I wish that I wasn't right all the time. My first post of the season came Monday. I mentioned that Randall Cobb was injury prone and his health was a big key to the season. Apparently, Cobb headed to a specialist the next day for a back problem I didn't even know he had when I wrote the column. The good news is that he has already had a negative MRI, meaning that his problems are likely muscle and not disk related. From experience, though, when your back hurts it is hard to do anything, let alone play football.
On a separate note, don't forget to vote on the poll on the right when you visit the site. Right now, I'm looking like a tool with only one vote.
Finally, keep an eye out for a question and answer session with the Lexington Herald Leader's UK Football writer Chip Cosby some time in the next week. Chip does a great job covering the team in his articles and blog posts and has seen it all up close during the recent renaissance years. I appreciate having him on here and look forward to hearing his takes.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Bowl Projection Fail
All three fans of this site know that I like to focus on bowl projections. Back in May, I reported that Scout had the Cats going to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, and went over my early SEC projections. This was before the Jeremy Jarmon suspension was announced.
Right now several other outlets are projecting UK out of the bowl picture entirely. More still have us in the very bottom Independence/Pizza Web Site Bowl tier.
Sports Illustrated, ESPN SEC blogger Chris Low and ESPN writer Bruce Feldman are giving us no love whatsoever. All project that the SEC will not fill its allotment of bowls (assuming 2 in the BCS). Thus the snub amounts to a projection that we won't get the 6 wins needed to be bowl eligible.
Kentucky Sports Radio goes Independence v. Colorado, ditto ESPN's Mark Schlabach. The Sporting News has us in the Papajohns.com Bowl v. UCONN.
Of course, my projections for the SEC included a return trip to the Liberty Bowl for the Cats. Again, that was before JJ took his game to the NFL.
Several of the sites I usually discuss haven't posted yet. Still, this is a disturbing trend. Of course, we haven't played a game yet.
Right now several other outlets are projecting UK out of the bowl picture entirely. More still have us in the very bottom Independence/Pizza Web Site Bowl tier.
Sports Illustrated, ESPN SEC blogger Chris Low and ESPN writer Bruce Feldman are giving us no love whatsoever. All project that the SEC will not fill its allotment of bowls (assuming 2 in the BCS). Thus the snub amounts to a projection that we won't get the 6 wins needed to be bowl eligible.
Kentucky Sports Radio goes Independence v. Colorado, ditto ESPN's Mark Schlabach. The Sporting News has us in the Papajohns.com Bowl v. UCONN.
Of course, my projections for the SEC included a return trip to the Liberty Bowl for the Cats. Again, that was before JJ took his game to the NFL.
Several of the sites I usually discuss haven't posted yet. Still, this is a disturbing trend. Of course, we haven't played a game yet.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
UK Football Fan-Mad Men Edition
Since the Season 2 debut of UK Football Fan falls the day after the Season 3 premiere of my new favorite show, Mad Men, I thought I'd kick things off with the totally unoriginal column idea of using pop culture quotes to illuminate my subject.
First off, if you aren't watching Mad Men you are missing out. For the record, I thought the season premiere was a little uneven, though the scene with Don and Salvatore on the plane ride home from Baltimore was one of the show's all-time best. And by the way, that is a Mad Men, cartoon me on the right.
With apologies to Bill Simmons, here goes.
"I want you to do something for me Pete. I want you to get a cardboard box, and put all your stuff in it. "
This is a rather ominous way to start out, but it is my favorite line. This goes to Steve Ortmeyer, who should be another disastrous special teams year from being shown the door. Three roughing the kicker penalties probably cost us the Vandy game. A blocked chip-shot field goal nearly led to a loss against Middle Tennessee. Two consecutive blocked punts cost our team its last shred of dignity in the Florida debacle. Field goal kicking has been a glaring weakness in our otherwise pretty decent three year bowl string. The list goes on and on. In fairness, the Cats did some good things in the kick return game and by-and-large in kick coverage last year. Still, the overall showing has been abysmal. Special teams use the same kids as the offense and defense. That they execute so poorly has to fall in some measure on coaching.
"Get out of here and move forward. This never happened. It will shock you how much it never happened."
