SB Nation - Randall Cobb

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 vs. TENNESSEE: It Doesn't Get Any Bigger Than This

Ken Howlett — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:24:15 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Kentucky running back Derrick Locke will hopefully show his backside to the Volunteer defenders.

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We all know about the streak. We all are embarrassed by the streak. We're all tired of the streak. Afterall, losing 24 straight to any school, in any sport, is repulsive to most sports fan's sense of fair play. It's simply no fun playing the nail, opposite Tennessee's (6-5, 3-4) ball-peen hammer.

But this game tonight (7:00 PM) isn't about the streak. It isn't about 24 years of blowouts, near-misses, and overtime heartache. Rather, this game is about second place in the SEC East. Nothing else matters. All the pontificating about streaks are merely window dressing compared to the importance of the game at hand ... the importance of Kentucky (7-4, 3-4) overcoming major injuries to star players, the preseason loss of All-SEC defensive end Jeremy Jarmon, of having to play 11 straight games, and of losses that should have been wins ... for this program to still rise to a high level of accomplishment in spite of the adversity speaks volumes about the character of the young men wearing the blue and white, and about the elevated level of talent Rich Brooks and staff have brought to Lexington. And in a year where most predictors of such events had the Wildcats finishing considerably south of second place, for UK to play in the Outback or Chick-Fila Bowl would certainly be an attention-getter both nationally, and within the borders of the Commonwealth.

Four straight bowl games, and a 31-20 record over the last four years, topped off by a second place finish in arguably the most gruesome division in college football, would certainly qualify as a continuance of the Brooks building process. And for this group of 'Cats to continue to build on the unique accomplishments they are responsible for this season -- Winning three straight SEC road games since 1909-'12, beating Auburn for the first time since 1961, and beating Georgia between the hedges for the first time since 1977 -- adds to the legacy of Rich Brooks, but more importantly, enriches the perception of the Kentucky football program throughout the high schools of the south and beyond. Putting the Wildcats that much closer to the goal at-hand -- Becoming a football program that consistently competes at the highest level.

In order for Kentucky to take the next step, they must first conquer the demons in orange. Here is thine enemy:

Unit Comparison (SEC Rank in Parenthesis)

- Scoring Offense -- UT 30.6 points per game (5): UK's coring defense -- 22.2 points per game (7).
- Scoring Defense -- UT allows 20.7 points per game (t5): UK's scoring offense -- 26.5 points per game (7).
- Total Offense -- UT averages 390.8 yards per game (6): UK total defense -- 355.4 yards per game (8).
- Total Defense -- UT allows 313.2 yards per game (5): UK total offense -- 342.9 yards per game (10).
- Rush Offense -- UT rushes for 164.7 yards per game (7): UK rush defense -- 179.3 yards per game (11).
- Rush Defense -- UT allows 141.3 yards per game (6): UK rush offense -- 196.2 yards per game (5).
- Pass Offense -- UT throws for 226.1 yards per game (3): UK pass defense -- 176.1 yards per game (6).
- Pass Defense -- UT allows 171.9 yards per game (5): UK pass offense -- 146.7 yards per game (11).
- Sacks By -- UT has executed 19 sacks (9): UK sacks against -- 14 (5).
- Sacks Against -- UT has allowed only 11 sacks (1): UK sacks By -- 15 (12).
- Third Down Conversion -- UT is at 39.3% (6): UK third down conversion defense -- 39.0% (12).
- Third Down Conversion Defense -- UT allows a 34.4% conversion rate (5): UK third down conversion -- 39.8% (4).
- Turnover Margin -- UT is a + 4 (5): UK is a +3 (6).
- Red Zone Offense -- UT converts 41-46 (89.1%) of their RZ attempts (5): UK red zone defense -- 28-37 (75.7%) (5).
- Red Zone Defense -- UT has allowed 30-35 (85.7%) RZ scores: UK's red zone offense -- 33-40 (82.5%) (8).

The Tennessee Offense

Jonathan Crompton -- 6'4", 228 lb senior quarterback: This season the formerly embattled UT signal-caller has stepped-up his game considerably. He has completed 196 of 335 passes (58.5%) for 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Comparing Crompton's numbers last season -- 86-167 (51.5%) for 889 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions -- to those of this year reveals a much-improved quarterback who has been trusted with the reins of the Tennessee offense.

Crompton has thrown only one interception in the last four games (122 passes). His two best games this season -- Versus Georgia, he threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns on 20-27 passing; Against Memphis, Crompton was 21-27 through the air for 331 yards and five touchdowns. Last season versus UK, Crompton was an 6-8 for 101 yards and one touchdown.

