October 2004 WildcatZone.Com News Archive

(10-31-04)

      Football

  • Mississippi State Downs Kentucky 22-7   Fred Reid rushed for 109 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown run with 3:34 remaining, to give Mississippi State a 22-7 win Saturday over Kentucky, one week after the Bulldogs pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season.
  • It's starkville indeed for Wildcats, 22-7   UK's offense took the field with 98 yards separating it from a touchdown that would complete an unlikely comeback in the closing minutes at Mississippi State yesterday.
  • CELLAR'S MARKET   Cats prove to be more woeful than Bulldogs   Yesterday's Kentucky-Mississippi State game was about as poorly played a contest as you would have expected out of two bottom-rung Southeastern Conference programs.
  • NCAA penalties anything but even   The University of Kentucky football program's penalties for recruiting violations were much stiffer than those handed to Mississippi State this past week, but UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart stopped short of saying the Bulldogs got off easy.
  • As Williams shows, you just can't quit   UK safety keeps playing long after there's reason to   Basically, it was quitting time. Mike Williams felt like he had a poltergeist living in his mid-section. His stomach had cramped and then it cramped again.
  • Cats hit new lows in offensive woes   Kentucky and Duke have been synonymous with both basketball excellence and football futility in recent years, and going into yesterday's games, the two were battling for the distinct honor of having the nation's worst offense.
  • MSU 'D' delivers in 22-7 victory    Quentin Culberson's eyes got big. He knew what was coming.    The Mississippi State linebacker read it immediately, just like he had done this week in practice. He thought Kentucky would throw a quick-hitting pass his way.
  • MSU defense throttles Boyd and Kentucky    Mississippi State played defense. Then the Bulldogs played some more defense. They battered Kentucky quarterback Shane Boyd, and they got after his receivers

      Basketball 

  • Cats for Kerry   Massachusetts senator gets slight edge among Kentucky players   While George W. Bush is expected to easily win Kentucky's electoral votes, he's not the favorite of UK's basketball team. An informal sampling of Kentucky basketball players showed a preference for John Kerry over Bush in Tuesday's presidential election.
  • Game vs. Cats 'weird' for Smith   Derek Smith's dream will come true in his first game as a basketball player for NCAA Division II Northern Kentucky University ironically will come Wednesday in an exhibition game against UK in Rupp.

      Newsworthy Cats from the Past

  • Ex-Wildcat Walker has breakout plans   OUT OF MAVERICKS' MIX, HAWK IS NEXT 'NIQUE -- MAYBE   When Antoine Walker arrived on the University of Kentucky campus 10 years ago, teammate Tony Delk recalled, he was one of those McDonald's All-America/ParadeAll-America types.
  • Wizards Waive Fitch and Thomas   Washington Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived guards Gerald Fitch and Billy Thomas.

(10-30-04)

      Football

  • Reeling Cats catch Bulldogs growling   The University of Kentucky will go into today's game at Mississippi State without its best defensive player, Vincent "Sweet Pea" Burns; its leading rusher, Tony Dixon; and any semblance of confidence after losing five straight.
  • Mississippi State Downs Kentucky 22-7    Fred Reid rushed for 109 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown run with 3:34 remaining, to give Mississippi State a 22-7 win Saturday over Kentucky, one week after the Bulldogs pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season.  
  • Kentucky - Mississippi State Postgame Quotes    MSU HEAD COACH SYLVESTER CROOM     OPENING COMMENTS:   "It was a long afternoon. It was good to get a second win in a row. I am very proud of our players. I didn't think we looked as good as we are capable of looking today. We need to get better on offense. I thought our defense played outstanding. They had their backs against the wall. Part of winning is finding a way to win and we did that today. We owe a lot to our defense and that staff. Our kicking game was good today as well. We did a good job and kicking and covering.
  • Kentucky (1-6) at Mississippi State (2-5)    DATE & TIME: Saturday, October 30th, 2:30 p.m. (et)    FACTS & STATS: Site: Scott Field (52,884) -- Starkville, Mississippi. Television: Local. Home Record: Kentucky 1-3, MSU 2-2. Away Record: Kentucky 0-3, MSU 0-3. Neutral Record: Kentucky 0-0, MSU 0-0. Conference Record: Kentucky 0-4, MSU 1-3. Series Record: Kentucky leads, 18-13.  
  • Ailing Boyd will probably start at QB    While Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks said it would be a game-time decision on whether senior Shane Boyd or redshirt freshman Andre Woodson would get the start at quarterback, all signs point toward Boyd returning to the lineup this afternoon. 
  • Can MSU be a W for UK?     The chances for the Kentucky football team to pick up victories are slowly but surely dwindling away. 
  • UK is catching a hot MSU team     It has been a busy week for Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom. 
  • New role suits Bulldogs fine    Mississippi State is looking for two consecutive wins for the first time this season.   The statement came a good ways into the press conference where Mississippi State folks were responding to the NCAA sanctions passed down Wednesday
  • Conner's scrambling makes MSU dangerous    When the chaos begins for a defense, Mississippi State's offense finds order.   Quarterback Omarr Conner takes the snap and searches downfield. Either by design or by feel, Conner begins to scramble. The mobile sophomore has all the power, at this point.

