Kentucky vs Louisville, Prediction Pick, 2009
By Chris Richardson at IntentionalFoul.com

This is what happened the last time the University of Louisville came to Lexington. No offense to any Louisville readers, but I’m expecting more of the same. Granted, neither team is coming in ranked ninth in the country as was Louisville back then — hence the lack of buzz — but it’s still a rivalry game. Since their last trip to Commonwealth, Louisville’s football program has noticeably regressed. Gone are names like Brian Brohm and Bobby Petrino, replaced by Justin Burke and Steve Kragthope, as well as a noticeable lack of BCS bowl bids, something that should be a little easier, given the relative strength of Big East conference. Of course, the same could be said for Kentucky since the departure of Andre’ Woodson and the rest of the gang. Nevertheless, Kentucky is the more talented team, something the 12-point favorite would indicate.

Louisville has questionable lines, both offensive and defensive and their quarterback is untested. That’s not the best mix of situations. Kentucky, while having an average defensive line, excels across their back seven, which should prove troublesome for the Cardinals offense throughout the game.

Provided Kentucky’s line can protect Michael Hartline, the improvement he showed against Miami of Ohio should continue as he gets more and more comfortable with his new array of healthy weapons. Expect to hear a great deal of out names like Randall Cobb, Chris Matthews, Derrick Locke and Alfonso Smith. Cobb might represent one of the more dangerous offensive underclassmen who doesn’t play for the Florida Gators in the SEC. He’s a dual threat who can both catch and man the quarterback position, giving Louisville’s defensive coaches a great deal to game-plan for. You’ll notice a lack of name mentioning in regards to Louisville, and that’s because they largely field a team of unknowns. That, however, doesn’t mean the Cardinals don’t have some weapons. They do. Players like Victor Anderson, Doug Beaumont, and Trent Guy could give the Wildcats problems if they don’t pay them the proper respect.

As it stands, I would expect the Kentucky defense, powered by their depth at linebacker, to put a lot of pressure on the inexperienced Burke, while showing an attacking style on offense. All things being equal, Kentucky’s talent level is the difference maker and if the Cats play to their advantages, they should win. Big.

Final score:
Kentucky – 38
Louisville – 13

Premise: The SEC as Old School Tag Teams

Let’s face it, I’m like the Fox Reality Television Department. I see a good idea, and I tweak it for my purposes. So, I saw Black Heart Gold Pants did a post comparing College Football Teams to pro wrestlers? I say two is better than one, I say the late 80′s are better than now, and I say that I remember the Conquistadors, and I care.

Mississippi State is…The Conquistadors

There’s a term in wrestling called Jobber to the Stars. You have a guy or a team with some name recognition. And they get to beat some random dudes. (Jackson State, Middle Tennessee State) But if they face somebody with any sort of expectation? They’re basically a guarantee game. Thus, they are the Conquistadors.

Auburn is…The Colossal Connection

Because Auburn is a school with traditionally outsized expectations. Bobby Lowder is a man who wanted this team to be as good as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The problem with that? Chris Todd’s arm is as strong as a post Princess Bride Andre was agile. The defense hits hard and I know that Antonio Coleman’s going to poke the eye out of Jimmy Jack Funk if he crosses him.

Arkansas is…the Rockers

This is mainly due to their post team career. The offense is something that is destined for bigger and better things. A lot of talent on that side of the ball. The defense? They’re the one destined for a long string of drug arrests and 18 person audiences. Ryan Mallet’s got a superkick that would take your head clean off.

Ole Miss is…The Fabulous Freebirds

They’re the team that’s built on swagger and style. You have a gunslinging quarterback in Jevan Snead. You have two playmakers in Dexter McCluster and Shay Hodge. You have a defense that will hit you as if you have been blindsided by a foreign object. I know Oxford doesn’t seem to have much bad on their streets, but there is a chance for the most genteel championship riot of all time.

Alabama is…Money Inc.

Everybody has a price. Everybody’s gonna pay. And you know that the Million Dollar Saban? He always gets his way.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Well.

