SB Nation - Winston Guy

Kentucky 21 @ Auburn 14: Postmortem

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Game Film Breakdown: Julio Jones

outsidethesidelines — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:47 -0000

Through the first five games of the 2009 season, Julio Jones has amassed only 9 catches for 133 yards and one touchdown. After establishing himself as an absolute phenom as a true freshman, the lack of production to date has left many befuddled and asking themselves exactly what is wrong with Julio Jones? And, of course, those concerns were only magnified this past weekend when, against Kentucky, Jones had only two catches for 13 yards.

Personally, going into the Kentucky game, I paid little attention to Julio's lack of production to date. After all, we had played only four games in the season, and Julio practically missed two entire games with a bruised knee, plus Virginia Tech's Bud Foster effectively approached the Alabama game with the intent that hell would freeze over before he would let Julio Jones beat his Hokies. In other words, the lack of overall production to date was really just more of a result of a small sample size mixed with a little bad injury luck, neither of which would constitute a major concern moving forward. But with the two catch, 13-yard performance against Kentucky, the critical fires were only further fanned, and after that I decided that closer scrutiny was warranted.

So, exactly what is going on with Julio Jones? There is really only one way to answer that question, and that is to simply put on the game film and take a closer look, and that is what I have decided to do here. All told, we targeted Julio Jones seven times against Kentucky, and all seven passes to him are included in the following 2:15 YouTube clip that flaco posted.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I will say from the outset that what I expected to find before looking at the film was that, against Kentucky, we would see a Julio Jones who was probably hampered by injuries -- in particular the sports hernia that he had surgery on in late April, and the bruised knee -- that was largely shut down thanks to the play of star Kentucky cornerback Trevard Lindley, and the collective efforts of the rest of the Kentucky secondary, largely by bracketing the wideout. With that expectation in mind, let's look at the film:

Much to my surprise, however, I actually found the opposite of what I expected to find. Kentucky did not really try to take Julio out of the game, per se. In fact, they effectively took the anti-Foster approach by practically begging us to throw the football in Julio's direction. Not a single time did he draw double coverage, nor did Kentucky actually bracket him with two defenders. At most, Kentucky would roll a safety in his direction on deep routes, and that was about it. Furthermore, on the seven passes thrown towards Julio, Lindley was only covering him on two those passes, and actually Kentucky matched up a safety in man coverage on him twice. And much to the contrary with regard to my expectation for a banged up Julio, truth be told Julio looked very good on film. He faced a lot of single coverage against Kentucky, and perhaps not too surprisingly, he was practically open all day long. Kentucky really just could not cover him, plain and simple. Again, after watching the film, I basically found the exact opposite of what I expected to find.

Julio Jones' lack of production on Saturday really had almost nothing to do with his own shortcomings. In actuality, the real reason for the lack of production was largely the inability of Greg McElroy to get the football to him when he was open. Let's take a closer look at all seven balls thrown in his direction to get a better understanding

Target #1: The first pass to Julio comes on the first play from scrimmage in the game. On 1st and 10, the 4-3 based Wildcats comes with a standard four-man rush, and drops all three linebackers into a loose zone behind the pass rush. The first read for McElroy is looking deep for Marquis Maze on a go route, but against a Cover Four shell nothing is open downfield. Julio Jones, on the other hand, is the second option in this play. He runs a short crossing route, and once he identifies the three-man zone by the linebackers, he does what he is supposed to do and finds the hole in the zone, and waits on his quarterback to throw him the football. And, actually, Jones does a fine job in this regard, and he is wide open, as you can tell by the following picture:

Unfortunately, McElroy doesn't get the ball out on time here. He checks down quickly, as he should, and he goes to throw the football to the open Jones, but for some reason he pump fakes instead. This pump fake causes Julio to move around trying to create a better throw for his quarterback, and it causes Kentucky safety Winston Guy to come up to play the short pass. The pump fake throws the entire play off, and the ball gets thrown at a bit of an odd angle, which ultimately Julio cannot bring in against tight coverage. This is not a sexy play regardless, and one that even if completed properly only gets four or five yards, but again this should be a completion. Inexplicably, however, McElroy doesn't get the ball out on time, and it results in an incomplete pass.

Target #2: On the following drive, Alabama is driving yet again, and here Julio Jones is in fact isolated in man coverage against Trevard Lindley. A safety does eventually roll in Julio's direction late, but he has no real impact on this play. Julio gets off the line very well against Lindley, and he is open streaking down the sideline on the go route. He has a step on Lindley, and with a good throw this is a touchdown. Unfortunately, the ball is underthrown and tails back towards the sideline in its flight, and Julio has to try to re-adjust his route, thus losing all separation. Even so, though, the ball is effectively uncatchable and falls to the ground incomplete.

Note: Notice on this play that the ball should not go to Julio Jones. Look to the left of the formation for Mark Ingram slipping out of the backfield. There is barely anyone on that side of the field, and if we get the football to him out in the flats, he has a huge play, and may very well even score. He's wide open with hardly a defender in sight.

Target #3: Later in the first quarter, we're trying to get the passing game going, so we call an easy pass here. Julio lines up in the slot to the left with safety Taideo Smith -- admittedly a bit of a small, coverage-oriented type safety who is really more physically built line a corner -- and on the snap he runs a quick flare out into the flats before cutting back inside to catch the wide receiver screen. Greg McElroy and Julio Jones do a good job on the simple pitch and catch, and Julio looks for daylight behind his linemen that broke free (in particular Mike Johnson). It's a solid play that has some promise, but unfortunately Julio runs smack into the massive stud linebacker Micah Johnson. And as usually happens what someone runs across Mr. Johnson, forward progress stops immediately. Four yard gain.

Target #4: Two plays later, Alabama is facing a 3rd and 6. Jones once again lines up to the left of the formation against (I think) the aforementioned Smith. It's man coverage, and quickly identifying that, McElroy immediately targets Jones, who runs about a 9-yard out route that will clearly get the Tide the first down. All is going well and looking good for the completion, but Julio slips coming out of his break and the ball sails by for an incomplete pass. It's a good throw by McElroy, but poor footing costs Jones the catch and 'Bama the first down.