First off, if you aren't watching Mad Men you are missing out. For the record, I thought the season premiere was a little uneven, though the scene with Don and Salvatore on the plane ride home from Baltimore was one of the show's all-time best. And by the way, that is a Mad Men, cartoon me on the right.
With apologies to Bill Simmons, here goes.
"I want you to do something for me Pete. I want you to get a cardboard box, and put all your stuff in it. "
This is a rather ominous way to start out, but it is my favorite line. This goes to Steve Ortmeyer, who should be another disastrous special teams year from being shown the door. Three roughing the kicker penalties probably cost us the Vandy game. A blocked chip-shot field goal nearly led to a loss against Middle Tennessee. Two consecutive blocked punts cost our team its last shred of dignity in the Florida debacle. Field goal kicking has been a glaring weakness in our otherwise pretty decent three year bowl string. The list goes on and on. In fairness, the Cats did some good things in the kick return game and by-and-large in kick coverage last year. Still, the overall showing has been abysmal. Special teams use the same kids as the offense and defense. That they execute so poorly has to fall in some measure on coaching.
"Get out of here and move forward. This never happened. It will shock you how much it never happened."
Don's words to Peggy after she has given up her baby is really a description of how he lives his own life.
Last year UK took a potentially soul killing beatdown at Florida in stride, gaining bowl eligibility the following week in Starkville then playing perhaps its best game of the year in a loss to Georgia. This season's early schedule is much harder than in the recent past. UK could easily take a 2-4 record (including a blowout loss or two) into the second half of the season and still end up in a bowl game. Right after the tough part of the schedule comes an easy stretch from October 17 to November 14. At that point we go Louisiana-Monroe (Home), Mississippi State (H), EKU (H) and Vandy (A). Neither the team nor its fans should freak out over big losses or the failure to get an upset win before that point. Short memories could be helpful.
Last year UK took a potentially soul killing beatdown at Florida in stride, gaining bowl eligibility the following week in Starkville then playing perhaps its best game of the year in a loss to Georgia. This season's early schedule is much harder than in the recent past. UK could easily take a 2-4 record (including a blowout loss or two) into the second half of the season and still end up in a bowl game. Right after the tough part of the schedule comes an easy stretch from October 17 to November 14. At that point we go Louisiana-Monroe (Home), Mississippi State (H), EKU (H) and Vandy (A). Neither the team nor its fans should freak out over big losses or the failure to get an upset win before that point. Short memories could be helpful.
"Don Draper: We should get married.
Midge: You think I'd make a good ex-wife?"
Gene Chizek brings his five combined wins in his last two years at Iowa State to Auburn, a school that just ran off a coach who went 13-0 in 2004 and 11-2 as recently as 2006. A winnable road game for the Cats on October 17th.
"Eugene, I'm in the persuasion business, and frankly I'm disappointed by your presentation."
Peggy eviscerates a suitor during an office party.
Papa Brooks' explanation aside, I must confess I am a little concerned that UK has only three prospects signed for its 2010 class.
"Having money and education does not take the rude edge out of people"
Peggy eviscerates a suitor during an office party.
Papa Brooks' explanation aside, I must confess I am a little concerned that UK has only three prospects signed for its 2010 class.
"Having money and education does not take the rude edge out of people"
Be prepared for a nasty fight at Vandy this year. They will have a decent squad again, and bowl eligibility for one or both teams will be hanging in the balance, as it has for the last several years when this game is played.
"Peggy, this is isn't China. There's no money in virginity."
To my man Tim Tebow. See you September 26th. Uhhh. . .be gentle?
"Pete: Is Don on board with my promotion?
Duck: I'm the President, I don't need his permission, do I?"
To the UK brass, for making a head scratching decision to give Randy Sanders the title of Offensive Coordinator while promoting Joker to "Head Coach of the Offense" or something funny like that. These are smart guys, and I think they know that as long as Joker is calling the plays, he is still the OC. I don't think anyone else, such as a potential employer for Coach Sanders down the road, is going to be fooled either.
"You wanna be on vacation Pete? Cause I can make that happen."
To Aaron Boyd, who by all accounts is running out of chances.
Doctor: "So, Mr. Draper, you haven't had a physical in quite some time."
Don Draper: "Yeah. I eat a lot of apples."
