0%e Coats ' Accuse
VIEWPOINT
totr To The Editor
[Continued From Page 9]
basketball. And they certainly will be under Jerry Claiborne, because the man is hanging in, doing all the right things, treating everyone the same, superstar or third-stringer. Realizing that a job this big does not happen overnight. Realizing that "changing horses in midstream" or getting another coach will not do it in a heartbeat.
Finally, I just want to say, big brother and all other big blue fans, calm down! I know it's frustrating, I know we all just want a winner. But at what cost. The price SMU had to pay? Or maybe Florida's recent penalty? I really believe we will be a lot happier doing it Jerry's way.
So, in closing, I know this letter is long, but it is something that needs to be said. Hang in there Jerry, you do have some believers out here who know you will do it, if these "fanatics" don't lose their head and apply enough pressure to get you ousted. Just remember, Jerry, it's always darkest before the dawn!
Sincerely,
Mark A. Holmes Danville, Kentucky
One For THE Fans
Dear Sir:
After reading The Cats' Pause of Nov. 21, 1987, I for one will have to agree with Greg Carr (Letter: Midnight Madness) of Ashland, Ky.
Ten years ago my job was transferred to a little town 70 miles east of St. Louis, Mo., from Louisville, Ky. Now my only means of keeping up with the 'Cats is through the Big Blue Basketball magazine and The Cats' Pause. If I'm luckly I pick the games up on WLW AM radio.
Concerning the UKIT tickets, Mr. Carr is right. The last three years I have been lucky and was able to receive tickets. The problem as Mr. Carr stated is the same. We drive 350 miles only to have our seats in the end zone and two or three rows from the top. I realize there are fans that didn't receive any tickets at all and I consider myself lucky to get these.
Putting a game in Memorial Coliseum would be a BIG slap on the back to all the true Blue fans such as myself, Mr. Carr, and all the others.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.
Go 'Cats!
Art Willman Iuka, Illinois
With VanoVs Upset Of Carolina, 'Cats Move To Nation's Top Spot
AP Top Twenty _ .
Previous week
1. Kentucky (46)................................. 2
2. Pittsburgh (4)....................................... 4
3. Iowa (2)............................................... 6
4. Arizona (2)........................................... 9
5. North Carolina..................................... 1
6. Indiana................................................ 5
7. Wyoming.............................................. 10
8. Syracuse............................................. 3
9. Missouri (1).......................................... 8
10. Duke.................................................... 13
11. Temple................................................. 12
12. Florida................................................. 7
13. Purdue................................................. 11
14. Georgetown.......................................... 17
15. Michigan.............................................. 15
16. Oklahoma............................................ 18
17. Nevada-Las Vegas................................ 19
18. Kansas................................................. 16
19. Notre Dame......................................... 
20. Memphis State..................................... 20
Statistically, Football 'Cats Had Good Year
Higgs Finishes I2th In Country In Rushing
Statisically speaking, the gridiron Wildcats were right beside some of the best teams in the nation early in the season in team defense, team offense and a few other categories.
Dan Brandenburg
Cats' Pause Columnist
But the glimmer has since worn off those numbers, thanks in part to the likes of LSU, Georgia, Florida, Van-derbilt and Tennessee. But now that the regular season has come to a close and the bowl season is upon us, Kentucky can still be found among the leaders in one final stat.
The Cats tied for 17th in the country in total defense, allowing 301.3 yards per game. They gave up 22 touchdowns and 3,314 yards on 751 plays for an average of 4.4 yards per play.
No. 1 Oklahoma allowed only seven touchdowns, 3.3 yards per play and 208.1 yards per game to lead the nation in that category.
Individually, senior tailback Mark Higgs finished 12th in rushing with 1,278 yards on 193 carries. He averaged 116.2 yards per game and 6.6 yards per carry and scored 10 touchdowns.
In the SEC, Kentucky tied for seventh  and last  with Vanderbilt, Mississippi and Mississippi State, The Cats were 1-5 in the league and 5-6 overall.
UK scored 123 points and allowed 146 in SEC matches
SEC Coaches Pick Reese All-SEC
and scored 258 and gave up 185 overall. In non-conference action, where it was 4-1, Kentucky's defense permitted just 39 points total.
