Shane Boyd

Sometimes a difficult season can help a player's career much more than he ever anticipated depending on how he handles the adversity. That's why former Kentucky quarterback Shane Boyd thinks his younger brother, Aaron, will benefit from the ordeal he went through at UK last year. "He matured, but (the wide receivers) all did. Those freshmen (receivers) all still face a learning curve," said Shane Boyd, who worked the Craig Yeast Elite Skills Football Camp last week in Harrodsburg.

It's hard to know where the time goes. I feel like I'm old school now. Two starting quarterbacks. Two head coaches. That sounds about right. After all, it's been two years of Kentucky football. Despite any turmoil, hardship or record, I find myself chomping at the bit to get to the start of the season. This year I've decided to do something a bit different. I know it's a shot in the dark, but the way things work out at UK, some day I might just be the head football coach. If that fate were to somehow happen this year, I am already prepared.

Everyone has questions about the upcoming University of Kentucky football season. The difference here is that you get answers - or at least educated guesses. What has to be new coach Rich Brooks' biggest concern going into the season opener in two weeks? Easy. It's punting. While tight end and running back both are also question marks, at least they might have answers. Replacing Glenn Pakulak and the edge in field position his kicks gave UK last year is a big worry.

During his official visit to the University of Kentucky earlier this month, California junior college receiver Scott Mitchell got to spend time with UK sophomore receiver Glenn Holt Jr. "The main thing I got from him was that he believed in the system. He thought if they could get a few more guys in, they could make a move up. It was real with him and that helped me," Mitchell said. The Mount San Antonio College product signed with the Wildcats Wednesday and will join defensive end Cedric Kroger and tight end Jamir Davis, junior college players who also signed with UK this week, at Kentucky next month.

If you have a youngster looking for a football camp to attend, you have plenty of choices next week. The week-long Centre College Youth Football Camp opens Monday on the Danville campus. The Boyle County Youth Football Camp at Boyle and Dennis Johnson Football Clinic at the University of Kentucky are both July 20-21. Each camp has something unique to offer. Centre College. The non-contact skills camp is broken down into senior and junior divisions. However, what makes this unique for young players will be the film work.

LEXINGTON - Redshirt freshman quarterback Andre Woodson will make his collegiate debut when Kentucky hosts Ohio University Saturday. Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said Monday that Woodson "will play at least one series, though it could be more" against Ohio as the Wildcats try to bounce back from last week's 20-3 loss at Florida. Brooks kept starter Shane Boyd in for every snap in lopsided games against Louisville and Indiana. At Florida, Brooks did not want to take out Boyd while the Cats still had a chance to win. However, with Boyd nursing a sore left shoulder (an MRI Monday revealed no damage)

LEXINGTON ? Keenan Burton heard all summer how Kentucky?s offense would become run-oriented this year now that Shane Boyd, a more natural running quarterback, is taking over the Wildcats? offense. But Burton believes having Boyd at quarterback gives Kentucky another dimension that a defense has to consider when Boyd goes back to pass. The sophomore wide receiver is satisfied with Boyd?s arm strength and his ability to find open receivers. ?Shane?s arm is okay,? Burton, who had 20 catches for 221 yards and two scores in 2003, said.

HOOVER, Ala. - Boyle County opened the 2003 season in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville. Now the Rebels apparently will get their chance to play in Commonwealth Stadium. University of Kentucky officials have agreed to let Henry Clay host Boyle at Commonwealth Aug. 27, the second week of the high school football season, because Henry Clay's football facilities have been declared unplayable this season. Boyle athletics director Jim Spears told The Advocate-Messenger Wednesday that he still had no official word on the game's location, but he knew Commonwealth Stadium had been discussed.

LEXINGTON - Aaron Boyd was excited. He was throwing a football, running pass routes and joking with teammates. And that was before his first Media Day at the University of Kentucky even started. "I have been out here running and jumping around and just enjoying everything even while we were just taking pictures," said Boyd, a freshman receiver from Lexington. "I am excited. I am also a little nervous. I haven't really experienced anything like this. But once I get my first contact, the jitters will be gone and I know I can help this team out. " While Boyd was able to run free at Commonwealth Stadium on Tuesday, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks is hoping Boyd and other incoming freshmen receivers can do the same thing during the season as the Cats try to replace receivers Keenan Burton and Steve Johnson.

