Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks has a positive impression of his 2006 Wildcat football team after two days of practices in helmets, jerseys, and shorts.

?I?m just as pleased now as I was on Media Day,? Brooks said following Sunday?s workout at the Nutter Training Facility. ?A lot of the new guys are catching my eye. There is serious competition for the starting spot at several positions. We have better depth, we have better speed.?

?This is a bigger class with 24 guys,? said Brooks when asked about his impression of the Wildcat newcomers. ?There are more freshmen who are physically ready to play (than in the past). The three junior-college players (defensive end J. D. Craigman, cornerback Ahmad Grigsby, wide receiver Steve Johnson) look pretty good right now.?

Brooks also commented on his freshman quarterbacks, Mike Hartline and Will Fidler.

?Hartline looks to be someone we can go forward with,? Brooks said. ?He needs some work in the weight room but his fundamentals and mechanics are good.

?Fidler looks remarkably better from last spring to this fall. He gained about 10 pounds in the weight room and is much stronger.?

Brooks announced that sophomore free safety Marcus McClinton sustained a dislocated right pinky finger during a pass interception drill and would miss a few days of practice.

The Wildcats are practicing in two groups in order to maximize time on the field with the coaches. The players will add shoulder pads on Monday and Tuesday before moving to full pads on Wednesday.

Kentucky Preview on FSN South: A preview of the Kentucky football team will be televised on FSN South on Thurs. Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. and Mon. Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. (times are Eastern).

The same show will be televised on the Turner South channel on Wed. Aug. 16 at 10:30 p.m., Thu. Aug. 17 at 2:30 p.m., and Sun. Aug. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Rafael Little Featured on Aaron?s Football Saturdays: Rafael Little and his friendship with James Kennedy, the man who inspired the movie ?Radio,? will be featured on an upcoming episode of ?Aaron?s Football Saturdays.?

The show will air on the following stations that serve Kentucky markets:
Bowling Green, KY – WBKO Sat. Aug. 19, 2 p.m. CDT

Cincinnati, OH – WSTR Sat. Aug. 19, 1 p.m. EDT

Evansville, IN – WTVW Sun. Aug. 13, 5 p.m. CDT

Lexington, KY – WKYT Sat. Aug. 12, noon EDT

Paducah, KY – WQWQ Sat. Aug. 12, 3 p.m. CDT

The show is produced by Lincoln Financial Sports (formerly Jefferson-Pilot Sports) and is syndicated throughout the South. For a complete list of stations, go to website .