Kentucky Football: Can Randall Cobb Drag UK Into The Post-Season?
by Glenn Logan on Nov 4, 2010 5:38 PM EDT
in Hot Dog of the Year
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Randall Cobb has been exactly what we figured he would be this year -- intense, focused, and productive. Cobb is second in the SEC in all-purpose yards behind Alabama's Trent Richardson, and the only reason he isn't ahead is because passing doesn't count in the AP yards calculation. Cobb averages 5.7 yards/game in passing, which would easily put him past Richardson if it counted toward the stat.
But despite Cobb's heroics, Kentucky comes into this weekend's game at 4-5 on the season. If Kentucky wins two of the next three, they would be bowl eligible along with most of the SEC. If they win out, they would weigh in at 7-5, which would be exactly where we wound up last year against what I consider to be weaker competition this year than last. But no matter what, 7-5 would certainly draw a minor bowl, although it's likely to be a cold-weather bowl.
But the question that comes to my mind right now is can Kentucky get there at all? FCS Charleston Southern may not be a particularly competitive team, having won only two games so far this year and 0-4 in the Big South Conference. But after that come two SEC teams, and even though both the Vanderbilt Commodores and Tennessee Volunteers are the dregs of the conference this year, they have more than enough to beat Kentucky.
So can Randall Cobb will us over the finish line to the post season? I think so.
Cobb has been Mr. Football here at Kentucky for two years now, this year particularly so. He motivates his team, he leads by example, and he occasionally reminds the fans why they are fans. In other words, versatility is what he is all about, and there is probably no player in all of college football as flexible as as Randall Cobb is on the football field.
This year, there is a new award being given out to college football players called the Paul Hornung Award, which is named after Heisman Trophy winner, Notre Dame and Green Bay Packers great Paul Hornung of Louisville, Kentucky. Vince Lombardi once called Hornung "The most versatile man ever to play the game." Randall Cobb is the most versatile player to play at Kentucky since the late, great George Blanda, and is considered a front-runner for the first Hornung award.
In short, Cobb does everything he can to help Kentucky win. Unfortunately, this season has been a frustrating one, rife with missed opportunities and last-minute losses. It has to be hard on Cobb especially, who is clearly one of the hardest workers in practice as well as on the football field. Nobody likes to lose, and losing is not something Cobb takes well.
Consider this list of Cobb's heroics and superlatives:
- Game-winning touchdown catch against the South Carolina Gamecocks, notching UK's only SEC win so far this year against a team ranked #10 in the country at the time;
- 10 touchdowns scored on the year, 5th in the SEC;
- Set the career record for touchdowns scored at Kentucky in just his third year;
- Has a reasonable chance to break Tim Tebow's SEC record of 57 career touchdowns if he returns next year. Cobb currently has 34 touchdowns with at least 3 games to go this season;
- He needs only 363 all-purpose yards to break Rafael Little's Kentucky single-season record of 1982 set in 2005;
When this season ends, I know most Kentucky fans will anxiously await Cobb's future plans. He is eligible to enter the NFL draft after this year, and losing him would be a major blow to a Kentucky team that seems ready to fix a lot of the problems that have dogged them this year in 2011, particularly defensively. Kentucky will have a new quarterback, of course, but Cobb coming back his senior year would put the Wildcats in a position to do some damage in the SEC East.
But in the here and now, Kentucky has a lot of work to do before it can claim a post-season berth, and Cobb will be a critical piece of the puzzle if UK is to end up with another winning season.
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Please??
Cobb coming back his senior year would put the Wildcats in a position to do some damage in the SEC East.
Pretty please??
And a tech problem. Any idea why my Z or C keys to tab forward are not working sometimes? It has been that way all week. It is really missed when it doesn’t work.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
And...when I win this VIP football trip
I might let you all help me decide which one would be the best to attend. (Only if the ‘Cats aren’t on the list).