LEXINGTON - This was going to be just what Kentucky coach Rich Brooks and his players needed. The Wildcats were on the verge of snapping a four-game losing streak by beating South Carolina and restoring hope that the rest of the season could at least be enjoyable. Kentucky had driven 94 yards in 23 plays to take a 7-6 lead with only 9 minutes, 52 seconds to play. While most times that would seem to have left an eternity for South Carolina to rally and win as so many opposing teams have done in Commonwealth Stadium, this looked different.

Sometimes a difficult season can help a player's career much more than he ever anticipated depending on how he handles the adversity. That's why former Kentucky quarterback Shane Boyd thinks his younger brother, Aaron, will benefit from the ordeal he went through at UK last year. "He matured, but (the wide receivers) all did. Those freshmen (receivers) all still face a learning curve," said Shane Boyd, who worked the Craig Yeast Elite Skills Football Camp last week in Harrodsburg.

LEXINGTON - Aaron Boyd was excited. He was throwing a football, running pass routes and joking with teammates. And that was before his first media day at the University of Kentucky even started. "I have been out here running and jumping around and just enjoying everything even while we were just taking pictures," said Boyd, a freshman receiver from Lexington. "I am excited. I am also a little nervous. I haven't really experienced anything like this. But once I get my first contact, the jitters will be gone and I know I can help this team out. " While Boyd was able to run free at Commonwealth Stadium on Tuesday, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks is hoping Boyd and other incoming freshmen receivers can do the same thing during the season as the Cats try to replace receivers Keenan Burton and Steve Johnson.

For as long as he can remember, Shane Boyd wanted to be a National Football League quarterback. When he was being touted as a potential major league pitcher at Henry Clay High School, he still chose to play football at the University of Kentucky. Even when he briefly joined the baseball team at UK, his focus remained on football. On the football field, he had obstacles to overcome as well. He was multi-talented, but he played behind Jared Lorenzen and also spent time at wide receiver and running back as well as quarterback.

If you have a youngster looking for a football camp to attend, you have plenty of choices next week. The week-long Centre College Youth Football Camp opens Monday on the Danville campus. The Boyle County Youth Football Camp at Boyle and Dennis Johnson Football Clinic at the University of Kentucky are both July 20-21. Each camp has something unique to offer. Centre College. The non-contact skills camp is broken down into senior and junior divisions. However, what makes this unique for young players will be the film work.

LEXINGTON - If Kentucky hopes to have any chance to beat Louisville, UK coach Rich Brooks says the Wildcats cannot beat themselves. Brooks was upset with the mental errors his team made Saturday in its final major scrimmage before opening the season Sunday night at Papa John's Stadium against No. 13 Louisville. "Our chance of pulling an upset really only exists if we eliminate beating ourselves from the equation," Brooks said. "If we beat ourselves with turnovers, that's our fault.

It was no surprise that Kentucky finally named Joker Phillips its new offensive coordinator Sunday. Phillips, UK's recruiting coordinator and receivers coach, was the front-runner as soon as Ron Hudson resigned five days before the Cats closed the season with a 37-31 loss at Tennessee. Phillips is a Kentucky graduate, he's a proven recruiter and athletics director Mitch Barnhart believes in him. That had to make it easy for coach Rich Brooks, who brought Phillips back to Kentucky when he came here two years ago, to elevate Phillips.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart asked only one thing of Joker Phillips going into Saturday's game. "I told him not to leave any tricks in the bag," said Barnhart. Phillips didn't, but he couldn't find that one last trick to finally let Kentucky beat Tennessee. Kentucky lost 37-31 to Tennessee to end its season with only two wins in 11 games. However, just five days after offensive coordinator Ron Hudson resigned and left the team, the Wildcats suddenly found a way to make offensive plays they seldom had the last two seasons.

LEXINGTON -- A new injury to quarterback Shane Boyd's left shoulder could result in Kentucky coach Rich Brooks having no choice but to play redshirt freshman Andre Woodson more Saturday at Auburn. Brooks said Sunday that Boyd re-injured his shoulder before Kentucky's 94-yard drive that gave the Wildcats a 7-6 fourth-quarter lead over South Carolina before the Gamecocks scored to win 12-7. Boyd was 18-for-29 passing for 149 yards against South Carolina and ran six times for 15 yards.

LEXINGTON - This was going to be just what Kentucky coach Rich Brooks and his players needed. The Wildcats were on the verge of snapping a four-game losing streak by beating South Carolina and restoring hope that the rest of the season could at least be enjoyable. Kentucky had driven 94 yards in 23 plays to take a 7-6 lead with only 9 minutes, 52 seconds to play. While most times that would seem to have left an eternity for South Carolina to rally and win as so many opposing teams have done in Commonwealth Stadium, this looked different.