As improved as the rest of our offense may or may not be, Randall Cobb is the key. Not only will he be the focal point at receiver, he'll get many snaps as a Wildcat package QB and return punts. We'll need to get the ball in his hands 10-15 times a game to be the most successful. Outside of Trevard Lindley and Micah Johnson, he is the team's best player. Here is the problem issue with Randall. Dude gets hurt. Last year, he missed two and a half early games with a high ankle sprain along with the Liberty Bowl due to an unrelated knee injury. Cobb has already been held out of some drills this preseason with hip issues. If UK cannot keep him on the field, the offense will assuredly struggle. This is an angle people don't seem to be talking up, but Cobb's health may be the real key to the season.
Don: "What kind of agency do we want to be?"
Roger: "The kind where everyone has a summer house?"
As great as its ensemble cast is, John Slatterly's turn as cynical, pragmatic leach Roger Sterling is the standout performance of the show. I smile every time he comes on camera.
Most fans know intellectually that we don't have the geography, recruiting demographics, or the long term tradition to become a year in and year out SEC powerhouse like Florida, Georgia, LSU or Alabama. These schools may have an occasional hiccup, or a temporary downturn, but will be on the national map almost always. A realistic goal for UK is to be in a tier right below that. Be competitive in every game, consistently beat every SEC doormat, get to a bowl every year, join the hunt for Outback, Chick-Fil-A and Capital One births and every once in a while put it all together for a special season.
The truth is, we are teetering on the edge of having all of this. We are also very close to being back where we were the morning of the LSU game in 2006. Take away two or three plays last year, and we are looking at a 4-8. Most observers would agree that despite only one less win, last year's team was not nearly as good as the two before it. Still, that team persevered, kept the train rolling and was a play or five from finishing even better than the 6-6 most fans would have taken before the year started.
The 2009 Cats look very similar to last year's in terms of talent. Better offense, weaker defense and special teams. Like last year, this team can do some good things, but there isn't going to be much margin for error. A coach of mine used to say, "Football is a game of inches, and we need to play the long inches." This years team is going to have to play the long inches to be successful.
"You wanna be on vacation Pete? Cause I can make that happen."
To Aaron Boyd, who by all accounts is running out of chances.
Doctor: "So, Mr. Draper, you haven't had a physical in quite some time."
Don Draper: "Yeah. I eat a lot of apples."
As improved as the rest of our offense may or may not be, Randall Cobb is the key. Not only will he be the focal point at receiver, he'll get many snaps as a Wildcat package QB and return punts. We'll need to get the ball in his hands 10-15 times a game to be the most successful. Outside of Trevard Lindley and Micah Johnson, he is the team's best player. Here is the problem issue with Randall. Dude gets hurt. Last year, he missed two and a half early games with a high ankle sprain along with the Liberty Bowl due to an unrelated knee injury. Cobb has already been held out of some drills this preseason with hip issues. If UK cannot keep him on the field, the offense will assuredly struggle. This is an angle people don't seem to be talking up, but Cobb's health may be the real key to the season.
Don: "What kind of agency do we want to be?"
Roger: "The kind where everyone has a summer house?"
As great as its ensemble cast is, John Slatterly's turn as cynical, pragmatic leach Roger Sterling is the standout performance of the show. I smile every time he comes on camera.
Most fans know intellectually that we don't have the geography, recruiting demographics, or the long term tradition to become a year in and year out SEC powerhouse like Florida, Georgia, LSU or Alabama. These schools may have an occasional hiccup, or a temporary downturn, but will be on the national map almost always. A realistic goal for UK is to be in a tier right below that. Be competitive in every game, consistently beat every SEC doormat, get to a bowl every year, join the hunt for Outback, Chick-Fil-A and Capital One births and every once in a while put it all together for a special season.
The truth is, we are teetering on the edge of having all of this. We are also very close to being back where we were the morning of the LSU game in 2006. Take away two or three plays last year, and we are looking at a 4-8. Most observers would agree that despite only one less win, last year's team was not nearly as good as the two before it. Still, that team persevered, kept the train rolling and was a play or five from finishing even better than the 6-6 most fans would have taken before the year started.