Montario Hardesty -- 6'0", 199 lb junior running back: Hardesty's production is another reason for UT's success this season. He's rushed for 1,127 yards (102.5 yards per game) on 225 carries (5.0 yards per carry), and nine touchdowns. He's also caught 19 passes for 212 yards (11.2 yards per reception), and one touchdown.

Last week in UT's 31-16 win over Vanderbilt, Hardesty rushed for a season-high 171 yards on 22 carries (7.8 ypc), and one touchdown. Hardesty has scored at least one touchdown in eight games this year, and he's ran for over 100 yards four times: WKU, Ohio U., South Carolina, and Vanderbilt.

Bryce Brown -- 6'0", 215 lb freshman running back: Brown has carried the ball 98 times for 452 yards (4.6 ypc), and three touchdowns. He's also caught 10 passes for 137 yards (13.7 ypr), and one touchdown.

Coming out of high school last year, Brown was rated the No. 1 running back, as well as the No. 1 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.

David Oku -- 5'10", 186 lb freshman running back: Oku has rushed for 94 yards on 23 carries (4.0 ypc) and two touchdowns. Oku has caught two passes for 13 yards (6.5 ypr). He's also returned 30 kick-offs for 780- yards (26.0 yards per return).

The Oklahoma native recorded 154 all-purpose yards in UT's game versus Ole Miss. Coming out of high school last year, Oku was rated the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation by Rivals, and the No. 30 running back by SuperPrep.

Gerald Jones -- 6'0", 190 lb junior wide receiver: In 10 games, Jones, UT's top receiver, has caught 36 passes for 497 yards (13.8 ypr) and four touchdowns. Last season versus UK, Jones caught a touchdown pass in the Tennessee victory.

Jones went for over 100 receiving yards versus Georgia -- Five catches for 105 yards, and two touchdowns. He also had strong outings against Auburn (seven catches for 75 yards), and Alabama (seven catches for 72 yards), but he's caught only one touchdown pass in the last three games (versus Memphis).

Denarius Moore -- 6'1", 190 lb junior wide receiver: Moore has made 35 catches for 455 yards (13.0 ypr), and six touchdowns.

Moore has scored four of his six touchdowns in the last three games.

Quintin Hancock -- 6'3", 207 lb senior wide receiver: In only eight games, Hancock has made 27 catches for 298 yards (11.0 ypr), and two touchdowns.

Marsalis Teague -- 5'10", 180 lb freshman wide receiver: Teague has 13 receptions for 147 yards (11.3 ypr), and two touchdowns.

Teague was rated the No. 4 prospect in the state of Tennessee out of high school by Rivals, as well as the No. 28 athlete in the nation, also by Rivals.

Luke Stocker -- 6'6", 240 lb junior tight end: Stocker has been an integral part of the UT offense, catching 22 passes for 292 yards (13.3 ypr), and four touchdowns.

The Tennessee Defense

Eric Berry -- 5'11", 203 lb junior corner back: Berry has made 75 tackles (49 solo), 5.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and six pass breakups.

The First Team All-SEC selection is UT's defensive force in the secondary, although UT defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has been bringing Berry up support the run defense. Don't be surprised if Berry is asked to contain Randall Cobb in tonight's tilt.

Rico McCoy -- 6'1", 220 lb senior linebacker: McCoy leads the Vols with 99 tackles (59 solo). He's also posted 2.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, four forced fumbles.

In 2006 versus UK, McCoy forced the first fumble of his career.

Dan Williams -- 6'3", 327 lb senior defensive tackle: Williams has recorded 56 tackles (28 solo), and he's tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with 8.5. He's also has 2.0 sacks, and a team-leading nine quarterback hurries.

In UT's four overtime victory over UK in 2007, Williams had a game-changing field goal block. Well, it wasn't so much as a block, as the ball being kicked directly into his face mask. There is no doubt that Williams is a defensive force that must be dealt with by the UK offensive line. They must keep him away from Morgan Newton, and run away from him in the ground game.

Chris Walker -- 6'3", 232 lb junior defensive end: Walker has made 34 tackles (16 solo), and he's tied for the team lead with 8.5 tackles for loss. He leads UT with 6.0 sacks, and he's also recorded two interceptions and one pass breakup.

Dennis Rogan -- 5'10", 178 lb defensive back: Rogan is third on the team with 56 tackles (35 solo). He's executed 4.0 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, and five pass breakups. He's also recovered two fumbles. Rogan will also return punts. This season he's returned six punts for 46 yards (7.7 yards per return), and two kick-offs for 52 yards (26.0 ypr).

In 2007 versus UK, Rogan returned three punts for 24 yards (8.0 ypr), and two kick-offs for 48 yards (24 ypr). He had three tackles, including his first tackle for loss.

Chad Cunningham -- Cunningham serves as UT's punter and kick-off artist -- He's punted 44 times for a 41.5 average. He's kicked-off 64 times, and has only four touch-backs.

