March 6, 2000
2000 Spring Outlook
Fickle spring weather sometimes blows a cold wind across the football practice field at the University of Kentucky.
This spring, however, Coach Hal Mumme and his Wildcats aren’t likely to notice. That’s because the competition on the field will be so hot.
With 35 of the top 44 players from the Music City Bowl depth chart still on the team, and a total of 63 lettermen on hand, Mumme undoubtedly will have the most heated spring workouts since his arrival in 1997.
Sixteen offensive and defensive starters are back from last year’s team that finished with a 6-6 record, taking the Wildcats to a second consecutive bowl game. In the past, almost all of the returning regulars were assured of keeping their starting roles because of the lack of depth on the team. Mumme’s steady building process, however, has greatly improved that situation.
“I think this is the first time since we have been at Kentucky that at the end of spring, we’ll say that so-and-so has earned a certain position,” Mumme said. “Before, we penciled in guys at some positions and worked to get the best out of them. Now, at most positions we are at least two-deep and in some cases we are three-deep. Just because they started last year doesn’t mean they will start this year. They could get beat out by some of the young players or those who redshirted last season.”
A prime example is the UK offensive line, where all five starters are back from last year, including junior left tackle Matt Brown, sophomore left guard Kip Sixbery, junior center Nolan DeVaughn, junior right guard Josh Parrish, and senior Omar Smith, last year’s starter at right tackle. Smith, however, will move to right guard and go head-to-head with Parrish during the spring. Several other young linemen are on hand to challenge the remaining incumbents and more will be coming in August.
Another challenge could occur at quarterback, even though junior Dusty Bonner led the SEC in total offense and passing efficiency in his first season as a starter. Mumme promised talented redshirt freshman Jared Lorenzen a chance to compete for the job if Lorenzen meets his designated goals in the classroom and in the weight room.
Bonner completed 303 of 465 passes last season (65.2 percent), good for 3,266 yards, 26 touchdowns, and an SEC-best efficiency rating of 137.0. His accomplishments are even more notable when one remembers that he played behind an all-new offensive line and with a rebuilt receiving corps.
One of the goals of the spring is to sort through the wide receiver and tight end positions. The receivers were beset by injuries last season and Bonner’s go-to guy, All-America tight end James Whalen, has graduated. Sixteen scholarship receivers are on the roster, along with several walk-on contenders.
The leading returning wide receivers include seniors Garry Davis (26 catches for 312 yards, one TD) and Quentin McCord (18-387-6TD), junior Dougie Allen (25-263-3TD), and sophomores Brad Pyatt (21-207-2TD), Bobby Blizzard (7-76-0), and Ernest Simms (6-62-0). Senior Jimmy Robinson (26-285-2TD in 1998), junior Jermaine White (4-107-2TD in `98), sophomore Neal Brown (2-10-0 in `98), and freshmen Derek Abney and Octavius Bond are available after going through a redshirt year last season.
The field has been thinned somewhat before the spring. Allen will not go through the contact portions of practice while rehabilitating a knee injury and Pyatt will not participate in the spring in order to concentrate on his academic progress.
Tight end features junior Mike Beirne (1-13-0) and sophomores Edgar Gantt, Chase Harp (1-12-0), and Derek Smith (9-112-0). Smith earned significant playing time toward the end of the 1999 season and enters the spring as the starter, but must outplay his challengers.
There will be at least one new starting face in the backfield following the graduation of Anthony White, who leaves a big hole to fill after gaining more than 1,000 yards from the line of scrimmage in each of the past three seasons. Senior Derek Homer has rushed for 1,550 yards in his career and will get the first chance at fullback, the primary ball-carrying position in the offense. Homer, however, might not be able to participate while rehabilitating from minor knee surgery. Hard-running sophomore Artose Pinner will get a strong look in the spring, as will sophomore Martez Johnson, who is coming off a redshirt season.
Junior Kendrick Shanklin caught 22 passes for 226 yards last season and is the only contender at halfback with significant game experience. Sophomores Jeremy Davis and Mike Kamphake also are available.
“We know a lot more about our offense now than last spring, when we had to replace eight starters,” Mumme said. “With all the new players, we experimented with a lot of things last season. We’ll be able to focus on what worked best and eliminate the rest.”
For the second consecutive season, defensive coordinator Mike Major and the Kentucky defense gave up fewer points and yards than the previous year. In order to continue that trend in the fall, plenty of objectives must be met in the spring. The defensive line must be rebuilt after the loss of three starters, a replacement must be found for All-SEC linebacker Jeff Snedegar, and roles must be settled in a veteran secondary.
“We got it (points allowed) down in the 20s last season, around 29 per game, and we’d like to get it further down in the 20s,” Mumme said. “If you can do that you’re going to be in the top half of our conference defensively.
“We have competition at every position. We can put more than 30 defensive players out there in the spring and we haven’t been able to do that before. In addition, most of them have played, so we know a lot more about what they can do.”
Junior Dennis Johnson leads the defensive line from his end position. He made 39 tackles last season, including a team-high five quarterback sacks. He began maturing into a big-play performer, being named second-team All-SEC, yet has plenty of ability to make further improvement.
Backing Johnson and contending for the other starting spot at end are a host of veterans, including seniors Matt Layow (16 tackles, two sacks), Grayson Smith (nine tackles, one sack), and John Rader (four tackles), juniors Chris Demaree (nine tackles) and Adrian Patton, and talented sophomore Otis Grigsby (three tackles). Dennis Johnson also will play some at tackle.
Another area of hot competition will be in the defensive tackle slots, where four players – all sophomores and redshirt freshmen – are vying for two open starting jobs. Sophs John Robinson and Richard Hardin have some game experience. This will be a high-priority area for the Wildcat coaching staff in the spring.
An additional area watched closely will be at strongside linebacker, where juniors Chris Gayton (six tackles) and Ronnie Riley (six tackles) and sophomore Mike Beshara will compete to replace Snedegar.
