Update: Chip Cosby blogs on the conclusion of the Brooks’ press luncheon.
I’ll be liveblogging from the final Rich Brooks press luncheon of the regular season.
- Ooops, not done. Brooks says he wants to say one more thing, that “I don’t want distractions this week. I don’t want it to be about what’s he doing. I want it to be about TENNESSEE!!!!” And he said it like that. And then he left.
- That’s it for the press conference. Check the blog for video later.
- Says Conner blocked two guys on Cobb’s touchdown run at Georgia.
- Says John Conner hold record for most UK games played.
- More on Peters, “Soft-spoken, big heart, not afraid to speak his opinion.”
- More on Peters, “You couldn’t ask for a more outstanding young man.”
- Complimenting Peters on knocking ball out of quarterback’s hand during a pitch. “I’ve never seen that happen in my too many years as a coach.”
- Now gets a little upset when he asked again about re-charge batteries, says he’s not going to answer questions about “any of that junk.” Person who asked question interrupted Brooks’ answer to earlier question, which seemed to tick the coach off. And with good reason.
- On Newton, “He’s making better decisions in the passing game. He’s making better decisions at the line of scrimmage with our checks. He’s done at that arguably at difficult places at Auburn and at Georgia.”
- Asked if he will be back next year, “I might need to get some batteries re-charged, but we’ll talk about that at the appropriate time.”
- Says this will be team’s third senior day in a row, ruined Vanderbilt’s and Georgia’s senior day.
- Says he has been frustrated by way team has started well on first series, then let it go downhill in the next few series.”
- “I think this class could make its own identity . . . if they were able to beat Tennessee and finish second in the SEC East.”
- Asked about the level of confidence of his team, “This group has been a hard group to lead, because most of them quiet. But I think they understand that if they play the way they’re capable of playing, they have a chance to win against anyone they are playing.”
- Asked if he had been told after spring he wouldn’t have Jarmon, Lindley would be hurt, and he’d be playing in November with a freshman quarterback, Brooks says what he wanted to accomplish would be hard to accomplish.
- “My perspective is that this league from top-to-bottom is better than it’s been in a while.”
- “One of the reasons you see so many teams clumped behind Florida and Alabama is the bottom-feeders don’t like the bottom and they are not as bad as the bottom-feeders used to be.”
- Says the knock has been that UK has been a bottom-feeder in the SEC, “and finishing second would put us above some teams,” that normally finish ahead of his team.
- “I’ve certainly crossed paths with Monte. He was a finalist for the Oregon job in 1977. Coaches against him in the NFL, he’s an outstanding coach, no doubt about it. You usually don’t score much on a Monte Kiffin defense.”
- Asked about being the least-penalized team in SEC, “I think our players understand that our margin can’t stand for negative plays. And a penalty is a negative play.”
- Says there are no mysteries to his halftime speeches.
- “I think all I need to mention is second-place in the SEC East.”
- On the Tennessee streak, “There are so many streaks that I’ve been hearing about. A lot of them have changed but a lot of them remained unchanged.’
- “All I know is that a victory would put us in second place in the SEC East, and with that is a little different picture as far as the post-season scenario.”
- On Trevard Lindley’s career, “If you look at some of the plays he’s made in the games we’ve had, he was instrumental” to the development of the program. “Numerous, numerous plays.”
- On Tennessee defense, “They’ve done more different looks.” Says they have gone to the Tampa 2, but not totally.
- Says he still wishes Christian was 10-15 pounds lighter.
- Brooks on Christian Johnson, “Christian has performed very well. The first 30 minutes not-withstanding of our whole offensive lline. Christian has given us a physical presence on pass protection, and blocked well on the run. He and the rest of the offensive line has given us our most productive running game since I’ve been here.”
- Brooks says, “This class has done more than anybody than in a half century for their four years in the program.”
- Chris Cross asks the first question. It’s about the seniors.
- Brooks says Tennessee defense is “very-well coached,” and calls it one of the best in the SEC.
- As for Tennessee, Brooks says “They are obviously a well-coached team.” Says they have done well running the football. Also UT has done well with bootleg game, and Kentucky did not play that well at Georgia.
- Brooks says Locke will not practice on Tuesday. Cobb will be held out of practice Tuesday, as well. Chris Matthews has an MCL strain and will probably be held Tuesday. Those players should be ready by Wednesday.
- Kentucky has won at least seven games in four straight seasons for the first time in almost a century.
- We are being told there are less than 100 tickets left for Saturday. They are not available on-line.
- We’re here at Wildcat Den, where Brooks should be at the podium in a minute.
- The Kentucky football coach should be at the podium just after 12:00.