      Basketball 

  • SEC East Preview    They've had 59 wins in two years - 25 of those in the Southeastern Conference.   No team came close to matching UK's SEC dominance the last two years, and with a top-ranked recruiting class, UK is the favorite again in many preseason magazine and Internet polls. 
  • Walk-on surprises friends, family   Nobody in Decatur, Ala., believed Eric Allen when he first told them the news.   The freshman guard had been working out with the UK basketball team since the beginning of classes, but he knew he was no lock to make the roster. Those back home were pessimistic of his chances. 
  • Kentucky Ranked Ninth in Preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll       The Kentucky basketball team is ranked No. 9 in the Preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll, released on Thursday evening.
  • USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 Poll    Rank School 2003-04 Record Points Final 2003-04 ranking  
    1. Kansas (8) 24-9 741 9  
    2. Wake Forest (12) 21-10 724 15  
    3. North Carolina (6) 19-11 697 22  
    4. Georgia Tech (1) 28-10 604 3  
    5. Illinois (1) 26-7 598 11  
    6. Syracuse 23-8 557 19  
    7. Connecticut 33-6 541 1  
    8. Oklahoma State (1) 31-4 511 4  
    9. Kentucky 27-5 480 8  
    Outlook: Wildcats lost three key starters - Gerald Fitch, Erik Daniels and Cliff Hawkins - so they'll be young in spots but still talented. F Chuck Hayes and wing Kelenna Azubuike lead returnees. But watch the freshmen - C Randolph Morris, G Joe Crawford - and PG Patrick Sparks, a transfer from Western Kentucky. Opens: Nov.  
    10. Michigan State 18-12 476 NR  
  • North Hardin Senior Commits to Cats    Jenne Jackson never planned to become a Kentucky Wildcat.  But now she thinks it might have been her destiny all along.

(10-29-04)

      Football

  • Little is likely to get first start    With starting tailback Tony Dixon sidelined by an ankle injury, Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks said yesterday that freshman tailback Rafael Little might make his first collegiate start Saturday at Mississippi State.
  • UK freshman tailback might make first start   Freshman tailback Rafael Little, one of the gems of the University of Kentucky's most recent recruiting class, flashed his potential last week at Auburn and likely will get his first career start tomorrow at Mississippi State. "It's very exciting," he said.

      Basketball 

  • MEDIA POLL PICKS UK TO WIN SEC TITLE   The Kentucky-Florida rivalry continued at the ballot box instead of the basketball court yesterday. For the third time in the last four years, reporters voted UK over Florida as the favorite to win the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division. The Cats also were the choice to win the overall SEC regular-season championship.
  • Media pick UK to win SEC title   Several Southeastern Conference teams returned more starters than the University of Kentucky, but all of the Wildcats' new faces don't necessarily mean new expectations.
  • Look for faster, more furious offense   You Wildcat fans who have been craving for a higher-scoring, more up-tempo offense and more full-court pressing on defense might find what you're looking for in this year's squad.
  • SEC pre-season media voting   Men SEC champion Kentucky 9 votes Mississippi State 8 Florida 1 Eastern Division 1. Kentucky (16) 20 points 2. Florida (2) 35 3. Tennessee 67

(10-28-04)

      Football

  • Wildcats look to improve not-so-special teams   KENTUCKY RANKS LAST IN PUNT RETURNS, KICK COVERAGE   Kentucky has handled Mississippi State the past two seasons thanks in large part to its special teams play. With its offense struggling, UK needs that same kind of special teams magic against the Bulldogs this week.
  • A plea to UK from Card fan: Keep Brooks   "Dr. Bo" talks with Cardinal Red, and find out why Cards fans want UK to keep Brooks.

      Basketball 

  • Kentucky is talented, deep and quite raw    The videotape has been frozen in time. Consider it Randolph Morris' Big Blue Baptism.  
  • Kentucky’s Hayes benefits from media questioning    It's not something most players look forward to. 
  • Success hinges on Hayes    Nothing keeps Chuck Hayes out of the starting lineup.    For 76 straight games, the senior forward has been a fixture in the UK starting five.
  • College life leaves Morris with no regrets    Randolph Morris doesn't have to be here.  The McDonald's All-American and freshman center could have easily followed his friends Dwight Howard and Josh Smith to the NBA, but he chose another path. 
  • Wildcats Picked to Win SEC Title    Kentucky has been picked the preseason favorite to win the 2005 Southeastern Conference men’s basketball title in a poll taken at the SEC Media Days in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday. The Wildcats were dubbed the favorite to win the title on nine of the 18 ballots cast.
  • UK's Hayes searching to find a smooth shot    University of Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes and his best friend last summer were watching videotapes of their high school games, in which Hayes knocked down one jumper after another.
  • Friends figure they can handle rivalry   FLORIDA'S LEE, UK'S HAYES GOT ALONG GREAT AT CAMP   The Kentucky-Florida basketball rivalry has turned personal. That ominous-sounding development occurred this summer during the Nike All-American Camp in Indianapolis. The rivals' current star big men, Chuck Hayes of UK and David Lee of Florida, roomed together while working as camp counselors.
  • Kentucky, Florida get the jump on preseason rankings    The Southeastern Conference's preseason picks won't be released until today, but several players and coaches weighed in with their choices yesterday during the opening of the league's basketball media days.
  • Kentuckians to get their shot at the Cats   Two well-known Kentuckians will try to beat Kentucky this season: Chris Lofton, the reigning Kentucky Mr. Basketball, and Brian Smith, the youngest son of UK Coach Tubby Smith. 
  • With UK mainstays gone, Hayes carrying heavy load   For the first time in four years, all eyes are on University of Kentucky senior forward Chuck Hayes. His picture alone graces the cover of the media guide.
  • Exhibition tickets on sale   Tickets go on sale at the box office today for the University of Kentucky men's basketball team's two exhibition games. The tickets, for the Nov. 3 game against Northern Kentucky and the Nov. 9 game against Kentucky Wesleyan, will be available at both the UK and Rupp Arena ticket offices and through Ticketmaster.
  • Stars go from rivals to roomies    The day before University of Kentucky senior forward Chuck Hayes left for Indianapolis to be a counselor at the Nike All-America camp, he talked with teammate Ravi Moss about all the good returning players in the Southeastern Conference this season.

