"Arrive, Raise Hell, Leave" | Kentucky Wildcats

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2013 Award Winners
Award	Player	Pos	Team
Heisman Memorial Trophy	Marcus Lattimore	RB	South Carolina
Maxwell Award	A.J. McCarron	QB	Alabama
Walter Camp Award	Marcus Lattimore	RB	South Carolina
Chuck Bednarik Award	Mohammed Seisay	CB	Nebraska
Bronko Nagurski Trophy	Christian Jones	OLB	Florida State
Davey O'Brien Award	A.J. McCarron	QB	Alabama
Doak Walker Award	Marcus Lattimore	RB	South Carolina
Fred Biletnikoff Award	Stedman Bailey	WR	West Virginia
John Mackey Award	Tyler Eifert	TE	Notre Dame
Outland Trophy	D.J. Fluker	OT	Alabama
Rimington Trophy	Travis Frederick	C	Wisconsin
Lombardi Award	Gregory Hickman	DE	Florida International
Linebacker of the Year	Christian Jones	OLB	Florida State
Jim Thorpe Award	Mohammed Seisay	CB	Nebraska
Lou Groza Award	Andrew Baggett	K	Missouri
Ray Guy Award	Alex Butterworth	P	Penn State
Returner of the Year	Silas Redd	RB	USC

All-American 1st Team
QB - A.J. McCarron, Alabama
RB - Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina
RB - LaDarius Perkins, Mississippi State
WR - Kevin Norwood, Alabama
WR - Stedman Bailey, West Virginia
TE - Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame
OT - D.J. Fluker, Alabama
OG - Anthony Steen, Alabama
C - Travis Frederick, Wisconsin
OG - Mason Walters, Texas
OT - Kaleb Johnson, Rutgers
DE - Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas
DE - Michael Starts, Texas Tech
DT - Brandon Ivory, Alabama
DT - Timmy Jernigan, Florida State
OLB - Christian Jones, Florida State
MLB - Tom Wort, Oklahoma
OLB - Michael Hull, Penn State
CB - Mohammed Seisay, Nebraska
CB - Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
FS - Kurtis Drummond, Michigan State
SS - Adrian Phillips, Texas
K - Jeff Budzien, Northwestern
P - Alex Butterworth, Penn State
RET - Silas Redd, USC

[Maize]

Saturday, December 21, 2013
Qualcomm Stadium - San Diego, CA

vs.
Wildcats Start Slow, Beat Close-to-Home Warriors

TEAM	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Kentucky Wildcats (7-6)	14	0	14	7	35
San Jose State Spartans (7-6)	7	13	0	3	23

Stat of the Game: Total Offense: Kentucky - 437 yards -- San Jose State - 311 yards
Player of the Game: Darryl Collins, WR - Kentucky - 10 receptions, 134 yards, 2 TD (Breaks Single Season Receptions Record)
______________________________________
1st Quarter
UK: 43 yard pass from P. Towles to D. Collins (XP Good) - 14:10
SJSU: 10 yard pass from D. Stewart to N. Grigsby (XP Good) - 6:58
UK: 8 yard pass from P. Towles to A. Legree (XP Good) - 2:04
-
2nd Quarter
SJSU: 36 yard pass from D. Stewart to K. Nunn (XP Good) - 12:53
SJSU: 25 yard Field Goal by H. Waid - 6:38
SJSU: 39 yard Field Goal by H. Waid - :19
-
3rd Quarter
UK: 4 yard run by R. Sanders (XP Good) - 11:50
UK: 32 yard pass from P. Towles to R. Shields (XP Good) - 5:59
-
4th Quarter
SJSU: 51 yard Field Goal by H. Waid - 7:44
UK: 20 yard pass from P. Towles to D. Collins (XP Good) - 3:11
_______________________
Passing Stats
Patrick Towles, QB - 27/43, 346 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT
Dasmen Stewart, QB - 17/33, 217 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT, 45 rushing yards
Rushing Stats
Jason Simpson, RB - 14 carries, 51 yards
Raymond Sanders, RB - 6 carries, 36 yards, 1 TD
Josh Clemons, RB - 3 carries, 15 yards
Receiving Stats
Darryl Collins, WR - 10 receptions, 134 yards, 2 TD
Ronnie Shields, TE - 8 receptions, 85 yards, 1 TD
Jabari Carr, WR - 5 receptions, 43 yards
Noel Grigsby, WR - 4 receptions, 59 yards, 1 TD
A.J. Legree, WR - 3 receptions, 22 yards, 1 TD
Kicking Stats
Landon Foster, K - 5/5 on XP, 5 punts, 2 inside 20
Harrison Waid, K - 3/3, Long of 51, 2/2 on XP
Defensive Stats
Khalid Henderson, OLB - 1 solo tackle (10 total), 3 for loss, 1 sack
Anthony Larceval, DT - 3 solo tackles (7 total), 5 for loss, 2 sack
Tre Dunn, MLB - 1 sol tackle (6 total), 1 INT
Forrest Hightower, CB - 4 solo tackles (5 total), 2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 INT
Cody Quinn, CB - 1 solo tackle (3 total), 2 INT
Tyler Ervin, CB - 1 solo tackle (2 total), 1 INT
_______________________________
Injury Report
- No Injuries -
* - Injury occurred during game
_______________________________

