Tuesday

November 23, 2004

www.kykernel.com
newsroom: 257-1915

First issue free. Subsequent issues 25 cents.

THE KENTUCKY

er ne

Celebrating 33 years of independence

mm nun | smr

UK headcoach Rich Brooks speaks at yesterday's new conference in Wildcat Den at Commonwealth Stadium. Brooks discussed the
resrgnation of offenswe coordinator Ron Hudson. SEE COLUMN ON PAGE 3 FOR REACTION.

UK assistant steps down *

Offensive coordinator resigns;

head coach will

By Jeff Patterson
iHE KENTUCKY KERNEL

UK offensive coordinator
Ron Hudson resigned yester-
day. ending weeks of specula-
tion that he and head coach
Rich Brooks would not return
next season.

Brooks addressed the team
before practice yesterday
about Hudson's decision to
leave the team before the end
of the season.

“i didn‘t really see it com»
iiig." said junior tight end Je-
remiah Drobney.

Hudson talked to Brooks
Sunday about the possibility
of stepping down. Brooks
said. Hudson handed in his
resignation after sleeping on
it,

“Because of the turmoil
surrounding my future and
the lack of brorluctioii within
the offense. i feel it would be
in the best interest of the pro-
gram that I relinquish my po-
sition at the University of
Kentucky." said Hudson. who
could not be reached for com
ment. in a press statement.

Brooks “reluctantly ae
cepted" Hudson‘s resignation.

“He felt there was so much
going on that it would be bet-
ter for the team." Brooks said.
“i tried to talk him out of it.

"I'm sick to my stomach
about it."

Hudson served as an assis-
tant coach tinder Brooks at
Oregon from 197778.

Speculation on both coach-
es‘ future began Nov, 1. when
Brooks said he'd quit if Hud»
son were to be fired.

UK President Lee Todd
and Athletic Director Mitch
Barnhart couldn‘t give a clear
vote of confidence for Brooks
Friday after the UK Athletic
Board of Directors meeting.

However. the athletic di-
rector had no problem endors-
ing Brooks yesterday.

be back in 2005

“Rich will be back next
year." Barnhart said.

Brooks said UK adminisv
trators did not pressure Hud-
son to resign.

“There was enough spec-
ulation." Brooks said. “He
wanted to clear the air.

“He made it clear he did
ii't want to be the focus of
this week."

“This was Ron‘s
sion." Barnhart said.

Hudson signed a two-year
contract in January 2003.
paying him 8200.000 per year.
His current contract was set
to expire June 30, 200;”).

Receivers coach Joker
Phillips and offensive line
coach Paul Dunn will call the
plays in UK's season finale
Saturday at ’l‘eiinessee
Phillips will call the passing
plays front the press box.
Dunn will call the running
plays from the sideline.

"Everything has happened
so fast." Phillips said. “His
last words to us were. '(Jet
them ready?"

Hudson came to UK after
being an assistant with
Kansas State from 1995 to
2002. He was the offensive co-
ordinator for his final six sea-
sons there.

At Kansas State. his of-
fense led the nation in scoring
iii 1998, averaging 48 points
per game. In 2(Ki2. he coached
the nation‘s second-leading of-
fense. averaging 45.8 points
per game.

But his results at UK did-
n't live up to the numbers pro-
duced at Kansas State. Last
season. UK averaged 273
points per game and ranked
96th out of ll? Nf‘AA Divi»
sion l-A teams in total offense.
This season. UK ranks 115th
in scoring. at 14.2 points per
game.

“I wouldn‘t point it at Ron

deci-

See Hudson on page 2

Ron Hudson

I Born in Oakland, Calif.

I He played basketball, track and
rugby at Diabio Valley College and
the University of California. He also
played football while serving in the
Marine Corps.

I He has coached for 36 years, in-
cluding serving as UK's offensive co-
ordinator for the past two seasons.
He coached at Kansas State for eight
seasons before coming to UK.

I He worked as an assistant under
Rich Brooks at Oregon from 1977-78.

I He started coaching as a gradu~
ate assrstant at California in 1969. He
has also coached at Stanford, UCLA.
Notre Dame, Illinois and with the
now~defunct USFL's Memphis Show‘
boats.

I He has coached in W bowl
games in his career.

I He IS married to the former
Melissa Roth.

“Rich (Brooks)

will be back

next year."
Mitch Barnhart

UK Athletic Director

By the numbers

UK offense in 2004

114th in total offense out of 07 NCAA

DiViSion l-A schools

liSth scoring offense, averaging 14.2

points per game
17 touchdowns

270 yards per game

UK offense in 2003
96th in total offense

57th in scoring offense, averaging
27.3 pornts per game

44 touchdowns
327.3 yards per game

Hudson's offense
at Kansas State

1998: Led the nation in scoring with
48 pornts per game

2002: Second in scoring with 45.8
points per game

Hudson

Phillips

Suspect in 2003 sexual assault pleads guilty

Roland
with his hand around
a woman's neck and
chased him until he
ran to a [7K police of;
ficer for help.

By Dariush Shafa
WE moucxv KERNEI

A former Eastern Ken»
tiicky University student
who was charged Novem-
ber 2003 iii a sexual assault
of a student on Rose Street.
changed his plea yesterday
morning in Fayette (‘ircuit
(‘oiit‘t

Avery (‘. Roland. 26.
pleaded guilty to firsttde-
gree sexual abuse. unlawful
imprisonment and fourth-
degree assault

"It's kind of a personal
decision." said Roland‘s

lawyer. Alex
Rowady. about the
change in pleas.

