More Post Game UK Football Links and Notes

John Clay has videos of Morgan Newton, Trevard Lindley and LaRod King after the EKU game today. Newton had an excellent game and the coaches have to feel good about his performance. Lindley didn't play in the second half after having his ankle stepped on, while LaRod King continues to make plays as a true freshman.

Rich Brooks didn't know Cobb wouldn't play either writes Larry Vaught. Cobb injured his wrist in practice on Thursday, which led Rich Brooks to hold him out today's game against EKU. Instead, Cobb found himself on the sideline wearing a headset coaching the receivers.

Chris Matthews finally makes a big play. Matthews admits sometimes he isn't going 100% because he doesn't fully understand the offense. The wide receiver will get better each week and will become a bigger part of the offense.

Sam Maxwell is leading the team with four interceptions after his pick today. Rich Brooks feels that Maxwell is one of the most underrated players in the league. Maxwell has been huge for the Cats all season and hopefully he will continue to play at such a high level. He should be a candidate for All-SEC honors.

'Workmanlike' Cats put away EKU 37-12 writes Chip Cosby. Considering UK played without their starting quarterback, running back and wide receiver the Cats did manage to take care of business. UK started out a little flat, but simply over matched EKU in the second half. This was a must win for UK and now the team can turn their attention to Vanderbilt. As always, the next game is the most important of the season.

Rich Brooks said after the game that Mike Hartline would practice and could resume his starting role at quarterback if ready. Hopefully, Hartline can have a good week in practice so the coaches can make the best decision for the team.

Scout is reporting that Ronnie Shields (TE) and Jabari Johnson (LB) visited UK today and brought teammate Chris Sharpe (CB) who is not committed. With Raymond Sanders already committed to UK, that makes three commits from Stephenson High School. Could Chris Sharpe be the next?

Sam Maxwell after the Eastern Kentucky game today

UK Wins 37-12 over EKU

Morgan Newton had a solid game and threw his first touchdown passes of the season. His first TD completion was to Maurice Grinter and the second went to Chris Matthews. Today was Morgan Newton's coming out party, let's hope he can do it again next weekend at Vanderbilt. Remember, it's possible that Mike Hartline could return next week too. If you Rich Brooks do you play them both or give Hartline the job back immediately?

Both Alfonso Smith and Moncell Allen ran the ball well and scored today. UK could have easily pounded the running game today, but it appeared the coaching staff wanted to give Morgan Newton more experience. True Freshman Donald Russell also had his first career TD with a 79 yard run. UK will need Derrick Locke to get healthy for the remaining three SEC games.

The UK defense looked solid today. Both Corey Peters and DeQuinn Evans played liked monsters. Sam Maxwell had his fourth interception of the season and Cartier Rice also had a nice interception to end the first half. This was also a great game for Trevard Lindley to receive some reps coming off an injury.

Special Teams play continues to be a problem for the Cats. Lones Seiber made one field goal, but missed another and also missed an extra point. The wind was a factor today with gusts up to 20mph. However, the coaches wouldn't call for a field goal if they didn't feel it was possible. Seiber needs to be more consistent if UK is going to win on the road.

UK will need everyone healthy for Vanderbilt. Hopefully Randall Cobb, Derrick Locke and Mike Hartline are able to return this week. Again, if Mike Hartline is able to play, do you play him or mix him back in? Hartline knows the offense better than any quarterback on the roster, but is his timing back? UK will need to have a great week of practice as Vanderbilt's seniors will wants to go out with a win on Senior Day.

Gameday UK Football Links and Notes

Chip Cosby gives his breakdown of the UK-EKU matchup. Cosby gives UK the advantage at all position except quarterback. Morgan Newton is getting better each week and gaining confidence. UK fans should expect a big game from Newton this weekend.

