Blessed Slippers

Sometimes its easy to tell when you have been blessed. Just knowing I’m a Kentucky fan is knowing I’ve been blessed.

Lately I feel like I have been really blessed. I get to live in Hawaii, have a wonderful daughter and a lot of great friends. There is another reason I’ve been blessed, I get to wear slippers every day winter or summer.

Normally I wouldn’t even think about it but after following a link I read http://www.solecollector.com/niketraining/?p=1614 and I realized that slippers are a blessing and Nike is a curse I’m forced to live with.

Tim Tebow shoes are down right ugly. Please forgive me if I laugh when thinking about him trying to walk on water in these shoes. If they were any uglier they would be a Tennessee shoe and issued along with their jump suits.

How can the Wildcats beat the mighty Gators?

I know that there’s no way this can happen. I know there has been this much agreement as to a number one team in AP history. I know the Gators have returning a fully stocked defense. I know this. Yet, I also know that some teams will play this team close. Likely, ONE team will beat this team. Teams will score touchdowns. Teams will move the ball. Teams WILL deny the Gators the endzone, sometimes. So how does a team like Kentucky do it?

Well, that’s what I’m here for.

The biggest worry we have to take into consideration is gonna be the kicking game. From all indications, the kickoffs have been inconsistent in their depth. Combine that with Florida’s speed and you have the makings for a LONG day full of short series on defense. No coaching ideas I can offer here. You either can get the ball deep enough or high enough to get the stop or you can’t. My suggestion to the coaches would be to consider free kicking the ball. The punters seem to be able to get over 40 on most every kick, and you get the hang time. Chances are you can force a fair catch on the 30 to 35 yard line that would be better than letting them catch it on the run at the 15-20. Just a thought.

So, let’s start where we likely will, no matter what. Defense. Opening thought. Team is full of energy. Snapping at the leash. You’ve got better DBs than they have receivers. Start the day with a blitz. Doesn’t have to be a sell out. And, I certainly wouldn’t advertise it. But send one side and Micah. Objective: Get into the backfield early. Even if they hand the ball to a back, get in there early. If they don’t; if Tim keeps the ball for a play action, then hallelujah. Hit HIM! Throw or no throw. Get the hit, and set the tone. Chop the throwing arm if you can get there early. Remember. You’re not trying to win the game in one play. You’re trying to make this guy thinking about himself, not the play, late in the game.

Obviously, Florida has a lot of weapons. And, they have their best play maker handling the ball. But, Tim Tebow is human. He can be caught up in a number of things. 1st: You have to attack HIM for the game. Not waste time with assignment here or there, or this or that. Yes, you need to honor the assignments you have, but when all esle fails go hit Tim Tebow. Have somebody, as often as you can, not spying on him, but running toward him. And I don’t mean the DT and DE who are pushing every play. I mean a LB. A safety. A corner. MLB. MLB again. Safety. You’re gonna have to mix coverages and you’re gonna have to play up and back with your spacing, but this will be effective. You run your DBs up to play press or to blitz, then you back them up and leave the safety in. The snap of the ball he lunges then falls back into a zone about 8 yards off the ball to the slot side. Instead, your MLB some hard on a blitz to the opposite side of the DT the safety lunged to and the press is on. Tim is good enough to beat you. Yes. He’s good enough to make tough throws. But, NOW, at least, YOU are deciding how long he has to do it, and what routes he’ll have time to see develop before he gets rid of it.

Offensively (which I’ll get to ) I’d all but guarantee screens will be a waste of time. Screens just aren’t that effective outside of high school. Florida’s defense is gonna be too experienced. I think UK will call a screen. Probably a couple, and I’ll go on record telling those coaches ahead of time that they will be terrible plays and that the Gators will smell everyone of them out and be all over them. Cut and paste it. The screen is great if you catch a blitz, or if the other team is slow. But Florida’s DT’s will smell it out and be in the middle of it.
About the only way I’d call a screen is if I was running double screens and had a QB who could fake to the heavy screen a throw to the weak one. And even THEN that’s not a good call.

Trick plays are for tricks. I don’t mind the occasionally punt fake, or field goal fake, but most everything else is just too chancy. If we’re in third and short (3yds or less) Florida will be bringing heat. And they will have some of the, if not THE, fastest linebackers we’ll see. They will be in the backfield and trickery will likely mean a fumble or sack.

Florida will be a game where the judicious use of the tight end will be key. Like I’ve described MANY times, there is little defense for having the TE come off the ball, go 5-7 yds, turn and sit. All the QB has to do is burn a shot right to the side opposite the defender and then they guy just has to catch it and fall.

The Wildcat package will be neat, but I’m not sure how much. Against a deep and experienced front seven, some times you just need to be able to reduce the variables, put helmet on helmet and just get three yards between the tackles. It’s not flashy, and it won’t make we the fans go oooohhh. But, gets the ball moving, keeps the defense honest, and gives the defense some rest. Can’t do it every play, but we also can’t consistently scheme up wildcat option draw passes. And, yes, we do have the lineman and full back to get yardage up the middle. The one thing UK CANNOT DO (are you listening Randy) is run hope plays. We need to run consistent plays. If you are in 2nd and 7 and you can either run it up the gut for three yards, try a screen (and we all know how badly those can go), or runa post pattern, TAKE THE THREE YARD RUN. Get it to fourth and four. Extend the defenses time on the field and give yourself options. Now you only ned four yards, but you can go as deep as you want. You can expect a blitz, and run a slant, a draw, or a screen (still, I think, not a good call against florida’s speed) You can hit the TE short. And, depending on field positions, if you’re say… inside their 45, you call a hope play and leave yourself the option of faking the punt because you ONLY need four yards, not 7.

A big weapon offensively for us, will be the big weapon we’ve all known about from Florida. You set up in a shotgun formation with either Hartline (who runs fairly well) Cobb, or Newton and spread the field. On the snap the QB just runs a BQ draw and tries to get three or four yards without fumbling. This can be a cheap, easy, play, and the formation is such a problem. run it with Cobb and you’ve got a real passer, who’s a better runner, with a speed back. Call this play out of no huddles and it drives defenses crazy.

My next bit of advice is for Steve Brown.

Umm.. blitz. Hit Tim Tebow early in the game. hit him late in the game. Hit him when it’s a draw play. hit him when it’s a trap. Okay,.. okay. Clearly we can’t hit the guy with no reason, but you get my point. I strongly encourage you, Steve, to look at some of the blitzes that Joe Lee Dunn used to come up with as Miss. St. Safeties, covers, every LB, one LB, Middle and weak LB, Zone blitz. LBs and no ends. You are going to have to call a game that PREVENTS Florida from being able to assume anything.

As a defensive coach, You cannot play a veteran team by doing what they’ve seen time and time again. You have to create mismatches. you have to limit Tebow’s time to make reads. You have to shorten their passing game by making Tebow protect himself from hits.

Here’s another HUGE tip from the guru. During pass rush situations, You need to train your defensive lineman to rush for two seconds. TWO SECONDS. In TWO SECONDS if your defensive lineman doesn’t have the advantage against the offense, if they aren’t in a seam heading for the QB, or if they are running straight into a double team, they need to back up, get their hands up and jump into passes. It’s a waste of energy for a d-lineman continue to struggle for another second and a half to two seconds just to have the play go by them, anyway. I know many coaches teach this. I KNOW it. But, I still see teams that are getting out there and not doing it.

More UK thoughts,… from yours truly

1st: Randy Sanders will be calling the plays, NOT Joker. Can’t be overstated. This will make a huge difference.