Target #5: This one is simply a huge play where Julio comes up big with a key catch against tight coverage from Trevard Lindley. This is a 3rd and 3 with approximately 4:00 remaining in the second quarter, with the Tide clinging to a 7-6 lead. A punt here means that you have to get a defensive stop just to retain the lead going into halftime, so converting here is of the utmost importance. We run a quick slant here to Julio, and he does exactly what we need him to do. He fights hard and gets inside position on the All-American. Notice in the following picture how Julio places his 6'4 frame between the football and the cornerback:

This is a pure trust throw here by McElroy, and a pure trust play call by McElwain. Simply put, on a quick slant the ball has to be thrown before the receiver establishes inside position, so a quarterback and a play caller need full and complete confidence that the receiver in question will run the route perfectly, and in particular calling this play in such a critical situation against such a high quality defender is a risky call. Fortunately, Jones plants the left foot in the ground, gets inside position, and then goes out strong with his hands to get the football. Julio ultimately grinds out nine yards, and with a new set of downs, a few plays later the Tide scores a touchdown.

Note: Also notice here tight end Michael Williams running a nice route out into the right flat that, too, would have likely yielded a first down had the football been thrown in his direction. I mentioned this on Twitter earlier, but I'll reiterate here that Williams is really starting to get a lot of meaningful playing time.

Target #6: This pass comes late in the third quarter on a 2nd and goal play with the Tide holding a 31-13 lead over Kentucky, and it could have been an absolute, unmitigated disaster. Julio Jones is split out wide to the left, and runs the quick slant. Kentucky outside linebacker Sam Maxwell lines up in a two-point stance right at the line of scrimmage, and he drops back into pass coverage, reading the quarterback's eyes the entire way. McElroy has absolutely no idea whatsoever that Maxwell is reading him like a book, and he in turn throws the slant to Julio. Now, Julio beats his man on this route because he establishes inside position on Kentucky cornerback Randall Burden, but when the ball is in the air Maxwell pounces and reaches up to grab the interception. Fortunately for the Tide Maxwell drops the almost certain interception, and thankfully so because this is the exact kind of throw that can quickly turn into a pick-six going in the opposite direction. At the very least, this should be an interception that results in a long return by the defense, but fortunately the pass falls harmlessly to the ground. One way or the other, though, you cannot blame Jones here because it is a terrible decision by McElroy to throw the football in his direction and the ball never actually gets to him (and even so he ran the route properly).

Target #7: The final pass towards Julio Jones comes on a 3rd and 7 midway through the fourth quarter. Julio has man coverage to the left of the formation against Randall Burden, and just like he did earlier in the game against Trevard Lindley, Jones beats the Kentucky cornerback off the line and has a step on him as they both race down the sideline. See the following photo, for visual confirmation:

As you can see in that photo, Julio has separation between himself and the Kentucky defender, and keep in mind that photo is taken right after Julio starts to slow down to re-adjust to the ball that was, just like the earlier go route against Lindley, underthrown by Greg McElroy. Unfortunately, the underthrown ball means that Burden catches back up to force an incompletion, and it is also allows the Kentucky safety the time to get over and lay a cheapshot on the defenseless Jones. A likely touchdown turns into a painful incompletion because of yet another underthrown ball.

So, again, what did we see here? We saw Julio really wasn't the problem at all. Five incomplete passes were thrown in his direction, only one of which was his fault, and the other four completions were simply poor throws by Greg McElroy. Simply put, Julio found himself open all day long. He beat both Lindley and Burden deep on go routes, and picked apart the Kentucky zone on the opening play. His biggest "fault" of the day, if you can even call it that, was that he slipped coming out of his break on the incomplete out route, and that simple mistake is hardly damning regardless of the circumstances. If McElroy can get the ball to Julio effectively, he has five catches for 100+ yards and a couple of touchdowns, and we're all sitting here talking about how Julio is back and what an unstoppable, once-in-a-generation physical specimen he is.

And with that said, keep in mind that none of this should come across as bashing Greg McElroy either. Again, consider that we are discussing a very small sample size here, and while he did struggle to get the football to Julio Jones on Saturday, he nevertheless did a fine job of getting it to everyone else. On the 19 passes where Julio Jones was not targeted, McElroy went 13-19 for 135 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions (i.e. he completed over 68% of those passes for a QB rating of 162.8), and he did all of that against one of the SEC's best pass defenses. He made some mistakes, to be sure, but all that proves is that McElroy is capable of error, which any rational observer ought to know anyway, and at any rate he's still playing the position better to date than any Alabama quarterback has since Jay Barker in 1994. Moreover, no one could legitimately claim that McElroy didn't try to get the football to Julio enough, as more than one-quarter of our passing attempts went in the direction of Mr. Jones (no small amount, especially when considering how deep we are with quality receivers).

That said, all in all, when watching the game film of Julio Jones, all I could think of is was, "What sophomore slump?" The production might not be there just yet for a variety of reasons, but after watching Julio on film I really see nothing wrong with him. It should go without saying that anything can happen moving forward, and for whatever reason the production could continue to lag, but objectively after viewing the Kentucky game film, Julio looks to me to be as impressive as ever, and a player who could very well have a huge game at any given time. Let's all hope it happens this Saturday when we hit the road to take on Colonel Reb.

Kentucky Football Blues

Ken Howlett — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:21:39 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Celebrations after UK mistakes are becoming all too common.

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Lexington Herald-Leader football writer Chip Cosby and I are thinking along the same wavelength, as it pertains to the failings of the UK football team. Cosby penned an excellent article concerning the mistakes UK has made, not only this season, but also in seasons past, that have cost the 'Cats victory, or at minimum, a much better showing against SEC foes. Having already researched a post regarding UK's many mistakes this season, and the negative impact those mistakes have had on the team, I will forge ahead with my thoughts, using Cosby's piece as an excellent companion article.

