UK vs. Mississippi State

The Cats (4-3, 1-3 SEC) will square off against the Bulldogs from Mississippi State (3-5, 1-3 SEC) at Commonwealth Stadium tonight at 7:00 PM. The Cats are coming off a convincing 36-13 victory over Louisiana-Monroe and the bulldogs are coming off a loss to #1 Florida 29-19. Tonights game is a must win for the Cats against arguably the worst team in the SEC. Although MSU is not incredibly good they played Florida much closer than the Cats did only losing by 10 points while the Cats lost by 34.

The Cats will once again be without starting quarterback Mike Hartline who continues to be sidelined by a knee injury sustained against South Carolina on October 5th. Defensive juggernauts Micah Johnson and Trevard Lindley are both questionable for todays game. Johnson is coming off a knee sprain that knocked him out of the ULM game and Lindley continues to recover from a high ankle sprain that has knocked him out of 3 games since suffering the injury on October 3rd against Alabama.

The Cats are 21-15 all-time versus the Bulldogs, with UK taking 3 out of the last 4. Most recently the Cats defeated MSU in Starkville 14-13 last season thanks to a blocked extra point in the 4th quarter by Matt Roark that would have tied the game.

The game will be aired live on FSN South at 7:00 PM.

Here are a couple of gameday previews to get you ready for today's game:

From the Lexington Herald-Leader:
UK-MSU Becoming Rivalry Game

From the Sun Herald:
Running Games Key for MSU & Kentucky

Wall Suspended for Two Games

John Wall has been suspended for one exhibition game and the first regular season game against Morhead State and he must pay back nearly $800.00. The suspension stems from NCAA prohibited contact with his AAU coach Brian Clifton, who was licensed as a FIBA sports agent while Wall played for him. Wall will be able to play his first regular season game against Miami University. Wildcat fans can breathe a sigh of relief!

UK Defeats Louisiana-Monroe 36-13

The Cats took care of business against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. Mr. Everything Randall Cobb scored 2 touchdowns for the Cats, including an impressive 73-yard punt return.

Mike Hartline remained sidelined for the Cats and backups Morgan Newton and Will Fidler shared time under center for the Cats. Both quarterbacks had sub par performances for the Cats leaving Rich Brooks uneasy about the quarterback situation.

The injury bug bit again Saturday with all-SEC linebacker Micah Johnson leaving the game with a MCL knee injury. Johnson is doubtful for next Saturday against Mississippi State.

The Cats improved their record to 4-3 overall. The Cats will take on Mississippi State next Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium and look to move a game away from the 6 wins needed to become bowl eligible.

UK vs. Louisiana-Monroe

Tomorrow the Cats will battle the Warkhawks from Louisiana-Monroe for the 4th time in school history. The Wildcats are 2-1 all-time versus the Warhawks winning the last meeting in 2006 42-40. Louisiana-Monroe is a member of the Sun Belt Conference and holds a 4-2 record on the season with losses to Texas and Arizona State. Kentucky will look to extend its 16-game non-conference winning streak against the Warhawks. Mike Hartline will continue to be sidelined by the ligament injuries to his knee, Will Fidler and Morgan Newton will share time under center for the Wildcats.

The game will be shown regionally on multiple Fox Sports Networks including FS South, FS Southwest, FS Houston, FS Wisconsin, and FS Rocky Mountain. The game will kick-off at 7:00 PM in Commonwealth Stadium.

Here are two gameday previews to get you ready for the game:

From the Lexington Herald-Leader:
Cats Wary of Louisiana-Monroe

From the Louisiana's The News Star:
ULM Travels to Kentucky With High Hopes

John Wall Ineligible???

In case you missed it ESPN.com's biggest UK fan Pat Forde has published a story that questions John Wall's collegiant eligibility because of his association with Brian Clifton who is a former FIBA Sports Agent. Clifton now is the president of the high school AAU circuit's D-One Sports and was a close advisor to John Wall and his family throughout his recruitment. I will continue to update the situations as more info comes available, but I fully expect Wall to be eligible to start the season.

