H-L/Mark Story wonders why the road team is 9-7 in UK-UofL rivalry

Ky Sports Radio:  Lou Holtz picks the Cards to upset the Wildcats

C-J/Brett Dawson:  Derrick Locke says UK is commited to the running game

UKathletics.com talks w/ Joker about keys to the game

UKathletics.com:  VIDEO/Joker w/ the media after Thursday practice

Ky Sports Radio:  a VIDEO message from captains Randall Cobb & DeQuin Evans

VaughtsViews:  Mike Hartline says he's not a numbers guy

Sea of Blue wonders if Kentucky can defend the spread offense

CJ:  Louisville's Bilal Powell is a quiet leader

mrsec.com predicts Joker will have the best record among SEC's new coaches

mrsec.com:  the numbers say defense carries the day in the SEC

YouTube:  former Cat John Conner has a nickname in New York--"the Terminator"

 

SI.com:  LISTEN to coach Cal on the Dan Patrick Show

Nation of Blue:  Knight, Jones featured on Sporting News cover

YouTube: check out this mixtape of Marquis Teague highlights

College FB News picks UK to win 31-23

H-L/Chip Cosby:  Hartline evolving from game manager to game changer

VaughtsViews:  Aumiller's rise is no surprise to coach Chuck Smith

H-L/John Clay's blog:  VIDEO of Joker talking about his coin toss decision strategy

 

ESPN.com:  LISTEN to podcast of coach Cal on Mike & Mike show this a.m.

H-L/Tipton:  Calipari endorses JV team concept

 

*Jeff Piecoro says a rash of turnovers is the only way Kentucky loses to UofL and he looks for the Cards to use their running attack to try and shorten the game

*UofL radio voice Paul Rogers says the run game is certainly the Cards' strength.  He told a story about coach Strong watching Bilal Powell rush for more than 200 yards and almost single-handidly defeat a Lakeland, FL HS team that had seven players signed by Florida.  Rogers says Strong has bonded w/ Powell and is pushing him to be the player the coach watched that night

*CBS' Tony Barnhart says he's very high on new UK coach Joker Phillips, saying Joker "understands the cultrure" of UK football and understands that "this league is about players."  Barnhart says Joker has assembled a strong staff of recruiters.  On Joker's question of "why not Kentucky" to win the SEC East, Barnhart says it is possible and he believes that becuase of 2007, when he said the Cats had the personnel to have won the East.

ESPN's Chris Low says Joker is eager to take the next step

UKathletics.com:  Phillips, players to switch focus for Thursday

VaughtsViews has VIDEO interviews with TE Aumiller and DT McCord

H-L/Chip Cosby:  UK defenders believe they can stop the spread

CJ/Brett Dawson:  Hartline has all the support he needs within his own team

CJ/Bozich & Crawford talk w/ ABC analyst Pearson (he's working the UK-UofL game)

 

KySportsRadio:  Calipari thinks they'll get word on Kanter soon

Ky Sports Radio:  Richie Farmer is running for Lt. Gov

H-L:  Cats fans turn out to see coach Cal at book signing

VaughtsViews:  ESPN's Erin Andrews is excited about UK women's clinic

 

H-L:  Kentucky rallies past Louisville

 

Click here to see offensive coordinator Randy Sanders talk about playcalling and preparing for Louisville's blitzes

Mike Decourcy is one of my favorite radio guests as you always get interesting comments from him.  We had the longtime Sporting News college basketball writer on "The Leach Report" on WKJK this morning  (click here to listen to the podcast--Mike comes on about 13 minutes into the show) and here are some of the highlights:

 

*sees no reason to believe there will be a problem with Enes Kanter becoming eligible

 

* says Terrence Jones' ability to be a playmaker from the power forward spot is a dimension few teams will have

 

*says there's almost "no comparison" between this team and last year's 35-3 group;  says this team will have to be more "disruptive" defensively and force turnovers because they won't have as great a shotblocking presence at the rim

 

*says Miller and Liggins look to be "greatly improved"

Click here to listen to the podcast of today's "Leach Report" show.  Guests include:

Sporting News' Mike Decourcy (about 13 minutes in)

Ky Sports Network's Greg Gorham on former Cats in the NFL  (app 35 min in)

UK Hall of Famer Jeff Van Note (app 45 min in)

CJ/Eric Crawford predicts Kentucky to win in a shootout v. UofL

H-L/Chip Cosby:  Cats says Joker's first camp has been the most physical

H-L/Chip Cosby:  extra work pays off for DT Luke McDermott

CJ/Jody Demling:  Joker, UK have had recruiting success in Louisville

CJ/Demling:  Cats beat out Arkansas for WR recruit

VaughtsViews:  Priester, Sanders are inspired by Cobb & Locke

SeaofBlue looks at key storylines for the UK-UofL game

H-L:  UofL QB Froman has plenty of options

Bleed Blue Ky breaks down the UofL offense v. the UK defense

mrsec.com:  QB Masoli ruled ineligible to play for Ole Miss until 2011

mrsec.com wonders if 2010 is the last stand for LSU coach Les Miles

 

