John Clay's Sidelines

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Sunday:

• Ricky Lumpkin’s halftime speech sparks Kentucky past Vanderbilt 38-20, reports Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• If it was Randall Cobb’s farewell, it was a magnificent one, says my Sunday column.
• Mark Story of the H-L writes that Derrick Locke turned on the late show.
• Derrick Locke needed this type of game, writes Keith Taylor of the Winchester Sun.
• Kentucky storms past Vanderbilt in the second half, reports Will Graves of the AP.
• Kentucky rallies past Vanderbilt for bowl eligibility, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that win was a fitting end for Mike Hartline’s home career.
• Vanderbilt thinks it still has plenty play for after loss to Kentucky, writes Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Kentucky takes care of (second-half) business’

Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline talks about the emotions experienced over Senior Day weekend.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Anthony Davis signs with UK, family says it still plans to sue Sun-Times, reports Jeff Vorva of the Chicago Tribune.
• Davis says it was a  wild ride that got him to Kentucky, reports Scott Powers of espn.com.
• Michael Gilchrist makes it official, reports Kevin Minnick of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post.
• Courier-Post photo gallery from Michael Gilchrist signing.
• Marquis Teague says UK freshmen-to-be trying to build a brotherhood, reports Kyle Neddenreip of the Indianapolis Star.
• John Calipari “jacked” as his 2011 UK signee class makes it official, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Kentucky snagged four of the top 19 recruits, reports Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal.
• The stars aligned for John Calipari once again, writes Steve Jones for the Cats Pause.
• John Wall posts a triple-double for Wizards in win over Houston, reports Gene Wang of the Washington Post.
• As Kentucky prepares for Senior Day, Mike Hartline is deserving and then some, says my column.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Calipari gets his men on the dotted line’

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen has tilted the best to the West, writes David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Mullen asks MSU students to obey cowbell rules, reports David Brandt of the AP.
• Brandon Knight shines in UK’s Blue-White basketball scrimmage, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Kentucky’s porous run defense meets Mississippi State’s potent run game, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Kentucky receiver Brian Adams comes back after life-threatening clot, writes Nick Craddock of the Kentucky Kernel.
• UK quarterback Mike Hartline has been added to the Manning Watch List, says H-L report.
• Mo Mitchell mysteriously out as UK gymnastics coach, says H-L report.
• Freshmen lead the way in Blue-White game, writes Matt May of the Cats Pause.
• Kentucky’s iron men show steel in scrimmage, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Calipari’s Cats have eye of the Tiger, reports David Jones of Florida Today.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Knight shines for UK; Mullen elevates MSU’

Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline made a rare appearance at the weekly UK Football Luncheon today. He talked the offense, his play, his relationship with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Randy Sanders, and this week’s game with Mississippi State.

With all the Twitter tumult, lost in the mix was the question of how Randall Cobb got so open for the winning touchdown, on a fourth-and-seven play, no less to beat South Carolina last Saturday?

Picture 1: Going back and looking at the play, UK is in a shotgun, 1-back set, with two wide receivers to the left. Cobb comes in motion across the formation, stopping just to the right of right tackle Brad Durham. Right beside him, in the slot, is fellow wide out Chris Matthews. Those two are inside the circle.

Picture 2: Matthews runs a short turn-around route and stops. That’s Matthews in the left corner of the pic. You can see the three South Carolina defenders — or at least the two to the right — all going for Matthews, as Cobb runs right past them. There is no safety help over the top.

Continue reading ‘How did Randall Cobb get so open against South Carolina?’

Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline talks about the winning touchdown and throwing for a career-high 349 yards.

Click here to see this video on YouTube.

(The State photo/Gerry Melendez)

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery a big challenge for Cats, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Turkish GM crosses over into overkill, says my Thursday column.
• Tony Barnhart writes for CBS Sports that Stephen Garcia has made a difference for Carolina.
• Kentucky is now home for Terrence Jones, writes Jason King of Yahoo Sports.
• Kentucky awaiting word on Derrick Locke, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that Brandon Knight’s mom is proud of her son’s academics.
• Another chance to stop a streak for the football Cats, writes Aarron Smith of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Kentucky defense looking to force more turnovers, reports Guy Ramsey for Cat Scratches.
• Randall Cobb is tired of some fans knocking Mike Hartline, writes Darrell Bird of the Cats Pause.
• Hartline remembers what happened last year against South Carolina, reports Mary Jo Perino of Channel 18.
• Bleed Blue Kentucky breaks down the Cats and the Gamecocks for Saturday.
• Jeff Zell of South Carolina Now says South Carolina should believe in good football, not fate.
• UK cornerback Martavius Neloms talks about covering Jeffery:

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.

Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline completed 23 of 28 passes for 220 yards in Saturday night’s 37-34 loss to Auburn. That figures to a completion percentage of 82.1, best for 20-attempts-or-more since Tim Couch completed 44 of 53 passes for 83 percent against Vanderbilt in 1998.

In fact, Hartline’s pass completion percentage was the fourth best for the Cats since 1985.

Overall, Hartline is now 32nd in the nation in pass efficiency, with a rating of 143.5.

Here are UK’s five best pass completion performances (20-or-more attempts) in the past 25 years: