SB Nation - Wesley Woodyard

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Close Call Edition

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:54:24 -0000

No need to get back after that shot, John.

I don't know about you, but I think winning on a last-second jumper qualifies as a close call.

John Wall's shot has been the talk of college basketball all day long. Here in Louisville, WHAS radio host Terry Meiners was cracking jokes about how the name "John" had become synonymous with great things. It was a great play by a great young player, but it can't erase all the questionable and downright ugly things UK did on the court last night.

John Calipari told us it would be this way, and he wasn't wrong. The question is, how soon can the 'Cats figure out how to right the ship? We'll know in a couple of days versus Sam Houston State.

Moving on to football, Kentucky is gearing up for a meeting with the Georgia Bulldogs between the hedges this weekend. This is a huge game for Kentucky, as right now, Georgia looks to be the most beatable of UK's remaining two foes. If the 'Cats can get a win against the Dawgs, it would not only remove any long-shot doubts of not getting invited to a bowl game, but it would actually put UK in a position to win second place in the SEC East if they were to beat both Georgia and Tennessee. Who would have imagined that?

Just a programming note about Saturday -- I will once again be at the racetrack, and I don't know if I will make it back by kickoff, but I should be there by halftime at the outside.

The news follows the jump.

John Wall Nails Game-Winner as UK Defeats Miami
You have to listen to the Charlie Coles (Miami Coach) during the press conference. The link is toward the bottom of the post. Absolutely terrific.
Pitino pushes forward - STLtoday.com
Pretty interesting article about how Pitino is coping with all the negative publicity of this last year.
From the road
Chris Diggs' observations.
Wall shows he can live up to hype | KentuckySports.com
Ghosts of Gardner-Webb hung heavy in Rupp Arena Monday night. Massive underdog Miami (Ohio), fresh off a loss to Towson, had ridden blistering three-point shooting to a 70-70 standoff with mighty Kentucky.

Nice rhetorical flair there by Mark Story, and a good article. Mark isn't my favorite, but I really like this piece.
Cats' goals extend beyond a bowl | KentuckySports.com
"We want to get out of Tennessee," Durham said. "We'll be happy with any bowl because any bowl is better than no bowl but, personally, we want to take care of business this week and next week and possibly go farther south."

I like your thinking, Brad.
The Big Blue Nation Report: Cousins Post Game Interview
When asked about his conversation with Calipari about his body language (Cal said if his body language didn't improve he was going to stay on the bench).... "That was the conversation." (Again showed off his personality here.) "Those two fouls (in the first half) brought me down. I was thinking about last game, which I shouldn't have done. I just didn't want to start it off with two bad games and being in foul trouble. But we got the win and that is all that matters."

Really nice work on the interview. Read the whole thing.
Calipari just won't foul late, will he? - CBSSports.com
Calipari's team was ahead by three points late, but rather than foul and send Miami (Ohio) to the line -- which is generally accepted as the proper way to handle the situation -- Calipari opted to let the players play, and the result was a Hayes 3-pointer that tied the score with six seconds remaining. It was the latest version of Chalmers for the tie ... Got it! -- the same sequence that cost Calipari the 2008 national title when Mario Chalmers hit a 3-pointer, forced overtime and helped Kansas to an eventual 75-68 victory.

There was a study done on this, even though the sample size was really small. The conclusion was that there is no real benefit to your chances of winning to make that foul. Via Walter's Wildcat World
Patterson: We were not going to lose | Vaught's Views
Editor's Note: Really an insightful story by Keith Taylor into just what makes Patrick Patterson special and one I think you will enjoy.
City Brights: Zennie Abraham : UCLA basketball shocked by CS Fullerton 68, Bruins 65 (2OT)
This one didn't go as well for the Bruins as it did for the 'Cats.
The Race to 2000 Wins
I love charts.
AUBURN BASKETBALL: Missouri State rallies past Tigers | montgomeryadvertiser.com | Montgomery Advertiser
AAARRGGGHH! That's two SEC West teams who have bitten the dust so far this year.
John Wall is Blue Jesus - Searching for Billy Edelin
Now you know, just in case you didn't already.
The Alphabetical, Week 12: Where 4th Down Is Not Sacrosanct - SB Nation
Nov 16, 2009 - A is for Average: Ho-hummery all around for Texas (47-14 over Baylor) Alabama (31-3 over Miss State), and Boise State (63-25). Heading into a drab week with appropriately drab results, the college football season in general continues to play in the key of ennui with largely expected results and a huge hunk of lopsided matchups. Frankly, if the thought of being alone wasn't so frightening, college football, we'd try something new. Cue Joe Jackson:

Ennui? Now there's a word you don't see out of a sportswriter every day, folks. Great read, as always.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " ATB: WonderWall
Despite the loss, Winbush will remember this game for the rest of his life. He bewildered the Kentucky players, coaches, and the Rupp Arena crowd with his 3-point shooting ability, going 8 for 10 from beyond the arc, and they were of all types, folks. Fall-aways. Off the dribble. Contested. Open. It didn’t matter to Winbush. He went into halftime having hit his first SIX, and the fans in Lexington won’t forget his name anytime soon.

