be dynamic as a runner and has the tall build that means he can cover a lot of ground when he takes off. His coaches will let him work out of four-wide shotgun looks at times.
▪ The defense is a 3-4 scheme, one flexible enough to usually leave linebackers on the field to cover players in the slot.
▪ Against Southern Miss, UK was clearly playing the run first, but ended up giving up an efficient day to the Golden Eagles’ backup QB. They also had issues against Spartanburg product Austin Scott and Tim Boyle, who had efficient days for EKU.
▪ The Wildcats a year ago were run on regularly, with only the Gamecocks really having issues doing so.
This story was originally published September 10, 2017 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Scouting USC’s next opponent: the Kentucky Wildcats."