Inside The Numbers: 2011 Kentucky Football Odds & Ends: Part 1

Well Big Blue Nation, it’s about that time. It’s late August, schools are back in session, and I just had my 26th birthday on Thursday. That can only mean one thing: college football is right around the corner. In 6 days the Kentucky Wildcats will open their 121st season in an odd fashion: playing an in-state team out of state. They will take on the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky down in Nashville at LP Field. That stadium has been a second home for Kentucky lately, playing in 3 Music City Bowls out of the last 5 seasons (2006, 2007, 2009). But, 230 days ago the Wildcats’ 2010 season ended in a thud, with an embarrassing 27-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Panthers in the BBVA Compass Bowl down in Birmingham. But, as Chicago Cubs fans would know very well, there’s always next season, right? Unfortunately Kentucky lost most of its offensive firepower from last season, losing Randall Cobb, Mike Hartline, Derrick Locke, and Chris Matthews. But the defense has 9 starters returning. And with the addition of Rick “Nuclear” Minter as co-defensive coordinator, and former players Glenn Holt and Andre’ Woodson returning to the team as student assistant coaches, there is alot of hope and excitement that this season can be a break from the norm for the Wildcats. Over the next two days I’m going to inform you with some odds and ends concerning the Kentucky Wildcats football team heading into this season. Hope you enjoy:

10 Year Time Machine

I decided to take a peek into history and look at how past Kentucky football teams fared in seasons ending in —1. Here is what I found:

2001

• Record: 2-9 (1-7, SEC)
• Head Coach: Guy Morriss
• Leading Passer: Jared Lorenzen (167-292, 2,179 yards, 19 touchdowns, 7 interceptions)
• Leading Rusher: Artose Pinner (100 carries, 441 yards, 4 touchdowns)
• Leading Receiver: Derek Abney (66 receptions, 741 yards, 6 touchdowns)
• Dennis Johnson set the single season school record for sacks (12)
• Glenn Pakulak led the SEC in average yards per punt (44.5)

1991

• Record: 3-8 (0-7, SEC)
• Head Coach: Bill Curry
• Leading Passer: Pookie Jones (81-138, 954 yards, 3 touchdowns, 4 interceptions)
• Leading Rusher: Terry Samuels (77 carries, 307 yards, 1 touchdown)
• Leading Receiver: Neal Clark (47 receptions, 647 yards, 3 touchdowns)
• Marty Moore set the single season school record for most total tackles (183)
• Kentucky led the SEC in fewest penalty yards per game (31.1)

1981

• Record: 3-8 (2-4, SEC)
• Head Coach: Fran Curci
• Leading Passer: Randy Jenkins (84-170, 1,079 yards, 6 touchdowns, 8 interceptions)
• Leading Rusher: Lawrence Lee (78 carries, 275 yards, 1 touchdown)
• Leading Receiver: Rick Massie (29 receptions, 448 yards, 1 touchdown)
• Defeated Tennessee 21-10 (Last victory against Tennessee in Lexington)
• Kentucky led the SEC in passing defense (127.7 ypg)

1971

• Record: 3-8 (1-6, SEC)
• Head Coach: John Ray
• Leading Passer: Bernie Scruggs (44-102, 554 yards, 3 touchdowns, 8 interceptions)
• Leading Rusher: Lee Clymer (96 carries, 455 yards, 3 touchdowns)
• Leading Receiver: Jim Grant (10 receptions, 205 yards, 1 touchdown)

1961

• Record: 5-5 (2-4, SEC)
• Head Coach: Blanton Collier
• Leading Passer: Jerry Woolum (70-125, 892 yards, 4 touchdowns, 7 interceptions)
• Leading Rusher: Gary Steward (79 carries, 285 yards, 3 touchdowns)
• Leading Receiver: Tom Hutchinson (32 receptions, 543 yards, 4 touchdowns)
• Defeated Auburn 14-12, Defeated Florida State 20-0
• Tom Hutchinson led the SEC in receiving yards

1951

• Record: 8-4 (3-3, SEC)
• Head Coach: Paul “Bear” Bryant
• Leading Passer: Babe Parilli (136-239, 1,643 yards, 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions)
• Leading Rusher: Tom Fillion (117 carries, 671 yards, 4 touchdowns)
• Leading Receiver: Steve Meilinger (41 receptions, 576 yards, 8 touchdowns)
• Defeated Florida 14-6, Defeated #12 Villanova 35-13, Defeated #19 Miami (FL) 32-0, Defeated #11 TCU 20-7 in the Cotton Bowl
• Babe Parilli led the SEC in passing yards