Talk about a talent for understatement ...
JOHN WALL: REMEMBER THE NAME " Sho'Tyme Lifestyle and Performance blog
Wall-elujah: Freshman saves UK | KentuckySports.com
"For us to win a game when they go 15-of-26 from the three-point line, I can't believe it," UK Coach John Calipari said. "We talked at halftime, if we lose, don't let it be from three."

Yet it almost was ...
Sports Illustrated ranks Louisville 17th, highlights Pitino/Calipari rivalry - Card Chronicle
SI tabs Louisville as the 17th best team in the country and highlights Edgar Sosa in its preview of the Cards. Grant Wahl also pens a feature on John Calipari coming to Kentucky and his icy relationship with "the state's other big ego," Rick Pitino.

Interesting stuff. Be sure to read the links. Here's a taste from "The Very Best of Enemies:"

"To me it was Camelot," Pitino finally told him of his time in Lexington. "I coached there for eight years, and I never had a bad day on the job."
John Calipari Ranks #25 on Highest Paid List
SEC Basketball Preview: 2009-10 | College Basketball by Collegehoops.net
How did Kentucky come back? | Vaught's Views
Wall wows in opener -- thanks to final shot - Beyond the Arc - msnbc.com
"When it hit the bottom of the net, it was a relief, a great feeling," Wall said.

That goes for every Kentucky fan. The Wildcats are a work in progress (like North Carolina and a handful of other young teams), which means this won’t be the last tight game Cal’s crew has. And they won’t all turn out like this.

Indeed. UK has to improve over this game, and quickly.
State-Journal.com - Expectations of fans, players reach new level as Kentucky football continues to progress
And for all the nit-picking about some of the coaching decisions by Brooks and his staff (by the way, has any coach anywhere coached a perfect game?) – some deserved and some not – what Brooks and staff are in the process of doing is getting to a fourth straight bowl while rebuilding the team from the Andre Woodson-Wesley Woodyard bunch that played in bowls in 2006 and 2007.
For Kentucky Football, Survive and Thrive -- NCAA Football FanHouse
While No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama each play glorified scrimmages on Saturday and continue their march to the SEC Championship game next month, one of the more intriguing conference match-ups features Kentucky at Georgia. Yes, Kentucky. Football.

Nice positive piece.
" BBL: WonderWall, Tobias Harris update, Charlie Coles John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's Big Blue Links.
Brooks: Statistics don’t tell whole story about Georgia | Vaught's Views
Louisville/Arkansas Hall of Fame Showcase preview - Card Chronicle
Big game.
Rick Bozich | Pitino-Pelphrey matchup 20 years in the making | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Tonight in St.Louis, Pitino begins his ninth season as the University of Louisville coach against an Arkansas team coached by Pelphrey. It has been two decades since Pitino stomped and screamed Kentucky out of the darkness that included one season without live television coverage and two without the NCAA Tournament.

UK Football: Kentucky vs. Louisiana-Monroe Breakdown

Ken Howlett — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:41:30 -0000

Kentucky enters tonight's 7:00 EST home tilt with the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks looking to push their record over the .500 mark for the first time in a month. Coming off an inspiring 21-14 come-from-behind road victory at Auburn last weekend, UK (3-3, 1-3) figures to have confidence and momentum on their side. The Warhawks, though, aren't exactly Miami (OH). They enter tonight's Commonwealth Stadium contest at 4-2, and a league-leading 3-0 in the Sun Belt Conference.

With UK heading into a stretch of four straight games they should be favored (the 'Cats are favored tonight by 14 points), it's obviously important that the 'Cats continue to maintain focus, but for those battling the demons of complacency, a come-to-Jesus talk with a Wildcat possessing a long memory will result in a history lesson on UK's 42-40 near disastrous defeat to this same Warhawk team in 2006. Yeah, that team: Andre Woodson', Keenan Burton, Wesley Woodyard, Rafael Little, etc, etc. So, taking lightly this Sun Belt Conference member will very likely translate into a game similar to last season's nerve-rattling win over Middle Tennessee ... yet another Sun Belt Conference member.

