SB Nation - Danny Trevathan

Kentucky Football: Giving Thanks to Those Deserving Much More

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

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

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 Suffice it so say, a lot, but recently that phrase has been replaced by, "How 'bout them 'Cats"?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 vs. Mississippi State: Breaking Down the Bulldogs

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

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

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

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

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

UK MSU

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UK/MSU Players in SEC Top 10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meet the Offensive Dogs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meet the Defensive Dogs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dog Biscuits

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

CliffsNotes Analysis

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

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

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

Fearless Prediction

Kentucky 27 Mississippi State 24

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Kentucky 36, Louisiana-Monroe 13

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

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

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

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

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

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

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

For my further thoughts, follow the jump ...

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

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

UK Football: Mid-Season Accolades

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

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

Randall Cobb, doing it all.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Feel free to condemn, but as always,

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

UK Football: The Linebackers

Ken Howlett — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:18:06 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

No Jeremy Jarmon? UK's linebackers must help offset the loss.

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Kentucky football isn't the proud owner of much tradition, but one position that has been a UK strength over the years is the linebacker spot. From the 1960's-on UK boasts a plethora of outstanding linebackers: Jim Foley, Joe Federspiel, Wilbur Hackett (the first black team captain in SEC history), Jim Kovach (UK's all-time tackle leader with 521), Ken King, Tom Ehlers and Lester Boyd. More recently Randy Holleran, Marty Moore (UK's single-season tackle king with 183), Kevin McClellan, Chris Chenault (the No. 2 UK all-time tackle leader with 482), Jeff Kremer, John Grimsely, Wesley Woodward and Braxton Kelley have fiercely patrolled the backside of the UK defensive line.

Once again, in 2009 the Kentucky football team lays claim to at least one linebacker capable of being a back-breaker for opponents; senior middle linebacker, and All-SEC selection, Micah Johnson. Johnson, who has shown incremental improvement all three years he's suited-up for the 'Cats, will have several talented, but in some cases, inexperienced players, helping him off-set the loss of graduated linebackers Braxton Kelley and Johnny Williams (137 combined tackles, and nine sacks), as well as the loss of Hancock County product Michael Schwindel (recurring shoulder injuries), and North Laurel alum Chris Cessna (recurring knee problems).

For a closer look at Kentucky's 2009 linebacker corp ...

... we begin with the presumed starters, beginning with the aforementioned human wrecking-ball ...

Micah Johnson -- 6'2", 258 lb senior middle linebacker: In 2008, Johnson was second on the team with 93 tackles (3rd in the SEC), and led the 'Cats with 60 solo tackles (in only 11 games). He recorded 13.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass break-ups, two pass deflections, and two quarterback hurries. For his career he's responsible for 180 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and two interceptions. In 2009, Johnson is on a laundry list of preseason watch lists: Including the Lombardi Award given to the nations top lineman (including offensive and defensive linemen, tight ends, and linebackers), The Butkus Award, given to the nations top linebacker, and the Bronko Nagurski Award, given to the nations top defensive player.

The All-SEC performer, who has overcome his questionable passing-downs defense, will be responsible along with Corey Peters, at setting the defensive "tone" for this team. If Johnson can capitalize on his freakish combination of strength, speed, and size, then the front seven should accomplish their ultimate goal, which is to stop the running game, and pressure the passer. Johnson's relentless pursuit of the ball may allow him to at least come near Marty Moore's UK season record of 183 tackles.

Last season UK recorded 32 sacks (for a -195 yards), which is a nice number, but they allowed 139.2 yards rushing per game in '08. That number has to decrease in order for UK to optimize their chances at victory, and Johnson holds the key to stopping the middle run option, along with forcing the ball-carrier to the edges.

Sam Maxwell -- 6'3", 248 lb senior strongside linebacker: In '08 Maxwell played in 12 games, earning a start versus Western Kentucky. He executed 25 tackles, and 3.5 tackles for loss, with his first career sack coming against Georgia. He also recorded five tackles against both Alabama and Florida. In '07, Maxwell had 27 tackles, and five tackles for loss. He recorded a career high six tackles versus LSU, and he intercepted his first pass in the second overtime of the Tennessee game. In Maxwell's 37 career games (four starts), he's responsible for 58 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four pass deflections, and one interception.

Maxwell could open the season on either side of Micah Johnson, but as of now he's slated for the strongside spot. His considerable speed, and uncanny ability to get in the backfield will ensure he sees plenty of reps. His responsiblity will be to get to the edges to stop the running game, and of course, put pressure on the quarterback, something he has done very well over his career.

