S. Carolina (1-4, 0-3) at Kentucky (3-2, 0-2)
Sat. Oct. 10, 1998, 7 p.m. EDT
Commonwealth Stadium (cap. 55,380)
Wildcats Headlines
-Homecoming for the Wildcats
-UK is second in the nation in passing offense, third in the nation in
total offense, and seventh nationally in scoring
-QB Tim Couch is second in the nation in pass attempts, completions, completion percentage, passing yardage, total offense and touchdown passes
On the Tube
The game will be a delayed telecast on the UKTV Network. Rob Bromley calls the play-by-play, Derrick Ramsey is the analyst, and Dick Gabriel is the reporter from the sidelines.
On the Radio
The University of Kentucky Football Radio Network will carry the broadcast on approximately 80 stations. The network includes flagship station WVLK (590 AM) in Lexington and 50,000-watt stations WHAS (840 AM) and WSAI (1530 AM).
Tom Leach is in his second season calling the play-by-play for the Wildcats. Former Wildcats star Jeff Van Note is the analyst and Dick Gabriel is the sideline reporter.
Kentucky Results and Schedule (3-2,0-2 SEC) Sept. 5 UK 68, Louisville 34 (A)Sept. 12 UK 52, Eastern Kentucky 7 (H)Sept. 19 UK 31, Indiana 27 (H)Sept. 26 Florida 51, UK 35 (A)Oct. 3 Arkansas 27, UK 20 (A)Oct. 10 South Carolina (Homecoming), 7:00 p.m. Oct. 17 at Louisiana State, 9:00 p.m., ESPN2 Oct. 24 Georgia, 7:00 p.m.Oct. 31 openNov. 7 Mississippi State, 1:30 p.m.Nov. 14 Vanderbilt, 1:30 p.m.Nov. 21 at Tennessee, TBA*All times are Eastern and subject to change.
Ticket Information**No tickets are available at this time.
S. Carolina Results and Schedule (1-4, 0-3) Sept. 5 SC 38, Ball State 20 (H)Sept. 12 Georgia 17, SC 3 (H)Sept. 19 Marshall 24, SC 21 (H)Sept. 26 Mississippi State 38, SC 0 (H)Oct. 3 Mississippi 30, SC 28 (A)Oct. 10 at KentuckyOct. 17 ArkansasOct. 24 at VanderbiltOct. 31 TennesseeNov. 14 at FloridaNov. 21 at Clemson
Series Information – Wildcats vs. Gamecocks
Overall: The series is tied at 4-4-1
Current streak: South Carolina has won two in a row
First meeting: 1937, UK 27-7 in Lexington
Last meeting: 1997, SC 38-24 in Columbia Last UK win: 1995, UK 35-30 in Columbia
In Lexington: Series tied at 2-2
Series notes: The teams played in 1937, 1978, and 1981, then started
meeting annually when South Carolina joined the SEC in 1992 The series is
even, 3-3, since South Carolina joined the league.
How Experienced are the Tentative Starters?
Sr. Jr. Soph. RFr. Fr.UK 11 5 4 0 2SC 7 8 2 2 3
South Carolina Ties
UK does not have any players from South Carolina Jack Fligg, UK’s Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations, coached at South Carolina from 1975-82 under Coach Jim Carlen and Coach Richard Bell. The Gamecocks went to three bowl games during Fligg’s years and in 1980, Fligg’s work as offensive coordinator helped George Rogers win the Heisman Trophy. Fligg has announced that he will retire following the 1998 football season.
The Ouch Report (two-deep only)
Center Jason Watts (concussion Oct. 3) is questionable. Cornerback Kenneth Grant (broken hand Sept. 26) is out for 2-4 more weeks. Free safety Willie Gary (knee sprain Sept. 26) is out for the season .
Homecoming for the Wildcats
This week’s game is the annual Homecoming game for the Wildcats. There will be numerous activities on campus during the week. One highlight is the Homecoming Parade, which begins Friday at 6 p.m. The parade route is from Memorial Coliseum to the E. S. Goodbarn field. A pep rally, the “Wildcat Roar,” follows the parade at approximately 7:30 p.m. at the Goodbarn field.