LSU is…The Four Horsemen

They aren’t exactly the most charismatic team that you build a narrative over. Not to say that Les Miles doesn’t work well from the meme that he is the Ric Flair of the SEC. (If Ric Flair wore hats.) But the team is at its best when the offense is technically proficient and the defense will beat you down in the parking lot. Last year? This was the iteration where you had to deal with Paul Romo or Steve McMichael.

Vanderbilt is…The Fabulous Rougeaus

The offense is filled with ennui. Self-loathing. People who smoke clove cigarettes. Add to that a love of independent film and DeGrassi. The defense is filled with technical proficency and hard hitting. They are as well coached as a team managed by the Mouth of the South. But this is a team that reeks of Quebecois.

Kentucky is…The Public Enemy

Few teams get so much out of so little like Rich Brooks and the Wildcats. They’re trying for their fourth straight bowl win off of little more than Randall Cobb, Trevard Lindley, and a frying pan. You don’t know how they’re going to do this. But if you take them lightly? They will put you through a table.

South Carolina is…The Hart Foundation

If the Hart Foundation was in some sort of an Ultamaceian time paradox. The offense is Bret Hart. The bitter, concussed, stroked out Bret Hart. The defense? Ellis Johnson has a team that is ready willing and able to punch you in the mouth, stroke their awesome goat, and cackle about it. Just ask Russell Wilson. But the best there was isn’t exactly going to hold up their end of the deal.

Tennessee is…Demolition

Now, you look at the way the Road Warriors had galvanized mid-80′s tag-team wrestling and the WWE asked why not us? So they have the Dave Clausen like success of the outfit known as the Powers of Pain. But you dress up this new era? You get the power and the paint of top prospect Bryce Brown and the outlaw tomfoolery of one Lane Kiffin. In some form or fashion, these kids will be Walking Disasters.  

Georgia is…The Twin Towers

As this is the greatest official rivalry in the SEC, you need to have the great foil to the super duo. And as Florida is the Mania and the Madness? Georgia has to be the Law and Order and the Jive Soul Bro. They are a talented team, and if you are anybody else besides a championship contender and or Florida? They will break your face off.

Florida is…The Megapowers

You have Hulk Hogan (Tim Tebow) and Randy “Macho Man” Savage (Brandon Spikes) both in their primes. You have Urban Meyer as a savvier Miss Elizabeth. You have a team that’s bound to win every game that they play. The only thing that I can see that ends them is if Brandon Spikes accuses Tim Tebow of jealous eyes.

So while you wonder if anyone can take the Megapowers down? I’ll do something else. I already know, dear reader.

I already know.

Kentucky vs Miami of Ohio, 2009 Prediction Preview.
By Chris Richardson at IntentionalFoul.com

Unfortunately for those of us that love facial hair, Mike Hartline has removed his award-winning mustache — that being said, if Hartline can improve his passing, Kentucky fans won’t miss his foray into 70s porno movie style. Even though Kentucky’s offense fell dramatically last season after the departures of Andre Woodson, Keenan Burton, Stevie Johnson, Rafael Little and Jacob Tamme, the Wildcats still managed to produce a winning season, which included their third-straight bowl win, a first for the Kentucky football program.

This season, vast improvement of the offense is expected, nay, demanded by the coaching staff and if the preseason practices are any indication, they might just be getting their wish.
Fortunately for the Wildcats, their season opens against the Miami of Ohio RedHawks (which will be played at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio), one of the lower-ranked defensive teams during the 2008 season (88 out of 119). Provided the RedHawks haven’t done a complete about-face personnel-wise, this game should give the Wildcats an opportunity to see if their offense has indeed improved as much as the preseason buzz would have one believe.

Kentucky’s offense vs. Miami’s defense
Kentucky wins this match up by a larger margin than you’d initially believe, especially after last season. The problem for the RedHawks is they have no one who can consistently cover receivers Randall Cobb and JUCO transfer Chris Matthews (who has been turning heads in a major way during practice). If the Cats can protect Hartline — considering Miami’s defensive woes, this shouldn’t be a problem — they should be able to get just about anything they want out of the passing game, especially when they go three-and-four wide, adding speedsters Kyrus Lanxter and Gene McCaskill, who is coming off an impressive bowl game, to the package.