The remainder of the linebacking corps is more settled. Senior Marlon McCree is a two-year regular on the weakside. He made 68 tackles last season, including 11 for loss, and was involved in a number of turnover plays. Junior Ryan Murphy is the incumbent in the middle after starting last season and making 50 tackles, but will be strongly challenged by junior Jamal White, who made 10 tackles last season.
For the first time since his arrival, Mumme will be able to call upon a veteran secondary. Senior cornerback Eric Kelly intercepted three passes last season and tied a school record with 13 pass breakups. Another senior starter, Kenneth Grant, returns at corner. He had seven breakups last season. Senior Jeremy Bowie (four PBU) often is called upon as a nickel back and soph Derrick Tatum showed promise as a frosh.
The picture is equally rosy in the deep secondary. The most competitive position on the team could be at strong safety. Senior Willie Gary (60 tackles, one interception, three PBU) is a three-year starter in the safety slots. Junior Patrick Wiggins (23 tackles, one interception, two PBU) played well last season when Gary missed a couple of games because of injury. Sophomore David Johnson is back after an injury redshirt. He was a freshman All-American in 1998 when he had 53 tackles, two interceptions, and four breakups.
Junior Anthony Wajda stepped in at free safety last season and developed into a ball magnet. He made 68 tackles, intercepted five passes, and charted three pass breakups. Yet, he too will be challenged by talented sophomore Quentus Cumby.
“We feel a lot better about our secondary going into this year,” Mumme said. “We have a lot of players with experience and there will be competition at every position.”
One of the sectors that has shown notable improvement since Mumme’s arrival is special teams, but he has his work cut out for him after the departure of All-SEC punter Andy Smith, kicker Marc Samuel, and last year’s long snapper and holder. Junior Seth Hanson, freshman Dustin Wynn, and several walk-ons will compete at the kicker and punter positions. Hanson does have the benefit of game experience. He was UK’s starting kicker in 1997-98, making 15 of 22 field goals in those two seasons. He was sidelined by injury last year.
UK ranked in the nation’s top 20 in both punt and kickoff returns last season. Kendrick Shanklin led the SEC in punt returns, averaging 13.5 yards per runback, including one touchdown. Dougie Allen was leading the SEC in kickoff returns at a 30.8 clip when we went down in mid-season. Shanklin averaged 22 yards on kickoff returns.
Head Coach Hal Mumme
In three years, University of Kentucky Head Coach Hal Mumme has accomplished a feat done only twice previously in the 109-season history of Kentucky football — take the Wildcats to back-to-back bowl games.
Before Mumme, only a pair of College Football Hall of Fame coaches, Paul “Bear” Bryant in 1949-50-51, and Jerry Claiborne in 1983-84, had guided UK to consecutive post-season appearances.
Mumme’s coaching performance last season is worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. He headed into 1999 without 20 seniors from his Outback Bowl team, in addition to the early departure of quarterback Tim Couch, who was the No. 1 selection in the National Football League draft.
The spectre of injury appeared, too, and by the end of the `99 regular season six key receivers and three-fourths of the starting secondary were on the sidelines.
A rebuilding season had been generally predicted for the Wildcats, but Mumme kept the eyes of his team on the goal, not the obstacles. The young offense found ways to manufacture points as new quarterback Dusty Bonner led the Southeastern Conference in passing efficiency and total offense. Mumme took unknown walk-on wide receiver James Whalen, made him a tight end, and helped him earn first-team All-America honors. The opportunistic defense led the SEC in turnovers generated. Special teams play was sterling.
Early victories over Connecticut and Indiana readied UK for the turning point of the season – a 31-20 upset of Arkansas, the third consecutive season that a Mumme-coached team had knocked off a nationally ranked opponent.
Triumphs over South Carolina and Louisiana State came next, and despite the mounting injuries, UK persevered and became bowl-eligible with a dramatic win at Vanderbilt.
Mumme’s masterful coaching job was recognized by Football News magazine when he was named the magazine’s South/Southwest Coach of the Year, which included the Southeastern Conference, Big 12 Conference, and Conference USA.
Kentucky’s campaign was capped by playing in the HomePoint.com Music City Bowl, marking back-to-back post-season appearances for the Wildcats. Mumme returned UK to the bowl scene in 1998 by leading his Wildcats to a 7-4 regular-season record, the school’s best since 1984.
Among other triumphs, “Air Raid `98” produced a 39-36 victory at Louisiana State, the team’s first road win over a ranked opponent in 21 years. The Wildcats finished the season with school records for scoring and total offense. The defense swarmed for 88 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, a school record for statistics available since 1985.
Couch broke numerous NCAA, SEC, and school records while being named first-team All-America. Wide receiver Craig Yeast became the leading pass receiver in SEC history.
The season was topped when the Wildcats reached their goal of “1-1-99” by playing Penn State in the Outback Bowl. It was Kentucky’s first New Year’s Day appearance since 1952. More than 40,000 Kentucky fans were in attendance, giving the Outback Bowl its first sellout. More than 59,000 fans attended the Music City Bowl – almost all of them dressed in Wildcat blue – setting an attendance record for the bowl and indicating the intensity of the fan following that Mumme has helped build.
Mumme’s brand of football excitement was foretold when he was introduced as the Kentucky coach on Dec. 2, 1996. UK Athletics Director C. M. Newton – a former basketball coach – described his hire in hoops terms.
“I told Hal that what we’re looking for here is someone who will press, fast break, and shoot the threes on grass … I also gave Hal the challenge of putting the fun back into Kentucky football,” Newton said.
It took Mumme only one quarter to fulfill his boss’s directive.
In the 1997 season opener against archrival Louisville, the Wildcats stunned the Cardinals with a 21-0 blitzkrieg in the opening period. Soon, the Governor’s Cup trophy returned to Lexington via a 38-24 Wildcats victory.
