Kentuckys Blue/White Game

[McCat]

It was a beautiful day at Commonwealth, got fried like a lobster, but it's ok-- got my spring football fix.

Here's the quick skinny on UK going into the fall:

There's still no clear starter at QB. Last year's starter, André Woodson, throws a prettier deep ball than Tim Couch or the Round Mound of Touchdown, but he's still fumble-prone and takes bad sacks. Freshman Curtis Pulley proved himself to be as elusive as an eel in a vat of oil, but his passing is suspect.

The defense finally seems to be coming around with some depth. The Cats finally have a rotation at D-Line that appears quite strong, and the linebackers will be monstrous with the addition of 5-star recruit Micah Johnson.

The Ravi Moss Experiment is just that- an experiment. The former UK basketball player has the mature body and speed of an SEC WR, but his skills aren't there yet. He caught one beautiful tiptoe-out-of-bounds for a first down pass yesterday.

Freshman tailback Alfonso Smith was easily the star of the day, going 97 yards on 14 rushes, giving Kentucky a nice 3-deep rotation at RB with Rafael Little, Tony Dixon (coming off injury), and Smith.

More coverage:

WildcatNation Review of the Blue/White Game

Mad Science Could Help UK at Quarterback

Freshman Tailback Stars in Blue/White Scrimmage

 

[Lexvol]

There seems to be a genuine sense of optimism in Lexington these days. Heck, they were talking football during basketball season. This team has a decent chance to go 5-6 or 6-5.

 

[OrangeEmpire]

There is always optimism in big blue land during the spring. Always the talk about how much the defense added speed and this year will be different.

The problem is that the defense practices against an average offense, same as always non-warranted preseason hype and disappointment in the fall.

O how I miss living in Lexington.

 

[milohimself]

And the winner of the Blue/White game is... Tennessee??

 

[McCat]

There seems to be a genuine sense of optimism in Lexington these days. Heck, they were talking football during basketball season. This team has a decent chance to go 5-6 or 6-5.

Given that they have 12 games, I'm betting on 6-6.

They used a different scoring system- the offense vs. defense.

The defense got 10 points for a defensive touchdown, 6 for forcing a turnover, 2 for every punt forced, and 3 for a 3-and-out.

The offense got 1 point for every 1st down, then points on the board for whatever they could put in the endzone.

It was a different sort of system, but it was the best format I've seen, because 1st team played against 1st team, 2nd team played against 2nd team, etc.

And there IS a difference between optimism and blind stupidity. I haven't predicted a winning season in several years. Slowly, Rich Brooks is building a winner the right way.

 

[USAF_Vol]

And the winner of the Blue/White game is... Tennessee??

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[milohimself]

Truth. Kentucky even lost their spring game.

 

[McCat]

Truth. Kentucky even lost their spring game.

Ya know, I try to come over and be a nice neighbor, and there's the abuse.... :ermm:

 

[USAF_Vol]

Come on....it was funny

 

[McCat]

Come on....it was funny

:wink2:

Bottom line is, Coach Randy Sanders will earn his salary this summer/fall developing our QBs into something that we can put on the field.

 

[volinasheville]

:wink2:

Bottom line is, Coach Randy Sanders will earn his salary this summer/fall developing our QBs into something that we can put on the field.

Must control the impulse to respond with sarcasm.

 

[milohimself]

Ya know, I try to come over and be a nice neighbor, and there's the abuse.... :ermm:

I'm just kiddin' with ya, bro. I got no beef with Kentucky.

 

[USAF_Vol]

:wink2:

Bottom line is, Coach Randy Sanders will earn his salary this summer/fall developing our QBs into something that we can put on the field.

:wacko: :wacko: :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:


:whistling: :whistling: :whistling: :whistling: :whistling:

 

[milohimself]

USAF, it probably is a step up for the Cats.

 

[USAF_Vol]

USAF, it probably is a step up for the Cats.

:blush2: yeah

 

[OrangeEmpire]

What hurt the Kentucky football program was Hal Mumme's recruiting woes on the defensive side of the ball and allowing star recruits to leave the state of Kentucky because he thought he had no chance of getting them, i.e. Eric Shelton RB Bryan Station High School Lexington, Kentucky.

Brooks is not the long term answer for the program. The biggest mistake Kentucky ever made in recent memory, other than hiring Hal Mumme, was allowing Guy Morris and his assistants to leave.

Kentucky will forever be a basketball school, football is something to petty cash before basketball season.

 

[mattvols]

no sure starter happends when Sanders is your QB coach

 

[milohimself]

no sure starter happends when Sanders is your QB coach

I thought the conflict of starting Ainge vs. Clausen was because the coaches all had different opinions on who should start...

 

[cotton]

I'm just kiddin' with ya, bro. I got no beef with Kentucky.

I do, mainly because I live amongst a horde of Kentuckians. That being said, I hope hometown boys (for me) Pulley and Moss do well. I know Ravi personally, and he really is a nice kid, although I'm a little skeptical about him stepping into SEC football after not playing a snap since the 6th grade.

What hurt the Kentucky football program was Hal Mumme's recruiting woes on the defensive side of the ball and allowing star recruits to leave the state of Kentucky because he thought he had no chance of getting them, i.e. Eric Shelton RB Bryan Station High School Lexington, Kentucky.

It didn't hurt that they got put on probation due to the marvelous recruiting tactics used under his watch. I have a hard time explaining to folks around here that 4 years of scholarship reductions can take 7 or 8 years to overcome. The Mumme era left a monumental rebuilding task in Lexington--not unusual, I know--but a pretty high price to pay for two "great" 6-6 and 7-6 seasons, in my opinion.