Bryan the Intern's Picks to Click

Updated KSR Favorite Blogger Contest Standings (along with +/-% from yesterday) 1. Drew Franklin: 26.1% (-3.2%) 2. Beisner: 17.0% (+1.7%) 3. Dustin Rumbaugh: 12.7% (+1.0%) 4. Matt Jones: 10.9% (-1.5%) 5. BTI: 8.5% (+1.2%) 5. Kate Martin: 8.5% (+.5%) 7. Rob Gidel: 5.5% (+.4%) T-8. Tomlin/FGM: 3.0% (+.1%) 10. Hunter Campbell: 2.4% (+.2%) T-11. Chris Johns/Mosley/Will Lentz/Patrick Barker: 0.6% (-.1%) KEEP VOTING IN TODAY'S POST. YOU HAVE 3 DAYS REMAINING. ____________________________________________________________  Here is what UK is returning and losing coming into the 2010 football season: RUSHING Yards: 82.6% returning (Biggest loss: Alphonso Smith, 244 yards) TD's: 80.8% returning (Biggest loss: Smith, John Conner, 2 TD's) Attempts: 81.3% returning (Biggest loss: Smith, 59 att) PASSING Yards: 89.8% returning (Biggest loss: Will Fidler, 186 yards) TD's: 92.3% returning (Biggest loss: Fidler, 1 TD) Completions: 88.9% returning (Biggest loss: Filder, 20 completions) Starts: 100% returning RECEIVING Receptions: 91.7% returning (Biggest loss: TC Drake, 7 receptions) Yards: 92.6% returning (Biggest loss: Drake, 75 yards) TD's: 84.6% returning (Biggest loss: John Conner, Ross Bogue, 1 TD) DEFENSE Tackles: 56.6% returning (Biggest loss: Micah Johnson, 74 tackles) Sacks: 56.7% returning (Biggest loss: Corey Peters, 4 sacks) Interceptions: 31.2% returning (Biggest loss: Sam Maxwell, 6 INT) KICKING Kickoffs: Craig Mcintosh returning (kicked 76.1% of kickoffs) Punts: Ryan Tydlacka returning (kicked 100% of punts) Field Goals: Lones Seiber leaves (kicked 100% of field goals) PAT's: Seiber leaves SPECIAL TEAMS Punt returns: Randall Cobb and Gene McCaskill return (recieved 26 of 27 punts) Kickoff Returns: Cobb and Derrick Locke return (recieved 36 of 56 kickoffs) STARTERS Offense: 5 returning (QB, RB, 2 WR, RG), 6 lost (FB, TE, RT, LT, C, LG) Defense: 6 returning (CB, FS, 2 DE, LB, DT), 5 lost (CB, SS, DT, 2 LB) Speical teams: 1 returning (Punter), 1 lost (kicker) The point being, I think this team can be pretty good again next year.  Remember that dynamite class the Cats brought in for 2009.  Well, those guys will start getting some serious playing time.  All of the offensive weapons are back (sans Smith), and one of the things that Brooks has always said is a major upgrade in the program over the years has been depth on the lines.  We will certainly see it next year with 4 new starters on the offensive line.  But, with Newton a year older, and possibly Hartline back, I really like the looks of the offense next year.  Defense will be a wait and see kind of thing.  The linebackers have generally ruled UK's defense for the past 3-4 years, from Woodyard to Johnson to Maxwell.  Throw in the loss of Lindley and Ashton Cobb, and suddenly the defensive line's improvement becomes HUGE.  Taylor Wyndham and Dequin Evans need to become forces on the ends in 2010.  I know it is waaaayyyy early to even make this kind of prediction BUT I honestly see no reason why the Cats can't make a bowl again next season to make it 5 in a row.  _____________________________________________________ -The AP Poll certainly is making me do a double-take this week as coming in at #25 is Northwestern! Seriously, when did this happen?  I thought that was one of them academic schools.  By the way, Kentucky remains at #3, still getting that one first place vote from Scott Johnson in Washington. -In the most up to date scout.com football rankings, UK ranks 43rd in the country and 10th in the SEC, ahead of Mississippi St. and Arkansas.  This is coming off recruiting seasons of 27th, 53rd, 58th, and 34th.  Point being, this UK class is very solid, and very much similar to the classes of the Rich Brooks era.  I will have a more detailed look at UK football recruiting at 5PM.  ___________________________________________________________ -Colts coach Jim Caldwell continues to try and defend his decision to pull his starters during the 3rd quarter of the Indy loss on Sunday.  This decision from Caldwell was ridiculous on so many levels: 1) Why even play the starters AT ALL if you are just gonna pull them before they can win the game.  You put them in harms way for almost 3 quarters, whats 1 more gonna hurt? 2) Sometimes going for something historic is worth playing the starters.  I think Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne would agree. 3) It is completely bush-league to the fans who paid to see the Colts best players AND a shot at history. 4) The Jets were gift-wrapped a win, and they are going for a playoff spot.  The other AFC teams going for those playoff spots were completely screwed. 5) You already know your team will shake off rust during the bye week the Colts get, why not give your guys the most playing time you can.  I think the risk of them getting rusty from sitting is GREATER than the risk of them getting hurt by playing.  These are the greatest athletes in the world, its not like if me and Matt walked out on the field, where we would surely get hurt.  These guys know what the hell they are doing and injuries are generally freak things.  It just infuriates me as a football fan to see something great go down the tubes because of a theory these NFL coaches have that has no evidence to support it.  When is the last time a playoff team lost a key member of their team during Week 17 of the season?     _______________________________________________________    -Patrick Barker's new rap video