Daniel Lincoln, Cunningham, and Devin Mathis have all kicked field goals for the Vols this season -- Lincoln is 10-16 (62.5%), Cunningham is 1-2 (50.0%), and Mathis is 1-1 (100%). Lincoln missed last weeks Vanderbilt game.

The three have combined to miss only one field goal under 40 yards.

Tennessee Wins (Teams in bold represent common opponents)

63-7 over WKU, 34-23 over Ohio U., 45-19 over Georgia, 31-13 over South Carolina, 56-28 over Memphis, and 31-16 over Vanderbilt.

Tennessee Losses

19-15 to UCLA, 23-13 to Florida, 26-22 to Auburn, 12-10 to Alabama, 42-17 to Ole Miss.

CliffsNotes Analysis

Tonight's battle represents two teams vying to succeed in the same areas -- Even though UK's two biggest play-makers are banged up (Cobb's shoulder, and both of Locke's knees), after Ole Miss running back Dexter McCluster gashed the Vols for 282 yards on 25 carries (11.6 ypc) and four touchdowns, the 'Cats will look to gain the bulk of their yardage on the ground.

Although UT quarterback Jonathan Crompton has proved to be much improved over last year, because of UK's weak run defense, look for a steady diet of UT running backs looking for holes. Hardesty, Brown, and Oku will get a healthy dose of carries in an attempt to control the clock, and bury UK with a ground game suited to do just that.

Look for Randall Cobb to have a big day. Although Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin wasn't in place during Cobb's recruitment, I expect Cobb will be highly motivated to display to his hometown team what they are missing.

It's really pretty simple -- UK must run the ball to the tune of at least 4.5-5.0 yards per carry, and Morgan Newton must continue to come through in the clutch with on-target throws if UK hopes to come out victorious. Recently Newton has been excellent at not turning the ball over ... that trend must continue.

Likewise, UK's defense must find it within themselves to stop the run. UT's three primary ball-carriers are legitimate, dangerous weapons. The Vols rushing for 200 + yards will surely spell doom for the 'Cats.

Field position will also play a big role in tonight's outcome. With UK in possession of two of the best return men in the SEC (Cobb and Locke), this category seems to be a plus for the 'Cats.

Last week versus Georgia, UK saw first-hand the advantage gained by creating turnovers (they were +4). The 'Cats must continue to hit hard, hit often, and hit with a purpose. If the UK defense comes to play, I like the 'Cats chances of partying like it's 1984 -- UK's last victory over the Vols.

Fearless Prediction

Kentucky - 27 Tennessee - 24

For Tru's take on the game, and a listen to a podcast interview we did with the guys from Rocky Top Talk, please scroll down.

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

Tennessee @ Kentucky 2009: What it Means

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:13:36 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

UK will need a lot of #18 (Randall Cobb) in the game today when they host the Tennessee Volunteers.

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Kentucky fans often think of the Tennessee Volunteers and Kentucky Wildcats as rivals, and in many ways, that's true. Among the northernmost SEC schools, Tennessee and Kentucky have more in common with each other than they do with the rest of the teams in the SEC. That similarity produces a natural sense of rivalry, along with the fact that both states share a long border and are culturally similar.

But sports rivalries generally require a competitive situation, a case in which both teams win. Rivalries become "cold" when faced with long stretches of futility, like the current 24 - year stretch in which the 'Cats have not managed a single victory against the Volunteers. There have been many competitive games in that period -- in fact, if you discount the period between 1992 and 2000, Kentucky has been competitive in almost every game. Competitive, but losers every time.

Today, UK hopes to begin the revival of what used to be a thriving and acrimonious rivalry back in the 1950's and 1960's. To do that, this long streak of losses against the Vols must come to an end. UK doesn't have to dominate Tennessee in order to begin the revival, although a domination would go a long way toward making this a rivalry faster.

To get everyone in the spirit of the game, below you will find Ken and I talking With Will and Joel of Rocky Top Talk about the game earlier this week. I meant to put this up earlier, but unfortunately, the Cancun Challenge dominated most of our attention this week, and there are only so many blogging hours in the day. But excuses aside, here we go:

Be sure to give it a listen, I think you will find it interesting.

More after the jump.

