Wildcats Begin Week with Good Practice
Kentucky to open SEC play against No. 15 Florida on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET
LEXINGTON, Ky. –
University of Kentucky football head coach Joker Phillips was pleaded
with his team’s performance in practice on Tuesday, however, Phillips
said his team must have “great practices” in order to compete against
the 15th-ranked Florida Gators when they roll into Commonwealth Stadium
on Saturday for UK’s Southeastern Conference opener. “We
had a good practice but not a great practice today,” Phillips said
after practice Tuesday morning. “In order for us to be able to beat
these guys that we are about to play we have to have great practices,
which means we have to be better tomorrow. Tuesdays are usually like
this when you are putting in new game plan. It was a better Tuesday
than we have had in the past, but it wasn’t a great Tuesday.” Much
of the concern and game plan for the Gators will be centered on slowing
down what Phillips has termed one of the fastest teams in the nation.
Florida boasts two very speedy offensive weapons in running backs Jeff
Demps and Chris Rainey, who rank first and second on the UF team,
respectively, in both rushing and receiving this season. Phillips
said that it is hard for the Wildcats to simulate that kind of speed in
practice but the formula is always the same: “put a hat on them.” “You
have to go get a few cheetahs and hyenas and let those guys run about,”
Phillips said when asked if there was any way to simulate Florida’s
speed offensively in practice. “The thing to slow them down is to put a
hat on them. We have beaten teams that have been faster than us in the
past and the thing that you have to do is put a hat on them. We have to
be good in execution and clean in your play to beat teams like this.” On
the injury front, the Wildcats received good news Tuesday with
offensive linemen Billy Joe Murphy, Matt Smith and Larry Warford all
practicing Tuesday morning. “Billy Joe practiced today and
looked good,” Phillips said. “Matt Smith had a good solid practice and
Larry Warford didn’t look like he had any effects and we thought maybe
he wouldn’t practice.” Kentucky returns to the practice field Wednesday morning to continue preparation for Florida. Clemons Nominated for 2011 Play of the Year: University
of Kentucky tailback Josh Clemons' 87-yard touchdown run against
Central Michigan on Sept. 10 has been nominated for the 2011 GEICO Play
of the Year. Each week, fans vote for the Play of the Year and the
winner will be announced on Best of College Football 2011 on CBS Nov.
25 at 1:30 p.m. ET. Each week for nine weeks,
four incredible college football plays will be nominated as the Play of
the Year on the Best of College Football Facebook page
(facebook.com/BestofCollegeFootball). A panel of college football
experts will evaluate the nine fan favorites and name the 2011 Play of
the Year. Clemons’ run is competing against three other
plays from week one, including a game-winning catch from Michigan’s Roy
Roundtree, a trick-play touchdown pass from Arizona State’s Jamal
Miles, and a punt return from Arkansas’ Joe Adams. Clemons
87-yard rush against CMU was UK’s longest run since Bernie Scruggs'
88-yard run vs. Georgia in 1970 and was the third-longest touchdown run
in school history. The native of Fayetteville, Ga., scored the
game-winning touchdown for UK in its season opener with WKU, becoming
the first true freshman running back to score a rushing touchdown in
the season opener since Donnell Gordon in 1993. Clemons
leads the Wildcats in rushing this season with 37 carries for 193 yards
and two touchdowns. Both of the true freshman's touchdowns this season
have been game winners. Clemons has played in all three games for
Kentucky on the young season, including picking up his first career
start last week against Louisville.
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