SB Nation - Paul Warford

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Monday Catch Up

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:52:47 -0000

Randall Cobb, football player -- doing what he does.

I was out of pocket yesterday, so I thought we would play catch-up this morning in the Big Blue Daily Mail.

Of course, the big topic will be reviews of the UK victory over Auburn, 21-14, at Jordan-Hare Stadium. UK managed to pull off a big upset there of a 4 5-1 football team [oops, stole a win from Auburn there. -- ed.] that has the rest of the SEC talking. We'll have more about what they are saying in the news.

Also, in case you have been living in a cave in Afghanistan somewhere for the last few days, Big Blue Madness came and went with much fanfare on Friday, and we will of course catch up with the basketball team.

Now, for the news.

UK Basketball News

Wildcat Blue In a Sea of Orange: Kyrie Irving, Tobias Harris talking about attending UK together?
Kentucky/Duke virtually even for Irving : This as a story that is gaining momentum more and more. Remember, Irving was widely expected to have committed on 9/27 and not to take any more visits after his Duke visit. That commit never happened and each day that Irving does not commit is better for all the other schools.

Interesting.
As If There Wasn
JOHN WALL. JOHN WALL. JOHN WALL. I'm kind of elated to see the marriage of John Wall and John Calipari begin in Lexington. Who isn't excited about this? (Well, who isn't outside of the SEC, I should say.)
John Calipari officially started his reign as Kentucky basketball coach - ESPN
Like saviors dropped from heaven -- and let's face it, that's what they are here -- the players, including the ballyhooed freshman class, were introduced on curtain-covered lifts suspended a good 25 feet above the stage. Eric Bledsoe came first, earning a decent ovation; John Wall garnered a crazed reaction; and Patrick Patterson was last, greeted with riotous excitement.

Almost a great piece by Dana O'Neil ... almost. A couple of stumbles turned a really excellent article into just a good one, but it is definitely worth a read.
Calipari: Make UK the gold standard in college athletics | KentuckySports.com
One hopes the possible secondary NCAA rules violations committed by the crowd when it chanted prospects' names were a misstep to be written off to runaway zeal. That happened four times, each an apparent violation of NCAA rule 13.11.4 which forbids the chanting of prospects' names at an event open to the public.

Oh, my God. If that's a violation, report it with a smile. The very idea that the NCAA can control a crowd's chant of a prospect's name is a laughably absurd concept.

Sometimes, reality simply must intrude.
Krebs family aims to stay strong together | KentuckySports.com
Kentucky basketball means a lot of things to a lot of people. For senior guard Mark Krebs, it is an escape.

It's a respite from thinking about his mother's ongoing battle with cancer.

Our prayers go out to Mark's mother, and their family.
Rupp Arena becomes a Big Blue Mad house | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
It was a night for spectacle, a night when the University of Kentucky men’s basketball program took center stage — quite literally — with a show surely as splashy as any in the history of Big Blue Madness.
Kentucky, Calipari Raise Stakes With Over-the-Top Midnight Madness - Andy Hutchins - The Sporting Blog - Sporting News
It's those other off-court problems that might derail this renaissance. The Big Blue faithful should only hope that Coach Cal makes good on his promises before everything comes crashing down. Again.

Well, here it is. You knew it would be here. You knew that they couldn't get past BBM without suggesting that UK is headed straight into the NCAA crapper under Calipari. Embrace the hate.
UK Notebook: Cal says this is Patterson's last year | KentuckySports.com
Speaking to the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches, Calipari said his first UK team's experience consisted of "three seniors and Patrick Patterson, who will leave this year. Hopefully he'll be a top-10 pick."

That Patterson might leave after his junior season comes as no surprise. But it was interesting that Calipari gave himself no wiggle room.

I think we make too much of this. Later in the season, Calipari will likely say something different, and cause a media stir. Patterson should move to the NBA but nobody, probably not even him at this point, knows if he will for certain.
ZAGSBLOG " Tobias and Kyrie, Together in College?; Vander Blue to Marquette
If so, it would be at UK, at least right now. But there is a long way to go.
Kentucky Sports Radio " Blog Archive " Torrel Harris Talks With Us About His Son’s Visit to UK’s Big Blue Madness
DR: Anything else that just really stood out to guys during the visit?

Torrel Harris: The fans stood out. I mean, they were just UN-BE-LIEVE-ABLE. And then just the teaching techniques of the staff, of Coach Cal and of just his whole staff. For me, that stood out. That stood out for Tobias too. You can tell the fans are unbelievable. I videotaped the whole thing and you can tell man, they LOVE their UK basketball. 24,000 fans up there for Madness, man that is unbelievable. So, I mean, it was great man, it was great.

Good stuff from Dustin Rumbaugh on Tobias Harris' visit to UK over Big Blue Madness.

UK Football News

Where’s the respect for Brooks’ Cats? | Vaught's Views
Well, to be fair, UK must do more. If we win three more SEC games, it will come, make no mistake. But when you are 1-3 in the SEC, I would submit that is not the best time to demand respect.
courier-journal.com | Eric Crawford | The Courier-Journal
You can say that Auburn wasn't ranked, that it has been slowed by injury, that it is losing steam. You can say, and some are, that the SEC is down (for folks who do, I'll take Florida and Alabama and give you any two teams from one league in the country, and we'll see who winds up on top.)

Indeed, it probably was. Isn't it interesting that we can beat good teams in the West, but cant seem to beat any of the good ones in the East? You can say all that, but it doesn't matter. When UK came from behind to beat Auburn 21-14 Saturday night, it was the second-biggest win in Rich Brooks' tenure.
Brooks happy with both quarterbacks | Vaught's Views
Sanders impresses in marquee matchup - ESPN
DECATUR, Ga. -- Kentucky running back commit Raymond Sanders (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) showed why he could be one of the more underrated recruits heading to the Southeastern Conference next season.

