SB Nation - Kyrus Lanxter

Week Five Preview: #3 Alabama at Kentucky

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

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

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

Alabama Offense v. Kentucky Defense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alabama Defense v. Kentucky Offense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Putting It All Together

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

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

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

Hope for the best.

UK Football: The Receivers & Tight Ends

Ken Howlett — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:00:22 -0000

by Butch Dill - AP

"You see, you have to catch the ball, before you can run ..."

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"The season of redemption is upon us." -- That must be the mantra knocking around the heads of the University of Kentucky receiving corps about now. After what can only be described as a mini-disaster of an effort in 2008 (dropped ball galores, terribly run routes), UK's wide-outs now have that pesky freshman season firmly behind them. Eric Adeyemi, Randall Cobb, Gene McCaskill, and Matt Roark all will be striving to put the memory of '08 in the rear view mirror. And reports out of camp point to the possibility of a tremendous turnaround in wide receiver production in store for the 2009 campaign -- Of course, adding 6'5" juco All-America Chris Matthews to the fold of receivers has immensely increased the talent level, and his presence should make UK's group of receivers an Excedrin headache for opposing defensive coordinators. Something they were not last season.

And honestly, they have no choice but to be better. Not because they couldn't be worse than last year, rather, in order for this Kentucky football team to be successful, the receivers simply must perform up to their capabilities. And if that indeed does happen, it will all start with Randall Cobb. The sophomore sensation must play like the star many think he is destined to become. He must lead his still youthful group of teammates, not only with his words, but most importantly with his play.

Cobb must oversee receivers who drop fewer balls, and run crisp routes; all areas which will be closely monitored by UK football fans, because if '09 is to be different (read: better than) the '08 season, then that's where the improvement needs to be most evident. Is Cobb capable of imposing his will onto his teammates? We begin to find the answer on Saturday.

So, let's meet the group of players I feel are "most likely to impress" in 2009:

The Starters

Randall Cobb -- 5'11", 188 lb sophomore : The 2008 SEC All-Freshman Team member rushed 79 times for 316 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns. From the receiver spot, Cobb caught 21 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns (9.4 yards per catch), and from the quarterback position he completed 52 of 99 passes (52.5%), good for 542 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions. Cobb also returned 11 punts for a total of 92 yards (8.4 yards per return) -- The highly versatile Cobb started four games at both receiver and quarterback. In UK's Arkansas victory, Cobb caught two touchdown passes from Mike Hartline in the final 4:15 of the game to seal UK's incredible comeback victory. Cobb also nearly beat Georgia single-handedly by rushing for 82 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2009, Cobb will also be used in UK's "Wildcat" package where he'll line up at quarterback, with the option to run or throw. As stated above, The Alcoa, Tennessee native must emerge as a force on the field, and on the sideline; some guys are just winners, and that can be contagious.

Chris Matthews -- 6'5", 210 lb junior: Last year at Los Angeles Harbor College, Matthews caught 80 passes for 1,234 yards (15.4 yards per catch) and 11 touchdowns in only nine games. His freshman year in junior college he caught 32 passes for 529 yards and four touchdowns. Matthews was rated a top-10 junior college prospect, and No. 2 wide receiver prospect by Rivals. He runs a 4.5 40-yard dash -- At Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, his senior year he caught a school record four touchdowns passes in one game. Matthews is a cousin of the late Reggie White (Tennessee). His father, Darell, played football at Lane University, and his mother Michelle, played basketball at TCU.

Matthews is a "gonna be" stud. In UK's fall camp, Matthews' lethal combination of size and speed made it almost impossible for UK's secondary to defend him. Whether he succeeds as his potential portends is yet to be seen, but I like his chances.

The Backups

Gene McCaskill -- 6'0", 182 lb sophomore : In 2008 McCaskill caught 15 passes for 182 yards (12.1 yards per catch). He also returned three punts for 19 yards (6.3 yards per return). He had his best game in the Liberty Bowl: Three catches for 64 yards. McCaskill runs a 4.6 40-yard dash -- His brother, Chris White, played football at South Carolina.

McCaskill started the final four games of '08, enjoying his best outing in the Liberty Bowl (three catches for 64 yards). He's second on the depth chart behind Matthews, and should see plenty of reps in '09.

Kyrus Lanxter -- 6'2", 205 lb junior: In his 16 game career, Lanxter has caught 24 passes for 210 yards (8.4 yards per catch) and one touchdown, In 11 games in '08, he caught 23 passes for 195 yards (8.5 yards per catch) and one touchdown. He scored his only collegiate touchdown in last year Liberty Bowl, where he caught five passes for 46 yards (9.2 yards per catch) -- Lanxter's uncle, Cory Anderson, played football at Tennessee. Lanxter played at the same high school at Randall Cobb (Alcoa High School in Tennessee).

