It's Time for a Football Post

by Truzenzuzex on May 26, 2007 7:38 PM EDT in Football

That's right, folks -- football, that "other" team sport that gets played in the fall mostly before basketball season begins. It may come as a surprise to some to learn that we actually do have a football team at UK, and that it is moving in the right direction, that is to say, up.

First, we have a quick look at all SEC coaches including Rich Brooks through the eyes of an Auburn fan. He predicts that Brooks will eventually be canned because of failure to get UK out of the lower half of the SEC. I refuse to subscribe to a view that pessimistic. I believe UK may actually reach a level of competitiveness in the SEC, but I am less that totally qualified to be credible in this prediction

Next, I direct you to an older (March 20th but still highly relevant look at the Wildcats by Sunday Morning Quarterback, an outstanding college football blog that one of our neighbor here in the SportsBlog Nation. This blog is highly credible, somewhat unbiased football site and gives us a look at the Wildcats more in-depth and comprehensive than any Kentucky blogger I have seen so far.

If you are a real UK football fan, you really should read the whole thing. If you are like me, and like but not love football in general, you should at minimum read his inset, "The least you should know about Kentucky" and his conclusion:

Non-Binding Forecast: Louisville, the top three in the East and LSU and Arkansas have to be stricken as losses at this point; the average margin of defeat to Georgia and non-Zook Florida has actually been pretty huge this decade, regardless what happened with the former last year. SMQ hasn't looked yet at Vanderbilt or Mississippi State, but he's willing to call those games for the Wildcats and South Carolina - which finished a game back of UK in the East standings last year - a toss-up for lame bowl eligibility. Six and six, maybe, if Kentucky can win in Columbia, but eight wins will not happen again.

I think that assessment is very realistic, given who and where we are playing. This year figures to be tougher than last, so unless we are much improved, we should expect to suffer an extra defeat.

Jody Demling is reporting that Brandon Newman, a defensive tackle out of Pleasure Ridge Park high school here in Louisville, has committed to Notre Dame.

Kentucky Ink, sporting a brand new look, reports on Kentucky JUCO transfer (last year) Steve Johnson's slow adjustment to the difference between JUCO and the SEC. Johnson says he wants "Dickie Lyons' stats from last year" this year. Good luck, Steve, we'll be watching.

We have been aware of and watching the coverage of Duran Jefferson's arrest. I would like to wait until more facts come out on the story to comment further.

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I think this blog is selling us short

I think we are more than capable of at least a 7-5 season if the O-Line and entire defense step it up. To me those two things will determine if last season was a fluke or not. We have all of our remaining skill players returning on offense, a very young defense that can only improve - when you're 118th out of 119 teams the only way to go is up. We had I think a +15 in turnover ratio. We stuffed Georgia, Tennessee, and Clemson's offenses. A redshirt sophomore named Trevard Lindley who is mature beyond his years and already a leader on the team who made the plays when we needed him the most in our signature wins against Georgia and Clemson. And a return game among the best in the nation.

That said, we have to stay out of the hospital. Sadly we have already lost a few key players for much if not the whole season. We have to perform academically, which for the most part we do sadly except for a few key players - Christian Johnson a key lineman and Curtis Pulley who is redshirting - in particular. And we can't have games like we did against Louisville, LSU, and especially La-Monroe - who arguably should have beaten us last season. And we must stop spread offenses because they killed us big time last year. We stuffed the conventional ones for the most part.

But I don't feel like we're going to blow it this time like we did in Coach Brooks' first season where we had tremendous talent only to finish 4-8. These guys finally have the looks and confidence of a winner, something I didn't see until the Georgia game. We have real leaders on and off the field and in the classroom as well: Andre Woodson, Raphael Little, Keenan Burton, Jacob Tamme, Dicky Lyons, Wesley Woodyard, and the afore mentioned Lindley.

Yes I know a 4-8 season is very possible especially with our track record. But I am very confident that will not be the case this year especially with the players listed above. They will not allow us to lose. We finally have some leaders on this team, something we have really never had in the past. And Coach Brooks has done a tremendous job handling our off the field and academics problems this off-season whereas in the past we just didn't have that from our former head coaches.