Looks like Brooks & Co. have found another hidden jewel.
UK scores two late TDs to shock Auburn | KentuckySports.com
"I just get more hungry in the fourth quarter, and I want to do whatever I have to do to get us in the lead or keep the lead," Cobb said. "I just love playing the game, and the fourth quarter is when you've got to dig deep."

The legend of Randall Cobb continues to grow, and he is only in his second year as a Wildcat.
What we learned in the SEC: Week 7 - SEC - ESPN
5. Kentucky follows its leader: The Rich Brooks legacy at Kentucky will be closely tied to the Wildcats’ three straight bowl victories the last three seasons and how he’s elevated the program to respectability at a school where basketball is king. But Brooks’ legacy goes even deeper than that. He’s brought a sense of toughness to Kentucky football, a sense of class to Kentucky football and a no-excuses resolve that should serve this program well long after he’s retired and back home fishing in Oregon.

Read the rest. It's short, but worth it.
SEC helmet stickers: Week 7 - SEC - ESPN
Kentucky coach Rich Brooks: Boy, did he deserve this one. His Kentucky team deserved this one. This is a program that would have faded into oblivion in the past after losing three straight games and having so many key players go down with injuries. But Brooks kept his guys focused and kept them believing, and the Wildcats went to the Plains and took out Auburn 21-14 on Saturday. It’s a win that very much keeps alive the Wildcats’ bowl chances, as they evened their record at 3-3.

This has already been linked, but if you didn't read it, you should.
" Video: Rich Brooks after win over Auburn John Clay’s Sidelines
So. Papa Brooks did not tell the whole tale after all. Like Mr. Spock, he didn't lie, he exaggerated. :-)
UK’s football season looks a lot better now | Vaught's Views
At 3-3 going into a relatively easier stretch, UK is well-positioned for more than six wins this season.
Eyes on Auburn: 14-21 Loss to Kentucky (as I vomit in my mouth) Review
-Offensive pass interference is no longer in the rule book (I guess). UK's first scoring drive was kept alive by a third down conversion in which Kentucky's receiver obviously pushed off on Demond Washington creating the separation necessary to make the catch. It was a pitiful no call and would have been flagged 100% of the time if roles were reversed. Maybe I'm sensitive to this as a former defensive back. And while we're on the topic of penalties, how Kentucky played an entire SEC game on the road without a single penalty called against them is comical as well.

I thought there were two or three obvious penalties that UK got away with -- Offsides on the first kickoff, the push of mentioned above, and a hold I saw on one of the pass plays. Plus, we have been flagged for not having enough men on the line of scrimmage all year, and I thought that could have been called at least once.

Other UK Sports News

UK snags commitment
Jennifer O'Neill, a 5-foot-6 point guard from St. Michael Academy in New York, is ranked No. 30 nationally by Hoopgurlz.com and picked UK over Georgia and California.

Congrats to coach Mitchell! Great job.

NCAA Sports News

UK's Brooks: SEC runner-up may belong in BCS title game - al.com
"It's going to be a great SEC championship game," said Kentucky coach Rich Brooks, whose team has played both the Crimson Tide and Gators this season. "I'm assuming - and I think I'll be correct in this, unless somebody gets upset here along the way - that they're probably both going to go undefeated into the SEC Championship game.

"And I'm not so sure the loser of that game shouldn't play in the national championship game, too."

I think I just heard the heads of a million Pac-10 and Big Televen fans explode at the same time.
Pilgrim-age could improve Pokes | NewsOK.com
"Matt brings us something we didn’t necessarily have," Ford said. "He’s the strongest player on our team. He’s the most athletic player on our team.

Matt Pilgrim is making a splash at Oklahoma State.
Kansas eager to leave off-court events behind - CBK News - FOX Sports on MSN
"This group had a hall pass, but they've lost that right," he said. "We've put a lot harsher rules in place.

"I think we've got really good kids. But we made a series of poor decisions, and it's shed a negative light on us."

We'll see. We'll see.

Other News of Interest

AFP: Hurricane Rick weakens as it nears Mexico coast
This is a a really scary hurricane.
UConn Football Player Jasper Howard Stabbed To Death On Campus -- Courant.com
About nine hours after his Huskies walked off Rentschler Field with a victory over Louisville, after a press conference filled with smiles and platitudes, UConn football coach Randy Edsall 's phone rang. When the phone rings at that hour, Edsall said, it's never good.

Our prayers go out to the family. What a horrible thing to happen.
Greg Page Foundation honors a child champion - WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY |
Does anybody besides me remember Greg Page? Glad to see his legacy is doing good work.

The Daily Schadenfreude

Duke Basketball Report - The unofficial home of Duke basketball fans and the Cameron Crazies
If you live inside the borders of the state of Kentucky, odds are you think the sun rises and sets on Kentucky basketball. If you don’t, you likely have a more jaundiced view of the program. Like us, for example.

Aww, isn't that just precious? The Dookies feel like they have to take shots at us again.

That's a cute little program you guys have there, Dookies. Too bad it's about to become rather less prominent. I have a feeling it is Calipari we will be seeing on the TV much more than Coach K in the coming years, and I will enjoy that very much, as well as subjecting the Indigo Diablos to the depredations of some serious schadenfruede.

Maybe somebody should start a website dedicated to exposing the truth about Duke's empire of condescending little Kentucky wanna-bes. Oh, wait ...
Low key, high hopes for Pitino and U of L | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
The Cardinals have been ranked in the top 20 by most preseason publications, and they're being picked in various spots in the upper half of the Big East Conference. Perhaps because of the splash made by John Calipari at the University of Kentucky, perhaps because of the loss of Williams and Clark, this is an under-the-radar group at the moment.