Of course, Kentucky isn’t all about the passing threats either. Joining Hartline in the backfield are speedy running backs Alfonso Smith and Derrick Locke, along with their short-yardage pounder running back, Moncell Allen. Locke, who is coming off an ugly knee injury, and Smith are the home run hitters, and are scoring threats anytime they touch the ball. Add to that an awfully productive and hard-hitting blocker in fullback John Conner; it could be a long day for the RedHawks’ defensive units.

Kentucky’s defense vs. Miami’s offense
Again, this has the makings of an “no contest” type of scenario. While Miami’s defense wasn’t that great last season, their offense was actually worse (ranked 89th). Meanwhile, Kentucky’s defense was ranked 40th, although, they did lose a great deal on their defensive line. The strength of the 2009 Kentucky defense lies in its linebackers and defensive secondary. Expect to hear the names Micah Johnson and Trevard Lindley a great deal during the season. While Johnson might Kentucky’s best linebacker in years — no offense, Wesley Woodyard — there are reports he’s nursing a sore ankle and may not play against Miami. No matter. That will simply give sophomore Danny Trevathan a chance to show how good he can be. As for Lindley, well, some say he’s the best cornerback in the SEC. That, especially when it’s being said about a player who plays for Kentucky, should tell you all you need to know. While Miami might test Lindley’s ability, they may not like the results.

Other players to watch out for on Kentucky are safety Winston Guy, linebacker Sam Maxwell and defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin. While the RedHawks do have some competent offensive pieces, like quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh and receiver Chris Givens, it won’t be enough to do a lot of damage against Kentucky’s steady defense.

Prediction
All Kentucky, all the time — 45-14. After that, however, the Wildcats have a two week layoff until their September 19th game against rival Louisville.
-What do you think will happen? Leave a comment below, and tell us what you think. Subscribe, and come back all season-

Injuries Strike Kentucky, Vanderbilt

Two players integral to the bowl runs of Kentucky and Vanderbilt in 2008 are both down with injuries that have a chance to doom their 2009 seasons before they start.

For Kentucky, it’s the receiver whose general athletic whimsy at quarterback helped guide the Wildcats through Mark Hartline’s struggles and into a Liberty Bowl berth. Randall Cobb is going to see a back specialist in Columbus, Georgia. There seems to be no structural damage from the MRI’s, but it’s exactly like Team Speed Kills says.

If you’re traveling six hours to find out what’s wrong with you? It’s probably not something small.

For Vanderbilt? It’s starting defensive end Steven Stone. He broke his foot in practice yesterday. He’s looking like he’s going nto miss the first month of the regular season with the injury, and it is a big loss for the Commodores. He started every game for the last two seasons as well as tied for the team lead in sacks.

Credit: Team Speed Kills

SEC Football Preseason Predictions, 2009. Here they are short and sweet. I know that my predictions will not only raise eyebrows, but they will also bring my sanity into question. I can only say that I think the SEC West is the deepest we have ever seen. Parody will be the SEC West’s surname. With 2 weeks to go in the season there will be several teams with shots at going to the Atlanta for the championship. The SEC East will be sewn up fairly quickly by the impenetrable Florida Gators. Georgia will make a lot of heads turn picking up the trash.

Auburn and Tennessee will both bring some normalcy to the picture by running the ball and keeping their defense fresh so they can do what they know how to do. The coaches have changed but the top level talent is still there. The coaches and assistants will bring new life.  Alabama, Arkansas, and Ole Miss will all come back to Earth a little. Well, Alabama a lot. Alabama lost their best passing QB of all time ( by the #’s ), and they lost their top 1 or 2 ranked offensive lineman throughout their storied program’s history. Last year was the perfect storm for them, and they still lost their last 2 games.

Please do not be too offended, if your team is not where you expect it. This is the best conference in the nation, and it is the deepest I have ever seen it. #5 through #11 could lose to each other any given Saturday. #5 through #11 would be the pride of any other conference. That’s just how the SEC roles.