Over at Rocky Top Talk, Will has a terrific article about the futility Kentucky has suffered (as well as some of Tennessee's best moments) over the last 24 years. These aren't the 48-0 blowouts, but the really competitive games like the 52-50 overtime loss the last time the Vols brought the Big Orange into Commonwealth Stadium. Here is a taste of some of the memories Will offers up:

2004: #15 Tennessee 37 - Kentucky 31 (Knoxville)

With freshman Erik Ainge having gone down against Notre Dame two weeks earlier, the Vols found life difficult with Rick Clausen under center: after losing to the Irish and surviving 38-33 against Vanderbilt, the Vols were pushed to the limit by Kentucky. The offense put up plenty of numbers - 606 yards on the afternoon - but Clausen's pick six gave Kentucky a 17-7 second quarter lead. The Cats led 24-22 at halftime, then got a huge score to make it 31-22 going to the fourth quarter. But the Vols used a trick play, with CJ Fayton passing to Robert Meachem, to set up one fourth quarter score, then went 60 yards in four minutes to finish the job via a Gerald Riggs touchdown run, 12 yards with 12 seconds left.

That was a classic example of a game Kentucky should have won, but the trick play took all the wind out of their sails and they collapsed in the end, instead of coming out victorious.

In a way, today's game represents a validation of the 2009 season. I don't mean that the rest of the season is meaningless without this win -- to the contrary. Kentucky has three SEC victories, every one of them on the road, and two against teams that are most often ranked somewhere in the top 25 in the country -- in fact, both Georgia and Auburn have been ranked this year. Winning on the road in the SEC, particularly against teams of that quality, is a feat usually reserved for the division champion.

But UK has been futile against the SEC in Commonwealth this year, and it's hart to argue that a truly great season can be composed of a 0-for-the-SEC record in your home stadium. As recent Kentucky teams go, this team is perhaps as good as the 2006 team with a loss today, clearly better than last year, but not as good as 2007. With a win today, UK would manage eight wins in the regular season for the first time since 1984 (ironically the same year we last defeated the Vols), but it must be said that there were only 11 games in those days, and UK went 8-3.

Even with a loss today, this team will be remembered for all the road victories, breaking a long streak of losses to Auburn, and defeating Georgia between the hedges for the first time since 1977. This team has accomplished a lot, and contributed a lot to Kentucky history, including the third straight defeat of Louisville.

Another subtext to this game is Tennessee native Randall Cobb, who's legend at Kentucky seems on a trajectory similar to that of Tim Couch. Couch, of course, was a Kentucky boy and one of the best players ever to put on the Blue and White, but Cobb is from Alcoa High in Alcoa Tennessee, just a few miles from Knoxville. As everyone knows, Cobb wanted to go to UT, but the Vols ignored him until long after he had accepted an offer from Kentucky. When Fulmer & Co. finally did offer, Randally Cobb stuck with his commitment and turned down the Volunteers.

If Kentucky does defeat Tennessee in Commonwealth Stadium today, it will likely be in no small part due to Randall Cobb, and he may become one of the most legendary players that Kentucky has produced. Cobb may be crowding out some other guys, like Derrick Locke and the entire offensive line (which is arguably the best o-line at Kentucky in so many years I can't even remember), but someone will always emerge as the media and fan darling. Cobb fits that bill to a "T."

So ladies and gentlemen of the Big Blue Nation, lets get ready for some FOOTBALL, and hopefully, some history.

The Big Blue Daily Mail -- Thanksgiving Edition

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:05:12 -0000

More photos » by Israel Leal - AP

Celebration time!

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It's Thanksgiving day, and not really a time for much blogging. I will shortly be leaving to pick up my father, but before I do, I wanted to wish a very happy Thanksgiving to all the members the A Sea of Blue community. I am very thankful for all our members and readers, more than I can accurately express here.

Continuing with the subject of things I am thankful for, let me list a few of them:

My faith, friends and family. They are the foundation of all I hold dear.
My countrymen and women. This great experiment in a democratic republic continues to amaze me.
The men in women in uniformed service who defend our country from without and within. Thank you.
Rich Brooks -- Brooks has helped restore my faith in the UK football program.
The football team, for believing in themselves, and in their teammates.
Duke University -- Without a foe to despise, life as a sports fan would be less fulfilling.
Patrick Patterson -- Not only a great player, but a great person.
The basketball team, for validating my faith in the program.
John Calipari -- The Tubby Wars and the Gilispie Strangeness are now finally in the past. The UK community has returned to sanity, and it is good.
John Wall -- For being one of the best freshmen at UK I can remember, and for showing us what it is like to smile again during a basketball game.
Randall Cobb -- For keeping his word that he gave to UK when offered a chance to attend the school he really wanted to play for. Also, for being the kind of player that made some of the best teams in the land jealous of Kentucky football.
Derrick Locke -- For redefining what determination looks like in the face of injury and lack of respect.
Matthew Mitchell -- for finally bringing stability to the UK women's hoops program.
Finally, to UK fans, for being the best fans any college team could have.

The news follows the jump.