Mumme’s first SEC triumph was one for the ages. Kentucky defeated Alabama for the first time in 75 years with a 40-34 overtime win. After the victory, the Commonwealth Stadium fans stormed the field and tore down the goal posts, the first time in stadium history that the Wildcats supporters had been so frenzied.
Indeed, the fans have been an integral part of the Mumme story. When he was hired, Kentucky fans took an immediate liking to their personable new coach. Local songwriters wrote ballads about him … fans wore “Mumme masks” to the games … and even before the first game was played, Lexington Mayor Pam Miller renamed a street alongside Commonwealth Stadium “Hal Mumme Pass.” (“I didn’t know if it was an honor or an order,” Mumme quipped.)
Pass he did, and the turnaround was immediate. The Wildcats zoomed from 109th in the nation in total offense in 1996 to sixth nationally in Mumme’s first season. NCAA records, Southeastern Conference records, and school records went by the wayside. Single-game and single-season attendance records were smashed, and in their wake, Commonwealth Stadium was expanded to accommodate 67,530 fans.
By the end of the 1997 season, Kentucky had won five games. Since 1938, only two Wildcats coaches – legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant and eventual NFL head coach Blanton Collier – posted a better first-year record than Mumme.
Mumme’s achievements were rewarded when his peers in the American Football Coaches Association elected him the GTE Region 2 Coach of the Year. Having won the same award in 1996, Mumme became one of only five coaches to win the regional coach of the year award in consecutive years at different schools. Mumme was picked as the Nike Clinics Coach of the Year in 1998. Mumme also was rewarded with a contract extension following all three seasons at UK.
And, there’s every reason to expect that success will continue. Mumme’s 1998, 1999, and 2000 recruiting classes were ranked among the nation’s top 25. Nationally respected recruiting analyst Tom Lemming picked Mumme as one of the nation’s top 15 recruiters among head coaches.
Mumme came to UK from Valdosta (Ga.) State University, where he was head coach from 1992-96. He guided the Blazers to five consecutive winning seasons and compiled a record of 40-17-1. He took the Blazers to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1994 and 1996 and advanced to the quarterfinals (final eight) each time.
Mumme’s teams achieved numerous milestones during his years at VSU. Five consecutive winning seasons is the longest streak in school history. The Blazers were ranked in the national top 20 consistently, including a No. 1 ranking at one point in the 1996 season. VSU finished second or higher in the Gulf South Conference in four of the five seasons, including the school’s first conference championship in 1996. The `94 and `96 playoff appearances are the only ones in school history. Twenty-six Blazers were named first-team all-conference under Mumme.
The 1994 season was a breakthrough campaign for Mumme. His team set a school record for wins with an 11-2 mark. During the regular season, VSU posted a 31-14 upset of Central Florida, Sports Illustrated’s pre-season national champion in Division I-AA. It was VSU’s first victory over a Division I-AA team. The Blazers’ first national playoff entry began with a victory over Albany State before losing in the quarterfinals in overtime, 27-24, to eventual champion North Alabama. VSU was ranked sixth in the nation in the final poll, the first top 10 final ranking in school history. Along the way, VSU broke 80 school records, 35 conference records, and seven national marks. Quarterback Chris Hatcher was the Gulf South Conference Player of the Year and won the Harlon Hill Award as the Player of the Year in Division II. Mumme was chosen Georgia Coach of the Year by the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
Despite the loss of 20 starters, and a schedule that included four top-20 teams away from home and a Div. I-A team on the road, Mumme was able to put together a 6-5 record in 1995. The Blazers returned to national prominence in 1996 with a 10-3 record, including a playoff victory. Valdosta State won its first conference championship and Mumme was named Conference Coach of the Year. Mumme was honored by his peers as in the American Football Coaches Association as the Region 2 Coach of the Year.
Throwing the football has been Mumme’s trademark. From 1991-94, Hatcher passed for 11,363 yards and 121 touchdowns and he continues to hold several national records for passing and total offense. Hatcher’s successor, Lance Funderburk, threw for 7,932 yards and 64 touchdowns in his last two seasons. Funderburk was runner-up for the 1996 Harlon Hill Award.
The running game also got its share of attention under Mumme. From 1992-94, running back Dominique Ross rushed for 3,237 yards and 36 touchdowns. Ross also set a Gulf South Conference record with 256 rushing attempts. In 1996, Vontrell Mitchell rushed for 1,355 yards.
During his tenure at VSU, Mumme’s defenses were known as bold, combative units. Mumme’s 1994 team allowed a school-record low of 162 points, despite playing more games than any season in school history. Andre Hampton set a school career record with 36 sacks. Antonio Edwards notched 34 sacks as a Blazer and was named Gulf South Conference Player of the Year in 1992.
Mumme arrived at Valdosta from Iowa Wesleyan College, where he orchestrated a complete turnaround in the NAIA school’s football fortunes from 1989-91. Mumme inherited only three returning players from the `88 group that had posted an 0-10 record. The immediate reversal began with a 7-4 record in 1989. In 1990, Iowa Wesleyan went 8-4, followed by a 10-2 mark in 1991.
All three of Mumme’s IWC teams made a post-season appearance. The 1989 team played in the inaugural Steamboat Classic. In 1990, the Tigers played once again in the Steamboat Bowl, and posted a victory. The 1991 team made the first national playoff appearance in school history and lost in the quarterfinals.
With the help of star quarterback Dustin Dewald, Mumme’s 1990 team led the NAIA in passing offense and the 1989 and 1991 teams finished second nationally in passing. Dewald and Valdosta’s Chris Hatcher are two of only eight quarterbacks in collegiate history who have thrown more than 100 touchdown passes in their careers.
In three years, Mumme’s Iowa Wesleyan teams posted a 25-10 record. He was named NAIA District Coach of the Year following the 1989 and 1991 seasons. Mumme now has a career mark of 83-44-1 in 11 seasons as a collegiate head coach.
