xt7dr785j85h https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7dr785j85h/data/mets.xml Wildcat News Company 1987 Volume 12 -- Number 07 athletic publications  English Wildcat News Company Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Cats' Pause UKAW University of Kentucky Men's Basketball (1987-1988) coaches Sutton, Eddie players Big Blue Madness (1987) University of Kentucky Baseball (1987) Wilburn, Butch University of Kentucky Football (1987) Claiborne, Jerry statistics schedules Cats' Pause Combs, Oscar The Cats' Pause,  "October 24, 1987" text The Cats' Pause,  "October 24, 1987" 1987 2012 true xt7dr785j85h section xt7dr785j85h Tigers Make Mincemeat (
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"SPOTLIGHTING UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE"
VOLUME 12 - NUMBER 7
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1987
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'Down Between The Hedges'
Kentucky Faces Must Win If It's To Remain In SEC Contention
When Kentucky and Georgia meet on the field this Saturday at Sanford Stadium it will mark the 41st 'Cat and 'Dog matchup. The Bulldogs lead the series 31-7-2, including a 31-9 victory last season at Lexington. The series began in 1939 as Kentucky won 13-6 in a contest played at Louisville. Georgia has won the last nine games in the series. Kentucky's last win against Georgia was during the 1977 season as the Wildcats blanked the Bulldogs 33-0 at Athens.
In games played at Athens, the Wildcats are 3-14-2. In games at Lexington, the Wildcats are 3-16 versus Georgia and in games at Louisville, the series is knotted at 1-1.
BULLDOG SCOUTING REPORT
Record: 5-2-0 overall; 2-1-0 SEC: 3-1-0 home; 2-1-0 away; 0-0-0 neutral Offensive Formation: "I" Defensive Formation: Split 60
Head Coach: Vince Dooley (188-73-10 at Georgia, 188-73-10 overall)
Dooley is in his 24th season as a collegiate head football coach with all 24 years coming at the University of Georgia. His 188-73-10 record is the best won-lost-tie ratio of any Georgia football coach and his 23-plus years at Georgia is the longest current tenure of any major-college head football coach. Dooley, a 1954 graduate of Auburn Unviversity, has led the Bulldogs to one national championship (1980), six SEC titles (1966-68-76-80-81-82), taken teams to 18 bowl games, been chosen NCAA National Coach of the Year in 1980 and SEC Coach of the Year seven times.
In 1985, Dooley served as president of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
1987 STATISTICAL LEADERS Rushing: Lars Tate (129 attempts, 716 yards. 5.6 average, eight touchdowns) Passing: James Jackson (46-92-3, 764 yards, .500 percent., 6 touchdowns) Receiving: John Thomas (15 receptions, 230 yards, 15.3 per catch average, one touchdown) Punting: Joey Hester (21 punts. 767 yards. 36.5 average. 52 long) Field Goals/PATs: Steve Crumley (10-12 field goals. 18-20 PATs)
Kickoff Returns: Cassius Osborn (12 returns, 303 yards. 25.3 average, no touchdowns) Punt Returns: Nate Lewis (six returns. 138 yards, 23.0 average, one touchdown)
GEORGIA'S LAST GAME
Georgia 52. Vanderbilt 24Oct. 17 in Nashville.
The Georgia Bulldogs rolled up 618 yards and scored 33 second-half points to turn back the stubborn Vanderbilt Commodores 52-24 at Vanderbilt Stadium. Georgia trailed early. 14-0 in the first quarter and later 21-7 in the second period, but rallied to cut the deficit to 21-19 at halftime. In the second half, reserve quarterback Wayne Johnson entered because of an ankle injury to James Jackson and promptly scored three touchdowns on runs of 11. three and six yards. In fact, Johnson's 11-yard touchdown run with 5:11 left in the third stanza gave the Bulldogs the lead for good at 30-24.
Statistically. Georgia had two rushers reach the 100-yard plateau as Hampton got 153 yards on 15 carries and Tate had 102 yards on 20 attempts. For the game, the Bulldogs rushed for 454 yards and passed for another 164
At this writing, Jackson's status for the Kentucky game was up in the air,
A LOOK AHEAD
The Georgia Bulldogs get their first break of the 1987 season with an open date next Saturday. Oct. 31. The Bulldogs return to action Nov. 7 in their annual affair with the Florida Gators in Jacksonville's Gator Bowl.