The 2009 Cats look very similar to last year's in terms of talent. Better offense, weaker defense and special teams. Like last year, this team can do some good things, but there isn't going to be much margin for error. A coach of mine used to say, "Football is a game of inches, and we need to play the long inches." This years team is going to have to play the long inches to be successful.
If it does so, a fourth straight bowl and an improved standing in a wide open SEC East race (at least for spots 3-6) could put the program where it needs to be for some time. It is worth playing for.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Big Games-Part 1
With the beginning of the college football season a couple of weeks away, lets take a look at some of the games that will shape the national and SEC season. There are some great matchups on the way.
September 5th
The first weekend is filled with some great interconference games, including at least one with national championship ramifications.
While Florida, Texas and the real USC open up with patsies, Alabama and Virgina Tech get us started right in a made for TV mega matchup at the Georgia Dome. Va Tech is coming off a strong finish, with identical 20-7 wins over BC in the ACC Championship game and Cincinnati in the Rose Bowl. Alabama returns a ton of talent, but must replace well coiffed signal caller John Parker Wilson.
Boise State puts its chances at a BCS bowl on the line early, hosting Oregon. The Broncos went 12-0 last year, including a road win over the Ducks, but somehow settled for the Poinsettia Bowl.
September 5th
The first weekend is filled with some great interconference games, including at least one with national championship ramifications.
While Florida, Texas and the real USC open up with patsies, Alabama and Virgina Tech get us started right in a made for TV mega matchup at the Georgia Dome. Va Tech is coming off a strong finish, with identical 20-7 wins over BC in the ACC Championship game and Cincinnati in the Rose Bowl. Alabama returns a ton of talent, but must replace well coiffed signal caller John Parker Wilson.
Boise State puts its chances at a BCS bowl on the line early, hosting Oregon. The Broncos went 12-0 last year, including a road win over the Ducks, but somehow settled for the Poinsettia Bowl.
Georgia will put first-time starting QB Joe Cox to the test early, travelling to Stillwater to take on Dez Bryant, Zac Robinson, and the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Sept 7
Break out your CCDW permit, Florida State hosts Miami (FL).
Sept. 12
A ton of my college friends will be meeting me in Knoxville to watch my UCLA Briuns take on the Tennessee Kiffins. Man, I hate that guy.
Last year USC got Ohio State at home and shellacked the Buckeyes, 35-3. This year, the Trojans travel to Columbus. A win in this game makes either an instant title contender.
Georgia hosts South Carolina, in the kind of game Steve Superior needs to win if he is ever going to establish USC light as a conference power. The clock is ticking, Steve.
September 19th.
Pitino State travels to UK in a game that everyone is conceding to us, or in the case of UK fans chalking up as a win. This one could be a season ruining toe stub if the Cats don't take care of business. In a separate note, I still need tickets to this game.
Texas hosts the team that ruined its 2008 season, a now Michael Crabtree and Graham Harrell-less Texas Tech.
Oregon continues its quest to play the most thankless non-conference schedule in the country with its second non-BCS powerhouse in three weeks, hosting Utah, the same Utes that put it on Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
West Virgina heads to Auburn. Gene Chizek could buy a lot of goodwill with the sceptical Tiger faithful with a good showing here.
Florida plays Tennessee in a game I seriously hope it wins 100-0.
September 24th
I'll be DVRing 30 Rock and The Office to see if Ole Miss can live up to the preseason hype and steal one on South Carolina's home turf.
September 26th
Cal heads to Oregon in a marquis early season PAC-10 tilt.
It isn't hyped as one of the SEC games of the year. In fact, it could prove one of the worst. But assuming UK hasn't lost to this point, the game against Florida will be the SEC's most attractive on this particular day. It could be the nationally televised 3:30 game on CBS. Lets hope for a better showing than last year.
South Florida hosts Florida State. This reminds me. On the list of things I'd like to see, how about letting the Big East and ACC play a series of games to see who gets to be a part of the BCS the following year?
Token Big Ten game alert: Penn State hosts Iowa. Yeah, I don't really care either.
OCT 3
CAL has a good schedule, including a chance to play its conference's only true powerhouse, USC, at home.
LSU heads to Georgia in a battle of the SEC's upper-middle class.
