Winston Guy

LEXINGTON - Winston Guy remembers feeling "kind of sketchy" about the move from safety to outside linebacker when new Kentucky defensive coordinator Rick Minter told him about it after last season ended. Now the senior, who has started 23 games the previous two seasons, is feeling a lot better about the move after going through spring practice with the Wildcats’ new coordinator. “I think the defense is going to work out in a good way for me and our team,” said Guy of the new 3-4 alignment that will feature four linebackers instead of three UK has mainly used in recent years.

While Kentucky coach Joker Phillips walked away with a smile on his face after his last game at UK, defensive coordinator Rick Minter didn't exactly do the same and even offered some advice for the next coach - which is now Mark Stoops after the Florida State defensive coordinator was named head coach Tuesday. Minter - who has been at 13 schools during his 35-year coaching career and was fired as the head coach at Cincinnati - noted that UK showed little loyalty to Phillips. “I've been through what he's been through, and I know how tough this is, and how challenging this is, particularly being an alumnus,” Minter said after Saturday's loss at Tennessee.

LEXINGTON - New Kentucky defensive coordinator Rick Minter has a unique way to describe what it is like to implement a new defensive scheme with players who were recruited to play in a different system and have been doing that for one, two or three years. “You are like a man that married into a family with kids. You say here we are and let’s go. Let’s adapt, let’s adjust, let’s get to know each other,” said Minter. That was a rare glimpse into a sense of humor for the normally no-nonsense Minter who was hired by coach Joker Phillips to instill more toughness into the UK defense.

Three Kentucky seniors - linebacker Danny Trevathan, safety Winston Guy and offensive lineman Larry Warford - were named all-Southeastern Conference performers by The Associated Press on Monday. Trevathan was selected as a first-team all-SEC linebacker, while Warford and Guy were named to the second team. Trevathan had 143 tackles during the season for the Wildcats, leading the SEC in tackles for the second-consecutive season. Trevathan ranked fifth in the nation in tackles with an 11.92 average per game and led the nation's linebackers in interceptions and fumbles forced.  The senior finished the season with 11.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, four interceptions, five pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and five fumbles forced.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky co-defensive coordinator Steve Brown returns cornerbacks Randall Burden and Anthony Mosley to the secondary and has shifted former starting cornerback Martavius Neloms to safety to help compensate for the move of Winston Guy from safety to linebacker in UK's new 3-4-4 defensive alignment. With UK's season opener Thursday in Nashville, Tenn., against Western Kentucky, here's how Brown evaluated the secondary after almost one month of preseason practices: Question: How are your safeties playing going into the season?

Kentucky football recruiting coordinator Chuck Smith says 24 players who have given verbal commitments to UK remain “real solid” with the Wildcats despite the team's 2-4 record and four-game losing streak. Smith says in some ways, a recruit might be even more encouraged now to think he could sign with Kentucky¿in February and be in better position to help the team next season. “It depends on how the recruit will look at it. They could look at it like I could come and play earlier than you think.

LEXINGTON - Winston Guy is being counted on to have a banner year for the Kentucky defense this year after being moved from strong safety to a hybrid linebacker position by new defensive coordinator Rick Minter. According to www.nfldraftscout.com, Guy is rated as the nation's 15th-best strong safety - and one of the top 300 overall players - going into the 2011 season after making 106 tackles and intercepting three passes in 2010. His 40-yard dash time has ranged from 4.46 to 4.69.

LEXINGTON¿ - Winston Guy isn't down on his teammates. The Kentucky senior is confident the offense will rebound from its dismal showing last week that produced two touchdowns in a 14-3 victory over Western Kentucky last Thursday at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn. The Wildcats (1-0) managed just 190 yards, including just three through the air against the Hilltoppers. It wasn't the kind of showing that many expected considering quarterback Morgan Newton's past experience, but Guy thinks the Wildcats will get back on track in their home opener against Central Michigan Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.

LEXINGTON -  Miles Simpson isn't a veteran, but he might as well be considered one of Kentucky's leaders on defense going into fall camp. Although a sophomore, Simpson has already caught the attention of Kentucky football coach Joker Phillips, who likes the way Simpson has caught on to the team's defensive schemes and has “deemed” Simpson as one of the “leaders on this football team right now.” “We saw it (on the recruiting trail),”...

LEXINGTON - True freshman safety Ashley Lowery made a name for himself his high school senior season in Georgia when he picke dup a fumbled snap and hurdled a defender to score. The play became known as the “Lowery Leap” and was an internet hit with over a million views. He's trying to make a name for himself at Kentucky now. He's played in all six games, primarily on special teams. Lowery, a four-year, two-way starter in high school, shared these insights after a recent practice: Question: How do you feel your first season at Kentucky has gone?

