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UK Football: The Linebackers

Ken Howlett — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:18:06 -0000

No Jeremy Jarmon? UK's linebackers must help offset the loss.

Kentucky football isn't the proud owner of much tradition, but one position that has been a UK strength over the years is the linebacker spot. From the 1960's-on UK boasts a plethora of outstanding linebackers: Jim Foley, Joe Federspiel, Wilbur Hackett (the first black team captain in SEC history), Jim Kovach (UK's all-time tackle leader with 521), Ken King, Tom Ehlers and Lester Boyd. More recently Randy Holleran, Marty Moore (UK's single-season tackle king with 183), Kevin McClellan, Chris Chenault (the No. 2 UK all-time tackle leader with 482), Jeff Kremer, John Grimsely, Wesley Woodward and Braxton Kelley have fiercely patrolled the backside of the UK defensive line.

Once again, in 2009 the Kentucky football team lays claim to at least one linebacker capable of being a back-breaker for opponents; senior middle linebacker, and All-SEC selection, Micah Johnson. Johnson, who has shown incremental improvement all three years he's suited-up for the 'Cats, will have several talented, but in some cases, inexperienced players, helping him off-set the loss of graduated linebackers Braxton Kelley and Johnny Williams (137 combined tackles, and nine sacks), as well as the loss of Hancock County product Michael Schwindel (recurring shoulder injuries), and North Laurel alum Chris Cessna (recurring knee problems).

For a closer look at Kentucky's 2009 linebacker corp ...

... we begin with the presumed starters, beginning with the aforementioned human wrecking-ball ...

Micah Johnson -- 6'2", 258 lb senior middle linebacker: In 2008, Johnson was second on the team with 93 tackles (3rd in the SEC), and led the 'Cats with 60 solo tackles (in only 11 games). He recorded 13.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass break-ups, two pass deflections, and two quarterback hurries. For his career he's responsible for 180 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and two interceptions. In 2009, Johnson is on a laundry list of preseason watch lists: Including the Lombardi Award given to the nations top lineman (including offensive and defensive linemen, tight ends, and linebackers), The Butkus Award, given to the nations top linebacker, and the Bronko Nagurski Award, given to the nations top defensive player.

The All-SEC performer, who has overcome his questionable passing-downs defense, will be responsible along with Corey Peters, at setting the defensive "tone" for this team. If Johnson can capitalize on his freakish combination of strength, speed, and size, then the front seven should accomplish their ultimate goal, which is to stop the running game, and pressure the passer. Johnson's relentless pursuit of the ball may allow him to at least come near Marty Moore's UK season record of 183 tackles.

Last season UK recorded 32 sacks (for a -195 yards), which is a nice number, but they allowed 139.2 yards rushing per game in '08. That number has to decrease in order for UK to optimize their chances at victory, and Johnson holds the key to stopping the middle run option, along with forcing the ball-carrier to the edges.

Sam Maxwell -- 6'3", 248 lb senior strongside linebacker: In '08 Maxwell played in 12 games, earning a start versus Western Kentucky. He executed 25 tackles, and 3.5 tackles for loss, with his first career sack coming against Georgia. He also recorded five tackles against both Alabama and Florida. In '07, Maxwell had 27 tackles, and five tackles for loss. He recorded a career high six tackles versus LSU, and he intercepted his first pass in the second overtime of the Tennessee game. In Maxwell's 37 career games (four starts), he's responsible for 58 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four pass deflections, and one interception.

Maxwell could open the season on either side of Micah Johnson, but as of now he's slated for the strongside spot. His considerable speed, and uncanny ability to get in the backfield will ensure he sees plenty of reps. His responsiblity will be to get to the edges to stop the running game, and of course, put pressure on the quarterback, something he has done very well over his career.

Danny Trevathan -- 6'1", 220 lb sophomore weakside linebacker: In '08, Trevathan contributed mostly as a special teams member. He recorded five tackles, and blocked a punt, setting up a touchdown against Georgia. The extremely athletic Trevathan was a track star in high school, participating in the 100-, and 200-meter dashes, and well as the 4x100 relay. He's been clocked at 4.45 in the 40-yard dash.

The coaches have been raving about Trevathan for nearly two years now. The Leesburg, Florida native's athleticism, speed, and 8-cylinder motor makes him the perfect complement to Johnson and Maxwell. He could be the next great one.

Playing Time Contenders

Mikhail Mabry -- 6'2", 250 lb senior middle linebacker: Mabry has played in 32 games as a Wildcat. In '08, the Hawai'i native played in all 13 UK contests, recording eight tackles and forced a fumble. In '07, Mabry played in 12 games resulting in two tackles and a tackle for loss. He also picked-off a pass versus Kent State. Mabry has already graduated, completing a degree in kinesiology.

Mabry will be a key backup linebacker. He previously has been considered a backup for Micah Johnson, but Ronnie Sneed (see below) has taken over the top reserve middle linebacker slot. In an effort to get him on the field he may be switched to either weakside or strongside.

Ronnie Sneed -- 6'2", 230 lb sophomore linebacker: The Tallahassee native was voted UK's Most Valuable Defensive Scout Team Player by the coaches in '07. In '08, Sneed played in six varsity games, with his first career start coming in the Liberty Bowl. As a special teams performer in that same game, he pancaked a kick-returner inside the opponents 20-yard line.

Sneed will be a very important component to the UK linebacker corps. As Micah Johnson's backup, he'll be responsible for giving the UK star some rest (if needed), and filling in when Johnson isn't healthy. And considering Johnson's injury history, Sneed could see major reps in '09.

William Johnson -- 6'2", 205 redshirt freshman linebacker: Out of Nashville's Pearl-Cohn High School, Johnson was voted UK's Most Valuable Defensive Scout Team Player by the coaches in '08. In high school Johnson also played free safety. In his senior year of high school Johnson recorded 80 tackles, 12 sacks and an interception. On the offensive side of the ball the caught 37 passes for 689 yards, and rushed 21 times for 350 yards. He also averaged a Devin Hester-like 35-yards per PUNT return. He's been timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Needless to say, his speed will necessitate him playing one of the corner linebacker spots. The coaches love his athleticism (a common theme among the LB's), and he'll see time on the field this year. Since the staff made the decision to use Johnson at linebacker instead of safety, he'll need to add some poundage; I highly recommend Tolly Ho.

Antonio Thomas -- 6'1", 228 lb sophomore linebacker: The Palmetto State native saw no varsity action in '08. He redshirted the '07 season. Another track star, Thomas competed in the long and triple jump, as well as the 400-meter run, 4x400-meter relay, and the 4x800 relay. In football, Thomas displayed great versatility by playing both wide receiver and defensive back.

Thomas has impressed the coaches with his "tracking ability," i.e. he engages in dogged pursuit of the ball-carrier.

Jacob Dufrene -- 6'1", 220 lb junior strongside linebacker: Dufrene has recorded four tackles in 23 career games, mostly as a special team's member.

Dufrene will add much-needed depth to the linebacker group, as he was second on the depth chart at strongside linebacker behind Sam Maxwell.

Brandon Thurmond -- 6'2", 226 lb junior weakside linebacker: The Georgia native has missed the last two seasons due to injury, after redshirting his freshman campaign.

As with Dufrene, Thurmond will add some depth to the linebacker spot.

The Freshmen

Ridge Wilson -- 6'3", 210 lb true freshman linebacker: The Louisville Central High School alum was voted 1st Team All-State after accounting for 76 tackles, two tackles for loss, and three interceptions his senior season. Wilson led Central to two straight 3A State Championships. He was rated the No. 8 college prospect in Kentucky by Rivals and SuperPreps. He runs a 4.6 40-yard dash. Extremely versatile, he played linebacker, defensive end, strong safety, and wide receiver at Central. Also an outstanding student, he was recruited by several Ivy League schools.

Wilson is one of those young, overly talented players who just needs some experience, and a bit more size. Fundamentally, he's very sound, and has a huge motor. He'll see the field this year, possibly more than several of his older and more experienced teammates.

Tristian Johnson -- 6'1", 210 lb true freshman linebacker: Continuing the LaGrange, Georgia pipeline, Johnson comes to UK as the No. 57 rated weakside defensive end in the nation, according to Rivals. In his senior year, he recorded 97 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks.

Johnson will probably redshirt this season.

Qua Huzzie -- 5'10", 210 lb true freshman linebacker: Another LaGrange performer migrating north. Huzzie arrives at UK the proud owner of the career tackle record at LaGrange, a school with numerous Georgia state titles, innumerable collegiate performers, as well as several players in the NFL (former UK stars Wesley Woodyard and Braxton Kelley to name only two). Huzzie made 437 career tackles, with 55 tackles for loss in his four year career. He recorded 145 tackles his senior year (21 tackles for loss). He was also named the 3A Georgia State Defensive Player of the Year, and he made 1st Team All-State both his junior and senior years. He runs a 4.56 40-yards dash, and was rated the No. 45 outside linebacker in the nation by Rivals. Huzzie is the cousin of former UK receiver, and current student coach DeMoreo Ford.

Unfortunately, Huzzie suffered a year-ending injury last week, and will redshirt this season.

CliffsNotes Analysis

This group of linebackers are largely inexperienced as it pertains to starting, but there are several players who have played major reps in big games. And in those games they have produced, particularly Sam Maxwell. Regardless, though, linebacker coach Chuck Smith (Smith's son, Brandon, is the starting QB for WKU this year) must have these players ready to pursue the ball-carrier, whether the quarterback or tailback, because as I stated earlier, UK must improve on the 1,810 rushing yards allowed last season.