Danny Trevathan -- 6'1", 220 lb sophomore weakside linebacker: In '08, Trevathan contributed mostly as a special teams member. He recorded five tackles, and blocked a punt, setting up a touchdown against Georgia. The extremely athletic Trevathan was a track star in high school, participating in the 100-, and 200-meter dashes, and well as the 4x100 relay. He's been clocked at 4.45 in the 40-yard dash.

The coaches have been raving about Trevathan for nearly two years now. The Leesburg, Florida native's athleticism, speed, and 8-cylinder motor makes him the perfect complement to Johnson and Maxwell. He could be the next great one.

Playing Time Contenders

Mikhail Mabry -- 6'2", 250 lb senior middle linebacker: Mabry has played in 32 games as a Wildcat. In '08, the Hawai'i native played in all 13 UK contests, recording eight tackles and forced a fumble. In '07, Mabry played in 12 games resulting in two tackles and a tackle for loss. He also picked-off a pass versus Kent State. Mabry has already graduated, completing a degree in kinesiology.

Mabry will be a key backup linebacker. He previously has been considered a backup for Micah Johnson, but Ronnie Sneed (see below) has taken over the top reserve middle linebacker slot. In an effort to get him on the field he may be switched to either weakside or strongside.

Ronnie Sneed -- 6'2", 230 lb sophomore linebacker: The Tallahassee native was voted UK's Most Valuable Defensive Scout Team Player by the coaches in '07. In '08, Sneed played in six varsity games, with his first career start coming in the Liberty Bowl. As a special teams performer in that same game, he pancaked a kick-returner inside the opponents 20-yard line.

Sneed will be a very important component to the UK linebacker corps. As Micah Johnson's backup, he'll be responsible for giving the UK star some rest (if needed), and filling in when Johnson isn't healthy. And considering Johnson's injury history, Sneed could see major reps in '09.

William Johnson -- 6'2", 205 redshirt freshman linebacker: Out of Nashville's Pearl-Cohn High School, Johnson was voted UK's Most Valuable Defensive Scout Team Player by the coaches in '08. In high school Johnson also played free safety. In his senior year of high school Johnson recorded 80 tackles, 12 sacks and an interception. On the offensive side of the ball the caught 37 passes for 689 yards, and rushed 21 times for 350 yards. He also averaged a Devin Hester-like 35-yards per PUNT return. He's been timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Needless to say, his speed will necessitate him playing one of the corner linebacker spots. The coaches love his athleticism (a common theme among the LB's), and he'll see time on the field this year. Since the staff made the decision to use Johnson at linebacker instead of safety, he'll need to add some poundage; I highly recommend Tolly Ho.

Antonio Thomas -- 6'1", 228 lb sophomore linebacker: The Palmetto State native saw no varsity action in '08. He redshirted the '07 season. Another track star, Thomas competed in the long and triple jump, as well as the 400-meter run, 4x400-meter relay, and the 4x800 relay. In football, Thomas displayed great versatility by playing both wide receiver and defensive back.

Thomas has impressed the coaches with his "tracking ability," i.e. he engages in dogged pursuit of the ball-carrier.

Jacob Dufrene -- 6'1", 220 lb junior strongside linebacker: Dufrene has recorded four tackles in 23 career games, mostly as a special team's member.

Dufrene will add much-needed depth to the linebacker group, as he was second on the depth chart at strongside linebacker behind Sam Maxwell.

Brandon Thurmond -- 6'2", 226 lb junior weakside linebacker: The Georgia native has missed the last two seasons due to injury, after redshirting his freshman campaign.

As with Dufrene, Thurmond will add some depth to the linebacker spot.

The Freshmen

Ridge Wilson -- 6'3", 210 lb true freshman linebacker: The Louisville Central High School alum was voted 1st Team All-State after accounting for 76 tackles, two tackles for loss, and three interceptions his senior season. Wilson led Central to two straight 3A State Championships. He was rated the No. 8 college prospect in Kentucky by Rivals and SuperPreps. He runs a 4.6 40-yard dash. Extremely versatile, he played linebacker, defensive end, strong safety, and wide receiver at Central. Also an outstanding student, he was recruited by several Ivy League schools.

Wilson is one of those young, overly talented players who just needs some experience, and a bit more size. Fundamentally, he's very sound, and has a huge motor. He'll see the field this year, possibly more than several of his older and more experienced teammates.

