Nov. 4, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sophomore tailback Donald Russell will get his third start of the season when the University of Kentucky football team takes on the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET.
UK head coach Joker Phillips said Russell will get the start over senior Derrick Locke and freshman Raymond Sanders. Both Locke and Sanders will dress for the game Saturday, however their status for the game is uncertain. Locke is still recovering from a shoulder stinger from the Auburn game, while Sanders is dealing with a strained abdominal muscle.
“Donald Russell will be the starter,” Phillips said. “That is how this thing works. You just have to be patient and it will always come back to you. If you just continue to work it will always come back to you.”
Russell is fourth on team in rushing this season, having played in all nine of Kentucky’s games. The native of West Palm Beach, Fla., has 53 carries for 182 yards this season, along with 13 receptions for 133 yards. Russell earned his first career start of the season in Kentucky’s upset win against South Carolina, rushing 18 times for 41 yards and catching seven passes for 70 yards.
Along with the uncertainty of Locke and Sanders, Phillips said that several other Wildcats are dealing with normal bumps and bruises. Phillips told reporters after practice Thursday that the only player that was definitely out for the game Saturday is true freshman tight end and special teams performer Tyler Robinson.
“Typical in game 10,” Phillips said. “Everybody has the same type of bumps and bruises but we only have one guy that is definitely out and a couple guys that are beat up that might not play. Everybody has those this time of the year. That is football.”
Warford, Trevathan Named Game Captains for CSU: Sophomore offensive lineman Larry Warford and junior linebacker Danny Trevathan have been named game captains for the Charleston Southern game this weekend, head coach Joker Phillips has announced.
Game captains are usually chosen on the basis of performance in the previous game. Warford has been a key component to the Kentucky offensive line this season that has helped the Wildcats rank fourth in the SEC in scoring offense and total offense. Trevathan has been a force on the defensive end, leading UK in tackles in eight of its nine games this season. He had 16 tackles last Saturday at Mississippi State and leads the SEC in total tackles with 97.
Warford and Trevathan will join permanent captains Randall Cobb and DeQuin Evans at the pregame coin toss.
Durham, Hines, Murphy Receive Academic All-America Nominations: Kentucky offensive linemen Brad Durham, Stuart Hines and Billy Joe Murphy have earned nominations for the ESPN Academic All-America team that is coordinated by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Brad Durham, a senior offensive tackle from Mount Vernon, Ky., has a 3.34 grade point average and has a major in Agricultural Economics. He is a three-year member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and a winner of the John Bissell Robertson Scholarship for outstanding students in the College of Agriculture.
Stuart Hines, a junior offensive guard from Bowling Green, Ky., has a 3.49 GPA with a major in Finance. He is a three-year member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Billy Joe Murphy, a junior guard/tackle from Gamaliel, Ky., has a 3.63 GPA with a major in Kinesiology. He has been a three-year member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
To earn a nomination for the ESPN Academic All-America team, a player must have a career GPA of at least 3.30, be a sophomore in athletic and academic standing, be a starter or key reserve and have played in at least half of the team’s games that season.
The first round of voting is the district level. District winners advance to the national ballot for Academic All-America which will be announced in December.