(10-27-04)

      Football

  • Scrap that siren, the Air Raid is over   UK'S OFFENSE SECOND-TO-LAST IN DIVISION I-A   For those who have been out of the country, or totally addicted to Desperate Housewives, or buried beneath the onslaught of political advertisements these past few weeks, this just in:
  • UK'S OFFENSE SECOND-TO-LAST IN DIVISION I-A    For those who have been out of the country, or totally addicted to Desperate Housewives, or buried beneath the onslaught of political advertisements these past few weeks, this just in:
  • Signature win has Bulldogs riding high   CATS ASPIRE TO SIMILAR TURNABOUT   Rich Brooks is envying Sylvester Croom big-time these days. Last Saturday Croom, in his first year as Mississippi State's coach, led the Bulldogs to a 38-31 win over Florida that has had huge ramifications on the college football landscape.
  • Hudson says replacing him isn't the answer    Beleaguered University of Kentucky offensive coordinator Ron Hudson said firing him isn't the answer to the Wildcats' problems.
  • Todd, Barnhart continue to back Brooks    University of Kentucky president Lee Todd and athletic director Mitch Barnhart expressed their support Tuesday for football coach Rich Brooks, whose team is guaranteed its second straight losing season.

(10-26-04)

      Football

  • Brooks tells Cats he's not quitting   HUDSON SAYS HE WON'T WALK AWAY, EITHER   Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks told his players yesterday what he told the media following Saturday's loss at Auburn: He has no plans of resigning.
  • At UK, offense is truly offensive    For once, University of Kentucky fans have a reason to thank Duke. Only the Blue Devils have a worse offense than UK.
  • U of L, UK athletes lag in graduating   Student-athletes at the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky continue to graduate at a lower percentage than the Division I average, according to the latest NCAA graduation report issued yesterday.
  • Wildcats' Brooks: 'I'm not quitting'     University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks said Monday he was convinced he and his staff are doing what is necessary to rebuild the program, despite a five-game losing streak.

      Basketball 

  • Hayes sets high goals for himself, team   'I CAN BE A FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN'   Kentucky senior forward Chuck Hayes said he plans to lead by example this season. And he aspires to the loftiest possible example.
  • Frosh learning defense    This will be Chuck Hayes' fourth and final season at the University of Kentucky. Of all the team's he's played on, early indications are this one could be the best. He sees the potential in practice when he plays with this athletic group of shooters, penetrators, dunkers and rebounders.
  • Trial begins for UK player's father   The federal trial of a University of Kentucky basketball player's father, who is accused of more than 40 counts of fraud, began yesterday in U.S. District Court in Tulsa.

      Newsworthy Cats from the Past

  • Daniels could be surprise for Kings   At 6-foot-8, Erik Daniels looks surprisingly comfortable handling the ball. That becomes more understandable when you find out he played point guard in high school, where he grew from 5-10 as a freshman to 6-6 as a senior.   

(10-25-04)

      Football

  • Kentucky Hits the Road to Take On Mississippi State   Head Coach Rich Brooks and selected players were available Monday for the weekly news conference. The talked about the season so far and the upcoming road game against Mississippi State.
    The UK/Georgia game on Nov. 6 has been picked up by JP Sports and will be at 12:30 p.m. ET
  • Verdict not in on Woodson just yet   Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks has had at least one full game to evaluate Andre Woodson's potential as a Southeastern Conference quarterback.
  • Brooks will wait to name Wildcats' starting QB    The uncertainty revolving around the University of Kentucky's quarterback situation will continue this week as the Wildcats prepare for Mississippi State.
  • Brooks sees future building blocks for Cats   The losses continue to mount for Kentucky, but coach Rich Brooks says he's seeing future building blocks for UK's struggling offense.

