Scout Team

BOWLING GREEN - Marcus Patterson is ready to pack his bags. It's not that he's unhappy after a redshirt year at Western Kentucky University. It's just that he's anxious to do something other than practice this fall. Patterson's idea of progress would be making the travel squad this season, which he said is a realistic goal for what he calls "a very important year" and one he's better positioned to reach after his first year in college football. "I know what I've got to do now," he said.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky quarterback coach Randy Sanders has been given credit for helping develop Andre Woodson into an all-star quarterback the last two years. However, Sanders first recruited Woodson when he was still coaching at Tennessee. Sanders shares his insights on Woodson and UK's other quarterbacks in this question-and-answer interview. Question: What things did you like about Andre Woodson when you were recruiting him while you were coaching at Tennessee? Sanders: "You could see the obvious physical features.

Before Brad Cloud injured his knee playing basketball during his Christmas vacation, he thought he had a chance to work his way on the field for Western Kentucky this season. "I missed a lot of the spring and coming off knee surgery is not easy," Cloud said. "Hopefully I can still get some time on special teams. I know I am going to do all I can to get on the field. " The former Boyle County standout redshirted last year, his first season at Western. However, he made the most of his time on the defensive scout team as he was named Western's scout team player of the year after the 2004 season.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky coach Joker Phillips said playing two true freshmen quarterbacks - Jalen Whitlow and Patrick Towles - against Mississippi State is going to be “exciting” for both teams. “The team we're playing has no idea what they're about to get,” Phillips said. “We don't know.” That's because Kentucky¿won't have sophomore quarterback Maxwell Smith for the rest of the season. Phillips announced¿Monday that Smith would need surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left ankle after he was hurt on the second play of Saturday's loss to South Carolina.

They have been friends since kindergarten. Now they have a chance to win Boyle County's sixth state championship together as teammates. Connor Givhan, Nick Gill, Rees MacShara and Grant Aumiller garnered a friendship at an early age. They began playing sports together in grade school and high school and now they can all live what each of them has dreamed about ? a chance to play for a state championship. "We grew up together playing one sport or another and are like brothers," said Advocate-Messenger All-Area Lineman of the Year Grant Aumiller.

LEXINGTON - Going into spring practice today, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks agrees that Shane Boyd deserves to be the No. 1 quarterback. He's mainly been Jared Lorenzen's backup for three seasons when he completed 110 of 216 passes for 1,156 yards and six scores. Last season he also played running back and receiver as well as special teams. However, with Lorenzen gone, Boyd is clearly UK's most experienced option at quarterback. Kentucky's other quarterbacks are redshirt freshman Andre Woodson and incoming freshman Joe Joe Brown.

LEXINGTON - From Curtis Pulley's perspective, he's already started his push to become Kentucky's starting quarterback next season. "I have been working with the young receivers in practice trying to get our timing and focus down. It has been a pretty helpful way to get a jump start for next year," said Pulley, a junior who was academically ineligible this season. "I took care of my business in the classroom and now I have to go out and spring ball and show everyone I can lead this team.

Winning means as much to Brandon Record as it ever did. That's why Record is content to bide his time until he gets his chance to play at Georgetown. The sophomore defensive lineman didn't make a dent in the Tigers' stat sheet last year, and he isn't sure what the future holds for him this season. But he's working hard to give himself the best possible chance to get some playing time. "Hopefully I can contribute as much as I can," Record said. Record said the competition is fierce for spots on Georgetown's defensive line, and the standards are high for a team that has won nine straight Mid-South Conference championships.

LIBERTY ? If Casey County is going to start its season on the right foot, it's going to have to control the line of scrimmage and control the clock. That's almost always going to be the case for the Rebels again this year, and improvement on the offensive and defensive lines might well give them an edge Friday in their season opener against Caverna. The Rebels return all five starters on the offensive front, and coach Andy Stephens says the lines might well be the strongest units on a still-young team.

The beat rolls on for the West Jessamine football team. The Colts dispatched Western Hills, 35-0, Friday, to improve their best season start and remain perfect. West's (6-0) Matt Carbol outshined the highly touted Dylan Curry of Western Hills (4-2). Carbol rushed for 140 yards on 15 carries and completed both his passes for 58 yards. He scored two rushing touchdowns and passed for another. From the start, Carbol and the Colts kept the Wolverine defense in a daze. "They (Wolverines)

LEXINGTON - Kentucky coach Joker Phillips said playing two true freshmen quarterbacks - Jalen Whitlow and Patrick Towles - against Mississippi State is going to be “exciting” for both teams. “The team we're playing has no idea what they're about to get,” Phillips said. “We don't know.” That's because Kentucky¿won't have sophomore quarterback Maxwell Smith for the rest of the season. Phillips announced¿Monday that Smith would need surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left ankle after he was hurt on the second play of Saturday's loss to South Carolina.