If Kentucky's linebackers are to perform as UK fans have become accustomed, then Micah Johnson has to be the bell-cow. He must lead, not only with this words, but more importantly with his actions. When he's healthy, his ball pursuit is a sight to behold, and I'm sure NFL general managers are salivating at the thought of him running loose in the backfield of their opponents. But first, he must school his less accomplished teammates in the art of never giving up.

With the SEC quarterback-lite this season, expect to see teams run, run, and run some more, which places an even greater impetus on the need for UK's linebackers to perform.

Previous 2009 football preview entries: Setting a New Standard The Defensive Line

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

UK Football: Spring Practice Wrap-Up -- The Receivers

Ken Howlett — Tue, 19 May 2009 08:06:41 -0000

This is the third in a series of posts examining how the personnel for the 2009 UK football season are shaping up.

For most Kentucky football fans, the '08 season was filled with frustrations -- Frustration with the quarterback situation, frustration with injuries, and finally, frustration with the receivers inability to catch the ball.

Whether one receivers "dropsies" were contagious, or if the group of young wide-outs were overly anxious to execute the catch-and-run, the sad fact is that many times they forgot the initial phase of the operation, which is to "catch."

Most blame the youth of the 2008 receiving corps as the primary culprit for their collective misdeeds, and if that is indeed the case, hopefully, for the sanity of UK fans and the sanctity of the program, we'll witness a maturity upgrade in the '09 season.

UK's 2008 Receiver Numbers

Points Per Game -- 22.6

First Downs Receiving -- 98

Average Yards Per Reception -- 9.8

Average Yards Per WR Reception -- 9.7

Average Yards Per TE Reception -- 15.0

Wide Receiver Touchdowns -- 6

Tight End Touchdowns -- 2

The Receivers

Players lost to graduation/injury: Dicky Lyons, Jr -- Lyons played in only six games before injuring his knee. He caught 33 passes for 264 yards (8.0 yards per catch), and two touchdowns. DeMoreo Ford played in seven games before sustaining a career-ending injury. He caught three passes for 56 yards (18.7 ypc), and one touchdown.

Returning players of note: Randall Cobb 5-11, 190 lb sophomore -- 21 catches for 197 yards (9.4 ypc), and two touchdowns. Kyrus Lanxter 6-2, 195 lb junior -- 23 catches for 196 yards (8.5 ypc), and one touchdown. Gene McCaskill 6-0, 175 lb sophomore -- 15 catches for 182 yards (12.1 ypc). E.J. Adams 6-0, 200 lb senior -- 14 catches for 180 yards (12.9 ypc). E. J. Fields 6-2, 190 lb sophomore -- No receptions last year (converted defensive back). Eric Adeyemi 6-0, 170 lb sophomore -- 13 catches for 108 yards (8.3 ypc). Aaron Boyd 6-3, 210 lb sophomore -- Five catches for 46 yards (9.2 ypc). Matt Roark 6-6, 200 lb sophomore -- One catch for 16 yards. Nick Melillo 6-2, 215 lb junior -- No receptions last year (walk-on).

Everybody; the fans, the coaching staff, and the media, knew going into the 2008 football season that the receiver position was a huge question mark for the Kentucky football team. After losing Steve Johnson, Keenan Burton and Jacob Tamme to graduation, the 'Cats were left with only two experienced receivers (Dicky Lyons, Jr and DeMoreo Ford), and a host of freshman and sophomore talent that had caught nary a pass, much less tasted the end zone.

Unfortunately, Lyons suffered a season-ending injury in the sixth game of the year versus South Carolina, and Ford never was fully healthy (knee), playing in only seven games, and eventually calling it a career after suffering a concussion versus Mississippi State on November 1, 2008 (doctors advised Ford to give up football). Adding to the misery was Aaron Boyd's (the highest rated UK receiver recruit in recent memory) fall fight with mononucleosis, which stole all-important practice repetitions away from the talented receiver, and ultimately led to his meager production.

What head coach Rich Brooks was left with was a receiver corps apt to drop passes, apt to run the wrong routes, and apt to run before making the catch.

A receiving corps, that at the end of spring practice, had Rich Brooks singing the praises of walk-on Nick Melillo, a Trinity High School grad, who had four catches for 43 yards and two touchdowns in the Blue-White Game:

"He's going to move ahead of some scholarship players. Right now he deserves a better look, and he deserves to move up the depth chart."

Joker Phillips also loves the kid Melillo:

"He's 100 mile per hour on every play. I told him he needed to gain weight and he could possibly be a guy like Jacob (Tamme). He comes back and he's gained 15, 20 pounds in the off-season. He does everything you ask him. He's a coach's dream. He's a tough kid."

Sounds like "Rudy" with talent.

If I were anyone other than Randall Cobb, I would be looking in the rear-view mirror, because everybody's job is up for grabs.

Brooks even took a stab at his receiving corps, disguised as praise for Cobb:

"He reminded me of Dicky Lyons. He made a one-handed grab that was behind him, and got it and gained extra yards. Those are the plays we need our receivers to make from time to time."

He's right about Cobb; he can be very special, but he needs help.

Similar to last season, the question in '09 is; who will take the pressure off Cobb? Who will emerge as a legitimate receiving threat, so Cobb won't have to endure double and triple-coverage all night, as Dicky Lyons did last year.

As of now, the top candidates are: Kyrus Lanxter, Gene McCaskill, and Eric Adeyemi. All are blessed with tremendous speed (along with Cobb, possibly the fleetest group of wide-outs in UK history), and the talent to out-maneuver their secondary counterparts. But, will they catch the ball? Will they demand an honest secondary?

I wish I had the answer.

In the late spring, however, Phillips had some complimentary words for at least two Wildcat receivers:

"Gene McCaskill continues to get better. I think he's got a chance to help us. I've got to get E.J. Fields coming because he's got a great body and great speed and he's got to help us. We've got to continue to get him better."

How the receivers perform this season will determine just how effective UK's offense will be. And if they continue down their current path, UK will be (to borrow a hardwood phrase) easy to guard. The opposing D-coordinators will have an elementary game-plan to put together -- "Spy" Cobb, and close hard on (Derrick) Locke and (Alfonso) Smith.

Maddening in all of this chaos, is the fact that all of UK's receivers are blessed with serious break-away speed; they can all gain separation on their defenders; and they all possess the physical tools of the trade. But, they must conquer the three mental aspects of the game -- Concentration, execution, and CONCENTRATION.

Freshman Receivers of Note

Chris Matthews 6-5 , 210 lbs -- The Los Angeles Harbor College transfer has two seasons of eligibility remaining, and he is expected to contribute right away. He's a Rivals 4-star recruit, and one of the top-10 JUCO prospects in the nation. Last year Matthews caught 80 passes for 1,235 yards and 11 touchdowns in only nine games. He runs a 4.5-40, and will push Kyrus Lanxter, Gene McCaskill, and Eric Adeyemi for playing time. He attended Dorsey High School, in Los Angeles.

Brian Adams 6-4, 210 lbs -- The Gainesville, Georgia native runs a 4.4-40, and will get a look at the receiver spot, as well as a possible punt returner. Adams is a 3-star recruit who played quarterback in high school.

North Hardin's LaRod King (6-6, 190 lbs) will also have the opportunity to earn some playing time in '09. He's a Rivals and Scout 3-star recruit who displayed his versatility in high school by playing quarterback, receiver, tight end, safety, and on special teams. Justin Bean (6-2, 180 lbs), a Tupelo, Mississippi product, is another freshman who will get a look at the wide-out spot. He's a 2-star recruit who caught 35 passes for 753 yards and six touchdowns in his senior season.

The Tight Ends

Players lost to graduation: Zero.

Returning players of note: Maurice Grinter 6-3, 260 lb senior -- 12 catches for 162 yards (13.5 ypc) and two touchdowns. T. C. Drake 6-6, 235 lb senior -- 12 catches for 204 yards (17.0 ypc). Ross Bogue 6-5, 250 lb senior -- One catch for eight yards.

The tight ends represent Kentucky's most solid offensive position on the field. UK returns experience, talent, athleticism, and depth at a position I thought was the most underused on the field last season.

Grinter, Drake, and Bogue all possess soft hands, and nimble feet. They provide the quarterback with a large target area, and an ability to make yards after the catch. While all three are terrific down-field blockers, I would like to see the trio thrown toward much more often.

Bogue came out of the spring No. 1 on the depth chart, but I expect Grinter to eventually win the job.

*T.C. Drake underwent successful sports hernia surgery earlier in the spring, but is expected to be a full strength by fall camp.

CliffsNotes Analysis

Randall Cobb is a stud, we all know that, but it will take more than Cobb's considerable talents to win football games in the SEC. That's just one more reason I would like to see UK's talented trio of tight ends utilized more effectively. With the receiving corps still posing a huge question mark, Grinter and company are answers, sitting there, unused.

Because of this (an unstable group of receivers), I foresee a major battle at the wide-out position this fall. Possibly coming out victorious in one of those battles with be JUCO transfer Chris Matthews. He has an excellent chance to earn a starting nod over one of the returning receivers, because of his demonstrable ability to catch the ball, while possessing the same speed numbers as his teammates. While it took UK's last JUCO receiver, the ultra-talented Steve Johnson, a full year to make an impact, Matthews isn't competing with Keenan Burton and Dicky Lyons for playing time. I look for this JUCO to receive serious consideration for meaningful game action.

