SB Nation - Jacob Tamme

Week Five Preview: #3 Alabama at Kentucky

outsidethesidelines — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:15:10 -0000

2 months ago: Kentucky coach Rich Brooks looks on during the second half of their NCAA college football game against Florida in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

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Almost a year to the day after earning an ugly, 17-14 win over Kentucky in Tuscaloosa, the Tide now takes the return trip to Lexington for the re-match. Historically Alabama has dominated this series, putting it mildly, and the Tide is once again a heavy favorite as we go into Lexington. Of course, though, the Kentucky program under Rich Brooks is a far better one than the Tide has historically faced when going up against the Wildcats, and conference wins rarely come easy. Kentucky is a formidable foe in their own right, and they present the Alabama coaching staff plenty of challenges. Let's take a closer look at the match-ups.

Alabama Offense v. Kentucky Defense

Despite being a general juggernaut throughout the first four games of the season -- averaging over 35 points and about 500 yards of total offense per game -- the Alabama offense did encounter its first real problems of the season last week against Arkansas, as the Hogs were able to shut down the Tide's running game. Thankfully we still scored a lot of points because we had three long touchdowns, plus one short drive created by Lorenzo Washington's blocked punt, but the chink in the armor was nevertheless somewhat revealed. Simply put, the Hogs had a big, physical defensive front seven, they committed the resources necessary to stop the run, and we simply could not do much with it.

And in all fairness to Kentucky, the Wildcats do have a fine defense. Oddly enough, after spending years of having a prolific offense mixed with a defense that couldn't stop anyone, Kentucky now sports a fine defense, and it will easily be one of the best defenses we face all season. It's just a good group, top-to-bottom, with good coaching and a couple of legitimate star players to boot.

The defensive front seven, much like last week against Arkansas, does present some major issues simply because they are big and physical. The front four averages around 270 pounds, with a couple of 300 pound players in Corey Peters and Ricky Lumpkin anchoring the interior defensive line. The defensive ends are about as big as you will find for legitimate 4-3 teams, and the linebacker corps is big even by 3-4 standards. As a whole the corps averages around 240 pounds, while standout Micah Johnson comes in at around 260 pounds and Sam Maxwell is nearly as big. Bottom line, just like Arkansas a week ago, this is a very big, physical defensive front seven, and that will probably give us a lot of issues up front.

In particular, don't sleep on Micah Johnson. He is probably the best defensive player in the SEC you've never heard of, and it's only because he isn't playing for a high-profile program. He was a five-star recruit out of high school that could have legitimately gone to any school in the country, and he's practically been a standout player since first setting foot on campus. Truth be told, he's every bit as good as Rolando McClain or Brandon Spikes, and he will play on Sunday one day very soon. He can make a very big impact on a game, and we'll have to do all we can to limit his effectiveness. If he played for a high-profile program like Alabama or Florida, everyone in the country would know his name.

The biggest concern, though, that this defense poses as a whole is their ability to play the pass. Arkansas was big and physical in the front seven, but they couldn't rush the passer effectively, nor did their defensive backs cover well in space. Perhaps not too surprisingly, then, the Hogs shut down the running game with ease, but were torched in the passing game by Greg McElroy and company. Kentucky, on the other hand, faces no such limitation. Kentucky is big and physical in the front seven, but they can also effectively rush the passer, and they also have a fine defensive backfield to boot. Simply put, that's a big problem for 'Bama.

The pass rush itself is probably one of the best in the conference. The off-season loss of Jeremy Jarmon -- Jarmon tested positive for a banned supplement, lost a year of eligibility, and entered the NFL Supplemental Draft -- was a big one for the 'Cats, but the pass rush hasn't exactly struggled in his absence. Junior college transfer DeQuin Evans has played well in his place, and Collins Ukwu has been a force at times as well. Moreover, freshman Taylor Windham brings a lot of speed off the edge and he has already proven that he can rush the passer well (see the knockout blow on Tim Tebow last weekend). The Kentucky defense has racked up seven sacks this year on 79 passing attempts, so they have already showcased an ability to get after the quarterback.

That's bad enough for the Alabama offense, but making matters worse is the strength of the Kentucky defensive backfield. Cornerback Trevard Lindley is easily the cornerback in the SEC, and he will be a first round draft pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He's an impact player who opposing teams generally loathe throwing against, but unfortunately the rest of the Kentucky defensive backfield is a solid group as well. Paul Warford normally starts opposite Lindley at cornerback, but he is missing the Alabama game with an injury, and Randall Burden will play in his place. The good news for Kentucky is that Burden seems like a solid option, and if nothing else he can really dance. Likewise, Winston Guy and Calvin Harrison really aren't game-changers at safety, but both are decent players at this stage who can get the job done.

All in all, the Kentucky defense is a fine one, and they present a lot of problems for the Alabama offense. They are big and physical enough to stop the run, and once they stop the run, you have to throw the football successfully, and to that end they can rush the passer and cover in the defensive backfield. Again, it's a fine unit, and if they can stay healthy it's perhaps the best defense the Tide will face all year. Objectively speaking, points ought to be hard to come by.

Alabama Defense v. Kentucky Offense

Remember earlier when I talked about how Kentucky used to be a team with a prolific offense and a laughable defense? Well, now the roles have entirely reversed, and its the offense that suddenly cannot get out of its own way. The Wildcats finished 87th in the country last year in scoring offense, and if the early returns are any indicator this offense is likely to much more closely resemble the 2008 offense than it does either the 2006 or 2007 units.

