Former University of Kentucky defensive tackle Myron Pryor was selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft on Sunday by the New England Patriots. The 6-foot-1, 319-pound Pryor was the 207th pick overall. The Patriots also selected University of Louisville offensive lineman George Bussey in the fifth round.
The University of Kentucky has released the rosters for Saturday’s Blue/White Spring Game at Commonwealth Stadium. The coaches selected the rosters in a draft held on Thursday.
Blue Team
Coaches: Larry Brinson, Steve Brown, Matt McCutchan, Steve Ortmayer, Rick Petri, Randy Sanders
Offensive Line: Marcus Davis, Zipp Duncan, Jorge Gonzalez, Stuart Hines, Osaze Idumwonyi, Dave Ulinski
Tight Ends: Ross Bogue, Chris Cessna, Maurice Grinter, DeAunte Mason
Wide Receivers: Eric Adeyemi, Anthony Cecil, Randall Cobb, Kyrus Lanxter, Matt Roark
Quarterbacks: Will Fidler, Ryan Phillippi
Running Backs: Moncell Allen, Stephen Ball, Trey Bowland, Tatum Lewis, Brian Murphy, Isaac Stackhouse, Coshik Williams
Defensive Line: Chandler Burden, Antwane Glenn, Jeremy Jarmon, Shane McCord, Luke McDermott, Greg Meisner, Charles Mustafaa
Linebackers: Jacob Dufrene, Micah Johnson, Mikhail Mabry, Danny Trevathan
Defensive Backs: Mikie Benton, Clay Cecil, Matt Lentz, Trevard Lindley, Anthony Mosley, Rashaad Palmer, Taiedo Smith, Greg Wilson
White Team
Coaches: Jimmy Heggins, Joker Phillips, Chuck Smith, Chris Thurmond, Dontae Wright
Offensive Line: Brad Durham, Christian Johnson, Jake Lanefski, Dustin Luck, Billy Joe Murphy, Matt Smith, Sean Stackhouse
Tight Ends: Gabe Correll, T.C. Drake
Wide Receivers: E.J. Adams, Aaron Boyd, Nik Brazley, Alex Dutton, Nathan Dutton, E.J. Fields, Michael Harper, Gene McCaskill, Nick Melillo
Quarterbacks: Mike Hartline, Tyler Sargent
Running Backs: John Conner, A.J. Nance, Matt Ramsey, Alfonso Smith
Defensive Line: Patryk Bielawski, Mark Crawford, Michael Gardner, Jacob Lewellen, Ricky Lumpkin, Corey Peters, Collins Ukwu, Taylor Wyndham
Linebackers: William Johnson, Sam Maxwell, Ronnie Sneed, Antonio Thomas
Defensive Backs: Randall Burden, Ashton Cobb, Daryl Faulkner, Winston Guy, Calvin Harrison, Cartier Rice, Zach Severance
Players Who Will Not Participate Because of Injury
OT Justin Jeffries, DB Brendan Kelly, TB Derrick Locke, LS Jon Thomas, LB Brandon Thurmond, CB Paul Warford, OT Trevino Woods
The leadership council for the 2009 Kentucky football team has been elected by the Wildcats, Coach Rich Brooks has announced.
The council is comprised of seven players, each elected by his own position group. The role of the council is to represent the team on issues that need player input and to bring team concerns to the attention of the coaching staff if needed. This year’s council includes:
Defensive Line – Corey Peters, sr. defensive tackle from Louisville, Ky.
Linebackers – Micah Johnson, sr. middle linebacker from Fort Campbell, Ky.
Defensive Backs – Trevard Lindley, sr. cornerback from Hiram, Ga.
Offensive Line – Zipp Duncan, sr. left tackle from Magnolia, Ky.
Tight Ends, Specialists – Ross Bogue, sr. tight end from Suwanee, Ga.
Wide Receivers – Kyrus Lanxter, jr. wide receiver from Alcoa, Tenn.
Quarterbacks, Running Backs – John Conner, sr. fullback from West Chester, Ohio
The University of Kentucky has received its first commitment for its 2010 recruiting class. According to the Cats’ Pause’s Jeff Drummond, Justin Henderson, a 6-4, 228-pound defensive end from Bamberg (S.C)., committed to Kentucky after visiting the campus this weekend. Henderson received offers from schools such as Duke, Colorado, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State, Syracuse, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks and former UK quarterback Jared Lorenzen will compete in the annual Chick-Fil-A Bowl Challenge celebrity golf tournament at Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee outside Atlanta April 28. Brooks and Lorenzen will be golfing for a share of a $350,000 scholarship purse.
