"Obviously, they (council members) have invested themselves in the team and their teammates, have demonstrated their commitment to the football program and now can bring additional leadership to the team."
The council represents the team on issues that involve player input and addressing concerns to the coaching staff.
Family matters
Kentucky special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Steve Ortmayer likes the fact that his oldest son Beau is involved in football.
Beau Ortmayer is a defensive graduate assistant and academic liason at Eastern Kentucky University.
"Beau's very anxious to get into this business," Ortmayer said. He's done a very good job being just one year into it. He has made a lot of contacts. I understand that coach (Danny) Hope has said that he has done a very good job. We're glad to hear that and hopefully he'll have a bright future."
Ortmayer said he keeps tabs on his son on a regular basis, but won't have much time in the coming weeks as the Wildcats prepare to take on the Colonels in the season opener for both teams on Sept. 1 at Commonwealth Stadium.
"It's been a friendly rivalry around the house for six months now," Ortmayer said. "It will just intensify between now and then. I just don't anticipate seeing him much in the next month."
Ortmayer said his wife Merylee will be cheering for both parties to do well, but added that he isn't worried which team she will be pulling for once the two teams meet.
"She's smart enough to know where her bread is buttered," he said with a laugh.
Practice times moved
In an effort to combat the soaring heat, practice times for the remainder of the week (through Friday) have been moved from afternoon to morning. Today's sessions have been scaled back from two practices to just one.
