Bounce, Bounce, Bounce. . . UK On Right Path
Report On Grid 'Cats Not Good, Again
Mid-February is upon us and Kentucky and University of Louisville fans are starting to" look toward the NCAA Tournament. Some coaches are too. Among them is UK's Eddie Sutton whotalked last week about next month's basketball showcase.
Bob Watkins
Cats' Pause Columnist
'Four, maybe five teams from the Southeastern Conference will be invited to the NCAA," Sutton said before the Alabama game. "It's just my opinion, but if everything was the way it is today (in the SEC standings), I would say four, maybe even five."
Hmmm. Certainly Kentucky, Florida and Vanderbilt look like good bets. But LSU. Auburn and Tennessee, all had 12-8 records before the weekend. I'm not so sure.
Sutton views
The Kentucky Coach offered interesting views on other subjects during a meeting with reporters before the Alabama game.
v "We're going in the right direction," he said. "I'd like to be 20-0, but you can't replay those (three losses)."
UK lost to Auburn by a point, Florida by two and Vanderbilt by 17. "Nobody would have beaten Vandy the night we played them," Sutton said. "But golly, I think our team is playing better now than it was two weeks ago. Of course you're never satisfied."
X* On UK's 'got one back' victory at Auburn. "Rex (Chapman) had a sensational game. He played under control and took the shots he needs to be taking. It was just a good game for him on a night when we needed it because two other of our starters didn't play so well."
Sutton was referring to Winston Bennett and LeRon Ellis.
v LeRon Ellis. "He's not as tough mentally or physically as he's going to have to be," Sutton said.
v0 Eric Manuel. UK's newest ascending star, in a four game stretch through Feb. 10 (Auburn), had 33 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
"The way we run our offense, Eric just makes it smoother," Sutton said. "He's not shooting as much as I'd like him to, but he sure hit a couple of big ones for us down the stretch at Auburn."
One of the most encouraging subleties about Manuel is, in 260 (plus) minutes playing time, he has committed eight turnovers.
"For the playing time he's getting, that's remarkable," Sutton said.
* Recruiting. To perhaps bolster UK's perimeter game next season, will Kentucky sign any more players this year?
"We may not sign any more players," Sutton said. "And we might sign three. But we're not going to just sign bodies.
"Let me say again that players in our state will always get top priority, but I've never believed, whether you're in North Carolina or Indiana or wherever, that you can recruit solely your own state and win."
* Three-point line. Sutton had a prediction. "I think the distance will be increased next year. Some three-point shooters this year won't be next year."
Louisville Cards
Finally, a Sutton remark about the NCAA Tournament brings us to the University of Louisville.
"When you look around the country I think you're going to see some teams coming out of conferences (into the NCAAs) with double figure loss records," he said.
Comment When we start "looking around the country" for teams with double figure losses that will be in the NCAA field, look no further than River City.
No team in America played the kind of schedule Louisville has this season. And Coach Denny Crum's Cardinals, 13-8 at this writing, will be (and deserve to be) in the NCAA this year.
UK football report
What's the report card look like on the University of Kentucky's football recruiting harvest?
UK football coach Jerry Claiborne wrapped up his recruiting campaign last week "We had what I think is a fine recruiting season. The best one we've had since I came here."
Included in the 28 signees are a record (for Claiborne) five junior college players and 12 linemen prospects.
"Because of Proposition 48 the quality of junior college players is much improved,' Claiborne said.
"The big thing we're proud of is that we signed 12 linemen. And most of them are over 230 pounds and they're taller than any group we've had."
What about the in-state harvest? UK lost a number of excellent prospects to out-of state schools including Mr. Football, Kurt Barber?
"I'm real pleased with the guys we got," Claiborne replied. "They're the ones who wanted to come to Kentucky to play. We can't worry about the ones who didn't."
The names and sizes are impressive enough, but it's still "wait and see" at best since, who's heard of or found on a blue chip list anyplace, the names of these young
the indicators are not especially good (again).
Proving, even in Kentucky, that Mr. Football can be as highly thought of as any prospect in the country, for the second year in a row, he is leaving the state. Kurt Barber, a linebacker from Paducah Tilghman, is going to Southern Cal. Last year's Mr. Football, tight end Frank Jacobs, chose Notre Dame where he rose to second team.
v And, the defection is not limited to Mr. Football. Kentucky lost four high schoolers to out of state schools, three to Vanderbilt. Anthony Carter of North Hardin joins Marcus Wilson, a quarterback/defensive back from Louisville, and tight end Dave Legay of Covington to the Commodores. And the state's biggest lineman. Joe Avila (6-7, 270) from Ashland, is headed to Colorado.
But. if sizes and statistics mean anything, then perhaps there is help on the way for Claiborne's team.
v Eugene McClellan, 6-4, 240-pound tight end was a four year starter at Cincinnati Country Day and was named to Ohio's all-state team. Country Day was 10-1 last season, 11-1 the year before.
Brad Shuford is a 6-4, 260-pound defensive lineman from Cincinnati Greenhills High School where he doubled at tight end and defensive end. He led his team last year with 46 solo tackles and five fumble recoveries.
Quarteback? At this writing UK has signed two. Brad Smith is a 6-3. 185-pounder from Lakeland, Fla where he passed for 1,052 yards. Ryan Hockman is a 6-3, 190-pounder who is a three year starter from Harrison. Oh. where he completed 115 passes last season for 1,331 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Readers (right) write
Under the heading, "And the UK faithful shall rise up and smite the treasonous heathen." I heard from several fans, some of them in technicolor.
Joye Hodge, Big Clifty, Ky., wrote to say Eddie Sutton had "made a point'' by benching Ed Davender for the second half against Ole Miss.
"I like Ed Davender, but I realize that lately he's had a chip on his shoulder. It's the coach's job to help his players deal with their problems.
men.
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Jerry Claiborne Pleased With Recruits
"I realize you write many articles to get a reaction from your readers. You succeeded with me. I read your article and felt it was unfair."
Comment Good points.
Except one. The reason for writing a column is to offer a point of view for the reader to examine and compare to his or her own. The reason for publishing reactions to them in this space is to give the reader who cares enough to write the same forum to express another view.
Andy Byler, Albany, Ky., wrote to object to the notion that Kentucky was sputtering in January while Louisville was beginning to show tournament-time form.
"Yes, UK was sputtering in January, but I don't see where Louisville is on the rise If you call losing five of 10 games 'on the rise,' you'd better get your head checked. ] don't dispute that Louisville is playing better than they were at the start of the season And the suggestion that Rob Lock should be sent on a world cruise until April by Tim Burks of E'town is outrageous and downright stupid."
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