Does anyone else see the unseriousness in claiming a Rick Pitino team is "under the radar?"
A Wise move: Relieving pressure on point guard | "Tell them … tell the team to bear down"
Did anybody else think Kentucky’s introduction of John Calipari was over the top? Spotlight in a darkened arena. Confetti everywhere. We will take Miller’s low-key style in such an event over Calipari’s approach any day, especially considering the young team Miller has toHigh-profile recruit Adreian Payne of Dayton (Ohio) Jefferson attended West Virginia’s Midnight Madness and one report indicated that Payne has narrowed his choices to West Virginia and Kentucky. Payne visited the UA campus last weekend. The report by Bob Hertzel of the Times West Virginian does not cite any sources.

More love from jealous rivals.

Kentucky 21 @ Auburn 14: Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 03:19:17 -0000

More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

This man (Auburn coach Gene Chizik) is not smiling here, nor is he smiling now.

Browse more photos »

I knew we had a shot at this game. I said it early in the year, and I believed it coming in. This UK team, despite it's issues, is a very tough out for any team not named Alabama or Florida in the SEC. That's real. That's the truth.

I want to thank Auburn for their effort. This is a big loss for them, and the rest of the season does them no favors. But they played hard, if imperfectly and with a ton of terribly costly penalties that are usually the province of Kentucky. I'm not going to blow sunshine up their hind parts -- for some reason, the roles were reversed this week and it was the Tigers who shot themselves in the foot. Auburn had a chance to win this game, and they surrendered it with a whimper, rather than a growl. Gene Chizik will have a lot to talk about after this one.

But for the Wildcats, it was a much-needed victory after a very tough four-game stretch that saw them lose their All-American cornerback and starting quarterback to injury, and prompted Rich Brooks to start a true freshman at QB in an SEC road game against a team who has a 15-game winning streak against the Wildcats. I'm going to say it is an understatement to say that the Wildcats had the deck stacked firmly against them.

Let's be honest -- the defense really was the difference in this game. Against the #2 offense in the SEC, Kentucky played about as well as it is possible to play against them defensively. UK denied Chris Todd, a Kentuckian from Elizabethtown, any hope of having a good game. Todd helped out a lot by making pretty much nothing but poor throws, and UK made the Tigers pay by playing solid defense.

I can go on and on and on, but I will settle for bullet points, as usual:

Morgan Newton may not have done that much, but he showed why he was such a highly touted player with his strong arm and powerful body. He is a freshman, and it showed.
Will Fidler gets the game ball, not because of any amazing stuff, but because of the circumstances in which he managed to excel. He showed terrific leadership, and made a huge drive-saving fourth-down play that I will remember a long time.
Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke don't need game balls -- they could win it every game. They do what they do, and frankly, they did it tonight.
How much better is Randall Burden with Paul Warford on the field? Amazing.
Micah Johnson is a creature from another world. He is like the alien in Predator -- indomiatble.
Winston Guy needs a butt-kicking. He hits a guy, but refuses to wrap them up. If I'm Steve Brown, I'm going to go all Coach Boone on his butt. He is way too good to be giving up big plays when he hits hard but fails to finish.
Our D-line has played better, but to their credit, they rarely lost containment. That's why Auburn had very few big plays.
Chris Matthews is getting better every game. He is on the same path as Stevie Johnson, only a little earlier.
Sam Maxwell is a stud. He made so many great form tackles, open field an otherwise, I lost count.
Our special teams made two mistakes, and about five great plays. On balance, I'd say that is pretty good, most games. But both their mistakes resulted in an Auburn TD -- the missed blocking assignment on the field goal, and the pathetic Ryan Tydlacka punt.
The most unspoken great player in SEC history, at least the part I remember, is John Conner. He just de-cleats people when he blocks. I wish he could play for UK forever.
The UK offensive line might be the best in the league. Senior O-line players make one heck of a difference.
Kentucky had one (1) penalty. With a freshman quarterback, or with a long-time backup. That's gobsmacking.

That's enough. Add your observations to the celebration.

Is this a great weekend or what?? Go, 'CATS!

Kentucky at Auburn: Will a Child Lead Us?

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:48:01 -0000

More photos » by Mary Ann Chastain - AP

What the heck happened to all my players???

Browse more photos »

The hot topic for the upcoming Auburn game, of course, is who will be under center for the Wildcats? Unidentified sources out of the UK football camp are speaking highly of the true freshman, Morgan Newton, but Rich Brooks is revealing nothing about who will get the starting nod, merely telling anyone who asks that the decision will probably not be officially made until game day, perhaps even just before kickoff. But word on the street has it that the decision has been made, even though no confirmation, official or unofficial, seems to be forthcoming.

Of course, that's the smart thing for any head coach to do. Morgan Newton and Will Fidler bring two radically different skill sets to the game. Newton is young and does not know the UK offense that well, but he has the superior physical skills, including a pair of legs that made him a Parade All-American, but as an athlete, not a quarterback.

Fidler, on the other hand, is primarily a pocket passer, much like Mike Hartline. Fidler is a much better fit for the offense that the Wildcats currently run, but he is no real threat to take off and get yards with his feet. In fact, if it is possible for someone to be less athletic, running wise, than Mike Hartline, it is Will Fidler. Fidler has a strong arm and knows the offense much better, but he is limited, and he was playing behind Hartline for a reason.

In the end, I expect both QB's to get a number of snaps against Auburn unless one clearly separates himself early. Auburn will have to prepare not only for a traditional drop-back passer, but a dual-threat quarterback and Randall Cobb in the bargain. It is an interesting problem for Ted Roof, the Auburn Defensive Coordinator to solve. One thing is for sure -- the 'Cats will look different on Saturday than they have looked all season.

