SB Nation - Sam Maxwell

UK Athletics: The Good, the Bad, and the Hilarious

Ken Howlett — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:00:19 -0000

More, please.

With the basketball 'Cats fresh off their 68-66 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels, and the football 'Cats officially going country with their third Music City Bowl invite in four years, there is much happening in the world of Kentucky sports. While normally I write about a particular event or topic, today I'm going to venture into the realm of diversification and include in this post thoughts on the happenings of UK basketball and football.

For more, make the jump with me:

The Good

Fast-break 'Cats -- For those who witnessed UK's roller-coaster win over North Carolina on Saturday, you saw nine minutes and twenty-eight seconds of near perfection. With UK down 9-2 at the 17:16 mark of the first half, the 28-2 Big Blue blitzkrieg that followed, had me, 'ol Roy, and anyone else watching wondering if the Wildcats would pulverize our powder blue rivals into submission before halftime. For nearly ten minutes the 'Cats did what they do best, and that is leave it to John Wall to gallop at a break-neck pace; passing, shooting, and alley-ooping his way into the hearts of Kentucky fans (and NBA scouts).

During UK's dominant first-half demonstration Wall scored seven points, and assisted on four of UK's other eight made baskets. He loudly and proudly announced to the world that the hype surrounding his "game" is not only justified, but it may be understated.

Also getting into the act during UK's nine-and-a-half minutes of bliss were: Darius Miller -- Two three-pointers, a mid-range jumper, two steals, and one assist: Patrick Patterson -- A jumper, dunk, layup, and two free throws: Darnell Dodson contributed a three-pointer and a steal.

During a stretch most coaches only dream about, the 'Cats made 11-14 shots (with six assists), pilfered the Heels four times, and committed only two turnovers (neither by a guard). UK's stifling defense (with an assist to the pace) held the Tar Heels to only 1-9 shooting, while forcing eight turnovers.

From down 9-2, to up 30-11 in less than half of a half -- No one, and I mean no one will want to run with this team. If Roy Williams, possibly the elite fast break coach in the country, doesn't want any part of the John Wall-led "Wonder of Me Tour," no coach interested in winning will be enthused to see Wall streaking unmolested toward the basket with a team of thoroughbreds filling the lane, or waiting to pop from the perimeter. To emasculate a lesser-team in such a way is impressive, but North Carolina's roster is filled with talent, which makes what I saw awe-inspiring.

UK won despite a sub-par performance by DeMarcus Cousins -- Many so-called experts have prognosticated that Kentucky cannot beat good teams (and therefore, be a Final Four contender), without Cousins being a major force. Bull excrement!

Patrick Patterson, Daniel Orton, and Perry Stevenson displayed why the mercurial Cousins, while very talented, is not the key to UK's low post play -- Patterson produced a typical PPat game: 19 points, seven rebounds, one block and one steal, while Orton and Stevenson combined to play 26 minutes and produced five rebounds, three blocks, one steal, and one assist.

As long as Patterson has another player of size working with him down low, taking a bit of the defensive pressure off, he is capable of handling the workload. He's proved that for two-plus years.

UK won despite John Wall missing seven straight minutes of action -- I admit, when Wall started limping, I started pacing.

When Wall left the game in the second half at the 18:46 mark (and began his hypodermic-dodging journey back to the floor), UK was up 45-30. When Wall reappeared, much to the delight of the record-setting Rupp Arena crowd (as well as millions of palpitating UK fans at home), at the 11:44 mark, Kentucky was up 54-42. My calculator says UNC outscored the 'Cats 12-9 in that nerve-racking stretch of the game. Not bad when one considers Wall is the heart and soul of what makes UK go.

The 'Cats did commit four turnovers (two by Bledsoe, one each by Patterson and Ramon Harris), and they made only 4-12 shots (three of the makes were by Patterson) during the stretch, but they held serve, they preserved the lead, and that's all that really matters. Good teams win despite adversity. The fulfillment of that adage was on full display Saturday afternoon.

The final two minutes -- With UK clinging to a 61-56 lead over the Heels (at the two minute mark), freshmen guards John Wall and Eric Bledsoe refused to allow the 'Cats to lose. Over the two minutes that mean the most, Wall and Bledsoe combined to make five of six free throws, stole a pass (Wall), made a layup (Bledsoe), and dished out an assist (Wall).

The "Cool Hand Luke" demeanor in which these two players perform in end-game scenarios, at such a young age, cannot be overstated. Some players are simply gifted with the absence of fear. We are now watching two such gifted athletes. Enjoy 'em while ya got 'em.

UPDATE -- Kentucky's three-point threat -- With UK's 6-16 (37.5%) three-point shooting against North Carolina, the 'Cats trey accuracy now stands at 37.9% (50-132) on the year.

Led by Darius Miller's 40.0% shooting (14-35), Kentucky is quickly putting to rest the preseason questioning of their perimeter game. Eric Bledsoe, who's only weakness was thought to be his shooting, has pitched-in to the tune of 12 made treys on 25 attempts (48.0%); Darnell Dodson, now liberated from the Calipari doghouse, has made a respectable 38.5% (10-26), and possesses one of the sweetest strokes this side of Chris Lofton; and finally, Patrick Patterson continues to impress with his outside shot by making 6-14 (42.9%).

I don't know when UK's perimeter game ceases to be a cause for concern, but I sense the time is near.

Music City Bowl invite -- While many UK fans are unhappy about returning to Nashville for the third time in four years, I choose instead to celebrate four straight years of UK bowl games. It's a milestone for the program, and a tribute to one of the best senior classes in Kentucky football history.

So many 'Cats had outstanding seasons -- Derrick Locke, Randall Cobb, Micah Johnson, Sam Maxwell, La 'Rod King, and John Conner all produced fantastic individual years. They, as well as the other 'Cats, deserve the full support of the BBN while they do battle with C.J. Spiller and the Clemson Tigers in the Music City Bowl.

Football 'Cats honored -- It was announced Monday that five UK football players were selected by the Associated Press as All-SEC performers -- Randall Cobb: First Team all-purpose player -- Corey Peters: Second Team defensive tackle -- Sam Maxwell: Second Team linebacker -- Derrick Locke: Second Team all-purpose player -- Zipp Duncan: Honorable Mention offensive lineman.

Congratulations to all the 'Cats selected, with one caveat -- Sam Maxwell deserved First Team honors. He was second in the SEC with six interceptions, and he made big play after key play in UK's road victories over Auburn, Georgia, and Vanderbilt. I honestly can't think of another SEC linbacker that I would have rather had.

The Bad

The DeMarcus Cousins in-game pout -- I was the same way at his age -- I allowed (perceived) poor officiating to get in my head.

What Cousins has to realize is: DON'T ALLOW THE OFFICIALS TO BEAT YOU TWICE. It's comparable to a golfer allowing one bad shot to adversely effect his next shot. It's a recipe for pine-time, and unfulfilled potential.

Although I feel confident John Calipari will work his pupil through this flaw in his game, it may take some time. Cousins, afterall, is accustomed to getting all the calls in high school, he's accustomed to bullying his foes, not being on the receiving end of such physical play (and there definitely was an abundance of physical play on Saturday). Well, this ain't high school ball, DeMarcus. Adjust accordingly, and become the beast that is within you.

Underused Patterson -- With the absence of John Wall from the 18:46 mark to the 11:44 mark of the second half, one would expect Patrick Patterson to become that which the offense runs through. Well apparently, one would be wrong.

During that seven minute stretch, Patterson took exactly four shots, with one of those shots being an offensive rebound of his only miss (of that stretch). UK's big man, and best player (if Wall isn't on the floor), simply has to receive more touches if such a predicament faces UK in the future.

I realize Eric Bledsoe was playing erratically at the time, he was ... trying to do too much while Wall was sidelined. But what young Mr. Bledsoe would be wise to remember is that he needs to run the offense through Patterson, ensure the big fella gets his touches, and everything else will open up.

Sam Maxwell's labrum tear and Micah Johnson's omission -- The terrible news out of the Nutter Complex that Sam Maxwell will miss the Music City Bowl was most unpleasant for this UK fan. Maxwell, a senior, played sparingly through his first three years in Lexington, opting to patiently wait his turn in lieu of transferring. And when earning the opportunity to start, the Georgia native put up big numbers, and made game-changing plays. My thanks to Maxwell for a job well done, and good luck at the next level.

Maxwell's senior statistics -- 80 tackles (42 solo) (second on the team), 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six interceptions (second in the SEC), seven pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.