The biggest problem that this offense faces is simply that they don't have a lot of high-end players, particularly at the skill positions. At quarterback, Mike Hartline is a big, tall quarterback with decent mobility, but that is generally where his positive attributes end. He can put up a good completion percentage when throwing a lot of dink and dunk routes, but he doesn't have the arm you would probably imagine given his frame, nor is he overly accurate. On the whole, most of the time he's just an average-at-best passer.

Likewise, there are really no true game-changers at the skill positions. Randall Cobb, the former quarterback, is really the only true playmaker on the outside, and in general Kentucky does absolutely everything in their power to get the ball in his hands (including putting Cobb in the Wildcat). Aside from Cobb, though, there is just really nothing of note on the outside. Chris Matthews and Matt Roark are both very big targets (at around 6'5), but neither are particularly athletic and they have struggled to get separation. Kyrus Lanxter has been slowed by injuries, and while T.C. Drake is a decent tight end, he's probably not as good as Jacob Tamme was back when the Wildcats could really light up the scoreboard. Truth be told, outside of Cobb, their best receiver is likely the speedy Derrick Locke, a tailback, coming out of the backfield.

And speaking of tailbacks, Kentucky has a decent group there that generally features a mix of size and speed. Derrick Locke is the speedster of the group, and he is one of the quickest backs in the SEC. Physically he is almost a clone of Arkansas' Michael Smith, and he brings to the table the same strengths and weaknesses. The Wildcats, however, do have some physical backs that they use to run inside, so they can attack you in more ways than one. Both Alfonso Smith and Moncell Allen are physical tailbacks well over 200 pounds that can pound the interior running game. Likewise, fullback John Conner -- not related to this guy -- is a legitimate threat at fullback as a runner, receiver, and blocker.

The biggest strength of this offense is clearly at the point of attack with the offensive line. This is the most experienced offensive line in the SEC, and they start four seniors. Left tackle Zipp Duncan and right tackle Justin Jeffries are probably the best two players of the group, but the interior linemen aren't exactly shabby in their own right. It's not a unit featuring any true standout players, per se, but it's a capable group. They aren't mashers in the running game, mind you, but they do generally do a good job of protecting the quarterback. Kentucky quarterbacks have only been sacked three times this year on roughly 90 passing attempts, so these guys can clearly get the job done in pass protection.

All in all, though, again, this Kentucky offense just isn't very good. There simply aren't enough playmakers at the skill positions, and the quarterback isn't a standout player either. The offensive line is a solid group, as are the tailbacks, but they don't do enough in their own right to be able to overcome all of the shortcomings everywhere else that would allow Kentucky to truly light up the scoreboard.

As a whole, you really have to feel confident about how the Alabama defense looks to match up here. Kentucky is a physical team that likes to run the football, but even with the absence of Dont'a Hightower, it's hard to see this team having very much success against the Alabama defense on the ground. Likewise, while the Tide may struggle a bit to get to the passer, it's hard to see Kentucky having a lot of success in the passing game considering they lack quality depth at wide receiver or a consistently effective passing quarterback.

Putting It All Together

In the grand scheme of things, you really have to like the Tide's chances of winning this game. I think it's clear that we are the better team here, and there is a legitimate reason that we are favored going into this game.

On the other hand, though, Kentucky is no pushover. They may struggle offensively, but this is a good football team, and I personally think that Rich Brooks is easily one of the most underrated coaches of his generation. These guys have made three straight bowl games, and they will likely make a fourth straight in 2009. Likewise, after getting embarrassed by Florida, expect this Kentucky team to show up Saturday morning in Lexington like they just ate nails for breakfast. They'll be ready to play a long, physical contest, rest assured of that.

The good news is that the Kentucky offense ought to have very little success in terms of point production, unless we really give them some cheap points via turnovers and special teams breakdowns (speaking of which, Locke had a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown against Louisville). That said, unless we can really improve in terms of run blocking, the Kentucky defense may very well shut our offense down as well, and we could be in for another long, ugly, low-scoring game much like we had a year ago. Those who think that the Tide is simply going to walk into Lexington and come away with an easy win are probably in for a rude awakening come Saturday. Unless we suddenly play a lot better up front, or Kentucky decides to beat itself for the second week in a row, this is a game that is likely to be close going into the latter stages of the contest.

Hope for the best.

UK Quarterbacks and Receivers: Past, Present, and Future

Ken Howlett — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:08:46 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

Hartline to Cobb -- Salad days, indeed.

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Kentucky's impressive 42-0 football victory over Miami on Saturday began to at least answer a couple of "elephant in the room" questions related to the potential success of the 2009 football Wildcats: Will Mike Hartline be better, and will Derrick Locke be as good?

A firm, yet cautious "yes," is how I answer to both. Hartline was obviously more confident, more accurate, and less hesitant than last year, and Locke was the same power+speed machine he was before his knee injury. Both terrific signs for the fortunes of UK football in '09.

And since we haven't delved into either the quarterback or running back positions in our preseason previews thus far, let's take a look at what UK has to offer from those spots in 2009:

The Quarterbacks

Mike Hartline -- 6'6", 206 lb junior: In 2008, Hartline threw for 1,666 yards, completing 172 of 311 passes (51.3%), throwing for nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Ohio native started 9 of UK's 13 games -- Kentucky's first eight games, then after a Randall Cobb injury, the Liberty Bowl. UK has posted a 7-3 mark (including Saturday's win) in Hartline's 10 career starts.

Versus Miami on Saturday, Hartline posted outstanding numbers -- 18-27 passing (66.7% completion rate), 222 yards, and two touchdowns. Just as important, zero turnovers. Clearly, Mike Hartline has played his best two games as a Wildcat, in his last two games: Versus ECU in the Liberty Bowl, he was 19-31 (61.3% completion rate) for 204 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Combined, in his last two games, Hartline has thrown for 426 yards on 37-58 passing (63.8% completion rate), three touchdowns and one pick. Not bad at all. Sure, his seemingly rapid improvement has come against non-SEC opponents, but when judged against what he accomplished last season in the pre-conference schedule, his two most recent games have provided Rich Brooks with far superior results.