I sit in amazement whenever I watch a PGA Tour event. Being a self-described "hack" when it comes to playing the links, I have a great appreciation for the skill on display when I witness Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson strike the ball with a deftness reserved for those with (what can only be described as) God-given ability. But, even the best golfers in the world mis-hit the blasted little white ball on occasion, oftentimes ending up amongst the local forestry. Now, when this unfortunate circumstance prevails itself upon the amateur golfer (or at least those with double-digit handicaps), a score well over par is usually the penalty for such a wayward shot. Conversely, the professionals almost always find a way, a path which to take, that leaves the ball on the green, or at least nearer the cup.

The pros simply have the skill, knowledge and experience it takes to extract oneself from near disaster, whereas, us amateurs find ourselves abusing the trees our ball lies among. The talent to recover from mistakes ... it's just one ability that separates the duffer from the professional. And the Kentucky football team is no different than the duffer, at least at the moment.

I don't intend to disparage the football 'Cats, rather, my intent is to illustrate the self-defeating ways and means of this team, and to show the high cost of the unusually high number of mistakes the Wildcats have saddled themselves with this season. And while I like the team, and believe they are talented, they don't yet possess the ability needed to overcome so many miscues, and still come out victorious against the elite teams of the SEC.

Ironically enough, the pattern of self-destruction began during the second quarter of a win, albeit, a win whose margin of victory should have been much greater:

UK 31 Louisville 27

Kentucky Penalties -- 8 for 95 yards.

Kentucky Turnovers -- One interception, and two fumbles.

Turnover Margin -- UK - 3 U of L - 2

Second Quarter -- Louisville running back Victor Anderson rushed the ball for zero gain on 2nd & 10. Instead of the Cards facing a 3rd & 10, a face mask penalty was whistled on UK, resulting in the line of scrimmage being moved from the U of L 33, to the U of L 48 yard line. Result of the drive -- UK took over on downs.
Late Second Quarter -- UK had a 1st & Goal on the U of L five-yard line, up 17-7. A false start penalty against UK placed the ball back five yards to the 10 yard line. Result of the drive -- Zero points for UK due to a combination of the penalty, and poor clock management.
Third Quarter -- On the opening kick-off of the second half, U of L's Trent Guy returned the kick 65-yards to the UK 34 yard line. Result of the long return -- A Ryan Payne 23-yard field goal.
Third Quarter -- On the ensuing kick-off return, UK fumbled the ball away, giving U of L the ball on the UK 44 yard line. Result of the turnover -- A U of L missed 28-yard field goal.
Third Quarter -- A U of L interception results in the Cards taking over possession of the ball on the UK 25 yard line. Louisville gained a net zero yards on the position. Result of the turnover -- A Ryan Payne 42-yard field goal.
Third Quarter -- A UK fumble gave U of L the ball on the Louisville 41 yard line. Result of the turnover - A U of L touchdown.
Fourth Quarter -- UK intercepted a Justin Burke pass. Sam Maxwell returned the pick 17-yards to the UK 36 yard line, but a UK clipping penalty on the return resulted in the 'Cats losing precious field position: Instead of taking over near mid-field, UK took possession on their own 21 yard line. Result of the drive -- A UK punt.

Of U of L's 27 points, 13 came via UK mistakes.

UK, on that day, was good enough to overcome penalties, turnovers, and clock mismanagement, in large part due to Louisville's own generosity with the football. Also enabling a UK victory is the fact that, inarguably, U of L is not in the same stratosphere, talent-wise, as South Carolina, Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, or any of the remaining games on UK's schedule with the exception of Eastern Kentucky, and Louisiana-Monroe. And the Cards certainly are light-years behind what were to be UK's next two fortunate opponents, Florida and Alabama.

Florida 41 UK 7

Kentucky Penalties -- 9 for 69 yards.

Kentucky Turnovers -- Two interceptions.

Turnover Margin -- UK - 2 Florida - 0

First Quarter -- On UK's first drive of the game (from their own 20 yard line), a Derrick Locke five-yard gain was negated by an illegal motion penalty, immediately followed by a UK false start penalty which cost UK an additional five yards. Florida then sacked UK quarterback Mike Hartline for a loss of nine yards. Result of the drive -- Lost field position, and a 34-yard UK punt from their own five-yard line.
First Quarter -- On the Gators ensuing possession: It's 1st & 10 from the UK 36. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow threw an incompletion, but a Wildcat holding penalty resulted in the ball being spotted at the UK 26 yard line. Result of the drive -- A Florida touchdown.
First Quarter -- UK had a punt blocked thanks to a missed blocking assignment. Result of the block -- A Florida touchdown.
First Quarter -- On the ensuing kick-off, UK's Winston Guy returned the ball to the UK 14 yard line, but an illegal block on Kentucky sent the ball back seven yards to the UK seven-yard line. Result of the drive -- Lost field position and a UK punt, which resulted in ...
First Quarter -- Florida took over possession at their own 42 yard line following the UK punt. Result of the short field -- A Florida touchdown.
Late Second Quarter -- On the possession following a UK 59 yard drive for six, and down 31-7, UK gained ball possession on their own 22 yard line. Here is the series that followed: 1st & 10 -- Hartline nine-yard completion to Chris Matthews; 2nd & 1 from the UK 31 yard line -- A Locke one-yard gain for the first down is wiped-out by a UK holding penalty; 2nd & 10 from the UK 22 yard line -- A Hartline 20-yard pass completion to Matthews is negated by a UK holding penalty; 2nd & 21 from the UK 11 -- Three-yard rushing loss, resulting in a UK punt. UK gained a positive 30 yards on the possession, yet lost a total of 14 yards due to penalties.
Opening Drive of the Third Quarter -- On 1st & 10 from the UK 24 yard line, a Hartline 21-yard pass to John Conner is negated by a pass interference penalty on a UK receiver not involved in the play. Kentucky lost 12 yards on the play, and instead of facing 1st & 10 from their own 45 yard line, they instead were left with 1st & 22 from their own 12 yard line. Result of the infraction -- A UK punt.
Late Third Quarter -- A Florida interception resulted in the Gators taking over the ball at the UK 49 yard line. Result of the mistake -- A Florida fumble.
Fourth Quarter -- A Florida interception returned by the Gators to the UK eight yard line. Result of the turnover -- A Florida touchdown.