      Basketball 

(10-24-04)

      Football

  • Auburn Ground Game Too Much For Cats    Carnell Williams rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns and No. 3 Auburn allowed only 110 yards in a 42-10 win over Kentucky on Saturday.
  • Cats' offense falls flat in Tigers' rout    The Wildcats managed just 110 total yards in a 42-10 loss to the Tigers before 85,263 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. That's the lowest output in the Wildcats' two seasons under coach Rich Brooks and offensive coordinator Ron Hudson.
  • CADI-SHELLACKING   Carnell Williams outgains the entire UK offense   The third-ranked Auburn Tigers have a shiny Cadillac that can bob and weave his way through traffic and pick up major mileage in a hurry.
  • Woodson gives Cats some hope   Perhaps taking your opening snap in Foxboro, Mass., staring into the teeth of a Bill Belichick defense would be a tougher way to lift the curtain on the next act of your career.
  • ESPN.COM REPORTS REPLACEMENT IS U OF L ASSISTANT   Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks shot down last week's ESPN.com report that stated he would resign at the end of the season and Louisville defensive coordinator Mike Cassity would take over.
  • Brooks vows he isn't leaving without a push   University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks denied an ESPN.com report that he'll resign at the end of this season.  

      Basketball 

  • UK freshmen are Big Macs no longer   Recruiting high-profile players certainly increases a team's talent level. However, blending that young talent into a team concept can sometimes present its own challenge.
  • Coach's ties to Kentucky could help Cats' recruiting    Curtis Brown knew more about Kentucky coach Tubby Smith than he did about Kentucky basketball when he came to the Bluegrass for an unofficial recruiting visit last weekend.
  • Tipoff '05 - SEC Basketball Media Day    Kentucky will be represented by Coach Smith and UK senior Chuck Hayes in the annual SEC Basketball Media Days festivities marking the beginning of the 2005 season. 
  • Hayes Double-Double Leads Blue to 84-76 Win    Senior Chuck Hayes scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while teammate Kelenna Azubuike knocked down a game-high 26 points to rally the Blue squad to an 84-76 win over the White team in Kentucky’s preseason scrimmage Saturday before a Memorial Coliseum crowd of 7,500.
  • Freshmen meet Tubby's demand    RONDO AND OTHERS SHINE WITH TENACIOUS DEFENSE    Three straight times, the White team tried to inbound the ball to Patrick Sparks. Freshman Rajon Rondo foiled each attempt, the first time deflecting the pass out of bounds and the last two making the steal but losing possession because he inadvertently stepped on the baseline and then the sideline.
  • Cats earn 8th spot on notorious list    There's at least one ranking in which Kentucky basketball surely would prefer not to get a mention. But there the Cats were at No. 8 in the top 10 ethical failures of the last 20 years.
  • UK youngsters show their stuff    It came as little surprise that Chuck Hayes and Kelenna Azubuike dominated yesterday's Blue-White scrimmage at Memorial Coliseum.

(10-23-04)

      Football

  • Auburn 42  UK 10 (final)
  • Auburn jumps ahead early, wins big    WOODSON STARTS AT QB, PLAYS ENTIRE GAME   Once the Cadillac got into cruise control, Kentucky was simply run off the road. Auburn senior running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries Saturday as the third-ranked Tigers handled UK 42-10 in front of 85,263 fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
  • Today   Kentucky at Auburn When: 2:30 p.m. Records: UK 1-5 (0-3 SEC); Auburn 7-0 (4-0) Series: Auburn leads 22-5-1 Last meeting: Auburn won 42-21 at UK in 1995.
  • Auburn's spread over UK is ocean   The University of Kentucky will go into today's Southeastern Conference game at No.3-ranked Auburn as a 301/2-point underdog.
  • GAMES WITHIN THE GAME   Breaking down today's Kentucky-Auburn game   There's not much to suggest that today's game will be anything but a blowout. If it turns out to be one, how bad will it actually be? It's hard to imagine Kentucky scoring enough points on the Auburn defense to be competitive. With upcoming key games against Mississippi and Georgia, will Tommy Tuberville call the dogs off early?
  • Pressure? There's none on the Cats   BUT AUBURN DEVOURS CUPCAKES   Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks knows what his ballclub will be up against this afternoon when it takes on third-ranked Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
  • Linebacker corps gets new look   Linebacking was supposed to be an area of strength for the University of Kentucky football team's defense this fall, but the spot has been in a state of flux because of inconsistency.
  • DEPTH CHARTS   Kentucky offense Left tackle 69 Aaron Miller 6-6 295 Fr. 72 Michael Aitcheson 6-3 285 So Left guard 70 Jason Rollins 6-5 290 Sr. 60 Trai Williams 6-4 275 So.

      Basketball 

  • Cats want big play from big men   ALLEYNE, OBRZUT CITE WORK OVER SUMMER   The Kentucky basketball team will get a chance to appraise its front-line options today in the annual Blue-White Scrimmage. With forward Sheray Thomas sidelined indefinitely and the subject of speculation he'll be redshirted, UK Coach Tubby Smith noted how the front line is relatively shallow.
  • Tubby wants to see more defense from Wildcats   With so many newcomers expected to make an impact on the University of Kentucky men's basketball team, every public performance is like a new unveiling.
  • UK looks for more from its 7-footers   The size of the University of Kentucky's two 7-footers didn't match their contributions on the basketball court last season. Sophomore centers Shagari Alleyne and Lukasz Obrzut spent most of their rookie years laboring in the weight room as UK coach Tubby Smith relied on the now departed 6-8 Princeton High graduate Erik Daniels. Daniels made the switch from forward to center for the Wildcats, who finished 27-5 last season.

(10-22-04)

      Football

  • Cats Face Tough Road Battle Against No. 3 Auburn   The Wildcats take to the road Saturday to face 3rd-ranked Auburn at 2:30 p.m. ET in Jordan-Hare Stadium. UK is coming off a heartbreaking loss to South Carolina while Auburn is trying to keep their undefeated record intact.
  • No. 3 Auburn's offense looks scary to Kentucky   We all know about the reputation of Florida quarterback Chris Leak, and the entire nation got to see how explosive the Louisville offense was against Miami last week.
  • Tuberville won at Ole Miss with depleted rosters   Think the University of Kentucky's football team has it bad? The Wildcats are sitting in tall cotton compared with the thorny bush Tommy Tuberville inherited at Mississippi in 1995.
  • Linebackers battle sophomore jinx   It's called the second-year slump. The year after a player first makes an impact, expectations grow. But the performance declines. 
  • Kentucky vs. Auburn   How Kentucky stacks up against Auburn in Southeastern Conference statistical categories this season. The numbers represent where each team ranks in the SEC:
  • UK gets some wide receiver help   The Kentucky football program picked up some good news on the recruiting front yesterday when LaGrange, Ga., wide receiver Demoreo Ford orally committed to attend UK next season.

      Basketball 

  • Lofty expectations change Smith's approach    The expectations may still be the same, but Kentucky coach Tubby Smith is changing his approach to the ultimate prize.  
  • Fab 4? Kentucky youngsters arrive with high expectations to perform early    Kentucky coach Tubby Smith hasn't had much luck landing high-profile recruits.
  • Men's Basketball Media Day   Thursday afternoon marked the annual preseason Kentucky men's basketball media day. Coach Tubby Smith plus a majority of the players were available to talk about their expectations of the upcoming season.
  • Enjoy UK's star recruits while you can   This isn't the first time the University of Kentucky has welcomed a knockout recruiting class. It's just the first time it's happened in the New World Order of college basketball.
  • No time for a learning curve   Kentucky basketball coach Tubby Smith prefers to take time to ensure freshmen players have adjusted to college life and the college game.
  • Freshmen want their own legacy   CLASS HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR UK    Kentucky's heralded freshmen are too young to remember the standard for first-year achievement: Michigan's celebrated Fab 5 advancement to the 1992 national championship game.
  • Freshmen must embrace UK way quickly    For the better part of the past two seasons, the University of Kentucky men's basketball team lived by many of the old-school values thought to be extinct.
  • With Sparks, looks are deceiving     The eyes are fools.  As susceptible to deception as the mark in a con man's shell game.  Watch Patrick Sparks enter a room.  The eyes register ... what?
  • High hopes for 'Cats frosh   Twelve years ago, five bold freshmen at the University of Michigan earned their place in college basketball lore by taking their team to the NCAA championship game in 1992 and again as sophomores the next year.
  • Thomas' return pushed back Roster    Sophomore forward Sheray Thomas is making a slow recovery from his surgery earlier this month. Originally, Kentucky pegged his return at mid-November.
  • Alleyne may play large role    One year later and University of Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith is still trying to figure out whether 7-foot-2 Shagari Alleyne is a redeemable prospect or just plain suspect.
  • Pre-season All-SEC team    FIRST TEAM   Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown  F Kennedy Winston Alabama 6-6 205 Jr. Prichard, Ala.  F David Lee Florida 6-9 249 Sr. St. Louis  G Anthony Roberson Florida 6-1 180 Jr. Saginaw, Mich.  F Matt Walsh Florida 6-6 205 Jr. Holland, Pa.  F Chuck Hayes Kentucky 6-6 247 Sr. Modesto, Calif.

(10-21-04)

      Football

  • Kentucky (1-5) At (3) Auburn (7-0)    GAME NOTES: The third-ranked Auburn Tigers continue their quest for the national championship as they take on the Kentucky Wildcats this weekend in an SEC matchup. Kentucky obviously enters this contest as a huge underdog, as it has won just once in six outings so far this season. The last four games have all resulted in defeat for the Wildcats, including last weekend's 12-7 setback against South Carolina. Sadly enough, they have now been held to fewer than 10 points in three of the six games. Auburn ran its record to 7-0 last weekend with a 38-20 triumph over Arkansas in a game that saw the Tigers jump out to a 30-0 advantage. All but one of the squad's victories have now come by 18 or more points, as the lone exception was a one-point decision over LSU back in September..... 
  • Brooks, Boyd mix messages   QB SAYS HE'LL START; COACH SAYS NOT SO FAST   Shane Boyd says he's ready to be Kentucky's starting quarterback Saturday at Auburn. UK Coach Rich Brooks isn't so sure. Boyd, who suffered an injury to his left shoulder early in the second half of the South Carolina game, returned to the practice field yesterday after sitting out Tuesday and said he felt no pain in the shoulder.
  • Game-by-game statistics this season for UK quarterbacks Shane Boyd...   Game-by-game statistics this season for UK quarterbacks Shane Boyd and Andre Woodson: Passing Boyd Opponent Cmp. Att. Int. Yds. TD
  • UK safety has taken dropped theft hard   UK football players and ex-coach Shelton Crews are helping Mike Williams put his dropped pass in the past. "I've been taking it pretty hard, but everybody has really picked me up again."
  • Cat Fight    The Kentucky Wildcats will visit the Plains for the first time in 10 years on Saturday. They are scheduled to face the Tigers at 1:30 p.m. in Jordan-Hare.

      Basketball 

  • Hayes, Azubuike Named Preseason All-SEC    Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes and combo player Kelenna Azubuike were named to the 2005 Preseason All-Southeastern Conference team as announced by the league office Thursday. Hayes, a 6-6 senior from Modesto, Calif., was named to the first team, while Azubuike, a junior from Tulsa, Okla., earned second-team honors
  • Kentucky Still Hungers For Upset Of Ranked Team    All last season, UK women's basketball was seeking that first silver lining, that first upset.

(10-20-04)

      Football

  • Auburn will be best team UK has faced    The last thing Kentucky's struggling offense needs is to know how highly Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville thinks of his defense.  
  • Missed opportunity gnaws at safety    UK'S WILLIAMS KNOWS HE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT POSSIBLE GAME-CLINCHING INTERCEPTION    Kentucky strong safety Mike Williams knew the ramifications as soon as the football slid through his hands Saturday night. "What went through my mind was, I cost us the game," Williams said. "The game should have been over. Our offense should have been out on the field running out the clock."
  • Boyd has bruised shoulder but might play    Tests on the left shoulder of quarterback Shane Boyd showed nothing more than a bruise, so University of Kentucky coach Rich Brooks hopes his starter will be able to play Saturday against No.3-ranked Auburn.

      Basketball 

  • Former Notre Dame Athletic Trainer Joins UK Athletic Training Staff   Tricia Matysak (MATT-a-sack), formerly the assistant athletic trainer at Notre Dame, has joined the Kentucky athletic training staff and will work primarily with the UK women’s basketball program.

  • Tubby to join Busch team   The University of Kentucky basketball coach announced yesterday that he is partnering with driver Jamie Mosley to field a NASCAR Busch Series team for 2005.

  • Speedier than the Wildcats   University of Kentucky basketball coach Tubby Smith will be a partner in a new NASCAR Busch Series team, he said Tuesday. Smith and his wife, Donna, will join driver Jamie Mosley and NEMCO Motorsports -- which is owned by former Busch Series champion and current Nextel Cup driver Joe Nemechek -- to field a team in 2005. Mosley, a native of Hazard, Ky., will drive the team's Chevrolet.

(10-19-04)

      Football

  • Kentucky Football Notebook - October 19    Matt Huff and Gerad Parker named game captains for the Auburn game ... Mississippi State game not picked up by live TV
  • Two seasons not enough   Look at Auburn. Tommy Tuberville was all but kicked to the curb a year ago. His fans were furious. His administration was wooing a would-be successor. Only the embarrassment from the discovery of Auburn's not-so-secret meeting with Louisville's Bobby Petrino, and a subsequent win over hated Alabama, slipped Tommy T.'s neck from the noose.
  • UK merited better fate than loss, Brooks says    Rich Brooks saw a spark in what appeared to be another in a long line of University of Kentucky football flameouts. Now the Wildcats' coach will find out if that spark lights the way to a strong finish or if they fall back into old habits.

      Basketball 

(10-18-04)

      Football

      Basketball 

  • Tweaking the madness?   Pac-10 schools want it in prime time; UK's take: Why mess with success?
    The NCAA may take the midnight out of madness. Or at least make it possible to stage a Madness celebration and get a good night's sleep.

(10-17-04)

      Football 

  • South Carolina Spoils Homecoming for Cats    Fourth-string quarterback Michael Rathe threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Troy Williamson with 1:28 left, lifting South Carolina to a 12-7 win over Kentucky on Saturday night.

  • Kentucky vs. South Carolina Post-Game Quotes    Kentucky Head Coach Rich Brooks     “Obviously this was a very, very tough loss. We made almost as many mistakes turning the ball over as we have in the last two weeks. The good news is that we took it away from them as many times. If we’d only done it one more time, it would have been a different outcome.”

  • More Big Blue blues   South Carolina football coach Lou Holtz called it a drive of destiny. Destiny that the Gamecocks would pull out a 12-7 heart-stopping win last night over the University of Kentucky.

  • A game so bad, neither team wants to win it    Fumble -- South Carolina. Futility is as familiar a guest in Commonwealth Stadium as UK super fan Jim Brown, of course. In 31-plus star-crossed seasons, the haunted house on the University of Kentucky campus has been home to some epic exhibitions of football follies.

  • UK's Burns has some fun, finally breaks out   The message from University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks to his star defender, Vincent "Sweet Pea" Burns, was simple.

  • Drop, wince, repeat    Not even five South Carolina turnovers and a fourth-string quarterback could add up to a Kentucky win last night. In what resembled a friendly game of pigskin hot potato, UK and South Carolina combined to give the ball away nine times at Commonwealth Stadium.

  • Cats punish selves in final minutes   Michael Rathe came to South Carolina as a hotshot junior-college quarterback, but in two seasons with the Gamecocks, he'd thrown just nine passes, none for touchdowns. But Saturday night, with the game on the line, South Carolina coach Lou Holtz turned to Rathe. 

  • Gamecocks finally finish off an opponent    THE GAME THAT should have been won much earlier suddenly resembled a lost cause, and South Carolina's football season rested on the slippery slope that leads to oblivion.

  • Gamecock reserves step into spotlight   USC’s second-team offense got a second chance to shine Saturday. 

  • Three pivotal plays   Fumble recovery   The situation. Early in the second quarter, Kentucky takes the kickoff at its 28 after a Josh Brown field goal gives USC a 3-0 lead.

      Basketball 

  • UK Basketball Notebook: Tweaking the madness?    UK officials insist they are considering - The NCAA may take the midnight out of madness. Or at least make it possible to stage a Madness celebration and get a good night's sleep.

  • 2004-05 UK men's-schedule   All times Eastern; schedule subject to change Date Opponent Site Time TV Nov. 3 x-NORTHERN KY. Lexington 7 p.m. UKTV-delay Nov. 9 x-Kentucky WESLEYAN Lexington 7 p.m. UKTV

(10-16-04)

      Football 

  • UK  7   USC 12 (final)

  • Gamecocks edge Cats with late drive    Fourth-string quarterback Michael Rathe threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Troy Williamson with 1:28 left, lifting South Carolina to a 12-7 win over Kentucky on Saturday night.

  • At 1-4, UK looks for a fresh start  BROOKS LETS CATS BLOW OFF SOME STEAM IN PRACTICE  Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks tried to lighten the mood surrounding UK's tenuous season Tuesday when he allowed the team to practice outside in a pouring rain instead of inside the Nutter Field House.

  • Kentucky not easily kicked around   The University of Kentucky's best football play looks more like a cross between rugby and volleyball.

  • Holtz believes Wildcats are a challenge     Leave it to Lou Holtz to make the Kentucky Wildcats sound like a good football team.

  • How they'll try to stop Quarterback Shane Boyd    About Boyd: The 6-foot-2, 228-pound senior had one of his few shining moments in last year’s 27-21 loss to USC. Boyd replaced the injured Jared Lorenzen at the start of the fourth quarter and led a pair of touchdown drives before the comeback fell short. Boyd accounted for 154 yards of offense and two touchdowns. 

  • Cats' last stand?   Opportunities are running out for Kentucky to pick up any positive momentum for the 2004 season. Have all the distractions and losses taken their toll on the Wildcats? UK players have seemingly hung their heads the past two weeks when things started to snowball downhill. Do they still have the fortitude left to drudge their way through the final half of the season. This will be the last home game before a two-game road trip. Another dud tonight likely means a lot of empty seats for the two-game November...

  • Kick at your own risk    Kentucky hasn't done much to strike fear in anyone thus far in 2004, but the Cats have at least given opposing coaches something to think about when they line up for a field goal or extra point.

  • DEPTH CHARTS   South Carolina offense Left tackle 78 Jabari Levey 6-7 330 Jr. 77 Woodly Telfort 6-7 320 Jr. Left guard 60 Chris White 6-4 310 So.

      Basketball 

  • College hoops is back ... and so is UK    The official start of Kentucky's 2004-05 season occurred with not a single freshman on the floor. Not Randolph Morris. Not Joe Crawford. Not Rajon Rondo. And not Ramel Bradley. They all had the same view at the beginning of the Big Blue Madness scrimmage as movie star Ashley Judd and the rest of the 10,000 or so fans who jammed into Memorial Coliseum.  

  • It's Madness!   It was "Big Blue Madness" once again Friday night at Memorial Coliseum for the official opening of college basketball season. The fun filled evening was packed with contests, specially-made videos and spoof commercials, plus some special guests - like former UK players Kenny Walker, Sam Bowie and Richie Farmer, plus famous Cats fan Ashley Judd.

  • Big Blue Madness highlights Kentucky hoops' past, future    High-flying freshman Joe Crawford dazzled the crowd with a double-pump reverse dunk, then got a personal congratulation from actress Ashley Judd early Saturday during Big Blue Madness, the ceremonial start to Kentucky's preseason basketball practice. 

  • Bowie, Judd enliven UK scene    More than 20 years have passed since former University of Kentucky player Sam Bowie experienced his first Midnight Madness. The elapsed time has done little to diminish his memory of the event. "As an 18-year-old freshman, you're always anxious to show your skills to the fans," Bowie said Friday night. "You get butterflies like it's a Final Four. "It's a moment you never forget in your collegiate career."

  • Smith enjoys show at Kentucky's Big Blue Madness    If the University of Kentucky fans came to Big Blue Madness last night to see a well-drilled, fundamentally sound basketball team, coach Tubby Smith expected them to be sorely disappointed.

  • Madness multiplied   WILDCATS FRESHMEN CRANK UP FANS' HIGH EXPECTATIONS   With several new faces and one well-established expectation of greatness, Kentucky tipped off another basketball season with Big Blue Madness last night.

(10-15-04)

      Football 

  • Coaches should bolster players, not blame them   Is it possible that the Kentucky football program would do well to take a page from the playbook of ... ... Rick Pitino? Believe it or not, I think so.

  • Why aren't Cats' best defenders playing better?   U of K's defensive end Vincent "Sweet Pea" Burns is the leader of UK's defense. But his status as the Wildcats' best player has taken more hits than Burns has dished out through five games.

  • Woodyard pitches in on field and off    FRESHMAN IS HELPING DRAW TALENT LIKE HIS TO UK   With the losses piling up and the fan base growing more restless each week, Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks is hoping that the future is one thing he can hang his hat on.

  • Strange trip for walk-on starter   It was a decision Matt McCutchan didn't want to have to make -- play college football or stay at the Naval Academy.

      Basketball 

  • Memorial madness comes to an end    While the UK men's and women's basketball teams will celebrate new beginnings tonight at Big Blue Madness, the night's festivities will also mark the end of an era. 

  • So much talent, so many questions   Kentucky basketball has done plenty of winning lately.  About the only way it could have heightened its fans' sky-high expectations was to bring in, say, three McDonald's All-Americans. Which it just has. 

  • Freshmen must obey Tubby's law   No one is bigger than UK basketball.   Rashaad Carruth learned that the hard way.   The lessons he learned should not be lost on this year's class of big-name recruits. 

  • Cats hope to woo recruit at Madness   Midnight Madness annually kicks off the start of basketball season at the University of Kentucky, where tonight fans can look forward to their first glimpse of the nation's No.1 recruiting class.

  • Top prospect might skip tonight's Madness   BARBER'S FATHER DOUBTS FORWARD WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE   With or without its special guest, Kentucky celebrates the return of basketball at tonight's annual Big Blue Madness. Prospect Korvotney Barber, the high school player envisioned as a replacement for Chuck Hayes in 2005-2006, was scheduled to attend Madness as part of an official visit to UK this weekend. But Barber appeared to be backing out of the visit.

  • Recruit cancels campus visit     Midnight Madness has traditionally been a prime recruiting tool for the University of Kentucky where basketball, not football, is king. Coveted players are invited on official visits the weekend of the event so the coaches can talk to them about the program, take them around campus and show them just how dedicated UK basketball fans are.

  • Madness finales might be tonight   Is it time to say goodbye to Midnight Madness? Maybe. Among the nearly 150 items proposed to pass into NCAA law for next year is one that will change when NCAA Division I basketball teams can begin practice, from the current "Saturday nearest to Oct. 15th," to "7 p.m. on the Friday nearest Oct. 15th."

(10-14-04)

      Football 

  • Kentucky Football Notebook - Oct. 14   Game day information for the South Carolina Game: 1964 UK team honored ... Honorary captains Rick Kestner, Talbott Todd, and Bill Jenkins ... Jason Rollins and Dicky Lyons, Jr., game captains ... Tickets still available ... Activities and honorees.

  • Boyd's the answer to QB question   BACKUP WON'T START, BUT HE WILL PLAY   Shane Boyd is a fifth-year senior who finally won the right to be the Kentucky quarterback during spring practice. Andre Woodson is a raw redshirt freshman who is just getting his feet wet as a collegiate quarterback.

  • Bizarre play took wind from Cats' sails     Two days after it happened, Kentucky coaches and players still talked about a bizarre play that robbed the Wildcats of momentum and sent them spiraling to a 45-17 loss to Alabama last Saturday.

  • Barnhart says dumping Brooks not the answer   The University of Kentucky's football program has seen enough turmoil in recent years, athletic director Mitch Barnhart said, and another coaching change is not the solution for the struggling Wildcats.

  • UK's Brooks: Bear with us   University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks is asking Wildcat football fans for a little patience. "I'm disgruntled and unhappy," Brooks said when ask about disgruntled and unhappy fans. "I don't blame them for being somewhat upset."

(10-13-04)

  • Wildcats massage message with $$$   MEDIA WINDFALL GOOD FOR FANS, STUDENTS   An armored truck did not pull up to the University of Kentucky yesterday and unload bars of Fort Knox gold as part of the new cutting-edge, 10-year, $80-million media contract, but no one would have been surprised if it had.
  • Questions and answers about what the UK deal means    The University of Kentucky announced yesterday that it will reap $80.5 million in the next 10 years from its new radio and television rights contract. Here are some basic questions and answers about what this means.
  • UK lands $80 million marketing package   Promoting it as one of the most lucrative multimedia marketing deals in the history of college athletics, the University of Kentucky announced yesterday that it has agreed to a 10-year contract with Host Communications and Gray Television worth more than $80million.

      Football

  • UK misses last season's Sweet Pea   DEFENSIVE END'S NUMBERS FALLING SHORT   What's wrong with Sweet Pea? It's a question that's starting to pop up more and more each week as the struggling Wildcats (1-4) prepare to face South Carolina on Saturday night.

  • Archer would whisper if that would help    University of Kentucky defensive coordinator Mike Archer is known for his demonstrative, in-your-face coaching style. His voice normally can be heard above all others on the practice field. But with the Wildcats ranked last in the SEC in rushing defense, last in total defense and last in scoring defense, he's ready to try just about anything.

      Basketball 

  • Freshmen Women Featured in Live Chats   Each week leading up to the first regular season game against Butler, one of the members of the sixth-ranked recruiting class in the country - the freshmen on the women's basketball team - will sit down for a live chat on ukathletics.com.