A large part of Hartline's improvement has been due to the upgrade he's enjoyed at the receiver spot. With the addition of Chris Matthews to a receiver corps already boasting Randall Cobb, Hartline now has two targets, at least similar in talent, to Andre' Woodson's collection of Mr. GoodHands -- Keenan Burton, Steve Johnson, Dicky Lyons, Jacob Tamme, and Rafael Little. And with the demonstrated ability of tight ends T. C. Drake, Ross Bogue, and Maurice Grinter to catch and run, along with the danger a now-healthy Derrick Locke poses as a pass catcher, Hartline finally has a group of receivers who make the grab, and know what to do next.

Hartline also showed on Saturday that he can pinpoint a pass longer than 10 yards (a concern of many) -- His two fades to Cobb and Matthews in the second quarter were both perfectly thrown, and they were both over 20 yards. Hartline's passes, both long and short, were "zipped" and on-target, with but a few exceptions.

So, what are the possibilities? -- Well, with the addition of Matthews at the receiver spot (as well as the tight ends and the now-experienced backup receivers), combined with Hartline's new found confidence, arm strength, and accuracy, it would not come as a surprise if Hartline were to ultimately make a Bob Beamon-like leap from 11 touchdown passes (in 2008) to the mid-20's or higher this season. That would be HUGE for this Kentucky football team, and could quite possibly result in the 'Cats challenging to win 8-9 (dare I say 10?) games.

Will Fidler -- 6'4", 229 lb junior: The Henderson County alum has played in four career games before this season. He has completed three of four pass attempts, for 26 yards. Fidler's incredible high school career ranks him fourth in Kentucky high school football history with 9,395 yards passing. He threw for 92 touchdowns in his career, 45 of those in his junior season alone.

It was good to see Fidler get some time on the field Saturday. He responded by going 2-3 for 21 yards. If one were ever worried about Fidler's arm strength, worry no more. He was throwin' fastballs! It's always comforting to know that if the starter goes down with an injury, his replacement can throw the ball.

"Wildcat" Randall Cobb -- 5'11", 188 lb sophomore: Last season Cobb threw for 542 yards and two touchdowns on 52-99 passing (52.5% completion rate). He also threw five interceptions. Cobb rushed for 316 yards on 79 carries (4.0 ypc), almost exclusively from the quarterback spot.

On Saturday, Cobb rushed the ball once, scoring the easiest 11 yard touchdown in the history of UK football.

That's about all we saw of the "Wildcat" formation on Saturday (other than a couple of handoffs). So possibilities are what we're left with. And I think we'll find, over the course of the season, the possibilities afforded UK out of the formation will be endless.

I applaud coach Brooks and Joker Phillips for wisely opting not to reveal too much of the "Wildcat" package, especially in a game versus a MAC opponent. Keep in mind, though, the same mantra may be in effect in UK's next outing versus U of L, but as the season rolls along toward relevance, it will be great fun to witness the evolution of UK's newest offensive wrinkle.

Ryan Mossakowski -- 6'4", 208 lb freshman: Coming out of high school in Centennial, Texas, Mossakowski was named an All-America by SuperPreps and PrepStar. For his career (cut short by a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder his senior year) Mossakowski threw for 7,433 yards and 51 touchdowns. He also contributed on the ground with 799 rushing yards and an additional 20 touchdowns (from the quarterback position). Although Mossakowski is considered to have one of the strongest arms among the nation's freshmen signal-callers, his 64.7% completion rate his junior year seems to indicate the young man is quite accurate, also.

Mossakowski is a serious redshirt possibility. Couple his frosh status with his arm injury (which he has recovered from), and "redshirt" quickly comes to mind.

Morgan Newton -- 6'4", 217 lb freshman: Newton, Indiana's 5A Mr. Football, was named an All-America by a litany of publications -- Parade, SuperPrep, The Sporting News, MaxPreps, and ESPN/Rise Magazine. He also picked up Gatorade Indiana Football Player of the Year honors. Newton was rated the No. 6 quarterback prospect by Scout.com. In his storied high school career, Newton threw for 4,284 yards and 37 touchdowns, to go along with 2,617 yards rushing and another 37 touchdowns on the ground. In his senior year alone, Newton accounted for 3,602 yards of total offense, and 48 touchdowns for Carmel High School -- He threw for 1,938 yards (22 touchdowns) and rushed for 1,664 (26 touchdowns). Newton led his team to the 5A championship game two years in a row; winning in his junior year, and losing (late in the game), his senior season.

Coach Brooks has intimated in recent weeks that he is open to the possibility of redshirting both Mossakowski and Newton. Frankly, if Hartline continues to play well, I see no reason for either quarterback to waste a season of eligibility.

The Running Backs

Derrick Locke -- 5'9", 190 lb junior: The Hugo, Oklahoma native has played in 19 games (going into this year); he's rushed for 824 yards on 157 carries (5.2 yards per carry), and six touchdowns. He's also caught 30 passes out of the backfield, good for 281 yards (9.4 yards per reception) and one touchdown. Locke has also been adept at returning kick-offs -- 16 returns for 430 yards (26.9 yards per return) and a touchdown. In 2008, a season cut short by a torn ACL, Locke contributed 303 rushing yards on 63 carries (4.8 ypc), and one touchdown. From the air, Locke caught 23 passes for 195 yards (8.5 ypr) and a touchdown. He also excelled on special teams by returning 11 kick-offs for 314 yards (28.5 ypr), and one electric return for six versus Western Kentucky (Locke is only the fifth Wildcat to return a kick 100 yards for a touchdown).