1941

• Record: 5-4 (0-4, SEC)
• Head Coach: A. D. Kirwan

1931

• Record: 5-2-2
• Head Coach: Harry Gamage
• Tied Tennessee 6-6, Defeated Florida 7-2

1921

• Record: 4-3-1
• Head Coach: W. J. Juneau
• Tied Tennessee 0-0

1911

• Record: 7-3
• Head Coach: P. P. Douglass
• Defeated Tennessee 12-0

1901

• Record: 2-6-1
• Head Coach: W. H. Kiler

1891

• Record: 1-1
• Head Coaches: S. M. Pottinger and J. P. Selby

1881

• Record: 1-2
• UK’s 1st Season Ever
• Played Transylvania all 3 games (named Kentucky University back then)

Kentucky Football Head Coaches

This will be Joker Phillips’ 2nd season as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. And after the season finale against the Tennessee Volunteers Joker will have coached in 25 games and 16 SEC games. So I decided to see how past Kentucky head coaches, since World War II, fared in their 2nd season at the school, their first 25 games, and their first 16 SEC games. Here’s what I found:

Kentucky Head Coaches In Their Second Season

Paul “Bear” Bryant, 1947

• Record: 8-3 (2-3, SEC)
• Defeated #9 Georgia 26-0, Defeated #10 Vanderbilt 14-0, Defeated Villanova 24-14 in the Great Lakes Bowl

Blanton Collier, 1955

• Record: 6-3-1 (3-3-1, SEC)
• Tied #14 Auburn 14-14, Defeated #8 Ole Miss 21-14, Defeated Florida 10-7, Defeated #17 Tennessee 23-0

Charlie Bradshaw, 1963

• Record: 3-6-1 (0-5-1, SEC)

John Ray, 1970

• Record: 2-9 (0-7, SEC)
• Defeated #13 Kansas State 16-3

Fran Curci, 1974

• Record: 6-5 (3-3, SEC)
• Defeated #9 Florida 41-24, Defeated LSU 20-13
• Sonny Collins led the SEC in rushing (107.8 ypg)

Jerry Claiborne, 1983

• Record: 6-5-1 (2-4, SEC)
• Defeated LSU 21-13, Lost to #18 West Virginia 20-16 in the Hall Of Fame Bowl
• Paul Calhoun led the SEC in punting (43.2 ypp)

Bill Curry, 1991

• Record: 3-8 (0-7, SEC)
• Kentucky led the SEC in fewest penalty yards (31.1 ypg)

Hal Mumme, 1998

• Record: 7-5 (4-4, SEC)
• Defeated #21 LSU 39-36 (last victory against LSU in Baton Rouge), Lost to #22 Penn State 26-14 in the Outback Bowl
• Tim Couch led the SEC in passing (4,275 yards) and total offense (4,151 yards)
• Craig Yeast led the SEC in receiving (85 receptions, 1,311 yards) and kickoff returns (29.3 ypr)
• Kentucky led the SEC in scoring (37.9 ppg), passing offense (412.2 ypg), total offense (534.2 ypg), first downs (26.5 fdpg), and time of possession (32:56)

Guy Morriss, 2002

• Record: 7-5 (3-5, SEC)
• Defeated #17 Louisville 22-17
• Artose Pinner led the SEC in rushing (117.8 ypg)
• Glenn Pakulak led the SEC in punting (45.6 ypp)
• Derek Abney led the SEC in punt returns (15.1 ypr) and kickoff returns (26.8 ypr)
• Kentucky led the SEC in punt returns (15.6 ypr) and net punting (40.1 ypp)

Rich Brooks, 2004

• Record: 2-9 (1-7, SEC)

Kentucky Head Coaches In Their First 25 Games

• Paul “Bear” Bryant: 16-9 (.640)
• Blanton Collier: 15-9-1 (.620)
• Hal Mumme: 13-12 (.520)
• Fran Curci: 12-12-1 (.500)
• Charlie Bradshaw: 9-14-2 (.400)
• Bill Curry: 9-16 (.360)
• Jerry Claiborne: 8-15-2 (.360)
• Rich Brooks: 7-18 (.280)
• John Ray: 5-20 (.200)