2nd: The more I think about it, the more I find myself overlooking the UK UL game. My mind has it penciled in as a win. Most of the fans I talk to are also just as dismissive. Well, let me show some respect and offer the thought that, if UK isn’t ready to play against UL, they have a chance of starting 0-3. So, with that thought in mind, let me focus my energy (and somehow transfer that to the team) on UL, and concentrate on whipping our in state rival to start the season. Let’s don’t give Kragthorpe his signature win to prove he belongs. Let’s hit em mouth from the jump, and practice winning against them. GO CATS!!!

3rd: I have stated many times that UK HAS to beat Alabama to get off to the 2-1 start. But,… there’s that part of my mind that says…. Florida may be ripe for the picking. I know it’s crazy. I know it’s hypocrisy. I know the media tells us that, on paper, no way UK can beat…. not Florida, but Tim Tebow. I just get that feeling. Maybe it’s the optimist. Maybe it’s the critic. This Florida team should be good. But, let’s not kid ourselves, or let the what-can-you-sell-for-me-now media kid us either. Florida is beatable. And, I can’t think of a more hostile, hungry crowd, PARTICULARLY after beating an LSU that won the title with a two loss season, than these fans at commonwealth. I think it will be emotional. I think this team will play harder than any team we’ve seen in over twenty years.

So, the ole Katmen is gonna lay it out now. If UK comes into that game 2-0, they will beat Florida. Commonwealth will be so loud and packed with fans that I think the energy will be palpable. There it is. I throw out the caveat of the 2-0 and because football is a game of momentum, and energy. An upset loss to Loserville, or a letdown against Alabama will make room for doubt, and deflate fans. BUT… come in 2-0, and UK will headline the early season by beat Florida.

4th: Folks, I love the SEC. Love it. Admire it. Respect it. But this is the facts. The best conference in college football, THIS year, is the big twelve. AND, the top two teams in the big twelve (OKLAHOMA and Texas) are better than the top two in the SEc. Fact. My early money says, barring critical injury, One of those two teams Will win the national title.

5th: I think the media needs to quit storking its… feathers to Nick Saban and get a reality check. Alabama at #5? Tell you what, if Alabama is in the top ten at the end of the year, I’ll get on this board and call myself stupid. They will be solid, maybe touch good. But, they are an 8 win team at best.

Alabama has got a tougher road than many think, and let me put a little bug in some people’s ears. Like it or not, Bobby Petrino can coach. He’s dirty. he stinks. But, he gets talent on the roster and gets it to perform on the field about as good as some of the best that are in the game. My early predictions are Alabama losing to Va Tech and Arkansas.

Tebow is the talk of the SEC media days

Well a couple of things have kept Tim Tebow in front of the media. Which coach didn’t vote him preseason all-SEC and is he still a virgin?
No doubt these are pressing questions that deserve to be answered so BigBlueRules will attempt to answer them.

Well that was easy the old balls coach answered the first question for us. It wasn’t me he said it was the guy I had answer my coaches ballot for me. I have to admit Steve Spurrier is still more entertaining than his new challenger Lane Kiffin.

In an attempt to answer the second question BigBlueRules is looking for volunteers to visit Florida and help us discover the answer. Volunteers have to possess several qualities. They have to be good looking, don’t mind spending time at the swamp and not be afraid to break one of the Kentucky fans ten commandments. Thou shall not sleep with a gator.

Which brings up another interesting thought what are the other nine commandments.

Receivers Need to Step It UP

Most folks will tell you that a football team with a Big-Armed QB and a couple of good receivers can beat you on any given day…Such was the luxury that the UK Wildcats enjoyed when they had the arm of Andre Woodson, throwing to the arms of receivers such as Keenan Burton, Dicky Lyons and Stevie Johnson.