Brett Dawson writes that UK needs a win against the Colonels. On paper, UK should win this game easily, but the team can't afford to over look EKU. I'm sure there are some players on EKU's roster who wanted to play for UK, but never received the opportunity. I expect EKU to come out fired up and play with a chip on thier shoulder. Hopefully, UK takes out their frustrations on EKU and sends the Colonels back to Richmond licking thier wounds.

Which UK team will show up against EKU? Given the injuries, the sicknesses, the emotional let down from last weekend and one can understand why this question is being asked. One thing is clear, UK is upset about their performance last weekend and wants redemption.

Trevard Lindley will return against Eastern Kentucky and hopes to finish the season strong. I agree with Rick Brooks' comment on Lindley, "If he's well it makes a major, major difference in our defense because you usually don't have to worry about the guy he's covering. That makes a pretty significant difference, and if you think back at a few games that we played, it might have made a major difference". Having Lindley back will be a huge emotional boost for the entire team.

Keenan Burton will return to Lexington for the EKU game. Burton is leading the St. Louis Rams in receiving yards. Chip Cosby has a nice article on Burton and I love one of Burton's quotes, "When you walk in our facility, there's a picture of Coach Brooks (who coached in St. Louis in 1995 and 1996) and it reminds me of what we did at Kentucky. Coach Brooks gave me so much confidence in believing what we could do, and when I see that picture of him I say to myself, 'If I can do it with him, build something special, then I can do it in St. Louis.'"

Expect to see more LaRod King at wide receiver against Eastern Kentucky. The coaches have been impressed with King all season and the freshman is showing signs of what is to come. UK fans should be excited about the future of their football program with players like Morgan Newton, Derrick Locke, Randall Cobb and LaRod King leading the program.

Chip Cosby has a nice Q&A with kicker Craig McIntosh. Hopefully McIntosh will get stronger in the off season and compete for the kicking job next year. UK has received a commitment from kicker Joseph Mansour (LaGrange, Ga) for 2010 to compete with McIntosh.

Friday UK Football Links & Notes

The Boston Herald has a nice article on former Cat Myron Pryor. The big fella continues to receive praises from the New England Patriot coaching staff. It's great to see former Cats in the NFL having success.

Chip Cosby writes that UK's defensive line wants redemption against Eastern Kentucky. After their performance against Mississippi State the Cats need to make a point in Saturday's game. Hopefully the Cats take care of business early so that guys like Peters and Lumpkin can rest in the second half. UK's bye week was early this season, therefore the team could use a second half breather.

ESPN gives the Cats a shout out regarding their non-conference winning streak. If UK wins against Eastern Kentucky it will set a new school record. Also, ESPN continues to sing the praises of Randall Cobb. Cobb could be the most versatile player in the country and a possible Heisman candidate in the future.

Larry Vaught has a nice interview with UK commit Ronnie Shields. Sheilds committed to UK recently and feels he can contribute early. Shields also comments on his two teammates who will join him in Lexington next fall. UK has started a great pipeline at Stephenson High School and these three recruits could pave the way for more in the future.

Paul Warford and Moncell Allen will be game captains against Eastern Kentucky. With Derrick Locke out against EKU, this will be a huge opportunity for Allen to carry the load.

Thursday Evening UK Football Links and Notes

Here is an article by Larry Vaught on Randall Cobb's insights and leadership. Cobb is a sophomore, but understands he has to be a vocal leader on the team. Cobb also feels the team has practiced well this week and ready to get back on track.

ESPN's Chris Low picks the Cats to win Saturday 40-14 over Eastern Kentucky. After last weeks performance, the Cats should take out their frustrations on EKU. Again, I would like to see the team take care of business early so that key players can rest in the second half.

Rich Brooks announced today that Trevard Lindley will start against Eastern Kentucky. Let's hope Lindley can bounce back and help the Cats finish strong. UK has missed Lindley's presence in the secondary and this will be a huge emotional boost for the entire team.

Rich Brooks also announced that Derrick Locke will not play Saturday due to his knee injury. This is a smart move by the coaching staff not to push Locke. UK should be able to run the ball with Moncell Allen, Alfonso Smith and Donald Russell. The team needs Locke as healthy as possible for Vanderbilt. The game next weekend could determine if the Cats become bowl eligible.