The lone junior of the group, Lanxter had a solid, if unspectacular '08 season. He's listed as second on the depth chart behind Randall Cobb,and like McCaskill, will see plenty of turf time in '09.

Eric Adeyemi -- 6'0", 170 lb sophomore: Adeyemi played in all 13 games in '08, earning three starts. He caught 13 passes for 108 yards (8.3 yards per catch), and he also rushed three times for 12 yards (4.0 yards per carry). Keeping with the trend, Adeyemi recorded his best outing versus ECU in the Liberty Bowl, catching two passes for 31 yards. The speedster once ran a sub-4.4 40-yard dash in high school, and he runs the 110 meters in 13.9 seconds.

The fastest Wildcat, Adeyemi has more potential than Carter has pills. He's yet another receiver who began to play much better toward the end of the season. Although he's listed third on the depth chart behind behind Cobb and Lanxter, Adeyemi will be on the field much of the time for UK. And due to his incredible speed, will always be a threat.

La 'Rod King -- 6'4", 190 lb freshman: The North Hardin graduate (yes, the same high school as Andre' Woodson) has proved to be a very versatile athlete: He played quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, safety, and on special teams for the Trojans. Primarily a quarterback his senior year, he was recruited for the receiver spot because of his length, and sure hands. King was rated the No. 7 prospect in Kentucky by Rivals.

The true freshman has surprised in '09. Thought to be a serious redshirt candidate coming into camp, King has pushed his way up the depth chart with his consistent pass catching ability, and pure athleticism. Listed third on the depth chart behind Matthews and McCaskill, King will have some opportunities to display his wares to a wider audience in the fall.

Matt Roark -- 6'6", 209 lb sophomore: In '08 Roark caught one pass for 16 yards, but proved to be a special teams asset by blocking three kicks: A field goal attempt versus U of L, an extra point in UK's 14-13 win over Mississippi State, and an extra point against ECU in the Liberty Bowl. Roark played in 13 games last year, starting against Tennessee -- Roark came to UK as a quarterback, but made the position switch to wide out in the spring of '08. His father, Ray Gover, lettered in football at UK from '85-'88 as a defensive back and wide receiver.

Roark, like so many other of the receivers, must prove he can catch the ball on a consistent basis. He's listed third on the depth chart behind Cobb and Lanxter.

The Tight Ends

Ross Bogue -- 6'5", 244 lb senior: In 39 career games, Bogue has caught only one pass for eight yards -- His father Doug played football at Georgia Tech.

Not much to say about Bogue, except that he leap-frogged over two proven tight end commodities to earn the starting nod. He's obviously doing something the coaches like.

T. C. Drake -- 6'6", 242 lb senior: In 38 career games (nine starts) Drake has caught 13 passes for 206 yards and one touchdown. In 08, he played in all 13 games and recorded 12 receptions for 204 yards (17.0 yards per catch). The Nelson County High School alum was a part-time starter in '08, with his best game coming against Middle Tennessee, where he recorded four catches for 82 yards (20.5 yards per catch) -- Drake's father, Terry, played basketball at Campbellsville University, and his sister Samantha has committed to play basketball at Kentucky for Matthew Mitchell.

The sure-handed Drake will always hold a special place in UK football lore, for he caught a two yard tipped pass (exhibiting tremendous hand-eye coordination and reflexes) for a touchdown in UK's historic win over LSU in 2007. Drake is what one looks for in a tight end; long, big, and relatively fast. All three UK tight ends are very capable of playing the position effectively, but Drake will see serious clock-time in '09.

Maurice Grinter -- 6'3", 253 lb senior: Grinter, out of Fairdale High School, has played in 33 games (four starts) as both a fullback and tight end. He's rushed 10 times for 36 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and two touchdowns, and caught 19 passes for 201 (10.6 yards per catch) yards and three touchdowns. Grinter moved from fullback to tight end in the spring of '08. Last year Grinter recorded 12 receptions for 162 yards (13.5 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. He caught the winning touchdown versus Mississippi State last season.

Grinter has shown to have soft hands, and nimble feet for such a big man. I think offensive coordinator Joker Phillips should use Grinter more within UK's offense, but with both Bogue, Drake and Grinter sharing time at the tight end spot, his reps may decrease from last year.

CliffsNotes Analysis

They have to be better. How's that for deep thinkin'?

But, with Randall Cobb now able to focus on a narrower band of responsibilities, plus the natural progression of freshman turning into sophomores, along with the addition of Chris Matthews, indicates a very real possibility that UK's wide receiver position will evolve into a team strength in 2009.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

2009 Opponent Previews - Kentucky

Will — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:12:03 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Is this what it feels like to be a football player at UK?