Versus Miami, Locke rushed eight times for 61 yards (7.6 ypc), and a touchdown, moreover, he convinced me that he hasn't lost any of his power or speed after suffering his knee injury last year. For someone who was reportedly out of shape, Locke sure shook, rattled, and rolled his way through the RedHawk defense. I realize Miami, OH isn't Georgia or Florida, but he looked like the old Derrick and ...

... quite simply, if Derrick's healthy, he's the No. 1 back.

Alfonso Smith -- 6'1", 208 lb senior: Smith, out of Louisville's Waggener High School, has played in 36 career games, rushing for 712 yards on 155 carries (4.6 ypc) and six touchdowns. He's also recorded 29 catches for 322 yards (11.1 ypr) and two touchdowns. The speedy Smith has proved to be a very capable kick return man; he's returned eight kick-offs for 182 yards (22.8 ypr). In 2008, Smith rushed for 313 yards on 74 carries (4.2 ypc) and two touchdowns, he also caught 16 passes for 204 yards (12.8 ypr) and one touchdown. He returned five kick-offs for 114 yards (22.8 ypr). Smith ran for a career long 38 yard run against ECU in the Liberty Bowl.

Against Miami on Saturday, Smith ran for 36 yards on 7 carries (5.1 ypc). He's an extremely talented back, but unseating Locke as the teams best back will be a tall task, probably a bit too tall. But, Smith has proved to be elusive and fast, as well as affective catching the ball out of the backfield. He'll get his share, and if Locke struggles, he'll get more.

Moncell Allen -- 5'7", 225 lb junior: In 25 career games Allen has rushed for 241 yards on 49 carries (4.9 ypc), and one touchdown. He's also caught seven passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. In 2008, Allen played in 12 games, rushing for 202 yards on 38 carries (5.3 ypc) and one touchdown. New Orleans' second favorite son (behind Dicky Lyons, Jr.) also corralled five passes for 39 yards (7.8 ypr) and one touchdown.

"The Turtle" rushed eight times for 57 yards (7.1 ypc) and a touchdown on Saturday. Allen continues to impress, and is seriously challenging for carries.

John Conner -- 5'11", 240 lb senior: Conner has played in 42 career games, carrying 23 times for 89 yards (3.9 ypc). The sure-handed fullback has caught 20 passes for 147 yards (7.3 ypr) and three touchdowns. In 2008, Conner produced 15 carries for 47 yards (3.1 ypc), and snagged 11 passes for 89 yards (8.1 ypr).

Conner's is evidently not recovered from his injury, and did not play Saturday (Maurice Grinter filled-in at the fullback spot). Conner is an important part of the UK offense, both as a blocker, and goal-line ball carrier. He's also pretty handy catching passes out of the backfield. Kentucky needs him healthy.

A. J. Nance -- 5'11", 256 lb senior: Last season (and for his career), Nance has rushed three times for 18 yards (6.0 ypc).

Nance, on Saturday ran the ball once, for four yards. The Knoxville native supplies UK with depth at the fullback spot.

CoShik Williams -- 5'9", 180 lb redshirt freshman: The Hiram, Georgia product had a tremendous spring. A spring in which he showed himself to be a major contender for second on the depth chart at the running back position (remember, Locke was hurt). He affirmed the coach's feelings in the two major scrimmages this fall, where Williams ran for a combined 140 yards on 29 carries, and one touchdown. His only problem being -- Holding on to the football (not a good problem to have as a freshman). In high school, Williams rushed for over 2,600 yards in his junior and senior seasons (combined); this despite him missing four games his senior year. Williams was also a track star, competing in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, as well as the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. He reached the Georgia high school state track meet championships all four years of high school.

Saturday versus Miami, Williams rushed a team-high 10 times for 39 yards (3.9 ypc). He'll get some work this year, more if there are injuries, and he conquers his "droppsies."

Donald Russell -- 5'11", 205 lb true freshman: Russell was named one of the Top 50 running backs in the nation by Rivals.com. His senior year, the Florida native rushed for 893 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a junior he ran for 932 yards and nine touchdowns. He's been clocked at 10.7 in the 100 meters.

Versus Miami, Russell ran seven times for 31 yards (4.3 ypc). He's quick, that's for certain, but Russell and Williams have a log-jam of talent in front of them. Seeing playing time once the SEC slate begins will be difficult, but they do supply much needed depth to the running back position, especially important considering Locke's injury history.

A Plea for Coach Brooks

Those that have read A Sea of Blue on a regular basis for more than a few months, know that I hold Rich Brooks in very high esteem. I think the job he's done at UK is to commended, heck, if I were in charge I would rename the football field "Rich Brooks Field" (that would give him two football fields named after him).

BUT, I do wish that he would reconsider using Randall Cobb as a kick returner. I know Cobb is special with the ball in his hands, but I feel the risk involved far outweighs the benefits. Plus, there are several highly capable return men available-- Defensive back Winston Guy is ridiculously fast and did a fine job late last year returning kicks. Wide out Gene McCaskill is equally fast, and has some return experience. Another receiver, Eric Adeyemi is very fast and dangerous in the open field. Derrick Locke is a great return man, but his knee injury would keep me from allowing him to return kicks.

It honestly scares me to see Cobb settling-in under a kick. The thought of knees buckling, and ankles twisting haunt my optimistic nature. Papa, I won't preach any longer, if you'll only take this matter under advisement.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

UK Football: The Secondary

Ken Howlett — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:20:41 -0000

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Happy to have Lindley back.