At this point, nobody knows for sure what Brooks is thinking -- will he go with a trimmed-down offensive package and more athleticism, or try to rely on what has worked so far with a different quarterback at the helm? There are merits to both strategies, and odds are that we will see a bit of both, particularly if the starter fails to move the football the first couple of series.

But there are even more questions about this game, not the least of which is how UK's green corners, Randall Burden and Martavious Neloms, will hold up in their second game as starters. The good news is that Paul Warford is improving, but is still questionable for the weekend. Also on the injury ront, offensive guard Jake Lanefski has torn his ACL and will have season-ending surgery, so our depth at guard just took a big hit.

There will be more analysis of this game to come, but from a macro standpoint, this is going to be about the defenses. Can UK's defense, which is currently last in the SEC in run defense, hold Auburn's SEC second-best running game down to a reasonable level? For Auburn, their defense must stop a Kentucky running game which isn't exactly awesome, but has been solid. Auburn is 10th against the run in the SEC, just two spots up from the 'Cats.

Passing-wise, Auburn would seem well-positioned in this game with the second-best passing offense in the league facing the young cornerback tandem that South Carolina exploited to such great effect last weekend. Statistically, about the only place Kentucky looks good against Auburn is special teams.

No matter who is under center on Saturday, Kentucky will need a terrific effort, every bit as good as they played against South Carolina without the mistakes, and all that with a new quarterback under center, to beat the Tigers in their place. It is a very tall order, make no mistake.

UK @ South Carolina: Breaking Down the Gamecocks and Other Stuff

Ken Howlett — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:02:11 -0000

More photos » by John Raoux - AP

"I want to beat Spurrier just one time before I retire!"

Browse more photos »

The Kentucky Wildcats enter today's 12:30 EST titanic tilt with the South Carolina Gamecocks on the precipice ,,, looking down at the rocks below. Mind you, it isn't an unexpected precipice. Two months ago we all had the road map in the form of the game schedule, so UK sitting at 2-2, staring at two tough road games (isn't that redundant?), should not come as a surprise. The mystery, the unknown, however, is how Kentucky will respond.

Certainly, the Wildcats' play last Saturday against Alabama was a marked improvement over the effort put forth in Lexington versus Florida -- Kentucky ran the ball very well, considering the defense they were facing, and UK's defense held the Tide to nearly 150 yards less than their per game average -- But now, on the road, in front of a famously hostile crowd, will the 'Cats continue on an upward arc?

The answer to that, my friends, lies in the "turnover" category. If Kentucky plays as well as they did against Alabama last Saturday -- with a big caveat -- minus the turnovers (as well as excessive penalties), then they will have a legitimate chance to win today's ballgame, BUT, if UK is in the negative in turnover margin, if they continue to give up possession, they'll go down faster than a sluggish stock market. You can bet your Visor on that.

It's really just that simple -- Kentucky has the talent to win today's game, but talent doesn't trump turnovers.

For more on the game, South Carolina's personnel, and UK in the SEC rankings, make the jump with me.

South Carolina Vitals

Points Per Game: USC - 27.2, Opp's - 16.8

Rush Yards Per Game: USC - 157.4, Opp's - 114.2

Average Per Rush: USC - 4.5, Opp's - 3.2

Pass Yards Per Game: USC - 214.8, Opp's - 150.2

Yards Per Completion: USC - 11.1, Opp's - 10.0

Total Offense: USC - 372.2, Opp's - 264.4

KO Return Avg.: USC - 21.2, Opp's - 26.2

Punt Return Avg.: USC - 7.9, Opp's - 15.8

Turnover Margin: USC - +4

3rd Down Conversion: USC - 38.0%, Opp's - 37.0%

Sacks By: USC - 14, Opp's - 12

Red Zone TD%: USC - 46% (12-26), Opp's - 55% (6-11)

Kentucky and South Carolina SEC Rankings (Keep in mind UK is coming off back-to-back games against two of the three best teams in the country)

Scoring: UK - 25.0 (11), USC - 27.2 (t8)

Scoring Defense: UK - 26.5 (10), USC - 16.8 (6)

Total Offense: UK - 328.5 (11), USC - 372.2 (8)

Total Defense: UK - 353.2 (10), USC - 264.4 (3)

Rush Offense: UK - 158.0 (8), USC - 157.4 (9)

Rush Defense: UK - 190.2 (12), USC - 114.2 (3)

Pass Offense: UK - 170.5 (11), USC - 214.8 (6)

Pass Defense: UK - 163.0 (6), USC - 150.2 (3)

Kickoff Return: UK - 28.3 (3), USC - 21.2 (10)

Punt Return: UK - 10.7 (4), USC - 7.9 (7)

Sacks By: UK - 8 (t8), USC - 14 (2)

Sacks Against: UK - 5 (t3), USC - 12 (10)

3rd Down Conversion: UK - 41.4 (5), USC - 38.0 (8)

Opp. Third Down Conversion: UK - 38.7 (11), USC - 36.8 (8)

Penalty Yards: UK - 65.5 (9), USC - 63.4 (8)

Turnover Margin: UK - -4 (10), USC - +4 (5)

Red Zone Scores: UK - 9-11 (8), USC - 20-26 (11)

Red Zone Defense: UK - 13-17 (5), USC - 9-11 (6)

Wildcats in the SEC Rankings

Junior running back Derrick Locke is No. 2 in the league in punt return average at 10.8 yards per return, and No. 2 in the SEC in kickoff returns, averaging 33.9 yards per return. Locke is No. 1 in the SEC in all purpose yardage (rushing, receiving and returns) with a 173.2 yards per game average. UK's middle linebacker Micah Johnson is No. 5 in the conference in tackles with 35 (8.8 tpg).

