Linebackers Coach

Bryan Ferrell has played a little bit of everywhere for Boyle County this season. The junior linebacker has been a big reason the Rebels are giving up just 7.2 points a game going into Friday's Class AAAA final in Bowling Green against Lone Oak. And he provided some much-needed blocking last week as the Rebels edged Bell County in the state semifinals when he played both tight end and receiver. Ferrell said he's used to playing wherever the team needs him. "My freshman year I played quarterback and I'd never played it before," he said.

LEXINGTON - Even when he was being redshirted last year, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks thought linebacker Will Johnson of Nashville was showing flashes of potential stardom in his final four years at UK. "He's going to be a player," Brooks said. Johnson took the right attitude for his redshirt season and used it to help improve his skills rather than worry about why he wasn't playing like some other true freshmen were. "It was actually good for me. It gave me a chance not only to learn the defense, but to learn more than I knew about everything to do with football.

The more Tom Leach thought about it, the more he liked the idea of writing a book about the job Rich Brooks had done rebuilding the University of Kentucky football program. He thought about it after UK overcame a 49-0 debacle at LSU in 2006 to have a winning season and go to the Music City Bowl. He became more intrigued with the idea in 2007 when UK upset eventual national champion LSU and went back to the Music City Bowl. Last year when the Cats had a third straight winning season and won another bowl game, Leach knew it was time.

Louisville Central coach Ty Scroggins thinks he knows two true freshmen who will play for Kentucky this season. He thinks linebacker Ridge Wilson and defensive tackle Mister Cobble, both starters on Central's Class AAA state title team last year, will play for the Cats this year "They are not two kids who will come and be redshirted. Cobble is outstanding. He will require double teams. He is just going to get stronger and stronger. His hands and feet are his best qualities.

Louisville Central coach Ty Scroggins thinks he knows two true freshmen who will play for Kentucky this season. He thinks linebacker Ridge Wilson and defensive tackle Mister Cobble, both starters on Central's Class AAA state title team last year, will play for the Cats this year "They are not two kids who will come and be redshirted. Cobble is outstanding. He will require double teams. He is just going to get stronger and stronger. His hands and feet are his best qualities.

LEXINGTON - There's nothing like winning to attract players. Kentucky has had three straight winning seasons that included bowl victories. That's why linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator Chuck Smith thinks there is a direct correlation between the wins and UK's large camp registration this month. "Right now our camp numbers are better than they have ever been," Smith said. "Our middle school (passing) tournament, high school tournament and individual camps all have the best numbers they ever have.

Brandon Smith had lofty expectations when he went to Western Kentucky based on what he did at Boyle County. He threw 116 touchdown passes for the Rebels, the third highest mark in Kentucky football history at the time. He threw for 8,796 yards (fourth best) and his 547 career completions ranked seventh all-time. He won the Frank Camp Award given to the state's top player after completing 216 of 356 passes for 3,401 yards as a senior. In three years at Western, he's completed 20 of 35 passes for 120 yards and one touchdown.

LEXINGTON - Chuck Smith believes Kentucky's defense can return to its early-season form when the Wildcats play East Carolina on Friday in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. "We just have to play together, but more than anything, we just have to be healthy and all be on the same page again," said Smith, UK's linebackers coach. The Wildcats improved dramatically on defense this year, but still tailed off the second half of the season when nagging injuries took a toll on linebacker Micah Johnson, tackle Myron Pryor, end Jeremy Jarmon, tackle Ricky Lumpkin and safety Marcus McClinton.

Sam Harp was talking on the telephone Monday morning when he had an unexpected visitor - Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks. "He just stopped by to visit," the Danville coach said. "When you get the head coach at the University of Kentucky to come by and see you it is very impressive when he is not specifically recruiting anybody at your school. "But coach Brooks knows he needs to stay in touch with the high school coaches. He's always done that since he's been at Kentucky.

BOWLING GREEN - For the first time in his life, football was not fun for Brandon Smith last year. Football had always been a huge part of his life. His father, Chuck, led Boyle County to five straight state titles and six straight title game appearances and Boyle was 55-5 with three state championships during Brandon's four years. After redshirting at Western Kentucky in 2005, Brandon Smith played briefly in 2006. However, he figured spring practice would be his chance to prove he could be the Hilltoppers' No. 1 quarterback.