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The return of all-world cornerback Trevard Lindley to the Kentucky defensive secondary ranks as perhaps the top football story of 2009 for UK football backers. When it was announced in the spring that Lindley was going to test the NFL draft waters, my thought was, "Well, he's gone." Well, wrong. And thankfully so.

Not in the recent annals of UK football history has a player been so decorated, so respected at his position, as Trevard Lindley. Since his freshmen year, when he was named a freshman All-America, Lindley's performance on the field has garnered enough awards and accolades to make Tim Tebow blush. But, Lindley's UK legacy doesn't end there, though -- He has the great distinction of being the only current Wildcat who has started every game since the death of "Old UK" back in ...

... 2006: Andre' Woodson emerged from the shadows of Shane Boyd, as a steely-eyed dart throwing machine, resulting in UK winning eight games for the first time since winning nine in 1984. Starting at cornerback, Trevard Lindley.
In 2007, UK once again led by Andre Woodson, won eight contests, also winning their second straight bowl game, a feat not accomplished in Lexington since the 1950-1951 seasons. Starting at cornerback, Trevard Lindley.
And in 2008, after Woodson, Keenan Burton, Stevie Johnson, Jacob Tamme, and Rafael Little all had departed for the pro ranks, UK still found a way to win seven games, and a program first, third straight bowl victory. And they did it with a lot of bad luck (a mountain of major injuries), a little defense, some good luck (Arkansas), and Trevard Lindley at cornerback.

He's one of the few common threads connecting the previous three UK teams; now he's the only regular contributor to the '06 team still pounding the turf at Commonwealth. He's made Kentucky better, not only with his great skill level, but Lindley has proved to be a supernova when UK has needed to shine the brightest:

In '06, Lindley's freshman year, he intercepted Georgia's Matt Stafford inside the final minute sealing UK's first victory over the Dogs since 1996.
Also in '06, against Clemson in the Music City Bowl, Lindley had an interception and fumble recovery in the 'Cats first bowl victory since 1984.
In '07 versus U of L, on the first play of the game (how sweet), he intercepted a Brian Bohm pass and returned it 33-yards, setting up a UK touchdown. He set the tone for the 'Cats that day, a day UK upset the ninth-rated Cards.
Also in '07, in a thrilling game against Arkansas, Lindley sparked a UK comeback with a 66-yard fumble return for a touchdown. It was the week after the U of L win, and fans were wanting affirmation. And affirmation they received.
And again in '07, versus LSU, in perhaps the most monumental display of drawing a bead on the quarterback's read in the history of college football, Lindley intercepted an LSU pass which set up the game-tying field goal in the fourth quarter.
Not satisfied, Lindley again in 2007 versus Tennessee, intercepted a pass late in the game, sending the epic contest into its first overtime.
In the 2007 Music City Bowl, for the second year in a row, Lindley shone bright in the Nashville sky: He caused a fumble, and recorded three pass break-ups.
Last season against Louisville, for the second year in a row, Lindley played "hugemongous" (a common theme?): He intercepted a Hunter Cantwell pass, and returned it 24 yards to the U of L two-yard line, in yet another UK victory over the evil Cards.

Considering Lindley's consistently excellent play, it is no shock that this season Trevard Lindley's name appears on every ballot except U. S. Senate: Chuck Bednarik Award (nations best defensive player), Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nations best defensive player), and the Jim Thorpe Award (nations best defensive back). He was voted preseason First Team All-SEC, and preseason Second Team All-America. Not one to rest on his laurels, in 2009 Lindley will be expected to ...

.. lead UK's mixture of experience and youth in the Wildcat secondary. It's a talented group of players, but Big Blue lost some good ones to graduation -- Safety Marcus McClinton (50 tackles, four interceptions, four pass deflections, and a ton of experience), cornerback David Jones (34 tackles, one interception, five pass break-ups and six deflections), cornerback Robbie McAtee (33 tackles, one sack, one interception, three pass break-ups, and four pass deflections, he also recovered an SEC-best three fumbles), and utility-man Shomari Moore (28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, three pass break-ups, four pass deflections).

That's 145 tackles, 11 pass deflections and break-ups, and three interceptions, but most importantly, over 100 games of combined experience. Can Kentucky upgrade their pass defense after losing so much? Here are the guys who will determine the answer to that question:

The Starters

Trevard Lindley -- 6'0", 179 lb senior cornerback: For his career Lindley has accounted for 158 tackles (116 solo tackles), 3.5-tackles for loss, and nine interceptions. In 2008, Lindley led the SEC in Passes Defended with 11 pass break-ups, and four interceptions. He also recorded 39 tackles, and 15 pass deflections. He was voted UK's Team MVP by the players in 2008.

Let's keep this one simple, stupid: Possibly the best cover-corner in UK history.

Paul Warford -- 5'10", 200 lb junior cornerback: Warford redshirted the '08 season after being declared academically ineligible. But, after taking care of business in the classroom in '08, Warford has returned to the field without skipping a beat. In his last season of action (2007), Warford was second on the team with nine pass break-ups, and posted a career-high seven tackles versus LSU, a game in which he broke his collarbone late in the contest. He runs a 4.4 40-yard dash.

Warford is moving up from his safety position to give UK some experience at the cornerback spot opposite Lindley. He is a physical player who likes to hit, and does a great job in run defense-support.

Calvin Harrison -- 6'1", 211 lb senior strong safety: Harrison has played behind the departed Marcus McClinton for the last three years. He has played in 35 games, with six starts to his credit. Harrison has recorded 80 career tackles. In '08, he posted 32 tackles, and one tackle for loss. In a huge Liberty Bowl game, he had five tackles and two pass break-ups. He started and performed well against Tennessee and Alabama last season.