South Carolina Offensive Personnel

Stephen Garcia -- 6'2", 219 lb sophomore quarterback: Garcia is 93-155 (60.0%) through the air, good for 1.035 yards and six touchdowns. He's tossed only two interceptions. He's also ran for 142 positive yards on 36 rushes, and two touchdowns. Last year versus UK, Garcia replaced starter Chris Smelley in the fourth quarter, and threw for 169 yards and one touchdown on 10-14 (71.4%) accuracy in the Gamecocks come-from-behind 24-17 victory.

Garcia is a highly mobile, strong-armed quarterback who is playing much better than most prognosticators predicted. The Gamecocks offensive line, though, hasn't been diligent in protecting Garcia -- He's been sacked 12 times in only four games, an area UK must take advantage of, because if Garcia is given time, he'll pick apart UK's secondary.

At the beginning of the season I thought UK would have the better of the two quarterbacks going in this game, but I've since changed my mind. If Garcia is efficient with his passes, and troubles the UK defense as much as other mobile quarterbacks, then SC will be half-way home to yet another victory over Kentucky.

Jarvis Giles -- 5'11", 183 lb freshman running back: Giles leads the Gamecocks with 39 rushes, resulting in 231 yards gained (5.9 yards per carry), and one touchdown. He also has four catches for 24 yards (6.0 yards per reception). Giles was the No. 22 player in Florida last season, as rated by Rivals. He was the No. 21 running back prospect in the country according to Scout.

Kenny Miles -- 5'9", 183 lb redshirt freshman running back: Miles has rushed 28 times for 168 yards (6.0 ypc), and one touchdown. He's snagged three passes for 15 yards (5.0 ypr). Coming out of high school, Miles was rated the No. 33 running back in the nation by Rivals.

Brian Maddox -- 5'11", 224 lb junior running back: The elder statesman among the Gamecocks' backs, Maddox leads the team in carries with 52, good for 162 yards (3.1 ypc) and three touchdowns. He's also caught seven passes for 50 yards (7.1 ypr), and two touchdowns.

Moe Brown -- 6'0", 183 lb senior wide receiver: Brown leads the team with 18 catches, 283 receiving yards (15.7 ypr), and two touchdowns.

Tori Gurley -- 6'5", 227 lb redshirt freshman wide receiver: Gurley has accounted for 17 receptions for 244 yards (14.4 ypr), and one touchdown.

Jason Barnes -- 6'4", 199 lb sophomore wide receiver: This season Barnes has eight catches for 102 yards (12.8 ypr). Last year versus UK, Barnes had four catches for 88 yards (22.0 ypr) -- all in the fourth quarter -- of the Gamecock comeback win.

Alshon Jeffery -- 6'3", 217 lb freshman wide receiver: Jeffery has five catches for 61 yards (12.2 ypr), and one touchdown. Two years ago, the highly sought after receiver was rated the No. 99 pass catcher in the Rivals top-100, and the No. 13 receiver prospect in the country. He was the No. 74 rated player in the nation by PrepStar.

Patrick DiMarco -- 6'0", 243 lb junior fullback: Although a fullback, DiMarco is third on the team with 11 receptions for 70 yards (6.4 ypr), and one touchdown.

* South Carolina starting tight end Weslye Saunders will not play in today's game. Saunders has caught 14 passes for 156 yards (11.1 ypr) this year. Last season versus UK, Saunders made the game-winning catch. His most likely replacement at the tight end spot this afternoon is 6'3", 231 lb redshirt freshman Mike Triglia.

South Carolina Defensive Personnel

Eric Norwood -- 6'1", 252 lb senior linebacker: Norwood, a two-time First Team All-SEC selection leads South Carolina with 30 tackles (19 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss (leads the SEC) and six sacks (leads the SEC). He's also recorded two interceptions and five quarterback hurries. For his outstanding career, Norwood has executed 204 tackles, 49.5 tackles for loss, and 28 sacks (he's the active SEC leader in tackles for loss and sacks).

Stay away from this guy, if at all possible. Norwood is extremely quick to the ball, and the passer. Although UK has done a good job of protecting Mike Hartline, Norwood could prove to be the difference in the game, especially considering UK is without senior right tackle Justin Jefferies.

Perhaps more important for UK than protecting the quarterback, is ensuring the running game is at full steam But once again, Norwood is capable of slowing down the run, which would spell doom for the 'Cats on this day.

Chris Culliver -- 6'0", 190 lb junior free safety: Culliver has 29 tackles (18 solo), .5 tackles for loss, and five pass breakups. Last year versus UK, Culliver recorded the first two interceptions of his career. His last interception sealing the game for Carolina.

Stay away from this guy, if at all possible. Just another reason to run, run, run.

Shaq Wilson -- 5'11", 210 lb sophomore linebacker: Wilson has accounted or 28 tackles (14 solo), and one pass breakup.

Wilson was projected as a back-up to Norwood at the beginning of the season, but his aggressive, hard-hitting style has elevated him to starter's reps.

Darian Stewart -- 5'11", 216 lb senior strong safety: Stewart, who plays a mixture of safety and linebacker, has made 25 tackles (16 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, and two pass breakups. He recorded seven tackles against UK in 2008.

Cliff Matthews -- 6'4", 249 lb junior defensive end: Matthews has recorded 20 tackles, (17 solo), six tackles for loss (second on the team), four sacks (also, second on the team), and one pass breakup.

Devin Taylor -- 6'7", 232 lb redshirt freshman defensive end: Taylor has made 16 tackles (8 solo), one sack and 4.5 tackles for loss.