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The Series

"Wait 'til basketball sesaon." The Vols are 72-23-9 against Kentucky, and are currently on a 24 game winning streak, currently the longest active winning streak against an annual opponent in all of college football. Several of the games in recent years have been highly competitive, and UK's football program has improved under Rich Brooks...but the Cats have still been unable to breakthrough against the Vols.

Last Year

Case in point: in Phillip Fulmer's final game, UK was already going bowling, but the Vols got the best of them behind a dedicated effort to run the football: 210 yards rushing complemented one big play from Jonathan Crompton to Denarius Moore, and the Vols won 28-10, sending Fulmer off on the shoulders of his offensive linemen. Kentucky still made it happen in their bowl game, beating East Carolina for their third straight bowl win...but the Pirates were the only bowl team UK beat all season.

Kentucky Offense

The conversation starts with Randall Cobb, the Alcoa native who is being used exclusively at wide receiver this season, while Mike Hartline takes the snaps under center. The Cats were 106th nationally in offense last year, and the thought is Cobb is better able to move that number upward from WR than at QB. That puts Hartline in the giant group of questionable QBs in the conference this season...but at least he won't be alone.

Alfonso Smith will lead the charge at tailback, with John Conner at fullback and only one vowel away from being our only hope for the future. Cobb is going to need help at wide receiver, and his Alcoa teammate Kyrus Lanxter needs to have a big year, something he showed flashes of with 5 catches in the bowl game. There is veteran experience on the offensive line. This offense won't remind anyone of the Woodson/Little/Burton group that lit up the scoreboard in 2007, but they can improve on last year's performance.

Kentucky Defense

With no Jeremy Jarmon, the front line is a little thin, with only one returning starter. Jarmon's removal changed the outlook completely for UK's defense, though there are still two players - LB Micah Johnson and CB Trevard Lindley - who are among the best in the conference at their respective positions. The majority of the projected starters on this defense were backups last year or only saw spot starting duty, which means the Cats will need them to grow up in a hurry. The Cats open with Miami (OH) and Louisville, games they'll certainly have opportunities to win...but then it gets real: Florida, Alabama, at South Carolina, at Auburn. There might still be six wins on this schedule, but the margin of error is significantly less than it was last year.

Best Case Scenario for the Vols

Tennessee gets its Silver Anniversary win over Kentucky, and caps a successful season with at least 8 wins before heading off to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl or better. Freshmen are now regular contributors offering greater hope for the future, Eric Berry makes plays in his final chance to impress for the Thorpe Award, and the Vols end the season on a high note.

Worst Case Scenario for the Vols

By 1 or 100, Kentucky wins. Simple math would suggest it's going to happen sooner or later...but until it does, I'd rather not entertain the idea for very long. Bruce Pearl has already upset the dynamics of the overall UT/UK rivalry, and John Calipari will make sure it goes to eleven just a few short months after this game is played. Allowing Kentucky to gain any sort of edge in football would help swing the rivalry back in UK's favor. If this becomes loss number seven (or worse) for the Vols in 2009, it's even worse.

Game Importance Ranking: 7.8

The win streak is more important to me simply because of the basketball rivalry, if that makes any sense. Right now, there's absolutely nothing a Kentucky fan can say to a Tennessee fan about football. And the Vols have made the basketball conversation more even in the last four years. Maybe theses are just the ravings of a Vol fan who's been living in Lexington for the past seven weeks, but to me that 24 game win streak is of greater importance because of who it's against. This game is about finishing strong, could be about getting bowl eligible for both teams...and is one the Vols need to win.

Recommended Reading - A Sea of Blue

Kentucky Football: Where Do We Need Improvement?

Can the 2009 Cats Break Through?

Kentucky Wildcats: Time to Get Back to Football

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:15:21 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

DeQuin Evans misses Jarmon. So do we all.

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While the Rick Pitino affair has been interesting and fun to debate, I figure it's time for us to get back to the business of talking about the Kentucky Wildcats of today, not of yesteryear. Particularly, I think it's time to check in with the football team and see how things are shaping up. A lot of this news might have been missed in the recent fusillade of posts about Pitino and Sypher.

First off, we begin with a couple of suspensions. Senior center Jorge Gonzales has been suspended for the first game for the infamous, "violation of team rules." Sophomore receiver Aaron Boyd was also suspended, but his case was apparently more serious, as Brook suspended him from all football activity for one week, again for an undisclosed team rules violation. This is much more serious for Boyd, as this is the point at which players get to make an impression on the coaching staff. Not only will Boyd miss that, but he will miss all the information and instruction that goes along with it.

Alfonso Smith has a gimpy wheel and has missed a couple of practices, as does one of his backups, CoShik Williams the walk-on. T.C. Drake has a groin pull that will keep him out until next week. Offensive lineman Jake Lanefski has also torn some knee cartilage that will keep him out for about 3 weeks after surgery. That is a blow to our offensive line depth, but hopefully he'll be back in time for the Louisville game, at least.