1. Florida: 12-1, 1st in SEC East with a 7-1 SEC record = SEC Champions
2. Georgia: 11-2, 2nd in SEC East with a 6-2 SEC record
3. Alabama: 9-4, Tied 1st in SEC West with a 5-3 SEC record
4. LSU: 9-4, Tied 1st in SEC West with a 5-3 SEC record
5. South Carolina: 9-4, 3rd in SEC East with a 5-3 SEC record
6. Auburn: 9-4, Tied 3rd in SEC West with a 4-4 SEC record
7. Ole Miss: 8-5, Tied 3rd in SEC West with a 4-4 SEC record
8. Tennessee: 7-6, Tied 4th in SEC East with a 3-5 SEC record
9. Vanderbilt: 6-6, Tied 4th in SEC East with a 3-5 SEC record
10. Arkansas: 5-7, 5th in SEC West with a 3-5 SEC record
11. Kentucky: 5-7, 6th in SEC East with a 2-6 SEC record
12. Mississippi State: 3-9 , 6th in SEC West with a 0-8 SEC record

That’s just how the SEC roles.

The SEC Newsbrief (And what you need to know.)

There are several bits of information that I want to talk about. But since my headspace is feeling a mite bit cluttered? We’re going to share thinks that are happening today in the news and what you need to know about them. And yes, there will be sarcasm.

1) Did you know Florida is going to lose to Arkansas?

It’s true! Tony Barnhart said it’s the biggest trap game in the SEC. And while he is one of the sharpest minds in college football, and I don’t mind an easy post or two. It belies the point. If you go looking for trap games, you’re not going to find them. It’s the Matrix Theory. If you’re looking for a trap game, you must first understand that there is no trap game. 

But it’s obviously Kentucky. OBVIOUSLY.

2) The shambling corpse of Chris Todd has returned!

He’s the man who got Tony Franklin fired by general incompetence. He’s the man who made Kodi Burns look good by comparison. He wasn’t in the two-deep conversation in the preseason magazine that I bought. But he’s won the job to run Gus Malzahn’s fast pace offense.

You and I know that this isn’t exactly the result Auburn football is hoping for. But Gene Chizik won five games at Iowa State. Who am I to argue? I have no stake in Tyrik Rollison.

Hat tip: Lots to choose from, but I’ll go with the JCCW

3) Mississippi State may swing another 3-2 game this year.

 All reports out of Starkville is that the offense is struggling. Chris Low is reporting that the Bulldogs still have a dead heat at quarterback between Chris Reif and Tyson Lee. And it’s not in a good way either. Dan Mullen didn’t keep score in their first scrimmage. It wasn’t exactly a bad thing.

If somebody doesn’t come out and take this (and Freshman Tyler Russell may be behind, but with the general malaise of QB1 and QB2, he’s not that far), this team is bound to struggle, and my theory of Dan Mullen as Ed Orgeron will start to come to pass.

2009 SEC Coaches Southpark Style, Pic. This meme started in 2007. It was continued in 2008. I did not want to see it stop. I have included most of your favorite stereotypes. The most obligatory of course being “Richt is angel-ish” and “Saban is Satan-ish”. I hope you like it.

Click on the pic to enlarge.

Top Rated SEC Football Quarterbacks 1-12. This article is a special feature made exclusively for our friends at SECFootballBlogger.  Please visit us at SECRivals.com.

From top to bottom, how do the quarterbacks of the SEC rank?  Do these rankings parlay into BCS success for their teams?  In most cases, the answer is obviously yes while in other cases, it doesn’t really matter.  This is an unbiased top-down analysis of each starting quarterback from the best league in the nation.