Micah Johnson's omission from the AP All-SEC team is laughable. UK's senior middle linebacker posted 100 tackles (fifth in the SEC) , 6.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and one sack. And he did all of this while battling plantar fasciitis and a bad ankle for most of the year.

The Hilarious

I like John Calipari. I've liked him since he brought his UMass team to Rupp Arena in December of 1991. He impressed me then, and he's impressed me ever since; he's a fine coach, and a great recruiter. A fan can't ask for much more.

But, his "like-ability" quotient shot through the roof Saturday, when after the game he said the following (paraphrasing) -- When I saw where Seth Davis predicted us to lose, I knew we had a chance.

Most UK fans know Seth Davis, and most UK fans don't like Seth Davis. He speaks of that which he doesn't know, and is paid handsomely to do so. Which is why I spewed my just ingested Coca-Cola all over my carpet when Calipari called a spade ... a spade.

Thanks, coach, finally someone with credibility called-out a national media member, and did so without hesitation.

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

Kentucky 24, Tennessee 30 (OT) -- Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:36:21 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Montario Hardesty romped all over the Wildcats.

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Having just returned from a family meeting, it feels like a great burden to have to write this. Despite a game effort, Kentucky fell for the 25th straight time to Tennessee.

Congratulations to the Volunteers, who now join UK at 7-5 for the season. Tennessee played a very good football game, and Montario Hardesty was the realization of my worst fears about Kentucky coming into this game. The Volunteers played determined, if not particularly inspired, football. In the end, they were just a little bit better than the Wildcats.

What we saw tonight is what we have seen for the last four years -- a lack of true depth at positions killing us. What killed us tonight was the injury to John Connor, which resulted in Moncell Allen trying to replace him. Moncell did his best, but when it comes to blocking, Connor is the very best in the SEC. That's why Randall Cobb was less efficient in the second half. That's why Joker Phillips went more to the pass. That's why Derrick Locke saw far less of the football. Without Connor to block for them, the going got much tougher.

I must say that I am quite depressed to have lost this game. I really thought we had a chance to win in overtime. But for one of the few times this year, UK could not avoid either penalties or turnovers, and as we all are aware, Kentucky has a relatively small margin for error against the more talented SEC teams, of which Tennessee certainly is one.

More after the jump.

Many of you will be jumping down Phillips' throat for not running more of the Wildcat, but it was far less effective in the second half due to the absence of Connor. My bigger complaint was that every Wildcat play seemed to be a Randall Cobb run, and you would think that Kentucky could mix that up with more Derrick Locke.

But truth be told, Randall Cobb was not at his best tonight. He made several questionable decisions with the football, and uncharacteristically fumbled the football twice. He did score a touchdown and made several big plays, but it just seemed to me like the edge was not really there for him. Maybe it was, and he just didn't play to the top of his ability, but in the end, the result was the same.

The real problem with this game was that Tennessee dominated both our offensive and defensive lines. Our defensive line has been weak all year, but tonight, it was simply not up to the task. Hardesty ran through them like a hot knife through butter. It has been a recurring problem for the Wildcat defense to be weak against the run, and given the talent we are graduating, I don't have much hope for a strong defensive front next year. But that is for later.

Here were my other observations:

Morgan Newton was simply not up to the task tonight. He did his best Mike Hartline impersonation by throwing the football over everyone's head.
Sam Maxwell disappeared after the interception. Where did he go?
Great game by Micah Johnson. He seemed to be in on every play. But he could not cover the tight end at all.
The pressure on Crompton was simply not good enough.
The defense, overall, was poor. Tennessee pretty much did what they wanted. The only way they didn't was when they got a penalty or a big negative play.
The Kentucky offense was very predictable, and I think we did not give Locke the ball enough in either half.
Special teams play was generally not very good. Tydlacka made a couple of very poor punts, UK kicked a ball out of bounds or line drives that could be returned on kickoffs, and just generally did not do that well. The only bright spot was Randall Cobb's punt returns.
UK's passing game was almost non-existent. I can remember Cobb catching a couple of balls, and Matthews catching one long pass. But did any of the other wide receivers ever catch a football?
How many times must Wildcat fan's hearts be broken before we dispose of this particular nuisance?

Well, that's about all I have for now. I haven't looked at the stats, and I haven't really looked at anything else. The game (what I saw of it) was largely lost on penalties and turnovers, something that Kentucky has feasted on for most of the year. It was bound to catch up to us sooner or later.

Kentucky Football: Giving Thanks to Those Deserving Much More

Ken Howlett — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:12:02 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks gives his thanks, now it's my turn.

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Still basking in the afterglow of unexpected victory after Kentucky's 34-27 triumph over the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, I suddenly find myself in a thankful mood. Thankful for not only the UK win, but upon reflection, thankful for those who have propelled the football program forward in 2009, instead of settling for a "rebuilding" year. It would have been easy for the team to call it a year after starting quarterback Mike Hartline was injured six games ago, but this squad has persevered.

We've settled for less than acceptable results in the football program for far too long around these parts, but now, with four straight bowl games imminent, and a possible 4-4 SEC mark (and gasp, second place in the SEC East) looking UK squarely in the face mask, it's time to give up the kudos for those who go to battle every Saturday ... to those who fight through pain and injury ... and to those who sacrifice. A little recognition for achievements not enjoyed at Kentucky in a very long time is also in order, so after the jump, join me in giving some props to the warriors who are right for the fight ...