Cats Defeat Auburn 21-14

For the first time since 1966 the football Cats have defeated the Auburn Tigers. The Kentucky win ended a streak of 15 consecutive losses against the Tigers. The Wildcats were determined to end the woeful streak despite playing the game without starting quarterback Mike Hartline (knee) and  all-SEC cornerback Trevard Lindley (ankle).

Morgan Newton got the start at quarterback for the Wildcats and successfully managed a first possession attack that set up a 38-yard Lones Seiber field goal attempt. The field goal would've given UK a 3-0 lead, but the kick was blocked by Auburn's Jake Ricks and recovered by Auburn's Neiko Thorpe who raced 69 yards for an Auburn touchdown giving the Tigers an early 7-0 lead.

The Wildcats did not allow the special team mishap to ruin their gameplan... run the ball down the throats of the Auburn defense. And run the ball is what the Cats did. Derrick Locke rushed for 126 yards, and Randall Cobb gained 109 yards rushing out of the Wildcat formation, with 61-yards coming on one play in the closing minutes that set Cobb up for the winning 4-yard touchdown run. Quarterbacks Morgan Newton and Will Fidler scored the other two touchdowns on designed quarterback draws.

The Kentucky defense was excellent against a top ranked Auburn offense that came into the game averaging 38 points and 489 yards. The Kentucky defense allowed just 315 yards and two touchdowns with both Auburn touchdowns coming as a result of poor special teams plays by the Wildcats. With the first on the blocked field goal and the second a result of a poor punt by Ryan Tydlacka that gave the Tigers the ball at the Kentucky 48.

In addition to the solid run attack and the stellar defense Kentucky avoided costly penalties that have haunted them all season. For the first time since 1991 (vs. Vanderbilt) Kentucky did not commit a single penalty.

Kentucky will return home Saturday to take on Louisana-Monroe, the first of four straight opponents that UK should be favored to defeat. With Mississippi State, Eastern Kentucky, and Vanderbilt following Louisana-Monroe. Kickoff time for Louisana-Monroe is 7:00 PM with TV coverage provided by FSN South.

UK @ Auburn

Who will start at quarterback for UK today when the Cats take on the Auburn Tigers? That is the question of the day for UK football fans. However that question won't be answered until shorty before kickoff. It will either be true freshman Morgan Newton or career backup junior Will Fidler who will be under center for the Cats tonight. The Cats once again will be looking to snap a bad losing streak; the Auburn Tigers have defeated the Wildcats 15 straight times. The last time the Cats battled the Auburn Tigers was 2005. The game starts at 7:30 PM and will be aired nationally on ESPNU.

Here are a couple of gameday previews to get you ready for kickoff.

From the Louisville Courier-Journal:

UK Football Hopes to Make A Big Return

From al.com:

Auburn Facing Unknowns Against Kentucky

"MADNESS" is an Understatement

WOW!!! That is the best way I can possibly describe the scene that was "Big Blue Madness".
I unfortunately didn't have the privilege of being their live, but I did watch it on Channel 58. I'm sure that on this site and on many other sites, there will be first hand accounts from people who were actually there, and that's great but... I was sitting in my living room and was literally shaking with adrenaline and anticipation; that's how electric the atmosphere was!!! I refrained, but I felt like standing up, screaming and fist pumping as the team was introduced.
There were sevral times during the broadcast when the arena was so loud that the microphones (the ones the tv stations were using) actually skipped. 24,000 plus, all standing, all screaming, all united; and that's is what the theme of this year's team is about... UNITY. Together they will be great.
Now... on to the entrance and speech of Coach Cal. UNREAL!!! Coach Cal walked onto the stage with fireworks, loud music and surrounded by ecstatic fans. He came out to an ovation that would have made Gene Simmons (lead singer of KISS) proud.
After the long and ear shattering applause he began his speech. He did an excellent job with it. It not only painted a vivid picture of his vision of UK's future, but it respectfully paid homage to the greats that have made their mark and paved the way for future Wildcat teams. He referenced several times the analogy of a mountain. Due to the fact that we have a completely different coaching staff with new coaching schemes and 6 new comers that have to gel with the 7 returning players, we are at the base of that mountain. Other teams have more returning players and an established coaching system so they are already halfway up. But as the speech went on Coach Cal talked about his vision, and that was to re-establish Uk's rightful place atop that mountain. Yes, it's a long way to go, but we will do it!!!
And after an 11 minute crowd rousing speech, Coach Cal started the "GO BIG BLUE" chant and it continued to pulsate throughout the crowd as the coaches and players high fived the fans and went onto the court.
The beginning of an era? More like, the beginning of a DYNASTY!!!
"Envy Our Past... Fear Our Future"