Next Game: Next Season

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Around The NCAA

2013-14 Bowl Results and Final AP Top 25 Rankings
New Mexico - Auburn (8-5) 31, N.C. State (6-7) 10
Idaho Potato - Northern Illinois (8-5) 17, #21 BYU (10-3) 41
New Orleans - Southern Miss (6-7) 7, #10 Arkansas State (12-1) 44
Beef O'Brady's - ECU (8-6) 38, Temple (6-7) 21
Poinsettia - Kentucky (7-6) 35, San Jose State (7-6) 23
Las Vegas - Stanford (7-6) 14, Nevada (9-4) 28
Hawaii - Louisiana Tech (6-7) 21, Bowling Green (8-5) 28
Independence - Wyoming (7-6) 31, Maryland (9-4) 44
Pizza! Pizza! - UL-Lafayette (9-4) 24, Ohio (11-3) 31
Belk - Virginia (6-7) 7, Rutgers (9-5) 26
Military - Eastern Michigan (7-6) 23, Navy (8-5) 28
Holiday - #22 Kansas State (8-5) 28, Utah (8-5) 21
Alamo - Oklahoma (7-6) 24, #23 USC (10-4) 31
Champs - #15 Cincinnati (11-2) 35, #18 North Carolina (9-4) 28
Insight - #17 TCU (9-4) 37, Ohio State (8-5) 34
Music City - #13 Georgia (9-4) 34, Pittsburgh (7-6) 17
Sun - #25 Washington (9-4) 27, Georgia Tech (8-5) 10
Armed Forces - UTEP (8-5) 28, Colorado State (6-7) 25
Liberty - #20 Central Florida (10-3) 30, Tulsa (11-3) 14
Car Care - #14 Northwestern (9-4) 34, Texas Tech (6-7) 28
Chick-Fil-A - Mississippi State (9-4) 24, Florida State (9-5) 10
Fight Hunger - Miami (8-5) 24, UCLA (6-7) 7
Outback - LSU (7-6) 32, #3 Michigan (11-2) 35
Capital One - #8 South Carolina (11-3) 42, #19 Michigan State (10-4) 19
Gator - Missouri (7-6) 14, #6 Nebraska (10-3) 24
TicketCity - FIU (9-4) 30, Western Michigan (7-6) 14
Rose - #9 Penn State (11-3) 17, #12 Oregon (11-3) 26
Sugar - #2 Wisconsin (11-2) 27, #24 Clemson (8-5) 10
Orange - #4 Virginia Tech (11-3) 49, #7 Fresno State (12-1) 10
Fiesta - #16 Texas (10-3) 24, Boise State (10-4) 42
Cotton - Tennessee (7-6) 20, #11 Oklahoma State (10-3) 35
Compass - San Diego State (8-5) 35, Florida (7-6) 14
GoDaddy - Toledo (9-5) 13, Troy (8-5) 29
National Championship - #5 Notre Dame (10-3) 10, #1 Alabama (14-0) 20

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Final Player Statistics

Kentucky Wildcats Stats - 2013
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	TD	INT	SACK	RAT
P. Towles	258/514	3,374	13.0	259.5	27	13	46	117.6
M. Smith	14/40	178	12.7	13.6	1	1	1	100.8
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
J. Clemons	93	501	5.3	16	0	4	38.5	1
R. Sanders	89	447	5.0	13	0	1	34.3	3
P. Towles	158	205	1.2	11	0	2	15.7	1
J. Taylor	10	66	6.6	10	0	2	5.1	0
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
D. Collins	93	1,199	12.8	8	59	8	92.2	484
R. Shields	81	1,004	12.3	11	52	1	77.2	521
D. Robinson	49	695	14.1	3	60	3	53.4	299
A. Legree	23	320	13.9	5	38	4	26.6	128
J. Clemons	12	163	13.5	0	32	0	12.5	61
T. Robinson	9	98	10.8	1	32	1	9.8	54
Blocking					PCAKE		SACK
K. Mitchell					23		7
Z. Myers					19		11
T. Eatmon Nared					17		10
T. Davenport					10		4
S. Love					7		4
A. West					6		4
D. Miller					5		1
Z. West					3		4
	Tackles			Sacks		Fumbles and INTs
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	FF/FR	INT	TD
M. Simpson	31	44	75	2.0	9	0/1	3	0
A. Williamson	24	51	75	1.0	7	1/0	1	0
K Henderson	17	46	63	3.0	10	1/0	0	0
D. Rumph	30	26	56	3.5	14	0/0	0	0
A. Dupree	17	37	54	1.0	4	0/0	0	0
A. Lowery	18	27	45	1.0	2	2/1	0	0
M. Cobble	19	26	45	2.5	13	1/0	0	0
T. Dunn	13	27	40	0.0	1	1/0	2	0
E. Simmons	15	17	32	1.0	3	2/1	4	0
C. Quinn	14	15	29	1.0	3	1/0	4	0
Z. Blaylock	8	12	20	1.0	5	0/0	2	0
T. Brause	14	6	20	0.0	5	0/0	1	0
E. Dixon	5	14	19	0.0	0	1/2	1	0
G. Faulkner	5	11	16	0.0	1	0/1	0	0
L. Newton	3	7	10	1.0	2	0/0	0	0
	Kickoffs					Punts
Returning	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD	RET	AVG	TD
R. Sanders	40	995	24.8	70	0
D. Robinson	16	427	26.6	58	0	39	7.0	0
	Field Goals				Extra Points
Kicking	FGM	FGA	PCT	LONG	XPM	XPA	PCT	PTS
L. Foster	16	19	84	47	26	26	100	74
J. Mansour	5	9	55	51	10	11	90	25
Punting	PUNTS	YDS	LONG	AVG	NET	BP	IN20	TB
L. Foster	71	2,843	65	40.0	31.8	2	24	10

[Maize]

Season Reviews

End of 2013
Overall Record (Conf.): 7-6 (3-5)
SEC Standings (Division): 11th (6th in East)
Schedule/Results:

 

vs. Louisville - L - 27-13
@ Arizona - W - 27-17
vs. Miami Univ. - W - 17-30
vs. Florida - L - 40-21
@ W. Kentucky - W - 28-10
@ South Carolina - L - 40-43 (OT)
@ Georgia - L - 20-27
vs. Arkansas - W - 24-31
@ Mississippi State - L - 12-31
@ Vanderbilt - W - 33-14
vs. Missouri - L - 44-17
vs. Tennessee - W - 10-14
vs. San Jose State - W - 35-23

Awards/Honors: Patrick Towles, QB (All-American Freshman), Darryl Collins, WR (All-SEC 2nd Team), Ronnie Shields, TE (All-SEC 1st Team)
Offensive Player of the Year: Darryl Collins, Jr., WR
Defensive Player of the Year: Miles Simpson, Jr., OLB
Heisman Winner: Marcus Lattimore, Sr., RB
SEC East Champion: South Carolina Gamecocks (6-3)
SEC West Champion: Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0)
SEC Championship: Alabama 35, South Carolina 17
BCS National Championship: Alabama 20, Notre Dame 10