Born March 29, 1952, in San Antonio, Texas, Hal Clay Mumme graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas. He was a wide receiver at New Mexico Military Institute for two seasons, then played at Tarleton State, a Division II school in Stephenville, Texas. He graduated from Tarleton in 1975 with a degree in history. Mumme’s debut as a coach came at Moody High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, from 1976-78. He was head coach at Aransas Pass (Texas) HS in 1979.
Mumme entered the collegiate ranks as the quarterbacks and receivers coach at West Texas State in 1980-81. He was the offensive coordinator at Texas-El Paso from 1982-85. While at UTEP, he developed a relationship with Brigham Young head coach LaVell Edwards, who had a profound impact on Mumme’s offensive philosophy.
After leaving UTEP, Mumme became head coach and athletics director at Copperas Cove (Texas) HS. He coached at Copperas Cove from 1986-88 before moving to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, for the head coaching position at Iowa Wesleyan.
Mumme and his wife, June, have three children: Matt, Karen, and Leslie. June is a survivor of breast cancer and has been very active in fundraising and cancer education. In 1998, she wrote a book – “Play the next Play” – chronicling the Mummes’ lives together and her battle with the disease.
PERSONAL
Full name:
Hal Clay Mumme
Birthdate/Place:
March 29, 1952, in San Antonio, Tex.
Wife:
June Leishman Mumme
Children:
Matt, Karen, Leslie
EDUCATION
Thomas Jefferson High School, Dallas, Tex.
New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, N. M.
University of Texas-Arlington
Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Tex. (B.A. in History, 1975)
PLAYING CAREER
Thomas Jefferson High School, wide receiver
New Mexico Military Institute, wide receiver, letterman 1970-71
University of Texas-Arlington, wide receiver, redshirt 1972
Tarleton State University, wide receiver, letterman 1974-75
COACHING CAREER
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator), Moody HS, Corpus Christi, Tex., 1976-78
Head Coach, Aransas Pass HS, Aransas Pass, Tex., 1979
Assistant Coach (Quarterbacks and Receivers), West Texas State, 1980-81
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator), Texas-El Paso, 1982-85
Head Coach, Copperas Cove HS, Copperas Cove, Tex., 1986-88
Head Coach, Iowa Wesleyan College, 1989-91
Head Coach, Valdosta State, 1992-96
Head Coach, Kentucky, 1997-Present
COLLEGIATE COACHING HONORS
1989 NAIA District Coach of the Year
1991 NAIA District Coach of the Year
1994 Georgia Coach of the Year by the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
1996 Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year
1996 GTE Region II Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association
1997 GTE Region II Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association
1998 Nike Clinics Coach of the Year
1999 South/Southwest Coach of the Year by Football News
RECORD AS COLLEGIATE HEAD COACH
Year School Overall Conf. Postseason1989 Iowa Wesleyan 7-4 1-1 Steamboat Classic (L)1990 Iowa Wesleyan 8-4 2-1 Steamboat Classic (W)1991 Iowa Wesleyan 10-2 ind. NAIA Playoffs (0-1)1992 Valdosta State 5-4-1 3-2-11993 Valdosta State 8-3 5-21994 Valdosta State 11-2 6-1 Div. II Playoffs (1-1)1995 Valdosta State 6-5 4-31996 Valdosta State 10-3 6-2 Div. II Playoffs (1-1)1997 Kentucky 5-6 2-61998 Kentucky 7-5 4-4 Outback Bowl (L)1999 Kentucky 6-6 4-4 Homepoint.com Music City Bowl (L)Total 11 seasons 83-44-1 37-26-1 Three playoffs (2-3),
Four bowl games (1-3)
3 seasons at Iowa Wesleyan 25-10 3-2 One playoff, two bowl games
5 seasons at Valdosta State 40-17-1 24-10-1 Two playoffs
3 season at Kentucky 18-17 10-14 Two bowl games
Quoting Hal Mumme
Q: The 1999 season was generally regarded as a rebuilding year following the loss of 20 seniors and the NFL No. 1 draft pick, Tim Couch. Yet, you exceeded expectations by winning six games and going to a bowl game. What did that do for your program?
A: “It was a huge positive. It helped us in recruiting. It gave our younger guys confidence in that they set a goal at the beginning of the year to go to back-to-back bowls and they achieved that goal. We haven’t arrived by any means but it was positive.”
Q: What are your general goals for the spring?
A: “We’d like to come out of spring with our starting 22 intact and know who the key backups are at each position. We will spend a lot of time going over fundamentals. There are not as many position changes as there have been in the past, although there will be a few.”
Q: What position changes are you planning?
A: “The biggest thing is that we are going to bump Omar Smith (`99 starter at right tackle) inside and let him compete with Josh Parrish at right guard. On defense, we’re going to look at some of the backups at different positions – Jed Bassett at linebacker instead of strong safety, for instance. But for the most part it will stay the way it was.”
Q: What are the positives on offense going into the spring?
A: “The biggest positive is that we know a lot more about the players who started last year, who are all returning except for (running back) Anthony White and (tight end) James Whalen. We feel that Kendrick Shanklin will step in for White and Derek Smith and Chase Harp can step into Whalen’s spot. In addition, we should have a lot of competition for positions. Some guys who started last year might get beat out by some of the younger players.”
Q: There were a lot of new players and a lot of injuries at wide receiver last season, making it difficult to establish continuity at those positions. What do you hope to accomplish in the spring?
A: “We’ll have a lot of competition there (14 returning lettermen and two redshirts), so we’ll put them out there and see who rises. We need to get our two-deep set as it takes at least two at each spot for us to fill a position.”
Q: You had an all-new offensive line last year. How did they perform and what needs to happen to take a step forward in the spring?
A: “We were pleased with the way they competed but not necessarily pleased with the way they executed. We have to get quicker and stronger up front. We have some young guys who are going to put some heat on the ones who started. That should be one of the areas where we have great competition in the spring. Experience isn’t necessarily going to be the overriding factor in terms of starters.”