I'm thankful that Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart didn't fire Rich Brooks after year three, even though nearly the entire fan base, along with the bulk of media members, were calling for his termination -- Love Barnhart, or hate him, that decision alone will forever keep him in my good graces. Take a bow, Mitch.
I'm thankful UK has learned the art of the comeback victory -- Since mid-season of 2006, a total of 42 games, Kentucky has orchestrated 12 fourth quarter comeback victories. This season alone the 'Cats have comeback three times to win games: Louisville, Auburn, and Georgia. Prior to mid-season of '06, one has to go back to 1991 to find 12 more UK fourth quarter comeback victories ... a span of 170 games -- How many times over the last couple of decades have I uttered, "Only at Kentucky," after the 'Cats let another sure victory slip away? Suffice it so say, a lot, but recently that phrase has been replaced by, "How 'bout them 'Cats"? Thanks to the UK web-site, "Cat Scratches," for the great info!!
I'm thankful Derrick Locke wears the blue and white -- Coming off what can be a career-ending ACL injury, Locke has been nothing short of phenomenal for the 'Cats this year. The Hugo, Oklahoma native is racking up yardage in nearly every offensive category: 821 yards and five touchdowns rushing the ball; 221 yards and two touchdowns catching the ball; 518 kick-off returns yards, and oh yeah, one touchdown. That's 1,560 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns. Take a bow, Derrick.
I'm thankful Philip Fulmer didn't decide to recruit Randall Cobb until it was too late -- Cobb has been equally fabulous for the Wildcats this season. Also accustomed to remaining in motion during football games, Cobb has racked up 436 yards and nine touchdowns rushing the ball; 403 yards and four touchdowns catching the ball; 292 punt return yards, and one touchdown; 302 kick-off return yards; and finally, 46 passing yards -- Cobb's totals come to 1,479 yards and 14 touchdowns. Does anyone really believe if Cobb had not played on this year's team, that the 'Cats would be sitting on seven wins? Take a bow, Randall.
I'm thankful linebacker Sam Maxwell patiently waited his turn -- Maxwell, a senior stuck behind a litany of superlative linebackers over the last three years, has taken the UK defensive stalwart mantle as his own. All Maxwell does is lead the team in interceptions with five; lead the team in solo tackles with 41; he's second on the team with 73 tackles; he has 5.5 tackles for loss; seven pass breakups; and two forced fumbles. He is ubiquitous, he is omnipotent, he is First Team All-SEC in '09, or I want somebody's head on a big blue platter. Take a bow, Sam.
I'm thankful for the Kentucky offensive line -- Zipp Duncan, Brad Durham, Justin Jefferies, Christian Johnson, Stuart Hines and Jorge Gonzalez have been nothing short of season-saving. This group of fighters have paved the way for Kentucky's 2,158 total yards on the ground this season. The six primary ball-carriers for the 'Cats - Locke, Cobb, Alfonso Smith, Moncell Allen, Donald Russell, and John Conner have rushed for a combined 1,975 yards on 376 carries, good for a 5.2 yards per carry average. And make no mistake, a considerable amount of the credit goes to UK's veteran trench warfare practitioners. They have also done a remarkable job of protecting the UK quarterbacks, allowing only 14 sacks through 11 games. Outstanding considering the youth and inexperience of the Kentucky signal-callers. Gentlemen, take a well-deserved bow!
I'm thankful for junior college transfers --- Defensive end DeQuin Evans is second on the team with 10.5 tackles for loss, and he leads the team with five sacks. Replacing suspended All-SEC performer Jeremy Jarmon, Evans was placed firmly on the hot seat with expectations of greatness following him onto the field. Evans, while not "great," has been a very solid addition to the UK defensive line ... and I'm satisfied that we haven't seen the best he has to offer. Also, coming to Lexington via the JC route was wide receiver Chris Matthews. The highly rated Matthews was thought to be the potential savior of the receiving corp, and after a rough start, including a demotion, Matthews has played very well, along with earning praise for his blocking ability. He's second on the team with 29 catches for 299 yards, and two touchdowns. JUCO guys, take a bow!
I'm thankful linebacker Micah Johnson didn't heed the beckoning call of the NFL -- Johnson, while playing with plantar fasciitis for most of the year, leads UK in tackles with 84 (36 solo). He's also contributed 4.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and one sack. Take a bow, Micah.
I'm thankful linebacker Danny Trevathan has two more years of eligibility remaining -- Trevathan, billed as the next great UK linebacker, has not disappointed. The youngster is third on the team with 69 tackles (36 solo), and four tackles for loss. Take a bow, Danny.
I'm thankful defensive lineman Corey Peters has taken his turn to shine -- All Peters has done is lead the 'Cats with 11 tackles for loss, and six quarterback hurries. He's also contributed four sacks. UK fans were expecting Peters to be good, and after a "middling" start to the year, Peters has come on strong of late. Take a bow, Corey.
I'm thankful freshman receiver La'Rod King has such soft, supple hands -- The North Hardin product has leap-frogged over several more experienced receivers to earn starting time, mostly due to his ability to catch the ball, and run the right routes. He's made only 10 catches on the year, for 142 yards and one touchdown, but he's made those receptions recently, and he's snagged a few off-target throws which changed the complexion of the game. Most recently, his one-handed (and left-handed) 21-yard touchdown reception against Georgia on Saturday. "Stickum", he don't need no stinkin' "stickum". Take a bow, La'Rod.
I'm thankful freshman quarterback Morgan Newton opted for the 'Cats, instead of the Cards -- After the injury to Hartline, UK fans were frothing at the mouth to see the high school All-America lead the 'Cats, and while expectations were waaaaay overblown for what the young man could accomplish, Newton has played solidly. The Carmel, Indiana native has thrown for 539 yards on 52-90 passing (57.8%). He's limited mistakes, i.e. turnovers (only three interceptions), and led the 'Cats to three tough SEC road wins (Auburn, Vandy, and Georgia) for the first time since Jesus was preachin' in Omaha. Take a bow, Morgan.
I'm thankful running back Moncell Allen got his academic house in order -- Allen's skull-rattling hit on Georgia kick returner Branden Smith to begin the third quarter, and the resulting Matt Roark fumble recovery, turned the tide in UK's favor Saturday. Allen has been excellent for UK all year, but his finest moment came on that play. Take a bow, Moncell.
I'm thankful Georgia coach Mark Richt turned a blind eye to UK players, and Georgia natives, defensive backs Trevard Lindley and Randall Burden; linebackers Sam Maxwell and Shane McCord (he of the game-clinching INT); and wide receiver/special teams performer Matt Roark -- Not good enough for the 'Dogs ... read the scoreboard, coach.
And finally, I'm thankful head coach Rich Brooks has stuck around Lexington long enough to record a 30-20 won-loss mark over the last four years, the best four year record for any UK football coach since 1950-'53 (Paul Bryant). Brooks has also deftly directed the 'Cats to four straight seasons of at least seven wins for the first time since the 1909-'12 seasons. A win over UT on Saturday and he's SEC Coach of the Year, at least in my book. Take a bow, Papa Brooks.

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

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Weekend Happiness Hangover Edition

Truzenzuzex — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:54:51 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Was that thump some people heard on Saturday the sound of Uga VII rolling over in his grave?

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And what a weekend it was. The Gridiron Felines show that they are not going to look gift horses in the mouth this year, as they took advantage of a 4-0 turnover margin to upend the Dawgs in Athens.

Then the basketball team showed why almost everyone has them in their top five by effortlessly handling Rider, 92-63, in a game that was arguably not as close as the score. This Kentucky team is only limited by their own willingness to learn and work hard, and as the competition gets tougher (beginning tomorrow night), we will see if Calipari's coaching and system will take hold early, or late.

Returning to football, it is simply beyond belief that UK managed to pull out a victory in Georgia on Saturday if you look at the box score. But one thing that deserves further highlighting is just how well UK's special teams played. Kentucky got outstanding field position on every kickoff. A missed PAT and a poor Ryan Tydlacka punt were really the only blemishes on an otherwise sterling special-teams performance.

Another point that needs a little extra emphasis is the ridiculously outstanding play of Sam Maxwell. Who would have believed that Maxwell would come into the starting line up this year and outshine Micah Johnson? True, Micah has suffered from a turf toe injury that has limited his mobility the last few games, but Maxwell has stepped it up to a very high level.

The news follows the jump.

Tobias Harris signs with Tennessee - Rocky Top Talk
Rivals' #1 power forward and #5 overall player has signed with Bruce Pearl and the Vols, arguably the biggest recruiting get in the history of Tennessee Basketball.
Kings Of New York: Syracuse 87, North Carolina 71 - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Syracuse crushes North Carolina. The way to 2000 wins just got a little easier.
This Isn't Exactly The Start The SEC Had In Mind - SB Nation
The SEC is off to a slow start in the non-conference season.
Caribbean Kings: Puerto Rico, Paradise Jam Tournaments Highlight Sunday In NCAA Basketball - SB Nation
Louisville has a much closer than expected game against Morgan State.
Paradise Jam: Tennessee 57 DePaul 53, Vols play for title Monday - Rocky Top Talk
Remember that 129-49 throttling of UNC Asheville by the Vols? Depaul was having none of that.
UK showed its better half in upset | KentuckySports.com
"We're not getting style points," Brooks said after the game. "It's not always pretty and this one wasn't pretty, but it looked like Bo Derek running down the beach to me late in the fourth quarter."

Brooks is hilarious. Great win, no matter what it looked like.
UK Recruit Brandon Knight Scores 28 in First Game
I'd like to see Knight take Wall's place next year.
Orlando Sentinel - Gators juniors already thinking about NFL draft by
Florida will be a much different team next year. Can Urban resist the siren call of the Big Golden Dome?
Charleston Classic Finals, South Carolina vs. Miami: A Quick Recap - Garnet And Black Attack
More bad news for the SEC. Dominique Archie may have torn his ACL.
Villanova stops Mississippi to win Tip-Off | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/23/2009
Ole Miss tries, but fails, to handle #5 Villanova.
Wildcats finally conquer Athens | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
It was UK's first win in Athens since 1977 — the year the Cats' current coach, Rich Brooks, took Oregon to Sanford Stadium in his first game as a collegiate head coach.

In that game 32 years ago, Brooks' team held a late lead and lost.

What is the old Klingon proverb about revenge being a dish "best served cold?" "I said (to the team) I've been waiting a long time — long before they were born, and most of them before their parents even met and married — and we finally got one back for the old man today," Brooks said. "It's a great win."
No. 10 Wildcats fall in volleyball | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Hoops hall another link for Bird, Magic - KansasCity.com
But they [Larry Bird and Magic Johnson] liked even less — and this was saying something — how little playing time they received on that all-star team. Joe B. Hall was the coach, and he played his guys, a Kentucky squad that had won the national championship the year before, over the two Midwestern kids.

Via Rush the Court.
IRON BOWL: Alabama focused on task at hand | montgomeryadvertiser.com | Montgomery Advertiser
"It's the type of game where you can't give a pep talk before the game," said Tide senior cornerback Javier Arenas, a native of Florida. "It takes care of itself. If you can't get yourself fired up to play in this one, there's something wrong with you."

The Iron Bow. In my opinion, the most intense rivalry in all of sports, college or professional. I watch this game every year, and it rarely disappoints. But on Friday? I wish it were on Saturday.
Kicking Off Week 13 with Rivalries and Trouble in Athens // 11.23.09 - Team Speed Kills
This might be humorous if it were gallows humor, But I'm pretty sure the Senator was being serious when he said this:

I’m being a little unfair to Kentucky with this. There’s a clear talent gap between the ‘Cats and the Dawgs – Georgia’s coaches aren’t as good as Kentucky’s at getting their charges prepared to play hard for sixty minutes.

To recap: A Georgia fan thinks his coaches were outdone by a centenarian, a man named Joker and a defensive coordinator whose name know one knows. This movie doesn't end well.

The Georgia faithful are not happy.
Kentucky Wildcats 34, Georgia Bulldogs 27: Chicken Little Was an Optimist - Dawg Sports
Statistically, Kentucky never should have been in this game. The Bulldogs outperformed the Wildcats in passing yards (291-137), rushing yards (196-123), first downs (22-15), and time of possession (33:13-26:47). That ought to be a recipe for success, particularly for a team that has home field advantage on its side. The usual suspects reared their ugly heads, however, as two interceptions, two lost fumbles, and five fifteen-yard penalties, almost all of them at the most inopportune times imaginable, doomed the ‘Dawgs.

If you didn't see this game, there is no way you would believe that UK had won. Georgia dominated every statistic except two -- turnover margin and final score.
Les Miles Denies Calling for a Spike; Video Evidence Proves Otherwise - And The Valley Shook
Heh. Ouch.
Charlie Weis says indeed, 6-5 not good enough for Notre Dame Fighting Irish - ESPN
"If they decide to make a change, I'd have to say I'd have a tough time arguing with that. If they decide to make a change, I'd have a tough time arguing that because 6-5 is not good enough," the Fighting Irish coach said Sunday. "Especially when you've lost five games by a touchdown or less and several three-point games that went right down to the wire.

Is this coach arguing that he should be fired?
Bobcats end 7-game slide - CharlotteObserver.com
To paraphrase the Dean Smith/Michael Jordan line, only Larry Brown could hold Nazr Mohammed to 18 points.

Good for Nazr. Via Walter's Wildcat World.
European influence has lasting effect on U.S. basketball -- chicagotribune.com
My, how the world has changed since Wildcats last beat Vols on gridiron - Kingsport Times-News Online
Week 12 in Review - AthlonSports.com
How about the job Rich Brooks is doing with Kentucky this year? The Wildcats lost starting quarterback Mike Hartline to a knee injury, but freshman Morgan Newton has played well and was a big reason why the Wildcats scored a huge 34-27 upset over Georgia. Don’t be surprised if the Wildcats give Tennessee all they can handle this Saturday.
Is this Kentucky's year? | When You're Strange | GoVolsXtra.com
No streak lives forever and this may be the week Tennessee's domination of Kentucky finally comes to an end. The Vols have found a way to beat the Wildcats 24 consecutive years, the longest streak in any major college football rivalry. Usually, UT had better players up and down the line.

It's time for the streak to die.
Kentucky Wildcats Arrive in Cancun, Mexico
UKCoachCalipari All checked in. Will practice in an hour or so. The place seats about 1300 fans and I hear Kentucky fans will be close to half of them.

I know how it was in Vegas last year. Tons of Kentucky fans, and a few of every other team.
Kentucky Sports Radio "Stacey Poole Discusses HS Basketball, Why He Chose the Cats and Improving
Q&A with Kentucky’s John Wall | Vaught's Views
Adams: UT, Kentucky treading on similar path " GoVolsXtra
The same Rich Brooks, who was on the brink of being fired a year later, is now an established SEC coach with two dazzling rebuilding jobs on his resume, first at Oregon, and now at Kentucky. And UT’s Lane Kiffin is the first-time head college coach who is just getting started.

Interesting.
" BBL: What they said from Athens on the UK football win John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's Big Blue Links.
Brooks’ priority is finishing 2nd in SEC East | Vaught's Views
Column: UK’s best perimeter ‘D’ found underneath | The Kentucky Kernel
"I know they have taken a bad rap for some of the 3-pointers that have gone in against them, but I watched every game and a couple of kids went nuts against them," Rider coach Tommy Dempsey said. "They gave up open shots, but you can’t expect them to not give up open shots in the course of the game, especially when they are pressing, jumping in passing lanes and trying to create offense with their defense."
Rick Bozich | UK's front line looks top of the line | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
It was delivered by DeMarcus Cousins, a UK freshman forward. It was accepted by Daniel Orton, another UK freshman forward. It was the result of Cousins, a guy who had started the first half as well as the Wildcats' first three games, suggesting to coach John Calipari that Orton should take his starting spot for the second half of Kentucky's 92-63 victory.

This group is showing signs of becoming a real basketball team.

Kentucky 34, Georgia 27 -- Postmortem

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:16:17 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Derrick Locke with the go-ahead touchdown!

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It's time to party, Kentucky fans! The Big Blue Nation has pulled a notable upset on the road versus a Georgia team that absolutely shot themselves in the foot not once, but so often that they were operating on one leg and a peg from the knee down.

Georgia utterly dominated Kentucky in every respect except for the one that mattered -- the final score. Georgia played a beautiful first half, and came back in the second half and did nothing but turn the ball over. This was not a good game by the Dawgs after that first half, and they really lost their composure in the second. I want to thank them for the effort, and my understanding is that they treat visiting teams with the greatest respect and classic Southern hospitality. But today, the Red Clay Hounds were their own worst enemy.

The first half of this football game was one of the most frustrating I have ever had the misfortune to witness. The play calling was weirdly inept, the defense as desperately needing an intravenous infusion of Viagra to cure its impotence. Georgia was running, passing, and dominating Kentucky utterly.

The domination was particularly complete on the lines. UK's O-line could not keep Georgia out of the backfield. The UK D-line got pushed around like they had four 150 lb. guys instead of 300+, and Joe Cox had enough time to brew a cup of coffee before looking for his receiver. At halftime, I was beginning to fear that UK was going to be uncompetitive for only the second time this season.

But when UK came out and forced a fumble for an immediate score on the opening kickoff of the second half, I knew we were back in the ball game. I figured that a close loss was likely, but how wrong I was. UK came out and reversed the line domination completely on defense, and mostly on offense. Georgia got frustrated and began throwing the football to UK players, with disastrous results. In the final ignominy, the Dawgs turned the ball over on the Kentucky one-yard line.

More after the jump.

Part of me feels for Georgia fans. Georgia is a true, old-South SEC football school. They play other sports in Athens, but football is the only sport that matters. This win steals the hearts from hundreds of thousands of Georgia fans thinking that perhaps this team had turned the corner after defeating ancient rival Auburn last week.

My recollection is that that Georgia stole the heart from us last year in basketball on senior day in Rupp Arena, a sport that we Wildcat fans take pretty seriously. Now they know what that feels like, having your favorite team in your favorite sport lose on the day you celebrate the seniors in your home stadium. I know from personal experience that it feels really bad.

Vengeance aside, this win validates this Kentucky team, at least on paper. I would dispute that it was the kind of win you can hang your hat on because so much of it was facilitated by Georgia mistakes. But UK was able to capitalize on those mistakes, so that is a big positive.

It is also a big positive that UK came out so strong after the half, when they could have just folded their tents and got ready for Tennessee next week. Instead, they came out and, with help from the Dawgs, found a way to steal the game and go to 7-4, 3-4 in the SEC.

As I write this, I am trying to watch the basketball game I missed earlier on replay, and finishing up the last tiny bit of a bottle of Four Roses I have had for quite some time. So I'll get to my observations now:

Randall Cobb is indispensible to this team. Even injured, he affected the game.
Trevard Lindley had the worst game I can remember for him. Cox threw some really good balls, as well as bad ones, and a lot of the good ones were in Lindley's direction.
Wow, the turnovers. Great job by UK for being opportunistic.
La'Rod King only had one catch, but what a catch it was!
Locke is scary when he gets any space between him and the defense. Scary.
It's been a long time since I've seen two teams reverse roles like that after the half.
Our special teams were very good today. I think it's time we cut Ortmayer some slack.
Joker Phillips called an okay second half. The first half was really bad.
Arm tackling. Lots of it in the first half, not so much in the second.
Tydlacka always seems to throw in a clunker, but that kick from the end zone might have been the difference in the game.
I'm sorry Uga died. I hate it when dogs die.
Who were these game announcers? I have rarely been more annoyed by two people announcing a football game.
Morgan Newton is still a freshman, but he made better decisions in the second half.
Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke may be two of the most underrated football players in America. But if they keep this up, it won't stay that way.
One guy I forgot in my original post was Sam Maxwell. What a game by Sam! Game ball. He was everywhere, and the INT in the second half was the difference. What a great season he is having.

Okay, I'm done. Had a good day at the track, the basketball 'Cats finally played well, we beat Georgia between the hedges, and I have a few sips left of a lovely drop of bourbon.