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Kentucky Players Leaving
Mister Cobble, DT (86 OVR) - 2 year starter
Avery Williamson, MLB (85 OVR) - Impact player, 2 year starter, Leader in Assisted Tackles
Joe Mansour, K (85 OVR) - Lost starting job
Kevin Mitchell, OT (84 OVR) - Team Captain, 2 year starter, Leader in Pancakes
Tyler Robinson, TE (84 OVR) - Starter in '12, Role Player
Raymond Sanders, RB (83 OVR) - Impact Player, Leading Returner
Donte Rumph, DE (80 OVR) - Team Captain, 2 year starter, Leader in Sacks
Tristian Johnson, DT (73 OVR) - Back-Up

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Around The NCAA

Players Leaving Early
Giovani Bernard, RB - North Carolina
Malcolm Brown, RB - Texas
Storm Johnson, RB - Central Florida
Kyle Prater, WR - Northwestern
Devin Smith, WR - Ohio State
Rashad Greence, WR - Florida State
Kenny Bell, WR - Nebraska
Christian Green, WR - Florida State
Ross Apo, WR - BYU
Nick O'Leary, TE - Florida State
Xavier Grimble, TE - USC
Colt Lyerla, TE - Oregon
Brian Vogler, TE - Alabama
Kaleb Johnson, OT - Rutgers
Tyler Moore, OT - Nebraska
Josh Cochran, OT - Texas
Marcus Martin, OG - USC
Tre Jackson, OG - Florida State
Hroniss Grasu, C - Oregon
Anthony Chickillo, DE - Miami
Stephon Tuitt, DE - Notre Dame
Ronald Powell, DE - Florida
Michael Bennett, DT - Ohio State
Kelcy Quarles, DT - South Carolina
Dominic Appiah, DT - Boston College
Hayes Pullard, OLB - USC
Ryan Shazier, OLB - Ohio State
Bradley Roby, CB - Ohio State
Terrance Mitchell, CB - Oregon
Blake Countess, CB - Michigan
Bashaud Breeland, CB - Clemson
Josh Turner, CB - Texas
Tevin McDonald, FS - UCLA
Clayton Geathers, SS - Central Florida

Players Transferring
Dan Russell, QB - Baylor to UTSA
D'Shaie Landor, QB - UL-Lafayette to Rice
Dane Evans, QB - Tulsa to New Mexico
Perry Hills, QB - Maryland to Kent State
Quinton White, RB - Texas Tech to New Mexico
Stephen Buckley, RB - Northwestern to Western Kentucky
Darren Fernandez, RB - Nebraska to Tulsa
Teondray Caldwell, RB - Washington State to Cal.
Brian Kimbrow, RB - Vanderbilt to Middle Tenn. State
Joshua Rounds, RB - Tulane to UTSA
Prince Carr, RB - Purdue to FIU
Cory Batey, WR - Vanderbilt to Duke
Travin Dural, WR - LSU to SMU
Chris Edling, TE - New Mexico to Utah
Andrew Jelks, OT - Vanderbilt to Louisville
Will Dawson, OG - Illinois to Rice
Bobby Wagner, OG - Mississippi State to North Texas
Eric Kinsey, DE - West Virginia to FIU
Julien Obioha, DE - Texas A&M to Texas State
Curtis Burke, DT - Michigan State to West Virginia
Shakeel Rashad, OLB - North Carolina to Mississippi State
Chris Manning, OLB - Ole Miss to Arkansas State
Kris Williams, OLB - Texas Tech to Arkansas
DaQual Randall, MLB - Western Kentucky to UAB
Brian Miller, MLB - BYU to North Texas
Jaylen Coleman, MLB - Toledo to Purdue
J.R. Greenwood, CB - Auburn to FIU
Wilfred Wagee, CB - Virginia to Duke
Duke Thomas, CB - Texas to Houston
Chris Bivins, CB - South Florida to Miami
Kenneth Crawley, CB - Colorado to Navy
Thomas Barclay, FS - Duke to Syracuse
Devon Pittman, FS - Michigan State to West Virginia

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Kentucky
'Cats Grab Small, But Skilled Class
The Kentucky coaching staff is extremely proud of the 2014 Recruiting Class. Only 13 players signed letters of intent to play football in Lexington next fall. But a young Kentucky team that had only players leaving due to graduation. A young team that is poised for a big season next year added five players during the season and another eight in the off-season. The most interesting thing was the makeup of the Kentucky roster is changing a bit.

Kentucky is an SEC program that has usually pulled prospects from in-state, Tennessee, and occasionally from the south or midwest. Now, the team has a stronghold of a pipeline into the state of Georgia. There are now more players on the Kentucky roster from Georgia than from the Bluegrass state. The class of '14 shows perfectly how the new staff is pulling from outside the state: Five players came from Tennessee, four from Georgia, two from Kentucky, and one from Ohio and Iowa. Things are changing for Kentucky and it starts with where the players are coming from.

Recruiting Coordinator Tommy Thigpen was proud of the 13 brought in; going as far to say it is a class that means a lot to the future of the program. The best two players in the class came from Georgia. Four-star athlete Isaac Butler is a versatile two-way player whose future position is unknown at this time. He has tremendous speed and an arm that some think is good enough to make him a Quarterback at the next level. How he translates into the offense is the question. He might not have the makings of a Quarterback in a pass-first system, he could be a running back. He also could be a safety, either way, the team does expect him to make an impact as a special teams player and future returner.

"We are getting players that have SEC ability, they can play on this level." said Head Coach Kirby Smart. A perfect example is tailback Scott Hinds. Hinds led Hillgrove High to a playoff appearance and was a speed demon that had a nose for the endzone. Between him and Butler, there is a chance they could be the future backs for Kentucky. Hinds is also a good receiver that is tough to contain. The staff thinks Hinds might play early, as he is already enrolled on campus and has a running style that could set him apart.

Defensively, the Wildcats started to really click with the switch to the 3-4 and the staff added players that fit the scheme very well. Clifton Archie looks built to be a nose tackle, and players like Tommy Anthony have the intangibles to compete on the next level. There are two talented linebackers that have Coach Freddie Roach thinks will have bright futures in Lexington. Kevin Carter Jr. comes from Tennessee and shares the name of the former Titan defensive end, but he says there is no relation. Carter ironically plays well as an edge rusher that could be an elite pass-rusher. Aaron Ferguson is a tackling machine and high school running back. He projects to be a middle linebacker because of his coverage skill and knowledge of the offensive game. He could be a leader of the defense in the future.

One player that could be an immediate starter is placekicker Mike Hale. Hale was the fifth rated kicker in the country, coming from Boone, Iowa. Boone is a small city just outside Des Moines, a place very few SEC prospects come from. Hale thought he would be playing soccer at Drake University (in Des Moines), but instead he had two tremendous years as his varsity team's placekicker. Hale has an accurate leg, more athleticism than you expect out of a kicker and a leg big enough that he has reportedly hit field goals beyond 50 yards. Hale should challenge Landon Foster for the field goal duties that Foster took over mid-season. Hale does expect to handle the team's kickoff duties right away.

Overall, this is a talented class that adds to both sides of the ball. The team still lost out on bigger fish, but targeted players they believe will help the team win. The lack of in-state players has upset some fans, but the product on the field looks as if it will improve. Next year is already being discussed as a big season for UK, many are expecting a high powered offense that showed flashes last season, to come to fruition this season. The 2014 class could be the difference.

Kentucky Wildcats Recruiting - 2014
NAME	POS	CLASS	HOMETOWN	HT	WT	CALIBER
Isaac Butler	ATH	HS	Fort Valley, GA	6'1"	202
Scott Hinds	RB	HS	Powder Springs, GA	6'0"	177
Bo Matthews	CB	HS	Jackson, TN	5'11"	180
Aaron Ferguson	MLB	HS	La Vergne, TN	6'1"	236
Chris Dunlap	WR	HS	Bristiol, TN	6'1"	184
Mike Hale	K	HS	Boone, IA	6'2"	195
Will Burns	OLB	HS	Maryville, TN	6'4"	216
Tommy Anthony	FS	HS	Hillview, KY	6'0"	186
Clifton Archie	DT	HS	Lawrenceville, GA	6'5"	322
J.D. Prater	CB	HS	Evans, GA	6'0"	179
Ryan Davis	WR	HS	Univ Heights, OH	6'3"	190
Kevin Carter Jr.	MLB	HS	Brownsville, TN	6'0"	236
Matt Sanders	OG	HS	Maysville, KY	6'2"	277

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Around The NCAA

Top Recruiting Classes - 2014
RK	TEAM	5	4	3	2	1	TOTAL
1	Alabama Crimson Tide	6	8	10	0	0	24
2	Michigan Wolverines	4	11	9	0	0	24
3	Oklahoma Sooners	5	7	7	1	0	20
4	Florida Gators	3	9	10	0	1	23
5	Wisconsin Badgers	2	6	14	1	0	23
6	Texas Longhorns	0	13	7	0	0	20
7	Tennessee Volunteers	1	9	10	1	1	22
8	North Carolina Tar Heels	0	7	17	1	0	25
9	LSU Tigers	2	5	12	2	1	22
10	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	1	9	9	0	0	19
17	South Carolina Gamecocks	0	6	14	1	0	21
24	Ole Miss Rebels	0	3	15	6	0	24
32	Georgia Bulldogs	1	5	6	3	1	16
39	Texas A&M Aggies	0	2	15	4	0	21
42	Vanderbilt Commodores	0	3	14	1	1	19
47	Kentucky Wildcats	0	1	11	1	0	13
51	Missouri Tigers	0	3	12	2	0	17
58	Auburn Tigers	0	4	9	0	1	14
63	Arkansas Razorbacks	1	2	8	2	0	13
79	Mississippi State Bulldogs	0	0	12	3	1	16

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2014 Kentucky Football Preview
The Kentucky Wildcats are getting ready for the 2014 season, Kirby Smart's second as Head Coach. In his first year, he led the team to three conference wins and a bowl win. A 7-6 record was a surprise to some, especially for a young roster that went through plenty of changes. The offense took quickly to their roots, returning to a pass-first system that might be adding to the record book that is covered with the history of Tim Couch, Jared Lorenzen, and Andre Woodson. This year, the offense is expected to be prolific and the success of this UK team is dependent on that.

Better news for the program, the entire coaching staff stayed and no players left early. The staff was rumored for numerous jobs, including at other SEC schools. But at the end of the day, the staff has stayed and so have the players. A small recruiting class bolstered the roster that is still trying to improve on get on "the level of their competition." Those are the words of Kirby Smart who still thinks Kentucky has lots to prove, to show they can compete with teams like his former, Alabama.

The offense will be led by third year sophomore Patrick Towles. The highly decorated high school star in the Bluegrass State, has become a fan favorite after one full season as a starter. He helped Daryl Collins rewrite the record book, becoming the school's season leader in receptions. Towles-to-Collins and Towles-to-Shields (who set a school record for receptions in a season by a tight end), will continue this year. The entire offense returns, sans Team Captain and two year starter at tackle Kevin Mitchell.

As for the defense, they return eight players and lose two starters on the line. Questions about the depth and ability are abound, including if the defense has enough playmakers. The entire defense was inconsistent and the coaching staff has been focused on creating "havoc and turnovers." Freddie Roach, a former player and now coach under Smart, he has been pushing players to create chaos with a phrase he took from the former state motto: "Raise Hell." The players have taken to it, wearing t-shirts and Big Blue nation is catching on as well. Taking to social media (#RaiseHell), all getting ready for the upcoming season.

This season could be big, with a full season now under the guide of a very capable coaching staff. Pre-Season publications and media outlets are calling on Kentucky to have a big year offensively and to be a potential "sleeper" team nationally. A team that could surprise this season, a lot will depend on the play of the defense and if the offense can reduce their mistakes (allowed 47 sacks, 20 giveaways). Phil Steele named Kentucky his top "Surprise Team" crediting the team for returning 18 starters and losing close games last season.