Q: One big question mark on offense is the running backs, with Anthony White’s departure and the late-season move of Derek Homer to wide receiver. What are your plans for the running backs?
A: “After looking at it, we’ve decided to return Derek to the backfield. Kendrick Shanklin will compete at both spots, but he might miss some of the spring depending on how he does with the baseball team. Martez Johnson and Mike Kamphake (both of whom redshirted in `99) can play both spots. Jeremy Davis, Gus Jacobs, and Joel Bryan will get long looks at the blocking back spot vacated by A. J. Simon.”
Q: One of the big success stories last season was Dusty Bonner, who led the league in passing efficiency and total offense in his first season as a starter. What enabled his success and what improvements are you looking from him?
A: “What made Dusty successful last year are the things that will make him successful in life, his work ethic and his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty. One of his best strengths is his intangibles — his leadership, unflappable demeanor, and knowledge of the game.
“We’ve discovered a flaw in the way we had him drop back in the pocket last year that caused some of the sacks. He would hitch up in the pocket, closer to the interior rush. We’re coaching him on his pocket feet. We have some drills that will help him, and knowing Dusty is so diligent he will accomplish that.”
Q: Will you have a quarterback competition in the spring?
A: “When we signed (redshirt freshman) Jared Lorenzen, we promised him a chance to compete for the starting job. If he accomplishes his goals in the classroom and in the off-season conditioning program, he’ll get a chance to compete with Dusty.”
Q: On defense, you lose three starters in the line. How much of a concern is that?
A: “By the end of the season, we feel that John Robinson was playing about as good as the starting tackles, so we expect him to step up and play. We have several other young tackles who will compete for playing time and can contribute. Dennis Johnson has proved he can make a lot of plays. We’ll probably play him at both end and tackle. At the other end, Matt Layow, John Rader, Otis Grigsby, Chris Demaree, and Grayson Smith have game experience are ready to play.”
Q: At linebacker, you have everyone back except Jeff Snedegar. How do you see that group shaping up?
A: “It is going to be harder to replace Snedegar. He was such a great player. Morris Lane, Ronnie Riley and Chris Gayton are in that mix, either working at the strong side or on the weakside behind Marlon McCree. We should have good competition in the middle with Ryan Murphy and Jamal White.”
Q: What do you look for out of the secondary?
A: “For the first time, we’re at least two-deep in every position in the secondary in terms of players with game experience. That’s going to be another area with great competition in the spring.”
Q: On the whole, you had very good special teams play last season. But you have major rebuilding to do after losing the starting kicker, punter, holder, and long snapper. Do you plan to spend extra time on special teams in the spring?
A: “We already spend a lot of time on special teams in the spring, so we won’t have to spend extra time. The good news is that we have Seth Hanson back, who was our starting kicker in `97 and `98. (Freshman) Dustin Wynn is on campus now. Both of them will compete for the punting and kicking jobs and we have some good walk-ons who have a chance.
“Matt Burke is a good long snapper and I think he can step in for Jimmy Haley. Jed Bassett can also deep snap and we have a good walk-on, Coleman Barnes, so we feel pretty strong about our snappers. (Backup quarterback) Mark Perry is a good holder and we’ll take a look at him there.”
Q: Last season, it had to be exciting to walk on the field and see 70,000 people in the bowled-in Commonwealth Stadium. Did that turn out the way you were hoping for?
A: “The stadium is beautiful. I know the fans helped us a lot against Arkansas and LSU and other games last season. I look forward to it being even better next year.”
Wildcats Notes
Plenty of Familiar Faces
The Kentucky coaching staff will see many more familiar faces this spring than they did a year ago.
A total of 16 offensive and defensive starters return from last season, the most for Kentucky since 1992. In addition, 35 of the top 44 players listed on UK’s bowl game two-deep chart are still with the team. All totaled, 62 lettermen are back for the Wildcats.
The coaching staff expects the depth of experienced returnees to lead to strong competition for starting positions during spring practice.
Position Changes
Entering his fourth spring practice, Coach Hal Mumme foresees fewer position changes this spring than in previous years.
Perhaps the most interesting move will be in the offensive line. Senior Omar Smith, who started last season at right tackle, moves inside and will battle returning starter Josh Parrish at right guard. In August, the coaches are hopeful that incoming freshman Antonio Hall will be able to take over the right tackle position. If Hall is not ready, Smith can return to right tackle or a young player such as Drew Ashcraft, Matt Burke, and Sylvester Miller could compete.
A couple of reserve defenders, linebacker Gus Jacobs and safety Joel Bryan, move to offense and will be tried at running back.
On defense, former linebacker John Rader will get a trial at end. Jed Bassett moves from safety to outside linebacker.
Injury Update
Strong safety David Johnson (broken orbital bone) and defensive tackle Richard Hardin (ankle surgery) are expected to participate in the spring after missing the 1999 season.
The status of running back Derek Homer, linebacker Gus Jacobs, and offensive lineman Tramaine Gaines is uncertain as of this writing. They might participate in the spring if rehabilitation is complete following their knee injuries.
Wide receivers Dougie Allen (knee) and Alex Herman (shoulder) will be available for some drills, but will not participate in the full-contact portions of practice.
Staff Changes
There is one change among the full-time coaches. Dan Lounsbury joined the staff in December and will coach the tight ends and help organize the special teams. Lounsbury replaces Chris Hatcher, who got the head coaching job at his alma mater, Valdosta (Ga.) State.With the arrrival of Lounsbury, Coach Hal Mumme reorganized the offensive staff. Tony Franklin has been named offensive coordinator and will coach the quarterbacks and receivers. Scott Highsmith will take over the running backs.
There also have been three changes of assigment on the defensive side. Tom Adams, who coached the defensive line last season, will concentrate on the young Wildcat tackles in 2000. Darrell Patterson, who has coached the safeties the last three seasons, will handle the defensive ends. Cornerbacks coach Tim Keane adds Patterson’s former duties with the safeties and will coach the entire secondary.
