Kentucky Wildcats Morning Quickies: Football Edition

Yesterday was Day 1 of Kentucky fall football. Mark Stoops was pleased overall, but there is a long way to go.

Tweet of the Morning:

Celebrating 8 wonderful yrs of marriage to the beautiful @jennaRmitchell! God blessed me the day He brought us together! U r my best friend!

— Matthew Mitchell (@UKCoachMitchell) August 6, 2013

Happy anniversary, Coach Mitchell.

Yes! Let's go, Coach.

Your Quickies:

Kentucky football

• Maxwell Smith doesn't mind starting over. That's good. I'll tell you that after much deliberation, I think I like Smith's chances of winning the starting job.

• If this doesn't get you stoked, call the funeral home, it's too late.

• Mark Stoops breaks down day 1 of camp. Some significant points:

  • Dyshawn Mobley had a hernia repair and won't be back until mid-month.
  • Reggie Meant has an infected cut, no big thing.
  • Everyone else healthy.
  • May have a few more academic casualties.
  • Happy with the efficiency of practice.
  • Everybody looks better.
  • Full pads by the fifth practice.

  Here's the video:

• Tim Sullivan writes about Mark Stoops and the opening of football camp.

• Athlon Sports has game-by-game predictions. I'd have to say they don't think muc of our chances.

• The Herald-Leader's Jen Smith on the quarterback competition.

• Interesting reading about Neal Brown's offense and what some of his statistical goals are. Note the contrast between Kentucky and what Texas Tech did. [Via Hank]

• I told you this was much ado about nothing. I knew it was some kind of song lyric, and it was definitely not the right thing to do on Twitter, but it was obviously just an attempt to relate to the younger generation. As I've always said, Twitter is the devil.

• JUCO Joey Herrick joins the team as a preferred walk-on. There is some video on him as well.

• Larry Vaught talks to incoming freshman WR from Florida, Jeff Badet.

Kentucky basketball

• We know that two bids have been received for naming rights of the Rupp Arena upgrade. I have a question for you out there in the Big Blue Nation:

  What if one of them is Papa John's?

  Also this:

  On a separate track is the idea of selling naming rights for a proposed renovation of Rupp Arena. Gray considers changing the name of Rupp Arena as a "last resort" to maximize funding for the project, spokeswoman Brenna Angel said. A plan to pay for such a renovation, which might or might not include the selling of Rupp Arena naming rights, is not expected until mid- to late fall, Angel said.

  Okay, seriously, does anyone think that the naming rights of the center are really worth that much? The only thing worth plunking a corporate logo in is Rupp Arena.

• Emmanuel Mudiay cuts his list to five, including Kentucky. I consider UK a near cinch to get this kid, and he is a really good one.

Links posts

• The Leach Report — Tuesday Wildcat Links

• John Clay's SEC Links

College football

• Texas A&M "lawyers up" in the Johnny Manziel matter. In case you haven't heard, here is the story, here is the ESPN report that Manziel autographed memorabilia in return for thousands of dollars, running into "five figures." Obviously, this is not exactly allowed by NCAA rules.

• SEC defensive line coaches begin the journey. Kentucky has a good enough defensive line to do some damage, and potentially help the secondary. [Via Hank]

• Pat Forde writes in opposition to trashing the NCAA's amateurism concept as proposed by so many people. I think this is a forceful argument:

  If the decision is made that the amateurism model is dead at the college level, then colleges need to get out of the business of semi-pro sports. Establish a football minor league, enhance the NBA Developmental League, follow the baseball model – you can go pro right out of high school if you want, or come to school and stay for two or three years.

• Athlon lists the most overated quarterbacks, and four of them are from the SEC. Saturday Down South responds.

• An interesting story — not all the Manziel autographs are authentic.

• Team Speed Kills wonders if ESPN is doubling down, or crawfishing on the Manziel story.

• USA Today breaks down the Heisman contenders for 2013.

• Michael Dyer under a zero tolerance policy at Louisville. Tough to live with that.

• NCAA will have a tough time proving Manziel took money for autographs, according to Dan Wetzel.

College basketball

• Rush The Court — Morning Five

Other sports news

• Archie Goodwin thinks he'll get to the rim easier in the NBA because of the defensive 3-second rule, and I think he's right. The question is, can he finish once he's there with the bigger, faster NBA big guys? Hat tip: Aaron's blog

• Former Louisville point guard Peyton Siva signs with the Detroit Pistons. Good for him.

• The Honey Badger seems to have shaken off his off the field issues and is playing well for the Arizona Cardinals.