Over the last three season's, Charlie Weatherbie, the Warhawks veteran coach, has competed very nicely with ULM's SEC opponents -- In 2007 ULM beat Alabama 21-14 (temporarily causing the state to enter into a period of mourning). And to go along with the near win at UK in 2006, last year ULM lost only 28-27 at Arkansas.

In ULM's offense, Kentucky will encounter an attack based on the spread-option ... with a twist; ULM presents the offense with lots of misdirection and motion. Rich Brooks had this to say about the unusual Warhawk offense:

"Offensively they totally mess with your mind. They false key. The pull linemen and run the ball away from where they're pulling them to. All your principles that you teach on defense are out the window in a game like this."

Adding additional question marks to the UK's defensive decision-makers is the absence of ULM starting quarterback Trey Revell. Revell injured his thumb in ULM's 16-10 victory against Arkansas State 11 days ago. He'll be replaced by redshirt freshman Cody Wells.

So without further time-wasting, here is the Warhawk team that UK must put away early:

Warhawk Offensive Personnel

Cody Wells: 6'0", 190 lb redshirt freshman quarterback -- Wells has played in only two games this season, completing seven of 13 passes for 76 yards and one touchdown. After replacing Revell in the Warhawks' game versus Arkansas State, Wells was 5-9 for 67 yards.

In the first five-and-half games of 2009, Revell orchestrated the ULM offense by throwing for 1,124 and eight touchdowns on 81-140 passing (57.9%). He's also proved to be an exceptionally talented runner, rushing 50 times for 194 yards (3.9 yards per carry), and three touchdowns. Wells played well in his relief effort last week, so he comes into Commonwealth with some confidence. He's highly mobile, which fits nicely into the offensive schemes the Warhawks employ.

Frank Goodin: 5'9", 203 lb junior running back -- The Warhawks top ball-carrier, Goodin has rushed 110 times of 558 yards (5.1 ypc), and nine touchdowns. He's also caught six passes for 48 yards (8.0 yards per reception).

Versus Florida International earlier in the year, Goodin ran 19 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns. He's a dangerous runner, possessing both speed and power.

Rodney Lovett: 5'9", 200 lb junior running back -- Lovett has carried the ball 38 times for 147 yards (3.9 ypc), and one touchdown.

Last season against Arkansas Lovett rushed 17 times for 66 yards.

Darrell McNeal: 6'0", 220 lb senior wide receiver -- McNeal has made 24 catches for 360 yards (15.0 yards per reception) and four touchdowns. He also returns punts for the Warhawks; 14 returns for 52 yards (3.7 yards per return).

McNeal has accumulated over 1,600 receiving yards in his career, and he will at times be called upon to take the direct snap out of the "Wildcat" formation. He recorded four rushing touchdowns last season out of the "Wildcat," but has yet to score on the ground this season. Earlier in the year versus Florida International, McNeal made six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns.

LaGregory Sapp: 6'3", 209 lb fifth-year senior wide receiver -- Sapp has 18 catches for 336 yards (18.7 ypr), and one touchdown.

The deep threat receiver made seven catches for 96 yards earlier this year in a game versus Florida Atlantic.

Luther Ambrose: 5'10", 175 lb sophomore wide receiver -- A triple-threat in every sense of the term, Ambrose has make 14 catches, good for 207 yards (14.8 ypr) and one touchdown, to go along with 13 carries for 121 yards (9.3 ypc) and another touchdown. Not satisfied with double-duty, Ambrose also returns kick-offs; 19 returns for 425 yards (22.4 yards per return).

In ULM's first game of the year versus then-No. 2 Texas, Ambrose recorded 207 all-purpose yards (receptions, rushes, returns). Ambrose is another weapon utilized in an unorthodox manner; UK must be ready for him to receive the ball both through the air and on the ground.

Alvin Jordan: 6'2", 253 lb junior tight end -- Jordan has made 13 catches for 100 yards (7.7 ypr), and one touchdown.

Warhawk Defensive Personnel

Cardia Jackson: 6'2", 230 lb senior linebacker -- The Warhawks leading tackler with 52 on the year (34 solo), the First Team All-Sun Belt Conference member is regarded as ULM's defensive stalwart. He's also recorded two tackles for loss, and two pass breakups.

In 2008, Jackson averaged 10.6 tackles per game, racking up 18 against Ole Miss. In 2006 versus UK, he made nine tackles.