The Quest Begins Today

Tonight at 7:30 PM the John Calipari era officially will begin with the first official UK basketball practice. The 2009-10 season promises to be fun. Most national college basketball analysts rank UK as preseason #1 or #2 right behind the Kansas Jayhawks. The Cats have 6 new players, an entirely new coaching staff, and a new offense: the dribble drive motion offense. Those close to the program rave about the new atmosphere in the UK basketball program. Gone are the days when players sat outside of the Joe Craft Center questioning whether or not they should walk through the doors. Basketball at UK is fun again. Fun for both the fans and the players. The 2009-10 Wildcats are arguably the most talented team in UK history, but also one of the youngest teams in UK history. Can the talent defeat the youth? Can a team composed of 7 returning players and 6 new players come together to advance to UK's first final four in 12 years? Can the team learn Calipari's dribble drive offense? I say yes!

Let's take a look at the 2009-10 Kentucky Wildcats.

Returning Players:

Patrick Patterson

Class: Junior

Position: PF

Hometown: Huntington, WV

2008-2009 Stats: Points/game: 17.9 Rebounds/game: 9.3 Blocks/game: 2.1  Minutes/game: 33.7

Patterson is the undisputed leader of this team. Patterson will finally have two true point guards in John Wall and Eric Bledsoe to feed him the ball. Patterson will also be able to shift to his more natural position of power forward with centers DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton joining the team. Patterson will be an absolute beast on the court this season.

Darius Miller

Class: Sophomore

Position: SG

Hometown: Maysville, KY

2008-2009 Stats: ppg 5.3 rpg 3.1 apg 2 mpg 21.2

Darius Miller ended last season playing his best basketball of the year. After spending the summer on the Team USA U19 team Miller should be able to build on last years campaign and become a top contributor this season. Look for Darius Miller to thrive in Calipari's Dribble Drive Offense.

Perry Stevenson

Class: Senior

Position: PF

Hometown: Lafayette, LA

2008-2009 Stats: ppg 7.8 rpg 5.9 bpg 1.9 mpg 28.1

It will be interesting to see how the senior adapts to John Calipari's offense and the competition for his position. Perry has been lost in the excitement, but if he works hard should be a solid role player for this team.

Ramon Harris

Class: Senior

Position: SF

Hometown: Anchorage, AK

2008-2009 Stats: ppg 5.5 rpg 3.8 apg 1.6

Ramon has always been a defensive specialist, but can he produce the offensive numbers needed to see significant minutes? It is hard to tell, but I hope the senior flourishes this season.

Josh Harrellson

Class: Junior

Position: PF

Hometown: St. Charles, MO

2008-2009 Stats: ppg 3.6 rpg 2.5 mpg 9.3

Alot of people were surprised that Josh Harrellson made John Calipari's first UK roster, but it is clear that Coach Cal really likes Josh. Gillispie never gave Harrellson much of a shot last season, but when Harrellson got playing time it was clear that the big man was an excellent shooter. Hopefully with the new offense and the new coaching staff Josh Harrellson will shine.

 

DeAndre Liggins

Class: Sophomore

Position: Guard

Hometown: Chicago, IL

DeAndre Liggins may be the most grateful that Calipari is the new head coach at UK. Coach Cal favors tall, quick, and athletic point guards that can drive the ball deep into the paint and DeAndre Liggins fits that description perfectly. It should be fun to watch DeAndre's development under John Calipari.

