Yeast was star at Harrodsburg
Yeast, who played at Harrodsburg High School, scored 32 touchdowns from 1995-98.
He couldn’t think of anyone better to tie his record and is glad Cobb is the one who will be UK’s all-time leader when he scores his next touchdown.
“If anybody listens and knows me, I am a huge, huge fan of Randall Cobb. I really believe he is one of the best football players the University of Kentucky has ever seen. I think arguably he is the best player in college football because of what he brings to the table and what means to the team,” Yeast said.
“On that note, I couldn’t see that touchdown record being broken by anybody else other than Randall. He is a tremendous player and I have been rooting for him to break it and not just break it, but shatter it if he can. He deserves that.”
Cobb threw to Aumiller
Cobb also threw a scoring pass to Jordan Aumiller, making him the first Cat since Shane Boyd in 2002 to have a rushing, receiving and passing touchdown in the same game. He finished the game with seven catches for 68 yards, 11 rushes for 47 yards, one pass completion for six yards and 86 yards on three punt returns. That’s why he’s considered the leader to win the Paul Hornung Award given to the nation’s most versatile player and was named the National Wide Receiver/Running Back of the Week by the College Football Performance Award Sunday.
“I wanted it to be an all-purpose guy to break my record because that’s the kind of player I was,” Yeast said. “My son, Russ, 11, has been telling me he was going to break my record. But at least that has helped him understand I really did set records and must have been a pretty decent player because he thinks Randall Cobb is great, and so do I.”
Cobb said he was surprised he tied Yeast’s career touchdown mark because it was something he never focused on.
“It is something I will look back in the years to come and think of as an accomplishment. Right now I want to get my team wins,” Cobb said. “I push myself to the limits and set expectations that most people don’t have for me. I set goals for myself and my team. I said I wanted to make history while I was here, and I guess that is history.”
Cobb said scoring has never been his priority even though he has made electrifying plays at UK, including several more against Auburn.
“It’s in the back of my mind that the more I score, the more it might help us win,” Cobb said. “I guess that is a good thing, or so I have been told. But I never really had any idea I was even close to the record until earlier this year when somebody told me.”
Yeast, who now coaches at Washington County and does a UK pregame radio show, said he was surprised his record lasted so long.
“I just look back and wonder what if I had been able to play four years in the Hal Mumme offense what I could have done,” Yeast said. “But I hope Randall stays healthy and just keeps scoring. If he does, no one may ever come close to his numbers.
“For him to do this in less than three years is a tremendous thing. I just wish I could have had the opportunities he has had. Kentucky recognized he was special and let him have the ball to do the things he can do.”
Yeast hopes he can eventually spend time talking to Cobb.
“I would love to talk to him. I would love to have my son there with me because he is a huge Randall Cobb fan,” Yeast said. “Randall is a great young man, tremendous student and great player because of his work ethic. He will himself and wills his team to win. You could not ask for a better young man in your program.
“I have thought maybe about writing him a brief letter of congratulations when he does break the record. I was written some letters by former UK great when I set my record (that had been held by Moe Williams with 27 touchdowns) and that meant a lot to me.”
