John Clay’s Sidelines

Eric Bledsoe (H-L photo/John Clay)

Don’t forget, doing two liveblogs today. The first will be from the UK women’s game at Memorial Coliseum. The second will be from UK men’s opener tonight at Rupp.

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader reports that John Calipari is focusing his lasers on progress for tonight’s opener.
• Tipton’s notes leads with the return of speedball Eric Bledsoe.
• Jennifer Smith of the H-L previews this morning’s opener — that’s right, morning opener — for the Kentucky women.
• Chip Cosby of the H-L writes on playmaking linebacker Sam Maxwell.
• Fabian Lyon of the Miami Herald reports that Brandon Knight is visiting Florida today.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes on the Kentucky-Morehead matchup.
• James Pennington of the Kentucky Kernel addresses the official start of the John Calipari Era.
• B.W. Jones of the Kernel reports that equal-opportunity Rich Brooks says both Mike Hartline and Morgan Newton will play Saturday.
• Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches writes on the UK women’s early-bird special.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Brandon Knight visiting Florida today’

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports that Rich Brooks bemoans UK’s injury list.
• My column saying that SEC football has that old familiar feeling.
• Zagsblog reports that Tobias Harris had a good visit to West Virginia.
• Rivals says UK basketball has the nation’s best frontcourt.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes that Morgan Newton has been strong in Mike Hartline’s absence.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger is getting a lot of DeAndre Liggins questions.
• Cat Scratches reports on Jodie Meeks’ progress in the NBA.
• Brian Rickerd of the State-Journal writes on Kentucky’s win over Eastern Kentucky.
• Aaron’s UK Football Blog says Cats have lost a grid recruit to Nebraska.
• Wildcat-Den says UK football wants to finish the season on a high note.
• Wildcat Blue Blog is doing a “Meet the Wildcats” series.
• Inner Circle talks John Calipari and sustainability.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader writes that Clarion game brings back memories of John Calipari’s time there.
• Chip Cosby of the H-L writes about freshman quarterback Morgan Newton.
• The Easy Being Green blog reports on the Wildcat Coal Lodge banner protest at UK.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes on UK freshman receiver La’Rod King.
• Matt May of the Cats Pause reports that Trevard Lindley and Mike Hartline are making progress.
• Marlen Garcia of USA Today writes on the red-hot UK-U of L basketball rivalry.
• Brian Rosenthal of Husker Extra reports that Billy Gillispie was at Nebraska to watch the Cornhuskers. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger reports that DeQuin Evans thinks Cats backed down.
• Kevin Patton of the Henderson Gleaner writes that Newton’s progress comes at Will Fidler’s expense. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Football Blog.)
• Metz Camfield of the Kentucky Kernel writes on John Wall and high expectations.
• T.J. Walker of the Kernel writes on volleyball’s Gretchen Giesler.

Continue reading ‘BBL: USA Today tackles UK-U of L, and other links’

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Tim Stevens of the Raleigh News & Observer reports that C.J. Leslie will be at UK’s Big Blue Madness. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• The Shiver reports that Josh Selby will attend Kansas’ Midnight Madness. (Hat tip to Bluegrass State Basketball.)
• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News-Sentinel talks to UK and UT target Tobias Harris.
• Inside the Hall also has a Josh Selby update.
• Tickets are on sale today for UK-UConn in New York.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports on extent of Mike Hartline’s injury.
• Mark Story of the H-L wants Will Fidler now and Morgan Newton later.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Updates on C.J. Leslie, Josh Selby, Tobias Harris’

(H-L photo/Charles Bertram)

Great comment from Alex, a loyal blog reader, about the Mike Hartline injury and the Morgan Newton possibility:

This whole thing is almost Shakespearian. Or at the very least, a Twilight Zone episode. With everyone calling for Hartline’s head, he goes out and plays the half of his career, only to be hurt on a play that should have been blown dead before the ball was snapped.

Now all of a sudden we are wringing our hands and the pressure on Brooks escalates to go with a guy who NO REGULAR FAN HAS EVER SEEN THROW A PASS.

What a mess, and what a shame for Mike Hartline.

Here’s video from today’s press conference of Kentucky coach Rich Brooks talking about the Mike Hartline injury:

A five-spot of thoughts from the UK football press conference, completed about an hour ago:

• 1. Randall Cobb is not going to be the quarterback. He’ll stay at wide receiver, except for possibly a slightly expanded “Wildcat” package. As I wrote this morning, I think that’s the right call. Playing Randall at quarterback is a prescription for punishment. And Cobb is not as viable a passer, and you have to be able to throw the football, at least a little, to stand a chance in the SEC.

• 2. Morgan Newton is a factor. Thinking about what Rich Brooks said, and his tone, I think we might see a lot of the heralded freshman over the next four weeks. And that could be a silver lining. The sooner the staff finds out what it has in Newton, probably the better.

Continue reading ‘A 5-spot from the UK football press conference’

(H-L photo/Charles Bertram)

Program note: I’ll be live-blogging from the Rich Brooks portion of UK’s weekly press luncheon, which starts around 12:10-12:15.

Big Blue Links for Monday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader reports that UK is awaiting the full report from Mike Hartline’s MRI.
• My column saying that UK should not move Randall Cobb to quarterback full-time.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal writes that UK is expecting the worst for Hartline.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger reports that Rich Brooks thinks Cobb is a better receiver than quarterback.
• Vaught also writes that Hartline’s injury changes plans for Newton.
• Bill Bryant of the Huntsville Times writes that flattened Auburn must prove its resiliency.
• Andy Bitter of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer writes that Auburn cites lack of focus as its problem.

Continue reading ‘BBL: UK not optimistic about Hartline’s knee’

(H-L photo/Charles Bertram)

Click here for the full audio (18:36) from Rich Brooks’ Sunday teleconference, and below are three highlights:

• The Kentucky head coach said that Mike Hartline has had an MRI on his injured left knee, and they do believe he has a torn MCL. At least. But the full diagnosis will not come until it is read by the radiologist and by doctors on Monday. As for the Louisville report that Hartline is out for the year, Brooks said that was “a possibility,” but there would be no way of knowing the full extent of the injury until Monday.

• Brooks said that Will Fidler and freshman Morgan Newton will be worked at practice, and that it was “likely” that the redshirt would be removed from Newton. The big factor will be how much Newton’s decision-making improves in practice. That’s what is holding him back at this point.

• Did you notice that Eric Norwood was nearly a non-factor in Saturday’s game? The terrific South Carolina did lead the Gamecocks in tackles with eight, but it was a quiet eight. He had no sacks, no tackles for loss. And no turnovers. Remember, he returned two fumbles for scores two years ago to beat the Cats. Brooks speaks to that, as well, on the audio.

If Mike Hartline is out for the season after his knee injury Saturday at South Carolina, or even if the UK quarterback is out for a significant period of time, how should the Kentucky staff proceed?