Mark Krebs

Class: Senior

Position: SG

Hometown: Newport, KY

Mark Krebs was awarded the final scholarship on John Calipari's roster. The senior from northern KY grew up a die hard UK fan, and he dreamed of wearing the blue and white. Tubby Smith accepted him as a walk-on transfer from Thomas More College and Billy Gillispie honored the offer that Tubby Smith extended him. Mark Krebs is an excellent shooter that will likely make appearances in games where a 3 pointer is needed or the other team is in desperation foul mode.

The Newbies:

John Wall

Position: PG

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Wall is likely the best player in the country. Watching John Wall will be fun. The point guard is lightning quick with the ball and can take defenders off the dribble at will. Look for Wall to be a top 5 pick in next years NBA draft with a high likelihood that he will go #1 overall.

Darnell Dodson

Position: SG

Hometown: Greenbelt, MD

Dodson is a JUCO transfer that is a lights out shooter. Dodson will likely be a significant offensive contributor because he will likely be the teams best shooter.

Daniel Orton

Position: C

Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK

Orton is big and to quote DeMarcus Cousins "strong as an ox". Look for the young center to learn from Patrick Patterson and contribute as a great reserve player on this years team. Orton is a future superstar, but will probably have to wait his turn.

Jon Hood

Position: SG

Hometown: Madisonville, KY

Jon Hood is the reigning KY Mr. Basketball and put up amazing stats on a bad North Hopkins basketball team. Look for Hood to contribute off the bench this year. He is great on the drive and has a developing perimeter game.

DeMarcus Cousins

Position: C

Hometown: Mobile, AL

Cousins was one of the top centers in the 2009 recruiting class. He was a 2009 McDonald's All-American and a dominating player on the high school AAU circuit. Look for Cousins to come in right away and play significant minutes alongside Patrick Patterson in the UK front court. Good luck double teaming our big men this year with Patrick Patterson and DeMarcus Cousins making up one of the top front courts in all of college basketball.

Eric Bledsoe

Position: PG

Hometown: Birmingham, AL

If John Wall was the best PG in the 2009 recruiting class than Eric Bledsoe was a close second. Bledsoe is an excellent ball handler that can take defenders off the dribble and find open teammates for assists. If he is able to develop a consistent jump shot he could become a dominate offensive player.

Who is Drake?

The Big Blue Nation is buzzing about a special appearance by a national recording artist tomorrow night at Big Blue Madness. Most signs point to the special guest being the up and coming rapper Drake. So who is Drake? For those of you that have never heard of Drake here are a couple of videos that feature the Canadian rapper.

Player interviews from UK Media Day

Player interviews with John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins, and Darnell Dodson. This great video is courtesy of Tom Leach (Youtube User ID Leachreport).



Player interviews with Jon Hood, Ramon Harris, Perry Stevenson,  Darius Miller, and Daniel Orton. These videos are courtesy of John Clay (YouTube User ID jclay21).

 

Reruits visiting UK for Big Blue Madness

The John Calipari era will kick off Friday night with the biggest Big Blue Madness ever. UK fans can expect a live performance from an unnamed national recording artist (rumor has it that it is the Canadian rapper Drake), an unforgettable John Calipari entrance, a dunk contest featuring the Great John Wall, a short but highly motivational speech from Coach Cal, and an unbelievable scrimmage. Big Blue Madness serves two purposes: 1) Let UK fans get a first glimpse at the team and create excitement around the program and 2) Give the UK staff a first class opportunity to show visiting recruits how BIG Kentucky basketball is.

Thus far 6 big time recruits have confirmed that they will be in attendance for Big Blue Madness.