Three Star cornerback Dale Trimble (Gadsden, AL) will be taking an official visit to UK on December 3rd. Trimble currently lists Tennessee as his leader, but the Cats are in the mix. UK will have to roll out the red carpet for his services as Trimble has taken multiple visits to Knoxville.

Thursday UK Football Links and Notes

It's looking more and more likely that Trevard Lindley will play against Eastern Kentucky. Lindley has missed the last five games due to injury and the Cats have missed his presence. It will be a huge boost for the entire team, especially the defense if Lindley is able to play. UK should be able to win against Eastern Kentucky without Lindley, but it will be a great game for him to see some action before the final three SEC games.

DeQuinn Evans has moved on from the Mississippi State game, but admits he was embarrassed by the Cats performance. Evans is upset and wants to take it out on Eastern Kentucky this weekend. As Larry Vaught writes, hopefully, it was a painful lesson learned that won't ruin the season.

Morgan Newton is finding his way as UK's starter. Since he took over the reigns for Mike Hartline, Newton is 2-1 and showed flashes of what made him an All-American in high school. Newton made some big plays against Mississippi State, especially in the fourth quarter. A lot of fans are going to point at his interception as the turning point of the game, but UK had many other opportunities to win. It would be unfair for anyone to pin the loss on the freshman. Fans should be excited about the future of UK football with Morgan Newton at quarterback.

The Courier-Press writes that Newton's progress comes at Fidler's expense. I think most fans were surprised UK did not use Will Fidler in some capacity against Mississippi State. The coaching staff wanted to get Newton into a rhythm which kept Fidler on the sidelines. Obviously, the coaching staff feels that Morgan Newton gives the team it's best chance of winning. Newton is the future of UK football, so I understand the coaches wanting to stick with him.

Chip Cosby received some praise on ESPN for his friendly bet with Rich Brooks. Cosby bet Brooks that he could run a 5.0 flat forty time. Well, Chip lost his bet by running a 5.81 forty time. Hopefully, Chip didn't pull anything by pushing himself. The fastest time I ever posted on the forty was 4.7, but that was 13 years ago and 50lbs lighter. Maybe Chip and I can get together for a race?

Wednesday Morning UK Football Links and Notes

Morgan Newton knows he must stay positive. Newton is still learning the offense, but has shown signs of what made him an All-American in high school. Regardless of the season outcome, UK fans should be excited about the future of the football program.

ESPN takes a stab at the SEC bowl lineup for 2009. Right now, they are picking the Cats to play a Big East team in the Papa Johns.com Bowl. If UK finishes the season with six wins that is the likely scenario, but if UK can finish with seven or eight wins they could move up in the bowl projections.

Seven UK football players were sent home from practice today with the flu. Those players are Micah Johnson, Christian Johnson, Ridge Wilson, Alfonso Smith, Dave Ulinski, Jacob Dufrene and Patrick Ligon.

Chip Cosby writes that Rich Brooks wants his football team to focus only on the next game. It's amazing how much difference a week can make. A week ago there were discussions about the Outback Bowl or the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Now some fans are skeptical if the Cats will even make it to a bowl game. If UK can get healthy, I think the Cats have a shot to finish strong. It all starts with Eastern Kentucky.

Larry Vaught writes that the Cats must focus on Eastern Kentucky. The entire Big Blue Nation understands the importance of every football game from here on out. UK can't afford to underestimate Eastern Kentucky. The team simply needs to take care of business this weekend.

Trevard Lindley practiced today and could see some action against Eastern Kentucky. It would be a huge boost for the defense if Lindley is able to play. I would like to see Lindley as close to 100% as possible for the Vanderbilt game. The next two games are must wins for UK so they will need everyone healthy.

Rich Brooks reported that offensive lineman Jake Lanefski had surgery on his knee today and will have a few days to let it settle down before starting the long rehab.

Tuesday Morning UK Football Links and Notes

Mike Hartline could potentially play against EKU or Vanderbilt. This is exactly what Hartline told me after the La-Monroe game. Hartline is still experiencing pain, but there is a chance he could see action soon.

Mr. SEC breaks down the leagues recruiting comparison for 2010. UK ranks 10th in total points and last in average points for their 2010 class. With Storm Johnson committing to Miami this week a lot of people are taking shots at the new UK recruiting strategy. I still believe UK will land more 4-star recruits in 2010 than ever before. Also, I would like to point out that Raymond Sanders was not ranked at the start of the season and is now considered a 3-star recruit. The UK coaching staff has done a tremendous job of evaluating talent and finding quality football players.

ESPN's Chris Low says Derrick Locke can't catch a break. Locke is listed as questionable to doubtful for the Eastern Kentucky game. UK should rest Locke as Alfonso Smith and Moncell Allen can carry the load for one week.

The Legend of the Randall Cobb sign is creating it's own following. Larry Vaught has a nice article on the person who created it. It's pretty cool the fan plans to give the sign to the Cobb family after his playing days at UK are over.

The SEC hands out their power rankings after last weekend and the Cats have fallen to No 11. As the article mentions, there are no guarantee's for the Cats now. UK is banged up and hopefully the team can get healthy for the last three SEC games. UK needs to put last week behind them and finish strong.

O.J. Ross (4-Star WR) Commits to Purdue

4-Star wide receiver O.J. Ross (Daytona Beach, FL) has committed to Purdue. Ross had recently eliminated UK from his list and was down to Purdue and North Carolina. It appears some of Ross' teammates have decided to join him at Purdue as well.

Rich Brooks Press Conference Notes

John Clay has all of the notes from the Rich Brooks press conference today. Here are some key notes from the luncheon.

1. Mike Hartline ran on Sunday and his knee had no swelling. Hartline did experience some pain and if Hartline can handle the pain he could play. In a perfect world, Hartline would see some snaps against EKU to try and get his rhythm before playing Vanderbilt.
2. Trevard Lindley worked out on Sunday and will again on Tuesday. Rich Brooks feels Lindley is "getting close". Again, I would like to see Lindley play some against EKU in preparation for the Vanderbilt game.
3. Micah Johnson will still be limited in practice and Derrick Locke is listed as questionable to doubtful with a knee injury.
4. Rich Brooks said, "A week ago I heard a lot of people say we could win out. Now I know some people don’t think we’re going to win another game.” A big part of the Big Blue Nation has lost confidence in the Cats considering they have three big SEC games remaining.
5. The UK-Vandy game will be a 12:21 start on Nov. 14

Randall Cobb talking at Rich Brooks luncheon today

Stuart Hines on upcoming game

Adrian Hubbard (UK Recruit) Video

First, let me apologize as listing Adrian Hubbard as a UK commit. He has not committed to UK or any school at this point. It was a complete mix up and I apologize to anyone who read this information. I have made the changes on this site and hope everyone understands it was a mistake. Thanks for understanding, Aaron.

Sunday Evening UK Football Links and Notes

Dixon knew UK's run defense would let him through. Dixon rushed for a career high 252 yards. After the performance by Dixon, the rest of the league will be waiting for their turn to run against the UK defense.

Rich Brooks says the UK defense lacked discipline. Brooks was unhappy with the defensive line, linebackers, safeties and offensive line. Clearly UK's approach in practice last week didn't work, now the team has to rebound physically and mentally.

Derrick Locke is listed as questionable to doubtful for the Eastern Kentucky game with swelling in his knee. Locke could use a break and needs to get healthy. UK doesn't need to run him out and chance injury against a lower tier team.

Rich Brooks sent senior offensive guard Christian Johnson home from practice today because he had the flu. Hopefully this is an isolated sickness and doesn't effect anyone else on the team.

