Spread Offense

Centre College and Hanover have met in preseason football scrimmages since 1998. But this season, the game counts as the Colonels will kick off their season Saturday night here against the Panthers. It won't be the same Hanover team Centre is used to seeing. Longtime coach Wayne Perry retired after a 2-8 season last year and was replaced by Joe Austin. "They've changed a lot. They're a different team," Centre coach Andy Frye said. "They like to spread it out and are a little more run-oriented.

HARRODSBURG - It seems all Mercer County has seen this season has been passing offenses. And that suits the Titans' head coach Marty Jaggers just fine. "It seems like that's the fad. It tickles me to death, to be honest," Jaggers said. "Not too many people do what we do. We see a lot of (passing), so it's not something new. " Class AA's top-ranked team (7-0, 2-0) will see another district opponent try to air it out here Friday when Henry County and its spread offense comes to town.

Kentucky got commitments from two players with the playmaking ability that offensive coordinator Neal Brown wants in his offense in a 30-minute period Friday night when wide receiver Jeff Badet and running back JoJo Kemp, both of Florida, both verbally committed to the Wildcats. The two players are expected to sign with Kentucky on Wednesday during the first day of the national signing period. Both were expected to pick UK over a host of other schools, but Kemp said he wasn't convinced what he would do until Brown and running backs coach Chad Scott visited him Thursday after coaches from West Virginia, South Florida and Pittsburgh had stopped by in the previous 24 hours.

This is unfamiliar territory for Danville, but it's not desperation time for coach Sam Harp or his players. Danville is 1-2 after its 31-14 loss Saturday at Corbin. It's the first time Danville has had a losing record after three games since 1999, when it started 1-3 and finished 7-6, Harp's worst record at Danville. The only other time Harp has had a losing record after three games at Danville came in 1988, his first year, when the Admirals opened 1-2 and finished 8-5. Yet Harp wants no part of believing that Friday's game at unbeaten Somerset could define his team's season since the Admirals still have to play Class AAAAA Southwestern and unbeaten Boyle County, the No. 1 team in AAAA, in the following two weeks.

Centre College coach Andy Frye said his team is "right on track" and ready for the Colonels' season opener Saturday at Hanover. "I think we're still working out some preseason jitters, but we're tightening things up on offense and defense and special teams," Frye said. "I thought Mount St. Joseph was a good scrimmage for us (last week). I thought we competed well with them, and I thought it was a good preseason look at what we still need to do. " Centre was 7-3 overall and tied for second in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference at 5-2 last year, and Frye is optimistic for a better 2009.

There's a lot that coach Larry French likes about his first Boyle County football team. One of the things he worries about, though, is his team's lack of physical play, especially since the Rebels open the season Saturday against Warren Central in the Rafferty's Bowl at Bowling Green High School. "We are not the most physical team in the world. They can really push us around if we do not execute well on defense," said French. "They are awful quick and big. They have a very good football team.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky finds out Saturday if it got more than just a loss against Louisville. The Cardinals dominated Kentucky thanks to their speed and aggressive play. Now the Cats hope the lessons they learned in that game can help them win a Southeastern Conference opener for the first time since 1987 when they host Mississippi on Saturday. "I think we learned (at Louisville) that you have to come out from the get-go as hard and fast as you can. We came out a little slow, a little tentative," Kentucky linebacker Ben McGrath said.

HARRODSBURG - Mercer County didn't do exactly what coach Duane Hammons expected. Neither did Anderson County. "It was tough on us coming off the loss to Harrodsburg. We had a pity party Tuesday and felt sorry for ourselves after getting beat so bad. I didn't know how we would play," Hammons said. "Then Anderson County changed its offense totally. We didn't expect that. It was just one of those games where you didn't know what to expect out of either team. " The Scotties quickly put the loss to rival Harrodsburg behind them by scoring on their first two possessions in a 26-6 win over Anderson here Friday.

LEXINGTON - While it may have looked like Kentucky's offense only came to life last week when the Wildcats used more wide receivers to spread the defense out, UK coach Rich Brooks says not to be fooled into thinking that's what the Cats will do Saturday against Arkansas. "We are going to put the offense on the field that gives us the best chance versus a certain opponent," said Brooks. "If you play that offense against some teams, there would be a lot more quarterback sacks and negative plays.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky finds out Saturday if it got more than just a loss against Louisville.The Cardinals dominated Kentucky thanks to their speed and aggressive play. Now the Cats hope the lessons they learned in that game can help them win a Southeastern Conference opener for the first time since 1987 when they host Mississippi on Saturday. "I think we learned (at Louisville) that you have to come out from the get-go as hard and fast as you can. We came out a little slow, a little tentative," Kentucky linebacker Ben McGrath said.