While Kentucky coach Joker Phillips walked away with a smile on his face after his last game at UK, defensive coordinator Rick Minter didn't exactly do the same and even offered some advice for the next coach - which is now Mark Stoops after the Florida State defensive coordinator was named head coach Tuesday. Minter - who has been at 13 schools during his 35-year coaching career and was fired as the head coach at Cincinnati - noted that UK showed little loyalty to Phillips. “I've been through what he's been through, and I know how tough this is, and how challenging this is, particularly being an alumnus,” Minter said after Saturday's loss at Tennessee.

LEXINGTON -  Miles Simpson isn't a veteran, but he might as well be considered one of Kentucky's leaders on defense going into fall camp. Although a sophomore, Simpson has already caught the attention of Kentucky football coach Joker Phillips, who likes the way Simpson has caught on to the team's defensive schemes and has “deemed” Simpson as one of the “leaders on this football team right now.” “We saw it (on the recruiting trail),”...

LEXINGTON -  Miles Simpson isn't a veteran, but might as well be considered one of Kentucky's leaders on defense going into fall camp. Although a sophomore, Simpson has already caught the attention of Kentucky football coach Joker Phillips, who has likes the way Simpson has caught on to the team's defensive schemes and has “deemed” Simpson as one of the “leaders on this football team right now.” “Miles Simpson is now one of the leaders of...

For the last six years, Kentucky has had at least one linebacker named to a postseason all-Southeastern Conference team, an accomplishment that UK¿linebacker Chuck Smith is proud of as he gets set to start his eighth season with the Wildcats. He's seen Wesley Woodyard, Braxton Kelley, Sam Maxwell, Micah Johnson, Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy all earn postseason honors. “We have Wesley playing with the Broncos and so is Danny. Micah is still on the Bengals' roster. Winston was a sixth-round draft pick of Seattle.

LEXINGTON - Sophomore Alvin “Bud” Dupree is not overwhelmed with the idea of trying to offset the loss of sixth-round¿NFL draft picks Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy, the top two tacklers in the Southeastern Conference last season. “I set lofty goals for myself. One of my goals is to led the SEC in sacks and lead the NCAA. Not trying to compete with my teammates, but just to push them. I try to tell them little things I¿am going to do so they can go hard too and aim for the same point,” said Dupree, who had 21 tackles in 12 games as a true freshman last season after being moved from tight end just before the season started.

He never got to play with Wesley Woodyard at Kentucky, but Danny Trevathan heard plenty about the former UK star linebacker while he was playing for the Wildcats. If the two had played together at Kentucky, they would have been a potent duo in the Southeastern Conference. Both were huge playmakers who led the team and SEC in tackles and both had ever intangible quality it takes to be a leader on and off the playing field. Now they will get a chance to play together after Denver picked Trevathan Saturday in the sixth round of the draft.

LEXINGTON - Even though there has been widespread speculation about more potential changes to the Kentucky football coaching staff, Joker Phillips says he expects his staff to remain intact minus former secondary coach Steve Brown. “No, there's no more staff changes. Also, you have to understand, this is the time of year where you have to try to hang on to them, also,” Phillips said Wednesday. “It's a time where a lot of things are going on in this profession. We expect our staff to be intact, and within the next week or so, we're trying to re-evaluate a few coaches to add to this staff that we have.

Kory Brown considers himself lucky to have an opportunity ahead to play football at the University of Kentucky. “I almost didn't even consider going to college. My grades were that low,” admitted the former South Carolina high school player. “I did not know what to do, but I got into junior college (East Central Community College in Mississippi) and knew I just had to work really hard in school and get my grades to a good level to where I could go to a good school, and that's what I¿did.

Three Kentucky seniors - linebacker Danny Trevathan, safety Winston Guy and offensive lineman Larry Warford - were named all-Southeastern Conference performers by The Associated Press on Monday. Trevathan was selected as a first-team all-SEC linebacker, while Warford and Guy were named to the second team. Trevathan had 143 tackles during the season for the Wildcats, leading the SEC in tackles for the second-consecutive season. Trevathan ranked fifth in the nation in tackles with an 11.92 average per game and led the nation's linebackers in interceptions and fumbles forced.  The senior finished the season with 11.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, four interceptions, five pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and five fumbles forced.

LEXINGTON - The best Hollywood writer could not have written this script. Kentucky turned to a senior wide receiver who dropped key passes early in the season to play quarterback against Tennessee, a team the Wildcats had not beaten since 1984, because its two top quarterbacks were injured, and yet somehow managed to win 10-7 despite having only 217 total yards. No one could have made that up, but there was Matt Roark playing like he was back in high school when he was a quarterback and Kentucky's defense playing like it belonged among the elite in the Southeastern Conference.