WildcatRick
07-26-2008, 11:52 AM
After working its way back into Southeastern Conference relevance with its offensive explosiveness, Kentucky intends to defend that status with its defense at the forefront.
"We should be the best defensive team that I've had," said sixth-year Coach Rich Brooks, who became the second Wildcats coach ever to win bowl games in consecutive seasons — joining Bear Bryant — with December's Music City Bowl win over Clemson.
"Our defensive front is outstanding, our secondary, our linebackers. We have depth, competition and experience."
That's a turnaround from the balance of his Kentucky tenure. The Wildcats allowed a league-worst 29.6 points per game last fall and ranked in the bottom quarter of the SEC in rushing defense and total defense.
In a conference that proves the adage of offense selling tickets and defense winning championships, it's a welcome development for Brooks.
"You look at LSU last year; they were an outstanding defensive team," Brooks said. "Florida the year before was an outstanding defensive football team. Were they good on offense? Yeah, they were really good, but they were great on defense.
http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080726/SPORTS0601/807260345/1002/SPORTS
"We should be the best defensive team that I've had," said sixth-year Coach Rich Brooks, who became the second Wildcats coach ever to win bowl games in consecutive seasons — joining Bear Bryant — with December's Music City Bowl win over Clemson.
"Our defensive front is outstanding, our secondary, our linebackers. We have depth, competition and experience."
That's a turnaround from the balance of his Kentucky tenure. The Wildcats allowed a league-worst 29.6 points per game last fall and ranked in the bottom quarter of the SEC in rushing defense and total defense.
In a conference that proves the adage of offense selling tickets and defense winning championships, it's a welcome development for Brooks.
"You look at LSU last year; they were an outstanding defensive team," Brooks said. "Florida the year before was an outstanding defensive football team. Were they good on offense? Yeah, they were really good, but they were great on defense.
http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080726/SPORTS0601/807260345/1002/SPORTS