Aaron Morgan: 6'4", 235 lb senior defensive end -- The Second Team All-Sun Belt performer has made 30 tackles (25 solo) with a team-leading 9.0 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He's also had six quarterback hurries.

This season, Morgan has two, two sack games, versus Arizona State and Texas Southern.

Darius Prelow: 6'1", 205 lb sophomore defensive back -- Prelow has made 38 tackles (31 solo), one tackle for loss, and seven pass breakups.

Josh Thomas: 6'2", 228 lb senior cornerback -- Thomas has 38 tackles (30 solo), two tackles for loss, two sacks and three pass breakups.

Thomas, who has started 30 straight games in his college career, recorded a season-high six tackles versus UK in 2006.

Troy Evans: 6'2", 252 lb sophomore defensive end -- Evans in 2009 has made 16 tackles (10 solo), four tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and three quarterback hurries.

Evans is the reigning SBC Player of the Week after forcing two fumbles late in ULM's 16-10 victory over Arkansas State 11 days ago.

Grant Clayton: 5'7", 160 lb freshman kicker -- Clayton, who handles the kick-off duties, has kicked-off 32 times, recording only one touchback, but opponents are averaging only 20.5 yards per return.

Warhawk Vitals

Louisiana-Monroe boasts the 12th ranked rush defense in the nation, allowing only 93.3 yards rushing per game ... Last week versus Arkansas State, ULM held ASU to a .9 yards per carry average ... In a 38-14 loss to Arizona State, the Warhawks held the Sun Devils to only 3.1 yards per carry ... ULM is a plus 2 on the season in turnover margin, but were a minus 3 in their loss to Arizona State ... ULM beat Texas Southern 58-0 in the seasons second game ... The Warhawks average 30.7 points per game, but give up 27.8 points ... ULM has more than doubled their opponents rush yards; 1,167 (4.6 ypc) to 560 (2.8 ypc) ... ULM converts 42% of their third down opportunities, but their opponents convert 43% ... In red zone chances, ULM has scored 83% of the time (24-29), but their opponents have scored 91% of the time (20-22) ... The Warhawks have also given up a high number of touchdowns in the red zone, 17 of 22 (77%) ... ULM is off to their best start since 1993 ... ULM quarterbacks have been sacked only five times all year ... The Warhawks have recorded a healthy 34 pass breakups.

Charlie Weatherbie

In his seventh year at Louisiana-Monroe, Weatherbie (29-44) has done what he's done twice before: Turn around a moribund football program -- As coach at Utah State, he took the Aggies to their first bowl game in 15 years. In his first season as head coach at Navy, Weatherbie went 9-3 with an Aloha Bowl win. This, coming on the heels of 15 straight losing season for the Midshipmen. He's also the first coach in Navy history to record back-to-back winning seasons --Weatherbie took over a ULM program in 1993 coming off a one win season, and in 2005 won the Sun Belt Conference championship, the Warhawks' first conference title since 1992.

Weatherby will be a formidable adversary for Rich Brooks tonight, and with the uncertainty surrounding the ULM quarterback situation, look for some out-of-the-box strategy from the cagey veteran coach.

Derrick Locke

Kentucky's top running threat is expected to play tonight. Locke, coming off an MCL strain suffered last week at Auburn, practiced lightly this week. Alfonso Smith, coming off a thumb, injury appears to be near 100%. UK will need both backs healthy in their effort to quash any confidence surges from the visiting Warhawks.

Ideally, Locke will rest in the second half of tonight's game, with Smith and Moncell Allen taking over the ball-carrying duties.

CliffsNotes Analysis

Defensively, UK must "stay home," and stay true to their assignments. ULM will use a variety of offensive sets, mixing in the spread-option with the "Wildcat." But, UK has the better athletes, and if the 'Cats attack and wrap-up the way they did last week, holding the Warhawks well below their season scoring average should be an attainable goal.

Offensively, it's the immovable object (ULM rush D) against a surging 'Cat ground attack. After posting the highest team rush total (282 yards) since Bill Curry was calling the plays, UK looks to continue its ground dominance, utilizing Randall Cobb out of the "Wildcat." But, with freshman quarterback Morgan Newton once again earning the start, look for UK to open up the passing game against a Warhawk team that allows 262.5 yards passing per game.

Fearless Prediction

Kentucky 34 ULM 17

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

The Last Time No. 1 Visited Commonwealth Stadium ...

Ken Howlett — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:44:33 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Beating Florida will get more than a yell out of UK coach Rich Brooks.