Harrison provides invaluable experience to UK's secondary. He, along with Lindley and Warford, allow UK to boast one of the most experienced, accomplished pass defenses in the SEC.

Winston Guy -- 6'1", 208 sophomore free safety: The Lexington Catholic product played in 13 games as a true freshman last year. He performed mainly with the special teams unit, taking over the kick return duties after Derrick Locke was injured. He responded with 10 returns for 291 yards (29.1 average), and also set a Kentucky record for longest return without scoring a touchdown, with his 96-yard kick return versus Georgia. From the free safety spot he recorded 11 tackles. He was rated a top-30 safety prospect in the nation by Rivals, and the No. 12 safety in the nation by Scout coming out of high school.

Guy brings incredible speed (4.35 40-yard dash), and refined anticipation skills to UK's secondary. He is a star-in-waiting, and a quarterback nightmare beginning September 5.

The Backups

Martavious Neloms -- 6'1", 180 lb true freshman cornerback: The Tennessee native will be backing-up Lindley. He was First Team All-State in Class 4A, and only began playing football his junior year at Fairley High School in Memphis. Despite that, he was rated the No. 30 prospect in in Tennessee by Rivals.

The fact that Neloms has played organized football for only four years, yet has accomplished what he has, is truly astounding. The ceiling is obviously very high for Neloms, and so far he's not given anyone any reasons to doubt his ever-improving ability.

Randall Burden -- 6'0", 270 lb sophomore cornerback: The LaGrange, Georgia native will be backing-up Paul Warford, and may also see the field as the fifth secondary member in UK's nickel package. He had a very strong spring, which followed a solid performance in the Liberty Bowl (two pass break-ups, and one tackle). In '08 Burden appeared in 12 games, contributing four tackles.

The coaches say Burden gets better every day. His attitude, work ethic, and talent will ensure he sees plenty of reps in '09.

Matt Lentz -- 6'3", 218 lb sophomore strong safety: The former quarterback will back-up Calvin Harrison. In '08, Lentz played in 13 games, starting five. He produced 24 tackles, and an interception versus Louisville. He recorded a career-high seven tackles versus Arkansas. He runs a 4.55 40-yard dash.

Lentz performed exceptionally well last year, especially considering the radical position switch he endured. He brings a combination of size and speed to UK's secondary, and like Burden, he'll see a lot of game-action in '09.

Taiedo Smith -- 6'0", 185 lb sophomore free safety: Smith will back-up Winston Guy. He began last season playing cornerback, but in an effort to get him on the field the coaches moved him to free safety. He played seven games, earning the start against Georgia. He had three tackles and a pass break-up in the win over Mississippi State.

Another young, talented performer, Smith will share back-up duties to Guy with Ashton Cobb (see below).

Ashton Cobb -- 6'0", 215 lb senior free safety: In '08 Cobb played in 11 games, with six starts. He recorded 37 tackles, and scored on a 28-yard fumble return versus Louisville. He also recovered a fumble versus Arkansas, and had a career high six tackles against both Georgia and Tennessee. In 2007, Cobb executed 42 tackles (second among UK's defensive backs). He's one of the strongest Wildcats pound-for-pound, bench pressing 370 lbs, and squatting 465 lbs. Yikes!

Cobb has taken a small step back. Most expected him to start at the free safety spot after last season, but Winston Guy stole his position. Cobb though, will see "starter's minutes," and will be featured in UK's nickel package at times.

Supplying depth to UK's secondary will be junior cornerback Daryl Faulkner, redshirt freshman cornerback Cartier Rice, sophomore cornerback Anthony Mosley, and sophomore strong safety Greg Wilson.

CliffsNotes Analysis

The question was, "Can Kentucky upgrade their defense after losing so much?" You've met the players, now meet the 2008 stats -- UK recorded 12 interceptions last season, good for seventh in the SEC. They had 45 pass break-ups and 57 pass deflections, both good numbers, but they allowed 193.2 yards passing per game (ninth in the SEC), and 18 passing touchdowns (only Auburn and Arkansas allowed more). Overall, UK was ninth in in the SEC in overall Pass Defense, and eighth in the SEC in passing yards allowed with 2,511.

Not great numbers, but they are an improvement over UK's previous, all-too regular occupation of the SEC basement, in the area of defensive play. But, there still exists much room for bettering the overall defensive performance, and this season the UK coaching staff will be looking to take another step forward. With Lindley, Warford, and Harrison leading a group of otherwise youthful, but talented performers, Kentucky has an opportunity to leap into the upper-echelon of SEC defensive teams (top-5 or better). Giving UK the upper-hand in many cases this season will be the relative youth of SEC quarterbacks; other than Tebow, Jevan Snead (Ole Miss), Stephen Garcia (South Carolina), and Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee), the SEC is littered with untested signal-callers.

I look for Trevard Lindley to end his UK career with a record-setting season. His job will be made easier by the fact that he's surrounded by talented, experienced teammates, which will force quarterbacks to have to make unpleasant decisions. Resulting in the real possibility of having no recourse but to force the ball into their best receivers hands. But, Lindley will be stalking ...

For other positional breakdowns: Setting a New Standard The Linebackers The Defensive Line

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to my mom, Linda. She turned 29 again yesterday!!