That's the negative side, but there is some good news to report after the jump:

Larry Vaught is reporting that freshmen Qua Huzzie and Ridge Wilson are ahead of the curve, according to linebacker coach Chuck Smith:

Huzzie and Wilson are kind of separating by the way they are picking up the system. The other two are going to be good players, but they are having a little more difficult time picking it up."

Smith did not rule out Huzzie and Wilson getting some time as freshmen, which is a very encouraging thing. Other Wildcats who have seen time as true freshmen at the linebacker spot include Wesely Woodyard, Micah Johnson, and Danny Trevathan.

It also looks like our receiving corps will be much improved this year. Chris Matthews and the redoubtable Randall Cobb have both been impressing early, but Brooks has had good things to say also about Gene McCaskill, Kyrus Lanxter, La'Rod King, E.J. Fields, and Matt Roark. That is big news to me, as our receiver youth was a huge reason why the Wildcat offense was ineffective last year, along with the lack of a vertical game from Hartline.

Matt Lentz is also coming into this year in much better shape with significantly improved numbers in the weight room and a better handle on what he can do to help the team:

Wasn’t it hard to give up playing a marquee spot to go to defense?

"A little bit, but not really. It was best for the team. We have good quarterbacks now, and they didn’t need me there. I can help more at safety and play special teams. I have to be a team player because that’s not only best for the team, but it is also best for me," he said.

This is a young man who is really becoming a team player, and I expect to see a lot of him in the defensive backfield this year. He has some really big shoes to fill with Marcus McClinton having graduated. Junior college transfer DeQuin Evans, who plays defensive end, is also missing another Wildcat who has moved on -- Jeremy Jarmon:

"I hated it when I heard the news about Jeremy Jarmon. I know not everybody will believe this, but I wanted to learn from the best," said Evans, who has been limited in practice so far because of a pulled hamstring. "I knew he gave me that chance.

Here's hoping that Evans and the other players at the spot can find a way to fill in for Jarmon by committee, because it will be very hard to fill those shoes.

Finally, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has a preview of the Louisville Cardinals, our rival and second game opponents. Here is the summary:

OUTLOOK: When asked about his quarterback situation, Kragthorpe said, "Its fun. You're evaluating guys every day."

Let's see how much fun he is having when the season begins. The schedule is awfully tough this season, including non-conference road trips to both Kentucky and Utah in the month of September. Kragthorpe simply doesn't have the horses to beat good teams, especially on the road. This very well could be the final year of a failed experiment with Kragthorpe.

Ouch.

Breaking Down Kentucky at Vanderbilt

Anything but Gatorade — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:01:36 -0000

via assets.espn.go.com

Take the above image and repeat about five or six times and you have Commies at Cats, 2008. Several blogs lately have pointed out that the Doormat Bowl has evolved from answering the question of "who's going to be at the bottom of the league" to "who's going to be at the bottom of the league, but also gets to go to a bowl?" That wasn't the case in 2008, as Kentucky got torched and still went to the Liberty Bowl. It might not be the case in 2009, either, as South Carolina or Tennessee could easily fail their way to the same East basement that Vandy and UK have struggled so mightily to climb out of. Of course, every conference game is important, but, because UK/VU tends to happen so late in the season, it always seems like a fulcrum-type game, and 2009 looks to shape up that way, too. Chris Low calls the game a "fork in the road" for Kentucky, and Team Speed Kills calls it one of the 10 games that will shape the SEC this year.

Cocknfire over at TSK does a pretty good job breaking down the game, and I've taken a look at it myself recently, albeit a brief one. Of all the games on the schedule this year for both the Cats and Commodores, this was the hardest one for me to pick (or push). Here's a deeper look, and why it's probably not going to matter come November 14th anyway:

Coaches: Rich Brooks (123-150-4 in 24 total collegiate seasons, 32-41 in 7 years at UK); Bobby Johnson (87-92 in 16 collegiate seasons, 27-56 in 8 years at Vanderbilt). Oddly enough, Bobby Johnson is the longest tenured coach in the SEC. Both of these guys can really coach, and both have led historic turnarounds in their schools' football programs. I'll say this for Coach Johnson, though: he's done more with much less, and also without an athletic department. Brooks's efforts and success have been well documented, and the fact that he's still here after two and a half miserable seasons due to probation, etc., is a testament to his abilities and philosophy.

