John Clay's Sidelines

We’re 39 days away from Kentucky football’s season-opener Sept. 5 against Miami of Ohio at Paul Brown Stadium.

Today’s chart deals with Rich Brooks’ recent assertion that Mike Hartline’s numbers as first-year starter at quarterback last season were not much different than Andre Woodson’s number his first year as the Cats’ qb.

But what about improvement from first-year starter to second-year starter? Turns out that in the past 25 years of Kentucky quarterbacks, Woodson did show the most improvement from novice starter to experienced starter.

Here’s a look:

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Herald-Leader report on Jeremy Jarmon signing a four-year deal with the Redskins.
• Ryan O’Halloran of the Washington Times reports on the Jarmon signing.
• Chip Cosby of the H-L reports on a four-star safety visiting UK this week.
• Chris Low at espn.com looks at Kentucky football’s newcomers to watch.
• ESPN’s Andy Katz talks to John Calipari about possible lineups in 2009-10.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger talks to Patrick Patterson’s mom.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Basketball lineups and football links’

SEC links for Wednesday:

• Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel reports that Florida hopes better non-conference basketball schedule will fill seats.
• David Climer of the Tennessean writes that controversies serve to intensify SEC football.
• Kyle Veazey of the Clarion-Ledger reports that Mississippi State has lost a pair of wide receivers.
• Joseph Person of The State reports that the North Carolina-South Carolina football series will be delayed.
• Chris Low of espn.com reports on the SEC’s new digital network.
• Bryan Mullen of the Tennessean writes on Tennessee’s Heisman campaign for Eric Berry.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Florida improving hoops sked to fill seats’

We’re 40 days away from Kentucky’s football opener versus Miami of Ohio at Paul Brown Stadium.

So for each of the next 40 days I’ll tackle a UK football issue or post a fact leading up to the opener.

We’ll start with the fact that Kentucky has won 13 14 straight non-conference games heading into the match-up with the Red Hawks.

Here they are:

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• AP reports that ex-UK receiver Steve Johnson, now of the Buffalo Bills, has suffered an injury to his ribs.
• Courier-Journal columnist Rick Bozich compares Big East basketball to SEC football.
• Kentucky Sports Radio reports that UK will release its basketball schedule via TV.
• A Sea of Blue looks at the UK defensive line.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK will release hoops schedule via the tube’

SEC links for Tuesday:

• Nate Allen of the NW Arkansas Times reports that John Pelphrey will play his former coach when Arkansas plays Louisville in college basketball next season.
• In the Mobile Press-Register, Paul Finebaum doesn’t believe that Urban Meyer is comparable to Bear Bryant.
• ESPN’s SEC blogger Chris Low gives a 20-point inspection from Media Days.
• Bill Bryant of the Huntsville Times writes that Tennessee is pinning its hopes on a safety.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Pelphrey will face Pitino next season’

Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger is reporting that UK and Western Kentucky have agreed to a four-year series in football, with two of the games being played at Commonwealth Stadium and the other two being played at LP Field in Nashville.

The 2010 and 2012 games will be played at Commonwealth. The 2011 and 2013 games will be played at LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans. It’s also where Kentucky won the Music City Bowl to complete the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes that SEC quarterbacks are few and far between.
• Cosby’s notebook states that after Media Days, the real football begins.
• Brandon Shields of the Jackson (TN) Sun picks UK to finish third in SEC East. (Hat tip to Tom Leach.)
• Tom Leach reports that his book on Rich Brooks will be out August 4.
• Eric Crawford of the Courier-Journal writes that SEC offers great drama, even football.
• Dick Weiss of the New York Daily News writes that John Calipari wants to take July out of the recruiting mix.
• Christa Turner of the Florence (AL) Times Daily writes that Rich Brooks and others give the SEC an NFL look.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Ready for some real football to begin’

SEC links for Monday:

• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun offers five things he learned at SEC Media Days.
• Ray Melick of the Birmingham News writes that coaches know how to pass the vote in football.
• Paul Gattis of the Huntsville Times reports that Houston Nutt and Steve Spurrier top an SEC players’ poll.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: What was learned at Media Days’

Doug Harris of the Dayton Daily News reports that Dayton product Adreain Payne has narrowed his final five college choices to Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona, Michigan State and West Virginia.

Harris reports that Payne has trimmed hometown school Dayton from his list.

The 6-foot-10 center is ranked as the 20th best 2010 prospect by Rivals. Scout has him at No. 15.