Through the carnage inflicted upon themselves, UK's mistakes awarded the Gators, either directly or indirectly, 28 of their 41 points.

Alabama 38 UK 20

UK Penalties -- 7 for 78 yards.

UK Turnovers -- Three interceptions, and one fumble.

Turnover Margin -- UK - 4 Alabama - 0

Opening Kick-off -- The Tide's Javier Arenas returned the kick 60-yards to the UK 37 yard line. On 1st & 10, Greg McElroy threw an incompletion, but a personal foul penalty on UK moved the ball to the Kentucky 17 yard line. Result of the penalty -- A Tide touchdown.
1st Quarter -- On UK's following possession, an Alabama interception is returned to the UK 37 yard line. Result of the turnover -- An Alabama punt.
End of Second Quarter -- With the score standing at 14-6 'Bama, UK had the ball at mid-field, but a UK fumble was returned by the Tide 45-yards for a touchdown.
UK's First Possession of the Second Half -- On 1st & 10 from the UK 46 yard line, a Derrick Locke 18-yard rush was negated by a 15 yard personal foul penalty. This resulted in UK facing 1st & 7 from the UK 49 yard line, instead of 1st & 10 from the UA 36 yard line. On the next play, a Tide interception was returned 21-yards to the UK 38 yard line. Result of the penalty and turnover -- An Alabama touchdown.
On UK's Next Possession -- After a dropped pass, a 16-yard completion to Derrick Locke, and a Locke one-yard gain, the Tide intercepted a UK pass and returned it to the UK 47 yard line. The result of the turnover -- An Alabama field goal.

Of Alabama's 38 points, 24 were the direct result of either UK turnovers, or penalties. The 'Bama game was there for the taking, if not for the 12-gauge UK had aimed directly at Big Blue's foot -- Kentucky held the Tide to almost 150 yards under their per game average, and UK ran the ball much more effectively than any other Tide opponent this season, but it was all for naught.

Sifting Through the Wreckage

Like the duffer maddeningly slicing the ball into the woods, UK simply is not good enough to give up 62 points (out of 106 scored) off turnovers and mental mistakes through an entire season, much less over only three games, and expect to win more than they lose. Even though the program has made great strides over the previous five years, the 'Cats' margin for error is super model-slim. And beating good teams while constantly playing out of the rough, is a level of achievement yet to be attained by the gridiron 'Cats.

Allow me to venture out on a limb and say: UK must play every SEC game with focus and determination. The 'Cats must display discipline, and good decision-making. And in order to win football games in the SEC, one must play winning football, and winning football is relatively mistake-free football. Giving up field position, thus leaving opponents with short fields, and committing careless turnovers, runs contrary to winning football. And those mistakes must dissipate with the morning dew if UK aspires to play in a fourth straight bowl game.

With South Carolina and Auburn, both now ranked in the Top 25, hosting the 'Cats over the next two weeks, UK must, like the golfer, find the rhythm that enables optimum results. And if a 2-4 record doesn't seem appetizing, Kentucky must hit the practice (range) with a common purpose -- Reducing mental errors, and beating to death the turnover bug that currently has a stranglehold around this teams psyche.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Week Five Preview: #3 Alabama at Kentucky

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

More photos » by James Crisp - AP

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

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

Alabama Offense v. Kentucky Defense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alabama Defense v. Kentucky Offense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Putting It All Together

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

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

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

Hope for the best.

The Last Time No. 1 Visited Commonwealth Stadium ...

Ken Howlett — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:44:33 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Beating Florida will get more than a yell out of UK coach Rich Brooks.

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... the LSU Tigers limped back to Baton Rouge with an "L" in the column that counts. Oh, how sweet it would be to witness (Saturday) a replay of UK's epic performance against Les Miles' national championship squad. Not because I despise Gator quarterback (and choir boy) Tim Tebow, or his sometimes pompous head coach Urban "What Were His Parents Thinking?" Meyer, rather, losing to the Gators has become an unfortunate rite of passage for UK fans under the age of, well, any age actually, and it's time it stopped.

Since 1986, the last time UK beat Florida, the Gators have out-shined the 'Cats by a cumulative score of 927 - 412 -- Average score: Florida - 42, UK - 19. That's embarrassing, or at least it should be. And making matters more despicable, the futility Kentucky has suffered goes back even further, for before UK's 10 - 3 victory in '86, one has to go back to 1979 to find another good guy win, this one a 31 - 3 Wildcat victory. So, if one is slow on the uptake, what that means is UK is 2 - 28 against Florida in their last 30 meetings. Hopefully, UK is exhausted from being the nail ... it's now time for Kentucky to be the heavy hitter (apologies to Darryl Isaacs).

Couple the fact that Florida is coming off an uninspiring 23 - 13 win over the Tennessee Vols in The Swamp last Saturday, with the Gators' death-dive defeats of Sun Belt power Troy (56 - 6) and Big South bully Charleston Southern (62 - 3), question marks abound where exclamation points are usually found. In other words, no one knows yet how good the Gators are, or can be.

Not helping the Gator cause against the Vols, along with several players exhibiting flu-like symptoms, was the absence of wide receiver Deonte Thompson to a hamstring injury (he's supposed to play Saturday), a loss which further exposed the gaping hole left by the graduation of pass catcher/running back (and 'Cat killer) Percy Harvin and wide-out Louis Murphy -- Evidence: Tight end Aaron Hernandez was Florida's top receiver on Saturday, with four catches for 26 yards. Yeah, you read that right, four catches for 26 yards. Uber-defensive back Eric Berry and his fellow Vol secondary members, along the youthful Gator receivng corps, limited Tebow to only 14 - 19 passing, for 115 yards (Tebow's longest pass went for only 18 yards) and an interception. Tebow's performance broke a string of 30 straight games in which the former Heisman Trophy winner has thrown a touchdown pass.