Frankfort High product, and converted cornerback E.J. Fields also provides an interesting option for "head coach of the offense," Joker Phillips. Fields is sure-handed and as athletic as anyone on the offensive side of the ball. And, the fact that he was asked to make the switch to a very crowded position tells me that the coaches like his chances of seeing the field.

But, regardless of which player, or players, cut to the front of the line, it should be an interesting fall camp as it pertains to the receiver slot. Lots of competition, and lots of eyeballs monitoring the progress of that competition.

The bottom line, though, is simple -- They have to be better, much better than they were last year, if UK hopes to continue the upward tic that they have carved out over the last three years.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

UK Football: Spring Practice Wrap-up -- The Quarterbacks

Ken Howlett — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:07:12 -0000

This is the second in a series of posts examining how the personnel for the 2009 UK football season are shaping up.

As Kentucky football fans look anxiously ahead to the start of the 2009 season, the quarterback position, to most anyway, seems to be a big question mark.

Will Mike Hartline perform up to the standards set by previous UK signal-callers? Will one of the incoming freshman make the job his own? Will Randall Cobb's freakish ability leave the UK coaching staff no choice?

I may not have all the answers (or any answers for that matter), but we'll at least take a spring look at how the most important position on the gridiron may shake-out for the '09 season.

UK's 2008 Quarterback Numbers

Points Per Game -- 22.6

First Downs Passing -- 98

Passing Attempts -- 415

Passing Completions -- 227

Completion Percentage -- 54.7

Interceptions -- 13

Passing Touchdowns -- 11 (out of 36 scored)

Yards Gained Per Pass -- 5.4

Yards Gained Per Completion -- 9.8

Sacks -- 13 (88 yards lost)

The Quarterbacks

Players lost to graduation: Zero

Returning players of note: Mike Hartline - 172-311 (55.3%), eight interceptions and nine touchdown passes in nine starts. He rushed for -9 yards: Randall Cobb - 52-99 (52.5%), five interceptions and two touchdown passes in four starts: Will Fidler - 3-4 (75.0%), zero interceptions and zero touchdown passes.

Possibly the most discussed position on the Kentucky football team, not only last season, but also this off-season, has been the quarterback spot. Incumbent starter Mike Hartline has been embattled and belittled almost since Day 1 of his tenure as UK's starting quarterback. But, with head coach Rich Brooks making it very clear that sophomore Randall Cobb will be concentrating on playing one of the wide-out positions, with the occasional dalliance as a QB out of the Wildcat Package (more on that later), the job is Hartline's to lose.

The 2008 football season saw a myriad of problems in UK's passing game. Hartline, only a sophomore who had never started a game at the collegiate level, found himself under-throwing receivers, over-throwing receivers, and throwing wide. To add to the offensive chaos often present, the fleet of extremely young Wildcat receivers were drop-prone to a disturbing degree.

Add in the fact that UK's top receiver, Dicky Lyons, played in only six games, and junior DeMoreo Ford was mostly ineffective before suffering a career-ending injury, and the young quarterback was obviously struggling with his confidence.

Also, Hartline wasn't allowed to throw the deep ball (for fear of being intercepted), much to the consternation of his receivers, which only caused the opposing secondary and linebackers to cheat-up on the short and medium range passes. Resulting in a pathetic yards per completion average of only 9.8.

All of these factors contributed to a moribund passing game.

This year, with Brooks and Phillips solidly behind Hartline as quarterback (at least to start the season), he will hopefully display a greater effectiveness at the all-important position.

UK's newly minted offensive head coach Joker Phillips hopes that Hartline is becoming more comfortable in his role:

"I think Mike has handled himself well this spring. I think what has helped is him knowing that it's his job. When we went through the bowl preparations, that's when you saw him improve a lot. He knew it was his show, and he played well in the bowl game. And he's had a pretty good spring. The ball has been coming out of his hands pretty well, and he's always been great managing the team."

Hartline's Liberty Bowl numbers seem to bear out Phillips' words -- 19-31 for 204 yards, with one pick and a touchdown pass. His 61.3% completion percentage was a full six-percentage points higher than his regular season numbers.

Phillips also brings up the oft-repeated refrain that Hartline is a good "game manager." Often that implies that Hartline's job is to NOT lose the game, instead of him making plays that enable his team to win. Hartline knows this, and responded:

"I'm starting to take it personally as my responsibility to not only come out and not lose, but to win the game as well. Making plays, not just doing what the coaches ask me to do. Exhaust all my options before I throw the ball away, or run the ball. Last fall, it was more about going through your progressions and getting rid of it. Right now, I feel like I'm coming into my own and becoming my own player, not just doing what I have to do to get by."

Phillips re-emphasizes his stance; that in order for Hartline to be effective he must feel good about himself, and confident in what he's doing on the field:

"Our whole spring has been to make sure he feels good about himself. We did that with Andre (Woodson) a couple of years ago. We wanted to make sure he felt comfortable with everything we're doing offensively. That's what we're doing with Mike also."

The Wildcat Package

Although Randall Cobb is firmly considered by Brooks to be a wide-receiver, the UK coach has decided to use the multi-talented sophomore at the quarterback spot in what has been dubbed "The Wildcat Package."

Cobb will line up at the QB spot, but unlike other receivers/running backs who have been used in this way, he won't be a lock to run with the ball. He presents the defense with two possibilities: He might run, then again he might pass the ball.

Brooks sounds optimistic and excited about the possibilities:

"I think it will give some teams some preparation problems. It will give teams a different look and some things to be concerned about, and it's also putting the ball in the hands of a guy who can do special things. We'll see how it works."

Try as I might, I can't fathom how such a play package wouldn't be effective, especially considering how demonstrably dangerous Randall Cobb has proved to be.

The Freshman Phenoms

The excitement generated by the signing of high school All-America quarterbacks Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski is palpable within the Big Blue Nation. Kentucky football fans haven't been this jacked-up about any incoming freshman since Tim Couch inked with UK back in 1996. But, how much clock-time either of the two standouts receives in the immediate future, is very much up for debate.

But that fact doesn't preclude me from taking a look at the accolades and numbers of the two heralded recruits:

Morgan Newton -- 6-4, 220 lbs. Newton is rated a 4-star prospect by Scout. He was a Parade, SuperPrep, MaxPreps, and The Sporting News All-America. He was Indiana's Mr. Football, and Scout rated him the sixth best quarterback prospect in the nation.

Newton, in his senior year, threw for 1,938 yards and 22 touchdowns, and ran for 1,664 yards and 26 touchdowns. His junior year he threw for 1,885 yards and 25 touchdowns, and rushed for 753 yards and 11 touchdowns.

If you're counting at home; that's 84 total touchdowns over his last two years. Perhaps that's why he led Carmel High School to three straight Indiana state championship games.

Ryan Mossakowski -- 6-4, 201 lbs. Mossakowski is rated a 4-star recruit. He was a SuperPrep and PrepStar All-America, and he's rated one of the top-25 quarterback prospects in the nation. All of this after missing a significant portion of the season after tearing his labrum (in his shoulder) last year.

The Frisco, Texas native, in his final three years of high school, passed for 6,834 yards and 49 touchdowns, and rushed for 787 yards and 19 touchdowns.

CliffsNotes Analysis

As of yet, I make no predictions on how the quarterback battle will play out as the season progresses. Joker Phillips, though, seems to be allaying any fears that Mike Hartline may have about losing his job to one of the newcomers, at least early on:

"He knows how hard it is for a freshman. I would think he would have the feeling it would be tough for a freshman to come in here on opening day and take his job. We've got to find out if they can win the job, and he understands that. Deep in his mind, though, I bet he knows how hard it is for a freshman to come in here on opening day and be the guy."

Hartline will absolutely have to put up better numbers than he did last year, or one of the two phenoms (most likely Newton) will have the opportunity to take his job.

The coaches and fans will be looking for a smoother, more efficient offensive machine than we witnessed last year. Dropped passes aside, if there is no vertical passing game, and if his completion percentage isn't improved, then a change, at some point, will have to be made.

Phillips makes a good point, though: Winning with a freshman in the SEC is tough. But, if one is left with no other alternative ...

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

UK Football: The Offense -- Then and Now

Ken Howlett — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:43:54 -0000

Count me as one of many who resisted the urge to shout-out to Rich Brooks that he should make a change at the quarterback position. I thought the UK head coach was wise to afford Mike Hartline every opportunity to succeed as the starting quarterback. And Brooks did just that, but with an assist from Dicky Lyons' season ending injury, the coach made the right call, at the right time. At least in my opinion.

Now, all that seems so foolish. I don't think I was being foolish, but it sure SEEMS as if I were.

Since making the switch to Randall Cobb as UK's starting quarterback, the 'Cats previously feeble offense has sprung to delightful life. I credit the sudden sea change in UK's offensive fortunes to not only naming Cobb the starter, but also to "The Change" made at halftime of the Mississippi State game last week; Joker Phillips and Rich Brooks decided to take the option look from the practice field, to the playing field.

Where in the previous seven-and-a-half games the shotgun, and or spread look, was missing in action, but beginning with the second half of the MSU game we have witnessed a genesis in the Kentucky offensive sets: Versus Georgia, UK ran 79 offensive plays, 50 of those plays were run from the shotgun formation (63%). Usually, there were two running backs in the backfield with Cobb, and multiple wide-outs spreading the field. In the second half of Saturday's game, UK ran out of the shotgun on 28 of 39 offensive snaps (72%), and scored 24 points.