Offenses: Vanderbilt's offensive line last year was, in a word, bad. Luckily, they had fleet-footed Chris Nickson under center to scramble around behind them. Unluckily, Nickson's list of options was fairly limited: dump it off to someone who wasn't covered, try and run for yards, throw it away, or take a hard sack. The latter two options were the ones most often employed. Spelling Nickson occasionally was Mackenzi Adams, who played well enough in his opportunities but not so well to get the starting nod for 2009. It's my expectation that Larry Smith will get that honor, and he's got much better blockers this time around. Short white guy running back Jared Hawkins returns to a role he was oddly effective in last year. The receivers are young, and that's probably the biggest question mark in the whole unit (aside from "who the hell is that guy, these jerks don't put names on their jerseys").

Ken's going through this sort of thing for Kentucky, but the line for the Cats this year should be pretty good. Christian Johnson, Jorge Gonzales, and Zipp Duncan are all coming back, and T.C. Drake must've accidentally gotten his name on some watch list for tight ends. The receivers were bad last year aside from Dicky Lyons, Jr. and Randall Cobb, but showed some promise in the bowl game. The running backs are good, but it would be nice to see some gains between the tackles. I'm pulling for Hartline because it's too soon to throw a freshman into the SEC meat grinder and Cobb's way more effective in open space than behind center.

Who gets the edge? Like so many things about these teams, there's not much room for a difference. There are lots of questions at receiver. The lines are both good, though I'd give Kentucky's a better grade. I'd give Hartline a push at QB because even though he's more experienced, he wasn't good last year. Kentucky's got more proven backs than the Dores do. I'll give the Cats a slight advantage here.

Defenses: Vanderbilt's defense is why they made it to a bowl last year. D.J. Moore was a nightmare for everyone who faced him, and he had a freakin' coming out party against Kentucky last year. Fortunately for the Cats, he's gone now. In his place, though, are Myron Lewis, Jamie Graham, and Ryan Hamilton, all effective tacklers and coverage backs. The defensive line returns most of its starters, and the linebackers are an experienced group as well.

Kentucky's secondary is equal to if not better than Vanderbilt's, returning Trevard Lindley, Ashton Cobb, Paul Warford, and Matt Lentz. The linebackers are also a talented group, with Micah Johnson returning along with Sam Maxwell and Danny Trevathan. The question marks are all up front, especially at the ends.

Edge here is even more difficult to tell. Will Kentucky's D-line firm up by November 14? How much of a pounding has each unit taken over the season? The interesting part is the offense-defense matchup; neither offense is expected to be especially effective, so the defenses might be better than we think in this game. Push.

Special Teams: I'm not a Lones Seiber fan. Here's hoping he gets his act together this year, because if Kentucky wants to win games, field goals are probably going to be pretty important. Vanderbilt returns Music City Bowl MVP punter Brett Upson, who is about as good as Tim Masthay was in terms of putting the other team in a hole as far as field position. Ryan Tiddlywinks (I can't spell his last name without looking it up) will probably have his hands full this year unless the Wildcat offense becomes much more effective at keeping the ball.

Kentucky's bread and butter in the past has been its return game, and I don't see this year being any different with any combination of Randall Cobb, Alfonso Smith, Gene McCaskill, Derrick Locke, and Kyrus Lanxter filling those roles. They can't catch passes consistently, but at least the catch punts and kickoffs. I'm not totally sure who'll be returning kicks for the Dores this year, but I'd have to think Jamie Graham will probably be in the mix.

This is a push for me because even though I think the Cats have the better return unit, I have no confidence in their kicking ability until further notice, and Brett Upson is a stud.

Schedule: Vanderbilt plays 12 uninterrupted weeks this year and the Kentucky game falls on Week 11 of their schedule. This game will be the 10th consecutive game on the Wildcats' schedule also. Kentucky goes through the meat grinder a little earlier than the Dores do, playing Florida and Alabama in the first five weeks of the season, but they get a break before going to Nashville in the Eastern and Louisiana-Monroe games. Vanderbilt will be coming off a brutal stretch of games against Georgia, at South Carolina, Georgia Tech, and at Florida. No way do they make it through there without some injuries, so the lines and backs might be pretty dinged up at that point. It's a home game for the Commies, but Kentucky always travels well down to Nashville and the Dores have a tough time filling their stadium.

Conclusion: I think that the constant pounding in Vandy's schedule and what I hope is an emerging offense from UK will be too much for the Dores to overcome. Thing is, though, this game is always hard-fought and extremely important to both teams, and anything can happen. When the week before this game rolls around in a few months, you can probably throw all of the above out the window. Just be careful when you do that, though, there might be a person down there.

UK Football: Setting a New Standard

Ken Howlett — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:30:29 -0000

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

Kentucky football head coach Rich Brooks believes he has reasons to smile.

Browse more photos »

This is the first in a series of 10 posts which will examine, position by position, the 2009 Kentucky football team. But, first, an introduction to the season.

