John Clay's Sidelines

Donald Russell

After making a post to a message board, Donald Russell’s mother has opened up to a member of the media.

Tanya Russell talked to Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger about her unhappiness that her son, a running back at UK, did not get more of a shot during the Cats’ 24-17 loss at Mississippi State.

Excerpt:

She was also disappointed that she didn’t see any coaches console or encourage her son after his fumble or during the Mississippi State game.

“Nobody came when he was there with his head down,” Tanya Russell said. “Joker has the right not to put him in. This is Joker’s team. This is his team. I support that and understand that. We are proud of him and respect him. But for them to do what they did to Donald at Mississippi State was shocking. He was in the right mind frame to really play, and he never really got a chance.”

After carrying the football 18 times for 41 yards and catching seven passes for 70 yards in the win over South Carolina, Russell has carried the ball just eight times over the last two games. He had just one carry for four yards at Mississippi State.

(H-L photo/Pablo Alcala)

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• Landon Slone relishes his return to Rupp Arena, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Kentucky appears to be testing its first-year head coach, says my Monday column.
• Donald Russell’s mom is not happy, reports Bleed Blue Kentucky.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal reports that Derrick Locke remains uncertain for this Saturday.
• Phillips says Kentucky is bruised, but still hungry, writes Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Same script, but different scene for Kentucky football, writes Chandler Howard of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Better bowl hopes likely dashed by loss, writes Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches.
• John Wall is ready to be the face of the Washington Wizards, reports Edward G. Robinson of the Raleigh News and Observer. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• A Sea of Blue hands Joker Phillips a report card.
• KSR doesn’t believe that Kentucky can excel in football year-in and year-out.

(The State photo/Gerry Melendez)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Chris Low of espn.com does video talk about South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery.
• Kentucky’s cornerbacks hope to avoid a repeat of last year with Jeffery, reports B.W. Jones of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Steve Brown is hearing some mumblings and rumblings, says my column.
• Raymond Sanders and Donald Russell will get their chances against South Carolina, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Calipari says UK will lose some games early, blogs Jerry Tipton of the H-L.
• Calipari talks athletics and academics at UK forum, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia finds redemption, writes Travis Haney of the Charleston Post and Courier.
• Ramon Harris is still pursuing a professional career, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Volleyball trying to keep NCAA Tournament streak alive, writes Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches.
• Jake Lanefski plays role in latest UK football commitment, reports Mike Herndon of the Mobile Press-Register.

Five things we learned at Joker Phillips press conference today:

• 1. Derrick Locke still can’t feel his arm: Well, Locke does have feeling in his arm, just not all the feeling he should be feeling. Or something like that. So it’s looking very questionable if the senior will play on Saturday. If he can’t go, the wildcat formation may be more of a go. But Joker wasn’t keen on wildcat questions. Nor was he keen on assertions that Donald Russell had dropped to third on the depth chart. Phillips kept saying that Russell was bracketed with Raymond Sanders, but did point out that Sanders went in the game first against Auburn. But when Russell entered, he outplayed the freshman.
• 2. South Carolina leads the league in third-down conversion percentage: The Gamecocks are at 55.2 percent. This should send fear into the Big Blue Nation, especially the segment that habitually complains about the defense’s inability to get off the field on third down, especially third-and-long. But to be at 55 percent in third-down conversions, you have to be getting a lot of third-and-shorts. On third-and-short, South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore is pretty good.
• 3. Alshon Jeffery remembers Kentucky: The USC wide receiver leads the league in receptions and reception yardage. He had his breakout game last year against Kentucky, catching seven passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns. He caught seven passes for 127 yards against Alabama. He should be pumped for Saturday.
• 4. Winning the toss and taking the ball: Joker said he is not usually for that, yet has done it several times this year, including the last two Saturdays. And the offense has scored both Saturdays. Phillips said he just has faith that the offense will get things going in the right direction.
• 5. Lack of sacks: Kentucky’s offensive line has protected Mike Hartline well, and part of the credit goes to the quarterback. Phillips said that Hartline has really helped the line communicate, get in the right protection schemes, and get rid of the football. South Carolina sacked Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy seven times.

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

Birmingham investigation says Bledsoe grade change “not credible” but decides to let eligibility stand, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.

Bledsoe grade change ruled questionable, but upheld, reports Pete Thamel of the New York Times.

Many of Bledsoe’s grades were missing, investigation finds, reports Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News.

Garry Parrish of CBS Sports says there is no reason to celebrate the Bledsoe investigation findings.

Eric Bledsoe’s transcript will stand, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.

Kentucky can breathe a little easier after the Bledsoe report, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.

Eric Crawford of the C-J writes that something feels wrong about so much time focused on one grade.

Ten ways Kentucky could pull off the upset at Florida, according to Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.

Can the Cats defy the numbers? asks Cosby.

Danny Trevathan will sit out first quarter tonight, says Bleed Blue Kentucky.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Bledsoe reaction; Cats go for upset at Florida’

This is taken after today’s practice. What you can’t see (or hear) is Donald Russell standing behind Locke (yelling), as Derrick is asked the question.

