UK-U of L

We'll start with my impressions of UK's 27-2 drubbing of the Cards. I predicted early in the week that the Cats would need a defensive or special teams score to win. Though that didn't turn out to be entirely accurate, the thought was correct. I certainly did not expect a three hundred pounder like Myron Pryor to come up with a 70-plus yard TD. In all, the game unfolded more or less how I thought it might with one enormous exception. All the turnovers and the good fortune of turning them into scores.

*Hunter Cantwell didn't get much help from his receivers, but he looked nothing like a potential NFL quarterback. Aside from the turnovers, he telegraphed his throws and missed a ton of open guys. He doesn't throw a catchable ball. A couple of his throws were way harder than they needed to be, and his inexperienced receivers were too inept to compensate.

*David Jones slipped into the starting lineup when Paul Warford became academically ineligible. He is going to play opposite of stud Trevard Lindley all year. He is going to get picked on some. Jones played like an absolute man last night. Two breakups, including one athletic tip as the short man in a cover two. He was a blanket in man coverage.

*Lindley has made big play after big play in his UK career. It doesn't look like that is going to end any time soon. If he isn't a first team All-SEC corner, I want to see the two guys who are.

*Mike Hartline did exactly what I assume was asked of him yesterday. He didn't lose the game. Hartline played as if Rich Brooks was whispering in his ear as the plays unfolded. While that doesn't seem like a compliment, it is. Plenty of QBs are asked to manage a game and essentially to play not to lose. In the end, many have egos or mental makeups that won't allow them to do it.

*That said, Hartline's ball did not look good on the long routes. Of course, the conservative style won't be nearly enough against half the teams on the schedule. To be competitive in the tough games, we'll have to do more.

*As predicted, the offense looks different without all the playmakers from last year. We were spoiled with all of the timing routes, end zone fades thrown over the correct shoulder, leaping grabs and the like. You either have an offense like that or you don't. In 2008, we don't. We'll have to get it done another way.

*How? After one game it seems pretty simple. The ball is going to have to get into Randall Cobb's hands 10-15 times a game. He could be our version of Florida's Percey Hervin, running the ball from the slot 8-10 times a game, catching some screens, and taking a shot downfield. I'd also expect Phillips to install a package to use Cobb as a QB on a series or two.

*More later.