This was a good day.

Kentucky 37 EKU 12: After-Action Report

Ken Howlett — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:54:02 -0000

More photos » by James Crisp - AP

Kentucky's Morgan Newton made strides in UK's 37-12 victory over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.

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The Kentucky football Wildcats (5-4, 1-4 SEC) proved to be resilient in today's 37-12 victory over their Richmond neighbors, the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (5-4, 5-3 OVC). With Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks deciding just before the game that UK's man-on-a-mission, Randall Cobb, would sit this one out due to a thumb injury, rookie quarterback Morgan Newton put together his best effort to date. Greatly aiding Newton in his quest for consistency were a group of formally inconsistent receivers -- Led by Chris Matthews' seven catches, eight different 'Cats caught passes today. And with star running back Derrick Locke sidelined with a bum knee, Kentucky's back-up runners plowed through the Colonel defense to the tune of 5.3 yards per carry.

I do want to add a hardy congratulations to the EKU Colonels. They represented their school well today with tough, clean play. I wish them well for the remainder of their season.

For a more detailed look at the points of interest for UK partisans, join me after the jump:

As noted, UK quarterback Morgan Newton played a solid, some might say, excellent game today. Newton was 20-29 through the air for 187 yards, and threw his first two passing touchdowns as a Wildcat. Coach Brooks had this to say about UK's star-in-early-development:

"Newton has improved a tremendous amount each week in practice. Eastern is not an SEC defense, but he showed he has the ability to read through his progressions, and protect the football."

Newton, instead of locking onto his hot read, scanned the field for his open receiver, which paid huge dividends with his 16-yard touchdown pass to under-used (and second option) tight end Maurice Grinter. All day Newton read his routes much more effectively than he has all year -- That's called progress.
Chris Matthews, who is still adjusting to the speed and intensity of major college football, replaced Cobb with aplomb this afternoon, nabbing seven passes for 56 yards (8.0 yards per reception) and one touchdown -- A touchdown where Matthews made a serious play for the ball. There is simply no excuse, other than inexperience, for Matthews to not excel at the SEC-level. He has the size, and physical attributes to be a go-to receiver, and hopefully today he took a positive step toward that end.
North Hardin alum LaRod King showed he just may be ready to make a difference in UK's offense. The freshman receiver caught four passes for 41 yards (10.3 ypr). He has played well when asked, I say he should be asked more often.
The magical disappearing/reappearing act of receiver Gene McCaskill made a timely breakthrough today with four catches for 33 yards (8.3 ypr).
Filling in admirably for Derrick Locke, capable running backs Moncell Allen and Alfonso Smith ran a combined 26 times for 122 yards (4.7 yards per carry). Each back recorded a touchdown.
Causing Commonwealth to buzz with excitement in the fourth quarter was the electric play of freshman running back Donald Russell -- Russell caught the Colonels napping with his 79-yard touchdown scamper (the longest UK rushing touchdown since 1998). Most impressive to coach Brooks, though, was Russell's 13-yard gain later in the fourth quarter, in which the talented tail back displayed a real ability to change directions while running at full speed. Russell is a down-hill runner with power. A dangerous combination for future UK opponents.
Linebacker Sam Maxwell continued his great play with yet another interception (which set-up the Newton to Matthews touchdown toss). That makes a team-leading four picks for Maxwell on the season. I sense an All-SEC nod for the senior LB.
Sophomore defensive back Cartier Rice also posted an INT today, picking off a Colonel hail Mary.
Junior defensive end DeQuin Evans led the 'Cats with 3.0 tackles for loss. The JUCO transfer continues to improve.
Redshirt sophomore defensive back Taiedo Smith led the team with 6.0 tackles.
UK's heralded offensive line held strong today, giving Newton time to throw, and opening holes for the running backs.
After being bullied last week by Mississippi State, Kentucky's defensive line recovered nicely this afternoon. They pressured EKU quarterback T.J. Pryor into only 9-28 passing for 137 yards. The Colonels gained 127 yards on the ground, but rushed 32 times (4.0 yards per carry) to attain that number.
Overall, EKU gained only 264 total yards on 14 first downs, compared to UK's 27 first downs and 444 total yards. Even considering the talent difference, those are numbers most UK fans should be happy with.
Kentucky was 9-17 on their third down conversions, while EKU was only 6-15. Those stats are as they should be -- A big, Big Blue advantage.
UK's special teams continue to hand out head-aches like Halloween candy -- A missed field goal (which was tipped), and a Colonel score on a fake field goal.
Kentucky set a school record today for most consecutive non-conference wins with 18.

After an understandably slow start , the 'Cats, behind the play of Morgan Newton, put away the Colonels with 30 points in the final three quarters (as they should have). Now, the goal is to get healthy. Vanderbilt on the road is UK's next test, and UK's next must-win.

Injuries coming out of today's contest look like this -- Tight end T. C. Drake has a serious groin injury; Linebacker Sam Maxwell has a thumb injury (x-rays negative); Cornerback Trevard Lindley "tweaked" an ankle late in the first half. Brooks theorized Lindley may have tore some scar tissue; we'll know more tomorrow.

The word from Rich Brooks on Cobb and Locke -- Locke should be ready to practice on Tuesday, making him likely to play next week versus Vandy. Cobb's thumb injury (he's in a cast), along with the fact that he's considerably bruised-up, portends a Cobb-watch for 'Cat fans in the upcoming week.

Mike Hartline update -- Hartline participated in practice last week (in limited duty), and coach Brooks will be looking this week at Hartline's maneuverability within the pocket. The junior signal-caller may see action next week at Vandy.

Newest Wildcat Fan

My wife Jennifer gave birth Monday to Carly Nicole, our third girl. All are doing well!

Thanks for reading and Go 'Cats!

Know Your Opponent: Kentucky Wildcats

jeremyflint — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:50:58 -0000

The Bulldogs are on the road this weekend with a trip to Lexington to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. We sent some questions over to the fine folks at A Sea Of Blue to see what we could learn about the Wildcats going in to this game.

1. Kentucky seemed to surprise a lot of people with their win at Auburn. Have the wildcats been sort of under the radar this season?

Maybe a little. Kentucky's history in the SEC since the 1960's can probably best be described as "guaranteed win" to most of the top SEC teams like Auburn, especially at home. And it is also a fact that UK has not played well on the road in the SEC, even when they have been considered pretty good, so I'm sure it came as a surprise to everyone on the Plains when UK came in and played a pretty flawless game against the Tigers.

For me, I always saw this as a potential win. Very few teams with a new coach don't wind up with growing pains, and even though Auburn had been very successful up to the point of our visit down there, I thought it was always likely that the inevitable problems from a new coach would crop in. I think there was more of that going on that day than most people realize.

2. Aside from the win over Auburn, I don't really know much about Kentucky this year. Tell us who to watch out for on offense and defense.

On offense, there are really two names: Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke. Locke blew out his ACL last year, but has managed to recover almost all of his explosive speed. He was banged up for the last game and only played a few possessions but should see more snaps vs. MSU. Locke is devastating if he gets past the line of scrimmage. Locke can also catch the ball and is our #1 kick returner, and he was leading the league in all-purpose yards prior to last game, where he played sparingly. He is still #3 in that statistic.

Randall Cobb is one of the most devastating offensive threats in the league, because he can do everything. He was a high-school quarterback, and throws a beautiful ball. He is a remarkable runner, and in the Wildcat formation, he is a Tebowesque weapon with elusiveness rather than raw power. As a receiver, he is leading the team in both receptions and yards, and is the third-best punt returner in the SEC. Of all the players you should worry about on offense, Randall Cobb is #1.

Defensively, Corey Peters is really feeling his oats on the defensive line, and is getting good penetration. He will find a way to get into the MSU backfield. Micah Johnson, our leading tackler, will play but likely not start due to a slight MCL strain, so he won't be 100%. We are okay in linebacker depth, although at the Mike we are not as strong as elsewhere. Sam Maxwell has been picking up the slack from the Sam spot, and Danny Travathan from the Will.

Not that it would matter all that much against run-oriented MSU, but our all-American candidate cornerback, Trevard Lindley, is still down with a high ankle sprain. He will be capably backed up by Randall Burden, who is kind of feast or famine at that spot -- he had a pick six last game, but also was out of position several times and, if the ULM quarterback had been more experienced, he could have burned us for big plays.

3. Who will we see the most of at QB? Fidler, Newton or Cobb?

Probably something like this: Newton, 45%, Fidler 35%, Cobb 20%, although Brooks has been talking about upping the snaps for Cobb. The more MSU challenges Kentucky, the more of Randall Cobb you will see taking snaps.