The field will also include defending champions Steve Spurrier and Sterling Sharpe from the University of South Carolina. In all, 11 teams are scheduled to hit the links, all vying for the $120,000 first-place scholarship prize. Former UK basketball coach Tubby Smith will be representing Minnesota along with partner Jim Petersen, a former hoops star at the University of Minnesota who also went on to play in the NBA.
“Don’t expect this to be a nice way for the coaches to unwind after spring practice,” said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Bowl president and CEO. “These guys are very competitive and we fully expect that spirit to carry over to the golf course. We’re looking for a great event with some low scores and a lot of money heading back to these schools for scholarship.”
The current field of competitors includes:
TEAM: COACH: CELEBRITY:
Alabama Nick Saban Johnny Musso
Georgia Tech Paul Johnson Jon Barry
Kentucky Rich Brooks Jared Lorenzen
Maryland Ralph Friedgen Neil O’Donnell
Minnesota Tubby Smith Jim Petersen
Mississippi Houston Nutt Kris Mangum
N.C. State Sidney Lowe Monte Towe
South Carolina Steve Spurrier Sterling Sharpe
Vanderbilt Bobby Johnson Will Perdue
Virginia Tech Frank Beamer Dell Curry
Wake Forest Jim Grobe Billy Packer
Additional teams may be added prior to the event.
The Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge features pairings that include a university head coach and a celebrity or former athlete from the same school competing in a scramble format against other university teams from around the country.
In addition to the $350,000 scholarship purse, another $130,000 of the proceeds will be donated to selected charities. The Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge is a significant contributor to the Chick-fil-A Bowl’s overall charitable and scholarship donations. The Chick-fil-A Bowl leads all bowls in the country in charitable giving, including record gifts of more than $1.2 million in 2008 alone.
For more information on the event, visit www.Chick-fil-ABowlChallenge.com.
Quarterback Randall Cobb took his first snaps in a full-speed scrimmage situation on Wednesday and looked good according to UK Coach Rich Brooks. Cobb was held from contact for the first half of spring practice while he recovered from offseason knee surgery.
“He wasn’t favoring (the knee) at all,” Brooks said. “He got tackled several times and looked like he came out of it fine.”
Also, quarterback Mike Hartline returned after sitting out most of Monday’s practice with elbow tendonitis.
“I think he’s not as crisp throwing the ball, but it did settle down a bit,” UK Coach Rich Brooks said. “Now he’s got to get back in the groove.”
-Redshirt freshman walk-on running back Koshik Williams left Wednesday’s practice with a bruised shoulder. Brooks said the extent of the injury wasn’t immediately known. Williams has been one of the pleasant surprises of the spring thus far.
-Brooks said it’s still uncertain whether junior linebacker Brandon Thurmond will be able to contribute in the fall. Thurmond, who has undergone three knee surgeries, has been been undergoing non-contact tests to see if the knee has healed enough.
“It’s always an iffy thing,” Brooks said. “He’s missed some time due to swelling. We’ll just have to see how his knee responds to activity.”
-One area Brooks is focusing on this spring is third down conversions. The Wildcats converted only 31.4 percent of its third downs last year, which ranked 12th in the SEC.
Brooks noted that UK went from the bottom of the league in third down defense in 2007 to sixth last year.
“If we can improve as much on third-down offense as we did on third down defense last year, then all of a sudden maybe our defense will look even better because they won’t be on the field as much,” Brooks said. “It’s something we have to continue to work on and try to develop an attitude with as well as execute.”
In an ideal world, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks would rather be playing his season opener in Commonwealth Stadium against someone other than Miami (Ohio), who comes from a conference that has made a living off knocking off BCS opponents.
But in today’s world of complex college football scheduling, you have to give a little to get a little. With options to fill its final game on its 2009 slate dwindling, UK agreed to a two-game series with Miami, the first of which will take place on Sept. 5 at Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium. Miami has agreed to come to Lexington in either 2010 or 2013.