Tristian Johnson -- 6'1", 210 lb true freshman linebacker: Continuing the LaGrange, Georgia pipeline, Johnson comes to UK as the No. 57 rated weakside defensive end in the nation, according to Rivals. In his senior year, he recorded 97 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks.

Johnson will probably redshirt this season.

Qua Huzzie -- 5'10", 210 lb true freshman linebacker: Another LaGrange performer migrating north. Huzzie arrives at UK the proud owner of the career tackle record at LaGrange, a school with numerous Georgia state titles, innumerable collegiate performers, as well as several players in the NFL (former UK stars Wesley Woodyard and Braxton Kelley to name only two). Huzzie made 437 career tackles, with 55 tackles for loss in his four year career. He recorded 145 tackles his senior year (21 tackles for loss). He was also named the 3A Georgia State Defensive Player of the Year, and he made 1st Team All-State both his junior and senior years. He runs a 4.56 40-yards dash, and was rated the No. 45 outside linebacker in the nation by Rivals. Huzzie is the cousin of former UK receiver, and current student coach DeMoreo Ford.

Unfortunately, Huzzie suffered a year-ending injury last week, and will redshirt this season.

CliffsNotes Analysis

This group of linebackers are largely inexperienced as it pertains to starting, but there are several players who have played major reps in big games. And in those games they have produced, particularly Sam Maxwell. Regardless, though, linebacker coach Chuck Smith (Smith's son, Brandon, is the starting QB for WKU this year) must have these players ready to pursue the ball-carrier, whether the quarterback or tailback, because as I stated earlier, UK must improve on the 1,810 rushing yards allowed last season.

If Kentucky's linebackers are to perform as UK fans have become accustomed, then Micah Johnson has to be the bell-cow. He must lead, not only with this words, but more importantly with his actions. When he's healthy, his ball pursuit is a sight to behold, and I'm sure NFL general managers are salivating at the thought of him running loose in the backfield of their opponents. But first, he must school his less accomplished teammates in the art of never giving up.

With the SEC quarterback-lite this season, expect to see teams run, run, and run some more, which places an even greater impetus on the need for UK's linebackers to perform.

Previous 2009 football preview entries: Setting a New Standard The Defensive Line

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

Kentucky Wildcats: Time to Get Back to Football

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

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

DeQuin Evans misses Jarmon. So do we all.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ouch.

Breaking Down Kentucky at Vanderbilt

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

via assets.espn.go.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Georgia Bulldogs 42, Kentucky Wildcats 38

T Kyle King — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 03:20:31 -0000

All right, let’s start with the good news.

The Bulldogs started strong by leaping out to a 14-0 lead on the road, converted 40 per cent of their third downs, averaged almost five yards per rush, rolled up 520 yards of total offense despite holding the ball for barely 25 minutes of clock time, incurred only five penalties for 58 yards, and scored 42 points on a Kentucky defense that had given up more than 24 just once all season long.

Matthew Stafford had statistically his best day as a Bulldog, completing 17 of his 27 pass attempts for 376 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Knowshon Rockwell Moreno averaged 5.6 yards per carry, rushed for 123 yards while hauling in three passes for 40 yards, and found the end zone three times. Mohamed Massaquoi snagged eight passes for 191 yards and a touchdown, A.J. Green went up and grabbed the game-winner in the back of the end zone, and Michael Moore once again proved reliable in the clutch with two catches for 68 yards.

Also, the Bulldogs won.

So we’ve got that going for us.

That brings us to the bad news.

The Wildcats, who are as injury-riddled as the ‘Dawgs (if not more so), held the ball for nearly 35 minutes, converted eight of 17 third downs (usually in short yardage situations) and two of three fourth-down tries, and scored 38 points, all with a wide receiver at quarterback. Randall Cobb---no, not Randall "Tex" Cobb; we’re playing S.E.C. football here, not searching for Nathan Arizona’s baby---ran the ball 18 times for 82 yards and three touchdowns while hooking up on 12 of his 20 passes for 105 yards and, mercifully, one crucial interception.

Of course, the fact that the ‘Cats did all this to the ‘Dawgs while amassing only 331 yards of total offense is more than a little telling. Due to the increasingly ludicrous offense-boosting kickoff rules, the Blue and White began their first scoring drive from their own 40 yard line after Blair Walsh’s kickoff went out of bounds. The second quarter possession on which Kentucky tied the game began at the home team’s 33 yard line when the Red and Black turned the ball over on downs.