The Homecoming Queen and her court will be presented at halftime of the game. Kentucky’s first Homecoming occurred on Nov. 25, 1915, as Kentucky defeated Tennessee, 6-0. Subsequent records are sketchy, but Kentucky has hosted a Homecoming game every year since 1946 and owns a 40-12 record in those 52 contests.
Kentucky has won its last three Homecoming games. Kentucky has never played South Carolina as a Homecoming opponent.
Third Straight Sellout?
If the Kentucky students acquire all their tickets as expected, it will be UK’s third sellout of the season.
In addition, it will be the seventh sellout during the nine home games of Hal Mumme’s term as coach. Only a handful of tickets from the 1997 games against Northeast Louisiana and LSU prevent a perfect nine-of-nine on sellout games.
UK in the NCAA Stats
Kentucky is second in the nation in passing offense (448.4 yards per game), third in total offense (534.6 yards per game), and seventh in scoring (41.2 points per game).
Individually, quarterback Tim Couch is second nationally in pass attempts (261), completions (186), completion percentage (71.3), yardage (2,076), touchdowns (19), and total offense (401.4 yards per game). Wide receiver Craig Yeast, who was troubled by severe leg cramps during the Arkansas game, ranks 14th nationally in pass receptions (6.8 per game), 10th in receiving yardage (116.4 yards per game), eighth in all-purpose yardage (186.8 per game), and leads the nation in kickoff returns (36.5 yards per return).
Halfback Anthony White has moved into 10th place nationally in receptions with 7.2 catches per game.
Wildcats in the SEC Stats
Team and individual stats in the top three in the SEC:
Team Scoring: 1st, 41.2 points per game
Passing Offense: 1st, 448.4 yards per game
Passing Efficiency: 3rd, 160.8 rating points
Total Offense: 1st, 534.6 yards per game Net Punting: 2nd, 38.9 yards per punt
First Downs: 1st, 128 first downs
Third Down Conversion Defense: 1st, 17.7 percent
Fourth Down Conversions: 1st, 53.3 percent
Time of Possession: 1st, 32.27 of time per game Individual
Passing Yardage: Tim Couch 1st, 415.2 yards per game
Total Offense: Tim Couch 1st, 401.4 yards per game
Receptions: Anthony White 1st, 7.2 receptions per game; Craig Yeast
2nd, 6.8 receptions per game
Receiving Yardage: Craig Yeast 2nd, 116.4 yards per game
All-Purpose Yardage: Craig Yeast 2nd, 186.8 yds. per game
Kickoff Returns: Craig Yeast 1st, 36.5 yards per return
TD Scoring: Craig Yeast 3rd, 8.4 points per game
Kick Scoring: Seth Hanson 2nd, 7.6 points per game
“Air Raid” Offense
Offensive Line – Kentucky’s all-senior starting line has combined for a total of 116 starts during their careers. LT Jonas Liening is in his fourth year as a starter. RT Kris Comstock and C Jason Watts are three-year regulars. RG Mike Webster and LG Jeremy Streck are in their second year as starters Watts snaps the ball with his left hand (dominant hand) in the shotgun formation and righthanded when the quarterback is under center Watts suffered a concussion at Arkansas and is questionable for this week’s game. Aaron Daniel is the likely replacement if Watts is not available The second-team line got a full quarter of work at Louisville and two series against Eastern Kentucky.
Tight Ends – UK tight ends James Whalen, Jr., and Jimmy Haley have combined for more pass receptions (27) than any other team’s tight ends in the country Individually, Whalen ranks second among the nation’s tight ends in receptions (17) and yardage (198). He also has two TD catches Jimmy Haley has 10 catches for 93 yards and a TD Haley and Whalen each made his first touchdown reception at UK in the Louisville game. Haley’s spectacular one-handed 21-yard TD grab was chosen the CNN/SI “Play of the Day.”