Stopping Cobb is Vols’ No. 1 priority | Vaught's Views
Kentucky Downs Santa Barbara 68-54 to Extend Perfect Start - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Kentucky Suffers Heartbreaking Five-Set Loss at Tennessee - KENTUCKY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Maui Invitational: (24) Vanderbilt 84 - Arizona 72 - Postgame - Anchor Of Gold
SB Nation has a new Vanderbilt blog, Anchor of Gold. Great job by the Commodores taking care of the Arizona Wildcats. I don't care much for Arizona, and I was glad to see our SEC brethren hand them the loss they so richly deserve.
" BBL: Cats escape Cancun, Cobb escapes Tennessee John Clay’s Sidelines
John Clay's Big Blue Links
Rush The Court " Blog Archive " ATB: Karl Hess Isn’t Invited to Our Thanksgiving Dinner Either
The talent for this team to become something special is there, but it’s also painfully obvious that his Cats often rely on God-given abilities (especially on offense) rather than an actual understanding of strategy or the sets. Decisionmaking by some players, especially DeMarcus Cousins, is also troubling in their naivete and youthful indiscretion. For example, back to back horrendous decisions by Cousins late in the game to shoot a three (not his shot) and later to purposefully miss a FT attempt in a misguided attempt to get his own rebound only to foul Stanford in the process, exhibits these characteristics.

This is exactly right. UK, as a team, needs desperately to grow up. Unfortunately, there is not magic potion to make that happen, just time and mistakes.
UT looks for way to stop hometown star Cobb | theleafchronicle.com | The Leaf Chronicle
Is Randall Cobb the Kentucky version of Chris Lofton? I think so.
Sam Bowie Breaks Color Barrier at Country Club
UK QB Fidler giving up final year of football | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal
Wow. Just like Michael Porter, except he doesn't have a wife and kid on the way (that I know of).
Let UK seniors know why you are thankful for them | Vaught's Views
Great post by Larry Vaught.
Stanford vs. Kentucky - Recap - November 25, 2009 - College Basketball - SI.com

Tennessee Volunteers at Kentucky Wildcats: game preview

Joel — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:22:44 -0000

A weekly look at our upcoming opponent's recent history, with animated drive charts and links to SB Nation game pages.

This is a long post full of moving pictures and stats, so I'm putting the conclusions and predictions both at the beginning and at the end.

Conclusions

Sort of like Vandy, Kentucky doesn't pass the ball very well, but they are quite a bit better than the Commodores on the ground. Expect them to attack by running the ball.
Again, Kentucky suffers from the same sort of imbalance as Vanderbilt on defense (good against the pass, bad against the run), but they're better than the 'Cats at both. The Vols would be well-advised to return the favor and attack with the infantry.
Punt and kickoff coverage will be key for the Vols, as Kentucky is quite good at both.
Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke account for a huge percentage of Kentucky's offense. Stop those guys, and you stop Kentucky.

Predictions

Tennessee 21, Kentucky 19.

Schedule and Animated Drive Charts


@ Miami (Ohio) RedHawks	9/5/09	win 42 - 0	coverage
Louisville Cardinals	9/19/09	win 31 - 27	coverage
Florida Gators	9/26/09	loss 7 - 41	coverage
Alabama Crimson Tide	10/3/09	loss 20 - 38	coverage
@ South Carolina Gamecocks	10/10/09	loss 26 - 28	coverage
@ Auburn Tigers	10/17/09	win 21 - 14	coverage
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks	10/24/09	win 36 - 13	coverage
Mississippi St. Bulldogs	10/31/09	loss 24 - 31	coverage
Eastern Kentucky Colonels	11/7/09	win 37 - 12	coverage
@ Vanderbilt Commodores	11/14/09	win 24 - 13	coverage
@ Georgia Bulldogs	11/21/09	win 34 - 27	coverage

Kentucky and Tennessee against common opponents:

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National Unit Rankings

Now on to the national rankings.

OFFENSIVE RANKINGS
Category	National Rank	Actual	National Leader	Actual	Conf Rank	Southeastern Conference Leader	Actual
Rushing Offense	20	196.18	Nevada	373.18	5	Florida	229.91
Passing Offense	112	146.73	Houston	441.82	11	Arkansas	310.27
Total Offense	87	342.91	Houston	574.09	10	Arkansas	445.18
Scoring Offense	T-60	27.45	Boise St.	44.36	7	Arkansas	38.00
Passing Efficiency	105	111.70	Cincinnati	170.01	10	Florida	161.87
Sacks Allowed	28	1.27	Boise St.	.45	5	Alabama	1.00

Offensive observations. Solid on the ground + horrid through the air = 87th in the nation in total yards per game and right smack dab in the middle in total points. Checking . . . yes, sorta like Vandy, except that Kentucky's rushing game is quite a bit better, which makes the Wildcats' total yards and points numbers much better as well.