’-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Trying process of elimination (if it helps)
The glitch is only in certain posts, because most work fine. One instance (there have been others), it quit working about halfway through Ken’s Expectations Delayed post. It initially worked there, but not yesterday or today.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Terrific recap of Cobb and what he means to UK
Also, I was referred to as a hot dog for most of my athletic career … and I don’t think it was meant as a compliment :)
cobb wont be on the list
sorry guys, ive seen to many uk players get screwed out of awards… like matt ryan over woodson…clearly ryan is the better pro but
-———g-com—att—-yrds—-td—-int
andre—13-327-518-3709-40-11—passer rt 146 comp% 63.1
ryan——14-388-654-4507-31-19—passer rt 127 comp% 59.3
lol oh and ryan did this vs the uber hard ACC while woodson did this vs the usually weak SEC …but i guess more yrds and better pro potential beats out straight getting out qb’d
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also considering woodson played 1 game less
add the 285 yds the woodson avg per game and the 3 tds and we will say 1 int but he avg less than 1 a game he would of had 3994yrd 43 tds and 12 ints now i dont know about you guys but id give up 513yrds for 12 more td’s and 7 less ints oh and almost 4 points on the completion rating and 19 points on the passer rating…
to this day i believe woodson was screwed out of that award…sad
FREE ENES
by kentuckywild on Nov 4, 2010 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Good Chance
I think we have a very good chance of winning the rest of our games. I think Joker is pretty bold for saying at this point the season is a failure. Its good he has high expectations for the program. Its not like he inherrited a powerhouse team here. He got a decent team with a great player in Cobb. Plus Hartline has been a solid surprise. Yes we could be doing better but if we do win out it would be a pretty good rebound. That would mean we beat TN and Beavis (spurrier) breaking two embarassing streaks. Sounds pretty satisfying.
This is possible because a player like Cobb gets the importance of wins like that.
So it is possible to scrape together a pretty nice ending to this season. I hope we can do it.
by 166leslie on Nov 4, 2010 11:44 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I do too. But given the history of the UK football program they will find a way to lose to Tennesee and probably Vandy.
We're as good as the best and better than the rest.
In basketball that is.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat blue again,
We have the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again!
FREE ENES!!
by alwaysblue on Nov 5, 2010 5:27 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Some people are like Slinkies, they're really good for nothing........but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
by hoboat33 on Nov 5, 2010 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
hoboat33
Very becoming picture. Someone you know? LOL
We're as good as the best and better than the rest.
In basketball that is.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat blue again,
We have the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again!
FREE ENES!!
It's just the tone of your post just kinda got under my skin.
We all harbor dark memories of Old Kentucky and I hate to foster that feeling upon this program. Over the past several years I’ve seen very little of the Old Kentucky and tend to get elevated blood pressure when people assume what happened several coaches/teams ago has any bearing on today’s team.
Yes, there are ugly moments this year but only one blowout, To me its a refreshing change from the highlight of the year being VMI for homecoming.
Some people are like Slinkies, they're really good for nothing........but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
hoboat33
Yeah. I was a little negative there. Thought the pic was real good though. I laughed because it DOES remind me of myself many times. They have played very hard this year and I have been way too critical of the FB team. OK?
We're as good as the best and better than the rest.
In basketball that is.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat blue again,
We have the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again!
FREE ENES!!
Fair enough.
I’ll sleep easy now and put the nitro pills away.
Some people are like Slinkies, they're really good for nothing........but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
Watch list
I think anyone with a little bit of buzz makes it onto the Heisman watch list, so if Randall comes back, I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t be on there. I think he has absolutely zero chance of winning, mind you, but he should be on the watch list.
Speaking of coming back. . . is it realistic to think he wouldn’t be back? Randall is special in college, but I’m not sure how well his talents translate to the next level. At best, he strikes me as a Wes Welker type player in the NFL – definitely a good player, but not one someone will be spending a first round draft pick on. Guys with Randall’s measurables (height, speed, etc.) are a dime a dozen coming out of college, so I would think he’s a low round draft pick, but could work his way into a very meaningful role in the pros. But he could also wash out if he’s not in the right situation.
So I say he’s coming back, and I’m not really that worried about it.
Am I completely off base here?
No, I agree
As much as I love Cobb I don’t think he’ll be projected as a high draft pick. You compare him to Welker, which is one I hadn’t thought of. I like to think Cobb would play a bit like Percy Harvin.
Cobb’s size, or lack of, may hold him back a little because he doesn’t have the blazing speed of say Steve Smith of Carolina.
I just think of some of the great receivers to come through UK over the last 20 years or so, and none made it big in the NFL (although Steve Johnson is off to a great start). I know Cobb is special, but a player has to be more than special to make it big in the NFL.
Cobb will be a big success in the NFL.
His way and skills were paved by Hines Ward. Like Hines, the Steelers would be a great place to start his career.
because he is special
is why he will succeed in the pros. the measurables are what get you drafted high in the NFL, but it doesn’t take the 6’4" frame and blazing speed to make a very good career for yourself. look at guys like Boldin, Welker, Bess,…None of these guys poses blazing speed. Boldin has good size, but Welker and Bess are tiny. Welker and Bess are quick out of cuts but don’t run sub 4.4 (sounds like Cobb). What all these guys have is work ethic and the drive to achieve. Cobb’s success in the NFL will depend on the same thing and that is why I would not bet against him.