OCT 10
Florida and LSU kick it off in Death Valley. This is by far the toughest road test in the Tim Tebow Coronation Tour. Oh yeah, and the winner of this game has won the last 3 national championships.
meanwhile . . .
Alabama and Mississippi will be playing at The Grove for possible supremacy in the SEC West. Both must play LSU later in the year, but the winner of this one should be in real good shape.
Alex, Dave, Todd and Ben will be making the seven hour drive to Columbia to see the Cats take on the Cocks. Part of a crucial two game road swing for the Cats we'll discuss in more detail soon.
Oct 17
Texas and Oklahoma square off in Dallas in the "on paper" college football game of the year. Both should be 5-0 heading in. Last year, the Sooners managed to lose and sneak into the national championship game. I don't see that happening again. This could be a de facto national semifinal, played out seven weeks before the end of the season.
Georgia Tech hosts Virginia Tech in a matchup of quarterbacks, Josh Nesbitt and Tyrod Taylor, who both have a lot of hype, but need to improve their accuracy to take their teams where they want to go.
We'll cover the second half of the season in a later post. It is decidedly less interesting.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Those Bastards
The Worldwide Leader has set the UK-U of L kickoff on September 19th for noon. You have got to be kidding me.
Break out the bloody mary mix.
Break out the bloody mary mix.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
51 Days
This whole thing may blow over after all. I don't necessarily buy it because one guy at WKYT says so. Still, I would have expected any charges based on last Saturday to come by now. It is weird to see an outlet say, "This story we never brought you in the first place is in fact not a story." The station is admitting something newsworthy happened that it chose not to report. Because, like it or not, WKTY deemed it a story. Otherwise it would not report that the incident was going to blow over. This may explain why the rest of the media remains silent, if in fact the police have affimatively decided not to bring charges and have said so.
With this hopefully behind us, let me reset this thing mid-summer. Players report for camp on August 6. Practice starts the next day. Fan Day at Commonwealth is August 8th, time TBA. Hopefully my man crush on Micah Johnson won't show as I'm asking him to sign my kid's jersey.
Of course, the season opens September 5, 12:00pm at Paul Brown Stadium again Miami (OH). That is 50 days 21 hours and fourty-eight minutes, as I type.
UK Football Fan will swing back into action full-time the week of August 17th. Some ideas I am toying with are a regular publication schedule for my own content (say Sunday, Tuesday and Friday) and possibly more frequent links to other UK Football content on the web. I am looking for other ways to make the site better and to reach more people. If you have thoughts on this, let me know either as a comment or at ascutch@insightbb.com .
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
More offseason turmoil
Without reporting any details myself, and with the mainstream media not exactly stepping in to fill the misinformation/rumor vacuum, I will say that this KSR post by Matt Jones sums up the story I am hearing from a number of people. There are different versions, but this is the core.
Here are some observations:
1. However this shakes out, the UK-UT game here in Lexington on November 28 will be the most hostile and nasty that many of us have ever seen. I cannot remember a storyline that would create this much real bad blood between multiple people on both sides of the field. Particularly if this ends with one of our stars missing the season. Add to this "The streak", UT's monumental jackass of a coach, and the possibility we will have exactly 5 wins going into the game and it could be a transcendent, sports as theatre, moment.
2. From a purely football standpoint, any potential loss of Micah Johnson may kill the season. In the span of one off-season, without a single injury mind you, we may have gone from a Defense with three All-American candidates and six returning starters to four returning starters, only one of whom is considered All-SEC caliber. Ronnie Snead, a redshirt sophomore with one career tackle, is listed on the depth chart as Johnson's backup. Senior Mikhail Mabry is another possibility. After that, we are looking at true freshmen. Middle linebackers get hurt. Often. This, combined with the Jarmon suspension, takes us from a probable bowl team fighting for seven or eight wins to a team that will do well to make a bowl.
3. Johnson's loss would be awful for the team from a psychological standpoint. He is without a doubt their face and leader. If he is in this situation as deep as may be indicated, I have to wonder if that is the reason. To whom much is given much is expected, and a leader has to have everyone's back. Something to think about.
4. If anything happens to Trevard Lindley between now and September 5, I'll be convinced god has a sick sense of humor.
5. Thinking about this bothers me deeply for reasons I'm not prepared to explain. It isn't like I actually know any of these guys. But, my son still hasn't quite grown into his #4 jersey I bought him last year. Micah is my favorite UK player since J-Lo. I'm hoping his name is surfacing only because it is a big name, or because he is the one person others involved in whatever happened recognized. But most of all, I wish none of this ever happened and none of our players were involved.
6. There is one more pretty big name I've heard associated with this incident.
7. Remember, none of this is being reported anywhere as fact. We've heard nothing from the police, the courts, any alleged "victim" or any mainstream news outlet. Let's keep an open mind until actual facts come out.
Here are some observations:
1. However this shakes out, the UK-UT game here in Lexington on November 28 will be the most hostile and nasty that many of us have ever seen. I cannot remember a storyline that would create this much real bad blood between multiple people on both sides of the field. Particularly if this ends with one of our stars missing the season. Add to this "The streak", UT's monumental jackass of a coach, and the possibility we will have exactly 5 wins going into the game and it could be a transcendent, sports as theatre, moment.
2. From a purely football standpoint, any potential loss of Micah Johnson may kill the season. In the span of one off-season, without a single injury mind you, we may have gone from a Defense with three All-American candidates and six returning starters to four returning starters, only one of whom is considered All-SEC caliber. Ronnie Snead, a redshirt sophomore with one career tackle, is listed on the depth chart as Johnson's backup. Senior Mikhail Mabry is another possibility. After that, we are looking at true freshmen. Middle linebackers get hurt. Often. This, combined with the Jarmon suspension, takes us from a probable bowl team fighting for seven or eight wins to a team that will do well to make a bowl.
3. Johnson's loss would be awful for the team from a psychological standpoint. He is without a doubt their face and leader. If he is in this situation as deep as may be indicated, I have to wonder if that is the reason. To whom much is given much is expected, and a leader has to have everyone's back. Something to think about.
4. If anything happens to Trevard Lindley between now and September 5, I'll be convinced god has a sick sense of humor.
5. Thinking about this bothers me deeply for reasons I'm not prepared to explain. It isn't like I actually know any of these guys. But, my son still hasn't quite grown into his #4 jersey I bought him last year. Micah is my favorite UK player since J-Lo. I'm hoping his name is surfacing only because it is a big name, or because he is the one person others involved in whatever happened recognized. But most of all, I wish none of this ever happened and none of our players were involved.
6. There is one more pretty big name I've heard associated with this incident.
7. Remember, none of this is being reported anywhere as fact. We've heard nothing from the police, the courts, any alleged "victim" or any mainstream news outlet. Let's keep an open mind until actual facts come out.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
SEC-ESPN TV Deal
Kentucky Sports Radio has published details about the SEC television package with ESPN and how it will play out next year. Good news, nearly every game will be on The Worldwide Leader in some capacity. Bad news, there are going to be some 11:30 am starts. Looks like my son isn't going to play soccer next year after all. Sorry E. Neutral news (for reasons that deserve a more nuanced treatment), not Raycom.
One final note. If you don't get ESPNU or Classic, get out of the dark ages. Insight sports and lifestyle package. Problem solved.
I have no idea where this information came from. But this is the best site out there for Kentucky sports news, so I'll trust 'em.
One final note. If you don't get ESPNU or Classic, get out of the dark ages. Insight sports and lifestyle package. Problem solved.
I have no idea where this information came from. But this is the best site out there for Kentucky sports news, so I'll trust 'em.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Jarmon's Career Ends With PED Suspension
Distressing news from UK this morning that Jeremy Jarmon has tested positive for a banned substance. The NCAA has suspended him for one year, effectively ending his UK career. The presser was handled with a lot of class by Mitch Barnhart and Jarmon, who apparently asked to address the public.
Jarmon had a rather lengthy explanation regarding the use of an over the counter weight loss supplement that apparently is banned by the NCAA. When I hear these explanations from pro athletes, I never believe them. (See Ramirez, Manny). I'll give Jarmon the benefit of the doubt, both because he seems like a good kid, but also because his story was almost too detailed not to be true.
Midway through, Jarmon wept openly when discussing what UK Football meant to him. The realization that he had let his teammates down seemed to hit him at that moment. Make no mistake, he is right. We've lost one of the four best players on the team at a position that was already among the team's weakest. At the close of spring practice, the only question mark on the defensive side was who would start opposite Jarmon at end. Now we have two slots to fill with unproven talent. Jeremy was the team's only consistent pass rushing threat. Outside of Micah Johnson and perhaps Randall Cobb, I think Jarmon was the worst person we could have lost.
With all said and done, I feel far worse for Jarmon than I do for the Cats. He made a mistake, but even if his story is totally false, the mistake would be an understandable one. Jarmon was told merely months ago that he was a marginal NFL prospect, and decided to come back to school. His junior campaign was, statistically at least, not as good as his sophomore year. A lot was hanging in the balance. Can you blame a kid who tries to get an extra edge in this situation? Now not only has he lost his senior football season, but he missed the draft and his chances to play in the NFL would appear slim. I hope in the coming days he gets some good advice about his options. I assume because he did not declare, he cannot play in the NFL next year. There could be a supplemental draft (a la Brian Bosworth, circa 1987), but I have no idea how this works. However it shakes out, this is a devastating blow for a young guy.
Finally, one word about Mitch Barnhart. Many things have been said about him. These days he looks like a genius, but he isn't that far removed from all of Kentucky calling for his head. He isn't flashy, and he doesn't always do what the faithful think need to be done. But the understated and classy way he handled the conference today should make people connected with the program extremely proud. He is a truly decent guy.
Jarmon had a rather lengthy explanation regarding the use of an over the counter weight loss supplement that apparently is banned by the NCAA. When I hear these explanations from pro athletes, I never believe them. (See Ramirez, Manny). I'll give Jarmon the benefit of the doubt, both because he seems like a good kid, but also because his story was almost too detailed not to be true.
Midway through, Jarmon wept openly when discussing what UK Football meant to him. The realization that he had let his teammates down seemed to hit him at that moment. Make no mistake, he is right. We've lost one of the four best players on the team at a position that was already among the team's weakest. At the close of spring practice, the only question mark on the defensive side was who would start opposite Jarmon at end. Now we have two slots to fill with unproven talent. Jeremy was the team's only consistent pass rushing threat. Outside of Micah Johnson and perhaps Randall Cobb, I think Jarmon was the worst person we could have lost.
With all said and done, I feel far worse for Jarmon than I do for the Cats. He made a mistake, but even if his story is totally false, the mistake would be an understandable one. Jarmon was told merely months ago that he was a marginal NFL prospect, and decided to come back to school. His junior campaign was, statistically at least, not as good as his sophomore year. A lot was hanging in the balance. Can you blame a kid who tries to get an extra edge in this situation? Now not only has he lost his senior football season, but he missed the draft and his chances to play in the NFL would appear slim. I hope in the coming days he gets some good advice about his options. I assume because he did not declare, he cannot play in the NFL next year. There could be a supplemental draft (a la Brian Bosworth, circa 1987), but I have no idea how this works. However it shakes out, this is a devastating blow for a young guy.
Finally, one word about Mitch Barnhart. Many things have been said about him. These days he looks like a genius, but he isn't that far removed from all of Kentucky calling for his head. He isn't flashy, and he doesn't always do what the faithful think need to be done. But the understated and classy way he handled the conference today should make people connected with the program extremely proud. He is a truly decent guy.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Early SEC Bowl Projections
Thanks to a quick look at John Clay's Blog this afternoon I learned that CFN-Scout has come out with its early bowl projections for 2009-2010. These are the first I've seen on the Internet from a mainstream outlet. On a national scale, these were interesting. Predictably, CFN has Florida in the National Championship. It went against what I think ultimately will be the grain by picking USC as its opponent. I'd go with Texas, or perhaps Oklahoma, and don't think I'd put USC back in a championship until it proves capable of getting through the PAC-10 without a toe stub again. There are some mild surprises, like West Virginia representing the Big East and the Big-Ten getting two teams in the BCS, otherwise pretty standard stuff.
The Bowl projection thing is batted around fairly often on this blog. The reasons are sort of quirky, but understandable. One, the experience of going to bowls is pretty central to my status as UK Football Fan. Granted, I was a fan before this recent streak, and will be still if we suck too bad to go to them again. Still, a part of my rooting interest stems from hoping for that trip, then ultimately hoping it can be to someplace better, different and further south.