Here are some more tangible results due to "The Change:"

Rushing Yardage

Prior to the second half of the MSU game, UK as a team, had rushed for 1,033 yards on 273 carries (3.8 yards per carry). In the game-and-a-half since, UK has rushed for 325 yards on 72 carries (4.5 yards per carry). That's nearly a yard more per carry.

Tony Dixon has to be pleased with "The Change." He's progressed from averaging less than three-and-a-half yards per carry, to 111 yards on only 24 carries (4.6 yards per carry).
Alfonso Smith has carried 14 times for 71 yards (5.1 yards per carry) since "The Change."
Randall Cobb's production has been phenomenal since "The Change." He's carried the ball 24 times for a total of 115 yards (4.8 yards per carry). He's also recorded four rushing touchdowns.

Lighting up the Scoreboard?

The best and most accurate method to gauge whether "The Change" is working, or not, is to gaze at the scoreboard.

In the last six quarters UK has scored 52 points, which extrapolates out to 34.4 points per game. It goes without saying that 34 points a game is significantly better than the 12.7 points per game UK averaged for their first four-and-a-half SEC contests.

The yardage increase has been nearly as noticeable; UK gained 331 yards versus Georgia (the 'Dogs give up 306 yards on average). In the second half against MSU Kentucky gained 152 yards on a team that averages giving up only 274 total yards.

In SEC play, prior to "The Change," UK was averaging only 279 yards per game.

Cobb

Although Rich Brooks said that he's looking to "next week," and not next year, one has to think that Randall Cobb is, to this point, making an air-tight argument for himself being the prohibitive favorite to start at quarterback next year. Up to this point I've considered Cobb to be merely a seat-warmer for either Newton, Mossakowski, or Hartline in '09. But, that may merit reconsideration.

Cobb certainly has not played mistake-free football; he has thrown a few ill-conceived passes which were intercepted, and he has a penchant for fumbling the ball (both a product of his youth), but man, what about his incredible athleticism. He has accounted for four rushing touchdowns, and one passing touchdown in the last six quarters played. That's an incredible output against quality competition. With Cobb at quarterback, the opposing defense has to pay an inordinate amount of attention to only one guy. That in itself makes him dangerous.

Rich Brooks

Who said an ol' dog will resist change? Papa Brooks seems to have embraced "The Change," even though some will say he waited too long to make his move.

If UK wins out against Vandy, Tennessee, and a bowl victim, I would bet that next year UK will resemble the West Virginia of three and four years ago (or some variation thereof). The more success that Cobb has, the easier Brooks' decision will be.

I'm betting Rich Brooks knows what to do with a thoroughbred.

DeMoreo Ford

It seems that junior UK wide receiver has been told by doctors that he should quit playing football. Ford has experienced several head injuries over the last few years (he's suffered two concussions this year).

DeMoreo will always be remembered for his 70 yard touchdown scamper in the Music City Bowl two years ago versus Clemson.

We wish you well.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats.

63-5: Will UK redefine the moment?

Ken Howlett — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 06:18:39 -0000

The Game

Even the most pessimistic of 'Cat fans didn't see this one coming. It's not only the margin of defeat that is so shocking (58 points), but more so the manner in which Kentucky lost; blocked punts, blocked field goal attempts, and interceptions returned for touchdowns. Special teams coach Steve Ortmayer must have aged 10 years in a matter of three hours. Of course UK's nationally ranked defense contributed to the loss; cornerbacks beat for touchdowns, allowing 5.2 yards per rush (they didn't seal the edges), and mindless personal foul penalties.

Ortmayer had this to say about his unit's performance:

"It's poor preparation by us, a poor plan by me, and poor demand of the plan by me."

At least he took responsibility for the pitiful special teams play.

Don't get me started on the offense. Other than Randall Cobb and Moncell Allen, they all pretty much stunk; Hartline looked like a deer, not in the headlights, but a deer tied to the hood of a pickup truck. You get my point.

Rich Brooks chimed in with these words on the letdown:

"I didn't think I'd be up here after a game where we had things go as badly as this. Obviously, I did a poor job of preparing the team schematically and mentally in every phase." Brooks continued, "The mental breakdowns after having two punts blocked cascaded on us, and I didn't do a good job of getting it stopped or fixed."

I expected nothing less from Brooks.

When a team loses by 58 points, there just aren't too many positives to write about. And since I can only handle the above quick rehash of the 'The Swamp Romp,' let's take a look at the larger, more meaningful picture. I realize in times like these that can be a difficult proposition, but for the purposes of the next few minutes, let's try.

The Moment

If a three hour football game can be described as a moment (as in a moment in time), then UK's loss to Florida is a moment defined by embarrassment, and ineptitude; a total breakdown of execution by the players and coaches. It's the snowball effect; one bad thing happens, followed by another and another. And before one can say "mulligan please", the game is over, and SportsCenter is running a crawl all day and night that screams, "Florida - 65 UK - 3" -- Just as a friendly reminder.

UK's football history is littered with such moments, so much so, that some years have included more embarrassing moments than good. Actually, that's been true for many years, especially over the last three decades.

But the moment is over, and it's time to move on. The question that remains to be answered is how will this moment be remembered in January? Will it be remembered as the low point in an abysmal season, or the turning point in a winning season?

Redefining the Moment

Not long ago, October 14, 2006 to be exact, Rich Brooks took a 3-3 UK squad to Death Valley and were unceremoniously spanked by LSU 49-0, in a game that wasn't as close as the final score. The loss dropped the 'Cats to 3-4 with games against Georgia and Tennessee remaining on the schedule. The prognosis for the rest of the season was bleak. But something happened on the way to another losing season, something changed in the week immediately after the 'Death Valley Disaster.'

That team, which finished 8-5, decided to recommit themselves to playing winning football. They knew they had too much talent to lose in such a disturbing manner; they knew they were better than how they performed against LSU. That team finished the season by winning five of their final six contests. They redefined the moment that was the LSU game. Instead of hiding from the embarrassment, they let the embarrassment feed them for the final six weeks. The LSU game became the turning point in their season, and has propelled UK to an overall record of 18-9 since that painful night.

This team is capable of doing the same thing, and the reason I feel that way is because they are better than what they showed Saturday. There is too much talent in that locker room for them to perform so poorly. More importantly, there is too much pride in that locker room for them to take the beating and meekly crawl home. I think the players are angry, angry with themselves. I think the coaches are angry, angry with themselves.

Anger in a football team can lead to what happened in 2006, and many of the current players were on the roster in '06 for the "Turnaround:" DeMoreo Ford, Dicky Lyons, Mike Hartline (he was a redshirt), Alfonso Smith, Maurice Grinter, Garry Williams, Myron Pryor, Corey Peters, Trevard Lindley, David Jones, Marcus McClinton, Braxton Kelley, the list goes on and on. They witnessed the change, they witnessed the re-dedication, they witnessed 5-1. But can they lead this team from the brink, back onto solid ground?

The first step in recognizing that one needs to change is accepting responsibility for the failure. If Jeremy Jarmon is any indication, then the players are pointing their fingers at the man in the mirror:

"We had a complete collapse offensively, defensively, and special teams-wise. All of this lies on us. The coaches are going to come in here and talk about, 'it's their fault,' but that's not the case. We knew what we had to do and just didn't do it. We went over a lot of special-teams stuff as far as blocking punts and field goals, and we came out here and made the same damn mistakes we made last week and the week before that."

Let it feed ya, Jeremy.

2 - 2

That's all UK needs to do to finish the regular season with seven wins. Beat two of these four: Georgia, Vandy, Tennessee, or Mississippi State. That's all it takes for this season to be considered a wild success ... record-wise at least. Most publications picked UK to finish 3-9 or 4-8. Very few had Kentucky winning more than five games.

So for all the anti-Brooks, anti-Joker jokers out there ... put a sock in it. Frankly, if Brooks and his staff haven't earned your respect and admiration at this point, then my advice is to do some research and see for yourselves how historically significant these times are for the UK football program.

For one, I appreciate what has happened with the Kentucky football program enough to endure the valleys, as long as I know I have a fighter's chance of reaching the mountaintop.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

UK vs. Arkansas: Five good minutes

Ken Howlett — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:45:09 -0000

One of the truly wonderful things about sports, and being a sports fan, is that every so often something utterly improbable and nearly impossible happens. When it does, it brings one team to their knee pads and elevates the other to heavenly heights. One set of fans are "roller coastered" from jubilation to despair, and the other from disappointment to "I can't believe what I just saw!"

In the first 55 minutes of Saturday nights 21-20 victory, UK discovered and mastered the handbook on 'How to Perfect the Art of Playing Losing Football':

In the first 55 minutes they committed drive sustaining penalties:

On Arkansas's pathetically long 20 play 87 yard drive, UK did their best to prolong the agony with three penalties: On second and 27 a pass interference call gave the Hogs an automatic first down -- Later in the drive Michael Smith ran for one yard on third and three. The average football fan believes that that would then lead to a punt, but no, UK is called for a face mask, resulting in a 15 yard penalty and another first down -- Finally, on third and 11, Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick throws an incomplete pass, but UK is called for a very questionable roughing the passer penalty, resulting in another automatic first down -- All told, out of Arkansas's 87 yards gained on the drive, UK contributed 34 yards through penalties.

In the first 55 minutes they ran the wrong routes:

Early in the game, lo and behold, Hartline chose to throw long, but his intended target (DeMoreo Ford), instead ran a 10 yard slant. There was no one within 40 yards of the ball as it skipped harmlessly off the turf.

