College Football

Rex Burkhead picked up the knickname “Superman” back in high school when he was running roughshod through opponents in Texas. No wonder. He rushed for 3,530 yards and 57 touchdowns in his final two years of play at Plano High School. But “Superman' isn't his favorite nickname, but oh well. Whatever. Burkhead isn't going to get all excited over it. “I'm more of a Batman fan,” Burkhead said, “but it's cool though.” Everything is cool with Burkhead, and the Nebraska junior I-back plans to stay cool while he's stepping up to do whatever is necessary.

The Centre College football team erupted for 22 third-quarter points Saturday and rolled over host Maryville (Tenn.) 35-0. “We finally got out of that little rut of halves,” Centre coach Andy Frye said. “The first half we played a little like the second half of Hanover (in last week’s loss), so I was pleased to see kids’ mental focus and intensity better coming into the second half.” A pair of Jordan Gay field goals (23 and 21 yards) gave Centre a 6-0 halftime lead.

East Jessamine running back Blake Hinkle is going back home. Hinkle signed on to play football with Georgetown College last week; he grew up in Scott County. “They've always been in my sights since I was a little kid; I grew up around the program,” he said. “What really drew me to the program is really the feeling you get when you're on campus, the closeness and the atmosphere.” Hinkle ran for an 86-yard touchdown in his first varsity game with East in 2010 and closed his career out with a 99-yard touchdown run against Wayne County.

Darius Skinner wants to compete at the next level. Skinner has always had aspirations of playing football at the Division-I level and will transfer to the University of Louisville next semester and hopes to join the Cardinals' roster as a walk-on. Although a roster spot isn't guaranteed, the former George Rogers Clark standout is confident he can earn a position at the conclusion of spring practice. Since making the decision to leave Campbellsville at the end of the current semester, he has remained in close contact with Louisville associate coach and recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt.

LANCASTER - Now that Markell Hayes has made his college plans, he's ready to get on with it. The Garrard County running back-linebacker recently committed to play for Morehead State, and he plans to make that official in a signing ceremony Thursday at his school. After that, he'll be counting the days until the start of Morehead's summer camp and the start of the next phase of his football life. “I'm really excited to get out of high school so I¿can go ahead,” Hayes said Tuesday.

Garrard County head football coach Steve Stonebraker sees no need to change the way Division I college football determines its national champion. In his most recent post to his weblog, aptly named Coach Stoney's Football Blog, Stonebraker says he likes "football's way over basketball's in D-1. " He writes: "You have to remember that I am a coach, but I love the fact that I can go home in mid-December through the first of January and know that I can watch a college game every night (although my wife is not nearly as excited about this)

RICHMOND - The Eastern Kentucky Colonels are having too much fun. Coach Danny Hope said he and his players have enjoyed the ride all the way to the school's first Ohio Valley Conference championship and postseason berth in 10 years. "We're not going to change anything now," Hope said Tuesday in a teleconference. "We have a great time together, and it's a very, very close football team. It's probably the closest team I've ever been a part of, and it's just been a special experience.

It's been five years since Roy Kidd retired from the coaching ranks. Just because he is no longer active in the coaching circles doesn't mean the legendary football coach at Eastern Kentucky University is taking it easy. In fact, he is as busy as ever playing golf, traveling and catching up on things he missed out on while he coached at Eastern from 1964-2002. He remains close to the university where he won 315 games and had a stadium named in his honor long before he coached his last football game.

Kelvin Turner doesn't have time to look back. With only one season remaining at Marshall University, there is much more of Turner's football career ahead of him than behind him. Yet even though there is much that he can look back on - both good and bad - Turner is focusing on what lies ahead in his final collegiate season - and beyond. First, the former Danville running back will try to help Marshall return to its winning ways this fall. Then he plans to turn his attention to helping tomorrow's players find their way. Still, Turner said he didn't expect to be thinking about life after college quite so soon.

Mark Dunn is not done yet. Dunn took his place on the field for Saturday's senior day ceremony at Eastern Kentucky, then took his place in the backfield for the Colonels' eighth consecutive win. But the Harrodsburg native knows he'll have at least one more game to play after he helped the Colonels reach the postseason for the first time since 1997. The Colonels will play at Richmond on Saturday in the first round of what was formerly known as the Division I-AA playoffs. This is one college experience Dunn is glad he isn't missing.