4. Kentucky is giving up 174 yards per game on the ground. How will the defense match up against the Mississippi State running attack?

I wouldn't take too much heart in that statistic. It includes a 362-yard game by Florida and a 63 yard game vs. Miami. If you throw out the extremes, UK is averaging a much more respectable 159 yards/game, 8th or 9th vs. dead last. UK typically yields just a bit under average yards per game against opponents if you discount the Florida and Miami (OH) games. I think MSU will gain just under 200 yards on the ground versus the 'Cats.

5. Give me an outcome prediction for this game.

Being a homer, I will pick UK 28-21. It should be a close game, both teams are well-matched. If this game were in Starkville, I'm not sure I would pick the 'Cats to win.

Kentucky vs. Mississippi State: Breaking Down the Bulldogs

Ken Howlett — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:05:20 -0000

With Kentucky sitting at 4-3 (1-3 in the SEC) and dates with Eastern Kentucky and Vanderbilt to follow, tonight's 7:00 p.m. EST game at Commonwealth Stadium versus the Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-5, 1-3) carries with it tremendous ramifications. A UK win will put the 'Cats clearly in the drivers seat to gain at least seven victories, which should translate into an upgraded bowl game (hopefully one not played in the state of Tennessee). Lose, and UK will be faced with having to beat Georgia on the road or Tennessee at home, in order to attain the magical seventh victory.

New Mississippi State head coach (and former Florida offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach) Dan Mullen has breathed much-needed oxygen back into the lungs of the Bulldog football program with an exciting brand of offense (he employs a spread-option look), and a defense that can most aptly be described as a work in progress. And after averaging only 15.2 points per game and 274.9 yards of offense in Sylvester Croom's swan song at State last season, Mullen has rewritten the playbook in 2009 to the tune of 100 more yards of offense per contest, and just over 11 more points per game.

For a closer look at what promises to be a nip-and tuck affair, and an examination of how the two contestants stand within the SEC, as well as a complete breakdown of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, join me after the jump:

Statistical Comparison -- UK vs. MSU (SEC rank in parenthesis)

UK MSU

Points Per Game -- 26.1 (9) 26.4 (8)

Scoring Defense -- 23.0 (8) 24.6 (9)

Total Offense -- 337.3 (9) 371.1 (7)

Total Defense -- 352.3 (8) 357.4 (9)

Rush Offense -- 186.3 (5) 203.1 (5)

Rush Defense -- 174.1 (12) 142.2 (7)

Pass Offense -- 151.0 (11) 168.0 (10)

Pass Defense -- 178.1 (8) 215.1 (10)

Kick Return Avg. -- 23.0 (7) 24.7 (4)

Punt Return Avg. -- 13.4 (3) 10.5 (5)

Interceptions -- 8 (7) 11 (2) Four returned for a touchdown

Punt Avg. -- 35.3 (6) 34.0 (9)

Kickoff Coverage -- 40.8 (7) 41.5 (6) Net Averages

Sacks By -- 12 (10) 13 (9)

Sacks Against -- 7 (2) 12 (7)

3rd Down Conversion -- 8.2% (9) 33.9 (10)

Opp. 3rd Down Conv. -- 43.1 (12) 33.6 (7)

Turnover Margin -- --1 (t7) -- 5 (10)

Red Zone Score% -- 86.4 (7) 78.6 (10)

Red Zone TD% -- 72.7 (2) 46.4 (9)

Red Zone Def/Scores -- 73.1% (4) 82.1% (8)

UK/MSU Players in SEC Top 10

Rush Yards Per Game -- MSU RB Anthony Dixon is 3rd -- 107.7; UK RB Derrick Locke is 5th -- 70.7.

All-Purpose Yards Per Game -- UK's Locke is 3rd -- 144.0; MSU WR Leon Berry is 8th -- 121.8; MSU's Dixon is 9th --112.1.

Touchdowns Scored -- UK ATH. Randall Cobb is 2nd -- 9; MSU's Dixon is 3rd -- 7.

Points Per Game -- UK's Cobb is 5th -- 7.7.

Reception Yards Per Game -- UK's Cobb is t6th -- 4.0.

Passing Yards Per Game -- MSU QB Tyson Lee is 10th -- 140.8.

Kick-Off Return Avg. -- MSU's Berry is 5th -- 26.3.

Punt Return Avg. -- UK's Cobb is 2nd -- 13.6.

Tackles Per Game -- UK LB Micah Johnson is t8th -- 7.9; MSU LB Jamar Chaney is 10th -- 7.2.

Tackles For Loss -- UK DL Corey Peters is t5th -- 7.5; MSU DL Pernell McPhee is t5th -- 7.5.

Sacks -- UK's Peters is t7th -- 4.0.

Interceptions -- MSU DB Jonathan Banks is 1st -- 4; MSU DB Corey Bloomfield is t4th -- 3; UK DB Calvin Harrison and LB Sam Maxwell are t8th -- 2.

Passes Defended -- UK's Maxwell is 2nd -- 9 (7 breakups and two interceptions); UK DB Randall Burden is 5th -- 8 (seven pass breakups and one interception).

Meet the Offensive Dogs

Tyson Lee -- 5'10", 200 lb senior quarterback: The diminutive signal-caller has thrown for 1,126 yards on 102-172 passing (59.3%). Lee has thrown only three touchdown passes, and has nine interceptions. He's also carried the ball 54 times for 163 yards, and two touchdowns -- Last season versus UK, Lee threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns (one interception) on 26 of 42 passing.

Lee threw three picks in Mississippi State's 29-19 loss to Florida last weekend. For his career, in 16 starts, Lee has thrown 14 interceptions and 10 touchdowns. He performed very well against a good Georgia Tech team, though, going 20-30 for 278 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Against Houston, Lee ran for 68 yards on 12 carries (5.7 yards per carry). Lee is highly mobile and is willing to take risks, whether it be with his arm or his legs.

Chris Relf -- 6'3", 235 lb sophomore quarterback: On the year Relf has completed 15 of 26 passes (57.7) for 213 yards. He's tossed three touchdown passes and two interceptions. He has also rushed 41 times for 232 yards (5.7 ypc), and one touchdown.

Relf, coming off an injury, has missed MSU's last two games. He will probably see some playing time tonight, though, if only as a change-of-pace for the Bulldog offense. As with Lee, Relf is adept at scampering away from pressure, and/or running the option game with aplomb.

Anthony Dixon -- 6'1", 235 lb senior running back: Dixon has rushed for 749 yards on 149 carries (5.0 ypc), and seven touchdowns. He's also caught seven passes for 36 yards (5.1 yards per reception).

Dixon, the No. 1 rusher in Mississippi State history, has run for 3,352 yards in his career, and 37 touchdowns. He also ranks 15th in SEC history in rushing yards. He's run for over 100 yards five times this season, with a season-high 135 yards (and two touchdowns) against Middle Tennessee State. Dixon nearly matched that output versus Houston, with 134 yards and another two touchdowns -- Last year against UK, Dixon rushed 15 times for 48 yards (3.2 ypc): In '07 versus Kentucky, he ran for 75 yards on 25 carries (3.0 ypc).

Dixon is a powerful, yet very quick running back. He can run through the middle, or, he'll beat you to the edges with his 4.5 - 40 speed. With UK giving up 174 ground yards per game, Dixon poses the biggest threat to 'Cat fans having a hauntingly good Halloween. If UK's middle linebacker Micah Johnson can't go this evening, backup Ronnie Sneed will have his hands full ... hopefully full of Dixon's jersey.

Christian Ducre' -- 6'0", 200 lb senior running back: This season Ducre' has rushed 42 times for 254 yards (6.0 ypc), and one touchdown. He's also caught eight passes for 124 yards (15.5 ypr), and one touchdown -- Versus UK in 2007, Ducre' had a huge day, running for 119 yards on only 19 carries (6.3 ypc).

Arnil Stallworth -- 5'9", 205 lb senior running back: Stallworth has rushed 23 times for 92 yards (4.0 ypc), and caught eight passes for 112 yards (14.0 ypr) -- Versus Kentucky last year, Stallworth caught eight passes of 71 yards (8.9 ypr).

For his career, Stallworth has rushed the ball 81 times and caught 55 passes. A poor man's Rafael Little, he has amassed 550 receiving yards to 300 rushing yards. Obviously he's versatile, and UK's defense, especially LB's Sam Maxwell and Danny Trevathan, must know where Stallworth is on every play.