Browse more photos »

... the LSU Tigers limped back to Baton Rouge with an "L" in the column that counts. Oh, how sweet it would be to witness (Saturday) a replay of UK's epic performance against Les Miles' national championship squad. Not because I despise Gator quarterback (and choir boy) Tim Tebow, or his sometimes pompous head coach Urban "What Were His Parents Thinking?" Meyer, rather, losing to the Gators has become an unfortunate rite of passage for UK fans under the age of, well, any age actually, and it's time it stopped.

Since 1986, the last time UK beat Florida, the Gators have out-shined the 'Cats by a cumulative score of 927 - 412 -- Average score: Florida - 42, UK - 19. That's embarrassing, or at least it should be. And making matters more despicable, the futility Kentucky has suffered goes back even further, for before UK's 10 - 3 victory in '86, one has to go back to 1979 to find another good guy win, this one a 31 - 3 Wildcat victory. So, if one is slow on the uptake, what that means is UK is 2 - 28 against Florida in their last 30 meetings. Hopefully, UK is exhausted from being the nail ... it's now time for Kentucky to be the heavy hitter (apologies to Darryl Isaacs).

Couple the fact that Florida is coming off an uninspiring 23 - 13 win over the Tennessee Vols in The Swamp last Saturday, with the Gators' death-dive defeats of Sun Belt power Troy (56 - 6) and Big South bully Charleston Southern (62 - 3), question marks abound where exclamation points are usually found. In other words, no one knows yet how good the Gators are, or can be.

Not helping the Gator cause against the Vols, along with several players exhibiting flu-like symptoms, was the absence of wide receiver Deonte Thompson to a hamstring injury (he's supposed to play Saturday), a loss which further exposed the gaping hole left by the graduation of pass catcher/running back (and 'Cat killer) Percy Harvin and wide-out Louis Murphy -- Evidence: Tight end Aaron Hernandez was Florida's top receiver on Saturday, with four catches for 26 yards. Yeah, you read that right, four catches for 26 yards. Uber-defensive back Eric Berry and his fellow Vol secondary members, along the youthful Gator receivng corps, limited Tebow to only 14 - 19 passing, for 115 yards (Tebow's longest pass went for only 18 yards) and an interception. Tebow's performance broke a string of 30 straight games in which the former Heisman Trophy winner has thrown a touchdown pass.

Holy Spurrier, has the Gators offense become a one-dimensional ground attack? If Saturday's contest is any indication, they might have become just that, at least for now -- Out of 63 offensive plays, Florida ran the ball 44 times for 208 yards (4.7 yards per carry). Of course, leading the ground charge was Tebow with 76 yards on 24 carries (3.2 ypc), followed by 5'9" running back Chris Rainey, with 64 yards on only nine carries (7.1 ypc). The old adage long held by Woody Hayes, seems to hold true here -- Why throw the ball, when you can run? Why indeed?

So, is it possible the 'Cats could stack the box with eight or even nine players in an effort to bring a halt to the Gator ground game? Or is that game-plan a recipe for a disastrous night for UK defensive backs Trevard Lindley, Paul Warford, and Winston Guy; the three players I would want covering the Florida receivers if UK goes with an eight man front. We'll probably never know the answer to my question, though, because I don't expect head coach Rich Brooks or defensive coordinator Steve Brown to venture that far outside of the box (and probably rightly so).

Whatever UK's defensive game-plan might be, a concerted effort must be made to contain Tebow. He's their Peyton Manning and Tom Brady all wrapped-up in one rather large 6'3", 245 lb package. And the last time he visited Lexington he threw for a personal-best four touchdowns, on 18 of 26 passing (256 yards), in Florida's 45 - 37 win.

"Contain Tebow, yeah right." I know that's what you're thinking, sitting there drinking your breakfast drink of choice. But my friends, that's how the 'Cats beat Florida -- DeQuin Evans, Corey Peters, Micah Johnson, Sam Maxwell, Collins Ukwu and crew must not only pressure Tebow, no, pressure only brings out the best in him, instead, they must terrorize Tebow with pancake hits, and brain-rattling sacks. Force him out of his comfort zone, and then make him pay the price for traveling into our back yard, and trying to push us around. Be men, do what men do: Beat the be-jeezus out of each other.

You see, Tebow is a winner. Probably always has been, probably always will be, but winners don't win all the time. Sometimes they lose, but they don't lose of their own volition, they need some help. And UK's defense must be the unit to provide the impetus for his defeat, via their persistent smash-mouth mentality, and aggressive pursuit of the enemy. There should be no letting-up in UK's determination -- If Tebow's nose is bloodied, bloody his mouth. If his mouth is bleeding, keep attacking until his teeth fall out. Don't stop ... ever. He's the enemy, and he prances onto our turf with the mindset of beating Kentucky for the fourth straight time. This time he should be vanquished, thankful he doesn't have to visit again.

