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report PAGE A3

00 your homework: the Bulldog scouting

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Kernel staff breaks down this weekend’s
college football action PAGE A4

 

Friday. October 28, 2005

 

 

The UK football team huddles in anticipation of the lndiana game Sept. 17 in Bloomington, Ind. The 38-14 loss to the Hoosiers started the current four-game losing streak. Mississippi State has won six of the la

Celebrating 34 years of independence

MISSISSIPPI STATE AT UK

 

series' history, though UK has won three of the last four in Commonwealth Stadium. Since 1946, UK is 43-16 in Homecoming games.

’ Coming home for a Dawgfight

Away from Commonwealth Stadium since Sept. 24, the Cats return still looking for their first SEC win.

By Chris Johnson
m: KENTUCKY KERNEL

The most dangerous run-
ning back in the Southeastern
Conference will face the con-
ference’s least dangerous run
defense tomorrow.

Mississippi State’s offense
is led by Jerious Norwood,
who is perhaps the SEC‘s pre-
mier running back. Norwood
is fourth in the conference
with 681 total yards rushing,
one yard behind Arkansas
freshman Darren McFadden.

“He's a home-run hitter,"
freshman linebacker Braxton
Kelley said. “He can go the dis-
tance one play after getting hit
in the backfield the last play."

UK defensive coordinator
Mike Archer took it a step fur-
ther. comparing Norwood to
both Detroit Lions legendary
running back Barry Sanders
and Carnell “Cadillac"
Williams, the fourth pick in
the 2004 NFL drafi. Archer is a
former linebackers coach for
the N FL's Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Like Sanders. (Norwood's)
bottom half can be going one
way while his top half is going
another," Archer said. “I
wouldn’t put him in that cate-
gory yet. but he makes you
hold your breath every time he
touches the ball.

“Like Cadillac Williams,
every time he gets a handoff
you go, ‘Oh. God.‘ ”

Archer said Norwood‘s
biggest strength is his ability
to be going mu speed when he
hits a seam provided by his of-
fensive line.

“He has breakaway speed."
Archer said. “He can hit the
seam, and ham, be in the end
zone in about five seconds.“

The Bulldogs' other main

 

 

murmurs"

Freshman quarterback Curtis Pulley is tackled during the UK-Florida game on Sept. 24 at Commonwealth Stadium.

offensive weapon is dual-
threat quarterback Omarr
Conner. a Moot-l junior who is
second on the team in carries.
with 40. and rushing yards.
with 117. Like Ole Miss’
Michael Spurlock, Conner can

"unarmwmzsm

beat a team with his feet and
arm. but he is a bigger threat
when he throws the ball.
Archer said.

UK‘s defense was success-
ful in pressuring the quarter-
back last week against the

Rebels. penetrating into the
backfield several times to send
Spurlock scurrying. But the
evasive quarterback managed
to stop the Cats from record-
ing a sack.

See Glue on page A2

ky Ke rnel

www.kykernel.com

my 1 sun
st 10 games in the

Bar nhart,
Todd should
heed fans’
Cat-calls

While Commonwealth Stadium cele-
brates UK‘s homecoming tomorrow. the man
in charge may be conspicuously absent.

Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart hasn‘t
been very visible lately. Sure. you might
catch him strolling around the grass at a
men's or women's soccer game. or saunter-
ing about the hardwood at a
volleyball match.

But Big Blue Madness?
The site of what was for
a few hours at least the
record for attendance at a
basketball practice. wasn‘t
enough to smoke Barnhart
out of his hole. Of course.
in turn. the crowd had no
chance to rain a few boos
down on the AD. which is
probably the way he wanted
it.

Derek
More

And at Wildcat footbau smnrsmnon

games. where the crowd is

forced to take out its anger on UK President
Lee Todd. Barnhart usually lurks in the tun»
nels.

So don‘t expect him to show too much
face time supporting his football coach. After
all. he rarely does it in public anyway. unless
he's caught coming out of his Memorial Coli-
seum office by television reporters.

Barnhart won‘t really say much on the is-
sue of whether head football coach Rich
Brooks will be back for another season. And

See Poore on page A2

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