(H-L photo/David Perry)
Big Blue Links for Saturday:
- Jennifer Smith and Jerry Tipton of the H-L report that UK Board of Trustees chairman Britt Brockman says there is no move to replace Joker Phillips as head coach. Unconfirmed word is the athletics department will issue a post-game statement today saying that Phillips will return as head coach for the 2012 season.
- Jennifer Smith of the Herald-Leader writes that UK’s seniors are hoping to stop the 26-year losing streak to arch-rival Tennessee. Today is the Cats’ bowl game, for lack of an actual bowl game. A Kentucky victory today would ease this year’s disappointment.
- John Adams, columnist for the Knoxville News-Sentinel, writes that if the sun rises in the East, then Tennessee will beat Kentucky. He’s taking the Vols today 27-10, which would make Derek Dooley’s team bowl eligible for the second straight year.
- Rick Bozich of the Courier-Journal writes that Charlie Strong’s success has put the onus on Joker Phillips. And he’s right. Louisville beat South Florida 34-24 yesterday to finish 7-5 and the Cards still have a shot at the Orange Bowl. Plus, Louisville has done with more than a healthy dose of true and redshirt freshmen.
- Mark Wiedmer of the Chattanooga Times Free Press came to Lexington and talked to former Vols Randy Sanders and Tee Martin, both now assistants for UK. Both coaches said it has been a rough year, but a win today would help ease the pain.
- Kyle Tucker of the C-J writes that the football Cats are pumped to break the long, long losing streak against the Vols. “This is all we’ve got left to play for,” said senior offensive lineman Stuart Hines. It may be the only chance UK has left to help ticket sales for next year, as well.
- Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader reports that John Calipari wants to loosen the reigns on his young Cats as UK plays Portland tonight at 7 at Rupp Arena. The Cats beat Portland last year in Oregon on the way to the Maui Invitational.
- Doing double duty, Jen Smith of H-L reports on UK women’s 73-52 win over Sam Houston State last night at Memorial Coliseum. Keyla Snowden scored a season- and game-high 19 points for the winners, who are now 6-0.
- Jerry Tipton leads his basketball notes with UK walk-on Sam Malone, who has played like he belongs, so far. Malone has not only proven to be a prodigious scorer and crowd interview, he is a highly entertaining interview.
- Aaron Smith of the Kentucky Kernel writes that the basketball word of the day is “random.” Calipari wants his team to play with a more “random” style as opposed to coming down, setting up and running a planned play. Look for that tonight.
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(AP photo)
Ben Jones of Cats Illustrated takes a look at today’s Kentucky-Tennessee football tilt. He says that Kentucky’s “woeful” offense, which has only been marginally better under Max Smith, must pick it up today if the Cats have any chance at stopping the streak.
- Matt May of the Cats Pause does a similar breakdown of the Cats and Vols. He says Tennessee is banking on a healthy quarterback Tyler Bray, back from a thumb injury, while UK’s quarterback situation appears shaky at best with both Maxwell Smith and Morgan Newton nursing injuries.
- Drew Franklin of KSR does one of those posts that is not quite what it seems at first glance. It appears to say that Matt Roark will be UK’s quarterback today, as if the senior wide receiver will start. Upon closer inspection, it says that Roark could see time at quarterback because of the injuries to Smith and Newton. Roark was a quarterback in high school and Phillips said this week that Roark would be used in an emergency situation.
- Mike Fields of the Herald-Leader reports that the NCAA refused Rupp’s waiver for the high school exhibitions that were to be staged there tonight. The games have been moved to Lexington Catholic. And recruit-niks are outraged.