Miami finished just 2-10 last fall, but the RedHawks welcome in a new coach in former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Haywood. It’s Haywood’s first job as a head coach, and that alone could make things tricky from a scouting perspective.
Also, while the game is technically at a neutral site, the game is part of Miami’s season ticket package. UK will get 30,000 tickets, but there’s a possibility there could be more red than blue at Paul Brown Stadium, which seats 65,535.
“I’m already a little leery and a little nervous,” Brooks said about the game. “We won’t have a lot of game film on (Haywood). It’s a difficult opener at a neutral site. Hopefully we can fill half the stadium in blue and white.”
But Brooks pointed out the positive as well. Kentucky has a strong fan base in the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati areas. It will also helps the Cats make recruiting in-roads in the Cincinnati area, which produces a good number of Division I prospects annually.
And Brooks noted that nowadays you have to be willing to be more flexible in scheduling.
“We need to expand our role,” he said. “It becomes more and more difficult to try and just schedule non-conference games into your stadium without a return or neutral-site game. It’s a win-win situation, because we can’t play in a better venue.”
Individual ticket prices for the game are $45 for the lower bowl, $35 for the upper bowl and $75 for club level. Tickets can be ordered onoline (www.MURedHawks.com) or by phone at 10-866-MUHAWKS.
Miami athletics director Brad Bates said there isn’t expected to be any live telecast of the game.
Former Kentucky football standout Dicky Lyons, Jr., and head coach of the offense, Joker Phillips will be on hand at Kentucky’s weekend baseball series with No. 3 Georgia to throw out the first pitch. Lyons will toss the first ball Friday before UK’s 6:30 p.m. ET start and Phillips before Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET start at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Kentucky (18-13) takes on the Bulldogs (26-6) in a three-game series at Cliff Hagan Stadium. The series starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday, resumes Saturday at 7 p.m., and concludes with a 1 p.m. ET first pitch. Saturday’s and Sunday’s games will be televised live on the Big Blue Sports Network, broadcast on Fox Sports South. All three games can be heard live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio), with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price, calling the action.
According to Rivals.com, Tate Nichols, a 6-foot-7 tight end from Ryle, has committed to Stanford. Nichols is one of the top prospects in the state of Kentucky and chose Stanford over offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Cincinnati and Indiana
Kentucky senior defensive end Jeremy Jarmon has been named to the 2009 Lott Trophy Watch List, it was announced today by Ronnie Lott at a luncheon in Newport Beach, Ca.
The Watch List is made up of 42 of the nation’s top defensive players who have had the biggest IMPACT on their teams on an d off the field. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
Jarmon is a 277-pounder from Collierville, Tn. He has 17.5 career sacks and 30 career tackles for losses. He has received All-Southeastern Conference honors each of the last two seasons. Additionally, he has gotten excellent reviews for his work on the stage in various productions in both high school and at Kentucky. A major in political science, he is considering a career in public service, such as politics or the FBI.
There are 14 repeat nominees, the most in the six years of the award, including seven quarter-finalists from a year ago and semi-finalist Eric Berry of Tennessee, an All-American and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.
The other quarter-finalists nominated this year are Boston College Linebacker Mark Herzlich, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year; South Carolina’s Eric Norwood, who led the SEC in sacks, Florid a’s Brandon Spikes, Missouri’s Sean Weatherspoon, Kentucky’s Jeremy Jarmon, BYU’s Jan Jorgensen and South Florida’s George Selvie.
Thirty-eight different schools are represented on the Watch List. Alabama, BYU, Georgia and UCLA each have two players nominated.
Named after Hall of Famer Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Now in its sixth year, The Lott Trophy is the only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player.
Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, the award is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
David Pollack of Georgia won the initial Lott Trophy in 2004. DeMeco Ryans of Alabama won the award in 2005, Daymeion Hughes of Cal was the recipient in 2006, Glenn Dorsey of LSU in 2007 and James Laurinaitis of Ohio State last year. Georgia, Alabama, Cal, L SU and Ohio State have each received $25,000 for their general scholarship funds. In five years, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has now donated nearly $650,000 to various charities, including the four universities.
In addition to Berry and Herzlich, Jerry Hughes (TCU, Mountain West) and Alex Carrington (Arkansas State, Sun Belt) were named the Defensive Players of the Year in their respective conferences.
Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, The IMPACT Foundation Board of Advisors comprised of many retired NFL players and Legends Coaches, a distinguish ed group of former head college coaches.