Running Backs – Fullback Derek Homer carries the bulk of the rushing load and leads the team with 285 yards and three TDs. His 123-yard effort against Louisville was the third 100-yard game of his career Halfback Anthony White is both a runner and pass receiver. He has rushed for 136 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry. He leads the SEC and ranks 10th nationally in pass receptions with 36 catches Junior A. J. Simon sees most of his action as a blocking back.
Wide Receivers – Twelve wide receivers have caught at least one pass Craig Yeast has 34 catches for 582 yards and six touchdowns. Yeast is second in the SEC and 14th nationally in receptions. He is second in the SEC and 10th nationally in receiving yardage. He had an outstanding game at Florida with six receptions for a school-record 206 yards and two TDs, including a school-record 97-yard TD play Quentin McCord has emerged with 27 catches for 311 yards and three TDs.
Quarterbacks – Tim Couch has completed 186 of 261 passes for 2,076 yards and 19 touchdowns. He has thrown for at least 300 yards and at least one touchdown in every game this season. He is second in the nation in pass attempts, completions, completion percentage, yardage, touchdowns, and total offense, and is 13th in passing efficiency Couch leads the SEC in all of those categories, except he is fourth in passing efficiency Senior Matt Mumme has played well as the backup, completing 11 of 13 for 166 yards and two touchdowns, including the 79-yard TD on the fake punt against Indiana.
“Black Flag” Defense
Defensive Line – A total of seven linemen have been seeing regular action Reserve DT George Massey leads the linemen with 14 tackles and two fumble recoveries Starting DTs Mark Jacobs and Marvin Major have 13 and 12 stops, respectively Ends Gordon Crowe and Dennis Johnson each have 10 tackles, including two for losses. Crowe has added a sack and Johnson blocked a field goal at Arkansas.
Linebackers – OLB Marlon McCree is second on the team lead in tackles with 30. He leads the team in tackles for loss (nine), sacks (three) and fumbles caused (two). McCree set a single-game school record with six tackles for loss at Florida OLB Jeff Snedegar has 26 tackles, including five for losses MLB John Rader has 19 stops, including five for losses. His 46-yard interception return against Indiana was the game-winning touchdown in UK’s 30-27 victory.
Secondary – Freshman SS David Johnson leads the team in tackles with 32. He returned a fumble 21 yards for a touchdown against Eastern Kentucky and caused a key fumble in the win over Indiana. He also had an interception at Arkansas CB Marvin Love leads the team in pass breakups with six CB Jeremy Bowie has three pass breakups and an interception FS Willie Gary is out for the season with a knee injury. In his place, FS Jeff Zurcher has 21 tackles and two pass breakups.
A Look at the Specialists
Kickers – Seth Hanson is 4-of-5 on field goals, including a career long of 41 yards at Louisville, and has made 26 of 28 extra points. Two of his successful extra points have been 35-yard kicks after UK was penalized for “excessive celebration” after a touchdown Hanson is second on the team in scoring with 38 points Hanson also handles kickoffs.
Punters – Jimmy Carter is averaging a career-best 40.4 yards per punt, but just as important has been his good hang time and accuracy on the sidelines The Wildcats have given up only 30 yards on punt returns and UK is second in the SEC in net punting with 38.9 yards per punt.
Returners – Craig Yeast leads the nation in kickoff returns with a average of 36.5 yards per runback. Yeast has three KO returns for a touchdown during his career. This season he has a 100-yarder for a TD against Florida and an 89-yarder that set up a touchdown against Indiana Yeast also handles punt returns and averages 3.0 yards.
Defense Scoring, Too
The Wildcats defense has done its part to help UK rank seventh in the nation in scoring. The defense has scored three touchdowns this season, including: David Johnson 21-yard fumble return vs. Eastern Ky.; John Rader 46-yard interception return vs. Indiana; Matt Layow six-yard interception return vs. Florida.
Block That Kick!