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

The 50 Best Games of the Fulmer Era - #13: Sixty Minutes and Four Overtimes to Atlanta

Will — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:32:04 -0000

In 1984, Kentucky beat Tennessee 17-12 in Knoxville. Since then, the Vols have won 24 consecutive games against the Cats, the longest active win streak in an annual rivalry in college football. Kentucky has had their chances at various intervals along the way, but the Vols have always found a way to turn them back. There were a pair of four quarter rallies in 1987 & 1988. There was a furious comeback in 1995, with Peyton Manning and the #4 Vols down 31-16 in the third quarter in before scoring the game's final 18 points in a 34-31 win. UK's best teams under Tim Couch had the misfortune of playing UT's best teams, as the Vols beat the Cats 56-10, 59-31 and 59-21 during his time in Lexington in the late 90s.

In this decade, Kentucky has had several opportunities, most notably in 2001 when Jared Lorenzen led Kentucky to a 21-0 lead before faltering in a 38-35 Tennessee win (featured at #30 on our list). And in the last five years, Kentucky has come close three times, only to again and always be turned away.

Two games in Knoxville (2004 and 2006) produced tight fourth quarters, but the Vols still won. But more importantly to the nature of the overall rivalry, two things have happened during the same five year span that have increased the stakes:

Kentucky has become a consistent bowl team, having now made three straight appearances. Rich Brooks has the program moving in the right direction, and the Cats have made themselves into a team that you cannot take lightly. Many thought after Andre Woodson's class graduated in 2007 that UK would go back to the pack, but instead the Cats still got bowl eligible last year while doing a little rebuilding.

But at the same time, Tennessee got good at basketball.

For about 20 years, conversations between UK and UT fans went like this: Tennessee would destroy Kentucky in football, UK fans would say "Wait 'til basketball season", then Kentucky would return the destruction in Rupp Arena and Thompson-Boling, and UT fans would return the favor verbally with "Wait 'til football season." That's how it worked. We had an understanding, and we were on even terms.

But since Bruce Pearl came to Knoxville, things have changed. Pearl's ability to beat Kentucky on an almost even basis - three wins in four years is better than just about anyone else has done in Knoxville - and his consistent ability to finish above the Cats in the standings has thrown a new factor into this rivalry. UT has improved in basketball and UK has improved in football...difference is, Kentucky still hasn't found a way to beat the Vols.

In this increased atmosphere, losers of 22 straight in 2007, you'd think the Vols had run out of ways to break the hearts of the UK faithful. But with a trip to the SEC Championship Game on the line and the ultimate roller coaster season hanging in the balance, Tennessee and Kentucky played one for the ages on November 24, 2007.

13. 2007: #19 Tennessee 52 - Kentucky 50 (4 OT) (Lexington)

The craziest college football season of my lifetime had done a number on both teams as we entered the final week of the regular season. The Vols had lost three games by a combined 77 points, the season opener and to their two biggest rivals. But when the Vols kept trying to give it away, Florida kept giving it back, and when the Gators lost to Georgia in late October, Tennessee needed a string of four consecutive SEC wins to get to Atlanta.

Already bolstered by their dominant win over what would become #2 Georgia, Tennessee went to work. They blew a 21-0 lead against South Carolina, but still found a way to win in overtime. Then a defense that had been maligned all year completely shut down Heisman frontrunner Darren McFadden and Arkansas in a 34-13 win. Then they allowed their old friends at Vanderbilt to build a two touchdown lead in the fourth quarter, before rallying to win 25-24. The Vols were battered but still standing, and despite Georgia's poll position and Florida's Heisman quarterback, Tennessee needed only to beat Kentucky for the 23rd straight year to get to Atlanta as Eastern Division Champions.

This wasn't the same Kentucky, however. The Cats made their own luck right out of the gate, beating #9 Louisville 40-34. In their first five games, Andre Woodson's attack had scored 40+ points every week in a run that moved them to #8 in the polls. Though they would fall to South Carolina, the Cats came back to stun #1 LSU in triple overtime.

After that, it seemed like Kentucky ran out of gas. When they fell just short against Florida, they were ripe for the letdown against Mississippi State, who pounded them 31-14. They barely beat Vanderbilt and then lost to Georgia, meaning their 6-1 start was now a 7-4 finish. But already bowl eligible, Kentucky would have a chance to end things against their biggest rival, on senior day for so many of their stars.

I sat in the upper deck at Commonwealth Stadium for this one, and was amazed watching the Senior Day introductions at how many of their major contributors were leaving: Andre Woodson, Rafael Little, Keenan Burton, Jacob Tamme, Wesley Woodyard, along with three additional senior starters. One last chance to beat the Vols for all of these guys.

For Tennessee, win and you're dancing in Atlanta. Lose, and you've gone 8-4 with four inexcuseable losses. Like we said, the roller coaster was going to finish at the highest high or the lowest low.

The Vols wasted no time in giving the impression it was going to finish high: David Cutcliffe saw something in the film room, and on the first play the Vols went play action, and then Erik Ainge fired back down the sideline to the trailing Arian Foster.

Later in the quarter, the Vols used a big play from Brad Cottam to set up a quick strike to Lucas Taylor and a 14-0 lead. The Vols had 178 yards of total offense in the first quarter.

The difference between this game and the other long overtime ones is that regulation was plenty good here also. UK answered to make it 14-7 in the second, and Daniel Lincoln knocked home three to make it 17-7. The Cats would have the ball at their own 30 with less than a minute to play in the half, but in trying to get points they made a costly mistake: Xavier Mitchell made a heady play and got his hands on a dump pass, with the rare defensive lineman interception giving Tennessee a chance to add to their lead. And with :17 on the clock, Ainge fired a bullet to Quintin Hancock, giving Tennessee a 24-7 halftime lead.

The Kentucky fans booed The Pride of the Southland at halftime. Which means I probably said "Wait 'til basketball season!" about a hundred times in fifteen minutes.