Anything less is unacceptable. This team, this school, has embarrassed UK for far too long -- 63 - 6, 73 - 17, 65 - 0, 55 - 28. It's time the Gators paid. And who better to pay the piper, than the "Golden Boy" himself?

Now, for those who are at this moment exclaiming, "Howlett wants UK to play dirty Saturday!" Don't. One of the great things about football is one can inflict great pain and punishment while following the rules of the game. Just ask Dave Ragone, circa September 1, 2002.

I feel confident in saying, we're in the midst of a sea-change in the Kentucky football program. We've seen improvement in the type of player now coming to Kentucky; we've seen improvement in UK's won-loss record; we've seen three straight bowl wins for the first time in the program's history; and we've seen victories, when losses were expected. UK has bounced back from the throes of probation, bounced back to be better than they've ever been: 25 - 16 over the last three years. But now, ripe is the fruit, ready to be picked. The next step in the evolution of Kentucky football is upon us, and that step has an orange and blue hue.

Not since 1984 ... No. 1 in the country ... Too good to be true quarterback ... A coach easy to hate ... At home -- The set-up is perfectly pristine for Kentucky to execute the heist. For this game can be stolen, but it will take a single-minded determination. A determination to destroy the enemy, and take what is ours. And if any of you guys (players) are bored enough to be reading my work; If you can't summon the strength and will to do it for yourselves, do it for Marty Moore, Pookie Jones, Billy Jack Haskins, Tim Couch, Craig Yeast, Rafael Little, Artose Pinner, Jared Lorenzen, Wesley Woodyard, Marlon McCree, Myron Pryor, Andre' Woodson, Keenan Burton, Steve Johnson, Dicky Lyons, and all the other Wildcat players unfortunate enough to be on a team not quite good enough to beat the bad guys. Okay, now back to studying game film.

My Best Prognostication

If the 'Cats keep 'em under 30 points, they have a chance to send No.1 back to the sunshine as a nice, matching, handbag/shoes combo Paris Hilton would be proud of.

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

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Rivalry Week Begins

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:26:03 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

Will Randall get loose on the Cards Saturday?

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Here we go, folks, the first day of Rivalry Week, which culminates with the Governor's Cup game in Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday. There will be lots and lots of links, commentary and stories on the big game over the next few days, and I know you are all looking forward to the game, as I am.

Make no mistake, rivalry games are never as easy as they look. I'll never forget the 2005 game where Louisville had a terrific team and UK almost managed an upset. That's just the kind of thing that can happen in this game, and at this point in time, I don't think UK is as good as Louisville was in 2005 (9-3 overall, 5-2 in the Big East), nor Louisville as bad as Kentucky was (3-8 overall, 2-6 in the SEC).

More on the big game in the news links below:

UK Basketball News

Kentucky staff commits secondary violation, and oh well - The Dagger - NCAAB - Yahoo! Sports
That's one way to look at it.
Poole moving closer to decision > Palmetto Sports Recruiting News
UK Basketball History: The Next Chapter - UK Wildcats Blog
Mid-Major Marauding with Gary Parrish - Main - The Blackburn Review
GP [Gary Parrish]: If that was going to happen, wouldn't it have happened by now? You show me a senior-laden team, and I'll show you a team that's not very talented, a team that'll get run off the court by John Calipari's freshmen. The Butlers and Sienas and George Masons can have good records, upset some people and maybe -- once every 20 years -- get to a Final Four. But it's rare. And I can't imagine one of them ever winning a national title again. Sadly, that's the truth. I don't like it. But that's the truth.

Heh.
NetsDaily Blog " Archive " The Not-So-Good Old Days of John Calipari
A sort-of review of Bounce Back by a New Jersey Nets blogger. I'm sure these insights were pretty interesting to Nets fans who remember his stint there. Lots of excerpts for those of you wanting to get a feel for the book.
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting - Kendrick sheds a little light
He would be a nice get for the 'Cats.