(H-L photo)

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

Jeff Rabjohns of the Indianapolis Star on Marquis Teague getting an early taste of UK mania:

The Wildcats basketball fans weren’t sure if Marquis Teague was going to pick their favorite school, or if the Northwestside high school would even allow them into the news conference to find out. But they came nonetheless. Kalen Harris, 29, left Lexington, Ky., early Thursday morning. “The chance to get a guy like Marquis, who we’ve goo-gooed and gah-gahed over for so long, the chance to be a part of history is something we couldn’t really pass up,” said Harris, a 2004 Kentucky grad.

Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader on the spring game star, running back Donald Russell:

With No. 1 tailback Derrick Locke seeing limited action, Russell took the reins and ran for 118 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries, including a 70-yard scoring run. Russell also hauled in a beautiful 35-yard over-the-shoulder catch near the sidelines from Mike Hartline.

Jerry Tipton of the H-L has an inspiring story about a new UK basketball manager:

The most inspiring member of Kentucky’s basketball team next season may be a freshman student manager who stands no more than 4 feet tall. Birth defects caused doctors to give him no better than a 5 percent chance to live. He survives, but only after undergoing more than 30 surgeries to help him deal with a crooked spine, one leg longer than the other and stunted growth.

My column on UK quarterback Mike Hartline:

You’d have a hard time convincing some in the Big Blue Nation that is actually true. Those are the Hartline-haters, the ones thoroughly convinced the Canton, Ohio, native has never thrown a touchdown pass, never led the Cats on a scoring drive, and never directed Kentucky to win over any opponent of any consequence.

FanHouse’s Terrence Moore rips what he calls John Calipari’s minor league mentality:

Courtesy of Rose and his associates violating NCAA rules, Memphis’s trip to the Final Four was vacated. That means Calipari is the only coach ever to have such a thing happen at two different schools. One of his University of Massachusetts teams suffered a similar fate, but as was the case with Memphis, Calipari wasn’t found guilty. He was unofficially known as John Calisleazy in the aftermath, but Kentucky couldn’t care less.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Marquis Teague gets early taste of UK mania’

(H-L photo/Pablo Alcala)

Let’s break it down to three highlights from the Rich Brooks’ press conference today:

• 1. Derrick Locke is doubtful for Saturday’s game with Louisiana-Monroe because of a nagging knee problem. In fact, Brooks said the running back, coming off a 126-yard game, is probably out. Locke has a slight tear of the MCL that will take three or four days to “calm down” said Brooks. That means Alfonso Smith and Moncel Allen are likely to share the load. True freshman running back Donald Russell will also get some playing time.

• 2. Brooks said Morgan Newton will most likely make his second start. Brooks admitted that wasn’t fair to Will Fidler,  but the coach likes the idea of bringing in Fidler off the bench if things aren’t going well. That worked Saturday at Auburn, when Fidler, the junior, engineered those two fourth-quarter scoring drives.

• 3. Last Saturday’s game may have been one of the better ones in UK linebacker history. Micah Johnson was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week, thanks to his 14 tackles. But Danny Trevathan could have received the honor, as well. Trevathan was credited with 14 tackles, as well, by the Auburn stat crew. Trevathan has been leaving the field when UK goes to an extra defensive back, but the Cats played a more conventional defense Saturday, leaving Trevathan on the field.

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• According to Columbus Ledger-Inquirer, UK’s Billy Gillispie has told top football recruit he can play basketball at Kentucky if he signs on to play football with the Cats. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK basketball blog.)
• Meanwhile, Jason Leiser of the Palm Beach Post reports that UK Has a commitment from Florida prep running back Donald Russell. (Also on Kentucky Sports Radio.)
• On his blog, Chip Cosby also reports on Russell.
• Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal reports that St. X running back Deuce Finch has turned down UK in favor of Boston College.
• UK coach Billy Gillispie talks on the SEC teleconference about Saturday’s game at Alabama.
• Alabama coach Mark Gottfried talks on the same teleconference about Kentucky.
• In the Herald-Leader, Jerry Tipton writes that Perry Stevenson is leaving the praise to others.
• In the Herald-Leader, Mark Story writes that Jodie Meeks is showing the marks of a marked man.
• In the C-J, Brett Dawson writes on the beauty of Patrick Patterson’s beast.
• In the Danville Advocate-Messenger, Larry Vaught writes that Alabama’s athleticism worries Gillispie.
• In the Huntsville Times, columnist Bill Bryant writes that Ronald Steele is not to blame for his abrupt departure.
• Eric Lindsey of the Cat Scratches blog has a UK practice report.
• In the Kentucky Kernel, B.W. Jones writes that the Kentucky women are looking at LSU as a must-win.
• Also in the Kernel, Bobby Reagan has the diary of a UK walk-on, part 2.
• Adreaine Payne, a 2010 UK target, tells Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News that recruiters can wait. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)