Stephon Gilmore -- 6'1", 188 lb freshman corner back: The Parade All-America has recorded 19 tackles (10 solo), two tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, and two pass breakups.

South Carolina Special Teams Personnel

Placekicker and Punter, Spencer Lanning -- Lanning is 10-11 on his field goal attempts, but his longest make is only 41 yards. He averages a solid 41.9 yards per punt.

Kicker, Adam Yates -- Yates handles the kickoffs: On 28 kickoffs, he's had only one touchback.

Punt Returner, Akeem Auguste -- He's returned six punts for 17 yards (2.8 yards per return).

Punt Returner, Stephon Gilmore -- Gilmore has returned two punts for 42 yards (21.0 ypr).

Kickoff Returner, Chris Culliver -- He's returned 13 kicks for 279 yards (21.5 ypr).

Kickoff Returner, Bryce Sherman -- Four returned kicks for 106 yards (26.5 ypr).

UK Injuries

As most know by now, the Wildcats' two starting corner backs, senior Trevard Lindley and junior Paul Warford, are both injured and will not play today. Replacing the two will be sophomore Randall Burden (four games played; 13 tackles and two pass breakups) and true freshman Netavious Neloms (four games played; seven tackles).

Also missing from action for UK will be "protector designate" of Hartline's grill, senior right tackle, Justin Jefferies. He'll be replaced by junior Brad Durham.

Happy Birthdays

A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my brother Jason, his son Jonah, and my nephew Josiah.

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

Big Blue Daily Mail -- Getting Ready for the Gamecocks Edition

Truzenzuzex — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:23:39 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

We need to see a lot of this guy tomorrow. The more, the merrier 'Cat fans will be.

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Tomorrow is the UK at South Carolina football game, and it is a big one for both teams.

While it is common in the SEC to see the Gamecocks as the superior football program, the reality is, these two teams are far more alike than not, and this article explains that reality in detail. I think that's one of the biggest reasons that the current winning streak South Carolina has vs. Kentucky surprises almost everyone. But let's give credit where credit is due -- the Gamecocks just seem to play better against Kentucky, and the Wildcats seem to play worse. Who knows why?

There are some personnel issues for the game tomorrow, the most noted being the absence of Trevard Lindley and Paul Warford, Kentucky's two starting cornerbacks. Randall Burden will ably replace Lindley, but in Warford's spot we have the true freshman Martavious Neloms. Now, Neloms is a confident and talented young man, and Brooks has a lot of confidence in his ability, but I am not as sanguine.

But the Gamecocks may not be able to exploit UK's personnel problems as ably as otherwise, because their starting tight end, Weslye Saunders, will be out of tomorrow's contest. Sauders has not been a big factor in USC's offense lately, but he did have eight (!) catches vs. Georgia for 96 yards (12 ypc). Considering that UK will likely be in a zone in the secondary tomorrow more often than not, the tight end is a big factor. Alabama's Peek killed the 'Cats last Saturday when UK had to go to a zone, catching six balls for 65 yards.

Now, for the rest of the news:

UK Basketball News

Kentucky Sports Radio " Blog Archive " Patrick Patterson is Quite a Gentlemen
This is just great stuff. I got a huge kick out of it, and if you haven't read it, you will also.
Who's the best program of all-time? Jeff Sagarin has your answer - The Dagger - NCAAB - Yahoo! Sports
Forde argues that Kentucky should not be No. 1 because UCLA has more titles and because no computer ranking can take into the effect the blights of NCAA penalties and the way Adolph Rupp's racist self thrived in an all-white league for years. When racism started being less acceptable, Kentucky stopped being so perennially dominant. No formula factors that sort of thing in.

Not quite sure what to make of this. Is he editorializing on Rupp's alleged racism by repeating it as a fact, or reading between Forde's lines? I don't know, and I don't feel like trying to divine an answer.
Why Billy Gillispie is a dying breed - The Dagger - NCAAB - Yahoo! Sports
It's not that college basketball players in the modern era just inherently smarter. The system does this to them. By the time college hoopsters -- the really good ones, the ones who would consider playing at Kentucky -- get to college, they've had plenty of coaches in orbit. They've played high school ball and AAU and gone to hundreds of summer camps. They get to see nearly every kind of coach, and they get to figure out what sort of man they want to play for. They're experienced. Things weren't always like this.

I think Eamonn is right. Back in Bob Knight's heyday, the tough-love approach was often exactly what was required. In fact, it still works in cases where they kids are not cream-of-the-crop type recruits. But at Kentucky, in 2007, I think it could be persuasively argued that Gillispie's approach was doomed from the start.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " RTC 2009-10 Impact Players: Mid-South Region
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all hype. We’ve seen amazing things from Wall in all-star games, pick-up games, high school footage, etc. We all know he’s going to be ridiculous. It’s no tremendous leap of faith to say that. But he’s really put himself in a perfect situation here. He’s in the right place at the right time, playing for a perfectly-suited coach on the biggest stage. We know what’s predicted, we know he’s capable of feats on the level of Rose, Mayo, Love, or Beasley, or even higher. The rest is up to him. Man, is it going to be fun to watch.

Read the whole thing. There is more.
Some recruiting notes from Jody Demling

UK Football News

Spurrier not talking about winning streak against UK | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
"One of the Kentucky (media) asked me about that and I said, ‘Obviously, at Florida, normally we had the better team almost every time we played them.' Here, I don't know that we've been; it's pretty even. ... We've seemed to get the good turnovers and get the good breaks in the close games."

I think The Visor has this exactly right. I won't call USC just lucky or anything, but they have been blessed with more good fortune than bad against us. Hopefully, we can end that this year.
Inside the SEC: Coaches want consistency on celebration call - al.com
While it doesn't change the outcome of Saturday's 20-13 loss to LSU, Georgia coach Mark Richt said Wednesday he accepts SEC director of officials Rogers Redding's statement that the celebration penalty against Bulldogs receiver A.J. Green late in the fourth quarter was called in error.