Tobias Harris
6-8 220 lbs

Class: 2010

Class Rankings: Rivals.com: #5 Scout.com: #2 PF ESPN.com: #7

Position: Power Forward

Kyrie Irving

6-2 175 lbs

Class: 2010

Class Rank: Rivals.com: #9 Scout.com: #2 PG ESPN.com: #6

Position: Point Guard

CJ Leslie

6-8 205 lbs

Class: 2010

Class Rank: Rivals.com: #14 Scout.com: #3 PF ESPN.com: #9

Position: Power Forward

Michael Gilchrist

6-6 190 lbs

Class: 2011

Class Rank: Rivals.com: #1 Scout.com: #1 SF ESPN.com: #1

Position: Small Forward

Quincy Miller

6-8 193 lbs

Class: 2011

Class Rank: Rivals.com: #3 Scout.com: #2 PF ESPN.com: #8

Position: Power Forward

Achraf Yacoubou

6-3 200 lbs

Class: 2011

Class Rank: Rivals.com: #76 Scout.com: SG #16 ESPN.com: #30

Position: Shooting Guard

As you can see there will be quite a bit of talented young players attending Big Blue Madness, and hopefully the rowdy crowd and the supersized event will be enough to help some of these young men decide that they want to wear the blue and white and help us begin another dynasty. I'll keep you updated if any additional recruits add their names to the VIP list. Go Cats!!!

Hartline Out A Minimum of 3-4 weeks

According to Rich Brooks, Mike Hartline's MRI indicated that he suffered a complete tear to his medial collateral ligament and also has a partial tear of his posterior cruciate ligament and cartilage damage in his left knee. The MRI did not reveal any damage to anterior cruciate ligament which would have definitely ended his season.


Brooks said, "The protocol by the doctors is to let the MCL heal and then basically wait and see if he can play with the slight cartilage tear or not. Possibly he could play by the end of the season. Possibly he could not. It's very much up in the air." At the earliest Hartline could return within 3-4 weeks, but it is not uncommon for a complete tear of the MCL to require 6-12 weeks of rehab before returning to play.

Will Fidler and Morgan Newtwon will compete this week in practice to start at quarterback against the Auburn Tigers.

Cats Fall to South Carolina 28-26

Saturday's loss to South Carolina was painful. When the 2009 football schedule was released I circled this game as the key to our season. If we defeat the Gamecocks we likely reach the 7-8 win regular season plateau and fight with UT to finish third in the SEC East. To compound the misery caused by a 10th straight defeat at the hands of the Gamecocks, Mike Hartline is LIKELY OUT for the season after playing a career best first half against the Gamecocks. Hartline's MRI results will be released Monday and we will know for certain the extent of the knee injury that was sustained early in the third quarter. While Hartline is out true freshman Morgan Newton and seldom used backup Will Fidler will compete for the starting quarterback position. Saturday's game hurt for a number of reasons, but I have identified 11 plays that pretty much sum up why we lost.

1) Dropped touchdown pass by Randall Cobb forced UK to settle for a Seiber field goal (UK 3 USC 0)

2) 61-yard kickoff return by Chris Colliver sets up USC's first touchdown (UK 3 USC 7)

3) 49-yard kickoff return by Chris Colliver sets up USC's second touchdown (UK 10 USC 14)

4) Hartline injured by Darian Stewart on a play that should've been blown dead by the officials for delay of game (UK 17 USC 10)

5) On 4th and 6 from the USC 14 yard line UK fails to convert a fake field goal attempt and sacrifices 3 points and a chance to pull within 1 point (UK 17 USC 21)

6) On 3rd and 12 from the USC 17 UK tight end TC Drake dropped a touchdown pass that would of put UK ahead by 4 points, instead UK had to settle for a Seiber field goal (UK 20 USC 21)

7) Early in the fourth quarter with UK trailing by 1 a big reverse run by Randall Cobb that put the Cats in scoring position was nullified by a holding penalty on Jorge Gonzalez
8) On the same possession Fidler connected with Cobb on 4th and 1 but UK coaches had called timeout right before the snap nullifying the play
9) Following the timeout, Derrick Locke rushes for the first down on 4th and 1 but the play is called back on a phantom snap infraction penalty on our center
10) Following snap infraction penalty, UK punter Ryan Tydlacka kicks a 5 yard punt setting up a USC touchdown (UK 20 USC 28)
11) Following an amazing possession that showcased Randall Cobb running for 64 yards on 6 plays before rushing for a touchdown, UK coaches put the game in the hands of inexperienced Will Fidler for the two point conversion attempt who proceeds to throw an incomplete pass that never had a chance of being caught (UK 26 USC 28)

If any of these 11 plays don't happen I may not be writing this.

