NCAA Football Kentucky Football

After seeing mixed success as a head coach for Georgia Tech, Alabama, and Kentucky, Bill Curry found a home at ESPN. The former NFL offensive lineman and longtime coach spent ten years with the Worldwide Leader, serving primarily as a college football game and studio analyst.

The itch to coach, however, has returned for the 65-year-old Curry, and he's going back. Curry will be named the first head football coach in Georgia State history Thursday. The Atlanta-based school is starting up a football program in 2010. They'll compete in Division I-AA (er, FCS) and play home games at the Georgia Dome. Similar to the Atlanta Falcons, GSU will probably fail to sell the place out most weekends.

Curry has a familiar face helping him start the program. Dan Reeves, the former NFL player and head coach, has helped raise over $1 million for the startup program. He has given his endorsement to the reported hire.

Reeves said he was not part of the selection process but said "I can tell you this, I think that is a heck of a choice, a great deal for Georgia State, if that is the case.

"I think Bill will do a super job. He's got a great reputation. You couldn't ask for anyone better to start Georgia State's program. He's got college experience, he has recruited and he lieves in Atlanta. I think that's fantastic."

FSU's athletic department and Bobby Bowden apparently sparked a trend when they named Jimbo Fisher 'head coach in waiting'. Kentucky has now followed suit; at a press conference on Friday, offensive coordinator Joker Phillips was named 'head coach of the future' -- slight disparity in terminology there -- by UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart.

After Kentucky's bowl win (ironically, over FSU in the Music City Bowl) head coach Rich Brooks received a contract extension through 2011, but apparently he's not sure he'll want to coach any longer than that. From Kentucky Sports Report ($):

"As I am one of the elder statesmen in the coaching profession, I thought it important for recruits to know that there will be continuity in the program and the coaching staff," Brooks said. "Joker Phillips has earned the right as a Kentucky graduate, and having built one of the most productive offenses in school history, to have the opportunity to lead the program in the future."

Nice, but... what's puzzling to me is that Brooks is still a relatively spry 66 years young, and has the moves of a 50-year old. He's no spring chicken, sure, but he looks pretty darn healthy to me. A succession plan? Is that really necessary? Bobby Bowden will turn 79 this year and was basically pushed into naming a successor by FSU's administration. And Joe Paterno is 82, for crying out loud!

Despite turning the ball over 4 times to Florida State's 2, Kentucky pulled out a 35-28 win on the strength of senior QB Andre Woodson, who completed 32/50 for 358 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT.

It wasn't an overly pretty game for the 'Cats or the 'Noles, but one pattern emerged which annoyed fans of both teams: terrible officiating. FSU was robbed on a phantom Offensive Pass Interference call when Greg Carr caught a Drew Weatherford pass in the endzone, and the Big East crew seemed reluctant to call a hold when Kentucky was on defense... for ANY reason, no matter how obvious.

The game also had some wacky turns of events. Late in the 2nd quarter, Lones Seiber lined up and made a 36-yard field goal, giving the 'Cats a 17-14 lead going into the half. FSU's Kenny Ingram was called for a personal foul, however, and Rich Brooks elected wipe the points off the board and take the first down. Two incomplete passes and a questionable intentional grounding call later, Seiber trotted out for a 39-yard attempt, which he missed. Oops.

Bobby Bowden had some strong words for the refs going into the locker room. For the first time in memory, he used the word 'crap', which for Bowden is the equivalent of cursing a blue streak. Frankly, he was right... the officiating was crap.

With 7:55 remaining in the 4th quarter, Woodson threw a 38-yard touchdown strike to Steve Johnson, giving the 'Cats a commanding 35-21 lead. Instead of the game grinding down and becoming a clock management siesta, things started to get quite interesting.

Happy To Be Here?

Well, I imagine that the approximately 4/5ths of the Seminole team that wasn't declared ineligible for the Music City Bowl are at least happy they get the free industry swag and a trip to sunny Nashville (current temp: 55 and cloudy). One could say that the highlight of the season, other than the anointment of Jimbo Fisher as the next head coach, would be a prime-time win over Boston College, but that's the kind of achievement you have to prop up as a highlight when a perennial top-five fixture has reverted to having the kind of non-descript 7-5 years that are usually reserved for the likes of Maryland or NC State.

Come Here Often?

You're kidding, right?

As the Kentucky Wildcats get ready for the severely depleted Florida State Seminoles in the Music City Bowl, Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks apparently isn't above pointing out a major difference between his program and the eldest Bowden's. His team has no players declared academically ineligible.

Considering what's been going on this bowl season at Florida State and other programs, Coach Brooks said that's a bigger deal than it might seem.
...
So when Brooks told the media that his team had a clean bill of academic health, he added a kicker.

"That isn't what I'm seeing on the ESPN ticker at night for a lot of other people playing bowl games," he said. "Hats off to my players for taking care of business."

That has been an amusing, and occasionally disturbing, addition to the ESPN ticker. Anything to get and keep people interested in watching the host of program filler bowl games that will be on ESPN for the two week period. That or they are trying to cater to the gambling aspect of the games without being too obvious.