I'm glad we got that straight. Rotten, inexcusable call.
SEC's Slive Says No "Public Hanging" For Bad Calls | wltx.com
The league has acknowledged there was a bad call this past weekend when Georgia receiver A.J. Green was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Slive joked that nobody wanted his job Monday.

Heh.

Other UK Sports News

UK's Quigley beats nation’s top tennis player | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
University of Kentucky sophomore Eric Quigley upset the nation's top-ranked college tennis player Thursday, beating Oleksandr Nedovyesov of Oklahoma State 7-5, 6-1 at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Championships in Tulsa, Okla.

Wow. You go, boy.

NCAA Sports News

Football refs: No smiles allowed | The Collegian — University of Richmond
Some bonehead wearing black and white stripes decided that high-fiving your teammates and literally just staring at your fans was an excessive celebration. A 15-yard penalty to be assessed on the kickoff – in a one point game. With one minute left.

This is a call that will live in infamy for the rest of this season -- and maybe seasons to come. ESPN cannot be pleased.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " Jordan to Return to the Court
Well, there you go.
Daily Reveille - Around the SEC: Matchups take center stage in key SEC weekend

Other News of Interest

" BBL: Calipari, Calhoun, Spurrier, Wall and Gillispie John Clay’s Sidelines
From John Clay.
Former UK Basketball player indicted
Sad state of affairs for one of Pitino's Bombinos.
Bluegrass State Basketball: Ex-Cat Jodie Meeks Reaches Double-Figures
Really happy to see this. Go, Jodie!
Florida Gators' O-line takes a big hit - Colleges - MiamiHerald.com
Florida offensive tackle Matt Patchan will miss the remainder of the season after tearing an ACL on Tuesday, Gators coach Urban Meyer said Wednesday. Patchan injured his knee early in practice during a noncontact drill, and his absence could limit the rotation on the offensive line.

Ouch. Bad news for the Gators, especially with Tebow iffy.
Thugs attack two men in dresses... who turn out to be cage fighters | Mail Online
There is a lesson here, I think ...

Today in Schadenfreude

The Top 10 Teams With the Most Annoying Fans | SPIKE
Oh, yes. Even though btcoop71 posted this earlier, you know this has to go in the Daily Schadenfreude.
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " Pitino Enjoying Life to Its Fullest
Louisville coach Rick Pitino insists that he’s having one of the best years of his life.

Really. After a mostly embarrassing summer where Pitino spent several press conferences apologizing to his wife/kids/players/fans/employer by invoking 9/11, playing the hapless victim, fibbing about health insurance, berating the media and telling everyone to focus on the important things like basketball, he has decided that 2009 represents one of the best years of his 57-year old life. Well, let’s see about that, shall we?

I'm sorry, Card fans, but this one is just too snicker-worthy to pass on. I do love Rick, but really, sometimes he is just a self-parody.

Previewing Kentucky at South Carolina: Topics for Discussion on the 'Cats Defense

Gamecock Man — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:47:39 -0000

As you've probably heard, UK CBs Trevard Lindley and Paul Warford are doubtful for Saturday. What should we expect from the 'Cats, and can we take advantage? I'm assuming that (1) inexperienced Randall Burden and Martavius Neloms will play a lot and (2) Kentucky will back off it's man coverage without shut-down corner Lindley in the game. Our passing game should benefit from Lindley and Warford's absence, which could lead to the entire offense opening up. However, we'll have to take advantage. Look for us to try to work the zone with underneath plays and to try to send Moe Brown or Tori Gurley deep if Kentucky scoots the safeties up. Things could get ugly if Kentucky gives us too many chances to beat their young corners deep.

Can Kentucky generate a pass rush? Without their starting corners in the game to shut down our receivers, Kentucky will be even more likely to go for broke and try to get to Garcia and hope he makes a mistake before he can get anything going. Is our line, which has struggled a bit on pass blocking, up to the task? Is Garcia ready with the right audibles when the blitz comes? Is he ready to scramble after being a little banged up over the past two weeks? The answer to these questions could be the difference between a huge and a struggling day for the Gamecocks offense.

Kentucky gave up 200+ rushing yards to Alabama and 350+ yards to Florida. Can we run the ball against the 'Cats? We don't have quite the rushing attack that Alabama has and we certainly don't have anything resembling the Tebow / Demps / Rainey / Moody show. However, as long as we move the ball through the air efficiently enough to keep Kentucky honest, we should be able to move the ball fairly well against the 'Cats. I'll say that I hope we see a varied set of looks on Saturday; we've run the ball well out of the I and other formations against our lesser opponents this year, but in the big games we've gotten a little more predictable, mainly using draw plays. I see no reason why we can't open things up more against our SEC opponents.

Week Five Preview: #3 Alabama at Kentucky

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

More photos » by James Crisp - AP

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.

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.

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... 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!

Kentucky vs. Louisville -- What Makes Me Confident, and What Makes Me Nervous

Truzenzuzex — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:01:59 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Victor Anderson could give us some serious trouble tomorrow.

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I see a lot of confidence in Kentucky fans regarding the Governor's Cup tomorrow, and I see an awful lot of pessimism in Louisville fans. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at either, but perhaps Kentucky fans should be a little cautious with their optimism and save the smack-talk until after the game is over. There is nothing less tasty than ~~Cardinal~~ crow after an upset.

Now, don't count me among the pessimistic -- I'm not. On paper, Kentucky has a number of advantages over Louisville, and Mike over at the Card Chronicle has done a pretty fair job of detailing them. So what I propose to do here is detail the things that make me feel confident, and nervous, about tomorrow's contest.