Holy Spurrier, has the Gators offense become a one-dimensional ground attack? If Saturday's contest is any indication, they might have become just that, at least for now -- Out of 63 offensive plays, Florida ran the ball 44 times for 208 yards (4.7 yards per carry). Of course, leading the ground charge was Tebow with 76 yards on 24 carries (3.2 ypc), followed by 5'9" running back Chris Rainey, with 64 yards on only nine carries (7.1 ypc). The old adage long held by Woody Hayes, seems to hold true here -- Why throw the ball, when you can run? Why indeed?

So, is it possible the 'Cats could stack the box with eight or even nine players in an effort to bring a halt to the Gator ground game? Or is that game-plan a recipe for a disastrous night for UK defensive backs Trevard Lindley, Paul Warford, and Winston Guy; the three players I would want covering the Florida receivers if UK goes with an eight man front. We'll probably never know the answer to my question, though, because I don't expect head coach Rich Brooks or defensive coordinator Steve Brown to venture that far outside of the box (and probably rightly so).

Whatever UK's defensive game-plan might be, a concerted effort must be made to contain Tebow. He's their Peyton Manning and Tom Brady all wrapped-up in one rather large 6'3", 245 lb package. And the last time he visited Lexington he threw for a personal-best four touchdowns, on 18 of 26 passing (256 yards), in Florida's 45 - 37 win.

"Contain Tebow, yeah right." I know that's what you're thinking, sitting there drinking your breakfast drink of choice. But my friends, that's how the 'Cats beat Florida -- DeQuin Evans, Corey Peters, Micah Johnson, Sam Maxwell, Collins Ukwu and crew must not only pressure Tebow, no, pressure only brings out the best in him, instead, they must terrorize Tebow with pancake hits, and brain-rattling sacks. Force him out of his comfort zone, and then make him pay the price for traveling into our back yard, and trying to push us around. Be men, do what men do: Beat the be-jeezus out of each other.

You see, Tebow is a winner. Probably always has been, probably always will be, but winners don't win all the time. Sometimes they lose, but they don't lose of their own volition, they need some help. And UK's defense must be the unit to provide the impetus for his defeat, via their persistent smash-mouth mentality, and aggressive pursuit of the enemy. There should be no letting-up in UK's determination -- If Tebow's nose is bloodied, bloody his mouth. If his mouth is bleeding, keep attacking until his teeth fall out. Don't stop ... ever. He's the enemy, and he prances onto our turf with the mindset of beating Kentucky for the fourth straight time. This time he should be vanquished, thankful he doesn't have to visit again.

Anything less is unacceptable. This team, this school, has embarrassed UK for far too long -- 63 - 6, 73 - 17, 65 - 0, 55 - 28. It's time the Gators paid. And who better to pay the piper, than the "Golden Boy" himself?

Now, for those who are at this moment exclaiming, "Howlett wants UK to play dirty Saturday!" Don't. One of the great things about football is one can inflict great pain and punishment while following the rules of the game. Just ask Dave Ragone, circa September 1, 2002.

I feel confident in saying, we're in the midst of a sea-change in the Kentucky football program. We've seen improvement in the type of player now coming to Kentucky; we've seen improvement in UK's won-loss record; we've seen three straight bowl wins for the first time in the program's history; and we've seen victories, when losses were expected. UK has bounced back from the throes of probation, bounced back to be better than they've ever been: 25 - 16 over the last three years. But now, ripe is the fruit, ready to be picked. The next step in the evolution of Kentucky football is upon us, and that step has an orange and blue hue.

Not since 1984 ... No. 1 in the country ... Too good to be true quarterback ... A coach easy to hate ... At home -- The set-up is perfectly pristine for Kentucky to execute the heist. For this game can be stolen, but it will take a single-minded determination. A determination to destroy the enemy, and take what is ours. And if any of you guys (players) are bored enough to be reading my work; If you can't summon the strength and will to do it for yourselves, do it for Marty Moore, Pookie Jones, Billy Jack Haskins, Tim Couch, Craig Yeast, Rafael Little, Artose Pinner, Jared Lorenzen, Wesley Woodyard, Marlon McCree, Myron Pryor, Andre' Woodson, Keenan Burton, Steve Johnson, Dicky Lyons, and all the other Wildcat players unfortunate enough to be on a team not quite good enough to beat the bad guys. Okay, now back to studying game film.

My Best Prognostication

If the 'Cats keep 'em under 30 points, they have a chance to send No.1 back to the sunshine as a nice, matching, handbag/shoes combo Paris Hilton would be proud of.

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

UK - 31 U of L - 27: A Paint-by-Numbers Portrait of How to Make Winning More Difficult Than it Should Be

Ken Howlett — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:31:39 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

Randall Cobb doin' what Randall does.

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No, Kentucky didn't lose the football game to Louisville, but they did everything within their power to give the contest away. And along the way, they broke the Cardinal Rules of winning football: The 'Cats turned the ball over in bunches (three in a 7:04 time-span of the third quarter), they committed four 15 yard penalties (one which sustained a U of L drive, another negated an incomplete pass by Burke), and displayed pathetic clock management at a critical juncture of the game.

Commit those sins against any of their eight SEC opponents, and a freshly laid egg will be all UK has to show for their efforts come season's end. I don't mean to take away anything from Louisville's performance -- They played an outstanding game. And if quarterback Justin Burke (15-28-1 for 245 yards and two touchdowns) continues to play as well as he did Saturday, the Cards will win more than they lose -- But, the SEC is an unforgiving league, a league where mistakes are made to be paid for. And Saturday, Kentucky got lucky, not that the 'Cats didn't play well in three of the four quarters, but they should count themselves among the fortunate to come out victorious.

Let's begin our examination with a look at the ...

Clock Mismanagement

Most of us are aware of the clock operator's (now timing the arrival of grizzly bears in northern Alaska) error which occurred at the end of the first half -- With the clock ticking away, Mike Hartline hit Chris Matthews for a 19 yard gain, taking the ball to U of L's five yard line. A false start penalty on UK's next play resulted in the 'Cats being pushed back to the 10 yard line, where UK was facing 2nd & Goal with 15 seconds remaining on the clock. Hartline then passed to Matthews again, this time for no gain, but, the clock never started. Seeing the wisdom of at least attempting to show he knew what he was doing, the clock operator did eventually start the clock (after the play was completed), and the digits began to tick-off (the entire crowd) until it reached 00:00.