During the two seasons that Coach Mike Major has been in charge of the Kentucky defense, the Wildcats have blocked six opponent kicks. Here’s the list:
1997, Indiana punt (Bob Holmberg)
1997, Alabama field goal (David Ginn)
1997, Georgia field goal (Jeff Zurcher)
1997, Georgia extra point (Lamont Smith)
1997, Louisiana State field goal (David Ginn)
1998, Arkansas field goal (Dennis Johnson)
Cats Nipped Into Top 25
On the strength of Kentucky’s 3-0 start, the Wildcats achieved a No. 25 national ranking on Sept. 19 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll. Week-by-week records are not available on the last time that UK was ranked in the coaches’ poll. However, UK’s last appearance in The Associated Press media poll was following the 1984 season when the Wildcats were ranked #19.
Preseason Honors for the Wildcats
-Kentucky was ranked No. 24 in the preseason by Sports Illustrated.
-Quarterback Tim Couch was a first-team preseason All-America pick by Street
and Smith’s and Lindy’s and a second-team All-America choice by Athlon
Publications.
-Wide receiver Craig Yeast was a third-team pre-season All-America choice by
Athlon Publications.
-Couch and Yeast were consensus preseason All-SEC..
Honoring the Wildcats in 1998
QB Tim Couch was named National Offensive Player of the Week for the Louisville game. The honor was chosen by the College Sports News internet service.
OT Jonas Liening and WR Lance Mickelsen have been named to the All-American Farm Team by Successful Farming magazine in honor of players who have farm or ranch backgrounds. Liening is a first-team choice for the second consecutive year while Mickelsen was named honorable mention. Senior punter Jimmy Carter was one of only 11 players on the national “Good Works Team” chosen by the American Football Coaches Association. Carter is a four-year volunteer in UK’s mentor program with local elementary school students; has been an organizer for UK’s “Schoolhouse Rock” academic pep rally for 2,000 local fourth- and fifth-grade students; has been a volunteer at the annual UK Hospital “Breakfast With Santa”; has been a guest speaker at numerous schools, churches, and youth groups; and has been president of the UK Fellowship of Christian Athletes for two years.
True Freshmen Get the Call
A total of 18 true freshmen have played this season, including 15 players in the 1998 recruiting class.
True freshmen from the 1998 recruiting class who have played are Dougie Allen, Mike Beirne, Chris Demaree, Richard Hardin, Vincent Harrison, David Johnson, Dennis Johnson, Martez Johnson, Anthony Kelly, Adrian Patton, Ronnie Riley, Matt Schneider, Kendrick Shanklin, Anthony Wajda, and Jamal White.
In addition, true freshman walk-ons Neal Brown and Nick Heald have played, as has true freshman Mike Kamphake, who signed in January but counts as part of the 1997 recruiting class.
Scoring in the Blue Zone (20-and-in)
Kentucky: Converted 15 of 17 opportunities for 88 points (11 touchdowns, four field goals, one interception, and one end of game). Opponents: Converted 16 of 19 opportunities for 92 points (11 touchdowns, five field goals, one punt, one blocked field goal, one end of half). Head Coach Hal Mumme
Hal Mumme (Tarleton State, 1975) has an 8-8 record in his second season as head coach of the Wildcats. He was voted 1997 GTE Region 2 Coach of the Year by his peers in the American Football Coaches Association. He is in his 10th season as a collegiate head coach and has a career record of 73-35-1 (.674).
Mumme had a 40-17-1 mark from 1992-96 at Valdosta State, where he took the Blazers to the NCAA Division II national playoffs in 1994 and 1996. He was named 1994 Georgia Coach of the Year by the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, the 1996 GTE Region 2 Coach of the Year by the AFCA, and the 1996 Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year.
Mumme had a 25-10 record from 1989-91 at Iowa Wesleyan College. He took his team to the Steamboat Classic bowl game in 1989 and ’90 and to the NAIA national playoffs in 1991. He was named the NAIA District Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1991.
For more on Mumme, see pages 22-27 of the Kentucky football media guide.