KENTUCKY-GEORGIA NOTES
?Kentucky head coach Jerry Claiborne is 0-6 versus Georgia during his career. Claiborne is 0-5 at Kentucky versus the Bulldogs. Al Maryland. Claiborne faced Georgia in the 1973 Peach Bowl as the Terps were edged 17-16.
?Kentucky has one player on its roster from the state of Georgia. Tight end Charlie Darr-ington. a junior college transfer from Northeast Oklahoma A&M. lists his hometown as Tifton, Ga.
?Kentucky has only faced Georgia once when the Wildcats were 4-2 entering the contest against the Bulldogs. That came in 1985 as Georgia prevailed in Athens. 26-6.
This is the 32nd straight season Kentucky has faced LSU and Georgia, back-to-back, on consecutive weekends. The Wildcats are 4-26-1 versus Georgia since 1956, the year Kentucky began playing LSU and Georgia on consecutive weekends.
?Kentucky has registered one of only three shutouts of a Georgia squad in the last 11 seasons. Kentucky blanked Georgia 33-0 in 1977, Virginia won 31-0 versus the 'Dogs in '79, and Florida beat Georgia 27-0 in 1984.
Same Ole ThingBulldog Defense Expected To Give 'Cats Fits October-24, /p<9/
77i& (xit&' (Souse/
SOSSame Ole Stuff For Kentucky?
SOS.
Same ole stuff?
That's what some Kentucky fans are saying these days after LSU tore open the game in the final half to win going away by a 34-9 count after leading by only 14-9 at the half.
To diehards, it was just a case of numerous crucial mistakes and blown opportunities which prevented Kentucky from pulling a major upset in Bayou Country last Saturday.
To old-time pessimists, it was strictly a case of "SOS," just different names with a new date.
For either group to declare their theory as proof-positive, we'll probably have to wait a few more weeks, at least this Saturday for sure.
That's when Jerry Claiborne's 'Cats journey to Athens, Ga., for a duel with Vince Dooley's Bulldogs. The 'Dogs are coming off a 52-24 victory over Vanderbilt, but there is no question that this Bulldog team is certainly a notch or two below the usual great Georgia teams.
This should provide some hope for the 'Cats. And it comes at a time when Kentucky
desperately needs a big victory over someone like Georgia to prove that this isn't another "SOS"type team.
Going into the LSU game, Wildcats fans and officials pointed to the fact that Kentucky always has played LSU tough in the past. Perhaps, but the record books almost always found a way to ink in a loss next to the Kentucky column.
After last Saturday's game, Kentucky owns a dismal 1-9 mark against the Tigers during the past 10 years. Only a 21-13 victory in 1983 (Claiborne's second year at UK) has prevented LSU a clean sweep in the last decade. Perhaps it should also be pointed out that 1983 was the second worst season LSU suffered through since 1956. In fact, LSU finished dead last in the SEC in 1983 with an 0-6 mark.
Kentucky now tests another traditional SEC power in Georgia. The 'Cats have not defeated a Vince Dooley-coached team since that fabulous 1977 season. So the losing streak against the 'Dogs is nine and counting.
There have been times UK has played close, but there hasn't been even a tie to boast of. And they haven't been that close recently. Oh, there was that game down in Athens back in 1983 when UK was leading at the half, but the Bulldogs roared out of the gate in the third period and scored like they were playing a junior high team to coast to a 47-21 victory.
These two schoolsLSU and Georgia have been the  big reasons why most postseason bowl scouts have quickly written off Kentucky, even when the 'Cats get off to fast 5-1 or 4-2 non-conference starts.
A couple scouts who frequent Commonwealth Stadium each season say most bowls totally ignore UK's early season success until they line up against LSU and Georgia.
That's also a reason why Kentucky needs to be impressive, even in losing, against the LSUs and Georgias if the 'Cats want to entertain any post season hopes.
For the past three weeks, some fans have been dreaming abouf something, ljkte the,
Peach Bowl. Right now, unless the 'Cats can pull a big one out of the hat, it'll be home for the holidays.
This is not to write the 'Cats off. It's simply being realistic in light of past performances with SEC opponents on the road. With the exception of the 1983 win over LSU, Kentucky has been less than impressive on the road. UK did beat Mississippi State and Tennessee on the road in 1984, but the rest of the time, it's been mostly losses.
Over the past nine years, Kentucky has enjoyed a winning mark against only one of UK's natural SEC opponents on the road Vanderbiltand that is 3-1. The margins have been 19, nine and seven.