I think that we will go at least go 6-6 and probably 7-5. I think we will win a game or two we shouldn't but I can't predict which ones. I thought it would be South Carolina last year but it was Georgia instead. We need to get the Louisville, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee monkeys off our back and this might be our best and only chance to do it - I hope it's not our only chance and I don't think it will. I feel that in any other conference we would win at least 9 games if not more.

But this is not any other conference. This is by far the best conference in the nation the brutal SEC. And I'll gladly take another 8-5 season any day in this loaded conference.

by ukcatfan191 on May 26, 2007 11:01 PM EDT 0 recs

Well, I probably am ...

selling us short. Quite honestly, I would dearly love to see UK go 8-5 again, it would be awesome. In fact, 7-6 would be something to be proud of. 6-6 would be OK, and less would be a disappointment.

But you can't blame blogs like SMQ if they aren't that high on us -- honestly, we have very little history on which to base a bold prediction.

Which means that people like you will have to step up, and you just did. :-) Well done.

by Truzenzuzex on May 26, 2007 11:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

thank you Tru; keep up the good work

GO 'CATS!

by ukcatfan191 on May 27, 2007 1:07 AM EDT 0 recs

I'll be rooting on the Cats

I love cheering Kentucky and Vandy throughout the season (when they don't play the Gators, of course.) I think UK has a chance to do as well as they did last year. 7-5 is a tall order when you consider the competition, but it is doable. I also think Andre Woodson was the best starting QB in the SEC last year, and although I'm biased towards thinking that Tim Tebow will hold that honor this year, Woodson has the capability to prove me wrong.

Orange & Blue Hue http://www.orangeandbluehue.com

by Gatorpilot on May 27, 2007 2:37 AM EDT 0 recs

Thanks, GP ...

Speaking only for myself, I'd gladly take all the rooting support for our football team we can get.

Woodson is better than I ever expected, although I admit, I knew he had the talent ... I just didn't think he had the "head". He has proven me and many others wrong. I have seen some people, even non-UK fans, predict him as the first quarterback chosen from the SEC in the NFL draft.

Well, we shall see. Our offense will be capable of beating anyone, that's for sure. Our defense, however, is another matter. It figures to be better, but how much better will do more to determine our success than anything else.

by Truzenzuzex on May 27, 2007 7:47 AM EDT up 0 recs

Thanks Gatorpilot for your nice comments on UK

I really like what your 'Gators are doing in all sports. You all have a terrific administration. Really the only time I pull against the 'Gators is when they play my 'Cats.

Florida-Kentucky game should be pretty interesting this year....

by ukcatfan191 on May 27, 2007 4:27 PM EDT 0 recs

Duran Jefferson's arrest details; not good

Coach Brooks will definitely have a hard time deciding what to do on this one. I would most definitely suspend him for at least 2 games if not more.

Joe Paterno has a very interesting philosophy: recently when 6 of his players got in off-the-field trouble he punished the whole team. Yes even the ones not involved. I don't know if this was the right move or not but I heard that is the way coaches disciplined thier players in the old days. I myself am 50/50 on this one. It is sort of unfair in a way. But I still think it could be effective. I'm sure the rest of their fellow teammates are very livid with these six players right now. I bet these 6 have no friends on the football team at all at the present time.

by ukcatfan191 on May 27, 2007 4:34 PM EDT 0 recs

Orange & Blue Hue http://www.orangeandbluehue.com

by Gatorpilot on May 28, 2007 1:37 AM EDT 0 recs

On Steve Johnson; he always practices well but

for some reason has trouble performing during games for some reason.

If he can somehow play the way he practices than I most definitely believe he is 100 percent capable of Dickie Lyons' type of numbers. The potential for him is most definitely there.

He is very, very talented and he is a good guy off the field and in the classroom as well....

by ukcatfan191 on May 28, 2007 6:42 PM EDT 0 recs