In last year's preseason examination of the 2008 football squad, I wrote about the opportunity presented to that team to change the culture of Kentucky football. And even though the team experienced season-ending injuries to key personnel, and was much-maligned by the press and fans alike, they seized the opportunity, and claimed it as their own. By posting a winning record for the third consecutive season, along with winning the third of three straight bowl games, the 2008 UK squad accomplished a feat never before achieved by a Wildcat team. And Kentucky has been playing football since 1881.

In 2009, Rich Brooks and Company seem primed to take the next requisite step up the SEC food-chain. It's a step not easily attained, for it's fraught with Gators, Gamecocks, Bulldogs, and the ever-irritating Vols. But in order for Kentucky to continue on the upward arc of respectability, the step simply must be conquered.

Coach Brooks confronted the next step concept head-on at SEC Media Days:

"We've changed some history at Kentucky, we have to change some more. That would be beating some of the teams in our league that we've struggled to beat over a number of years. And we're a lot more capable of having that happen now than we were three or four years ago."

"We've had success against a few teams, but we have to continue to build on that and beat more of 'em, because our goal obviously is to be a factor and have a chance to win the SEC East. To do that, we have to climb over the teams that have ruled the roost, if you will, and ruled it very well I might add, in the past 10, 15 years. Now, you know, we need to climb the ladder. This is not good enough. Going to bowl games and winning them isn't good enough. We need to compete for the SEC championship."

"Compete for the SEC Championship;" yes, that's what Papa Brooks said.

Competing for an SEC championship, in most years, equates to competing for a national championship. And that truism may never be more relevant than this year, considering SEC East rival Florida is the universe's selection as the preseason No.1 team in all the land.

But, I must applaud the coach for his attitude. For without a leader focused on that which is attainable, making history, and winning championships, are unattainable. The Kentucky football program, under Rich Brooks' passionate, positive leadership has accomplished that which very few thought possible. So no, this fan doesn't begrudge the coach for reaching high to grasp the stars that have yet to shine on the Bluegrass.

Speaking of reaching for the heavens, Brooks put it like this:

"You're reaching for a higher star, obviously, in trying to be a team that competes for an SEC championship. When you get to a certain level it's a lost easier to get to that next level, and I think that's where we are."

The next level ... the next step ... climbing the ladder ... Reaching the plateau where the serious pliers of pigskin excellence congregate demands that UK accomplish that which, for decades, seemed improbable.

Our sage coach realizes in order for stars to be lassoed, and championships competed for, Kentucky must beat (not compete with) a series of division bad-guys the boys in blue have rarely bested. Although UK boasts a three-year running record of 23-16, its SEC mark in the same time-span is merely 9-15. The perpetrators responsible for UK's less than stellar SEC record in that time are Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The not-so-attractive numbers look like this (brace yourself): UK - 1 Bad Guys - 11.

Sometimes statistics are party-poopers extraordinaire, but can shed light on ones shortcomings. Brooks knows:

"I think, realistically, we SHOULD (emphasis mine) beat some teams we haven't beaten in awhile, and we better beat some teams that we haven't beaten in awhile, because there's a lot of them on our schedule."

"... teams that we haven't beaten in a while ..." To the aforementioned East bandits, add Alabama and Auburn. Both UK foes in 2009: The Tide's record versus UK is 34-2-1; Auburn holds a 24-5-1 mark against the Wildcats, and have won 15 in a row dating back to 1967.

Just so we're clear: UK must play four SEC East competitors against which they are 1-11 over the last three years, as well as two SEC West teams that hold a combined 7-58-2 all-time record against the 'Cats. Now we see why most college football prognosticators are giving long odds on UK's chances of winning north of five games.

But, laughing at long odds is Brooks' specialty, and the need to overcome feeds Brooks' fire. Just take a gander at the circumstances he has beat-down over the last three years. Circumstances he's overcome which have enabled him, today, to be in a position to talk about taking steps, and "reaching for a higher star:"

In 2006, UK sat at 3-4 after a 49-0 drubbing at the hands of LSU. His team, also having lost to Louisville by 31 points, was at a crossroads. His career at UK was stopped at the same crossroads, blinker on, ready to turn for home and the rocking chair. But no, not yet. Brooks rallied his charges in the face of dire circumstances, finishing the season 5-1, with one of those victories coming over Georgia, a team UK had lost to in 14 of its last 15 meetings.
In 2007, after losing an ugly, mistake-filled game against South Carolina 38-23, Brooks refused to allow his team to wallow in the misery caused by falling to a team they should have beaten. For coming to town was the No.1 team in the country, the LSU Tigers. And in what may be the preeminent moment in UK football history, the 'Cats coaxed unlikely victory into paying a visit to Commonwealth Stadium, even though victory visiting was the longest of shots.
In 2008, after losing his probable starting quarterback (Curtis Pulley), his All-SEC caliber receiver (Dicky Lyons), his star tailback (Derrick Locke), and his most explosive performer (Randall Cobb), Brooks once again magically propelled his offensively-challenged team to another winning season, and a UK record-setting third bowl win in a row.