With Georgia, Vanderbilt, Florida and Tennessee remaining on the SEC slate, the future
Since Claiborne's arrival in 1982, the 'Cats are 1-4 with the victory being the dramatic 17-12 win in Knoxville back in 1983 on their way to a Hall of Fame Bowl win over Wisconsin.
Kentucky battled the Vols toe-to-toe even during that infamous 0-10-1 season under Claiborne, but the 'Cats quit two years ago in a 42-0 shutout. It was the one, and only, game which most observers point to that a UK team has actually quit on Claiborne.
? ? ?
When LSU tacked on two late field goals, there were some who suggested that the Tigers were running the score up on the 'Cats. And there was more than one claim among
Claiborne Yet To Defeat A Vince Dooley Club
isn't much brighter than the past. The 'Cats should defeat Vanderbilt, but that game is in Nashville and the victory margin in Music City has been documented above.
Playing Florida in Gainesville has been about as productive as the other big clashes. UK is 1-3 in its last four meetings. To be positive, you move back one more game and include 1977 and the 'Cats are 2-3 there since 1975. To be fair to the Gators, you go back another five games in Gainesville, and UK was winless in all five games.
UK's last two victories in Gainesville didn't even come in this decade. The last time the 'Cats left Gainesville a victor, John Y. Brown Jr. had just been elected governor of Kentucky.
The past nine years have produced a 2-7 record against the Big Orange.
Kentucky, which won back-to-back victories over the Vols in 1976 and 1977, then lost two straight before Fran Curci bowed out as UK's coach with a sound 21-10 win over the Volsrin* 1,981. J        .;:{!  - , j ; ! .
LSU players who contended some Cats play "dirty" and talk too much.
On his weekly television show, Jerry Claiborne was visibily upset with the remarks that were printed from the LSU players in Kentucky newspapers.
Claiborne said he invites the media to observe films and decide if the Wildcats played dirty. He said he was tired of hearing those remarks, just as he had a year ago.
? ? ?
It could very well be that some bad blood is beginning to brew between these two schools. Obviously, Claiborne isn't happy with the remarks of the LSU players and the late field goals added insult to injury.
WTBS broadcasters noted that LSU would be subjecting itself to criticism if it ran fourth down plays, making it appear LSU wanted to score a touchdown. They also remarked that, kipking a field goal would alsc give the
impression of running up the score with less than two minutes remaining.
Neither offered the suggestion that LSU could just down the ball, but I can't recall a team downing a play on fourth down either.
Only LSU coach Mike Archer knows the real reason for the last field goal. It could have been he felt the points were needed to help his team move up in the polls.
Claiborne obviously felt the wounds deeper because a lopsided score, no matter how close the game was at the half, would be a negative point if UK should regroup and win say six or seven games to gain some bowl attention.
? ? ?
It might be absurb to talk about postseason bowl action at this point and you're probably right, it's down right ridiculious.
For one thing, this Kentucky team will not get an invitation with anything less than a 7-4 record. For UK to go 7-4 it must defeat both Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt (which it will probably do) and then upset one of their other three remaining SEC foesGeorgia, Florida or Tennessee. If they accomplish that mission, the 'Cats certainly deserve a bid.
Looking at the future through this set of glasses, the best bet (albeit a slim one) is in Athens this Saturday.
This isn't the first time UK has been in Athens at a time which appeared to be ripe for the picking. And each time, the Bulldogs have managed some way to send the 'Cats back home, licking their wounds.
It would be nice to predict a turnaround this Saturday. It's difficult to see anything but another strong effort, one which will give UK hope for much of the game, but not a victory.
? ? ?
Unless you've been off to Siberia the past year or so, you're well aware this is the most important year in the Jerry Claiborne era as well as the future of University of Kentucky football.
Regardless of the outcome of the current season, the Wildcats are in line for a losing campaign next year when Auburn and Alabama replace Ole Miss and Rutgers.
The 'Cats have Central Michigan, Kent State, Alabama, Georgia, Southern Illinois, Vanderbilt and Florida at home with road games to Auburn, Indiana, LSU and Tennessee.
One person's guess has victories over Cen-. tral Michigan, Kent State, Southern Illinois and Vanderbilt at home and none, zero on the road.
It will take nothing short of a miracle to post a winning mark in 1988. In fact, a 5-6 mark next fall would be as big an accomplishment as a 7-4 mark this season.
So if UK hopes to keep its head above the water long enough to meet the challenge of a 1989 schedule (which is even tougher), it must make big noise in the upcoming weeks or face the prospects of going five straight seasons without a winning record.