In the first 55 minutes they threw interceptions:

Mike Hartline threw two picks, one of which cost the 'Cats seven points; his interception in the first quarter set up a Arkansas 24 yard drive resulting in a Michael Smith two yard TD scamper.

In the first 55 minutes they threw for minus yardage on fourth and two:

At the 8:33 mark of the fourth quarter, UK faced a fourth and two. Down 13 points, and desperate for a first down, Hartline threw a screen to Randall Cobb for a two yard loss ... no, I'm serious.

In the first 55 minutes they fumbled and muffed:

Derrick Locke fumbled away a reception, which eventually led to a Michael Smith 22 yard touchdown catch -- DeMoreo Ford didn't vacate the area quickly enough, allowing a Tim Masthay punt to graze his foot, giving Arkansas the ball on UK's seven yard line (the defense held the Hogs to a field goal).

In the first 55 minutes they missed a 30 yard field goal:

How Ryan Tydlacka missed that kick I"ll never know.

In the first 55 minutes the defense chased a seemingly lubricated Michael Smith to no avail:

The best back UK has faced this year ran for 192 yards on 35 carries. If he doesn't get hurt, UK doesn't win.

In the first 55 minutes UK inspired more head scratching than the average episode of Jeopardy:

Arkansas only had to gain a grand total of 47 yards on their way to their first 17 points, courtesy of UK miscues.

"Old" Kentucky had once again revealed it's ugly head, and the season, like so many others before, seemed in peril. Getting to six or seven wins now seemed like a naive child's sweet dream. The sky was most definitely falling.

But, like a Phoenix, rising out of Arizona (Seinfield reference), and with only 4:56 left before a third straight loss, an Ashton Cobb recovery of a De'Anthony Curtis fumble (forced by Johnny Williams) seemed to inspire and motivate the nearly defeated 'Cats.

Suddenly, as if their will-to-win had been re-energized, the 'Cats began executing as if they actually wanted to win:

What before was third and long, now was second and one. Moncel Allen caught a nine yard pass on first and 10 just before Hartline connected with Cobb for a 32 yard touchdown. Short yardage situations open up the possibilities.
What before was a Mike Hartline screen pass, now was some semblance of a vertical passing game.
What before were drops, now were touchdown catches. Both to Randall Cobb, and both as accurate as a laser guide missile.
What before was Michael Smith running roughshod over the UK line and secondary, now was Michael Smith receiving a lesson on life in the SEC, courteous of a monster hit by Sam Maxwell (Smith never returned due to a possible concussion).
What before were dropped interceptions, now was Marcus McClinton hermetically sealing the victory with his pick at the 1:07 mark.
What before was UK playing like it was 1999, now was UK playing like we've become accustomed to over the last couple of years; with the confidence that they could do anything they wanted, and then going on the field and executing the victory.

Aaah, "New" Kentucky. Come on in and stay awhile.

We haven't seen much of "New" Kentucky this year, and even rarer the sightings have been over the last three games or so. But Saturday night in Lexington, "New" Kentucky made a rousing recovery at Commonwealth Stadium, which by the way, was nearly as empty as Bobby Petrino's ethic's reservoir. "New" Kentucky saved a thoroughly inept 'Cat squad from sure defeat, and thousands of Kentucky fans from committing crimes against humanity.

The confidence Mike Hartline displayed, and the big-play ability that Randall Cobb unveiled in the final few minutes CAN serve as a building block for the remainder of the season. But ...

Will "New" Kentucky hang around long enough for UK to reach it's goals for the season? I surely don't know, but if Rich Brooks is right, then perhaps the '08 'Cats have reached a "turning point" in the season.

"Turning point?" ... well, we'll see, but for one five minute period they perfected the art of winning. In those frenetic five minutes UK recovered a fumble, intercepted a pass, and scored two touchdowns. Yeah, could be a turning point ...

But for now I'll not ponder such possibilities, I'll simply enjoy the afterglow of unexpected victory, and worry about the future ... later.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

UK vs. Arkansas: For the 'Cats, as "must win" as it gets

Ken Howlett — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:38:17 -0000

With Arkansas riding high off of their 25-22 upset road win over Auburn, UK is once again catching an opponent feeling good about themselves (South Carolina had just won in Oxford). Victories like that tend to build confidence and team unity, especially in a team as young as Arkansas. Will Bobby Petrino's squad continue to improve, or was the Auburn victory more of a showcase for all that is wrong on the plains of Tubber-ville? I know that Bobby Petrino will have his group ready to play, so UK better bring the good stuff if they harbor any hopes at all of reaching six or seven wins.

Razorback Personnel

Quarterback Casey Dick: 6'2", 215 lb senior -- On the year Dick is 115-197 through the air for 1,411 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has started all six Arkansas games. Last year Dick started all 13 games and was 150-262 for 1,695 yards, with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Running back Michael Smith: 5'7", 173 lb junior -- Smith has 109 rushes for 599 yards, which is good for a 5.5 yards per carry average. He leads the SEC with 119.8 yards per game and he has ran for four touchdowns. Of course last year Smith played behind Darren McFadden and Felix Jones (both future NFL superstars), so he only garnered 46 carries for 303 yards (6.6 yards per carry) and three touchdowns.

Tight end D.J. Williams: 6'2", 250 lb sophomore -- Williams has made 28 catches for 315 yards (11.2 yards per catch) and two touchdowns (all three totals lead the team). He was selected to the All-SEC Freshman first team last year after making five catches for 94 yards.

Wide receiver Joe Adams: 6'0", 175 lb freshman -- The true freshman is second on the team with 22 receptions for 285 yards (13.0 yards per catch) and one touchdown. The multi-talented athlete is a converted cornerback. He was ranked the #12 best cornerback prospect in the country by Rivals, and the #2 overall prospect in the state of Arkansas. He's started in five of six games this year.

Wide receiver London Crawford: 6'2", 200 lb junior -- Smith has 15 catches for 163 yards (10.9 yards per catch). Last year he started the first six games at split end, making eight catches for 147 yards and a touchdown. He missed the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Wide receiver Greg Childs: 6'4", 205 lb freshman -- Childs has made 12 catches for 171 yards (14.2 yards per catch) and one touchdown. Another true freshman, the receiver was the #9 ranked recruit in Arkansas, and was the #72 rated receiver prospect nationally.

Defensive end Adrian Davis: 6'4", 238 lb junior -- Davis is second on the team with 35 tackles. He has also recorded three sacks (all versus Auburn), five tackles for loss and one interception. In '07 Davis made 65 tackles (10 tackles for loss), two interceptions and three sacks.

Linebacker Jerry Franklin: 6'2", 229 lb redshirt freshman -- Franklin leads the Hogs with 48 tackles. He also has 2.5 tackles for loss, and one interception. Franklin is another conversion; he was the #38 rated safety prospect according to Rivals and the overall #8 prospect in Arkansas.

Cornerback Jamar Love: 6'1", 197 lb senior -- Love has recorded seven pass-breakups, which is impressive considering the Hogs have only had to face 161 thrown passes by their opponents. He is experienced, having played in all 13 games last year ( 22 tackles and four pass break-ups).

Arkansas Related Statistics

Arkansas scores only 18.7 points per game, while giving up 35.3.
Arkansas averages 3.8 yards per rush, while giving up 4.8 yards per carry.
Arkansas has turned the ball over 14 times (five fumbles and nine interceptions), compared to only six takeaways (five interceptions and one fumble recovery). The 'Backs have had 10 opportunities to recover fumbles but gathered in only the one.
Arkansas quarterbacks have been sacked 21 times.
Arkansas has been outscored 48-3 in the fourth quarter.
Arkansas averages 362.8 total yards per game, but they give up 355.5 yards per game.
Arkansas is 13-16 (11 touchdowns) in red zone scoring opportunities. Their opponents are 18-22 (14 touchdowns) in the red zone.
Opponents are converting 41% of their third downs against Arkansas.
Arkansas opponents are averaging 183 yards rushing versus the Razorbacks.
Alabama running back Glen Coffee ran for 162 yards versus Arkansas ('Bama had 328 total rushing yards). By way of comparison, Coffee ran for 218 yards on 25 carries versus UK, and Alabama had 282 total rushing yards.
The University of Texas recorded seven sacks versus the Razorbacks.

The Razorback Schedule

Arkansas has defeated Division I-AA Western Illinois 28-24, Sun Belt member La.-Monroe 28-27, and Auburn 25-22. They've lost to #9 Alabama 49-14, #7 Texas 52-10, and #12 Florida 38-7.

Which one of these doesn't belong? Think Sesame Street.

Never have I been so surprised than to see Arkansas beat Auburn, on the road. Their other five games are rather uneventful; the 'Backs were soundly defeated by the big boys, and they beat a couple of teams that they should have, but sticking out like P Pat's new coif is the Auburn game. We all know that the Tigers have had trouble scoring, so much so, that they ('they' being Tommy Tuberville) fired new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin after only five games. To say that things are in disarray in Dixie would be an understatement.

