Oct. 30, 2003
Tommy Cook, Mike Williams are Game Captains for the Arkansas Game: Junior wide receiver Tommy Cook and junior strong safety Mike Williams have been named game captains this week, joining permanent captains Vincent “Sweet Pea” Burns and Jared Lorenzen.
Having gradually recovered from ankle surgery in August, Cook has come on strong the last two games, catching six passes for 93 yards and a touchdown in UK’s wins over Ohio and Mississippi State. He also is a tenacious blocker and a stalwart on the punt coverage team.
Williams is coming off perhaps is best game of the year. Against Mississippi State, he had eight tackles, including two tackles for loss and a quarterback sack. For the season he is the team’s second leading tackler with 64 stops, and has four tackles for loss, two quarterback sacks, one interception, one fumble caused, and three pass breakups.
Tickets Available: Tickets are available for Saturday’s game against Arkansas. Tickets cost $29 (sideline) or $22 (end zone). The Memorial Coliseum Ticket Office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets also may be ordered over the phone by calling (859) 257-1818 or 1-800-928-CATS. Tickets also are available on-line by clicking the Tickets link at the top of this page.
Game time for Saturday’s clash between the Wildcats and Razorbacks is 7 p.m. at Commonwealth Stadium.
Weather Forecast Still Looking Good: The forecast for Saturday is mostly sunny with a high of 74 degrees and 10 percent chance of precipitation.
Fans Advised to “Park Before Dark”: With darkness arriving at approximately 5:45 p.m. Saturday, fans are advised to arrive early and “Park Before Dark” in order to maximize safety and efficiency in the parking lots.
Bring Canned Food for God’s Pantry; Win Basketball Tickets: The UK Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will have its annual food drive at the Arkansas game.
Fans are encouraged to bring canned goods or other non-perishable food items to the game. The SAAC will have collection bins around the stadium. Financial donations also will be accepted. The food and money will be given to God’s Pantry, an organization dedicated to feeding the hungry in the Lexington area.
Fans bringing a donation will receive an envelope with information about God’s Pantry. 125 of the envelopes will include a pair of tickets to the men’s basketball exhibition game vs. EA Sports, scheduled for Nov. 12. 100 of the envelopes will include a pair of tickets for the women’s basketball game vs. North Carolina, scheduled for Nov. 25 at Rupp Arena.
Craig Yeast to Serve as Honorary Captain: Craig Yeast, the top pass catcher in Southeastern Conference history, will serve as honorary captain for the Arkansas game.
Yeast, who caught 208 passes as a Wildcat from 1995-98, also holds a big ol’ bucket of school records, including most pass receptions in a game (16); most receiving yards in a game (269), season (1,311), and career (2,899); most touchdown catches in a game (four), season (14), and career (28); most touchdowns scored in a game (four) and career (32); longest kickoff return (100 yards); and most kickoff return touchdowns in a career (three).
Yeast, who came to UK from Harrodsburg, Ky., was first-team All-SEC and third-team All-America as a senior. He combined with quarterback Tim Couch to form the most productive passing tandem in school history while leading the Wildcats to a 7-4 record in 1998 and a berth in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1, 1999.
Game-Day Honorees: The game-day honorary activities include:
At the end of the first quarter, UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. and First Lady Patsy Todd will honor Dr. Wendy Baldwin, UK’s Executive Vice President for Research, along with several of UK’s top research professors. During 2003, Kentucky has attracted a school-record $222.7 million in funding for research grants and contracts. UK ranks 36th in the nation among public universities, and 52nd among all public and private universities, in research funding.
At the end of the third quarter, Bradley Wheeldon, a senior on the UK rifle team, will be recognized. Wheeldon is an All-American for UK’s nationally ranked rifle team and he won the silver medal in the air rifle event at the Pan American Games in August.
Commonwealth Stadium, Tim Couch Featured on Thursday’s Edition of “SEC TV”: This week’s edition of “SEC TV” will include features on Commonwealth Stadium and former Wildcat quarterback Tim Couch.
“SEC TV” is Fox Sports Net’s live weekly studio program that focuses on the Southeastern Conference. The show will air Thursday, Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m. EST on Fox Sports Net South. The show originates from the FSNS Atlanta studio and the hosts are Dave Neal and Jenn Hildreth.
Commonwealth Stadium was constructed in 1973 and has undergone numerous improvements in the last four years – expansion to the current capacity of 67,606; addition of video boards; a new playing surface and state-of-the-art drainage system; and new scoreboards, sound system, and concourse televisions. The Wildcats have ranked in the nation’s top 25 in attendance every year since the expansion in 1999.
Also on the show, Lexington’s own Dave Baker has a feature on former Kentucky All-America quarterback Tim Couch. They discuss Couch’s career with the Wildcats and Cleveland Browns and also talk about the importance of giving back to UK – a school he says has given so much to him personally and professionally.