For those who want to take a peak at the offering in 1989, here goes:
[Continued On Page 17] (&zpe 4
77w (xi/ CoaM ' l/srase
UK-Georgia Game To Be Televised On WTBS
For the second straight week Jerry Claiborne's Kentucky Wildcats will be featured on national cable channel WTBS. when they travel to Athens, to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.
Game time at Sanford Stadium is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. (EST). Losers at Baton Rouge last Saturday, Kentucky will bring in a 4-2 mark (1-1 in the SEC). Georgia sports records of 5-2 and 2-1, after turning back Vandy 52-26 last Saturday in Nashville.
Georgia leads the series 31-7-2. You have to go back to 1977 to find the Wildcats' last victory over the Bulldog nemesis. That season Derrick Ramsey and Art Still led the 'Cats to an impressive 33-0 win at Sanford Stadium.
Last year, Georgia uppcd its winning streak to nine over Kentucky with a 31-9 conquest at Commonwealth Stadium.
Sam Bowie Suffers Yet Another Setback
Last Saturday former Kentucky Wildcat Sam Bowie suffered a partial refracture to the same leg he broke in November of 1986. While taking shooting practice prior to
Bowie: Here We Go Again
Portland's first exhibition game of the season, he felt a jolt in his right leg which signaled to Bowie that something was wrong.
"He turned to shoot and then he looked at me and said, 'Did a ball hit me in the leg?' " said Trailblazer teammate Jerome Kersey. "I wanted to tell him yes, but nothing hit his leg.
"He said, 'My leg doesn't feel right.' I think he knew right then it was broken."
The setback marked Bowie's fifth injury in seven years.
On Sunday, Bowie was listed in good condition, according to a spokesperson at Willamette Falls Hospital in Oregon City. At this writing it wasn't known what procedures would be taken.
"My initial reaction is that we would not have to do surgery again, but that's just a hip shot," said team doctor Dr. Robert Cook. I want to get the opinions of the other people familiar with his case."
At Kentucky, Bowie missed two seasons because of a fracture in his left shin. In Bowie's first season with the Trailblazers he earned a spot on the 1984-85 NBA all-rookie squad. However, he reinjured his left leg and was forced to miss more than half of the 1985-86 season, his second in the big leagues.
Midnight Madness is a whole lot of crazy. But then a Kentuckv basketball fan who will drive four hours, or even four blocks, to watch a preseason workout at midnight in the middle of football season, and on a night when
Sutton Beaming During Midnight Practice
UK Coach Optimistic As Workouts Begin
	
/	Bob Watkins Cats' Pause Columnist
	
baseball's  National  League  pennant  was  being decided, well ... it is madness.
It is a wonderful kind of wacko, however, that only folks in Kentucky can fully comprehend.
It was 9:47 p.m. last Wednesday night when emcee Dave Baker stepped out to midcourt at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington and said into a microphone, "is anybody ready for basketball season?"
He might just as well have asked yon teeny bopper if she would like Rex Chapman for Christmas.
The crowd of 12,000-plus cheered madly at Baker's words. And exactly seven minutes later the front doors were closed and locked. It was standing room only as some 2.000 more fans milled around outside.
I travel all around the country trying to explain Kentucky basketball to people, how it is here," Wildcat coach Eddie Sutton would say two hours later just before putting his troops through a 30-minute workout, "but you just really have to come here and see it to believe it." The maddies cheered once more.
And UK fans did not go away disappointed either. Their already high expectations for 1987-88 were buoyed by what they saw and what Sutton told them about the 1988 Final Four in Kansas City.
'You've all seen the rankings and we're picked anywhere from first to 13th." he said. "I think this ballclub has a chance to be very good. I had some T-shirts made up for our players before we came in this year and we had Kansas City put across the front of them. We're going to wear them at practice all season long to remind our players of that goal." The fans roared their approval.
Then the 15 players were introduced to adoring cheers. No decible levels were kept, but the cheers for Chapman lasted 30 seconds. It was neither the loudest or longest however because that reception was reserved for Winston Bennett, back from knee surgery. The crowd thundered, Bennett waved.
"It's great to have Winston back," Sutton said. "But the best thing is that he didn't show any signs of favoring his knee."
Chapman: "The thing about Winston is the good feeling it gives you when you get the ball and start up court, and there he is out on the break. Winston beats his man upcourt about 85 percent of the time."
Overall, the Wildcats were