Bbva Compass Bowl

LEXINGTON - Kentucky defense coordinator Rick Minter Tuesday denied a report that there had been a confrontation between head coach Joker Phillips and himself over UK's defensive play in the season-opening loss to Louisville. Kentucky Sports Radio reported that there had been a confrontation over alignment and strategy and that changes were made in the second half of UK's win over Kent State Saturday. “I'm not going to talk about that. It didn't happen. Now what's next?” said Minter Tuesday when asked about the confrontation.

LEXINGTON — Kentucky defensive line coach David Turner is looking for improved play from tackle Donte Rumph. The sophomore did not get cleared academically to join the team until just before the start of preseason camp last year and has struggled with his playing condition and weight. “He has his good days and bad. He has probably had more good days, which is a sign of improvement for him,” Turner said. “He is still trying to get himself in shape which allows him to play for longer periods of time, and that’s a big thing.

LEXINGTON¿ - For the first time in his college career, Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton doesn't have Mike Hartline looking over his shoulder. Newton, a backup to Hartline in his first two seasons with the Wildcats, enters the season as Kentucky's starting signal caller. Despite playing behind Hartline the past two seasons, Newton started the last eight games in 2009 and compiled a 5-3 record, one of which was an exciting 21-14 victory over Auburn, the Cats' first win over the Tigers since 1966.

LEXINGTON — Kentucky will open spring football practice March 23, which is one week earlier than normal for the Wildcats. However, the Wildcats will still finish at the same time with the Blue-White game on April 23. “We just thought it was good to move it up a week and make the changes that we have,” UK coach Joker Phillips said. “This way we are spreading it out over five weeks rather than four. That gives us more flexibility.” Instead of practicing on Monday-Wednesday-Friday and then scrimmaging on Saturday, UK will now not have a practice on Monday.

LEXINGTON — Playing linebacker in the Southeastern Conference is not an easy task because of the talented and complex offenses defense must stop week after week. However, playing linebacker in the SEC for Rick Minter, Kentucky’s co-defensive coordinator, can even be more stressful because of the multiple schemes Minter uses. “Me and the other guys are trying to focus on getting everything right. There is a lot more time involved, but for the most part we are getting it. It is coming along slowly but surely,” said linebacker Ronnie Sneed, a returning starter.

LEXINGTON — Donte Rumph has no problem admitting he’s a much better player now than when he arrived here last August after finally getting academically eligible — something he had been trying to do since originally signing with Kentucky in 2008. “I am getting into better shape, flying around and getting better at my technique,” said the sophomore defensive tackle. “I am a completely different person. (Defensive line) Coach (David) Turner is hard, but it pays off. I expect it. If he wasn’t hard on me, that would be a problem and would signify that he doesn’t care.

LEXINGTON - Changing defensive coordinators has not only required University of Kentucky players to adjust to Rick Minter's philosophy and style, but it also created a transition period for linebackers coach Chuck Smith. “It is an issue. It is a lot of different language. People call things differently,” said Smith. “Coach Minter has got his own language for the scheme he has. I had to learn, and the rest of the coaches did, his terminology and his language. It is a little different, as everybody's is. That's not an unusual thing.

LEXINGTON -   Mister Cobble has played just one game since his last high school game in 2008. So as much as anybody, the Kentucky redshirt sophomore defensive tackle said the first game against Western Kentucky on Sept. 1 in Nashville, Tenn., cannot get here fast enough. “I'm very anxious. I've been waiting a long time.¿I feel like my time is here and I'm ready to take advantage of it,”¿Cobble said. “Mentally, I'm ready to go. Physically, I feel like I am ready. I may have a slight problem with my shoulder being that it just got healed (after surgery)

LEXINGTON - Kentucky sophomore defensive lineman Donte Rumph missed UK's opening practice sessions after suffering a concussion in an automobile accident in Lexington shortly before practice started. He originally signed with Kentucky in 2008 and spent the next two years at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy working to gain his academic eligibility before finally getting clearance to join the Wildcats just before practice started for the 2010 season. He played in 12 games last season and had 12 tackles, including three in the BBVA Compass Bowl loss to Pittsburgh.

LEXINGTON - Morgan Newton obviously needs all the experience he can get with Kentucky's offense after playing sparingly at quarterback last year and starting in the BBVA Compass Bowl only after Mike Hartline was suspended. However, Kentucky coach Joker Phillips knows he also needs to find a way to play backup quarterback Maxwell Smith, a true freshman, and hopes he can do that tonight in Nashville, Tenn., when the Wildcats play Western Kentucky. “We don't have a backup quarterback that has any snaps.