UK Football News

Wildcats Receiving Votes - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Yeah, a few. I don't think we have earned many yet.
Cats Look for Third Straight Win in Governor's Cup Battle - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
UK wary of overconfidence | KentuckySports.com
Overconfidence? Kentucky? In football? Talk about your non-sequiturs ...
UK's Lumpkin understands U of L's pain | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Once upon a time, Lumpkin was recruited into a UK program that was struggling to beat its in-state rival. Now that the Wildcats have taken two in a row, Lumpkin feels U of L's pain. "I understand how they feel, especially their freshmen," said Lumpkin, who added that he often coincidentally wears an opponent's colors during game week. "They're hearing how they used to beat us like that, and now it's the opposite way around. There's no telling what they're going to do. They could come in here blazing and trying to get the win."
Tom Heiser - Cards Fan | The Courier-Journal
Chris Diggs and Tom Heiser do a blogswap.
Chris Diggs - UK Fan | The Courier-Journal
The other side of the Diggs-Heiser blogswap.
" A 5-spot from the UK football luncheon John Clay’s Sidelines
Alan Cutler " Brooks Scared
After watching the kickoffs against Miami, I'm scared as well.

Other UK Sports News

None today

NCAA Sports News

SEC Football Early Lines for Week Three
SLAM ONLINE | " College Preseason Top 25: No. 1, Kansas
I think this is a spot-on preview. Kansas will be great this year.
SEC power rankings - SEC - ESPN
Chris Low has the SEC's Power Rankings here. Tennessee at #11. Tee hee. :-)
Deconstructing: The grisly demise of 'Tressel Ball' - Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports
This is another reason why I like Rich Rodriguez -- he can actually coach football, unlike Jim Tressel, apparently. This whole "spread option" thing is obviously foreign to the OSU coach, as well as basic football strategy, at least last Saturday.

Other News of Interest

A football loss all too familiar to UK | KentuckySports.com
The Bluegrass Miracle redux in Cincinnati. I feel for the Bengals.
Jurors hear coach's statement to police in trial over player's death - USATODAY.com
Kentucky Sports Radio " Blog Archive " Wesley Woodyard says, "Child Please" and Stevie will "Get Loose" tonight
Great news about UK players in the pros!

The Daily Schadenfreude

Kragthorpe, Cardinals need a rivalry reversal - Big East - ESPN
Kragthorpe has had a hard time endearing himself to Cardinals fans, and a large part of that stems from his failure to beat Kentucky in his first two years. His predecessor, Bobby Petrino, never lost to the Wildcats and often beat them soundly. But Kentucky now has the upper hand in the state, having won three straight bowl games while Louisville has stayed home the past two postseasons, and the Wildcats have gained a strong foothold on recruiting in the commonwealth.

Breathe deep the gathering schadenfreude ...

UK Football: The Linebackers

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

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

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

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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!

Big Blue Daily Mail -- All Over the Map

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:49:29 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Coach Cal wants you to be good boys and girls when the Cardinals come to town.

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I know the Big Blue Daily Mail hasn't exactly been "daily" in a while. Mostly, that is due to me working on a couple of really huge projects that take up a tremendous amount of my time, and have seriously curtailed my blogging. I promise this is not a permanent situation, but it will continue for a while yet. So for those of you who miss the daily BBDM, I promise it will return fairly soon -- hang in there. Real life often has a negative impact on my posting, but I have not lost my passion either for blogging or for the Wildcats.

With that out of the way, today's top stories will be Wildcat-related, not Pitino-related, and it will be that way (hopefully, barring some other credible revelation) forever. Coach Calipari has recently asked (without providing quotations) that UK fans be on their best behavior when Louisville comes to town for our annual basketball tilt. I hope that happens, but I don't think it's realistic,and Calipari obliquely threatening not to coach the game if fans misbehave shows the depth of his misunderstanding of the intensity of this rivalry. All I can say is, he had better have his assistant coaches ready to go.

On the football front, Rich Brooks is telling us what anyone who follows SEC football already knew -- neither Morgan Newton or Ryan Mossakowski are anywhere near ready to take on the job of being a starting quarterback in hte SEC, even at Kentucky. Both these guys will eventually be very good, but this year, I don't expect to see much of them.

Top News

'Great summer' brings Meeks back to Kentucky
Jodie will be signing some autographs this weekend: Meanwhile, Meeks returns to Kentucky this weekend to sign autographs in Paintsville on Friday (Brown's Ford, 4:30-6 p.m.). Then he will be in Pikeville (Wal-Mart, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Pikeville High School, 6-7:30 p.m.) and Hindman (Sports Complex 2-3:30 p.m.) on Saturday. He will be in Lexington's Fayette Mall on Sunday at John Millards Art Gallery, 2-4 p.m.
Ex-UK star Issel files for bankruptcy | KentuckySports.com
Tough times for a UK great. Seems like tough times all around, I guess.
ZAGSBLOG " Boyle Confirms Indy, Duke Lead for Irving
Confirmation from Irving's coach that Duke is the leader for Kyrie Irving. Plus, Andre Dawkins will somehow suit up for Duke this year, despite being a 2010 recruit.