Now, one must understand that the official time is kept on the field by a referee. It doesn't matter what the scoreboard clock reads, the official time is kept on the field. This, someone, anyone on UK's football staff should know, and a timeout should have been called. But instead, the official clock (on the field) ticked to zero without UK calling a timeout, or running another play. What's the word I'm looking for? Inexcusable, yeah, that's it.

Folks, that's called taking points off the board. And one never takes points off the board, not if winning is the ultimate goal. And in this case, not just any points, rather, points that would have pushed UK from a 10 point lead, to a more disheartening 17 point lead. Points are points, but some points do more damage.

Speaking of taking points off the board -- U of L coach Steve Kragthorpe did just that in the second quarter: After a nice Louisville drive, Kragthorpe opted to go for the first down on 4th & 1 from the UK 12 yard line. Bilal Powell was stuffed well short of the 11, and UK retained possession. That move more than likely cost the Cards three points (it would have been a 29 yard field goal attempt). Three points, which later (in the 4th quarter), would have meant Louisville only needed a field goal to win, instead of a touchdown.

Also not conducive to providing Wildcat fans fun-filled Saturdays are ...

Third QuarterTurnovers

1. After allowing speedy U of L return specialist Trent Guy to return the second half kickoff 65 yards to the UK 34 yard line, which resulted in a Ryan Payne 23 yard field goal (great defense!), the Wildcats took the ensuing kickoff and promptly fumbled it away -- At 11:29 of the third quarter, Derrick Locke, who played a terrific game (310 all-purpose yards), was simply stripped of the ball by U of L's Terrence Simien. Locke, who carries the ball securely with both hands, was hit low, and his right arm came loose from its grip, and Simien made the play. UK time of possession: :09 seconds.

Locke's fumble gave U of L the ball at the the Kentucky 44 yard line. This time though, the 'Cats were lucky, Payne missed a 28 yard field goal attempt.

2. Following a Randall Cobb six yard run out of the "Wildcat Formation" (the package's only play), and at 9:01 of the third quarter, UK quarterback Mike Hartline threw an interception at the UK 25 yard line. Hartline, who played very well at times (20-27-1 for 178 yards and one touchdown), simply telegraphed his throw. UK time of possession: :52 seconds.

The UK defense, though, would once again come to the aid of their brothers -- After allowing U of L a net zero yards on seven plays, Ryan Payne made a 42 yard field goal.

3. Following-up a Derrick Locke three-yard run, Mike Hartline opted to become an option quarterback, and ran for roughly three yards and politely fumbled. No, there wasn't a spine-tingling hit, nor was he rendered the meat of a Cardinal sandwich. Rather, Hartline paid the high price charged for carelessly carrying the ball.

Those around me in a stunned Commonwealth Stadium voiced their, uh, displeasure in the unusual play call, but I liked the call, because it was unusual -- No one was expecting Hartline to run, and when he fumbled, he was only three yards from a first down. Remember, Hartline came to UK with a reputation of being mobile, but he must remember that his body is his friend; hold the ball close to it! UK time of possession: :26 seconds.

Third Quarter Synopsis

Two fumbles, and an interception ensured the Wildcats possessed the ball for only 1:25 of the third quarter. Add the 65 yard kickoff return of Guy, and the four flaws in UK's performance gave U of L 13 of their 27 points. Not to mention the damage inflicted upon Kentucky's defense by them being on the field for 13:35 of the third quarter.

The third quarter of Saturday's game might not be the worst quarter a UK football team has ever played, but it was ugly enough to notate, and almost cost UK a delicious third straight victory over the Cards.

And finally, the most surprising aspect of the Louisville game ...

The Penalties

UK, normally a very disciplined team as it pertains to receiving yellow flags, committed eight penalties (one was declined) for a loss of 95 yards. Considering U of L was coming off a game in which they committed 14 penalties, this development was one I found most surprising when analyzing this game. The most egregious of the errors:

1st Quarter -- Pass interference on Winston Guy:15 yards. I thought the call was bogus, but regardless, it was a 15 yard penalty that sustained a Cardinal drive. But, the ultimate outcome of the drive was a Louisville punt.
2nd Quarter -- Face mask on Micah Johnson:15 yards. This offense occurred on a U of L incompletion on 1st & 10. In this series, U of L ended up turning the ball over on downs.
4th quarter -- Once again, face mask on Micah Johnson:15 yards. This penalty, along with a Victor Anderson four-yard run, moved the Cards from the UL 40 to the UK 41. Luckily, this U of L drive ended in a UK interception.
4th quarter -- Celebrating with the crowd:15 yards. Give me a break! I realize this rule is to protect the player, but is it taunting? And 15 yards? Okay, if they do the Lambeau leap, hit 'em with a five yard penalty, but not 15. It just seems labeling this penalty a personal foul is a bit over-the-top. The result of the illegal field party was Lones Sieber kicking-off from UK's 20 yard line (he kicked the ball 73 yards to the U of L 12), instead of the 35. Trent Guy returned the kick 28 yards to the Louisville 40 yard line (exceptional field position). Deja vu; the Cardinal drive ended in an interception.

Although the penalties I've listed could have easily resulted in a bevy of Cardinal points, luckily for UK, none of the miscues contributed to Louisville scoring.

Leavin' it behind

A win is a win, but not all wins are created equal, and this one fell flat. But, even though we witnessed more mistakes than we would like, there were some strong performances that are to be commended -- Derrick Locke ran for 72 yards and one touchdown (4.8 yards per carry), caught four passes for 47 yards (11.9 yards per reception), and ran back four kickoffs for a total of 191 yards, including a 100 return for a touchdown: Randall Cobb caught six passes for 71 yards and a touchdown, and proved once again to be one of the most dangerous offensive weapons on the field: Mike Hartline was an excellent 20-27 passing (74.1% completion rate) for 178 yards, and one touchdown. Other than a few errant passes, and one inexcusable fumble, Hartline played a solid game.

