John Clay's Sidelines

(AP photo)

With the Super Bowl coming up Sunday, there is already a lot of attention on Eli Manning, the quarterback of the NFC champion New York Giants, and his brother, Peyton, whose future with the Indianapolis Colts is the subject of rampant speculation.

There is one quarterback who has been the back-up to both. And that happens to be former Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen. The former Highlands High School star was a backup with the Giants when New York beat New England in the 2007 Super Bowl. Later, he spent an exhibition season with the Colts.

Continue reading ‘Jared Lorenzen compares the two Manning brothers’

(The State photo)

It was a good Sunday for Matthew Mitchell and a not so good one for Randall Cobb.

A look at the day’s news.

Continue reading ‘Sunday news: UK women win; football gets commitment’

Ex-Kentucky defensive tackle Myron Pryor has had his third year with the New England Patriots come to a premature end.

Pryor, a four-year starter for UK, was placed on injured reserve by the Patriots on Wednesday after suffering a shoulder injury.

From the Boston Herald:

The moves thin out the Patriots defensive line, as Pryor was an interior rusher on third-down and nickel situations. The three-year veteran and former Kentucky product had a half-sack against the Dolphins, and he was replaced on the roster when the team signed Landon Cohen yesterday.

News broke this morning that the Philadelphia Eagles have cut former UK cornerback Trevard Lindley.

But it turns out the Carolina Panthers may be interested in the second-year pro.

This morning we have yet another possible waiver pickup for the Carolina Panthers at cornerback with 2nd year player Trevard Lindley being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles today as they resigned Joselio Hanson to a two year contract. It’s important to realize Lindley would have been a Sean McDermott selection during his final year in Philadelphia, and could add more depth to the already weak CB position.

A 4th round pick out of Kentucky in 2010, Lindley played in 11 games for the Eagles last year, starting one game. Over this time he amassed 23 tackles, 1 PDef and 1 INT. At 6-0, 178lbs he’s larger than some of the CBs currently on the roster and due to his knowledge of McDermott’s defense could contribute fairly quickly.

Continue reading ‘Could Carolina be interested in Trevard Lindley?’

Saturday night against Detroit, a little-known running back named Armond Smith broke free for an 81-yard touchdown run. But Smith is well-known at Union College in Barbourville, where the running back from Stone Mountain, Georgia earned first-team All-NAIA honors.

Unfortunately, Smith lost a pair of fumbles on Saturday as Cleveland blew a 28-13 lead and lost 30-28 to the Lions. But the speed Smith showed on that touchdown run may have been enough to impress head coach Pat Shurmur and land the former Union star a roster spot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2BSjArUkUE

Corey Peters

Former Kentucky defensive tackle Corey Peters was carted off in a golf cart from the Atlanta Falcons practice today, prompting speculation the second-year pro had suffered a significant leg injury.

Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution just tweeted that according to Falcons coach Mike Smith, it is a left knee injury, but will not require surgery. Peters will miss the Falcons’ next exhibition game against Jacksonville.

Peters, a Louisville native, is in a battle to keep his starting spot. Pat Yasinskas of ESPN blogs:

A third-round draft pick last season, Peters earned a starting role and had a solid rookie season. But his starting spot isn’t guaranteed this season. The Falcons have high hopes that 2009 first-round pick Peria Jerry finally will be at full health. They’d like to make Jerry the starter and use Peters as a key member of their rotation.

Jerry has been working as a backup. But, if Peters is going to miss some practice time and preseason games, this could open the door for Jerry to move into the starting lineup.

Ex-Tates Creek star and University of Louisville kicker David Akers had a dozen great years as a Philadelphia Eagle.

Now that Akers is competing for a job with the San Francisco 49ers, he wanted to think the fans back in Philly. So he paid for this billboard:

Cat Scratches’ Eric Lindsey reports that Randall Cobb is one of 25 players who have been invited to attend the NFL Draft on Thursday in New York.

That would seem to indicate that Cobb has at least a decent shot of being picked in the first round.

Sports Blog Nation has Cobb going with the 61st pick, which puts him well into the second round.

But I’m guessing the NFL knows more.

(AP photo)

Ex-Kentucky tight end Jacob Tamme is catching passes, and praise, during his stint with the Indianapolis Colts.

Phil Richards of the Indianapolis Star writes:

Jacob Tamme is happy enough to be in the lineup, and now he’s in the record book.

He had a team-leading seven catches for 78 yards and a touchdown Sunday to help the Indianapolis Colts beat the Oakland Raiders 31-26. In so doing, Tamme ran his season total to 60 receptions. That’s the third-best season total of any tight end in Colts history, and Tamme has achieved it in only nine starts.

He had caught only six passes in 21/2 NFL seasons and none this season when Pro Bowl tight end Dallas Clark went out for the year with a wrist injury in Game 6. Projected over 16 starts, Tamme’s 60 receptions, 564 yards and four touchdowns compute to an NFL tight end-record 107 catches for 1,003 yards and seven scores.