Of course I've not even mentioned the fact that Brooks, upon arriving at UK in 2003, inherited a roster depleted by probation, and ravaged by attrition. And over the course of his first three years, facing overwhelming media and fan disillusionment, his steely fortitude enabled him to persevere and execute his program-saving game-plan. So far be it for me to sit here at my keyboard, in air-conditioned comfort, and question a warrior's optimistic outlook.

So from Brooks' mouth, to your screen, comes additional thoughts from the coach on why he believes the 2009 'Cats will break down barriers, and tug at Orion's Belt:

"I think that this years Kentucky football team, going into the season, is going to be a better team than I had going into last season. The reasons I feel that way, is I believe our offense will be much more productive, which it needs to be, because we were not very good a year ago. (Quarterback) Mike Hartline should show marked improvement, and I believe he will. All I have to do is think back three years ago, Andre' Woodson's sophomore season, what he accomplished his junior season, and it was significantly improved. I think Mike Hartline will see a lot of that same type of improvement. The people around Mike Hartline will be more experienced and better, as well. I mean, we played five freshmen receivers last year. (Hartline's) understanding of the offense will be greater, and his accuracy I think will improve along with that experience."

On sophomore Randall Cobb and some of the other performers on offense, Brooks had this to say -- "(Randall Cobb) will be a receiver most of the time and we'll have a package for him in our Wildcat formation in the backfield. He has exciting play-making ability. He can run it. He can catch it. He can return it. He can throw it. We have our players; Kyrus Lanxter came on and had a good bowl game. Gene McCaskill came on and had a good bowl game in our win over East Carolina at the Liberty Bowl. We have a young man by the name of Chris Matthews out of junior college who caught 86 balls, who's 6'6", 210, and runs in the 4.4's (in the forty-yard dash). I think the experience at tight end with T.C. Drake, Maurice Grinter, and Ross Bogue returning; all of those guys are going to be better than they were a year ago. And Mike's ability to get the ball to them will be enhanced because of their experience, as well as his own improvement."

Speaking about the defensive side of the ball, coach Brooks said: "Defensively, we lost some very good players, but the great news is winning three bowl games in a row, we've established (through recruiting) some depth and better SEC-ready talent. And we have some young people that I think are going to be impact players for us on the defensive side. And I do not see us slipping on the defensive side, (just) because we lost some good players."

In any sport, a vital part of being a successful coach is displaying a positive outlook to ones team. But even more important, having an established track-record which solidifies ones optimistic mind-set is key to selling ones team, and fan-base, on realizing the dreams and aspirations of all involved. Coach Brooks possesses such credibility.

Even though for many fans the expectations for the upcoming season are tempered due to UK's rigorous SEC slate, I have to believe. I have to believe because Brooks leaves me no choice. I have to believe, because I believe in Brooks. I believe, before he takes his final bow as UK coach (presumably in the next two years), that he will fulfill the promise demonstrated by his previous accomplishments. I believe he's the man to take UK to the next level ... the next step ... and to climb the ladder skyward toward the stars that he will someday grasp.

Thanks for reading and Go 'Cats!

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

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

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

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

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

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

UK's 2008 Receiver Numbers

Points Per Game -- 22.6

First Downs Receiving -- 98

Average Yards Per Reception -- 9.8

Average Yards Per WR Reception -- 9.7

Average Yards Per TE Reception -- 15.0

Wide Receiver Touchdowns -- 6

Tight End Touchdowns -- 2

The Receivers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joker Phillips also loves the kid Melillo:

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

Sounds like "Rudy" with talent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

I wish I had the answer.

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

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

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

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

Freshman Receivers of Note

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

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

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

The Tight Ends

Players lost to graduation: Zero.

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

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

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

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

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

CliffsNotes Analysis

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

So Randall Cobb is our starting quarterback. What now?

Truzenzuzex — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:42:00 -0000

So what has changed as a result of the Florda game? Micah Johnson has re-injured his sprained ankle and is doubtful. Marcus McClinton's knee is a bit worse, Myron Pyor is still out, Kyrus Lanxter is still down with a knee, Ricky Lumpkin has a strained calf, Justin Jeffries and Maurice Grinter are banged up, as is Josh Minton. Dicky Lyons and Derrick Locke are both still out for the season (Yes, we have no miracles today). Finally, Randall Cobb is now the starting quarterback

The Wildcats are still far from 100% healthy as they head down to Starkville to take on the Mississippi State University Bulldogs, and MSU is much, much healthier than Kentucky with only one minor injury and one major injury. What this means is that even though UK is facing a foothill instead of Mt. Everest relatively speaking, the Wildcats still have a hill to climb against a team that went bowling last year.