Defensively the entire unit deserves kudos, with defensive end DeQuin Evans leading the way with two sacks, and five tackles: Middle linebacker Micah Johnson led the team with eight tackles, and one tackle for loss: Safety Winston Guy played very solid (7.5 tackles) and may be the heir apparent to Trevard Lindley as UK's shut-down defensive back: Linebacker Sam Maxwell played a solid game (oftentimes playing in coverage), he had 6.5 tackles and one large interception: Defensive back Calvin Harrison led the team with two tackles for loss, to go along with five tackles: and defensive lineman Corey Peters (3.5 tackles,one tackle for loss, and one pass break-up) harassed Justin Burke most of the day.

So, now we move forward. The No. 1 team in the country (Florida Gators) pays a visit to the Bluegrass State on Saturday, and the 'Cats must improve just to avoid being embarrassed. Not only must they get better, more importantly, they must remedy the virus that took a strangle-hold grip around their collective necks, resulting in an alarming pattern of self-destruction which nearly cost Kentucky the Governor's Cup. Such nonsense over the next several weeks will, I am afraid, leave the 'Cats without any more lives.

Food for positive thought -- Kentucky would have lost that game five years ago.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Kentucky 31, Louisville 27: Threepeat, Baybeee!

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:52:50 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

The Burner, burning.

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Wow. Just wow.

I believe I warned you, ladies and gentlemen of the Big Blue Nation, that rivalry games were dangerous. Of course, this one was made much more dangerous than it needed to be by three turnovers in a row, which gave Louisville the football for the entire third quarter. I have never seen that before, a quarter in which one team ran maybe one or two offensive plays.

Nice effort by Louisville. They are a rather more dangerous team that I even imagined, and Justin Burke is a much better quarterback thank I expected. He has a strong arm and great feet. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they were unable to handle Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke, and despite being forced to defend a ridiculous number of snaps, the Kentucky defense was up to the task. It was a stronger than expected showing by Louisville, though, and even though there is no such thing as a moral victory, I think it is possible for this Louisville team to build on today's effort.

For Kentucky, well, a victory over a rival is always worth being happy about, even if the 'Cats did not seem to bring their "A" game today. More thoughts follow the jump.

Here are some observations and a few questions that we will be discussing more in the coming week:

Derrick Locke is back. There is no longer doubt.
Randall Cobb is simply an incredible football player. Now, everybody knows it.
Mike Hartline did some very good things, and some very bad things. I am reserving judgment on him, but that last drive was a thing of beauty.
Our defensive secondary was unacceptably poor. I was very disappointed in the long, downfield throws they allowed.
Our special teams did not kill us. Lones Seiber actually played very well, and Brooks has to be sort of happy about that.
The first turnover was a great play by Louisville. Locke did all he could to protect that football, but the Louisville player found purchase and was able to bring much more leverage to bear to pry it loose.
The second turnover was a good defensive play, but it was a bad play call. I though UK was way too conservative in the passing game. Louisville was sitting on that out route and jumped it perfectly.
The third turnover was a brain-dead, inexcusable play by Hartline. If he is going to be an option on the option, he had better learn to tuck the ball away.
At least two of Joker's calls were just plain stupid. Why the heck do you throw a 5-yard out when you need ten? I don't get it.
I was really worried about Winston Guy. I am still worried about Trevard Lindley.
DeQuin Evans made some big plays today, but Corey Peters was the reason we won the game.
The clock operator needs to get another job. Maybe he can work for the Louisville Cardinals, I'm sure they'd hire him after today.
Wildcat package?
Our D-line was not up to SEC standards today. Our O-line was very good. Hartline didn't get touched all game. Pretty impressive.

Well, that's about all. I can say that if we bring a game like this against Florida, 63 points might be what they score in the first half. Brooks has his work cut out for him this week, the 'Cats have a lot of things to fix. The D-line must get pressure on the QB more consistently, and the defensive backfield has to occasionally stop downfield passes.

But this is a big win that I am celebrating with a smile. Threepeat against the Cards! Who would have thought that back in 2003?

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

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

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Victor Anderson could give us some serious trouble tomorrow.

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

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

Confident

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

Nervous

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

Confident

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

Nervous

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

Confident

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

Nervous

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

Confident

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

Nervous

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

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

Kentucky vs. Louisville: No Excuses Edition

Ken Howlett — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:51:16 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

Derrick Locke carryin' the mail -- A sight Card fan should come to appreciate.

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With Kentucky gearing up to face the Louisville Cardinals at Pizza Hut Commonwealth Stadium ... uh, rather, just plain ol' Commonwealth Stadium, it struck me that this year is the first UK vs. U of L game since 1998 that the 'Cats should be a large betting favorite to win, and win big. Am I overconfident? Am I delusional? Maybe so. I'll let you, the faithful reader make that determination after you peruse my four reasons UK will pummel the Evil Birds on Saturday afternoon.

What will serve as an appetizer for A Sea of Blue's coverage of the battle for the Governor's Cup may not be bacon-wrapped shrimp, but it's a start.

1. The Louisville defense -- Other than senior linebacker Jon Dempsey (a team high 80 tackles last year), U of L's defense is full of junior college transfers (5) and inexperienced starters who have displayed an alarming propensity to lose to teams with less talent (see Syracuse last season, and some might argue Rutgers and UConn). Although the Cardinal defense held Indiana State to 101 yards of total offense in U of L's season-opening 30-10 victory, the Sycamores are one of the worst college football teams in America: Playing out of the Missouri Valley Conference, and going back to 2005, Larry Bird's Alma mater is 1 - 47 over their last 48 contests.