Confident

The Kentucky offensive line. UK has one of the most experienced lines in the SEC, and they get Jorge Gonzalez back at center for tomorrow's game. Kentucky was 5th in the nation in sacks allowed last year, so if the line comes to play, Hartline will get all the time he needs to find receivers.

Nervous

Trent Guy. Trent Guy is a gamebreaker, a lightning-quick athlete that, if he gets the ball in space, will leave UK defenders trying to tackle his vapor trail. This kid is fast, and reminds me a lot of Florida's Jeffrey Demps -- small, quick, and if he gets a step, gone.

Confident

Our "in the box" guys. Louisville has some very solid backs, but with the exception of the edges, Kentucky has a very experienced and talented defensive front. Even if Victor Anderson or Bilal Powell get loose a little, I think the 'Cats have the speed and athleticism to tackle them.

Nervous

Kentucky's kicking game. I think our punting game is OK, but kickoffs make me nervous. We simply do not have anyone with enough leg to get the hang time we need, and Tim Masthay is not walking through that door. With dangerous returners like Trent Guy and Doug Beaumont, I have nightmares about kickoffs to the Cardinals.

Confident

Kentucky's secondary. I think that the 'Cats are going to intercept passes from Louisville if they try to throw it downfield. UK has Trevard Lindley, but the other guys in the defensive backfield are also high quality -- Paul Warford, Calvin Harrison, Winston Guy, Randall Burden and Matt Lentz all represent major threats to an untested QB.

Nervous

Justin Burke. After a pedestrian outing against Indiana State, I fear that this kid will suddenly wake up and play over his head in a rivalry game. If he is able to get the ball to guys like Beaumont and Guy in space, Louisville could move the football. And if the kicking game is as bad as Brooks' fears, the Cardinals will be starting from less than 60 yards from our end zone.

Confident

Rich Brooks. I love what Papa Brooks has done over the last few years, and I am becoming a believer in his judgment, game management and experience. Brooks is the kind of coach that if you give him enough talent, he wins, and I think the Wildcats have plenty of talent for the Cardinals.

Nervous

Field Goal kicking. Lones Seiber has been anything but consistent, and if the game is closer than expected, he could be the difference between a win and a loss. I don't feel good at all about having Seiber as the bulwark against a close defeat.

Well, those are the things that make me puff my chest out, and the things that make me toss and turn in the bed at night. Feel free to chime in with your observations, I'd love to hear them.

Kentucky Football: Defensive Expectations

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:53:42 -0000

by Ed Reinke - AP

Jeremy Jarmon and Myron Pryor's absence is going to be felt in terms of sacks and stopping shorter runs.

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Continuing with yesterday's examination of national and conference rankings from last year compared to what we might expect this year, we are going to perform the same exercise on the defense.

Kentucky's defense loses a good number of players from last year's solid defensive squad -- that's the bad news. The good news is that Trevard Lindley and Micah Johnson, just to name two, are back as seniors to lead the squad. The defense features a mix of experience and youth, and nowhere is that more prevalent than on the defensive line. Jeremy Jarmon's unfortunate loss of his final year of eligibility has put UK in a position where they are very inexperienced at the edges, with a redshirt freshman (Collins Ukwu) at one end and JUCO transfer (DeQuin Evans) at the other. Despite the fact that the defensive tackles are experienced, the depth behind them is not.

The linebacking corps, on the other hand, could actually be better than last year's group, and is deep with experience. The defensive backfield is a bit green, but with Lindley back there and rising stars Randall Burden and Winston Guy, the defensive backfield should be as good, if not better than last year.

With all that in mind, here's how I think the defense shakes out:

Defensive Statistics
	2008 Rank		2009 Outlook
Statistic	National	Conference	National	Conference	Comments
Scoring defense	35	8	45-55	7	This will probably drop off a little due to youth.
Rushing defense	57	9	Mid 60's	7	Same as scoring defense.
Passing defense	40	9	35-40	5	I think we have a better secondary, but may not bring as much QB pressure.
Total defense	40	11	45-55	7	Not much change.
Opponent first downs	13	2	Mid 30's	5	I think we will give up more significantly more first downs due to youth in the line.
Fumbles forced	10	1	15-20	3	We should still do well in this stat.
Fumbles recovered	14	1	15-20	2	Ditto.
Opponent third down conv.	22	6	Mid 30's	8	More first downs allowed = more third down conversions allowed.
Opponent red zone conv.	40	5	Mid 30's	4	I think we might be tougher in the red zone this year.
Sacks	29	3	40-45	5	The loss of Jarmon and Pryor will hurt this stat a lot.
Tackles for loss	25	2	Mid 30's	4	Kind of a trade off here – better Micah, but missing Jeremy.
Interceptions	59	7	Teens	1	I think UK might lead the SEC in picks this year.

In my opinion, the SEC overall will be somewhat weaker than it was last year, primarily due to youth at quarterback. I think that is likely to translate into more picks for UK, especially with Trevard Lindley roaming around in the secondary and the rise of Chandler Burden and Winston Guy. Paul Warford is also extremely capable, and with some of the wounded ducks we are going to see this year, a lot of picks looks very real.

Despite the loss of Pryor and Jarmon, I think the D-line will be solid enough, but we will probably give up more 5-6 yard runs than last year, and therefore more first downs. As the field becomes compressed in the red zone, though, I expect coverage to make it hard to throw, and the linebacking corps' strength to kick in, so I actually look for improvement in that stat. While it may look like we will improve in scoring and rushing D, I don't think that will be so much because UK is better, but more because the conference as a whole is worse.

SB Nation - Paul Warford

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Kentucky Football: Defensive Expectations