Injuries are a part of football, and as much as we moan and groan about them, UK's troubles are absolutely nothing compared to what the Georgia Bulldogs have been dealing with -- they have 10 players with long-term injuries, seven of which are season-ending, and they just undressed LSU in Death Valley, 52-38. When you are in the SEC, injuries must be overcome, and great teams overcome them.

OK, so Kentucky is not a great team this year, but can they become a competent one? So far, UK is adequate only on defense, as even giving up 63 points to the Gators moved Kentucky down from #1 to just #7 in scoring defense. Obviously, the 'Cats defense is better than that, but a combination of injuries and a red hot Florida offense made them look like a high school team. The real problem, though is UK's offense, which has not been competent against SEC competition. Yes, it has had a few good moments in the Alabama and Arkansas game, but generally speaking, the Wildcat offense has put tremendous pressure on the defense to carry the load.

Will that change with Randall Cobb now at the helm? Obviously, we hope so, and Brooks at least thinks it may or he wouldn't have made the move. Don't think for a minute that Rich Brooks isn't stubborn enough to thumb his nose at Kentucky fans who have been screaming at the top of their collective lungs for Randall Cobb at QB if he thinks the things that are going wrong can't be corrected to some extent with this move. The fact that Brooks is making it is really a confirmation that the situation looks to Brooks pretty much like it looks to the rest of us -- Cobb provides an extra dimension that appears to take UK's offense from futility to some semblance of proficiency, something Kentucky has only known against inferior competition this year. Is a merely competent offense enough to overcome our other problems? We won't know until Saturday.

I know this is obvious, but it bears repeating -- the biggest thing Cobb can give UK at quarterback is the ability to sustain favorable field position by moving the football. Yes, points are important also, but Kentucky has been able to beat opponents this year by keeping them in a hole and forcing turnovers and mistakes. Against three of our last four opponents, UK was unable to do that with any consistency. Even if a drive doesn't score, if it keeps the defense off the field a while and backs the opponent up to near their goal line, it has to be considered a strategic success.

Tactically, though, Kentucky needs to start putting points on the board. That begins with getting the football back into the red zone with some semblance of regularity, and getting at least three points out of those efforts. SEC teams are going to score on Kentucky, but they will score way less if the 'Cats keep them pinned down and our defense as fresh as possible. That gives the 'Cats an opportunity to be in every game.

Another thing Cobb brings to the table that couldn't be found under Hartline is a constant threat of a big play, which he can make either with his feet or with his arm. Cobb's mobility forces linebackers to always be concerned about him, the pass rush to be more conservative, and blitzes much more dangerous. That puts pressure on defenses, especially linebackers, not to make bad judgments or face the possibility of turning a running back or Cobb loose in the secondary. That makes scoring points when the Wildcats get behind much more probable.

The other thing Cobb brings, in my opinion, is confidence. It has been clear to me, as it has to others, that the offense has lost much of its confidence in Mike Hartline's ability to run the team. It isn't all Hartline's fault, but as I have said before, UK needs to forget about blaming people and start looking for ways to fix the problem. Cobb's presence gives the offense more confidence, and that is very important. A confident offense is a dangerous offense, as we all well remember from the gunslinging days of André Woodson & Co.

Finally, Cobb gives UK a look for which there is precious little tape for opponents to study. Cobb has been used sparingly at quarterback, and he gives Phillips the freedom to call plays that the opponents simply haven't seen, which is always an advantage, and Kentucky needs every advantage they can find against SEC opponents on the road. Mississippi State may not be as threatening a competitor as the Gators this year, but last year Brooks & Co. took the Bulldogs for granted, and they sent UK fans home from Commonwealth Stadium with frowns instead of smiles.

In the final analysis, Cobb's presence under center makes UK's offense look much more threatening than Hartline has this year. A lot of that is because of Kentucky's youth and inexperience at wide receiver, but as I said earlier, blame is not relevant here. What is relevant is making the offense a genuine threat, and taking some of the pressure off a defense that is trying to get healthy enough to compete for the SEC stretch run. It's a sure bet that if Cobb can't get that done, his stint at starting QB will be a short one.

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

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

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

Razorback Personnel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arkansas Related Statistics

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

The Razorback Schedule

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

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

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

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

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

UK and Arkansas -- An SEC Stat Comparison

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

What Must Happen Offensively

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Must Happen Defensively

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

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

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

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

A tale of two units: Devastating defense and suspect offense

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

The defense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The list of overall defensive achievements looks like this:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The offense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Offense grade -- C-

Special teams

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

Also contributing to the special teams success:

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

Overall an excellent effort by the special teams.

Special teams grade -- A

Final Analysis

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

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

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!