Dime Magazine's Jordan says don't believe the hype on Worldwide Wes' influence

VaughtsViews:  Wiltjer talks about his reasons for picking UK

H-L's Mark Story has 25 reasons to watch Kentucky football this fall

CJ's Rick Bozich writes that the stakes are higher for Joker Phillips this Saturday

MrSEC.com's formula for Kentucky contending for SEC East title

VaughtsViews:  VIDEO interview with Randall Cobb on the Louisville game

VaughtsViews writes about the surprise start for Luke McDermott at DT

H-L/Chip Cosby:  Cats say Governor's Cup belongs here

CJ:  Cards' coach Strong wants his players to control their emotions

NWArkansasonline:  polling beat writers on the best of the SEC

 

KySports Radio says UK's recruitment of Quincy Miller is over

VaughtsViews:  Marquis Teague says everybody wants to play Cal's style

WKYT.com says former Cat Richie Farmer will run for Lt. Gov w/ David Williams

KyKernel:  coach Cal to address UK students

A couple of notes from this morning's "Leach Report" radio show on WKJK AM-1080 in Louisville.  Coach Cal joined us and said Terrence Jones is progressing well from his shoulder injury and should be able to return to working out in a couple of weeks.

 

Joker Phillips was our first guest and told us that freshman kicker Joe Mansour is in a backup role for now because he hasn't been as consistent as they would like.  Craig McIntosh has the edge for the kickoff role while Ryan Tydlacka will handle PATs and field goals, but Joker stressed that they have high hopes for Mansour having a bright future at UK.  (My guess is that he'll get his chance to prove himself somewhere in the not too distant future).

 

The biggest surprise out of Joker's first game week news conference was the depth chart showing Luke McDermott starting at a defensive tackle spot.  It's a tribute to McDermott's hard work and Joker said they're also sending a message to Shane McCord.  Mark Crawford and Donte Rumph have been slowed by nagging injuries at the DT spot.

 

Joker said he's relaxed for now but might "hugging a toilet" by Saturday if the nerves act up.

 

Heading to Louisville for Joker's first call-in show.  Big Blue Country restaurant in the 'ville is staging a Big Blue pep rally Friday night.  Click on this link here for details.

 

H-L/John Clay:  VIDEO interview with Derrick Locke on leadership & Louisville

CardChronicle.com looks at the wideouts-versus-secondary matchups for UK, UofL

KySportsNetwork:  VIDEO clip of Trevard Lindley's first NFL interception

BleedBlueKY:  don't pay too much attention to those star rankings for FB recruits

 

Fox:  Jeff Goodman says pencil in UK as the #1 team for the 2011 season

ESPN:  Paul Biancardi says the four 2011 recruits are perfect fit for Dribble Drive

VaughtsViews:  Scout's Evan Daniels says Gilchrist's slip in rankings is no big deal

H-L/Tipton:  Calipari lands another top 25 recruit for UK

CJ:  Wilter says he wanted to surround himself with the best

KySportsRadio:  Wiltjer stirs memories of McHale, Van Horn

YouTube:  VIDEO clip with highlights of Wiltjer inside and outside game

YouTube:  OregonLive.com has VIDEO highlights of Wiltjer

VaughtsViews:  Larry Vaught writes about the significance of Wiltjer's commitment

BearTalk:  Wiltjer's decision is a tough blow to Cal coach Montgomery

All Ky Hoops:  former Cat Randolph Morris has signed to play in China

All Ky Hoops:  coach says it's like using rifles v. nuclear bombs in recruiting v. UK

H-L/Jerry Tipton's notebook focuses on ticket prices and possible UK series' with

     Texas and Notre Dame

 

H-L/Mark Story predicts a 7-5 record for Kentucky this fall

CJ picks the Cats to go 8-4

Knoxville columnist John Adams picks UK 5th in SEC East

H-L/Chip Cosby:  Joker wants to take UK football to the next level

CJ/Brett Dawson:  Cats say Joker is a players' coach

VaughtsViews:  Cobb is sold on Hartline and the UK offense

Card Chronicle is glad Joker picked Hartline at QB over Newton

H-L:  coaches at UK, UofL and WKU want to put race in the rear view mirror

H-L/Story:  UK assistants Nord, Summers talk about going back to Louisville

STAA:  Georgia makes a change with its veteran radio sideline reporter