"i think he felt
it was the tiiost ap-
propriate resolu-
tion."

Roland was ar
rested Nov 1. 2003.
near the Boone
Faculty (‘enter af-
ter four UK stu-
dents. Todd Seagrave. Jeff
Tiirok. Scott Howe and
Matthew Boone. said they
heard screams coming from
behind the faculty club.

The four students said

Roland

they found

”We were all
there." 'l‘urok said.
"We saw what hap
pened. There‘s no
way we were going to
get refuted "
Turok said he

is also

happy at the resolution to
this chapter in his life con
sidering it was in the legal
system for a year.

As for being called he-

roes. 'l‘urok said he and the
others were iiist doing what
was right

“It's how
raised." he said.

"It makes you feel good
about your gut instinct and
knowing right from
wrong."

Roland is currently be
ing held at the Fayette
(‘ounty Detention t‘enter
and will be sentenced later
in December

(\Vt‘l Wt‘l‘t‘

I-Jemai’l
dshafa .i kykernelrom

Cheap fares to fly home
Page 6

Cats try not to catch upset bug
Page 3

Student reports
attempted assault

Burglary occurred at apartment
while student, roommate slept

By Emily Hagedorn
in kwucio KERNEL

An unknown man broke into title of the Royal Lexing-
ton apartments aiid attempted to assault a female student.
said Lexington Police and the victim.

On Friday at about 31:3 a m. an unknown man en»
tered a first-floor apartment at the Virginia Avenue coni-
plex through an unlocked window in one of the bed
rooms. said Lt. James (‘urless. commander of the person
al crimes section for the Lesiiigton l’olice.

Laying the screen on the empty bed. the suspect
walked to the living mom. said the victim. l‘ai'rie Eliza
beth Grimes. 20.

The man probably broke into (irimes‘ apartment be-
cause he saw her and her roommate in the ll\ ing room.
said the psychology sophomon-

“it was probably because we had our blinds open in
the living room." (irimes said

The suspect did not awake (ii‘lmt‘\ until he was on top
of her and ripped her pants at the \f‘lilii. she said. He also
did not awake her other roommate who was sleeping on
another couch.

Grimes pushed him off and ran into her other room
mate‘s room.

"I was really confused." she
had was to push him off me."

By the time that roommate ran out of the bedroom.
the suspect was already jumping out of the window.

(‘urless said he fled on foot

(irimes was not hurt. and the police report said she
was not taken to the hospital

(‘urless could not confirm many of iirimes' details be-
cause “we as an agency don't release specifics." he said.

The suspect is about 354;" had closeshaven. dark hair:
and was wearing a black. short sleeve tersey with white
stripes on the sleeves and baggy. light color jeans. she
said.

(irimes said she did not get a good look at his face be-
cause tlie first thing he did when she pushed him off was

See CRIME on page 2

said "The first reflex l

The burglary
and attempted
assault
occurred in an
apartment at
the Royal Leic
ington complex
near Lime-
stone and Vir-
ginia avenues
early Friday
morning.

CASSIE STOKES I
srArr

Number of athletes
graduating may rise

Bv Carlosh Shata

{h 'iRN‘i

my up."

By 31lti",illt‘ldli\i-t'si'\ ot l\'i“tt.ii'l\_\ will try to in
croaw graduation initcs of stilllt‘iil .itfiletes to To percent.
according to pliiis oiitlit‘cd b\ t'K's .\'f‘.\.\ selfstudy
steering coiiiitiittcc

The most rec t"ll .\'l‘ \ \ stati‘tics
teriiig school between Wit and lief \ll"\\ l'K's stu-
dent .ithleo- graduation "Silt“ :it to percent this figure is
ille‘ second lowest nerccii' |..'i‘ iii the Southeastern t‘onfer

for freshmen en‘

t'llt‘t'

'l‘hc .i\i".l*_'i‘ a: Hlli.illi'ii l‘.lit' for .ill l'K students is o'l
percent. said Jolii‘. l‘iei oz'o .i pliii'ut lt'\ professor who is
scr\ mg on the ('Hliililll’i'

.\lllli‘llt liiv‘ector .\litcli B.ii tiliait said athletics
should striic to he on par with the iiiii\crsity's rate

The present goal for as is to mirror the university."
ltat‘tiltai't s.iltl

The computer .igreod .lllil sair in the report that the
admissions process is not the real culprit. instead. ”is-
sues of iiiotiyation and .ichie\enient‘ are

The committee .ilso discussed the possibility of in
creasing spots on l'K athletic teams but said that even if
team si/es are increased. the amount of financial aid and
the number of scholarships would not increase

Though the possibility w as discussed. the committee
called the mine "tin-gative" and declined to investigate it
further

Another issue the committee focused on was the gap
iii participation between men‘s sports and women's
sports a 2.3 percent gap

They proposed that [K Athletics begin searching for
another women's sport. The plan suggests a dedicated
search in fall 2008 with a sport selected by spring 2006
and a financial plan ready by fall 11006.

“I think it should be a commitment." said Barbara
Young. a UK Board of Trustees member “That‘s what a
plan is."

The steering committee‘s chairwoman. (.‘onnie Ray.
l'K‘s vice president for institutional research. planning
and effectiveness. said that though there are obstacles.
the goals are within reach.

”That doesn't mean we can't improve." she said.
"What we would like to do is not impossible."

Email
dshafa it: kykernelcom