Expanded Stadium is the Cats’ Meow
The 1999 expansion of Commonwealth Stadium was a success. The stadium was bowled-in on each end, 40 private suites were added, and seating capacity increased to 67,530.
When stadium workers, players, media, etc., are included, attendance can surpass the 70,000 mark. UK averaged 67,756 during the 1999 season, including a stadium-record 71,022 for the Tennessee game.
100,000 Travel to UK Bowl Games
The Kentucky football team is in high demand by the post-season bowl games, and it is easy to understand why. Approximately 100,000 Wildcats fans have attended UK’s last two bowl trips.
With about 40-45,000 UK fans in the stands, the Outback Bowl enjoyed its first sellout on Jan. 1, 1999. Last December, a total of 59,221 people were in attendance at the HomePoint.com Music City Bowl – almost all of them clad in blue and white.
A Look at the Schedule
UK kicks off the millennium with a schedule that features six opponents that played in bowl games following the 1999 season. Here is UK’s schedule for 2000, including the opponents’ overall records, league records, and post-season results.
Sept. 2 at Louisville, 7-5, 4-2, lost the Humanitarian BowlSept. 9 South Florida, 7-4, independentSept. 16 Indiana, 4-7, 3-5Sept. 23 at Florida, 9-4, 7-1, lost the Orange BowlSept. 30 at Mississippi, 8-4, 4-4, won the Independence BowlOct. 7 South Carolina, 0-11, 0-8Oct. 14 at Louisiana State, 3-8, 1-7Oct. 21 Georgia, 8-4, 5-3, won the Outback BowlOct. 28 openNov. 4 Mississippi State, 10-2, 6-2, won the Peach BowlNov. 11 Vanderbilt, 5-6, 2-6Nov. 18 at Tennessee, 9-3, 6-2, lost the Fiesta Bowl
Schedule notes: Five opponents finished in the final national top-25 rankings – Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Mississippi State, and Tennessee … Kentucky returns to Louisville to open the season. The Wildcats won 68-34 in 1998 in the inaugural game in Papa John’s Stadium … UK plays its first game against South Florida, which moves up from I-AA to I-A for the 2000 season … Mississippi replaces Arkansas in UK’s SEC schedule rotation. The Wildcats last played the Rebels in 1992-93, with each team winning on its home turf, UM in 1992 and UK in 1993 … Only one opponent has a new head coach this season, as former Michigan State coach Nick Saban takes over at Louisiana State.
`99 Wildcats Exceed Expectations
Following the loss of 20 seniors from the 1998 team, plus the departure of #1 NFL draft pick Tim Couch, media expectations were not high for Kentucky in 1999.
The Wildcats defied the predictions, however, by winning six games and going to the HomePoint.com Music City Bowl. UK made back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since 1983-84.Here are more highlights from the season:
Kentucky’s win over Indiana was the fifth consecutive victory over the Hoosiers.
UK improved to 8-1 under Hal Mumme in regular-season non-conference play, including 3-0 vs. Indiana, 2-1 vs. Louisville, and 1-0 vs. Northeast Louisiana, Eastern Kentucky, and Connecticut.
The win over Arkansas was the first in school history vs. the Razorbacks.
UK defeated a nationally ranked opponent for the third year in a row after dispatching Alabama in 1997, Louisiana State in 1998, and Arkansas in 1999. This was the first time since 1968-70 that UK had beaten a ranked team three years in a row.
The 30-10 win at South Carolina was UK’s largest margin of victory in an SEC road win since winning at Florida, 31-3, in 1979.
The victory over LSU gave UK three consecutive SEC wins for the first time since 1996.
The win over LSU marked UK’s fifth consecutive victory in a Homecoming game.
UK set a school record by scoring 30 or more points in four consecutive SEC games.
UK defeated Vanderbilt for the fourth year in a row.
As a team, UK ranked in the top 20 in the nation in net punting, punt returns, kickoff returns, and passing offense.
Cats Clawing Under Mumme
Coach Hal Mumme has an 18-17 record in three seasons as head coach of the Wildcats, including 18-15 in regular-season action. Mumme is the first UK coach to have a winning record after three seasons since Blanton Collier in 1954-56.
Mumme has guided UK to consecutive bowl games, only the third time in school history that has occurred. College Football Hall of Fame coaches Paul “Bear” Bryant (1949-51) and Jerry Claiborne (1983-84) also took the Wildcats to consecutive bowl trips.
Mumme’s masterful job last season – winning while rebuilding – was rewarded when he was picked as the South/Southwest Coach of the Year by Football News, which includes the Southeastern Conference, Big 12 Conference, and Conference USA.
Mumme also was recognized as one of the nation’s top 15 recruiters by recruiting analyst Tom Lemming. In an article written for ESPN.com, Lemming picked his top 15 talent gatherers and wrote this about Mumme: “I must admit that I was skeptical when Mumme took the reins in Lexington three years ago. Now I have nothing but admiration for this highly charged, fast-talking and smooth recruiter. He has put together the hardest-working staff in college football and he himself will outwork most head coaches. In the home he is a humorous and emotional recruiter with a convincing style.”
Checking the Defensive Progress
The Kentucky defense has shown improvement each season since Coach Hal Mumme and defensive coordinator Mike Major took over in 1997. Here is a chart of the progress:
1997 1998 1999Yards Per Game Allowed 392.3 386.1 373.7Points Per Game Allowed 32.9 30.9 29.4Turnovers Gained 20 16 31
A point of emphasis for the UK defense last season was the creation of more turnovers, and the Wildcats did exactly that. UK led the league in turnovers created with 31, up from 16 takeaways in 1998.
Trusty Dusty
In what might have been one of the toughest replacement jobs since Joshua took over for Moses, quarterback Dusty Bonner proved to be a worthy successor to Tim Couch, 1998 All-American and the top pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.
In his first season as a starter – playing behind an offensive line comprised of five new starters and throwing to a mostly new set of receivers – Bonner merely led the Southeastern Conference in total offense and passing efficiency. Perhaps his greatest achievement was leading UK to six wins and a bowl game, a feat unforeseen by virtually all prognosticators.