Secondly, predicting who will go where lets me unleash my inner geek. In the SEC, I understand the rules and reasoning behind who goes where as well as anyone in the mainstream or Internet media. I cannot say that about any other aspect of football. Crap, I cannot really say that about anything. What I have to say more relevant than saying "Randall Cobb is well suited to play the slot" or "Sam Maxwell is set for a breakout season". I am not trying to be boastful, just noting that it isn't complicated, and I've spent a ton of time thinking about it.
Enough navel gazing. Let's look at Scout's predictions and how they jibe with my own, prepared about two weeks ago by predicting the records of every SEC team (including looking at the schedules and picking a winner for every league game). Scout picked opponents for each game. I will probably not piece that together until mid-November.
My picks are in parentheses.
National Championship
Florida (Florida)
Sugar Bowl
Ole Miss (Ole Miss)
Capital One Bowl
Georgia (Georgia)
Cotton Bowl
Alabama (Alabama)
Outback Bowl
LSU (Tennessee)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl
Drumrolll................Kentucky (LSU)
Liberty Bowl
Arkansas (Kentucky)
Music City Bowl
Tennessee (South Carolina)
Independence Bowl
Vanderbilt (No SEC team eligible, though if I had to pick the next team, Arkansas)
Pizza Web Site Bowl
Auburn (Auburn would be my #10 SEC team, but I still have them at 5-7)
If you look at who is where, it is reasonable to assume Scout has us going 8-4. This would mean beating the two teams SEC teams off this chart, Mississippi State and South Carolina, winning our four nonconference games, beating UT at home, and splitting our road games with two bowl bound teams below us (Vandy and Auburn). I think it is a bit optimistic, but doable. Also, I don't buy that South Carolina will be one of the SEC's two worst teams. Spurrier has been nothing if not consistently mediocre there. Not sure why this year would be any different.
The Bowl projection thing is batted around fairly often on this blog. The reasons are sort of quirky, but understandable. One, the experience of going to bowls is pretty central to my status as UK Football Fan. Granted, I was a fan before this recent streak, and will be still if we suck too bad to go to them again. Still, a part of my rooting interest stems from hoping for that trip, then ultimately hoping it can be to someplace better, different and further south.
Secondly, predicting who will go where lets me unleash my inner geek. In the SEC, I understand the rules and reasoning behind who goes where as well as anyone in the mainstream or Internet media. I cannot say that about any other aspect of football. Crap, I cannot really say that about anything. What I have to say more relevant than saying "Randall Cobb is well suited to play the slot" or "Sam Maxwell is set for a breakout season". I am not trying to be boastful, just noting that it isn't complicated, and I've spent a ton of time thinking about it.
Enough navel gazing. Let's look at Scout's predictions and how they jibe with my own, prepared about two weeks ago by predicting the records of every SEC team (including looking at the schedules and picking a winner for every league game). Scout picked opponents for each game. I will probably not piece that together until mid-November.
My picks are in parentheses.
National Championship
Florida (Florida)
Sugar Bowl
Ole Miss (Ole Miss)
Capital One Bowl
Georgia (Georgia)
Cotton Bowl
Alabama (Alabama)
Outback Bowl
LSU (Tennessee)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl
Drumrolll................Kentucky (LSU)
Liberty Bowl
Arkansas (Kentucky)
Music City Bowl
Tennessee (South Carolina)
Independence Bowl
Vanderbilt (No SEC team eligible, though if I had to pick the next team, Arkansas)
Pizza Web Site Bowl
Auburn (Auburn would be my #10 SEC team, but I still have them at 5-7)
If you look at who is where, it is reasonable to assume Scout has us going 8-4. This would mean beating the two teams SEC teams off this chart, Mississippi State and South Carolina, winning our four nonconference games, beating UT at home, and splitting our road games with two bowl bound teams below us (Vandy and Auburn). I think it is a bit optimistic, but doable. Also, I don't buy that South Carolina will be one of the SEC's two worst teams. Spurrier has been nothing if not consistently mediocre there. Not sure why this year would be any different.
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