The winner will be announced at a gala black-tie banquet at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, Ca. on December 13th, 2009.
For further information on The Lott Trophy, please visit our websit e at Lotttrophy.com.
Mike Anello, DB, Notre Dame, Sr., 5-10, 170 (Orland Park, Il)
Pat Angerer, LB, Iowa, Sr., 6-1, 232 (Bettendorf, Ia)
Matthew Bauman, LB, BYU, Sr., 6-1, 232 (Salt Lake City)
Patrick Benoist, LB, Vande rbilt, Sr., 6-0, 222 (Southlake, Tx)
Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee, So., 5-11, 195 (Fairburn, Ga)
Alex Carrington, DE, Arkansas State, Sr., 6-5, 275 (Tupelo, Ms)
Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama, Sr., 6-5, 365 (Ft, Myers, Fl)
Reggie Carter, LB, UCLA, Sr., 6-1, 240 (Los Angeles)
Harry Coleman, LB, LSU, Sr., 6-2, 205 (Baldwin, La)
Kurt Coleman, S, Ohio State, Sr., 5-11, 188 (Clayton, Oh)
Rennie Curran, LB, Georgia, Jr., 5-11, 228 (Snellville, Ga)
Brian Duncan, LB, Texas Tech, Sr., 6-1, 238 (Baton Rogue, La)
Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan, Sr., 6-2, 270 (Detroit)
Mark Herzlich, LB, Boston College, Jr., 6-4, 238 (Wayne, Pa)
Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU, Sr., 6-3, 267 (Sugar Land, Tx)
Jeremy Jarmon, DE, Kentucky, Sr., 6-3, 277 (Collierville, Tn)
Greg Jones, LB, Mi chigan State, Jr., 6-1, 222 (Cincinnati)
Jan Jorgensen, DE, BYU, Jr., 6-3, 260, (Helper, Ut)
Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State, Sr., 6-3, 226 (Fountain Hills, Az.)
Sean Lee, LB, Penn State, Sr. 6-2, 236 (Pittsburgh)
Taylor Mays, S, USC, Jr., 6-4, 225 (Seattle)
Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama, Jr., 6-4, 249 (Decatur, Al)
Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma, Jr., 6-4, 300 (Okla homa City)
Bo McNally, S, Stanford, Sr., 6-0, 210 (Salt Lake City)
Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech, Jr., 6-4, 270 (Coatsville, Pa)
Roddrick Muckelroy, LB, Texas, Sr., 6-2, 235 (Hallsville, Tx)
Mike Nixon, LB, Arizona State, Sr., 6-3, 227 (Phoenix)
Eric Norwood, DE, South Carolina, Jr., 6-0, 258 (Acworth, Ga)
Vince Oghobaase, DT, Duke, Sr., 6-6, 300 (Houston)
Jeff Owens, DT, Georgia, Sr., 6-3, 298 (Sunrise, Fl)
Joe Pawelek, LB, Baylor, Sr., 6-2, 240 (San Antonio)
George Selvie, DE, South Florida, Jr., 6-4, 242 (Pensacola, Fl)
Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida,=2 0Jr., 6-3, 245 (Shelby, NC)
Darrell Stuckey, DB, Kansas, Sr., 6-1, 205 (Kansas City)
Ndamukong Suh, DE, Nebraska, Sr., 6-4, 300 (Portland, Or)
Syd’Quan Thompson, DB, Cal, Sr., 5-9, 187 (Sacramento)
Alterraun Verner, DB, UCLA, Jr., 5-11, 178 (Carson, Ca)
Ward, T.J., DB, Oregon, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Antoch, Ca.)
Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri, Jr., 6-1, 230 (Jasper, Tx)
Ryan Winterswyk, DE, Boise State, Sr., 6-4, 258 (La Habra, Ca.)
Reed Williams, LB, Sr., West Virginia, 6-1, 228 (Moorefieild, WVa.)
Corey Wootton, DE, Sr., Northwestern, 6-7, 270 (Rutherford, N.J.)
Chip has been a full-time sportswriter for the Lexington Herald-Leader since 1997 and has been covering the University of Kentucky football team since 2000. A native of Louisville, Chip graduated from UK in 1996. He also covers University of Louisville basketball for the newspaper. E-mail Chip
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