DEFENSIVE RANKINGS
Category	National Rank	Actual	National Leader	Actual	Conf Rank	Southeastern Conference Leader	Actual
Rushing Defense	98	179.27	Texas	50.09	11	Alabama	70.55
Pass Efficiency Defense	18	108.44	Alabama	82.52	5	Alabama	82.52
Total Defense	54	355.36	Alabama	225.18	8	Alabama	225.18
Scoring Defense	38	22.18	Florida	9.82	7	Florida	9.82
Pass Defense	14	176.09	Florida	139.27	6	Florida	139.27
Sacks	T-98	1.36	Pittsburgh	4.10	11	Florida	2.73
Tackles For Loss	85	5.09	Cincinnati	8.80	12	Mississippi	7.55

Defensive observations. Horrid against the run + solid against the pass = middle-ish in total yards allowed and top third in points allowed. Checking . . . yes, much like Vandy again, except less horrid and more solid. The Commodores do rank higher in pass defense, but Kentucky appears to be a better team overall defensively. They're not that good on our side of the scrimmage line, though.

SPECIAL TEAMS AND TURNOVERS RANKINGS
Category	National Rank	Actual	National Leader	Actual	Conf Rank	Southeastern Conference Leader	Actual
Net Punting	46	36.50	Georgia	42.84	4	Georgia	42.84
Punt Returns	23	12.88	Louisiana Tech	17.50	3	LSU	16.23
Kickoff Returns	26	24.02	TCU	30.16	7	Florida	26.15
Turnover Margin	43	.27	Rutgers	1.90	6	Alabama	1.18

Special teams and turnovers observations. Uh-oh. Kentucky appears to have fairly decent special teams, especially when it comes to punt and kickoff returns.

Stastical Comparison

Here's how the two teams stack up against each other in each of the key statistical categories in Hooper's wizbang BlogPoll Computerer:

WL	SOS	PED	RD	3DO	TD	PEO	OPPG	TO	3DD	RTT RANK
54	35	11	60	64	20	41	28	56	23	36
39	45	18	98	62	54	105	38	87	64	49

So Tennessee's compiled a mostly-better resume against a stronger schedule and has a chance to even up the win/loss column Saturday.

		Delta
SOS	35	10	45	SOS
TD	20	67	87	TO
TO	56	-2	54	TD
PED	11	94	105	PEO
3DD	23	39	62	3DO
PEO	64	-46	18	PED
3DO	64	0	64	3DD

According to that, we should make it harder on them than they should on us. We could have trouble in the passing game and on third down.

Players to watch for

Category	Player	National Rank	Actual
Rushing	Derrick Locke	49	82.10
	Randall Cobb		43.60
Passing Efficiency (Min. 15 Att./Game)
Total Offense	Derrick Locke		86.20
	Randall Cobb		48.20
Receptions Per Game	Randall Cobb		3.30
	Chris Matthews		2.64
Receiving Yards Per Game	Randall Cobb		40.30
Interceptions	Sam Maxwell	T-11	.45
	Calvin Harrison	T-72	.27
	Randall Burden		.18
Punting (Min. 3.6 Punts/Game)	Ryan Tydlacka	69	40.45
Punt Returns (Min. 1.2 Ret./Game)	Randall Cobb	16	13.27
Kickoff Returns (Min. 1.2 Ret./Game)	Derrick Locke	6	30.47
	Randall Cobb	45	25.17
Field Goals	Lones Seiber	T-98	.73
Scoring	Randall Cobb	T-22	8.40
	Lones Seiber		5.45
	Derrick Locke		4.80
All-Purpose Runners	Derrick Locke	17	156.00
	Randall Cobb	T-28	143.30
Sacks	DeQuin Evans	T-92	.45
	Corey Peters		.36
Tackles	Micah Johnson	T-96	7.64
	Sam Maxwell		6.64
	Danny Trevathan		6.27
Tackles For Loss	Corey Peters	T-69	1.00
	DeQuin Evans	T-87	.95

Observations

Um, wow. That there's a whole lotta Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke. CobbLocke is a do-everything tandem, with Locke ranked 17th in the nation in all-purpose running and Cobb right behind him in the same category, tied at 28th. Cobb is also tied for 22nd in scoring with 8.4 points per game.

Running backs. Derrick Locke is averaging 82.10 yards per game, and he broke the 100-yard threshold against Vandy (144), Mississippi State (108), and Auburn (137). Randall Cobb adds another 43.6 yards on the ground.

Quarterbacks. Morgan Newton took over under center when Mike Hartline suffered an injury against South Carolina in the 5th game of the season. He's been averaging 88.6 yards through the air and 7.3 rushes and 14 yards per game. He has not completed a touchdown pass in six games, but he's rushed for two.

Receivers/Tight Ends. Randall Cobb is the team's leading receiver, getting 3.3 catches for 40 yard per game.

