Had a great interview today with junior running back Derrick Locke, who’s spent the offseason rehabbing from a severe knee injury suffered last fall in the Arkansas game. Locke will participate in team activities starting in June and is expecting to be ready for the season-opener against Miami on Sept. 5.

Check out Sunday’s Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com for my feature story detailing Locke’s rehab and prospects for returning to the field this fall.

The career of University of Kentucky defensive end Jeremy Jarmon has come to an abrupt end after he tested positive for a substance that is banned by the NCAA.

Jarmon, a 6-foot-3, 277-pound senior-to-be from Collierville, Tenn., read a statement to the media at a press conference Saturday morning. Jarmon said he purchased an over-the-counter supplement in February to aid with weight loss. He was selected for a random drug test by the NCAA on Feb. 24 and tested positive. Jarmon did not name the banned substance he tested positive for.

The NCAA regulates a one-year suspension for a positive test for a banned substance. Jarmon redshirted his freshman year at UK, so he has no eligibility remaining.

Jarmon was named a second-team All-SEC pick after his sophomore year, and had considered skipping his final year of eligibility for the NFL Draft before deciding to return to UK.

Check back with Kentucky.com and Chip’s blog for more updates

Spring semester grades have been posted, and the University of Kentucky received good news as senior running back Moncell Allen has done well enough to remain eligible for the 2009 season, UK Coach Rich Brooks announced on Friday. Allen missed the Liberty Bowl due to academic reasons, but his return gives the Cats another solid option at running back along with fellow senior Alfonso Smith. The 5-foot-7, 225-pound Allen rushed for 202 yards in 12 games.
UK is also hoping that junior Derrick Locke will return to full speed after suffering a serious knee injury against South Carolina last fall.
Brooks also congratulated senior tight end Ross Bogue and junior offensive lineman Brad Durham, who both got 4.0 grade-point averages in the spring.

Collegefootballnews.com blogger Barrett Sallee recently ranked the coaches in the Southeastern Conference, and Kentucky’s Rich Brooks placed fifth out of 12. Brooks was listed ahead of South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier and LSU’s Les Miles, who have both won national championships.

Sallee on Brooks: “ Brooks flies very, VERY far under the radar. But, the veteran coach has led the Wildcats out of probation, and back to respectability in the SEC East. In January, Brooks became the first Kentucky coach ever to win three straight bowl games, and currently holds the nations second-longest out-of-conference winning streak at 14. In years past, Kentucky was mentioned in the same breath as Vanderbilt. Not anymore. The ‘Cats are no longer a pushover and, if the rest of the league doesn’t watch out, could be serious contenders for a division title in the very near future.”

Here’s the complete list:

Ranking SEC Coaches

University of Kentucky senior tight end T.C. Drake recently underwent sports hernia surgery and won’t be back to full speed for about six weeks, UK Coach Rich Brooks announced via Twitter. Drake started eight games at tight end last fall, catching 12 passes for 204 yards. He’s expected to battle seniors Ross Bogue and Maurice Grinter for the No. 1 spot once fall camp begins. Bogue ended the spring as the starting tight end.