John Clay's Sidelines

Kentucky football players Moncel Allen, Stuart Hines and Mark Crawford (all on same video) talk about the loss to Mississippi State and what the team needs to do in the remaining three games.

Big Blue Links for Wednesday:

• Turkish team says it paid Enes Kanter over $100,000, reports Pete Thamel of the New York Times.
• No Lexington TV outlet yet for UK-WKU football game, says Herald-Leader staff report.
• Moncel Allen sees opportunity in Kentucky fullback role, reports Chip Cosby of the H-L.
• UK football season ticket sales are down eight percent, reports Cosby.
• Kentucky and, yes, Louisville are benefiting from basketball recruiting wars, so writes me.
• Diligence pays off for Micah Johnson, writes Andy Kent of miamidolphins.com. (Hat tip to Tom Leach.)
• Bowling Green basketball star Chane Behanan commits to Louisville, reports Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal.
• Rick Bozich of the C-J blogs on Enes Kanter story.
• Eric Crawford of the C-J does a Q&A with himself about the Kanter story.
• Luke McDermott, Freaky Luke, got to prove he can play, writes Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger gives his take on the Enes Kanter story.
• Eamonn Brennan of espn.com blogs about the New York Times and Enes Kanter.

(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)

Big Blue Links for Tuesday:

• Upset of Ole Miss resonates with Kentucky, writes Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Mark Story of the H-L reviews Kentucky’s win over Louisville last Saturday.
• Western Kentucky not thinking about its last meeting with UK, reports Nick Baumgardner of the Bowling Green Daily News.
• Joker Phillips wants a team of closers, writes Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Despite winning SEC honors, Danny Trevathan thinks he could have done better, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Joker Phillips wants to minimize mistakes, writes Nick Craddock of the Kentucky Kernel.
• Moncel Allen believes he is a fullback now, writes Eric Lindsey of Cat Scratches.
• Luke McDermott wants respect, writes Alan Cutler of WLEX-TV.
• Turn on your Hart-light, writes Ryan Lemond for Kentucky Sports Network.
• Bleed Blue Kentucky looks at five unsolved issues for the Kentucky football team.

(H-L photo)

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Adonis Thomas to cut his list down to five schools, reports Jason Smith of the Memphis Edge. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• Bryan Floyd of SB Nation Seattle on UK target Kyle Wiltjer reportedly making his announcement tonight.
• DeAndre Daniels will enroll at the IMG Academy, reports Zagsblog.
• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes that the Kentucky football team is rallying behind Mike Hartline.
• Judge throws the book at Ed Davender, sentencing ex-UK basketball star to eight years in jail, reports Jennifer Hewlett of the Herald-Leader.
• Eloy Vargas has been cleared to play basketball at UK, says H-L staff report.
• Joe Mansour is getting a kick out of Kentucky, writes Ray Glier for the AJC.
• Ex-Boyle County star Jordan Aumiller has moved to No. 1 at tight end, reports Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger.
• Future Cat football player Daylen Hall has a huge game for St. Xavier, writes Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal.
• Signing players is only half the battle, writes Rick Bozich of the Courier-Journal.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Adonis Thomas to cut list; Kyle Wiltjer to announce’

UK players cool down after Thursday

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Operation Win is working for the Wildcats, blogs Chris Low of espn.com.
• John Calipari visits the Pittsburgh Steelers camp, reports Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (Hat tip to Aaron’s UK Basketball Blog.)
• Other position battles raging besides quarterback at UK, reports Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader.
• Kentucky football coaches show diversity is slowing rising, writes AP’s Will Graves.
• Oregon hoops star Kyle Wiltjer has Kentucky on his list of final seven schools, reports Tom Brown of the Oregonian.
• Chris Fisher of Kentucky Ink on Wiltjer’s impressions of Kentucky.
• Mark Story of the H-L writes that Adrian Smith entering the Hall of Fame is a dream story.
• John Calipari and players will bring shoes, wash feet in Detroit, reports Samaritans Feet.
• New players, new uniform numbers for UK basketball team, says H-L report.
• More about Kentucky’s foes in Canada, from Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Operation Win working for Wildcats, says ESPN’

(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.

Adreian Payne

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Columbus Post-Dispatch reports that top 2010 basketball prospect Adreain Payne, a 6-10 center/forward out of Dayton, will make a visit to Kentucky this weekend.
• The Herald-Leader’s Chip Cosby blogs that UK running back Moncel Allen has made his grades and will be eligible in the fall.
• On his twitter page, John Calipari reports he auctioned off two tickets to UK-U of L for $50,000 at Dick Vitale gala.
• Scout.com makes UK’s basketball recruiting class No. 1.
• Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun reports on Kentucky baseball’s win over Florida.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes on the way Calipari is promoting the program.
• George Robinson of the Leaf Chronicle writes that Calipari will have a hard time selling big program on idea of playing Kentucky in Nashville.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Top 2010 prospect on UK campus this weekend’

Did you know Kentucky was the only team in the SEC that did not have at least one rusher gain at least 100 yards in any of its games this season?

It’s true.

UK had six individual 100-yard rushing games a year ago, all by Rafael Little.

This year, Derrick Locke came the closest when the sophomore rushed for 96 yards on just six carries against FCS team Norfolk State back on Week 2 of the season. That was before Locke was lost for the season with a knee injury.

If you want to stick to FBS opponents, Randall Cobb rushed for 82 yards on 18 carries in the 42-38 loss to Georgia.

Here’s the chart of the Cats’ top 10 rushing performances this season: