Mark Story on sports

Due to the rain, Kentucky moved its practice indoors to the Nutter Fieldhouse Tuesday. Some highlights:

1.) Injury report: Joker Phillips said strong safety Martavius Neloms did not practice and is “probably doubtful” for the Georgia game.
Defensive tackle Mister Cobble, safety/linebacker Winston Guy, linebacker/rush end Ridge Wilson and cornerback Cartier Rice missed practice Tuesday.

2.) If Neloms cannot start, true freshman Ashely Lowery out of Cleveland, Ga., will make his first career start against his home-state school.

3.) Phillips said Winston Guy “had a little bit better motion” Tuesday in his injured shoulder and is “probable” for Georgia. If Guy couldn’t go, former Simon Kenton High School star Miles Simpson would start in his place.

4.) Joker on UK’s putrid punt return game: “It would have been good to have that guy who returned one last night (Randall Cobb) back there.”

5.) Phillips says true freshman QB Bookie Cobbins is “up and down. All of this is new. We’ve given him very little of our offense. Bookie has got to take the play from the sideline to the huddle. Sometimes it kind of gets mixed up. Just a typical freshman.”

6.) Long after practice was over, Cobbins stayed on the field throwing passes with freshmen receivers Demarco Robinson and Rashad Cunningham.

7.) If Maxwell Smith were to get injured, Joker says “as late as it is (in the season), two games (left), it would be tough to play Bookie now. We’d have to use Morgan (Newton) in an emergency.”

8.) Joker on highly-touted true freshman safety Glenn Faulkner, who has not had a huge impact so far: “He’s coming along better. One, he’s healthy. He’s starting to get some reps on defense, especially with the injuries. That’s given him a chance to get himself better.”

9.) Joker was asked if he identifies with Georgia Coach Mark Richt, who was taking massive heat from his fan base earlier this season but now has UGa. on the verge of winning the SEC East. “That’s the world we live in today. You look around the country, there were supposed to be some quick fixes even in our league, and they are struggling.
“It comes down to players making plays. I’m not saying that’s all it is about, but you have to have guys who can make plays. It’s no different than the Indianapolis Colts. Those guys are bad coaches now? There’s one player you take off their team and they are ‘Oh-fer.’
“That’s just the way this business is. The thing is, that’s not to be used as an excuse. Nobody wants to hear that. Everybody expects the next guy to step up and play at the same level. Very obvious, even at the next level, you don’t always get that.”

It had been widely reported in the “recruiting press” that Paducah Tilghman wideout J.D. Harmon would announce a college choice Monday, with Kentucky his likely pick over Arkansas State.

However, Harmon canceled his announcement late Sunday night. I called Paducah Tilghman Coach Randy Wyatt, the former Kentucky running back, Thursday to get an update on Harmon.

“As of right now, I think he is going to commit to Kentucky,” Wyatt said. “I think he and Coach Summers (Mike, the UK offensive line coach) are supposed to talk (Friday), it I’m not mistaken.

“I think he’s supposed to come up (to Lexington) for a visit this weekend. As of right now, it looks like he is going to commit to Kentucky.

“It’s one of those situations, it boils down to numbers for (UK). They are looking for immediate help at the receiver postion, so J.D. could come in as a grayshirt.

“He’s definitely one of those guys who can play in the SEC. I think at some point he’ll be able to help Kentucky out. The way things look, it looks like he’s headed for Kentucky.”

Only Joker Phillips speaks to the media after Thursday practices. Obviously, the talk today was about Saturday’s matchup with Mississippi State:

1.) As expected, Phillips said that injured running back Raymond Sanders (high ankle sprain) will not dress Saturday.

2.) Joker said that freshman defensive back/kick returner Daylen Hall did not practice Thursday and will not play Saturday.

3.) Phillips said starting fullback D.J. Warren again wore a red shirt in practice, meaning no contact. Phillips indicated that Warren was likely to give it a go Saturday night, but that if he can’t play UK could use more two tight-end sets instead of a fullback.

4.) Joker said defensive end Collins Ukwu, who played briefly against Jacksonville State after missing three games with a shoulder injury, has had a good week of practice and will start against Mississippi State. “He’s looked really, really good,” Phillips said of Ukwu. “He will start.”

5.) Phillips said that tailback Brandon Gainer missed Thursday’s practice with the flu. UK hopes to have Gainer available to play Saturday. “It seems like every time he starts moving up the depth chart, something pulls him back,” Phillips said. “We’ve got to get him healthy and get him ready for Saturday because we’re going to need him. It’s hard to go into this game with just two backs (CoShik Williams and Jonathan George). We’re going to need (Gainer).”

6.) Joker said there isn’t a lot of difference in the Mississippi State offense regardless of whether Chris Relf or Tyler Russell starts at quarterback. “It’s not much difference. … They did throw it a little bit more (against South Carolina, when Russell started). But it’s the same pass patters they ran when Relf was in there. … They don’t run as much down-hill quarterback run game (without Relf); they run a lot of stuff on the perimeter with the Russell kid. They run some option. Most of the option is to get it out of his hands and get it to the tailback.”

7.) Joker called UK punter Ryan Tydlacka “one of the best punters in the nation.” Then, in a sardonic aside, added “it seems like he’s having his best year because of the way we’ve played offensively. He’s getting a lot more reps at it.”

Much smaller media contingent at UK football practice today with no black uniforms being announced nor the athletes-rights petition to draw a crowd. Today, all the talk was actually about football in preparation for Saturday night’s meeting with Mississippi State.

1.) Joker Phillips said beating Mississippi State will require “playing physical.”

2.) Injury report: Joker said Mister Cobble returned to practice and “was fine.” Fullback D.J. Warren practiced but wore a red shirt and did not have contact. Cornerback/kick returner Daylen Hall “did not do much today.”

3.) Joker said senior defensive tackle Mark Crawford “is someone we desperately need, especially in a game like this which is going to be a physical game. Mark Crawford brings us some energy, some beef up front we need in a game like this.”

4.) Asked if the MSU game could change the arc of the Kentucky season, Joker noted how beating State in Starkville in 2006 (the Dicky Lyons Jr. game) changed the trajectory not only of that season, but of the Kentucky program for the next several years. “We’re hoping this is one of those type games,” Joker said of Saturday’s contest.

5.) Joker on how CoShik Williams, one of the stars of last week’s win over Jacksonville State, is practicing this week: “He’s done well. He has. He’s had the same type of flashes he showed last week. We’ve just got to get him started. This is a different opponent, a much-more-physical opponent. CoShik not a big guy but he’s been a durable guy. Some of those arm tackles that he broke last week, those will be bigger arms this week. He’s got to be a guy who plays behind his pads and he’s got to be a guy who protects the football for us.”

6). Joker expects both teams to stack the box Saturday night and try to make the other team win through the air. “I’m sure that will be the whole game on both sides of the ball,” he said. “They’ve seen film of us in the throw game. We’ve seen the way they like to run the ball. (Stacking the box) will be on both sides.”

7. Standout UK offensive guard Larry Warford on Mississippi State: “Last year when I played them, they were definitely the most physical team we played as far as the defensive line. Matching up with them and being able to block them and doing well at it would be a great accomplishment for our offensive line.”

As she did in football, Hope Hurst Lanham of Hurst Officer Suppliers is seeking suggestions for a slogan to appear on the annual UK basketball bumper sticker produced by Hurst.

Lanham’s father, Dick Hurst, put out bumper stickers to commemorate the start of each UK football and men’s basketball season for more than three decades. He died this past July 31 at age 76.

Hope is trying to keep her dad’s tradition alive. She asked for football suggestions back in the summer. The slogan that ultimately appeared on the sticker, Rise and Shine, It’s Wildcat Football Time, was submitted by Jeffrey Zuiderveen.

If you have a suggestion for the 2011-12 men’s hoops season, you can e-mail Lanham at hlanham@hurstgroup.net.

Notes from University of Kentucky football practice for Wednesday. Due to the rain, it was held indoors in the Nutter Fieldhouse:

1.) Joker Phillips says Collins Ukwu, sidelined the past three games with a shoulder injury, participated in individual drills in practice and has been cleared to play Saturday against Jacksonville State.
2.) Joker on Ukwu: “We will use him sparingly or if it is an emergency. … He’s a guy who can hold the point in the run game. He’s a violent pass rusher we’ve really missed out there on the edge.”
3.) Joker raved about the play of freshmen linebackers Tim Patterson and Demarius Rancifer on the scout team.
4.) Says Phillips: “Tim Patterson just continues to show up on the scout team. He’s growing, he’s getting more confident. I think a lot of his confidence is coming from the work he’s doing in the weight room. He’s about 245 (pounds), maybe 250. He looks really good. He’s healthy. Rancifer is one of the guys we think will be a big-time leader around here.”
5.) With leading rusher Josh Clemons out for the season, Phillips says redshirt freshman running back Brandon Gainer “has done well” in practice this week. But “CoShik Willimas keeps holding the guy off. He’s the third guy (at tailback) and might even be the second guy as we go into this game. Same with Jonathan George, those guys just keep holding (Gainer) off.” Raymond Sanders is expected to start Saturday.
6.) Phillips says UK special teams coach Greg Nord compares the punt returning potential of true freshman Daylen Hall to Nord’s former UK teammate Mike Siganos, who was known as an especially fearless returner.
7.) UK quarterbacks Morgan Newton, Maxwell Smith and Bookie Cobbins stayed on the field long after practice ended throwing footballs.

Unlike Tuesday with Josh Clemons, Joker Phillips had no major injury announcements Wednesday.

1.) The UK coach said Wednesday’s practice included much special teams work, especially Kentucky’s struggling return game, both kick and punt. Phillips singled out true freshman Daylen Hall for his work in the return game. “He’s got a chance to be a returner for us in both the kick and the punt games,” Phillips said of Hall. “He’s fearless and he’s got some ability once he gets the ball in his hands.”

2.) Joker said UK will scrimmage Thursday. “We’ve got to look at some of these young kids, getting them better as well as improving this football team,” he said. Phillips mentioned true freshmen Josh Forrest (who has moved from wideout to outside linebacker), Demarius Rancifer (linebacker), Zach West (offensive guard) and Darrian Miller (offensive tackle) as players UK wants to get scrimmage reps. All but Miller are redshirting.

3.) With running back Clemons out for the year after knee surgery, Joker said redshirt freshman Brandon Gainer “needs to step his game up” and that Thursday’s scrimmage “will be big for him, too.”

4.) Joker said Gene McCaskill has been dealing with both back and knee issues and that the junior wideout is not getting many practice reps this week. “We’re trying to get him healed up and we’re also trying to get some of the other guys more reps,” Phillips said, mentioning true freshman Demarco Robinson and sophomore Brian Adams.

5.) Joker said injured freshman wide receiver Daryl Collins “is a long way from even being able to run, so it would be impossible for him to play this year.” Before dislocating his right knee cap in pre-season camp, the Gadsden, Ala., product was contending for significant playing time.

6.) Joker says UK has to design some plays “to just throw it up to Brian Adams and see if he can go up and make some plays for us.”

7.) UK punter Ryan Tydlacka says he does not know if Steve Spurrier’s post-game praise of him last Saturday was sincere or a back-handed shot at the Kentucky football program. “I guess it’s good. I had a good game. I’m not going to be mad about what he said toward me,” Tydlacka said.

8.) UK special teams coach Greg Nord said that, after last spring, the Kentucky coaches set out a specific program of improvement for Tydlacka that they wanted the punter to work on.