Defense. Linebacker Sam Maxwell and defensive back Calvin Harrison are responsible for Kentucky's solid pass defense with both of them ranked nationally in interceptions. Maxwell is particularly good, ranked 11th, as he's had interceptions in five different games this year. Other notables on defense are defensive linemen DeQuin Evans and Corey Peters and linebacker Micah Johnson.

Special teams. Kentucky is excellent on punt and kickoff returns. Why? Because of CobbLocke. Cobb ranks 16th in punt returns with an average of 13.27, and Locke ranks in kickoff returns 6th with 30.47. Oh, and you can't just not kick to Locke because Cobb's the other guy back there, and he ranks 45th with 25.17 yards per kickoff return. Cobb's returned one punt for a TD, and Locke's returned on kickoff for a TD.

Head to Head Comparisons

			Best Comparable	Result Against Best Comparable	Prediction
UT rush v. KY rush defense	164.91 (#48)	179.27 (#98)	Memphis (176.45) (#96)	137	200
UT pass v. KY pass defense	226.09 (#48)	176.09 (#14)	Vanderbilt (164.92) (#9)	221	220
KY rush v. UT rush defense	141.27 (#60)	196.18 (#20)	Auburn (219.55) (#11)	224	220
KY pass v. UT pass defense	171.91 (#13)	146.73 (#112)	Vanderbilt (146.33) (#114)	174	170
UT scoring offense v. KY scoring defense	30.64 (#33)	22.18 (#38)	South Carolina (20.73) (#28)	31	21
KY scoring offense v. UT scoring defense	20.73 (T-#28)	27.45 (T-#60)	Georgia (27.45) (T-#60)	19	19

Again, this is not math, but an informed guess. UT rushed for 137 yards against Memphis, but the gameplan focused heavily on the pass, and I don't think that makes sense here, so I'm going with 200 yards rushing. We passed for 221 against Vandy, and although I think we'll lean on the ground game even more against Kentucky, the Wildcats are not quite as good as the Commodores, so I'm guessing about the same yards through the air.

We held Auburn to 224 yards, and although Kentucky has Locke and Cobb and a bit of a running QB, you might have heard on the podcast last night from the Kentucky guys that most of their yards are gained in bite-sized chunks rather than huge plays. With Janzen Jackson back, hopefully we can contain Kentucky's rushing game to about the same degree we did Auburn's. Yeah, I know that "wasn't very well." I'm just hoping for not worse.

Vandy and Kentucky are essentially the same team when passing the ball, so I'm guessing we can hold them to 170 yards or so.

Kentucky and Georgia are tied in scoring offense, and Georgia got quite lucky on non-offensive scoring, so I'm going with 19 points for Kentucky as well. And although we scored 31 points against South Carolina, we were helped with turnovers and great starting field position, so I'm backing that 31 points down to 21.

Conclusions

Sort of like Vandy, Kentucky doesn't pass the ball very well, but they are quite a bit better than the Commodores on the ground. Expect them to attack from the ground.
Again, Kentucky suffers from the same sort of imbalance (good against the pass, bad against the run) as Vandy on defense, but they're better at both. The Vols would be well-advised to return the favor and attack with the infantry.
Punt and kickoff coverage will be key for the Vols, as Kentucky is quite good at both.
Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke account for a huge percentage of Kentucky's offense. Stop those guys, and you stop Kentucky.

Predictions

Tennessee 21, Kentucky 19.

SEC Power Poll, Week Twelve

mlmintampa — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:02:45 -0000

Our SEC Power Poll ballot. Final results at Team Speed Kills on Wednesday.

1. Alabama: The biggest difference between Bama 2008 and Bama 2009 is that Mark Ingram is an improvement over Glen Coffee. Through 11 games, Ingram is averaging 127 ypg (5th nationally) with 12 touchdowns. Coffee was averaging 99 ypg and 8 touchdowns.

2. Florida: Between Alabama becoming a popular upset pick, Notre Dame again trying to chat up Urban Meyer, and a Big 12 quarterback securing the Heisman, 2009 is looking a lot like 2008 for the Gators. Aside from the offense sucking, of course.

3. LSU: Even my 13 year-old sister was screaming at Les Miles Saturday night. Granted, I have a sister who chose seeing "The Blind Side" over the Twilight movie last weekend.

4. Ole Miss: Proud weekend at Ole Miss; they defeated a division rival and shouted down racist cowards who tried to hijack a beautiful football weekend.

5. Arkansas: They've won four in a row and are scoring in buckets (8th nationally in scoring offense). But three of their four losses were on the road and they will visit LSU on Saturday.

6. Kentucky: If Morgan Newton can keep the train on the tracks and the ball in the bellies of Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb, they will hang with Tennessee. If the defense can force four turnovers like they did against Georgia, they will easily win and complete an epic turnaround after being 2-3 in mid-October.