A closer look at the Arkansas vs. Auburn game revealed a few revelations of note:

Auburn couldn't run the ball -- The Tigers ran for only 56 yards, which was good for only a 1.7 yards per carry average.
Arkansas could run the ball -- Tailback Michael Smith had a career day; rushing 35 time for 176 yards and a score. As a team the Razorbacks ran for 188 yards (4.3 yards per carry).
Since Auburn couldn't run the ball, Arkansas controlled the clock -- The Razorbacks won the time of possession battle 35:02 to 24:58.
Auburn quarterbacks Kodi Burns and Chris Todd were atrocious -- The two combined to go 10-28 for 137 and three interceptions.
Auburn had their chances to put the game away, but failed to deliver -- The Tigers were only two of five in the red zone. In the three unsuccessful trips they threw an interception, turned the ball over on downs (they had the ball 1st and Goal from the five yard line), and missed a field goal.
Arkansas converted their third downs -- The 'Backs were 8-17 on their attempts, while Auburn, unable to run or throw, converted only 4-15.
Both teams turned the ball over three times.
Total offense=total domination -- Arkansas 416 yards, Auburn 193 yards.
Casey Dick was serviceable -- The Razorback signal-caller was 17-32 for 222 yards and two interceptions. Well, on second thought, 'serviceable,' is being kind.

UK and Arkansas -- An SEC Stat Comparison

Scoring -- UK averages 26.2 points per game (6th in the SEC), Arkansas averages 18.7 (10th).
Scoring Defense -- UK allows 10.5 points per game (1st), Arkansas gives up 35.3 points per game (12th).
Total offense -- UK gains 317 yards per game (8th), Arkansas gains 362.8 (6th).
Total defense -- UK holds opponents to 274.2 yards per game (5th), Arkansas gives up 355.5 yards per game (12th).
Rush offense -- UK averages 129.2 yards per game (8th), Arkansas averages 115.2 (11th).
Rush defense -- UK gives up 108.2 yards per game (6th), Arkansas gives up 183.0 yards per game (12th).
Pass offense -- UK throws for 187.8 yards per game (7th), Arkansas throws for 247.7 yards per game (2nd).
Pass defense -- UK gives up 166.0 yards through the air (4th), Arkansas gives up 172.7 yards per game (5th).
Kick-off returns -- UK averages 29.4 yards per return (1st), Arkansas averages 21.9 yards per return (8th).
Punt returns -- UK averages 11.5 on punt returns, Arkansas averages 5.7 yards per return (11th).
Kick-off coverage -- UK nets 46.4 yards per kick-off (2nd), Arkansas nets 36.8 yards per kick-off (12th).
Sacks against -- UK has allowed four sacks (1st), Arkansas has allowed 21 sacks (11th).
Opponents third down conversions -- UK allows a 29.3% conversion rate (4th), Arkansas allows a 41.0% conversion rate (11th).
Third down conversions -- UK converts 30.1% of their third downs (11th), Arkansas converts 39.8% of their third downs (7th).
Turnover margin -- UK is +7 (t2nd), Arkansas is - 8 (12th).

What Must Happen Offensively

Kentucky has to win this game. They just have to. But how ...

In order for UK to come out victorious Saturday night they must run the ball better than they have all year. With Tony Dixon out with an injury, Derrick Locke and Alfonso Smith will be receiving the bulk of the carries. Locke will also be on the receiving end of his fair share of passes, considering the loss of Dicky Lyons leaves him the leading receiver on the team (22 catches for 189 yards and one touchdown). But, the game-plan needs to be run, run, run. Because what happened last week can't happen again ...

Last week versus South Carolina, UK threw the ball twice as much as they ran the ball (44 passes, 22 rushes). That's a ratio designed for failure, and it has to change, pronto. I realize Brooks can't run if they aren't gaining positive yards, so Locke, Smith and Moncell Allen have to find what it is they have been looking for all year, and that might be ...

With the addition of Randall Cobb to the starting lineup (he'll play wide receiver), one can at least hope for a more productive vertical game (actually, the mere existence of a vertical game would be news we can use). His athleticism and evade-ability make him a very dangerous weapon when healthy. UK fans will be watching every cut and catch, waiting for him to break a long one for six. But if he doesn't, always remember this ...

Simply Cobb's presence on an every-down basis will quite possibly loosen up the defenses UK faces, because now the defense has a definite play-maker they must keep one eye on at all times. The offensive possibilities are limitless when a coach possesses a talent like Cobb, lets hope we witness a healthy number of those possibilities versus Arkansas. He's not only talented, he's a good teammate ...

Classy move; the freshman displayed real leadership with his decision to wear Dicky Lyons' #12 Saturday. Dicky, we all wish you well, and only the best.

Here's a quick look at the remaining UK receivers and their numbers:

Derrick Locke -- 22 catches for 189 yards, one touchdown.
Randall Cobb -- 11 catches for 84 yards.
T.C. Drake -- 8 catches for 121 yards.
Kyrus Lanxter (will not play versus Ark.) -- 7 catches for 89 yards.
Maurice Grinter (questionable) -- 7 catches for 76 yards, one touchdown.
E.J. Adams -- 6 catches for 59 yards.
Aaron Boyd (he may start versus Arkansas) -- 4 catches for 30 yards, and ZERO DROPS.
Eric Ademyemi -- 4 catches for 24 yards.
Gene McCaskill -- 3 catches for 27 yards.
DeMoreo Ford -- 1 catch for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Matt Roark -- 1 catch for 6 yards.

In case you're counting, that's six freshman (and only three touchdowns).

What Must Happen Defensively

UK cannot allow running back Michael Smith to have a big day on the ground. The 'Cats have already fallen victim to running backs Glen Coffee ('Bama) and Bobby Rainey (WKU). Smith going for more than a-buck-twenty-five will lesson UK's chances at winning this game, and as we all know this is a "must win" for the boys in blue. At only 5'7", perhaps a brain-rattling hit from Micah Johnson is what our Mr. Smith needs to readjust his goals for the day. How they do it is of no consequence to me (that sounds harsh), as long as UK doesn't allow Smith to do his best Barry Sanders impression.

Razorback quarterback Casey Dick is only average. If Kentucky can get pressure on him, the likelihood is high that somebody will make a play on the ball (if he throws Lindley's way I'll be surprised). He's apt to throw picks, and UK's secondary is one of the best he'll face this year. UK must capitalize.

This is a tough one to predict, but since it's a "must win" I'll go with UK - 23 Arkansas - 14.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats, beat the Hogs!

UK vs. Alabama: 'Bama Skynard's the 'Cats ... but barely

Ken Howlett — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:14:33 -0000

Coming into this ballgame, I didn't think UK could win. My prediction was 23-13 'Bama, but in my heart I thought it possible that the Tide could run away and hide. After-all, this same 'Bama team had just destroyed Georgia between the hedges, and Kentucky's offense was mostly, well, offensive. I knew UK's defense was good, but I wasn't sure how good; they simply had not played anyone in the same solar system as Alabama. Put it this way; if someone would have told me before the game that UK would hold Alabama to one offensive touchdown, and a field goal, I would have directed that person to the nearest mental health care specialist. 'Bama had just neatly hung 41 on the 'Dawgs, UK surely couldn't hold them to under 28-30 points, or so I thought. Add those feelings to my total lack of confidence in UK's offensive unit ( versus 'Bama, anyway ), and one can see why I thought, deep down, that Alabama might send UK home 'talkin' to themselves.'

Well, what I thought was wrong. Yes, UK's offense was as anemic as a supermodel in the first half ( they gained a middle school-like 60 yards ), but they rebounded nicely, gaining 216 total yards in the second half along with two touchdowns, and the defense held 'Bama to only 137 second half yards. Down 14-0 at the half, the 'Cats didn't fold, they didn't hang their heads, they came out in the second half and played the #2 team in the country as tough as anyone has, or will.

It just took UK a half to shake the 'Curse of the Bear.'

I nearly threw my television out into the street in the first half, though:

Dropped passes -- This game, instead of the freshman, two upper class-man ( Tony Dixon and DeMoreo Ford ) let their teammates down with a couple of careless drops. Saturday the drops were even more harmful than the seemingly hundreds of other drops this year, because two of the five drops kept UK from making first downs, and on a day when first downs came at a premium, every opportunity needs to be well executed. Dropping first down passes is simply inexcusable.
Mental mistakes -- Penalties negating first downs, or putting UK in 2nd or 3rd and long situations; against a defense as formidable as 'Bama's, UK cannot afford negative yardage plays.
Giving up big plays -- The defense allowed a 78 yard rushing touchdown to Glen Coffee. At that point I thought, "Oh no, here we go." They also allowed a 40 yard pass completion to Julio Jones ( if any of UK's young receivers were thinking that they were the 'cats meow', take a look at Jones, now that guys a pass-catching freak ).
An inability to run the ball -- 16 yards on 12 carries in the first half, pathetic. It is truly perplexing that UK's O-line can protect Hartline so well, but can't open holes for the runners to scamper through.
Hartline gift-wrapping a 'Bama touchdown -- That's the third time this year that Hartline has dropped the ball while attempting to pass ... the problem needs to be remedied, stat. After the game Rich Brooks pointed to that play as easily the biggest play of the game.