Upper Tier:

1.  This is a no brainer.  Unless you have been living underneath a rock for the past four years, then you know what Tim Tebow has done for the Florida Gators.  We believe that no explanation is needed.  Tebow simply accounted for 3500 total yards and 42 TD’s last season.  That’s all.  Even in an offense that lessened his physical hits, the man rushed for 792 yards + 12 TD’s….and then passed for 2,746 yards and 30 TD’s while only throwing 4 picks.  He has already won two BCS Titles, met Chuck Norris, witnessed to Death Row inmates, and cured cancer….twice.  Seriously, there are some major flaws that will limit Tebow’s success at the next level rather than this one.  He must improve his foot work in the pocket, make more concise pre-snap reads and work on his short to medium route throwing motion.  Other than that, win another BCS Title, feed the needy, and cure the Swine Flu.

2.  Jevan Snead:  Snead threw 29 more passes than Tebow, but only amassed 16 more yards passing.  He must improve his TD/INT ration (2-1) in order to lead Ole Miss over the hump into the fertile ground of the BCS Bowl system.  Snead has a fluid throwing motion, makes smart decisions (for the most part) and is a solid fit for Houston Nutt’s system.

3.  Jordan Jefferson:  Yes, we are either high on this kid or just simply high.  LSU had to burn his red shirt season due to injuries and Jefferson moved the team on up.  The kid reminds us of Ryan Perrilloux….minus the mouth and the police.  While only hitting on 49.3% of his passes, Jefferson had a 4-1 TD ratio.  Very smart player who should be able to push LSU past the pick six doldrums that were witnessed last season.

4.  Joe Cox:  Might not have Matt Stafford’s strong arm or smoking hot girlfriend, but Cox has the intangibles that coaches seek:  accuracy and leadership.  This was a risk putting him this high on the list due to only having 432 career passing yards…..BUT, Cox is not a newcomer and as long as he keeps his head screwed on straight without going Varsity Blues on the team, will have a successful coming out party.

5.  Greg McElroy: Another reach at this spot, but looking at the rest of the list, not THAT much of a reach.  McElroy made some good reads in the Spring Game vs a vanilla defense.  It will be interesting to see how he reacts to a chocolate chip defense with real live mean a$$ed SEC defensive linemen trying to extricate his head from his shoulders.  Did seem to get rattled from mistakes in the Spring.

6.  Ryan Mallet:  Was not THAT impressive at Michigan, but looking back at what he had to work with, maybe he did a better job than most think.  HUGE physical specimen, welcome to the SEC.  Will he be a product of  in a system the same way that Brian Brohm at Louisville?  Yes, but expect a TON of yards from that system.

7.  Stephen Garcia:  Otherwise known as Steve Spurrier’s heart attack in waiting.  Garcia has some untapped talent hiding beneath the surface.  If he simply settles down and plays within the system and learns to look before throwing the ball away, he will be ok.  Tends to force the ball too much and must also improve his ratio (6-8).

8.  Tyson Lee:  Can he handle Dan Mullen’s system?  In the past played well enough to keep the team from getting beat.  In the new system, MUST be able to make fast decisions and stick with the decision made.  How much of the actual system has been implemented?  When Croom took the job over, only 30% of his offense was installed prior to opening day…..on the day he was fired, apparently that number had fallen to less than 5%.

9.  Jonathan Crompton:  Has never reached his potential.  Former OC David Cutcliffe privately stated that Crompton would not have been his starter (if he had not taken the Duke job).  Must have an iron will and a strong backbone to withstand the beatings from SEC defennses and home town fans.

10.  Mike Hartline:  Lacks mobility.  Must improve his ratio (9-8) or he will be watching from the bench again.  Has the talent, has the QB coach, he just needs to settle down and take what is being given to him.

11.  Kodi Burns:  Did not have fantastic numbers last year, but then again had to learn a new offense in mid-season.  Will get better with experience.  Must anticipate where the safety is at and can not suffer through another 2-7 ratio year.  A simplified offense will make this player look like a stud.

12.  Larry Smith:  He has the generic name, plays for the team that doesn’t have an athletic department……the only reason we put Smith in this spot is simple:  he has only played in two games.  He slides to the 12 spot simply due to having less experience than the others.  Some will argue that several others have the same amount of experience, but it is really apples to oranges.  Smith has a bright future, but only time will tell.