9.) “One of the biggest weaknesses from last year was constant touchbacks,” Nord said of Tydlacka. “We’d be on the 45 or 50 and he’d boom them into the end zone and we’d end up with a 25-, or 30-yard net. (This year), we haven’t had a touchback yet.”

10.) Other ares where Tydlacka was asked to improve, Nord says, were hang time and directional punting. “He’s worked at it extremely hard. He’s done a good job,” Nord says.

On Thursdays, only Joker Phillips speaks to the media following practice. Nevertheless, Joker wound up being a bit upstaged today by some practice guests:

1.) Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Nazr Mohammed and several other NBA players were at the practice throwing footballs and running pass routes on a field that the UK team was not using.

2.) As for football, Joker Phillips said he was not sure if Josh Clemons or Raymond Sanders will start at tailback Saturday at South Carolina.
He again praised the leadership abilities Sanders has shown this week after returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss UK’s past three games.

3.) From what Joker said, it sounded far less than certain that true freshman quarterback-turned-wide receiver Bookie Cobbins will make his first appearance of the season at South Carolina.
Joker described Cobbins as “a work in progress” and said it may be a couple of more weeks before a final determination is made on whether to pull Cobbins’ redshirt.
Remember, after South Carolina, UK has an open date and will then have six games left. That would give the Kentucky coaches two more weeks of practice to observe Cobbins before deciding whether to use him for the second half of this season.

4.) Asked the one thing he’d like to see from the UK offense, Joker smiled and said “more points.”

Matt Roark’s 4-yard touchdown catch from Morgan Newton last Saturday in UK’s 35-7 loss at LSU was the first of the senior wide receiver’s Kentucky career.

It was also something of a feel-good moment for a player who has struggled this season with dropped passes.

“It was pretty cool,” Roark said Wednesday of his first college touchdown. “When it happened, I wasn’t that really excited because of the situation of the game. The biggest part was us just getting some points on the board so we didn’t get skunked by LSU.”

Given Roark’s issues with dropped pass this season, some have wondered why the 6-foot-5, 214-pound Acworth, Ga., product keeps getting chances. Kentucky Coach Joker Phillips says there are two main reasons.

“(Roark is) a really good blocker for us,” Phillips said Monday. “He’s probably the best blocker for us on the perimeter. You also see his attitude, the way he plays on special teams. He’s a guy that doesn’t get his head down when he hasn’t made plays because he bounces back and plays special teams.”

In his UK career, Roark has blocked six place-kicks (five extra points and a field-goal try).

After UK’s Wednesday practice, Roark was one of the last Cats off the field. He was among a group of UK receivers who stayed late working with wide receivers coach Tee Martin.

Roark says the focus on his dropped passes this season has not caused him to lose faith in himself.

“I haven’t lost any confidence,” he said. “I just try to put it behind me and go on to the next play. And work harder in practice and stay after like I did today and just keep working. It doesn’t get my confidence down.”

Roark says he has not heard most of the criticism directed his way this season as a result of dropped passes.

“I don’t really hear any criticism other than people on the team or people I know giving me a hard time,” he said. “I don’t really read the media or anything like that. If somebody tells me (of criticism), I’ll be like ‘They can talk that way if they want to, I don’t really care.’”

The update from Wednesday’s Kentucky football practice (Oct. 5):

1.) Joker Phillips said he was excited by how good Raymond Sanders looked in practice this week coming off arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage in a knee. Sanders has not played since the Central Michigan game.
The UK Coach says he believes that the return of Sanders, who has a very outgoing presence, to practice has helped lift the morale of the team.

2.) Sanders said he took part in contact drills today “and it felt great.”

3.) For the second straight day, UK wide receivers stayed on the field long after practice was over working on catching the ball.

4.) UK offensive coordinator Randy Sanders says there is no magic bullet to improve the Kentucky attack. “It all gets back to execution,” he said.

5.) Kentucky has carved the word ‘Believe’ in giant letters into the turf in between a couple of the Tim Couch practice fields.