Bonner completed 303 of 465 passes (65.2 percent) for 3,266 yards, 26 touchdowns, and an efficiency rating of 137.0. He led the SEC and ranked in the nation’s top 20 in all of those categories.
A heady player, one of Bonner’s greatest assets is making a minimum of mistakes. He threw just 13 interceptions, including three pickoffs that were desperation throws on the last play of losing games.Despite his success, Bonner might have to fend off a challenge from former high school All-American Jared Lorenzen, who redshirted as a freshman during the 1999 season. If Lorenzen meets his off-season objectives in the classroom and weight room, Coach Hal Mumme has promised the youngster a chance to compete with Bonner for the starting job.
Running Backs Lead the SEC
Everyone expects the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends to prosper in UK’s “Air Raid” offense. Not everyone is aware, however, that the running backs get their share of yardage as well.
Over the last three years, UK running backs Derek Homer and Anthony White generated more yards from the line of scrimmage – rushing and receiving yardage – than any other duo of running backs in the league.Homer and White generated 5,487 rushing and receiving yards from 1997-99. Next comes Mississippi (John Avery and Deuce McAllister in 1997, McAllister and Joe Gunn in 1998-99) with 5,411 yards. In third is Tennessee with 5,408 yards, generated by Shawn Bryson and Jamal Lewis in 1997 and Lewis and Travis Henry in 1998-99.
Cat Scratches
UK has been a very popular television team since the arrival of Coach Hal Mumme. In 1997, UK set a school record with six games selected for live national or regional television. The `98 team broke that record with eight live TV games, followed by yet another record with nine live TV games during the 1999 season.
In three seasons under defensive coordinator Mike Major, UK has blocked 11 kicks, including eight field goals, two punts, and one extra point.
Kentucky converted 87 percent of its scoring chances inside the opponent 20-yard line last season, leading the SEC in that category. UK scored 40 times (29 touchdowns, 11 field goals) in 46 chances.
In three seasons under Hal Mumme, UK has “gone for it” on fourth down 109 times, converting 53, including 9 of 12 on fake punts. The 53 successes have led to 30 UK touchdowns and four field goals. The 56 missed conversions have resulted in 18 touchdowns and two field goals on the ensuing opponent possessions.
The Kentucky cheerleaders won an unprecedented 10th national championship at the 2000 Universal Cheerleaders Association competition in January. The Wildcats have won the last six national titles.
Pre-Spring Offensive Depth Chart
(Subject to extensive change, 1999 starters underlined)
Tight End35 Derek Smith, 6-6, 267, So-1L11 Chase Harp, 6-4, 242, So-1L80 Edgar Gantt, 6-3, 209, So-1L87 Mike Beirne, 6-3, 214, Jr-2L
Left Tackle72 Matt Brown, 6-5, 300, Jr-2L75 Sylvester Miller, 6-5, 300, So-Sq
Left Guard66 Kip Sixbery, 6-4, 323, So-1L65 Keith Chatelain, 6-5, 329, So-Sq60 Jesse Borders, 6-4, 280, So-Sq
Center57 Nolan DeVaughn, 6-5, 318, Jr-2L58 Aaron Daniel, 6-3, 272, Sr-3L54 Patrick Wells, 6-3, 264, So-Sq55 Derrick Johnson, 6-2, 309, Jr-1L
Right Guard71 Josh Parrish, 6-6, 318, Jr-2L74 *Omar Smith, 6-3, 282, Sr-2L79 Tramaine Gaines, 6-4, 315, So-Sq
Right Tackle78 Matt Burke, 6-6, 295, So-1L76 Drew Ashcraft, 6-5, 296, Fr-RS
Wide Receiver “X”25 Quentin McCord, 5-10, 187, Sr-3L12 Derek Abney, 5-10, 171, Fr-RS19 Jermaine White, 6-6, 218, Jr-2L 3 Ernest Simms, 5-8, 166, So-1L13 Corry Doyle, 6-0, 185, Jr-Sq Matt Pleskovic, 6-2, 200, Jr-Sq
Wide Receiver “Z”89 Bobby Blizzard, 6-7, 246, So-1L82 Garry Davis, 6-2, 211, Sr-3L21 Octavius Bond, 6-1, 198, Fr-RS Gary Hughes, 5-9, 162, Jr-Sq Tom Malloy, 6-0, 183, So-Sq
Wide Receiver “H”81 Jimmy Robinson, 6-3, 200, Sr-2L47 Neal Brown, 6-0, 183, So-1L 1 Anthony Kelly, 5-11, 192, Jr-2L84 Alex Herman, 5-10, 185, Sr-1L92 Alvin Noble, 5-11, 197, Jr-Sq Dominique Myrick, 6-1, 194, So-Sq Kyle McDuffie, 5-10, 175, Sr-Sq
Quarterback15 Dusty Bonner, 6-2, 217, Jr-2L22 Jared Lorenzen, 6-4, 270, Fr-RS16 Mark Perry, 6-2, 197, Sr-1L Matt Casey, 6-4, 225, Fr-HS Mark Anleitner, 6-3, 200, Fr-RS
Fullback42 Derek Homer, 5-11, 200, Sr-3L40 Artose Pinner, 5-11, 208, So-1L28 Martez Johnson, 5-10, 191, So-1L45 Mike Kamphake, 6-0, 210, So-1L Mike Brumm, 5-11, 210, So-Sq