LEXINGTON - Ryan Harrow is “doing fine” this season, according to Kentucky coach John Calipari, even though the sophomore guard can't participate in games or travel with the team after transferring from North Carolina State. “It's hard because he's sitting out. You're almost an afterthought, especially when you're going through a season and you're playing on this team at Kentucky,” Calipari said. “But he's getting better because of who he plays against every day. He's starting to get physically stronger, which he's going to have to do. And he's got a great feel.

LEXINGTON - Joker Phillips isn't worried about the uncertainty surrounding the head coach at Pittsburgh impacting the way the Panthers will play Saturday when they face Kentucky in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham. Coach Dave Wannstedt, who played at Pittsburgh, resigned under pressure and Pitt hired 46-year-old Mike Haywood, who led Miami (Ohio) to a 9-4 record as its new coach Dec. 16. Wannstedt has yet to say publicly if he will coach the team in the bowl game or if an assistant coach will be the head coach.

They have been friends since kindergarten. Now they have a chance to win Boyle County's sixth state championship together as teammates. Connor Givhan, Nick Gill, Rees MacShara and Grant Aumiller garnered a friendship at an early age. They began playing sports together in grade school and high school and now they can all live what each of them has dreamed about ? a chance to play for a state championship. "We grew up together playing one sport or another and are like brothers," said Advocate-Messenger All-Area Lineman of the Year Grant Aumiller.

LEXINGTON ? Kentucky freshman Jordan Aumiller says there is no doubt Boyle County junior Lamar Dawson, his teammate last year, can play for UK, too. "I have no doubt at all he can play here. He is a big, strong athlete. I thought all along he would get an offer from here. He has proven to everybody he can play at this level and I think he will be a very good player," Aumiller said. The Wildcats offered Dawson, a tight end, running back and linebacker, a scholarship last week.

LEXINGTON ? DeQuin Evans got the message. Evans, a highly-touted junior college transfer being counted on to fill the void left by Jeremy Jarmon at defensive end, knew what it meant for Kentucky to defeat Louisiana-Monroe Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium. Evans also knew the Wildcats couldn't afford a letdown following a 21-14 victory over Auburn the previous week. The Wildcats delivered a knockout punch early and then cruised in a 36-13 win over the Warhawks. Getting a win was a priority.

LEXINGTON ? DeQuin Evans got the message. Evans, a highly-touted junior college transfer being counted on to fill the void left by Jeremy Jarmon at defensive end, knew what it meant for Kentucky to defeat Louisiana-Monroe Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium. Evans also knew the Wildcats couldn't afford a letdown following a 21-14 victory over Auburn the previous week. The Wildcats delivered a knockout punch early and then cruised in a 36-13 win over the Warhawks. Getting a win was a priority.

The beat rolls on for the West Jessamine football team. The Colts dispatched Western Hills, 35-0, Friday, to improve their best season start and remain perfect. West's (6-0) Matt Carbol outshined the highly touted Dylan Curry of Western Hills (4-2). Carbol rushed for 140 yards on 15 carries and completed both his passes for 58 yards. He scored two rushing touchdowns and passed for another. From the start, Carbol and the Colts kept the Wolverine defense in a daze. "They (Wolverines)

LEXINGTON ? Perhaps one of the more interesting redshirt years last season belonged to Matt Smith, who originally thought he would be playing in the defensive line before he was switched to center because of UK's lack of depth at that position. The move ended any chance he had to play as a true freshman, even though he could find himself as a starter next week when UK plays Miami because of the one-game suspension of returning starter Jorge Gonzalez. "They (the coaches) felt I could do well at center.

LIBERTY ? If Casey County is going to start its season on the right foot, it's going to have to control the line of scrimmage and control the clock. That's almost always going to be the case for the Rebels again this year, and improvement on the offensive and defensive lines might well give them an edge Friday in their season opener against Caverna. The Rebels return all five starters on the offensive front, and coach Andy Stephens says the lines might well be the strongest units on a still-young team.