UK appears to be in the mix for Juco wide receiver Dwayne Frampton from Los Angeles Harbor College. Frampton is listed at 5-10" and 185lbs and runs a 4.4 forty time. Frampton is Chris Matthews' cousin and friends with DeQuinn Evans which has to help the Cats chances as well. One major factor for Frampton is that he can enroll in January and attend spring practice which would help him learn the offense faster.

Storm Johnson (4-Star RB) picks Miami

Storm Johnson has committed to Miami-FL over UK, North Carolina, Michigan State and Florida State. Johnson had been rumored to be a FSU lean and admitted he wanted to attend a school with football tradition. Johnson has stated he will enroll in January. UK will turn their attention to Rajaan Bennett (Powder Springs, Ga), Trevaughn Brooks (Crystal River, FL) and Miles Simpson (Independence, KY). UK appears to be in the running with all three recruits for 2010.

Sunday UK Football Links and Notes

After his performance last night against UK, Anthony Dixon may be considered the top running back in the SEC. Many will argue that UK's defensive game plan allowed Dixon to rush for a career high 252 yards.

I agree with Larry Vaught, the Miss St game was not disappointing, it was season-wrecking. I also agree with Joker Phillips' comment, "This was a game we needed to take our program to the next level".

Larry Vaught also breaks down the post game notes and stats. For me the most disappointing stat is that UK is 4-4 when they could easily be 6-2. Assuming the Cats beat Eastern Kentucky, they have to play the next two games on the road in the SEC and finish with Tennessee in Lexington. Everyone in the Commonwealth would feel a lot better today if UK had taken care of business last night.

Randall Cobb questions UK's emotions and effort. UK didn't play smart football, they had too many turnovers. The defensive was man-handled and Anthony Dixon wore down the linebackers and secondary. Somehow this team has to pick themselves up physically and mentally. How bad does this team need a bye week now?

John Clay writes that UK's 'Wildcat' was on the endangered list. Miss State did a great job of containing Cobb in the 'Wildcat'. I still feel that UK needs to allow Cobb to throw the ball a bit more to keep the defenses honest.

Chip Cosby keeps it simple with his article, 'Wildcats get run over'. Anthony Dixon is still running in the minds of the Big Blue Nation. I'm still going to question why the Cats didn't put eight in the box and force Miss State to throw the ball.

I'm traveling this week so my updates will be in the morning and evening. Don't forget to follow Aarons UK Football Blog on Twitter. I'll send a lot of updates through twitter this week since I'm on the road.

More thoughts on the Miss State game

After sleeping on it for a night, I come to realize that Steve Brown and Rich Brooks should take most of the heat instead of Randy Sanders or Joker Phillips. There was no secret about Miss State's offensive game plan coming into the game. Everyone knew that Anthony Dixon was going to get the ball and UK had to control the run.

UK's front four and linebackers have been pretty solid on defense, but I agree with poster on this site, Steve Brown should have made some in game adjustments and come out of the nickel packages. The coaching staff should have made a half time adjustment to force Miss State to throw the ball to win the game.

I still believe that Randall Cobb should have had the ball in some capacity before Newton threw the interception. In my opinion, that was the back breaker for UK. Miss State did a good job of containing Cobb, but on the goaline things change. Newton made a freshman mistake, one that UK fans will have to live with as he is the future quarterback. However, Cobb is the best player on the offense and has to touch the ball in those key situations.

This was a game UK could have easily won. Alfonso Smith's fumble and Newton's interception were the back breakers for UK on offense. The defense allowed Anthony Dixon to run wild all night long which shows the staff didn't have a solid game plan. Honestly, Sanders and Phillips called a solid game, but will still likely take heat for Cobb's absence in the offense during those crucial scoring opportunities. The Cats have to step it up on defense and the coaching staff has to make in game adjustments when their initial game plan isn't working. Now the Cats have to rebound against Eastern Kentucky, then play three huge SEC games to determine their bowl eligibility.