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Kentucky ys Chris Tolbert is one of the lucky ones
Was able to walk away from alcohol, drugs
No University of Kentucky football player values his religion more than Chris Tolbert. The senior defensive back used to keep a scripture Written on a towel tucked inside his football pants. He reads the Bible daily.
Larry Vaught
Cats' Pause Columnist
"My mother has always told me to keep the Lord first, which I have," Tolbert said. "But I had not really given my one-on-one relationship to him. Finally I did that this summer and rededicated my life to him."
The 5-foot-ll, 182-pound Wildcat, though, knows how easy it is to be tempted or misled. He found that out his sophomore year in high school at Pensacola, Fla.
"That was the only year I could have strayed away from what my mother taught me and done something else with my life," Tolbert, a starter since late in his freshman year, said. "I was involved with alcohol, drugs and stuff.
"In a way I was glad I did because I experienced it and nothing bad happened. But I was strong enough to walk away. Not everybody is. Some of my friends
weren't and they are still at home. That's the difference in walking away."
Because he did walk away Tolbert became a vital part of UK's defense for four years. Now, like most college players, he dreams of one day playing in the National Football League.
"Every senior thinks of the possibility of taking his career to the next level," Tolbert, who plans to graduate in May, said. "If you piay football this long, you ought to feel like you want to get paid for it. But you also have to be realistic and just hope to get drafted so you have a chance to make it."
Rick Smith, who coaches UK's defensive backs, thinks Tolbert could make it in the NFL because of his physical tools, versatility and intelligence.
"I know some players not as good as Chris that are playing in the NFL," Smith said. "Chris' intelligence will really help him.
"He may play cornerback in the NFL, but then he could move to safety and play a few more years. Chris is a physical player. He's the type who could go inside and survive.
"He could play cornerback three or four years, learn the system and make an easy transition to safety. And being able to return kicks will help his chances, too."
WILDCAT FOOTBALL RECRUITING
Juan Thomas of Ashland is one of the state's premier high school football players and is one player Bill Curry would love to have wearing the blue and white next season.
The 6-4, 230-pound Thomas has all the physical tools to be a big-time college player. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds and played a variety of positions for Ashland, which won the Class AAA state title.
"Juan is not a great sprinter," Ashland coach Vic Marsh said. "He won't outrun people. He just runs over them. If he was any faster, he couldn't have played high school football. It would have been unfair."
Many schools are recruiting Thomas, who averaged more than 10 yards per carry at running back and earned All-State honors at defensive end.
"He is just a tremendous athlete," Marsh said. "He played receiver until his junior year but rushed for more than 1,600 yards this season. We had two other kids over 1,000 yards, too. If we just featured him at tailback, no telling how many yards he could have gained."
Thomas may not play college football. Many project him to be a first-round pick in the 1991 major league baseball draft.
If Thomas does go to college, he wants to play both sports. Former UK coach Jerry Claiborne would have had none of that. Curry, though, has made it clear that Thomas could play baseball at UK. And Keith Madison, UK's baseball coach, would love to have Thomas each spring.
"Some people say he is a better baseball player than football player," Mark Maynard, sports editor of the Daily Independent in Ashland, said. "But I have trouble believing that. He's the best high school football player I've seen."
Thomas has had to overcome personal adversity to become a standout athlete. His story is one Curry would love to tell the next four years.
"Juan came up the hard way," Marsh said. "If ever a kid just walked away and became a bum without one person criticizing him it would have been Juan.
"But he overcame a lot. When the church doors are open, he's there now. If he is out and there is alcohol or drugs around, he's gone. He will have none of that. He's just a special kid that a lot of colleges would love to have."
MOVING TO THE ROUNDBALL SPORT
Any positive exposure is welcomed by a school on NCAA probation. Just ask Kentucky coach Rick Pitino what having his Wildcats ranked 25th in the Associated Press poll meant.
"For a school on probation any accolade is nice," Pitino said. "I didn't expect it (the ranking) or think too much about it."
Perhaps Pitino knows Kentucky may not be as good as it is ranked. One has to wonder about the record now that Cincinnati has lost to Miami of Ohio and Notre Dame has fallen to Butler.
Still, the national publicity UK received from making the AP poll for the first time since the end of the 1987-88 season can't hurt.
Neither can the praise ABC-TV analyst Jim Valvano heaped on UK during the win over Notre Dame in the Big Four Classic. Valvano, the former North Carolina State coach, predicted UK would challenge for the NCAA title in two years and would be one of the teams of the 1990 s.
"I think the same thing or I would not be here," Pitino
Chris Tolbert wants a chance at the pros
said. "I think we will be one of the powers of the '90s.
"We are building this program the right way. We don't want only the foundation strong. We don't want the house to crumble. If you lay the right foundation, the house will be strong."
The ranking and praise by Valvano and others, though, has raised expectations for UK fans. Pitino stressed all preseason that 16 wins was a lofty goal for this team.
And logic was on his side. UK's schedule is more difficult this year and the Wildcats were 14-14 last year. Winning two straight games away from Rupp Arena, however, has fans expecting another miracle season.
"Kentucky will always have pressure," Pitino said. "It is what you make of that pressure. If it isn't fun, you shouldn't come to Kentucky."
Already some in New York wish he was back coaching the New York Knicks, who recently fired former head coach Stu Jackson, a former assistant on Pitino's Knicks' staff.
"New York is behind me," Pitino said. "It was a fun two years, but it is behind me."
Instead, he's just concentrating on his three-year plan of getting Kentucky into the 1992 NCAA Tournament when the Wildcats go off probation.
Pitino says it takes four thingstalent, execution, playing hard and team chemistryto have a successful program.
"Systems don't win, players win," Pitino said. "If Paul Westhead had great players (with the Denver Nuggets), his system would win.
"It is a matter of talent, execution and playing hard. The fourth thing is chemistry. "We are getting better each
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three things have gotten better."
Pitino and his staff are busy now looking at the nation's top junior players. Pitino has had two successful recruiting years and would still like to add 6-foot-9 Chris Webber of Detroit to this year's class.
One thing Pitino does want to do is schedule games in areas where recruits are from if possible. That's one reason UK won't play Kansas and North Carolina again any time soon.
UK will have 16 Southeastern Conference games next year. The 'Cats will also play Louisville, Notre Dame and Indiana annually. That leaves nine games.
Please see, LARRY VAUGHT, page 26
Jeff Brassow has a corner named after him?