I think Kentucky was the best of the Bottom Four SEC teams, but still was not able to compete with the Big Six, all of which are bowl-bound.
Alabama will take on Michigan in the Hall of Fame Bowl in Tampa Jan. 2, Auburn will face Syracuse in the Sugar Jan. 1 in New Orleans, Florida will meet UCLA in the Aloha Dec. 25 in Honolulu, Georgia will play Arkansas in the Liberty in Memphis Dec. 29, LSU will go against South Carolina in the Gator in Jacksonville Dec. 31 and Tennes-
see will square off against Indiana in the Peach Jan. 2 Atlanta.
This marks the eighth consecutive season that at leas four SEC teams have gone to bowls. Georgia is the only team to have made it each of the eight years.
In my preseason predicitions this year, I didn't do too bad on eight of the SEC teams. I do, however, remember writing that it was low tide in Alabama, but the Crimson Elephants finished tied for fourth. And as for calling Ole Miss the darkhorse this season, the Rebels' 1-5 conference mark was strictly for the glue factory.
As I have said all season, the SEC was the best football league in the country this year. The SEC finished 35-15-1 versus non-league opponents this season, which figures out to a 69.6 winning percentage.
No league as a whole in the nation had a winning record against the Southeastern. As food for thought, here are the records of a few other big time leagues in non-conference games this season: Big 8, 19-13; Big 10, 16-12-3; Pac 10 16-16; ACC, 16-16.
In the honors department, UK defensive tackle Jerry Reese was named to the coaches All-SEC team. The 6-1 259-pounder from Hopkinsville was also a second-team pick on the Associated Press All-SEC team and an honor able mention AP Ail-American.
All told, four Cats  Reese, senior tailback Mark Higgs and senior offensive guards Greg Kunkel and Dermontti Dawson  made the AP All-SEC second team and the same four all got All-American honorable mention recognition.
Higgs, Dawson and Kunkel also got votes for the coaches team, for which only one unit was selected.
For the first time in SEC history, more than four run ners cracked the 1,000-yard barrier this season. Joining UK's Higgs were Emmitt Smith, Florida; Bobby Hum phrey, Alabama; Reggie Cobb, Tennessee; Lars Tate, Georgia; and Harvey Williams, LSU.
In 1978, four runners broke the mark and three each gained 1,000 in 1984, '85 and '75.
UK defensive back Chris Tolbert, 6-0, 193, was the only Wildcat named to the Knoxville News-Sentinel's sec ond annual All-SEC Freshman Team.
Alabama had six players on the 24-man team, which should tell you that the Tide is on the rise again. Tennessee placed five, Florida carded four, Ole Miss and Mississippi State each had three and Vandy and Georgia had one each
Auburn and LSU, the league's top two teams this season were both shutout on the squad.
As far as the SEC is concerned, Kentucky carded sev eral top 10 individual performances this season. They were:
Higgs, fifth, all-purpose running; 10th, total offense; second, rushing; Dee Smith, 10th, all-purpose running; third, punt returns; fourth, kickoff returns; Glenn Fohr, ninth, passing; Joe Worley, third, field goals; Jay Tesar, seventh, punting; Jimmie O'Neal, ninth, punt returns; and Tony Massey, seventh, interceptions.
As a team, Kentucky ranked as follows in the SEC: Total offense, sixth; total defense, third; rushing offense, third; rushing defense, fourth; passing offense, eighth; passing defense, fourth; scoring offense, seventh; scoring defense, sixth; kickoff returns, 10th; punt returns, seventh; net punting, second; quarterback sacks, fourth; first downs per game, seventh; first downs allowed per game, first; third down conversions, sixth; third down conversions defense, second; penalty yards per game, ninth; and turnover ratio, sixth.
If you can stand to keep playing the numbers game, the 1987 edition of the Cats also ranked among the best in UK history in several areas.
The Cats had the second-highest first-down total in history (212), the fourth-best total offense figure (3,964), the No. 2 total offense per game mark (360.4), fourth-lowest number of turnovers (21), fifth-best scoring mark (23.5), 1 Oth-best rushing (2,340), eighth-best rushing touchdowns (20) and fifth-best point total (258).