Say what you want about the SEC: love it or hate it, you have to admit that pound for pound, game for game, this conference has given college football the most heart-pounding, hair-raise, exhilarating games of 2007.

The latest is Kentucky's amazing comeback to tie up their game with Tennessee after finding themselves down 24-7 in the first half. It took four overtimes to decide it, but Tennessee finally prevailed, winning 52-50 after Andre Woodson was tackled short of the endzone on Kentucky's final possession.

The most remarkable event of the game occurred in the second overtime. After Erik Ainge's pass was picked off, Kentucky was in a position to win the game with a field goal. On Kentucky's ensuing possession, Lones Seiber's 34-yarder was blocked, which sent the game to a third overtime.

Wow! I'm still recovering.

When Kentucky's final 2-pt. conversion failed, a hundred thousand heads dropped in Athens. Had Kentucky won the game, Georgia would have gone to Atlanta to represent the East. Tennessee now gets a chance to take on LSU and win a conference title.

Phil Fulmer, you had 9 lives at the beginning of the season. Not sure how many you have now, but congratulations on winning the SEC East.

Here's a list of things that happened in 1984:

- Ghost Busters and Beverly Hills Cop topped the Box Office charts;
- Wham! performed on "Top of the Pops" for the first time;
- Senior QB Andre Woodson was born;
- and the Kentucky Wildcats beat the Tennessee Vols in football.

Yeah, it's been 22 long, miserable years for the 'Cats.

Don't think it hasn't weighed heavily on Kentucky fans. The Lexington Herald-Leader's Mark Story makes it clear with his headline, lede and introductory sentence:

Headline: Please, Make 'Rocky Top' Stop
Lede: After Years of Abuse, Cats Fans Want Chance to Gloat
Introduction: In Hell, Rocky Top plays on and on.

In 2007, Kentucky fields perhaps its best football squad since the days of one Paul 'Bear' Bryant, and stands one of its better chances to defeat their hated rival. However, the Vols, who started the season with a dreadful 1-2 record and have been blown out by two of their biggest rivals, come into the matchup strangely resurgent.

Remember Kentucky football?

It was only a month and a half ago that the Wildcats defeated then (and now) #1 LSU in an epic, 3-OT battle which they won 43-37.

On that day -- October 13 -- and for the first time in history, ESPN's immensely popular College Gameday came to Lexington to celebrate the amazing resurgence of the moribund Wildcats. The Wildcats won with a potent offense led by All-SEC quarterback, Andre Woodson, who gave Kentucky their biggest win in school history and became the leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

A week later, ranked #7 in the country, a banged up batch of 'Cats gave #15 Florida everything they could handle in a 45-37 loss.

Then, they lost to Mississippi State, 31-14. And the nation forgot about Kentucky football.

The Wildcats went on to squeeze out a 27-20 win to a good Vanderbilt team, but followed that up with an ugly 24-13 loss to Georgia, a game in which the offense never got in rhythm.

Before you know it, a season that was filled with such promise a short time ago has become just another season for the Cats.

What else to say when you lose to Mississippi State and Jackie Sherrill isn't even their coach?

After two impressive showings against LSU (a victory) and Florida (a narrow defeat), Kentucky football fell back into orbit Saturday. It didn't take much from the Bulldogs, just some defense and a methodical offensive approach. Kentucky was held to 14 points despite solid numbers from erstwhile Heisman Trophy candidate Andre Woodson. Woodson completed 42 of 42 passes (.571) for 230 yards and two touchdowns.

Problem is he also tossed three interceptions.

A few weeks ago, I was looking for absurd victory chains and made this connection:

Miss St. > Auburn > Florida > Kentucky > LSU

Today saves a few steps:

Miss St. > Kentucky > LSU

The same LSU that stomped Mississippi State 49-0 in the season's debut game.

I still have my doubts, but Mississippi State may have found an SEC quarterback in Wesley Carroll. Carroll connected on 60 % of his passes for two touchdowns and did just enough while reserve tailback Christian Ducre broke the Cats' backs with a 34-yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter to provide the winning 31-14 margin.

Add another upset to this wild and crazy 2007 college football season and congratulations to Kentucky, you just got Croomed.

So about that Billy Gillispie . . .

This one is very surprising.

Perhaps nationally-ranked Kentucky has a bit a letdown going this week. They're currently on the wrong end of a 24-7 score against Mississippi State.

Did I mention this game is being played in Lexington?

MSU scored on their first two series. The two drives combined to go 160 yards in 30 plays, and MSU started out hitting their first five third-down attempts.

As I type, Mississippi State has a better than two-to-one edge in first downs (19-9), and the Bulldogs are outrushing the Wildcats 118-47. QB Wesley Carroll has played a mistake-free game, throwing for 136 yards and two scores. Perhaps, after a long wait, they have a decent quarterback in Starkville.

Kentucky has a turnover in this game, and a bad snap on a punt gave MSU the ball with great field position in the third quarter. Mississippi State drove for an Anthony Dixon touchdown run to make it 24-7.

If the Bulldogs can hold on, they'll have the biggest win of Sly Croom's tenure, they'll have their second SEC road win this year (already won at Auburn), and they'll be one win away from becoming bowl-eligible. If Croom truly needed to save his job this season, it appears he's well on his way.