7. Tennessee: Maybe Kiffin should find some women's basketball players to fill in his defensive roster.

8. Georgia: You know Georgia is having a bad season when they get sympathy from a Gator fan. Although, that's because their dog died, not because Joe Cox sucks.

9. Auburn: The Iron Bowl is going to be a long day for the Tigers. Ingram is going to run all over them.

10. South Carolina: Why is it that they are so terrible late in the season? Is something in the water in Columbia? Are they too focused on their mistress in Argentina?

11. Mississippi State: Beating Ole Miss Saturday in Starkville will make Dan Mullen Year One a huge success.

12. Vanderbilt: At least the season is over.

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!

Kentucky Wildcats 34, Georgia Bulldogs 27: Chicken Little Was an Optimist

T Kyle King — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:42:50 -0000

Two weeks ago, my son was under the weather. Last week, my daughter caught what had ailed her big brother. This week, I took ill, and I felt worse and worse throughout the day on Saturday, leading me ultimately to the conclusion that I should eschew the season’s final home game and watch the clash in the comfort of my living room. Needless to say, that was a good decision, despite the fact that it forced me to listen to Bob Davie’s insipid commentary, in which he actually said, "We’ll get back to the game in a second" as a play got underway.

What is there to say about last evening’s sorry display between the hedges? In a night game at home, the Georgia Bulldogs held a two-touchdown halftime lead on the athletically overmatched and injury-riddled Kentucky Wildcats, who had not won in Sanford Stadium in more than three decades. The Red and Black should have won in a walk. Instead, the Classic City Canines failed in every phase of the game after intermission, repeating a litany of errors that has become so commonplace as to be comical in the course of losing a game that should have been put out of reach on the Bulldogs’ first possession of the second half.

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.

(Incidentally, while this game certainly cannot be blamed on the officiating, an out-of-place umpire greatly aided on one Wildcat score and the conspiracy theorists were given additional grist for their mill on Randall Cobb’s third-quarter touchdown, which did not draw an unsportsmanlike conduct flag despite his having noticeably and needlessly altered his stride en route to the end zone. Does anyone doubt that a Georgia player who did exactly the same thing would be penalized?)

Virtually every number indicates a Georgia victory. Joe Cox threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns. Washaun Ealey and Caleb King amassed 77 yards apiece, with each doing so on fewer than twenty carries. Tavarres King rose up in the absence of A.J. Green to make three catches for 109 yards, while Orson Charles and Rantavious Wooten both caught touchdown passes.

It was as though the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets---who had the week off, and who most assuredly were watching last night’s game unfold---had their voodoo dolls handy and asked themselves, "What is the most painful way we can cause the ‘Dawgs to lose?" They could not have done much better than giving Georgia a two-touchdown halftime lead, beginning a Keystone Kops-like second half with a fumble on the opening kickoff, and letting the contest unravel gradually with a game-tying 60-yard pass to Derrick Locke on which the Kentucky tailback zipped past several flailing would-be tacklers and scampered to paydirt with nary a Georgia defender near him, a ten-play Georgia drive covering 67 yards and nearly five minutes that ended in a fumble at the Wildcats’ one yard line, and a first-down interception on the Bulldogs’ last desperate possession.

The Classic City Canines were outscored 28-7 after intermission by a team that hadn’t scored more than 26 total points in any previous conference outing. The 34 points conceded to the Blue and White by Georgia put the Bulldogs in the same category with Louisville (which gave up 31 points to Kentucky), Louisiana-Monroe (36), and Eastern Kentucky (37). This is the state of Red and Black football.

This isn’t the worst season in Georgia gridiron history; it isn’t even the worst of my lifetime, or of my conscious remembrance. However, the ‘Dawgs could equal the seven losses sustained by the Red and Black in the disastrous 1990 campaign and no one who is not a partisan homer would suggest that the Bulldogs have any chance of avoiding embarrassment (much less of winning) next Saturday night at historic Grant Field. Our team is going to limp into the postseason at 6-6 to play in a meaningless game that has the potential to do as much psychological harm as physical good.

The last sixteen games, during which the ‘Dawgs have gone 9-7 and conceded 34 or more points eight times, have set this program back fifteen years. Our team hasn’t played four consecutive quarters of solid football in all three phases of the game since January 1, 2008. In the last four years, Georgia has gone 2-2 against Kentucky. We are where we were in the mid-1990s and we face a massive rebuilding job, one which will require replacing at least some of the contractors and masons currently assigned to the task.

In short, the loud thump heard in Athens last night was either the sound of the bottom falling out of Georgia football or the sound of Uga VII rolling over in his grave.

Go ‘Dawgs!

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.