As for the schedule, it will be as difficult as in the past. The season starts with back-to-back road games at Louisville and then Western Kentucky. After that they get Ohio at home, which won't be easy with the Bobcats being a favorite to win the MAC this season. Then comes the SEC schedule, which starts in the Swamp and ends at Rocky Top. Florida continues their impressive 27 game winning streak over Kentucky; the longest active streak of consecutive wins over one opponent in the country. The team plays six home games, and their SEC home opener will be against South Carolina, who is expected to be ranked in the top ten. Besides playing the SEC East, Mississippi State and Alabama come over from the West Division. They will host the Bulldogs and travel to Smart's former stomping ground, Tuscaloosa.

Kentucky might be in for a big season, but some question if they can even have a winning conference record. Their last non-losing conference record came in 2006, and the last winning SEC season was in 1977. For this to be a winning season, a lot will have to break right for the Wildcats and the team will have to beat teams that will be ranked in the Top 25 or will be heavily favored. The returning talent and makeup of the team looks ready to compete and win, but there are still lots of questions about this Wildcats team.

Offense
Returning Starters: 10
The Scheme: Shannon Dawson returns to run the offense. Dawson is an extension of the Hal Mumme/Mike Leach coaching tree, thus he runs a similar offense. A pass-oriented version of the spread, known as the Air Raid. Dawson will call plays although the offense will rely on audibling by the Quarterback. It is expected the offense will pass at least 70% of the time. It is centered on West Coast passing philosophies, with short passes and mixing routes to keep defenses guessing.
Star Power: The star last year was the record-breaking receiver Daryl Collins. Collins was undersized but caught everything that was thrown to him, catching 93 balls and wants to build off last year's success. The passing game struggled to start the season, but was clicking by the time the team beat Vanderbilt and Tennessee last year. The play of Collins and other receivers like playmaker and field-stretcher DeMarco Robinson will be key if the passing game takes the next step. The team only completed 50% of those 555 passing attempts, which led the SEC in attempts but were toward the bottom in completion percentage. A lot of that will be on the backs of players like Collins and Robinson to step up like last year.
Impact Newcomers: The only new starter 'actually' started five games last season, Tyler Davenport. He starts this year at right tackle and he started games at guard last year and in place of Darrian Miller at left tackle. So Davenport has seen time but is the only new starter among the offense. Davenport is a senior, and one of eight seniors on the offense. Seven of which (all but back-up Maxwell Smith) are starters, so the offense is relatively experienced. That could be crucial to their success this season.
Keep An Eye On: The emergence of Patrick Towles. He is being compared to Ben Roethlisberger, another strong-armed slinger with under-rated athleticism. Towles showed some of his running ability last season; but the coaches have given him more control of the offense, allowing him to run the ball more. Towles works well out of the pocket and can make good throws on the run as well. His high IQ and understanding of the offense allow him to make throws other Quarterbacks on the roster simply cannot make. He is quickly gaining the attention of NFL scouts, who think Towles might have a future after UK. His pedigree, ability and big arm have already been on display - this year, he has to show he can win while limiting his mistakes.
Strongest Area: The receiving core, without a doubt. Beyond the star power at the top with Collins and Robinson, the depth of the unit is its' strength. Returning starter A.J. Legree had a big Spring Game (two touchdown catches) and shows he can make highlight reel catches. He is expected to see more targets this year and will have an expanded role in the offense. Ronnie Shields was a Mackey Award finalist after a tremendous season. His 80 receptions were a UK record for a tight end, and he also led the team with 11 touchdowns. He was a big target in the redzone, but also broke some big plays as well. If he can come close to the season he had last year, it will be a big end to a great career in Lexington. Beyond the starters, DeAngelo Yancey is expected to see some time on the field, possibly in four receiver sets. He will split time as the team's fourth receiver with JUCO transfer Danny Hurd. Hurd is a slot receiver with great hands and a phenomenal work ethic. Both players will have roles in the offense, as does tight end Darren Dowdell.
Biggest Problem: The offensive line remains a concern, mainly because they allowed 3.5 sacks per game last year. That number has to drop and they also have to do a better job run blocking. While the team does not always run the football, the line has to do a better job of opening up holes for team captain Josh Clemons. With Raymond Sanders graduating, Clemons will see the bulk of the carries this season (split last year). A tough runner that can pull off the big play and also be a work horse. Justin Taylor will come in at times, and could be a situational back for the Wildcats. The coaching staff, including Shannon Dawson, said the running game will be more integral. So more pressure on the o-line, that is returning four starters. Injuries last year hurt the line, and showed the unit still lacks depth. The interior of the line could be interchangeable, outside of center Zach Myers. Myers moved over to center last year and impressed as the anchor of the line. He must cut down on the sacks (team high 11), but he is by far the team's best run blocker. Both guards will be playing for their jobs early in the season; Zach West and Teven Eatmon Nared return as starters but aren't guaranteed to hold those spots. West especially, who just beat out Allen West (no relation) to hold onto his job. Allen is the bigger player and is natural as a pass-blocker, but Zach will be given the first shot. So the interior at least has some depth, while the tackle spots have untested, younger players behind the starters. An improvement by the line might come hand-in-hand with a big season for what could be a prolific offense.
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Defense
Returning Starters: 8
The Scheme: Kirby Smart has been installing a 3-4 defense that will be the base. Mixing blitz packages and keeping players fresh with constant rotations, it is expected to be a defense that makes plays and dictates the pace of the game. Smart has coached numerous top ten defenses nationally and Kentucky saw a big leap in their first year under his guidance.
Star Power: The core of linebackers is led by three seniors who can make plays and rack up tackles. It starts with Miles Simpson, who has been the team's Defensive Player of the Year in the last 'two' seasons. He is the team's returning leader in tackles. The coaching staff loves that he has improved every season and now is entering his third year as a starter, not having missed a game over the last two years. Besides the reliably hard-hitting Simpson are two players in the middle that want to lead this UK defense. Tre Dunn is a former running back with standout athletic ability and now he has a grasp of the defense. The staff has been tough on Dunn, not wanting him to disappear like he did at time last year. Next to him, replacing former Team Captain Avery Williamson is Tyler Brause. Brause came to Kentucky as a Quarterback and he has the obvious asset of being able to read opposing offenses. A smart player that has bulked up and worked his way onto the field, he is expecting a big season out of himself.
Impact Newcomers: Last year's big coup-of-a-transfer and scout team player of the year Landon Collins is ready to show off his ability. His recruitment out of high school was widely covered (even spawned a viral video from the announcement) since he was a consensus blue chip prospect. He has three years of eligibility remaining and is ready to show why he was the jewel of Alabama's 2012 Recruiting Class. He has blazing speed (4.3 40 Time) and is strong, just an athlete unlike any other on the roster. The staff is excited to get him on the field and plans to have him all over the place, making plays on Saturdays.
Keep An Eye On: New starters on the defensive line. The only returning starter is Team Captain Alvin Dupree. A hybrid player that bulked up and learned how to play end in Smart's scheme, he is a hard working player with meticulous fundamentals. He has the athleticism to make the big plays, and must now trust his ability to do so. His production last year was under-whelming, but now he is the star of the line. At the other end spot is another Alvin, Alvin Davis. Defensive Line Coach Chris Rumph has joked about having to Alvins starting, saying he hopes opposing Quarterbacks are seeing double in the backfield. Davis is strong and can set the edge, but also has the agility and footwork to disrupt plays. Inside, there are questions on who can fill the (big) shoes left by Mister Cobble. So far, Thomas Chapman has stepped up. Chapman comes from Manual High School in Louisville and was one of the best recruits from the state of Kentucky in 2012. Since arriving on campus, he has been a gym rat and his strength and technique are what took him to the top of the depth chart. Behind him, Farrington Hugeunin and his blend of size and speed make him a situational player, mostly on passing downs. Christian Coleman has bulked up more and more since being a Wildcat, but the now bigger Coleman must make less mistakes when called upon. He has the potential to be a special player in his last two years in Lexington.
Strongest Area: The depth across the board, especially in the linebacking core and secondary. The secondary returns all four starters, but gets a new starter in Landon Collins. That pushed Zach Blaylock out of a starting spot, after starting every game at free safety last year. Ahead of him is Ashley Lowery, who moved over from strong safety and barely beat out Blaylock to start. Lowery is the better tackler and must improve in coverage; yet on passing plays many expect to see Blaylock. Senior Glenn Faulkner will see a lot of time in prevent defense and on special teams. He is a rangy player that can make plays on the ball and works well defending in space. So the safety position is deep and has players with different skills that will find their way onto the field. As for the corner spots, Eric Simmons finished the season strong and is a smart player that doesn't make many mistakes. The big plays came from Cody Quinn, who rocketed up the depth chart and has become a playmaker as well as a physical corner that frustrated opposing receivers. The depth at linebacker is also strong, with versatile players that will see the field. Led by a special teams stud, Malcolm McDuffen. McDuffen was almost named the starter, but the uber-athletic Khalid Henderson did not give up his starting spot. Another senior who is not starting at linebacker is Kory Brown, another special teams stud that is also strong in coverage and will be on the defense in long passing downs. Overall, the strength of the defense might be in its' versatility and having pieces that can do certain things very well.
Biggest Problem: A multitude of unanswered questions: Can they get to the Quarterback? Can they cause turnovers? Can they keep pace with SEC offenses? Even with improved talent and eight returning starters, can they improve over last year's squad? Also, there are some questions about the future with 11 seniors on the defense and seven of them being starters. They are looking for younger players to step up and for upperclassman to have big seasons.
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Special Teams
The Special Teams unit, coached by Jeff Hammerschmidt, saw a big improvement from the previous season. Mr. Do-Everything Landon Foster started the year just as the team's punter and was sharing kickoff duties. By the end of the season, he was doing kickoffs, field goals, extra points, and punts. He made 16 of 19 field goal attempts, connecting on a long of 47 yards. He also did not miss an extra point and averaged 40 yards a punt, and putting a third of his punts inside the 20. A big season has made him a favorite to put on Pre-Season All-Conference lists and now he gets to just focus on punts. True freshman Mike Hale comes from a small town in Iowa and was a soccer player that made his varsity football team. He even hit a 50 yard field goal for his high school team. Hale has a big leg and might leave extra points to Foster, at least early in the year. Hale has impressed enough to get kickoff duties as well. In terms of the return game, it does need to improve. DeMarco Robinson will be the team's kick and punt returner to start the season, although some players are competing for the chance. Robinson's 26 yard average per kick return was a team high, but he showed little ability in punt returns. Look for another true freshman, Scott Hinds, a track star and decorated running back, to potentially take over the punt return duties.
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Report Card: Overall - B // Offense - B+ // Defense - B // Special Teams - B+

[Maize]

2014 Kentucky Wildcats Roster and Depth Chart
#	OFFENSE	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
17	Patrick Towles* :impact:	QB	6'5"	234	SO.(RS)	Berea, KY - 90 OVR
11	Maxwell Smith	QB	6'4"	231	SR.	Beverly Hills, CA - 89 OVR
13	Jalen Whitlow	QB	6'2"	205	SO.(RS)	Tulahoma, TN - 81 OVR
12	Reese Phillips	QB	6'3"	214	FR.(RS)	Valley Stn, KY - 75 OVR
21	Josh Clemons* :capt:	RB	5'10"	208	SR.	Calhoun, GA - 91 OVR
20	Justin Taylor	RB	5'10"	218	SO.(RS)	Rome, GA - 84 OVR
27	Phil Miller	RB	6'1"	202	FR.(RS)	Smryna, GA - 72 OVR
33	Scott Hinds	RB	6'0"	177	FR.	Pwdr Springs, GA - 72 OVR
39	D.J. Warren	FB	6'0"	230	SR.	Lewisburg, TN - 83 OVR
23	Daryl Collins* :impact:	WR	5'11"	202	JR.(RS)	Brewton, AL - 87 OVR
9	DeMarco Robinson*	WR	5'10"	163	SR.	Thomson, GA - 86 OVR
6	A.J. Legree*	WR	6'0"	187	SO.(RS)	Fair Oaks, GA - 80 OVR
87	Bookie Cobbins	WR	6'0"	191	JR.(RS)	Gray, LA - 78 OVR
84	DeAngelo Yancey	WR	6'2"	206	FR.(RS)	N Druid Hills, GA - 75 OVR
85	Danny Hurd	WR	6'4"	191	JR.(RS)	Hopkinsville, KY - 75 OVR
81	JeVontey Smith	WR	6'1"	191	FR.(RS)	Waycross, GA - 70 OVR
80	Ronnie Shields*	TE	6'5"	249	SR.(RS)	Bay City, TX - 89 OVR
82	Darren Dowdell	TE	6'4"	226	FR.(RS)	Columbus, GA - 80 OVR
88	Ryan Davis :redshirt:	TE	6'3"	190	FR.	Univ Hts, OH - 68 OVR
77	Darrian Miller*	LT	6'5"	308	SR.	Pleasure Rdg, KY - 84 OVR
73	Chad Walters	LT	6'6"	279	FR.(RS)	Willoughby, OH - 67 OVR
75	Zach West*	LG	6'4"	316	JR.(RS)	Radcliff, KY - 82 OVR
66	Allen West	LG	6'6"	317	SO.	Shively, KY - 78 OVR
55	Zach Myers*	C	6'4"	299	SO.(RS)	Berea, KY - 84 OVR
63	Jordan Watson	C	6'4"	293	JR.	Wrightsville, GA - 80 OVR
76	Teven Eatmon Nared*	RG	6'7"	344	SR.(RS)	Bucyrus, OH - 86 OVR
58	Shaquille Love	RG	6'4"	310	JR.(RS)	Dyersburg, TN - 81 OVR
64	Matt Sanders	RG	6'2"	277	FR.	Maysville, KY - 70 OVR
62	Tyler Davenport	RT	6'5"	332	SR.(RS)	Alexandria, KY - 81 OVR
72	Steven Taylor	RT	6'4"	316	FR.(RS)	Bardstown, KY - 70 OVR
70	Jake Boynton	RT	6'7"	310	SO.	Winder, GA - 70 OVR
#	DEFENSE	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
60	Alvin Davis	LE	6'4"	264	SR.(RS)	Kennesaw, GA - 82 OVR
90	Langston Newton	LE	6'5"	256	SO.(RS)	Elwood, IN - 78 OVR
94	Caleb Flores	LE	6'7"	265	FR.(RS)	Griffin, GA - 75 OVR
83	Alvin Dupree* :capt:	RE	6'4"	259	SR.	Country Club, GA - 87 OVR
41	Travaughn Paschal	RE	6'4"	265	JR.(RS)	Montgomery, MD - 80 OVR
98	Scott Wade	RE	6'3"	269	FR.(RS)	Griffin, GA - 71 OVR
93	Chris Henley	RE	6'0"	270	FR.(RS)	Zion, IL - 65 OVR
95	Thomas Chapman	DT	6'3"	301	SO.(RS)	Radcliff, KY - 83 OVR
92	Christian Coleman	DT	6'3"	308	JR.(RS)	Franklin, TN - 81 OVR
91	Farrington Huguenin	DT	6'4"	285	JR.(RS)	Columbia, SC - 79 OVR
96	Clifton Archie	DT	6'5"	322	FR.	Lawr'ville, GA - 72 OVR
32	Miles Simpson* :impact:	OLB	6'2"	233	SR.(RS)	Mayfield, KY - 82 OVR
8	Josh Forrest	OLB	6'3"	239	JR.(RS)	Elsmere, KY - 77 OVR
34	Kory Brown	OLB	6'0"	214	SR.(RS)	Seneca, SC - 76 OVR
29	Tre Dunn*	MLB	6'2"	237	SR.(RS)	Harrodsburg, KY - 87 OVR
10	Tyler Brause	MLB	6'2"	246	SR.(RS)	Carrollton, OH - 82 OVR
47	Jabari Johnson	MLB	6'1"	260	JR.(RS)	Thomasville, GA - 76 OVR
50	Aaron Ferguson	MLB	6'1"	236	FR.	La Vergne, TN - 68 OVR
51	Kevin Carter :redshirt:	MLB	6'0"	240	FR.	Brownsville, TN - 65 OVR
22	Khalid Henderson*	OLB	6'1"	204	JR.	D Junction, GA - 86 OVR
54	Malcolm McDuffen	OLB	6'3"	233	SR.(RS)	Covington, KY - 85 OVR
15	Jalen Battle	OLB	6'3"	189	FR.(RS)	Kingsport, TN - 77 OVR
38	Eric Simmons*	CB	6'0"	202	SR.(RS)	Roswell, GA - 85 OVR
24	Cody Quinn*	CB	5'10"	178	SO.(RS)	Wickliffe, OH - 82 OVR
28	Eric Dixon	CB	5'11"	185	SR.	Clanton, AL - 79 OVR
3	Fred Tiller	CB	6'1"	180	SO.(RS)	Swainsboro, GA - 77 OVR
25	Chris Schmidt	CB	6'1"	188	FR.(RS)	St. Marys, GA - 70 OVR
31	Bo Matthews	CB	5'11"	180	FR.	Jackson, TN - 70 OVR
30	J.D. Prater :redshirt:	CB	6'0"	179	FR.	Evans, GA - 65 OVR
5	Ashley Lowery*	FS	6'1"	211	SR.	McAfee, GA - 83 OVR
44	Zack Blaylock*	FS	5'11"	193	JR.	Peachtree, GA - 80 OVR
14	Isaac Butler :redshirt:	FS	6'1"	202	FR.	Fort Valley, GA - 74 OVR
26	Courtney Wright	FS	5'11"	184	SO.	Covington, KY - 70 OVR
48	Tommy Anthony	FS	6'0"	186	FR.	Hillview, KY - 66 OVR
2	Landon Collins	SS	6'0"	213	SO.(RS)	New Orleans, LA - 89 OVR
18	Glenn Faulkner	SS	6'2"	188	SR.	E St. Louis, IL - 80 OVR
46	Aaron Cox	SS	6'0"	203	FR.(RS)	Paducah, KY - 68 OVR
#	SPECIAL TEAMS	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
1	Mike Hale	K	6'2"	195	FR.	Boone, IA - 78 OVR
7	Landon Foster*	P	6'2"	194	JR.	Alcoa, TN - 90 OVR

* - Returning Starter
Bold - Starter
:redshirt: - Redshirt
:impact: - Impact Player
:capt: - Team Captain

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Kentucky Coaching Staff
Head Coach - Kirby Smart
Offensive Coordinator - Shannon Dawson
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Coach - Willie Martinez
Co Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator - Tommy Thigpen
Quarterbacks Coach - Andre Woodson
Running Backs Coach/Special Teams Coordinator - Jeff Hammerschmidt
Receivers Coach - David Nichols
Tight Ends/Ast. Offensive Line Coach - Shawn Bostick
Offensive Line Coach - Mike Summers
Defensive Line Coach - Chris Rumph
Linebackers Coach - Freddie Roach
Safeties Coach - Al Pogue

[Maize]

Kentucky Wildcats 2014 Football Schedule
Game One: @ Louisville
Game Two: @ Western Kentucky
Game Three: vs. Ohio
Game Four: @ Florida
Game Five: vs. South Carolina
Game Six: vs. Mississippi State
Game Seven: @ Alabama
Game Eight: vs. UT-Martin
Game Nine: vs. Vanderbilt
Game Ten: @ Missouri
Game Eleven: vs. Georgia
Game Twelve: @ Tennessee

[Maize]

Media Day Coverage

2014 SEC Media Day Review
Recent expansion of the Southeastern Conference to 14 members has made the annual media day event in Hoover, Alabama a spectacle. The highlight of the event is the 222 voting media members picking the Pre-Season All-Conference team, Division standings, and conference champion. Since 1992, when the SEC split into divisions and started the conference championship game; the media has correctly chosen the conference champion only 5 out of 22 times. Last year, Alabama was the favorite and went on to win their third straight National Championship.

This year, coming off back-to-back-to-back National Championships, Alabama is the favorite to win both the West and the SEC Championship game. Winning four of the last five SEC and BCS titles, they are ranked #2 in the first AP Poll (one of four ranked SEC teams); the Crimson Tide got 81 first place votes in the West Division and 70 of the 222 votes for conference champion.

In the East, the Georgia Bulldogs who disappointed last season after being highly ranked. This year, they return many starters and look poised for a run at the East Division title. Receiving 72 1st Place votes, they got 22 more than last year's division winner, South Carolina. The Gamecocks are ranked tenth in the nation, but finished distant to the Bulldogs in the media day poll. After South Carolina is another drop-off to third place Florida. The Gators got only seven more votes than four place Tennessee, who is expecting a breakthrough season.

The bottom three teams in the East received less total first place votes than the fourth place Volunteers (32-to-30). Vanderbilt, who went through a horrible 2013 season did receive a surprise first place vote. The Commodores are expecting to bounce back, now healthy and a year older. Missouri beat out Kirby Smart's Kentucky Wildcats for fifth place, but only by a few votes. The difference was made by Missouri receiving 7 more 1st place votes.

As for the West, Alabama is running away with it (again). This time, they got almost twice as many votes as second place LSU. The Tigers beat out the other team from Alabama, as the other Tigers of Auburn came in at third place expecting a double-digit win season. The middle of the West in bunched, especially between fourth and fifth place. Mississippi State got more first place votes than Texas A&M, yet the Aggies got more second place votes. Rounding out the West, Arkansas and Ole Miss - both hoping for a bowl birth this season.

The SEC continues to be the top conference in college football, but this could be a year of parody. Even though Georgia and Alabama are heavy favorites, this could be a year of chance in the Southeastern Conference. The teams are heavily bunched and while four rank in the top 25, another three (Florida, Tennessee, and Auburn) received votes in the first AP Poll of the season.

SEC East Media Day Prediction
1. #6 Georgia (72 1st Place Votes)
2. #10 South Carolina (50 1st Place Votes)
3. Florida (39 1st Place Votes)
4. Tennessee (32 1st Place Votes)
5. Missouri (18 1st Place Votes)
6. Kentucky (11 1st Place Votes)
7. Vanderbilt (1 1st Place Vote)
SEC West Media Day Prediction
1. #2 Alabama (81 1st Place Votes)
2. #24 LSU (48 1st Place Votes)
3. Auburn (34 1st Place Votes)
4. Mississippi State (25 1st Place Votes)
5. Texas A&M (21 1st Place Votes)
6. Arkansas (9 1st Place Votes)
7. Ole Miss (4 1st Place Votes)

[Maize]

NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Aug 23, 2014
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	1	Wisconsin Badgers (36 1st Place Votes)			1500
2	2	Alabama Crimson Tide (22 1st Place Votes)			1488
3	3	Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1 1st Place Vote)			1271
4	4	Virginia Tech Hokies (1 1st Place Vote)			1210
5	5	Michigan Wolverines (1 1st Place Vote)			1186
6	6	Georgia Bulldogs			1109
7	7	Texas Longhorns			1010
8	8	TCU Horned Frogs			974
9	9	Nebraska Cornhuskers			915
10	10	South Carolina Gamecocks			914
11	11	Oklahoma State Cowboys			885
12	12	Oregon Ducks			811
13	13	Michigan State Spartans			703
14	14	USC Trojans			649
15	15	Clemson Tigers			622
16	16	North Carolina Tar Heels			564
17	17	Kansas State Wildcats			493
18	18	Miami Hurricanes			429
19	19	Northwestern Wildcats			414
20	20	Penn State Nittany Lions			407
21	21	Washington Huskies			388
22	22	Ohio State Buckeyes			319
23	23	Boise State Broncos			276
24	24	LSU Tigers			269
25	25	Florida State Seminoles			222

Heisman Watch

NAME	POS	SCHOOL	CHANGE
De'Anthony Thomas	RB	Oregon
Melvin Gordon	RB	Wisconsin
B.J. Catalon	RB	TCU
Cody Fajardo	QB	Nevada
Joe Bergeron	RB	Texas