First Practice in Pads, Wildcats Get Physical
The Kentucky football team held its first practice in pads Tuesday with a one-hour, 40-minute workout at the Nutter Training Center.
Perhaps the most noteworthy element of the day’s workout was a practice period devoted to the running game that featured full-speed blocking and tackling. The custom under Coach Hal Mumme during August practices has been to limit hitting to upper-body contact only, with no tackling to the ground in order to help limit injuries.
“Our goal with the drill was to polish the run game,” said Guy Morriss, UK assistant head coach and offensive line coach. “We let the players go only six plays at a time, then rotated the groups, in order to keep the guys from wearing down and making them more susceptible to injury.
“Doing this gives us a full-speed, high-intensity look at the running game. It will be a great benefit in the film room in order to help us see where we need to improve in running the ball.”
The offensive and defensive linemen who took part in the drill also saw benefits from the full-contact work.
“The only thing this can do is help us,” senior offensive guard Omar Smith said. “It will help us get our run blocks better and improve our technique.”
“We did this in the spring and it helped the offensive line and us, too,” senior defensive end Matt Layow said. “We get a better feel for playing off run blocking. We get just enough to help us know where we need to be in running situations and help our technique in playing off blocks.”
The Wildcats return to practice Wednesday with workouts scheduled at 10 a.m., 3 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.
JP Sports SEC Pre-Season TV Show Set to Air
Jefferson-Pilot Sports, which televises the “SEC Game of the Week” throughout the South, also airs a 30-minute SEC pre-season preview of the 2000 season. The show may be seen in the following stations that serve Kentucky markets:
Charleston, W. V. WSAZ Sat. Aug. 26, 12:30 p.m. ET
Cincinnati, Ohio WBQC Sat. Sept. 2, 11:30 a.m. ET
Evansville, Ind. WTVW Sat. Aug. 26, 5:30 p.m. CT
Hazard, Ky. WYMT Sat. Aug 19, 12:30 p.m. ET
Lexington, Ky. WKYT Sat. Aug. 19, 12:30 p.m. ET
Louisville, Ky. WAVE Sun. Aug. 27, 1:00 p.m. ET
Nashville, Tenn. WSMV Sat. Aug. 26, noon CT
Paducah, Ky. KFVS Sun. Aug. 27, 12:30 p.m. CT
Kentucky Football Calendar:
Aug. 16 Practice, 10 a.m., 3 p.m., 8:30 p.m.
Aug. 17 Practice, 1:30 p.m.
Aug. 18 Practice, 10 a.m., 3 p.m., 8:30 p.m.
Aug. 19 Practice, 1:30 p.m.
Aug. 20 Off
Aug. 21 Practice, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Aug. 22 Practice, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Aug. 23 Classes begin, practice at 2 p.m.
Aug. 25 Kickoff Luncheon
Sept. 2 Season opener at Louisville, 7 p.m.