Six minutes into the third quarter, Kentucky scores to make it 24-14. We started to get a little nervous perhaps, but another Kentucky turnover gave the Vols the ball at UK's 30 with three minutes left in the third. And when Ainge hit Jeff of the Brothers Cottam, the Vols led 31-14 with 1:31 left in the third quarter.

So while I'm working the cell phone from the upper deck trying to round up the caravan for Atlanta next week, Kentucky goes the length of the field in 90 seconds, scoring a touchdown on the final play of the third to make it 31-21. Hmmm.

The Cats would knock on the door again midway through the fourth, scoring with 6:11 to play to make it 31-28. And now, our full attention returns to the game at hand. When the Vols again do nothing offensively, Kentucky gets the ball back with under five to play. A field goal will tie, a touchdown will give them the lead. It happened too fast for us to fully process it.

That's when Jerod Mayo went to the hit stick. Woodson found Jacob Tamme over the middle, but Mayo separated Tamme's consciousness from the ball, and Ricardo Kemp scooped up the interception. All is well, right?

Well, sort of. The Vols move to the 38 but can't get closer, and instead of trying a 55 yard field goal, elect to punt and pin Kentucky back at their own 9 yard line. 3:32 remaining. I told my friend as we sat there, shivering in the cold and the fear, that if Kentucky drove 91 yards in three and a half minutes against our defense, we didn't deserve Atlanta anyway and somebody was getting fired.

Instead, Kentucky drove 90 yards in three and a half minutes. Watching UK's march downfield against our prevent defense was both familiar and incredibly depressing, and with every first down you felt our season and the futures of Phillip Fulmer and John Chavis slip away. The Cats made it to the one yard line with five seconds left, then gave everyone in the stadium four seconds of cardiac arrest when Woodson dropped a shotgun snap, picked it up and rolled right, fired for an open man in the end zone but missed him...all while keeping one precious second still left on the clock. Seriously, did anyone on either side breathe during this play?

The Cats have one second and one yard...and elect to kick an extra point to tie the game and play overtime. Okay.

Watching the highlights again, I think this is a record for the number of times Bob Kesling uses the words "wide open". Kentucky scores in three plays in the first overtime to make it 38-31. At this point the Cats have scored 24 consecutive points, and Tennessee hasn't done anything good on offense in twenty minutes. But one great catch by Gerald Jones will change that:

In the second overtime, disaster strikes. On second down, a pass for Lucas Taylor gets knocked into the air on contact, and with the ball hanging there everyone wearing orange knows what's coming next - a Kentucky player steps in front of it, and it's the overtime turnover kiss of death.

Tennessee fans can't wait to head for the exits. There's an exodus from the upper deck, a full season of frustration now coming full circle, with fans in orange beside themselves with not just depression, but anger. How could you let this game, with two separate second half 17 point leads, and this season, with Atlanta on the line, get away from you...against Kentucky, of all teams, with 22 straight years of victory now heading to the toilet. Meanwhile, now it's Georgia fans on the phone, securing their own tickets to the Georgia Dome...which for me, just gives what happens next an extra burst of joy.

Example #4120581 of why you never leave early: Kentucky runs three plays to the 18 yard line, and then sends Knoxville native Lones Seiber on for a 35 yard field goal that will end 22 years of frustration. And really, this game is the ultimate in Blair Witch video quality:

Never leave early.

Tennessee has their chance in the third overtime. Kentucky scores but fails to convert the two, giving them a 44-38 lead. The Vols face third and eight, but Gerald Jones makes a great move after the catch to get a first down, and on the next play Ainge swings it to Austin Rogers, who darts into the end zone, and now the two can win it for Tennessee.

A great call almost paid off, a shotgun handoff to Arian Foster who goes left, but a great tackle by David Jones ends the threat. Then Foster is handed one of the great injustices of SEC officiating, penalized fifteen yards for unsportsmanlike conduct for flipping the ball when he didn't make it. When Eric Berry was almost decapitated on the blocked field goal return earlier, the 15 yard facemask penalty wasn't awarded because the overtime period had ended, and penalties don't carry over. But this one was considered a dead ball foul, and so the Vols will start their fourth OT possession at the 40 instead of the 25.

It took one play for us to get over it.

This time, the Vols do convert the two, which means we can breathe for the first time in about an hour with a 52-44 lead. The best Kentucky can do is tie and send it to a fifth overtime.

The Cats don't go quietly. UK moves to first and goal at the three, and Derrick Locke punches it in to make it 52-50. So they need the two point conversion to tie and keep playing.

So, I always bring my digital camera with me to games, for tailgating and pregame festivities. I don't like using it during the game because it's distracting, and the two times I'd tried it on big plays in 2006, the Vols gave up 4th down conversions to Florida and LSU, so it was becoming something of a curse. But here, with the 4th OT action on our end of the field, I decided what the hey and tried to see if I could capture a little history:

Sixty minutes, four overtimes, two blown three possession leads, a stop at the one yard line, a blocked field goal, a ridiculous penalty and 22 years of history...and at the end, Tennessee makes it 23, and is the champion of the Eastern Division.

Fun stats:

Total Offense: Kentucky 564, Tennessee 520
Erik Ainge: 28 of 45, 397 yards, 7 TD, 3 INT
Andre Woodson: 39 of 62, 430 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT

1,000+ yards and 100+ points in a game that was equally compelling in regulation and overtime. And for the Vols, the win here meant everything, putting a roller coaster regular season to its finish on a good note, and securing a championship in 2007. As the Vols play for the silver anniversary against Kentucky in 2009, I'll once again say that I'm sure we've run out of ways to break their hearts...probably...

[Note by Joel, 06/20/09 2:02 PM EDT ] Post script: This game also gave birth to the Fiddler/Teyve meme and this video: