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Wildcats plot next step in rise
Coming off two bowl seasons in a row, program sets sights on sustained success
Written by SETH EMERSON
semerson@thestate.com
Posted on 08.06.08
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About the Wildcats
COACH: Rich Brooks (24-35 in five seasons at Kentucky)
2007 RECORD: 8-5 overall, 3-5 in the SEC
PLAYERS TO WATCH: LT Garry Williams (preseason All-SEC first-team), WR Dicky Lyons (655 receiving yards, 7 TD in 2007), DE Jeremy Jarmon (9 sacks, second-team All-SEC in 2007), CB Trevard Lindley (66 tackles, 3 INT in 2007).
THE SKINNY: Considering the upheaval at quarterback, and the graduation of leading tackler Wesley Woodyard, it will be hard for Kentucky to get back to the 8-win mark. But if Brooks is right about the team’s talent, and having the best defense since he arrived, the Wildcats will avoid plummeting back to the cellar.
SCHEDULE
| Aug. 31 | at Louisville |
| Sept. 6 | Norfolk State |
| Sept. 13 | Middle Tennessee |
| Sept. 27 | Western Kentucky |
| Oct. 4 | at Alabama |
| Oct. 11 | South Carolina |
| Oct. 18 | Arkansas |
| Oct. 25 | at Florida |
| Nov. 1 | at Mississippi State |
| Nov. 8 | Georgia |
| Nov. 15 | Vanderbilt |
| Nov. 29 | at Tennessee |
Curtis Pulley, who had a good chance to be Kentucky’s starting quarterback this season, was dismissed from the team Tuesday after several brushes with the law.
The news was a disappointing start to what could be a key season in the Wildcats’ history. They are coming off consecutive bowl seasons — beating Florida State and Clemson in the postseason — and an appearance in The Associated Press’ top 10 at one point last year.
This would be the perfect year for coach Rich Brooks to build on that, and show it was more than a good two-year run. But Kentucky lost seven offensive starters, including star quarterback Andre’ Woodson. As a result, the Wildcats are once again picked to finish fifth in the SEC East.
Brooks was still talking up his team’s talent at last month’s SEC media days. But as receiver Dicky Lyons pointed out, Kentucky doesn’t get respect based on reputation.
“You’re going up against these teams that have just earned their place year-after-year through decades. And we’re just now getting to the point where we’re making progress,” Lyons said. “Two 8-win seasons in the SEC is not the top. And you’ve gotta get to the top to get respect. Right now, we’re on our way.”
The change at Kentucky has the potential to be long-lasting, Brooks believes. In his first year at Kentucky, he had one player who could run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds or less. Last year, 17 Wildcats could.
“We have more speed; we have more talent,” Brooks said. “We have players that are capable of playing at Florida and Georgia and Tennessee. I think that we’ve closed the gap on the talent level, which is the biggest significant difference in Kentucky football now versus four or five years ago.”
Brooks said this should be the best defensive team he’s had at Kentucky. He also thinks he’ll have the best offensive line.
That leaves the skill positions as the biggest questions. There’s little depth behind Lyons at receiver, leading running back Raphael Little graduated, and Pulley’s dismissal leaves the most important job to sophomore Mike Hartline, who threw six passes last season.
Pulley and Mike Hartline entered the preseason in what Brooks called a “virtual tie.” Hartline is a better runner than Andre’ Woodson, who was the second-team All-SEC quarterback after Tim Tebow.
Brooks, who turns 67 this month, will hand the reigns eventually to offensive coordinator Joker Phillips, a former South Carolina assistant. No date has been set. He seems certain to leave with much more respect from the league than when he entered it, though Brooks admitted that he has seen some of the coaching rankings that put him 11th or 12th among his peers.
“We have accomplished some things at Kentucky that I think are fairly significant in Kentucky football history,” Brooks said. “In the grand scheme of things, in the SEC, it probably hasn’t been that dramatic.”
It still has a chance to be solid, incremental improvement. If the Wildcats win eight games again this year, it would cement that.
Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.
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