LEXINGTON - After all he's been through at Kentucky, adjusting to new coaches and a new defensive system has not been an overwhelming challenge for senior defensive tackle Mister Cobble this spring. “It is a change. It is a new system, it is different. But this is my third set of coaches since I have been here, and every year it changes. I just like to take it like it is a new approach and it is something new coming in, so I just buy into the system as quick as I can and get into the system and get used to it,” said Cobble, who has played in 22 games the last seasons and started 13 times.

It's time to quit referring to Kentucky coach Joker Phillips as a great guy or someone who has spent multiple years of his life at UK as a player, assistant coach and head coach. It's time to quit referring to Kentucky's young roster even though the Wildcats are playing more true freshmen than almost every team in the country. Instead, it's time to face the obvious - something just has not clicked in Phillips' three years as head coach and the Wildcat have to make a change, especially after the embarrassing 49-7 loss at Arkansas Saturday.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky defense coordinator Rick Minter Tuesday denied a report that there had been a confrontation between head coach Joker Phillips and himself over UK's defensive play in the season-opening loss to Louisville. Kentucky Sports Radio reported that there had been a confrontation over alignment and strategy and that changes were made in the second half of UK's win over Kent State Saturday. “I'm not going to talk about that. It didn't happen. Now what's next?” said Minter Tuesday when asked about the confrontation.

LEXINGTON - Tee Martin is a Joker Phillips guy. He came to the University of Kentucky two years ago to work for Phillips because of their friendship and didn't leave after his first season even when Alabama, which will be playing for the national title again this year, offered a job. Still, the former Tennessee quarterback and UK receivers coach knew fans were restless with the UK¿football program.¿He heard the chatter, got reports about Internet...

LEXINGTON - Morgan Newton obviously needs all the experience he can get with Kentucky's offense after playing sparingly at quarterback last year and starting in the BBVA Compass Bowl only after Mike Hartline was suspended. However, Kentucky coach Joker Phillips knows he also needs to find a way to play backup quarterback Maxwell Smith, a true freshman, and hopes he can do that tonight in Nashville, Tenn., when the Wildcats play Western Kentucky. “We don't have a backup quarterback that has any snaps.

LEXINGTON¿ - For the first time in his college career, Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton doesn't have Mike Hartline looking over his shoulder. Newton, a backup to Hartline in his first two seasons with the Wildcats, enters the season as Kentucky's starting signal caller. Despite playing behind Hartline the past two seasons, Newton started the last eight games in 2009 and compiled a 5-3 record, one of which was an exciting 21-14 victory over Auburn, the Cats' first win over the Tigers since 1966.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky sophomore defensive lineman Donte Rumph missed UK's opening practice sessions after suffering a concussion in an automobile accident in Lexington shortly before practice started. He originally signed with Kentucky in 2008 and spent the next two years at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy working to gain his academic eligibility before finally getting clearance to join the Wildcats just before practice started for the 2010 season. He played in 12 games last season and had 12 tackles, including three in the BBVA Compass Bowl loss to Pittsburgh.

Attrition is a normal process at almost every major college football program. However, it certainly seems like the University of Kentucky has lost more than its share of once highly-touted recruits in the last year. The latest player to join the list is sophomore cornerback Jerrell Prister. Kentucky coach Joker Phillips confirmed after practice Thursday that he had left team. “We wish him well,” said Phillips. “It's one of those things that's kind of common at this time of the year, that kids leave.

LEXINGTON -   Mister Cobble has played just one game since his last high school game in 2008. So as much as anybody, the Kentucky redshirt sophomore defensive tackle said the first game against Western Kentucky on Sept. 1 in Nashville, Tenn., cannot get here fast enough. “I'm very anxious. I've been waiting a long time.¿I feel like my time is here and I'm ready to take advantage of it,”¿Cobble said. “Mentally, I'm ready to go. Physically, I feel like I am ready. I may have a slight problem with my shoulder being that it just got healed (after surgery)

LEXINGTON - Changing defensive coordinators has not only required University of Kentucky players to adjust to Rick Minter's philosophy and style, but it also created a transition period for linebackers coach Chuck Smith. “It is an issue. It is a lot of different language. People call things differently,” said Smith. “Coach Minter has got his own language for the scheme he has. I had to learn, and the rest of the coaches did, his terminology and his language. It is a little different, as everybody's is. That's not an unusual thing.