UK Basketball News

Calipari asks the media to leave him off the hook about Pitino's infidelity.
UK media relations asked the media to not ask Calipari about the Rick Pitino situation, per the coach's request. I guess I don't blame him. I don't think any good could come from him weighing in on the situation. There are lots of other nice tidbits in here, too.
Danny Jett's Inner Circle: The Immortals: UK's 25 'Legends' #14
Keith Bogans is a legend at A Sea of Blue, and his name is an integral part of the creation of this blog.
Top non-conference games to watch in 2009-10 - CBK News - FOX Sports on MSN
The Loathsome Troll Jeff Goodman gives us a pretty good list.
The Big Blue Nation Report: Calipari is... Boring?
Heh.
Bluegrass State Basketball: John Clay Chats About His Job, UK and Calipari
Definitely worth your time to read.
Cats getting some pre-season love nationally
Indeed.
Rupp Arena: Simply the best
Heh. Guess Gary Parrish was right about that.
One on One with Jodie Meeks
Really nice Q & A with Jodie Meeks, plus some footage of him playing this summer.
Cousins ‘embracing’ competition

UK Football news

Georgia high school a pipeline for Cats | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Wesley Woodyard and Braxton Kelley are the gifts that keep on giving.
SEC revises media policy - Sports - Kentucky.com
Not very much, though.
Cats LB Thurmond back in action after three surgeries
Great news for UK, and for the young man. I really hope he can make it all the way back and play.
A troubled past won't dim rookie Johnny Williams' future
UK linebacker Johnny Williams is lucky to be alive, and he is intent on making the most of it.
Thursday post-practice comments from Brooks, Phillips
Via Tom Leach.
ESPN.com's Preseason All American Team: Ivan Maisel
Trevard Lindley named first team All-American.
"Rich Tradition" book signing events
Don't miss this at Tom Leach's blog.
Video interview with Joker Phillips after Thursday's practice
As always, a must-watch from Tom Leach.

Other UK Sports news

NCAA Sports News

Ranking the SEC Coaches: Who Passes the Road Trip Test? - Arkansas Expats
High-larious. Literally.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " Buzz: Duke Adds Andre Dawkins
Duke getting better. I sure hope we get a shot at them!
H1N1 strikes Duke football.
Duke coach David Cutcliffe announced on Friday that nearly half of his 99-player roster has been treated for symptoms believed to be the H1N1 virus, exposing a problem football programs around the country could face this season.

Wow. I hope everyone will be okay. Scary. Very scary.
Auburn names Todd starting quarterback - College Football - Kentucky.com
Wow, an E-town grad as QB for the Auburn Tigers. War Eagle, Kentucky boy!

Other News of Interest

Michael Phelps uninjured after two-car accident; police say other driver at fault - ESPN
Michael Phelps just can't stay out of the news. I wonder if the old axiom, "Any press is good press" applies to his situation?
Pence: Sypher's forced abortion story "a fabrication"
Heh. U of L is in no position to preach about abortions. There is one clinic in the city that performs abortions, and both doctors on the staff are faculty members of U of L medical school. Crawford is making sense here, I think.
Eric Crawford gets emails ...
... and more emails ...
... and still more emails.
Sypher says husband was paid to marry her
Weirder and weirder.

The Daily Schadenfreude

U of L fan sees UK conspiracy in Pitino affair.
Your paper's slant only throws gasoline onto the fiery rumor that Coach Pitino's seductress was an instrument of entrapment perpetrated by UK alums who are disgruntled over his coming to U of L.

Heh. This was linked earlier, but I just had to put this in the Daily Schadenfreude. It is much too rich just to sit in a FanShot. Those UK alums are just so ... devious! They really should apply for work with the CIA -- we need agents that can arrange affairs like this so we can spy on our enemies using blackmail.
Pitino should leave and take Jurich with him
That's forgiveness for ya.

SB Nation - Wesley Woodyard

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Close Call Edition

UK Football: Kentucky vs. Louisiana-Monroe Breakdown

The Last Time No. 1 Visited Commonwealth Stadium ...

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Rivalry Week Begins

Top Stories

UK Basketball News

UK Football News

Other UK Sports News

NCAA Sports News

Other News of Interest

The Daily Schadenfreude

UK Football: The Linebackers

Big Blue Daily Mail -- All Over the Map

Top News

UK Basketball News

UK Football news

Other UK Sports news

NCAA Sports News

Other News of Interest

The Daily Schadenfreude