Having said that, I really hope for UK’s sake that he comes back next year. I see a very good team if one of the QBs steps up and Cobb is there to help keep things electric.
i've been waiting for this moment all my life...but it's not quite right.
I don't disagree
I do think he has a legit shot, if he gets in the right situation (ie, somewhere they appreciate and use his talents appropriately). But as you note, he doesn’t have measurables that jump off the page, so that hurts his draft status. . . and is perfect if you’re a UK fan!
I voted no.
While I TOTALLY think Cobb should be on the list, I just dont see him getting any love simply because of the team he is on. Kentucky just isnt a football team – IMO.
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on Nov 5, 2010 9:20 AM EDT reply actions
agreed
For a Heisman to go to a player on an average team, people have to be blown away by their stats. Cobb has pretty impressive stats, but he will be overshadowed by QBs in pass-happy offenses and running backs who gouge weak defenses.
Cobb deserves more recognition, but the team has to get better for that to happen. I do think that can happen with some of the young talent on team (particularly at QB, RB, and several spots on defense). If the team were to make some noise, Cobb would easily be the face of the team and get some serious recognition playing in the SEC.
"Overshadowed by QB's"?
ESPN reporting a man who said he represented Cam Newton
allegedly was soliciting a six-figure payment to secure his signature on a national letter of intent, ESPN.com has learned.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
You very well might get surprised.
At the beginning of the year the “Heisman Watch List” is simply a list of the potential players, whether they be receivers, quarterbacks, running backs or whatever. This list it informally put together from sports writers favorite players and in Cobb’s case he has an influential writer in his corner – Cris Lowe. Lowe has been showing Cobb a lot of love this year and you can bet he’ll bending his colleagues’ ears all about Cobb. He may not be mentioned among the favorites next year, but he’ll definitely be mentioned quite favorably.
Some people are like Slinkies, they're really good for nothing........but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
Guys I may be "jumping the shark" on this, but I dont know for sure at this point
if Randall will be back next year or not. What else does he have to prove? He is not going to develop any more. The NFL is either going to give him a shot or not, and I don’t see his draft stock getting any better after another year of doing what he has already done. The Cats are not going to be remarkably improved next year, so the chances of doing damage in the SEC are not really good comparatively.
It would not surprise me at all for him to enter the draft, assuming the NFL season goes on without a contract interruption.
I Shall Always Be The Cat......In The Hat!!! The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 5, 2010 10:35 AM EDT reply actions
"Not going to develop any more?"
Really? I don’t think I agree.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Physically...at least not at UK. Rock Oliver may be able to pack a few more pounds on his frame
but any more serious physical developing will come from hitting and getting hit in the NFL. His physical durability may be about the only thing he greatly improves on. He has shown he can carry a team, shown he can play hurt, shown he can be the difference in come from behind games…..I don’t see them letting him QB in the NFL, so what else do we do with him that helps him?
I Shall Always Be The Cat......In The Hat!!! The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 5, 2010 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Assuming he worked with Oliver for that very purpose, that is.
I Shall Always Be The Cat......In The Hat!!! The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Nov 5, 2010 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Cobb will continue to develop
but how the NFL develops will have more influence on his draft stock. Since the Dolphins first reintroduced the direct snap to the NFL after a 50 year hiatus from pro football the proliferation of these offenses have been nothing short of phenomenal. The more widespread these become the more need there will be for players having Cobb’s talent set. For each year he waits there will be a little more need for him.
As to his personal development his top end speed is probably sufficient he just needs to work on his burst speed and getting away from this spin move he’s trying this year every time he runs the ball. He’s going to get snot-knocked on one of these spins eventually.
Some people are like Slinkies, they're really good for nothing........but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
hoboat33
But that spin move is a basic skill for any running back. It is usually taught by the coaches. At least it used to be. There is a running back in the SEC, can’t remmeber who, but he really impressed me the way he could spin out of tackles and pick up more yardage. Sometimes considerably more.
We're as good as the best and better than the rest.
In basketball that is.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat blue again,
We have the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again!
FREE ENES!!
I love the idea behind the Paul Hornung Award.
It’s my new favorite college football award. I didn’t have an old favorite award.
Eagle Totem - Comprehensive EMU coverage.
Cobb is to football what Wall is to basketball. Two of the most versatile players to ever don their uniforms. Anywhere.
We're as good as the best and better than the rest.
In basketball that is.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat blue again,
We have the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again!
FREE ENES!!
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