Given that UK has two big arms coming in the fall, there is a possibility that could happen again, given the circumstances. I don’t think circumstances will present themselves until the Florida game. Let’s face it, Florida is the favorite to win the National Title this year, notwithstanding the SEC. They return their Entire Defense, not to mention terrible Tim Tebow. Mike Hartline should perform well enough to have us at 2-0 going into that game, but this is the one where I think we see Rich Brooks making some moves…

If the Florida defense is swamping Hartline, Rich Brooks will want to put in someone who can move in the pocket, AND see over it…That would be Morgan Newton. Regardless of how he plays, I think this will be a pivotal moment for UK football next season. UK will not play an opponent better than Florida all year and this game time experience will do wonders for Morgan’s confidence. Nothing against Mike Hartline, but I think that Brooks wants to have both Morgan and Randall in the same backfield before the season plays out. Mike Hartline is entering his second year as starter and has a wealth of experience. That will win games, but his arm is not strong enough to stretch SEC defenses.

In order for any QB to excel, one of the following needs to join Randall Cobb and catch some passes: Aaron Boyd, Eric Adeyemi, Gene McCaskill, Kyrus Lanxter, Matt Roark, E.J. Fields. If they don’t I expect these 2, along with Cobb, to be our receivers in the fall.

Nick Mellilo, a walk-on, has already shown he can be a force during the spring game and remember, it only takes a couple of good ones to make a difference. His play was not an anomaly, he had a great spring.

Chris Matthews, at 6’5” and a recent 4.4 forty under his belt, is impossible to cover man-to-man according to his JUCO coach. He can step right off the JUCO fields, where Rivals has him a 4-Star WR, and onto the one at Commonwealth, given his skill set, and the state of our receiving corp….UK coaches are more that excited about the incoming junior college wideout, given he is rated in the 9^th best JUCO out of the top 100!

That makes three receivers, Cobb, Mellilo and Matthews, and these are my picks to catch the football this fall. What are yours?

Week 2 SEC rankings

Other than moving Georgia to the top our SEC ranking dont show much in the way of change. We should get a clearer picture of who the bottom dwellers in the SEC are after the Georgia-South Carolina and Auburn-Mississippi St games.

1. Georgia — Ok now the Dawgs start getting to the meat of their schedule rather than chewing on bones thrown to them. South Carolinas defense should prove more of a challenge to the Dawgs but their offense will kill SC. Its hard not to rank them at the top of the SEC right now.

2. Florida — Miami made the Gators look beatable. Tim Tebow kept them in the game with his running but the offense didnt look all that great. The Gators defense is looking much better than they did last year.

3. LSU — They didnt play Saturday but the Tigers are still better than the rest of the SEC.

4. Auburn — The Tigers look like they are gelling at the quarterback position and learning the offense. Playing a suddenly bad looking Mississippi St. team even at the Bulldogs home shouldnt be a problem for the Tigers.

5. Alabama — Alabama looked like they decided to take a nap against Tulane. Nap this week against Western Kentucky and people will begin to wonder if their first win wasnt a fluke.

6. Vanderbilt — Ranking Vandy this high might be a stretch but they are in the 6 to 8 range.

7. Kentucky — Their defense is the real deal, having given up only three points in the first two games. Randall Cobb made the offense look much better and baring a loss to a capable Middle Tennessee team and the Cats should be 4-0 going into the Alabama game.

8. Ole Miss — Even though the Rebels lost they are still a good team and if their defense can manage to improve they will be a team to recon with in the SEC west. Their offense looks solid and will continue to improve.

9. Tennessee — Im moving the Vols up only because South Carolina looked so bad against Vandy. They could easily be 2-4 to start the season.

10. Miss. State — The Bulldogs won against won easily against Southeastern Louisiana but are going to have to do better if they want to move up next week.

11. South Carolina — Is there a offence for the gamecocks. The game this weekend is either a make or brake game for the Gamecocks. If the coaching staff cant manage to get them to rise to the occasion against the Dawgs.

12. Arkansas — 2-0 to start the season and ranked last. Texas will be the first to show how weak the Hogs really are.