The Wildcats’ third quarter field goal was set up by Tony Dixon’s 28-yard kickoff return out to the U.K. 35 to begin the second half. The home team took the lead when Danny Trevathan blocked Brian Mimbs’s punt to give the Bluegrass State Felines custody of the pigskin at the Georgia nine yard line. Mimbs’s next punt went just 18 yards, setting up Kentucky at the Bulldogs’ 29 yard line. The ‘Cats scored three plays later.

I’m not picking on Mimbs, I’m just saying. (Associated Press photograph by Mary Ann Chastain.)

After Georgia scored to reclaim a 35-31 lead, Winston Guy broke a 96-yard kickoff return to set up another three-play touchdown drive. The Red and Black’s next two drives appeared promising until Massaquoi fumbled in U.K. territory, but both turnovers could be classified as what appellate courts call "harmless error": Kentucky took over on Georgia’s 49 yard line and the Wildcats’ 38 yard line, respectively, yet those two first and tens turned into a fourth and 15 at the Kentucky 46 and a fourth and eleven at the Georgia 35, producing no points.

From there, Massaquoi atoned for his earlier miscues by taking Stafford’s first pass on the Bulldogs’ final drive for 78 yards to the U.K. seven yard line. A foolish (albeit apparently accidental) facemask penalty on what otherwise would have been a game-sealing fourth down stop by the Georgia D gave the Wildcats new life, which Demarcus Dobbs proceeded to snuff out with the pick that at long last ended all doubts as to the final outcome in the final minute.

Kentucky moved the football more than they should have, but they seldom had to move it much. As was the case in Jacksonville last weekend, the initial blame for the opposition’s unsightly point tally must be laid at the feet of the offense that gave the ball away and the special teams that set the other team up with good field position. There is plenty for which to blame the defense, but, when a new U.K. quarterback who hasn’t put a lot on film is set up with field position ranging from good to great in his home stadium all afternoon, even a solid defensive effort is going to be made to look bad.

Consequently, I’m more concerned about the kicking game than I am about the defense. The Wildcats began three of their five first-half drives at or in back of their own 30 yard line; that trio of possessions produced no points and, on average, lasted four plays apiece and generated fewer than 20 yards each.

I don’t have Willie’s back, necessarily, I’m just saying.

Kentucky never had to drive the length of the field. The Wildcats’ longest drive was 67 yards. Only two of their 13 possessions went for more than 50 yards. Just four U.K. offensive series covered as many as 35 yards of real estate. Had the Blue and White started in the neighborhood of their own 25 or worse as often as the ‘Dawgs did, Georgia would have won the game by at least two touchdowns.

As I noted earlier, the last two Saturdays have borne a disconcerting resemblance to the middle years of the 1990s, when beatdowns by the St. John’s River and shootouts in the Bluegrass State were the norm. I have to admit that it starts to look more like the rule than the exception when three straight opponents hang 38 or more points on the Bulldogs, but a couple of asterisks have to be appended to those tallies: Alabama hung 41 points on Georgia at home and every one of them accurately reflected the prowess of the opposing offense. The last three games were played in Baton Rouge, Jacksonville, and Lexington, and, in every one of them, the numbers artificially were inflated by garbage time yardage after the game was decided (at L.S.U.) or by offensive and special teams miscues (against Florida and at Kentucky).

There are problems in need of correcting; maybe there even are changes that need to be made among the members of Mark Richt’s coaching staff. Right now, though, we in Bulldog Nation have more immediately concerns. The Red and Black are 8-2, with two games remaining in which they may earn a New Year’s Day bowl berth, a top ten ranking, and a sixth ten-win season in a seven-year span.

Considering all of our lofty preseason expectations, that might not sound like much for which to play. I suspect a similar sentiment was heard in Tallahassee near the end of the 1992 season that was Florida State’s sixth straight ten-win campaign with nary a national championship to show for it . . . until the ‘Noles, with Mark Richt as their quarterbacks coach and later offensive coordinator, proceeded to finish No. 1 in the nation twice in the next seven years.

Forget about all that for now, though. Next Saturday, the Bulldogs will renew the Deep South’s oldest football rivalry when they travel to the so-called Loveliest Village to face an Auburn team that was tied with Tennessee-Martin---not Tennessee, but Division I-AA Tennessee-Martin---with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter. Now, as ever, there is nothing wrong with being a Georgia Bulldog that beating Auburn can’t fix.

Go ’Dawgs! Auburna delenda est!