Halfback23 Kendrick Shanklin, 5-9, 170, Jr-2L48 Jeremy Davis, 6-3, 239, So-1L32 Joel Bryan, 5-10, 212, Jr-Tr40 Gus Jacobs, 6-0, 221, Jr-1L
Kicker90 Brandon Sanders, 6-1, 163, Sr-Sq10 Seth Hanson, 6-2, 196, Jr-2L81 Justin Hutton, 6-4, 190, So-Sq Dustin Wynn, 6-6, 208, Fr-HS
Pre-Spring Defensive Depth Chart
(Subject to extensive change, 1999 starters underlined)
End41 Matt Layow, 6-4, 245, Sr-3L18 Otis Grigsby, 6-4, 239, So-1L93 John Rader, 6-5, 245, Sr-3L73 Adrian Patton, 6-4, 235, Jr-1L
Tackle94 Richard Hardin, 6-6, 267, So-1L86 Richard Evans II, 6-4, 271, Fr-RS Aaron Robinson, 6-3, 299, Jr-Sq
Tackle46 John Robinson, 6-4, 285, So-1L99 Nick Seitze, 6-5, 284, Fr-RS Micah Terry, 6-1, 260, So-Sq
End56 Dennis Johnson, 6-7, 261, Jr-2L51 Chris Demaree, 6-4, 240, Jr-2L50 Grayson Smith, 6-1, 245, Sr-3L Chris Sheehan, 6-5, 245, Fr-HS
Outside Linebacker33 Chris Gayton, 6-2, 209, Jr-2L 8 Ronnie Riley, 6-2, 206, Jr-2L49 Mike Beshara, 6-3, 225, So-1L Michael Clayborne, 6-1, 193, Sr-Sq Billy Jackson, 6-0, 220, So-Sq Wesley Cissell, 6-0, 210, So-Sq
Middle Linebacker59 Ryan Murphy, 6-2, 240, Jr-2L47 Jamal White, 6-3, 221, Jr-2L53 Matt Schneider, 6-3, 237, Jr-2L Lance Southworth, 6-1, 230, So-Sq
Outside Linebacker30 Marlon McCree, 6-1, 193, Sr-3L26 Morris Lane, 6-1, 203, So-1L 4 Jed Bassett, 6-0, 189, So-1L Adetayo Agboke, 6-0, 195, So-Sq
Cornerback20 Eric Kelly, 5-11, 198, Sr-3L38 Jeremy Bowie, 5-10, 185, Sr-3L39 Nick Heald, 5-9, 183, Jr-1L
Strong Safety27 Willie Gary, 5-10, 195, Sr-3L29 Patrick Wiggins, 6-0, 198, Jr-1L 6 David Johnson, 6-0, 208, So-1L Nigel Smith, 5-9, 185, Jr-Sq
Free Safety24 Anthony Wajda, 6-4, 189, Jr-2L 2 Quentus Cumby, 6-1, 204, So-1L28 Charles Hamwright, 5-11, 192, So-Sq
Cornerback36 Kenneth Grant, 6-0, 208, Sr-3L21 Derrick Tatum, 6-0, 190, So-1L James Benson, 5-8, 168, Jr-Sq
Punter10 Seth Hanson, 6-2, 196, Jr-2L Dustin Wynn, 6-6, 208, Fr-HS Glenn Pakulak, 6-3, 208, So-Sq
Quick Facts
Team Information
1999 Record:
6-6 overall, 4-4 (4th place) in the SEC Eastern Division
1999 Postseason:
Lost to Syracuse, 20-13, in the HomePoint.com Music City Bowl
Basic Offense:
Multiple formations
Basic Defense:
4-3
Players Returning
Lettermen Returning:
62 (32 offense, 29 defense, one specialist)
Starters Returning:
16 (nine offense, seven defense)
Offensive Starters Returning (9):
LT Matt Brown, LG Kip Sixbery, C Nolan DeVaughn, RG Josh Parrish,RT Omar Smith, QB Dusty Bonner,FB Derek Homer, WR Garry Davis,WR Brad Pyatt
Defensive Starters Returning (7):
DE Dennis Johnson, LB Marlon McCree, LB Ryan Murphy, CB Eric Kelly,CB Kenneth Grant, SS Willie Gary,FS Anthony Wajda
Specialist Starters Returning (1):
PR/KR Kendrick Shanklin
Note: One position changes, Omar Smith will move from RT to RG in the spring
Players Lost
Lettermen Lost: 15 (seven offense, six defense, two specialists)Starters Lost: 6 (two offense, four defense)
Offensive Starters Lost (2):
HB Anthony White, TE James Whalen
Defensive Starters Lost (4): DT Gordon Crowe, DT George Massey, DE Anwar Stewart, LB Jeff Snedegar
Specialist Starters Lost (2): K Marc Samuel, P Andy Smith
Coaching Staff
Hal Mumme (Tarleton State 1975), head coach
Overall Record: 83-44-1 in 11 seasons, 1989-99
Record at Kentucky: 18-17 in three seasons, 1997-99
Record at Valdosta State: 40-17-1 in five seasons, 1992-96
Record at Iowa Wesleyan: 25-10 in three seasons, 1989-91
Tom Adams (Rice 1982), defensive tackles
Claude Bassett
(Brigham Young 1978), recruiting coordinator, kickers/punters, director of football operations
Tony Franklin (Murray State 1979), offensive coordinator, quarterbacks, receivers
Scott Highsmith
(Howard Payne 1977), running backs
Tim Keane
(Arkansas State 1968), defensive backs
Dan Lounsbury (Arkansas 1974), tight ends, special teams
Mike Major (Stephen F. Austin 1973), defensive coordinator, linebackers
Guy Morriss
(Texas Christian 1973), assistant head coach, offensive line
Darrell Patterson
(Texas Christian 1984), defensive ends
Football Support Staff
Director of Player Development: Mike Fanoga
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Marc Hill
Assistant Strength Coach: Scott Brincks
Graduate Assistant Strength Coaches: Keith Comeforo, Jamie Givens
Athletic Trainer: Jim Madaleno
Assistant Athletic Trainer: Jeff Allen
Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer: Patrick Sawyer
Equipment Manager: Tom Kalinowski
Administrative Staff: Josh Bullock, Quaintance Clark, Kwyn Jenkins, Carla Kemp, Janetta Owens, Sandy Wiese
