WildcatRick
08-18-2006, 12:11 PM
Kentucky Wildcats
To paraphrase Dave Chappelle, “What can I say about (Kentucky football) that hasn’t already been said about Afghanistan? It looks bombed out and depleted.” In the three years since former NFL head coach Rich Brooks took over the Kentucky program, the Wildcats have gone 9-25. Of those nine wins, two have come against I-AA teams, two each over Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Indiana, and one against lowly Ohio. That’s not to say that the Wildcats don’t have exciting players. Junior tailback/punt returner Rafael Little gained almost 2,000 all-purpose yards on the way to being named to the All-SEC first team (AP) as an all-purpose player and the All-SEC second team (Coaches’ Poll) as a running back. He was dinged up in the spring, but he should be ready to carry the load this fall. The Wildcats play a relatively weak schedule (including home games against Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State), but don’t expect much of anything much from Lexington this year, besides a good basketball team and cheerleading squad.
Three Burning Questions
1. Can Rafael Little carry the offense? Little basically did just that last year on the ground, as the Wildcats only had six passing touchdowns. If he can get some help this year from the air, the Kentucky offense might just take off. Opposing teams will try to lock down Little, though.
2. Who will be Kentucky’s quarterback? Junior Andre’ Woodson and sophomore Curtis Pulley split time last season, and both were accurate, combining to complete 59 percent of their passes last season. One of them has to step up and become the playmaking leader of the team. Woodson is a linebacker-sized passer, while Pulley is a dual-threat athlete with a ton of upside. If one of them shows they can lead, the Wildcats may be in for a surprising season.
3. Will Rich Brooks keep his job? In recent years, Kentucky has rarely been in the conversation of SEC contenders. In this “What have you done for me lately?” age, coaches are expected to win in a timely fashion. Maybe Brooks can build something special in a few years, but who knows if he’ll be given the opportunity?
Top Returning Players
RB Rafael Little (Jr., 197 att., 1,103 rushing yards, 9 TD; 449 receiving yards; one KR TD)
LB Wesley Woodyard (Jr., 100 total tackles, two sacks, one INT)
TE Jacob Tamme (Jr., 29 receptions, 251 receiving yards, one TD)
QB Andre Woodson (Jr., 1,644 passing yards, 6 TD)
WR Keenan Burton (Jr., 24 receptions, 365 receiving yards, two TD)
Key Losses
S Muhammad Abdullah (81 total tackles, two sacks)
CB Bo Smith (63 total tackles, two INT)
Stadium Facts:
Name: Commonwealth Stadium
Year Opened: 1973
Capacity: 67,606
Red & Black Outlook:
The Kentucky Wildcats might surpass last season’s win total, but this team is a long way from competing for anything worthwhile this season.
http://www.redandblack.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/08/18/44e50b3717049
To paraphrase Dave Chappelle, “What can I say about (Kentucky football) that hasn’t already been said about Afghanistan? It looks bombed out and depleted.” In the three years since former NFL head coach Rich Brooks took over the Kentucky program, the Wildcats have gone 9-25. Of those nine wins, two have come against I-AA teams, two each over Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Indiana, and one against lowly Ohio. That’s not to say that the Wildcats don’t have exciting players. Junior tailback/punt returner Rafael Little gained almost 2,000 all-purpose yards on the way to being named to the All-SEC first team (AP) as an all-purpose player and the All-SEC second team (Coaches’ Poll) as a running back. He was dinged up in the spring, but he should be ready to carry the load this fall. The Wildcats play a relatively weak schedule (including home games against Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State), but don’t expect much of anything much from Lexington this year, besides a good basketball team and cheerleading squad.
Three Burning Questions
1. Can Rafael Little carry the offense? Little basically did just that last year on the ground, as the Wildcats only had six passing touchdowns. If he can get some help this year from the air, the Kentucky offense might just take off. Opposing teams will try to lock down Little, though.
2. Who will be Kentucky’s quarterback? Junior Andre’ Woodson and sophomore Curtis Pulley split time last season, and both were accurate, combining to complete 59 percent of their passes last season. One of them has to step up and become the playmaking leader of the team. Woodson is a linebacker-sized passer, while Pulley is a dual-threat athlete with a ton of upside. If one of them shows they can lead, the Wildcats may be in for a surprising season.
3. Will Rich Brooks keep his job? In recent years, Kentucky has rarely been in the conversation of SEC contenders. In this “What have you done for me lately?” age, coaches are expected to win in a timely fashion. Maybe Brooks can build something special in a few years, but who knows if he’ll be given the opportunity?
Top Returning Players
RB Rafael Little (Jr., 197 att., 1,103 rushing yards, 9 TD; 449 receiving yards; one KR TD)
LB Wesley Woodyard (Jr., 100 total tackles, two sacks, one INT)
TE Jacob Tamme (Jr., 29 receptions, 251 receiving yards, one TD)
QB Andre Woodson (Jr., 1,644 passing yards, 6 TD)
WR Keenan Burton (Jr., 24 receptions, 365 receiving yards, two TD)
Key Losses
S Muhammad Abdullah (81 total tackles, two sacks)
CB Bo Smith (63 total tackles, two INT)
Stadium Facts:
Name: Commonwealth Stadium
Year Opened: 1973
Capacity: 67,606
Red & Black Outlook:
The Kentucky Wildcats might surpass last season’s win total, but this team is a long way from competing for anything worthwhile this season.
http://www.redandblack.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/08/18/44e50b3717049