UK @ South Carolina

UK is all set to take on The Old Ball Coach Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks today at 12:30 PM on FSN South.

In the essence of time I am going to give you two links to two different gameday previews. One from the Lexington Herald-Leader and the other from South Carolina's The State. Enjoy and Go Cats!!!

Cats Tired of Losing to Gamecocks

and

Gameday preview: USC vs. Kentucky

My prediction: UK 23 USC 17

Kentucky Falls To Bama 38-20

Kentucky played Alabama close for 55 minutes but a 5 minute stretch between the end of the second quarter and the start of the third quarter where Alabama put up 24 points proved to be the difference. UK once again was mistake prone commiting 4 turnover and 7 penalties for 78 yards. The turnovers came on 3 interceptions thrown by Mike Hartline and a fumble lost by Derrick Locke that was returned 45 yards to pay dirt by Alabama's Courtney Upshaw.

Despite the fumble, Derrick Locke proved he can make plays by rushing for 70 yards, catching 6 passes for 63 yards, and gaining 66 yards on 2 kick returns. Randall Cobb continued to showcase his excellent play making abilities by totalling 186 all purpose yards.

Despite losing by 18 points, UK did not play bad.  The Cats played Alabama tough, but costly penalties and turnovers proved to be too much for the Wildcats to overcome. To pull off an upset against a team as talented as Alabama a team must play a near perfect game and the Cats did not do this. I saw a significant improvement in the overall play of the Wildcats over the performance against the Florida Gators. I like the Cats chances of defeating the Game Cocks next Saturday.

I Got Big Blue Madness Tickets, Did you?

I was lucky enough to land a pair of tickets online through Ticketmaster for Section 231 Row K. I wasn't able to campout this year so I am very thankful that I got tickets. If you were lucky enough to get tickets then congratulations because it is going to be an event to remember this year! Go Big Blue!

Can Kentucky rebound against #3 Bama?

With just about everyone in the Bluegrass questioning the chances UK has to upset #3 ranked Alabama and the basketball season fast approaching I have found it tough to get excited about tomorrow's game. The environment in Lexington showcases why UK will always be a basketball first state because most fans are more concerned about attaining tickets to UK first basketball practice than the #3 team coming to visit in football.

I always like to analyze the series history when Kentucky takes on a powerhouse like Alabama in football. Alabama has absolutely dominated the gridiron over Kentucky, owning a 34-2-1 series record over the Cats. UK last defeated Alabama 40-34 in 1997, the last victory prior to that was 1922. UK and Alabama both served as home for one of the top college football coaches of all time, the legendary Paul Bear Bryant.

Alabama boasts a very efficient quarterback in Greg McElroy who has passed for 938 yards this season with 7 TDs and only 1 INT compared to Mike Hartline who has passed for 485 yards this season with 4 TDs and 3 INTs. Alabama also boasts a two headed rushing attack in Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson who have rushed respectively for 347 yards & 4 TDs and 280 yards & 4 TDs. Alabama also boasts one of the top defenses in the country allowing only 13 points per game and just over 200 yards compared to Kentucky's 22 points per game and 350 yards per game.

There is no doubt that Kentucky faces a tough uphill battle against the Crimson Tide, but if Kentucky can limit the turnovers, the number of 3 and out possessions, and the costly penalties the Wildcats will dramatically increase their odds of pulling out an upset. The task will be difficult and the battle will be gruesome, but I am predicting a much sharper Wildcat team this week that will fight tooth and nail with the Crimson Tide.

My prediction: Alabama 27--UK 20 if a couple of plays go the Cats way they could surprise the world with an upset.

Big Blue Madness Tickets On Sale at 6 AM

Big Blue Madness tickets will be distributed at 6 AM tomorrow morning (Oct. 3rd) at Memorial Coliseum, Ticketmaster locations, and Ticketmaster online. If you want a pair of the free tickets you must wake up early because they will be gone in a matter of minutes! Good luck to all, I know I will be waking up at 5:30 AM to hopefully nab a pair for my wife and I.