UK offensive tackle Garry Williams had surgery this morning to repair an MCL tear in his knee and will miss 2-3 weeks, UK Coach Rich Brooks announced on Thursday. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Williams is UK’s most experienced offensive lineman, having started 26 consecutive games at left tackle. He is out for at least this Saturday’s home opener with Norfolk State and the Middle Tennessee games on Sept. 13. Kentucky has an open date before a home date with Western Kentucky on Sept. 27.

“We’ll just have to see how rehab comes along,” Brooks said.

Brooks said that either redshirt freshman Billy Joe Murphy or junior James Alexander would start at left tackle in Williams’ absence, with Murphy having a slight edge due to Alexander not being 100 percent after suffering a high ankle sprain in fall camp.

UK’s Military Appreciation Day will be held for the fourth consecutive year during Saturday’s home opener vs. Norfolk State.

UK has distributed tickets for the game to soldiers, staff and cadets at Fort Knox, the Kentucky National Guard, UK Air Force ROTC, UK Army ROTC and the Lexington Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Among the dignitaries in attendance will be four generals:

• Major General Edward W. Tonini, the Adjutant General of the Kentucky National Guard
• Brigadier General Timothy A. Byers, a UK alumnus, who is Director of Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters Air Combat Command at Langley (Va.) Air Force Base
• Brigadier General Donald M. Campbell Jr., the Commanding General at Fort Knox
• Brigadier General John Heltzel, the Deputy Commander of the Kentucky National Guard

There will be two special activities during the pregame ceremonies.  A group of T-38 Talon jets - led by Captain Penn Brown, a UK alumnus - will do a flyover in conjunction with the national anthem.  In addition, a giant United States flag, measuring 300 feet by 165 feet, will be unfurled and cover the field from goal line to goal line and sideline to sideline.  The flag will be handled by UK Air Force and Army ROTC cadets, along with soldiers from Fort Knox.

University of Kentucky defensive tackle Myron Pryor was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Louisville on Sunday. The 6-foot-1, 310-pound Pryor had a forced fumble, tackle for loss and 72-yard fumble return touchdown. Pryor is the first UK lineman to win the award since Dean Wells in 1992. Former UK linebacker Wesley Woodyard won the award last season.

Several  true freshman saw action for Kentucky in Sunday’s win over Louisville. The one who had the biggest role was receiver/punt returner/quarterback Randall Cobb, who had a team-high three catches for 31 yards. Receiver Gene McCaskill caught one pass for 10 yards, and receiver Eric Adeyemi saw a few snaps as well. Winston Guy and Danny Trevathan played on the kickoff team. Brooks said that one or two more true freshmen could see time in the coming weeks.

Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks said that other than a few minor bumps and bruises, his team came out relatively healthy following a 27-2 win over Louisville.

Brooks said that senior offensive lineman Christian Johnson recently received an epidural shot for his injured back but added that Johnson would likely redshirt this season.

UK has basically set its starting lineup for Sunday’s opener against Louisville. Coach Rich Brooks announced following Thursday’s practice that senior Jess Beets will start at right guard ahead of sophomore Brad Durham and redshirt freshman Stuart Hines, and junior E.J. Adams will start at wide receiver opposite Dicky Lyons, Jr. Adams had been battling sophomore Kyrus Lanxter and a host of freshmen for the position.

Also, senior free safety Marcus McClinton is expected to start after returning to practice this week from injury. Brooks said he’s still not sure whether Maurice Grinter or T.C. Drake will start at tight end but said Grinter, Drake and Ross Bogue will all likely play.

UK receiver DeMoreo Ford returned to practice this week after attending the funeral of his older brother, Kendall Thomas, in his hometown of LaGrange, Ga. over the week.

Ford has also been recovering from a torn patella tendon suffered in spring practice. UK Coach Rich Brooks said Ford could play a few snaps in Sunday’s opener at Louisville.

Ford said it was good to get back on the football field.

“It was sort of a relief,” he said. “Down there, everybody’s in the same mood. I was too, but I have to be strong and bounce back from it. I was eager to get back so I could free my mind.”

Ford said about that eight family members will make the trip from LaGrange for the U of L game.

“It will help them get their minds off things,” Ford said. “I play football for my family. They come up here to get away from everything for just a day or so. I can’t wait until they come up and have some fun. They’ve been coming every year, even if I don’t play.”

Phillips said that Ford’s biggest value could be on the perimeter as a blocker in the running game.

“We know he can go in there and dig out safeties and crack linebackers,” said Phillips.

Phillips always jokes with Ford about his lack of speed. (”If you see me run a drop back pass with DeMoreo and it’s a deep ball, you need to be booing,” Phillips said.)

But Ford does have two long touchdown catches on his resume’: a 70-yarder against Clemson in the 2006 Music City Bowl and a 27-yarder last year against Vanderbilt.

Phillips said that Ford’s excellent blocking allows him to get loose on play-action fakes.

“He’s so aggressive, in getting support that it allows him to run past people,” Phillips said.

Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks announced that wide receiver Aaron Boyd returned to practice on Friday, participating in some non-contact drills. The freshman from Lexington has been out two weeks because of mononucleosis. He has not been cleared for contact work.

The University of Kentucky football team will have its final scrimmage of the fall on Saturday as they prepare for next Sunday’s opener at Louisville. UK Coach Rich Brooks said he’ll continue to evaluate his personnel to see if any depth chart changes are needed while also prepping for the Cardinal offensive and defensive schemes.

Just a reminder that the scrimmage is CLOSED to both the media and general public.

UK Coach Rich Brooks said on Thursday that redshirt freshman Anthony Mosley has been moved from wide receiver to cornerback. Mosley, a 6-foot-176, pounder from Ellenwood, Ga., had been passed up on the depth chart by several of UK’s true freshman wideouts.