“Mummeball”
New UK coach Hal Mumme is known for his unconventional ways. Here are some examples of his off-the-beaten-path approach:
Throwing the football: Mumme’s offensive goal is to throw the ball to set up the run. His run-pass ratio at UK in 1997 was 36 percent run and 64 percent pass. In 1998, the ratio is 33 percent run and 67 percent pass.
Taking risks: In the 1997 season, Mumme went for it 38 times on fourth down, making 21, including three out of four on fake punts. He also tried seven onside kicks, recovering one. See the note below for 1997 and 1998 fourth-down analysis.
Limited hitting in practice: The Wildcats had four scrimmages in the spring and none in August. Otherwise, hitting in practice is limited to work on technique; there is no full-scale hitting or tackling to the ground.
“We’re not going to get anybody hurt if we can help it,” Mumme says. “Why have a car wreck during the week when you’re going to have one on Saturday?” “Mummeball is more classroom than battlefield,” wrote JohnClay of the Lexington Herald-Leader. “The head coach is not aSchwarzkopf but an alchemist, busy turning ordinary metals into gold.” The approach paid off with fewer injuries in 1997, when only four players missed games because of injury. A total of 18 players missed games because of injury in 1996 under a conventional practice system.
Open practices: All practices are open to fans and media. “I think the guys like crowds,” Mumme says. ” I know when I was playing I liked to perform in front of crowds. I think it makes them practice better.” As for the fear of having his plays stolen, Mumme replies, “There aren’t many secrets anymore. Everybody pretty muchknows what everybody is doing.”
Punting the ball out of bounds: UK’s punts are designed to go near the sideline or out of bounds. The strategy improved Kentucky’s net punting >from 32.7 yards per punt in 1996 to 37 yards per punt in 1997. Currently, Kentucky is second in the SEC in net punting with 38.9 net yards per punt. Playing true freshmen: Other than offensive linemen, Mumme believes in playing true freshmen. So far this season, 15 of Kentucky’s 25 players in the 1998 signing class saw action.
Junior varsity team: Mumme continues to field a junior varsity team again this season. See below for a story on the JV squad.
Fourth-Down Analysis
In 1998, Kentucky has made 8 out of 15 on fourth-down conversions, including two of two on fake punts. The eight successes have eventually led to five touchdowns and a field goal. The seven missed conversions have not resulted in any scores on the ensuing opponent possession. In 1997, Kentucky made 21 of 38 on fourth down. The 21 successes eventually resulted in 15 touchdowns and no field goals for the Wildcats. The 17 missed conversions resulted in five touchdowns and no field goals on the ensuing opponent possessions.
UK Football History
The Kentucky Wildcats are in their 108th season of intercollegiate football. The first Southeastern Conference school to introduce football (1881), Kentucky has an all-time record of 507-479-44 (.514). Kentucky has two SEC championships, 1950 and 1976. The Wildcats have been to eight bowl games, most recently the 1993 Peach Bowl, and have the best bowl game winning percentage (.625) of any Southeastern Conference school. Kentucky’s highest in-season national ranking is third, by The Associated Press, on Nov. 20, 1950. UK’s highest final ranking is sixth in the AP poll in 1977.
Junior Varsity Team
One of Coach Hal Mumme’s innovations was the start of a junior varsity team.
The team is comprised primarily of walk-ons, in addition to a few scholarship players who are not being redshirted. The JV team has a record of 1-1.
UK graduate assistant coach Chris Hatcher is in his second season as the head coach of the JV team. The Wildcats JV posted a 2-3 record in 1997.
Here is the 1998 schedule for the JV team:
Thurs. Sept. 24 UK JV 49, Campbellsville JV 45 (H) Thurs. Oct. 1 Hargrave Mil. Acad. 40, UK JV 7 (H) Thurs. Oct. 8 at Georgetown College JV 5:00 Thurs. Oct. 15 Georgia Military College 3:00 Sun. Oct. 25 Tennessee-Chattanooga JV 2:00
Love Those Reruns
Some of the Kentucky players must enjoy television reruns, as three Wildcats have been tagged with TV-related nicknames.