But through all the stroke-inducing misplays and mistakes, the team came out in the second half focused on playing better, and convinced that they could play with 'Bama. They didn't back down, and they didn't play as if they were intimidated ... they competed:

The defense was nothing short of spectacular: For the first 12 minutes of the third quarter, UK's defense held Alabama to 24 total yards ( those yards came on four possessions ). They harassed Tide signal-caller John Parker Wilson ( three sacks and countless hurries ) to the point of him having to roll out of the pocket, where he performs as a below average college quarterback ( he was 7 of 17 for 106 yards and a pick ). The secondary blanketed the 'Bama wide-outs ( Trevard Lindley set the UK record for most career pass breakups ) making the road even more difficult for Wilson to navigate.
Offensively, UK didn't set any records in the second half, but they did score two touchdowns, and gained a respectable 216 yards. At least one aspect of the offense shone brightly in the Alabama sunshine; the pass catching of Derrick Locke ( he lead UK with eight catches for 81 yards ). We heard talk before the game that Locke might be utilized more as a pass catcher, and after seeing the results Saturday, one would think that that offensive innovation will continue. No, he didn't record a single drop. I also like what Joker Phillips has been doing with tight end Maurice Grinter over the last couple of games. My only complaint is that the offense doesn't utilize Grinter's talent enough.
Mike Hartline, I thought, performed adequately, especially considering he had never played in that type of environment before. The fumble and interception ( which he floated ) hurt the team, but he made several nice throws ( his 23 yard pass to Grinter was a thing of beauty ), ending up with 241 passing yards and two touchdowns ( he would have had at least another 30-40 yards if not for having to suffer through five dropped passes ). My, and many others hope is that at some point Phillips will let Hartline throw long, or at least longer than 20 yards. UK needs to stretch the field a bit or the abysmal running game will continue to disappoint.
Tim Masthay continues to impress. His booming punts lead to many of 'Bama's drives starting deep in their own territory, and probably saved UK from giving up more points.

The Worm Turns both Ways

Both teams certainly enjoyed some good fortune:

UK fans got to see the opponents suffer from wanna-kill-the-kicker-itis ( two missed field goals ), that's six points right there.
UK was also fortunate to recover a 'Bama fumble, just as the Tide were going in to score.
I also question the offensive pass interference call versus Julio Jones ( which negated a long gain ); the contact looked pretty benign to me.

Conversely, Alabama enjoyed the gift that keeps on giving:

A four yard fumble recovery for a touchdown; it doesn't get any easier than that.
I consider UK's dropped passes another stroke of good fortune for 'Bama.
UK NOT recovering 'Bama's fourth quarter fumble on the UK two yard line was most a most fortuitous break for the Crimson Tide.

Going Forward

Lost opportunities, but also a reason to believe, is what I take away from this game; when one considers that UK was a botched on-side kick away from potentially tying the game, one has to give credit to UK for playing with the #2 team in the country, on their turf. But since the game was only lost by three points, it's the nature of the sport fan to say 'what if.' Instead of asking myself that question, I choose to look ahead. And looking ahead I see a schedule full of teams that aren't nearly as good as Alabama.

It remains to be seen if UK will continue on their current growth arc, but if they do, I like their chances of winning at least three or four more games.

That's what I take away from the 'Bama game.

Thanks for reading, congratulations Alabama, and Go 'Cats!

Western Kentucky @ Kentucky: After Action Report

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:43:44 -0000

The Hilltoppers of WKU and the Wildcats of UK went at it last night in Kentucky's last out-of-conference game of the season. The Toppers, and particularly Bobby Rainey, produced some spectacular runs that should give them hope for the future, and I was impressed by the clean football that my alma mater played, having only one penalty (a roughing the passer call that was pretty close). Western is going in the right direction, even though they currently lack the kind of size and athleticism on the lines to compete against a league like the SEC. Kudos to the Toppers for taking on all comers and playing hard, clean football.

It has been an article of faith among SEC football watchers that Kentucky needed to show some offensive competence during the easier out-of-conference schedule. Up until this game, they have demonstrated very little offensively. The offense was almost non-existent at Louisville, struggled to score against Norfolk State, and despite gaining significant yardage against MTSU, struggled mightily to score in the red zone.

Yesterday against Western Kentucky, Kentucky demonstrated some offensive prowess, particularly on the ground. Unfortunately, the luster of this fact was reduced by two factors that should give 'Cat fans pause -- That most of the yards were gained in the second half, and that every other BCS team who has played Western gained more yardage than UK. Mark Story looks at the "Glass half full, glass half empty" viewpoint of the WKU-UK game. It would be nice to be able to say that UK has an SEC-worthy offense going into battle against an Alabama team that drubbed the highly-ranked Georgia Bulldogs yesterday in their home stadium, but unfortunately, we cannot. UK looked competent against a lesser foe last night, but I doubt that performance against the relatively weak Hilltopper defense will cause any SEC defensive coordinators to lose sleep at the thought of playing the Wildcats.

Still, we have to grant that Hartline looked better than he has previously, and seems to be growing well into the position. He showed a strong arm in a couple of vertical attempts that, even though they didn't connect, looked very respectable in both where the ball was thrown and the velocity it had on it. 'Cat fans have reason to be encouraged about Hartline, and Fidler looked like a competent backup in limited action against a lesser foe.

Overall, here is how I saw this game:

Offensive line run blocking -- The run blocking looked better, but mostly in the second half. What happened in the the first?
Wide receivers -- The wide receivers, particularly DeMoreo Ford, did some better things than they have done so far, but not nearly enough to give anyone confidence that there are more real threats on the field than Dicky Lyons Jr.
Special teams -- Field goal kicking seem competent now with Ryan Tydlacka, but it is only his first game and against a lesser foe. The return game was excellent as usual, but kickoff coverage was really poor. Yes, Bobby Rainey was a phenomenal runner, but is he SEC-quality? I hardly think so. If not, we could be in for trouble against tougher foes if we don't improve. But on the plus side, Derrick Locke did return a kickoff for a touchdown, and Dicky Lyons barely missed doing the same with a punt return.
Pass defense -- This was quite possibly the most dominant performance against the pass I have seen in college football in recent memory. How do you hold a Spread Option team to 15 yards passing? That's just unheard of, and it was primarily due to the utter domination of the Western offensive line by Kentucky's defensive line. Yes, the UK defensive secondary was very good, but the 'Cats defensive front was always in the face of the Western quarterback, and got four sacks for thirty negative yards.
Run defense -- After the Wildcats figured out that Rainey was a serious threat, they shut him down, but not before he gained almost 100 yards against a Kentucky defense that has been very stingy against the run (#5 in the nation) up until now. It is a cause for worry. If the 'Cats struggled with Rainey, what will Knowshon Moreno do?
The passing game -- Kentucky was competent in the passing game, but the UK wide receivers still have issues with route running, catching the football and blocking. The blocking was somewhat improved, but it's clear that UK has a long way to go to get the receivers up to SEC quality with the exception of Dickie Lyons Jr. Brooks can't be all that pleased with what he saw yesterday, but it was a clear improvement over the last game.
Pass blocking -- Pass blocking was excellent against Western, but their defensive front is hardly SEC quality. Still, it was a good game for the line when it came to giving Hartline time to throw. I consider them untested at this point, except against a decent Louisville defense, but I think they may be fine.
The running game -- Impressive in the second half, but what happened in the first? The running backs hit the holes, such as they were in the first half, hard, but the line simply wasn't getting the job done. The 'Cats did a much better job in the second half, racking up impressive yardage and some long runs, and pretty much looking like the team we expected to see. This game gives me some hope that we may be able to move the ball on the ground if we can get some kind of threat out of the passing game.

Overall, it was obviously a great defensive game for Kentucky, and a comptetent if unspectacular offensive game. The coaching staff has greased a few squeeky wheels, and even though UK didn't look like the well-oiled offensive machine they have been in the last couple of years, the first signs of genuine offensive faculty showed up yesterday, and that is a very good thing.

On the injury front, Justin Jeffries has a serious knee injury and is very likely done for the season. Even if it is more benign than many think, it is still going to sit him for a number of weeks, perhaps more than are left in the regular season. I hope for the best, but fear the worst. T.C. Drake also suffered an ankle sprain, but it doesn't look likely to keep him out more than a week. Maurice Grinter served capably and even rather impressively in his stead.

On the good news side, it is looking more and more likely that Randall Cobb's high ankle sprain will heal in time for South Carolina, if not Alabama. I expect to see Micah Johnson back at practice this week, and Ricky Lumpkin as well.

Next week we get the Crimson Tide, and the Elephants are coming of an impressive manhandling of the #3 team in the nation at their place. As the Tide has an open date after the UK game, that places next week's tilt firmly in the "trap game" category for them. We need to hope that they are still licking their wounds an enjoying the glow of defeating Georgia and vaulting to a top 5 national ranking (which they surely will) when the Wildcats bring their 4-0 record into Tuscaloosa next Saturday.

A tale of two units: Devastating defense and suspect offense

Ken Howlett — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:21:34 -0000

The defense

Kentucky's newly vaunted defense recorded several seldom seen landmark achievements in Sunday's 27 -2 road rout of the Louisville Cardinals:

U of L failed to score an offensive touchdown for the first time since the 2000 season.
U of L had their lowest home point total since 1987.
UK held an opponent to zero offensive points for the first time since 1996.
UK last held a home opponent to two points or less in 1976.

I think it's safe to toss away those questions about Kentucky's defense. Consider them answered.

The credit for UK's punishing defensive effort can be spread around all over the field, from the front four ( Myron Pryor, Corey Peters, Ventrell Jenkins, Jeremy Jarmon ), to a secondary that blanketed U of L's receivers like grandma's home-made quilt. Defensive coordinator Steve Brown must be grinning like a proud papa over his defenses rise from slightly better than incompetent, to downright devastating, in a little over a year.

The devastation begins with Myron Pryor. He was nothing less than a ubiquitous presence in U of L's backfield and of great concern to quarterback Hunter Cantwell. The 'Cats only got to Cantwell for two sacks, but that doesn't begin to tell the story of what Pryor and his defensive cohorts reined down on the Card quarterback; too many pressures to count ( Pryor did have 4 ), at least 5 deflections, and a general disruption of what Cantwell was trying to achieve. Cantwell did have occasion to scan the field, but no defense in history has pressured every pass attempt.