It took a little recognition, friendly advice and support of his top fans, mother Latonya and sister Genesis, but East Jessamine athlete Derrius Robinson signed his letter of intent to college football at University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, Ky.) on Monday. Robinson's fondness for baseball, where he starts as a outfielder, led him to believing he would be on the diamond after high school. However, when he was informed of an accolade by East head coach Mike Bowlin, Robinson's interest in playing defensive back at the college level soared.

During his sophomore year, West Jessamine's Derrick Little was just another player among the masses, according to his coach, Graham Heasley. “Derrick's sophomore year, my first year here, you couldn't give me a plug nickel for him,” Heasley said. “I watched him play; he wouldn't try very hard; he didn't seem very good.” But over the next few years, Heasley watched Little transform himself from a bit player to a starting lineman and kicker, and on Monday, the former coach of the West Jessamine Colts watched his player sign to play college football at Lindsey Wilson College.

East Jessamine running back Blake Hinkle is going back home. Hinkle signed on to play football with Georgetown College last week; he grew up in Scott County. “They've always been in my sights since I was a little kid; I grew up around the program,” he said. “What really drew me to the program is really the feeling you get when you're on campus, the closeness and the atmosphere.” Hinkle ran for an 86-yard touchdown in his first varsity game with East in 2010 and closed his career out with a 99-yard touchdown run against Wayne County.

Boyle County's Lloyd Hall and Trey Yeager are staying close to home to play their college football. The two Rebels seniors have committed to play football for Centre College next year, and they will have a ceremony to commemorate their commitment Wednesday. Yeager shared The Advocate's Area Lineman of the Year honors this year, and was All-Area on both sides of the ball. And while he was interested in going to Centre, it was more for the academics at first. “I never really looked at it for football,”¿he said.

STANFORD - Lincoln County assistant football coach Travis Leffew played for coach Bobby Petrino at Louisville from 2002-05, starting 37 straight games on the offensive line. The Boyle County graduate earned second team All-America honors in 2005, as well as all-Big East and academic all-Big East. He was a third-team All-American in 2004 and first team all-Conference USA. Under Petrino, Louisville achieved some of its greatest seasons ever before Petrino left for the Atlanta Falcons and later Arkansas.

Even after the season got started, there was no way to predict that it would end so well for Rees MacShara. MacShara said he thought he was capable of having a big year at Morehead State, but the Boyle County graduate's rushing numbers in his first three games weren't very big at all. The numbers looked pretty impressive by season's end, however, as the sophomore ran for more than 1,000 yards and was named to the all-Pioneer Football League first...

Darius Skinner wants to compete at the next level. Skinner has always had aspirations of playing football at the Division-I level and will transfer to the University of Louisville next semester and hopes to join the Cardinals' roster as a walk-on. Although a roster spot isn't guaranteed, the former George Rogers Clark standout is confident he can earn a position at the conclusion of spring practice. Since making the decision to leave Campbellsville at the end of the current semester, he has remained in close contact with Louisville associate coach and recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt.

He has spent the last year in Kuwait and Iraq with the Kentucky National Guard. Now Mercer County native J.R. Dean is glad to be back home, especially in time to enjoy the high school and college football seasons. “It's the greatest feeling in the world to be back,” said Dean, who now lives in Danville. “We got back Saturday and just missed by four or five days being gone for a year. I would say, though, it was a great learning experience. You don't appreciate the little thing you have while you are here, but once they are taken away you have a greater appreciation for family and modern conveniences.

If you like a chance to discuss Kentucky football or basketball, or any local sports, then make sure to listen to WHIR-AM (1230) and WHBN-AM (1420) on Thursday when former UK¿center Dave Hopewell and I resume our college football-oriented talk show. We will be on from 6 to 7 p.m. each Thursday during the football season to look ahead to upcoming Kentucky¿games as well as the top local sports stories each week. We will have special guests - former Wildcat quarterback Freddie Maggard will be in studio Aug. 23 and future UK¿Hall of Famer Derek Abney will join us Aug. 30 to discuss Kentucky-Louisville - and an open line to take your calls.

It was Christmas Day in 1986 when I learned a lot about Joe Paterno and the football program at The Pennsylvania State University. Tucked under the Christmas tree was a shiny Sports Illustrated magazine, featuring Paterno, who was named Sportsman of the Year. As I delved into the pages of my first SI magazine, the story revealed an individual who was an iconic figure in Happy Valley and a coach who built his program on integrity and values. He seemed like the coach that parents could trust and a fatherly figure who knew and did what was best for his players.