Junior halfback Anthony White is known as “Aunt Bea” from “The Andy Griffith Show.” White’s nickname originated on the practice field during the 1997 season and was supposedly given by either Tim Couch or Craig Yeast, but none of the principals involved can remember the exact origin.
Senior Lance Mickelsen and soph Jermaine White are known as “Ward” and “The Beav” from the “Leave it to Beaver” show. Mickelsen and White play the “Z” wide receiver position and when Jermaine arrived at UK in 1997, the veteran Mickelsen took the younger player under his wing. The fact that Mickelsen is now 24 years old and married adds to his fatherly “Ward” image.
The Graduates
Four Wildcats have completed their bachelor’s degrees and are adding another major or minor or are in graduate school. The diploma ‘Cats are:
-Offensive tackle Kris Comstock, who has his bachelor’s degree in marketing;
-Defensive tackle Mark Jacobs, who has his bachelor’s degree in social work;
-Offensive tackle Jonas Liening, who has his bachelor’s degree in social work;&
-Free safety Jeff Zurcher, who has his bachelor’s degree in English and
advertising and is working on his master’s degree in diplomacy.
*(For more on Zurcher, see below.
From A’s to Z(urcher)
Senior free safety Jeff Zurcher is enjoying a remarkable academic career at the University of Kentucky.
Zurcher completed his bachelor’s degree in May, 1998, with a 4.0 grade point average and a double major in English and advertising. In 1998, he was one of two UK students nominated for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Zurcher also was a member of a five-person UK team that designed an advertising campaign that reached the finals of the American Advertising Federation’s national collegiate contest.
Zurcher is an avid reader and writer of poetry and also has published columns in the student newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel.
Checking the Opponents
Here’s what Kentucky’s opponents are doing this week:
-Louisville (3-2) at Southern Mississippi -Tennessee State at Eastern Kentucky (3-1) -Indiana (2-2) at Michigan State -LSU (3-1) at Florida (4-1) -Arkansas (4-0) at Memphis -South Carolina (1-4) at Kentucky -Tennessee (4-0) at Georgia (4-0) -Auburn at Mississippi State (3-1) -Western Michigan at Vanderbilt (0-4)
What’s Going on in the South End Zone?
The work in the south end zone is the beginning of the expansion of Commonwealth Stadium.
By the beginning of the 1999 season, both end zones will be enclosed and 40 suites will be constructed. Capacity will increase to approximately 67,500. The project will cost approximately $24 million.
Catscellaneous Junior QB Tim Couch and junior LB Jeff Snedegar are the team captains for 1998.
Two Wildcats are married, senior OT David Berringer (wife Amanda) and senior WR Lance Mickelsen (wife Adrianne).
There is excellent continuity on the UK coaching staff. All nine of the Wildcats’ full-time assistant coaches return for the 1998 season, although there were two changes of assignment. Tom Adams, who coached the defensive tackles in 1997, takes over the entire defensive line this season.
Kentucky is in its 26th season in Commonwealth Stadium. The Wildcats have a record of 87-67-4 (.563) in Commonwealth since the stadium opened in 1973. Kentucky is 5-3 at home under Coach Hal Mumme.
UK has led or tied for the league lead in most players on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 10 of the last 14 years.
Seven current players are walk-ons who were awarded full scholarships – P Jimmy Carter, WR Garry Davis, TE Paul McGonagle, C Mike Riddle, FB A. J. Simon, DE Grayson Smith, and FS Jeff Zurcher. No, junior punter Jimmy Carter of Dunwoody, Ga., is not related to the former United States president.
The Kentucky cheerleaders won an unprecedented eighth national championship at the 1998 Universal Cheerleaders Association competition in January. The Wildcats cheerleaders have won the last four national titles – 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998.
Wildcats on the Web
Visit the official University of Kentucky Athletics worldwide web site at www.ukathletics.com.
The official Southeastern Conference web site is www.secsports.com.