More to the point: Playing with a more experienced defense in 2008, the Cards gave up (on the road): 63 points to Rutgers, 41 to Pitt, 28 to Syracuse, and 28 to Memphis. With the improvement of UK quarterback Mike Hartline, the addition of wide receiver Chris Matthews, along with the reappearance of a filthy, greasy-quick Derrick Locke. Also, Randall Cobb who can now concentrate on receiving the ball, and the occasional "Wildcat Package," will be a much more dangerous performer versus Louisville than he was in 2008. To me, this amounts to UK having a razor sharp edge when comparing U of L's defense with the Wildcat offense.

Simply put, holding Kentucky to under 30 points will be a monumental undertaking for these Cards and their defensive coordinator Brent Guy. So, my bottom line reads like this -- If UK limits turnovers and penalties, I fully expect to see the UK side of the scoreboard receive some much needed exercise.

2. The Louisville offense -- By the middle of the season Louisville Athletic Director Tom Jurich is going to wish he hadn't foolishly fought so desperately to have this game played early in the year. For U of L's offense, with a dash of seasoning for quarterback Justin Burke (a Lexington Catholic alum), should be a strength for the Cardinals. And there is no doubt the inexperienced Burke is surrounded by talent, although much of that talent is either coming off major injuries, or simply young.

Running backs Victor Anderson (St. Xavier) and Bilal Powell, receiver Doug Beaumont (Male), receiver Scott Long (coming off a broken foot in '08), and speedster receiver Trent Guy (coming off a gun shot injury) are all capable of making big plays, but quarterback Burke has played only one game (versus Indiana State) in the last two-plus years. A fact quite apparent in Louisville's initial contest. It may seem like excuse making, but offensive chemistry is vitally important to a team's success, and in their first game of the year, the Cards lacked the requisite cohesiveness to play like a team capable of challenging UK.

Adding to the concern Steve Kragthorpe must be feeling about now are the 14 penalties U of L committed against the Sycamores, eight of which occurred on the offensive side of the ball. First game, last game ... 14 penalties is simply an inexcusable number, especially against a team U of L held a tremendous physical advantage over. Can Louisville find, over the course of their off week, the necessary discipline needed to compete against UK's defense? Don't hold your breath.

Finally, due to Burke's understandable rust, and enough penalties to make Conrad Dobler blush, the U of L offense lit up the scoreboard to the tune of only 30 points on a team that has given up an average of 43.3 points per game over the last four seasons. No, the Sycamores haven't played Florida, Texas, or Oklahoma, instead, they've allowed teams such as Western Illinois, Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, and Western Kentucky to roll up numbers Steve Spurrier has pined for since he mistakenly fled the friendly confines of The Swamp.

In a nutshell, my point is this -- If U of L can only score 30 on Indiana State (for whatever reason), what are the chances of the Cards scoring the necessary 25-30 points they'll need to win Saturday? Your mileage may vary, but in my view, the Louisville offense has a long way to go, and a short time to get there.

3. Justin Burke/U of L receivers vs. the Wildcat Secondary -- I can remember, not so long ago, watching opposing wide outs race pass UK's secondary, on their way to six. Thankfully, those days are behind us, at least for now.

The Kentucky secondary is now blessed with speed, and perhaps even more importantly this game, size. Corner back Trevard Lindley is 6'0", free safety Matt Lentz is 6'3", corner back Randall Burden is 6'0", safety Winston Guy is 6'1", and strong safety Calvin Harrison is 6'1". My point? U of L has speed at the receiver spot, but they are mighty-mites -- Trent Guy is 5'9", Doug Beaumont is 5'9", running back Victor Anderson (who catches passes out of the backfield) is 5'9". Scott Long, at 6'2", is the only regular Louisville receiver who can stand tall with UK's secondary.

And if you don't think size + speed matters in the secondary, check the tapes of games UK played against Florida in the mid- to late-90's. The visual images you will witness are quite telling, and from the UK perspective, quite unpleasant.

The size advantage the 'Cats hold only tell half the story, though. The other half of the tale includes the fact that UK's secondary is the most talented conglomeration of defensive backs to roam the turf of Commonwealth Stadium, possibly ever. And after witnessing the aggressive, smothering form they took after the first quarter of the Miami game, I was left feeling confident that opposing signal-callers must be sure-of-mind, and acutely accurate in order to consistently inflict damage on the 'Cats' chances at victory.

Quarterback Burke, who went 17-31 through the air, with two interceptions and zero touchdowns against Indiana State, looked neither. Which is certainly understandable considering his extended layoff, but that only brings rise to the question: Will he become more comfortable, more at ease, and less hesitant during U of L's week off? And if Burke does succeed in bettering his game, will he, after throwing a pass that results in a pick, revert to the unsure pocket passer he was in Louisville's first game?

Lots of questions, few answers. Not a pleasant position to find oneself in while preparing to face a hated rival on the road. A hated rival with defensive talent at the ready, and a fan base foaming with frothy anticipation of a legitimate beat-down of a program once considered to be a legend ... in their own minds.

4. 27 - 2 -- The score of last season's Governor's Cup contest might seem irrelevant, and it probably is, but I can't help but come back to this -- Last year, U of L played Kentucky at home, with a new starting quarterback in Hunter Cantwell; this year, U of L plays Kentucky on the road, with once again, a new starting quarterback. Last year, U of L played Kentucky at home, against a defense superior to the Cardinal offense; this year, U of L plays Kentucky on the road, against a defense seemingly superior to the Cardinal offense. Last year, U of L played Kentucky at home, while the 'Cats broke-in a new quarterback; this year, U of L plays Kentucky on the road, while the 'Cats sport a significantly improved, and more experienced quarterback. Last year, U of L lost to Kentucky, at home, 27-2; this year U of L ...

Of course, Louisville has a couple of offensive weapons in receivers Trent Guy and Scott Long that were missing from last year's titanic tilt, but will their presence in '09 be enough to propel the Cards to victory? We'll certainly find out Saturday, but Card fan, in the interest of hygiene, I wouldn't bet the baby's diaper money.

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

UK Quarterbacks and Receivers: Past, Present, and Future

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

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

Hartline to Cobb -- Salad days, indeed.

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

The Quarterbacks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Running Backs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Plea for Coach Brooks

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

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

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

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!