Robert Elliott -- 6'0", 210 lb sophomore running back: Elliott has run for 110 yards on 31 carries (3.5 ypc), and one touchdown.

Coming out of high school, Elliott was the No. 8 rated running back in the country by Scout.

Chad Bumphis -- 5'10", 195 lb freshman wide receiver: Bumphis, MSU's leading receiver as a true freshman, has caught 24 passes for 270 yards (11.2 ypr), and three touchdowns. He has also returned five kick-offs for a 25.4 yard per return average.

Bumphis was rated the No. 16 wide receiver prospect in the nation last year by Rivals, and the No. 109 ranked prospect overall. He was heavily recruited (including by UK) by such powers as Alabama, LSU, Florida, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. For his career at Tupelo High School in Mississippi, he had 2,034 receiving yards, 1,348 rushing yards, and 568 passing yards.

Since a six catch, 123 yard (one touchdown) performance against Georgia Tech earlier in the year (three game ago), Bumphis has made only eight catches for 78 yards.

Leon Berry -- 6'0", 195 lb junior wide receiver: The JUCO transfer has played quite well in his first year with the Dogs, making 14 catches for 170 yards (12.1 ypr). He also serves as MSU's primary punt and kick returner: Eight punts returned for 67 yards (8.4 ypr), and 28 kick-offs returned for a 26.3 yard average (one touchdown).

Berry, a Second Team JUCO All-America, caught 59 passes for 1,003 yards and nine touchdowns for East Mississippi Community College last season.

Brandon McCrae -- 6'4", 205 lb senior wide receiver: The Morehead State transfer has snagged 11 passes for 97 yards (8.8 ypr).

As a freshman at Morehead, McCrae led the team in receiving with 28 receptions for 361 yards (12.9 ypr) and one touchdown.

O'Neal Wilder -- 6'5", 215 lb redshirt freshman wide receiver: Wilder has caught 10 passes for 140 yards (14.0 ypr).

Coming out of high school, Wilder ran a 4.5 - 40, and ran a state (MS) best 48.3 in the 400 meters.

Marcus Green -- 6'1", 235 lb sophomore tight end: Green has made 21 catches or 258 yards (12.3 ypr) and two touchdowns.

Meet the Defensive Dogs

Jamar Chaney -- 6'1", 240 lb senior linebacker: Chaney is MSU's leading tackler with 58 (24 solo), to go along with 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, two pass breakups, and two quarterback hurries -- Against UK in '07, Chaney, playing on a bum ankle, recorded three tackles; Versus Kentucky in '06, he made six tackles.

Released from his scholarship by Georgia prior to his freshman season, Chaney has made the most out of the change: For his career he's made 256 tackles, with 14.0 tackles for loss. He missed all but one game of the 2008 season because of a broken leg.

K. J. Wright -- 6'4", 215 lb junior linebacker: Wright has executed 55 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, and 2.0 sacks -- Last season versus UK, Wright recorded seven tackles.

Pernell McPhee -- 6'4", 275 lb junior defensive lineman: McPhee leads the Bulldogs with 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, and five quarterback hurries. The JUCO transfer from Itawamba (MS) CC, has recorded 33 tackles (21 solo).

Another major junior college talent, McPhee was heavily recruited by Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan and West Virginia. In his two-year JUCO career, he sacked the quarterback 33 times.

Chris White -- 6'3", 245 lb junior linebacker: Yet another JUCO transfer, White leads the team with 29 solo tackles (48 overall). He also has 3.5 tackles for loss, and one pass breakup.

White was First Team JUCO All-America last season out of Mississippi Gulf Coast CC. In his two years on the JC circuit, he recorded 204 tackles, four interceptions and four fumble recoveries (two returned for TD's).

Jonathan Banks -- 6'2", 170 lb freshman defensive back: Another true freshman contributor, Banks leads the SEC with four interceptions, with two "pick-sixes." He's made 16 tackles (11 solo).

Banks was considered the No. 63 "athlete" prospect out of high school by Rivals, and the No. 69 safety by Scout. He runs a 4.6 - 40.

Corey Bloomfield -- 5'10", 170 lb redshirt freshman defensive back: Bloomfield has made 13 tackles (9 solo), and picked-off three passes. He also has one pass breakup.

Bloomfield has some hops -- 34.1 inch vertical -- and some speed -- 4.5 - 40. He was rated the No. 56 cornerback prospect out of high school by ESPN.com.

Dog Biscuits

Florida ran for 249 yards against MSU last week ... Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was 12-22 with two interceptions ... Auburn's Ben Tate and Onterio McCalebb rushed 36 times for 271 yards (7.5 ypc) against the Dogs in Auburn's 49-24 win versus State ... MSU held Auburn quarterback Chris Todd to only 10-23 for 186 yards ... Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer (2008 ACC Player of the Year) ran 16 times for 83 yards (5.2 ypc) in a 42-31 Jacket win versus MSU ... Yellow Jacket quarterback Josh Nesbitt threw for 266 yards and one touchdown, on 11-14 passing against the Bulldogs ... Houston Cougar running back Bryce Beall ran 15 times for 94 yards (6.3 ypc) and one touchdown in a 31-24 Cougar victory over State ... Cougar quarterback Casey Keenum threw for 434 yards and four touchdowns on 39-52 passing ... MSU lost to then-No. 7 LSU, then-No. 25 Georgia Tech, No. 1 Florida, and Houston, by an average of 8.0 points per game ... UK is 9-10 against MSU since 1990, but the 'Cats have won three of the last four contests ... MSU head coach Dan Mullen has coached No. 1 NFL pick Alex Smith (Utah), 6th round draft choice Josh Harris (Bowling Green University), former Florida quarterback Chris Leak, and current Gator QB Tim Tebow.

CliffsNotes Analysis

Tonights match-up promises to be a tight one -- Both team run the ball exceptionally well, yet neither defense stops the run with consistency. Both teams struggle with the passing game ... both offensively, and defensively. Both teams have an indispensable running back (Locke and Dixon), and both teams have indispensable hybrid athletes (Cobb, and a combination of Berry, Stallworth, and Bumphis).

Because of the "even-Steven" nature of the two combatants, turnovers and special teams could be the deciding factor in this most important of contests. UK Punter Ryan Tydlacka must (consistently) be on his game tonight, the 'Cat ball carriers must hold the pigskin smartly, and the coverage unit must fill their gaps, or risk costing the 'Cats the victory.

I'm sure coach Mullen has seen the tape of UK's victory over Auburn, and took note of the emasculation of the Tiger offense at the hands of the UK defense. So 'Cat fans, expect some Mullen creativity in an effort to foil the Wildcats' bid to shut down the State offensive attack. UK, as they did so well against Auburn, must "stay home" and fill the lanes, or it could be a long, cold, night of fear in Lexington.

Fearless Prediction

Kentucky 27 Mississippi State 24

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Kentucky 36, Louisiana-Monroe 13

Truzenzuzex — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:43:00 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

I just wanna see this guy with the football, m'kay?

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Well, the score is much more impressive than the game. Yes, UK dominated this affair offensively, but the problem is, ULM managed to move the ball through the air very effectively against Kentucky.

Thanks to the Warhawks of ULM for coming up to Commonwealth and showing us why they are among the best teams in their league. Despite having their starting quarterback out with injury, they gave a fine account of themselves, and young Cody Wells was most impressive, both in ability and in bravery.

Cody Wells absolutely sold out against a powerful UK defensive line. Despite getting hit hard over and over and over again, Wells stood in the pocket and threw darts all night long. I was impressed with his effort, and if you were not, you must have been watching some other game.

While it's easy to criticize the Kentucky defense, the fact of the matter is, UK was just a little too quick to get on the board. That wound up being a problem, because Kentucky's defense is a bit depleted, and it showed. But at the end of the day, the 'Cats were way too much for their ~~CUSA~~ Sun Belt foe. That's good, considering that the 'Cats were so banged up (and even more so with Micah Johnson in a knee brace), but Brooks has plenty of things to criticize in this game, both offensively and defensively.

For my further thoughts, follow the jump ...

Randall Cobb was amazing. Why we don't get him the ball more is a mystery.
Derrick Locke played just the right amount of football -- enough to prove his leg was sound, but not enough to make it worse.
Cody Wells was amazing. He threw rocket shots to competent receivers who caught his footballs. Very impressive.
Kentucky's secondary was hapless. We are better than that.
Sam Maxwell -- linebacker!
Danny Trevathan is not bad, either.
The O-line and D-line were terrific.
UK's quarterbacking, with the exception of Cobb, just sucked. Period.
So much for the zero penalties, zero turnovers.
Nice pick six by Randall Burden. Very nice.
Special teams was sub-standard with the exception of Randall Cobb's remarkable punt return.
No matter how many things I find to criticize, Kentucky did not play bad at all. They won the game comfortably, and even though it sometimes got within two touchdowns, it was almost never closer.