Kentucky Head Coaches In Their First 16 SEC Games

• Blanton Collier: 8-7-1 (.531)
• Paul “Bear” Bryant: 6-9-1 (.406)
• Fran Curci: 6-10 (.375)
• Hal Mumme: 6-10 (.375)
• Charlie Bradshaw: 4-10-2 (.313)
• Jerry Claiborne: 4-12 (.250)
• Bill Curry: 4-12 (.250)
• Guy Morriss: 4-12 (.250)
• Rich Brooks: 2-14 (.125)
• John Ray: 1-15 (.063)

Key Dates/Anniversaries To Remember

This year will be the anniversary of many key games and individual performances in Kentucky football history. So remember these dates, mark them on your calendar, and remember the importance of these days:

• September 1st: 10th anniversary of Guy Morriss’ first game as UK head coach, lost to Louisville 36-10 in Lexington (2001)
• September 15th: 60th anniversary of Kentucky’s single greatest team rushing performance. UK set the school single game team records for most rushing yards, 446, and rushing touchdowns, 9, against Tennessee Tech (1951)
• September 21st: 65th anniversary of Paul “Bear” Bryant’s first game as UK head coach, defeated Ole Miss 20-7 in Lexington (1946)
• October 13th: 105th anniversary of the first forward pass attempted by a UK player, thrown by Earl Stone against Eminence Athletic Club (1906)
• October 14th: 95th anniversary of Stoll Field being dedicated, a 45-0 loss to Vanderbilt (1916)
• November 2nd: 65th anniversary of Don Phelps having UK’s 1st kickoff returned for a touchdown, 85 yards, against Michigan State (1946)
• November 4th: 5th anniversary of the goalposts being torn down for the 2nd time ever at Commonwealth Stadium after defeating Georgia 24-20 for the first time since 1996 (2006)
• November 11th: 30th anniversary of Andy Molls setting the school single game record for most punt return yards, 195, against Vanderbilt (1981)
• November 12th: 130th anniversary of UK’s first game ever played, defeated Kentucky University (now Transylvania) 7.2-1 (1881)
• November 12th: 45th anniversary of Dicky Lyons, Sr. having the longest punt return in school history, 97 yards for a touchdown, against Houston (1966)
• November 15th: 25th anniversary of Bill Ransdell setting the school single game record for completion percentage (86.9%, 20-23) against Florida (1986)
• November 17th: 60th anniversary of Harry Jones having the longest run play from scrimmage in school history, 91 yards for a touchdown, against George Washington (1951)
• November 21st: 30th anniversary of Fran Curci’s last game as UK head coach, defeated Tennessee 21-10 in Lexington (UK’s last win against Tennessee in Lexington) (1981)
• November 23rd: 20th anniversary of Cawood Ledford calling his last game on the radio for UK against #10 Tennessee, UK lost 16-7 (1991)
• November 23rd: 15th anniversary of Bill Curry’s last game as UK head coach, lost to #9 Tennessee 56-10 in Knoxville (1996)
• November 25th: 50th anniversary of Blanton Collier’s last game as UK head coach, lost to Tennessee 26-16 in Lexington (1961)
• November 26th: 75th anniversary of UK’s first game against an opponent ranked in the AP Poll, lost to #17 Tennessee 7-6 (1936)
• December 29th: 5th anniversary of UK defeating Clemson 28-20 in the Music City Bowl for UK’s first bowl win since 1984 (2006)
• December 31st: 35th anniversary of UK defeating #19 UNC 21-0 in the Peach Bowl for UK’s first bowl win since 1952 (1976)
• January 1st: 60th anniversary of UK defeating #11 TCU 20-7 in the Cotton Bowl (1952)

Milestones To Watch

Heading into this season, there are a few Kentucky Wildcats within striking distance of some career milestones, and even a school record. Here are those players and what milestones they are quickly approaching:

Matt Roark

• Needs 2 blocked kicks to set the school record for career blocked kicks (record currently held by Lonnell Dewalt with 7 blocked kicks)

Morgan Newton

• Needs 29 passing yards for 1,000 career passing yards
• Needs 22 pass attempts for 200 career pass attempts

Ryan Tydlacka

• Currently 3rd in school history for average yards per punt in a career (40.8 yards per punt)

La’Rod King

• Needs 5 receptions for 50 career receptions
• Needs 380 receiving yards for 1,000 career receiving yards

Winston Guy, Jr.

• Needs 23 tackles for 200 career tackles

Danny Trevathan

• Needs 69 tackles to become only the 18th player in school history to have 300 career tackles
• Needs 9 tackles for loss for 30 career tackles for loss

That’s all the odds & ends that I have for you for today. Check back tomorrow for the rest of my odds & ends.

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