Kentucky Wildcats Morning Headlines: Patrick Towles shines in first start
The first game of the 2014 season is over, and if there’s one big thing we learned from Week One, it’s that starting quarterback Patrick Towles is really good. Towles completed 20-29 passing with 377 yards and a touchdown. Towles also scampered for a 23 yard rushing touchdown, the first of his career.
Contributing 407 yards of total offense, Towles had the second most yards from scrimmage by a quarterback in his first start in UK history, just behind Dusty Bonner’s 409 yards in 1999 against Louisville. Towles had a very well rounded game, and led the offense well. We’ll see how he does in his second start, when the Cats matchup against Ohio University next Saturday at 3:30 PM.
Aug 1, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USA Team White center DeMarcus Cousins (36) grabs a defensive rebound away from USA Team Blue forward Anthony Davis (42) during the USA Basketball Showcase at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Former Cats shine again for Team USA:
UK fan favorites Anthony Davis and Demarcus Cousins both had impressive games for Team USA in the 59 point manslaughter of Finland. Davis recorded 17 points (6-8 FG) with four rebounds. UK head coach John Calipari talked to the media about his former Naismith Trophy winner, and had this to say,
“Right now, you look at (Davis) and say, “Man, in five years, he could be the best player in the NBA.” And this USA Basketball stuff pushes that date sooner. Again, here’s what it does for him: how to work, new things to add to his game, and confidence like, “These are the best in the world, so I’m all right.”
The other UK star on the team also played well. Cousins nearly had a double-double in the game, and is really solidifying his role as the backup center for Team USA and is contributing well. It seems like Cousins is set to take the next big step in his career, and be one of the top centers in the NBA.
Aug 30, 2014; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Braylon Heard (5) runs the ball for a touchdown against UT Martin Skyhawks defensive back Jordan Landry (21) in the first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Braylon Heard’s huge day shortened by injury:
When I say that running back Braylon Heard, a transfer from Nebraska, had a big day, that’s purely an understatement. Heard carried the ball two times in the game against UT-Martin, both went for long touchdowns. The first was a 73 yard run, the second a 43 yard run, totaling up to 116 yards and two touchdowns on the day. It’s easy to say that offensive coordinator Neal Brown was impressed,
“The two runs he had that he broke were extremely disciplined runs,” Brown said. “The thing that’s going to be encouraging to me is we turn on the video tomorrow and here’s Braylon doing the thing exactly the way we coach it. Exactly, to the ‘T’ the way we coach it. Boom, big plays.”
The reason Heard had just two carries, was because he rolled his ankle on the 43 yard touchdown. He left the game and would not return, it was a smart decision seeing how the score was being run up. The severity of the injury wasn’t announced, but in post game interviews he claimed, “The ankles fine, I just twisted it a little bit.” Hopefully Braylon will be ready to go next Saturday.