This was a nice follow-on to our big victory at Auburn. No, it wasn't perfect or powerful. Yes, it was satisfactory and not embarassing. In the end, we beat a ~~CUSA~~ Sun Belt team exactly like we should have -- soundly, and without fear.

UK Football: Mid-Season Accolades

Ken Howlett — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:14:46 -0000

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

Randall Cobb, doing it all.

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With Kentucky coming off a season-saving, come-from-behind 21-14 victory over Auburn on Saturday, we find ourselves at the mid-point of the season. The first six games of the 2009 season have regaled us with many great individual performances, several disappointing developments, and a record about where most (in the preseason), thought it would be. So, in keeping with the positive vibes surrounding UK athletics at the moment, let's honor those players and units that have achieved beyond the expected:

Most Outstanding Offensive Player: Randall Cobb (Sophomore Do-It-All Dynamo) -- The Alcoa, Tennessee native has simply been electric for nearly the entire season. Cobb has ran for 239 yards (7.5 yards per carry) and three touchdowns, as well as being a danger as a receiver; 24 catches for 322 yards (13.4 yards per reception), and another four touchdowns. In an effort to get the ball in his hands as many times as possible, the coaching staff has Cobb returning punts (although I'm not happy about it). He's hasn't broken-off a long one yet, but he's averaging a healthy 8.9 yards per punt return (3rd in the SEC). Cobb is also averaging 129.5 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, and returns) per game (5th in the SEC).

Not in recent memory has UK possessed such an extreme talent. Cobb is a threat to score every time he touches the ball, and with his exceptional speed, elusiveness, and explosiveness he has become option No. 1 in the Kentucky offense. Enjoy the "Cobbinator" while we have 'im!

Honorable mention goes to junior running back Derrick Locke. Coming off major knee surgery, there were question marks about his ability to maintain his incredible burst and overall speed, but Locke has posted some very strong numbers this season, rendering the medical questions null and void. Locke has rushed for 459 yards (4.6 ypc) and three touchdowns, and he's once again proving to be a real asset catching the ball out of the backfield with 16 receptions for 128 yards (8.0 ypr). In addition, he's returned 12 kick-offs for 385 yards (32.1 ypr), and a touchdown. Locke leads the SEC in all-purpose yards with 162 yards per game.

Locke does a splendid job of countering Cobb's "escapability" with a power/speed running game. Lucky us, Locke and Cobb have one more season together!

Outstanding Defensive Player: Micah Johnson (Senior LB) -- Johnson was thought to be the defensive leader of this team prior to the season, and he hasn't disappointed. He currently leads the team in tackles with 52 (5th in the SEC), to go along with 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack.

Solidifying himself as the best defensive player of the first half of the season, Johnson came up huge Saturday at Auburn. His 14 tackle effort was the impetus behind him being named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. Johnson's combination of size, strength, and quickness make him a ball-chasing holy terror, almost impossible to stop one-on-one. And when he locks his highly sensitive radar onto the ball carrier, it's time for the trainer.

Honorable mention goes to junior linebacker Sam Maxwell -- Maxwell has been excellent, especially on passing downs. He's recorded 36 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and an incredible five pass breakups, to go along with two interceptions.

Maxwell has shown Micah Johnson-type pursuit ability, and an uncanny knack for being around the ball.

Most Improved Offensive Player: John Conner (Senior fullback) -- Conner has been outstanding since arriving at UK, but I had to find a way to honor his dedication to perfecting the art of blocking. Conner's incredible effectiveness at providing room to run for UK's Locke, Alfonso Smith, Randall Cobb and Moncell Allen, makes him a valuable commodity to coach Rich Brooks. Conner, a 5'11", 240 lb wrecking ball of a fullback deserves much of the credit for the improved performance of the running game in 2009. He consistently clears a wide swath of turf for the ball-carriers, and has proved to be a reliable runner (15 carries for 47 yards) and pass catcher (11 receptions for 89 yards) out of the backfield.

Honorable mention goes to the offensive line -- Left tackle Zipp Duncan, left guard Christian Johnson, center Jorge Gonzalez, right guard Stuart Hines, and right tackle Brad Durham have paved the way for UK's talented ball carriers like a bulldozer clearing powdery snow. The penetration the linemen have gained, has at times, been almost comical ... at least to UK fans. They have collectively cleared a path for the fifth ranked rushing offense in the SEC (186.5 yards per game), and in UK's two most recent contests (versus South Carolina and Auburn), the O-line allowed Kentucky to rush for a combined 487 yards. Additionally, UK ran for 133 yards against an Alabama defense giving up an average of only 63.3 rushing yards per game. On the season, UK's backs have rushed for 1,119 yards (4.5 ypc) and 11 touchdowns, and just as importantly, UK's quarterbacks have been sacked only six times ...

... Saaaalute! To Kentucky's "big-uglies."

Most Improved Defensive Player: Danny Trevathan (Sophomore LB) -- Last season in mostly special teams duties, Trevathan accounted for five tackles and a blocked kick (versus Georgia), but this season the sophomore has made the most of his opportunity while playing alongside Micah Johnson and Sam Maxwell. Trevathan is third on the team with 39 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, and one pass breakup. In UK's last outing versus Auburn, Trevathan did his finest MJ impression, recording 14 tackles.

We said in the preseason that this kid could be the next great UK linebacker, and thus far, he's on the fast track.

Pleasant Surprise of the Year (Individual): Lones Seiber (Senior Kicker) -- Seiber came into the season having made less than 60.0% of his field goal attempts for his career, but in '09, he has made 5-8 field goals (62.5%), with one block, and a miss from 49 yards. So, overall he's been much improved from the inconsistent kicker he has been over the last three years. And with all of the criticism he has received (me included), he deserves some kudos.

Pleasant Surprise of the Year (Team): The running game -- Derrick Locke, Alfonso Smith, Randall Cobb, Moncell Allen, John Conner and the offensive line are of course responsible for the incredible, season-saving success of the Kentucky's running game. It has been powerful, elusive, and overly effective ... let's keep it up. (See running game stats above)

Biggest Negative Play of the Year: The failed two-point conversion attempt versus South Carolina -- I don't want to belabor a point that has been beat to death by everyone from myself, to the mainstream media, but if I could ask Rich Brooks and Joker Phillips one question regarding that decision it would be, "Why?" The staff's decision to allow Will Fidler to quarterback on the play didn't cost UK the victory, but it cost the 'Cats the chance to win. I could keep going, but ... well, let's leave the unpleasantness where it belongs. In the past.

Biggest Positive Play of the Year: Randall Cobb's 61-yard scamper (or did he run about 80-yards?) to set up the winning touchdown versus Auburn -- Cobb, in that one play, displayed why he is considered such a dangerous weapon: He broke a long run, he evaded several would-be-tacklers, and he did it with the game on the line. Pressure? Cobb has pressure for breakfast.

Honorable mention goes to Louisville's Trent Guy for his fumble late in the fourth quarter of the UK vs. U of L game. If Guy doesn't put the ball on the turf on his attempted catch of a UK punt, Big Blue's chances of winning diminish exponentially.

Most Outstanding Performance of the Season: The defense in the Auburn game -- Without UK's smothering defense for the entire game, Cobb's 61-yard run would have been for naught. Kentucky's defense held Auburn to 170 fewer yards than the Tigers average on the year, and gave up only a single touchdown. This against a team that averaged nearly 39 points per game.

Thoroughly frustrated is the most appropriate term to describe Auburn quarterback Chris Todd. Coming into the game the Elizabethtown native was the SEC's second leading passer, averaging nearly 227 yards per game, while completing 57.8% of his passes. UK held Todd to 10-24 passing for 80 yards and only his second interception of the year. Kentucky's rush defense was nearly as impressive -- Auburn running back Ben Tate was averaging 6.1 yards per carry coming into the game, but was held to only 4.3 yards per carry. Tate's running mate, Onterio McCaleb, averaged 6.0 yards per carry, but MJ and his Crew held him to only 22 yards on seven carries (3.1 ypc).

Coming into the Auburn game, I wasn't sure UK could keep up with the Tiger's rapid fire offense, how silly of me. Hats off to the D! The Auburn victory belongs to you.

Feel free to condemn, but as always,

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!