What made the Wildcat effort even more impressive was the fact that the four O-lineman bothered Cantwell to the point that Steve Brown didn't have to employ the blitz, which enabled UK to comfortably cover U of L's receivers, especially in the flat. That's a reversal of a decades long trend.

To go along with Pryor and his mates up front, middle linebacker Micah Johnson deserves credit for stopping a potential momentum swing just before the half; with UK up 10 - 0, U of L had the ball on UK's 21 yard line. On fourth and one, UL coach Steve Kragthorpe, perhaps sensing an opportunity to change the flow of the game, decides to go for the first down instead of kicking a field goal. The result; running back Brock Bolen is wrapped up by a swarm of Wildcat defenders led by Micah Johnson ( assisted by Pryor, and linebacker Johnny Williams ).

Johnson ( co-team leading 5 tackles ) had this to say about UK's harassment of Cantwell, and the U of L receivers:

"We felt like he was out of sync from the word go. We were jamming ( the receivers ), taking the timing routes away from him that they do so well. And there was pressure on him. Guys always had their hands up in his face."

The list of overall defensive achievements looks like this:

A Pryor forced fumble resulting in an Ashton Cobb fumble return for a touchdown.
Six pass break ups.
Seven tackles for loss.
A Johnny Williams created fumble, returned by Pryor for a touchdown.
Five total takeaways.
Three interceptions.
Held U of L to 1.8 yards per rush.
Held U of L to 5 - 16 on third downs.
Held Cantwell to only 20 - 43 passing.
Held U of L to only 7.6 yards per reception.
On a Ventrell Jenkins tip, Trevard Lindley returned the interception to the U of L two yard line.
Held U of L to 205 total yards ( only 53 passing ).

The Card bashing didn't stop with the front four and linebackers. UK's secondary also performed extremely well. Trevard Lindley is the most heralded of the UK secondary, but new starting cornerback David Jones played beyond his experience ( which is nonexistent at the cornerback spot ); he was thrown at more than any other in the secondary, and he had his man covered without fail. The only misstep he suffered was getting turned around in the end zone, allowing receiver Troy Pascley a chance for a touchdown catch, but luckily for Kentucky, he dropped the ball. Marcus McClinton made a spectacular interception at the 6:05 mark of the fourth quarter; his falling-down body-twisting pick was one of the more athletic moves I've seen lately, and on this day served as a death-knell for all those wearing red ( maybe that's why Papa John's looked like Commonwealth Stadium an hour before kick-off, after the INT ).

An additional trend reversal that occurred Sunday; Kentucky's secondary allowed only precious few yards after the catch. The reason for that is the fact that UK's defensive backs and safeties are experienced ( except for Jones ), and they all possess great speed. Their ability to anticipate the throw was also on display, which added to the considerable difficulties Mr. Cantwell was experiencing. Even though U of L's receivers and quarterback are inexperienced, I'm still looking forward to seeing how UK's secondary performs against SEC competition; I think a few folks are going to be unpleasantly surprised ( I'm talking to you 'Visor' ).

Defensive devastation on this day, but can we expect this type of performance week-in and week-out? After-all, U of L is breaking in a new quarterback ( anybody want to rethink that Unitas Award watch list ), and the Card receivers are greener than Hank Hill's lawn. The Louisville running backs came into the contest as being a potential bright spot in U of L's offense, but they are also young and inexperienced. So what is one to take away from this impressive display? Is UK's defense that good, or was their performance a product of U of L's youth?

I suspect, after watching a tape of the game, that UK's defense is going to be as good as advertised. But, I have no expectations that they will be as overpowering every week as they were Sunday. The offenses that UK will face in the future, in particular in the SEC, are much more polished, experienced, and blessed with more speed and beef up front. But, hey, not a bad way to start the season.

On an A to F grading scale, the defense gets an A+.

The offense

I thought, considering the play calling and Mike Hartline's youth, that he did what was asked of him, and he didn't hurt his teams chance at victory with mistakes. Even though Hartline was only 16 -31 ( zero interceptions ) through the air, a closer look at the statistics reveals a slightly better performance:

Of his 15 incompletion's, six were not his fault; Kyrus Lanxter dropped a pass at the U of L 11 yard line because he tried to run with the ball before he caught the ball ( for those of you new to football this is just the opposite of what he's supposed to do ).
Lanxter missed a perfectly thrown fade in the corner of the end zone; this would have been a terrific catch, but the ball was thrown where only Lanxter could catch it, and Joker likes his fades thrown short.
Hartline had to throw away three balls due to excellent coverage, or because a defensive lineman was in his face ( the end zone toss- away which resulted in a safety was a no-brainer; Hartline either throws the ball away, or takes a hit ).
DeMoreo Ford had a drop.

Hartline did not play perfectly, of course; he overthrew a wide open T. C. Drake in the flat on the first play of the second quarter, which would have resulted in a touchdown. He overthrew Drake again, by a yard or so, with a long pass into the end zone ( Drake had his man beat by a step ). And he overthrew an open John Connor in the first series of the second half, which would have resulted in first down.

Hartline had this to say about UK's offensive performance:

"Our whole ( offensive ) game plan was not to do anything stupid, was to take care of the ball and when we had opportunities, to try to take advantage. We played smart ball today."

I tend to agree with him. UK had only one turnover ( a Tony Dixon fumble ), and although Hartline's numbers are not awe-inspiring, he did what was asked by Phillips and Brooks.

Conversely, one troubling aspect of the offenses performance came on this series with 10:00 minutes left in the game, and UK up only 13 - 2:

1st down on U of L's 12 yard line -- Derrick Locke up the middle for no gain, 2nd down -- Locke up the middle, hit for a three yard loss, 3rd and 13 -- Hartline complete to T. C. Drake for an eight yard gain.

That particular series was a microcosm of the games play calling. I certainly understand, and do not question Joker Phillips and Rich Brooks wanting to be conservative with the offensive game plan on this day. But, I think that trying to get Locke or Alfonso Smith out on the edges would have been a more successful choice. After the way that UK's offensive line was inexplicably handled by U of L all day long, and with the speed UK's backs possess, running to the corners just seems logical.

Not to pile on UK's O-line, but keep in mind when reviewing UK's 1.9 yards per carry average ( resulting in 63 net rush yards ), that the backs were hit either in the backfield, or within one yard of the line of scrimmage on 15 of 31 rush attempts ( yes, I counted ). The three primary ball-carriers, Tony Dixon, Locke and Smith combined for 28 carries for 74 yards. If before the game someone would have told me that would happen, I would have responded with rolling eyes. But the joke would have been on me. The offensive line simply MUST play better. They have one month until Alabama, after that, things could get ugly for the 'big uglies' who occupy space in front of Hartline.

The key to this teams success ( i.e. 7 wins ) is the running game, because the defense will not ALWAYS be the game-winning unit. Holding Georgia, Florida and Steve Spurrier to single-digit points will be nearly impossible, so at some point UK will have to score some offensive touchdowns, and all that begins with the front four opening up some running lanes. Which is something they did not do Sunday.

Overall, gaining only 210 total yards is not good, regardless of how one spins the number. But there is definitely talent on that side of the ball, it's just young. Hopefully with some experience, and confidence which can be gained over the next three games, they will improve enough to be competitive versus the elite of the SEC.

To end the offensive review on a positive note; freshman Randall Cobb is very good when he has the ball in his hands. He led the team with three receptions for 31 yards, and showed why he is being raved about by all around him. He seems to have huge, soft hands, and he is very quick. I envision him being used more and more as Hartline evolves as a quarterback. My crystal ball says he will be special.

Offense grade -- C-

Special teams

After the defensive performance, the special teams play was UK's saving grace; both Tim Masthay and Ryan Tydlacka punted the ball exceptionally well. Masthay averaged 42.8 yards on four punts, and Tydlacka averaged 41.7 yards on three punts ( Masthay's kick-off after the safety, from the twenty yard line to the two yard line, most decidedly a 'wow' moment ). UK won the field position battle largely off the power of the two punter's legs, with U of L starting a drive in UK's territory only three times. If Kentucky continues to play in close games ( and you know they will ), the importance of solid punting will continue to be at the top of UK's must-do list.

Also contributing to the special teams success:

Dicky Lyons played mostly marvelously on special teams, except for fair-catching a ball he didn't catch, resulting in a 50 yard punt for U of L, and lost yardage for UK ( about 15 ). Lyons caught six punts for 64 yards. Many of those yards coming after the funky Lyons juked his pursuers, leaving them tackling air.
Lones Seiber did what was asked of him. He made two short field goals ( missing a 49 yard attempt ), and all of his point after tries. Coming off of a rough ending to last year, Seiber needs to get and maintain is confidence in order for UK to have every chance at victory.
Freshman Matt Roark recorded a tipped field goal attempt.

Overall an excellent effort by the special teams.

Special teams grade -- A

Final Analysis

A 27 -2 demoralizing of ones hated rival is never a bad thing. And in the end, that's what matters. UK won the game convincingly, in the fourth quarter, where over the last couple of years UK has dominated ( finally, a continuing trend of a positive nature ). They won despite being very conservative on offense, and having to rely on a host of young receivers.

Additionally, I think this was the first step in the education of Mike Hartline, and if Hartline is as smart as he seems, then I feel his quarterbacking abilities will catch up with his intelligence. I look forward to watching him 'grow up' before our very eyes.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!