Brooks Discusses Newcomers at Rotary Luncheon: Coach Rich Brooks spoke at the Lexington Rotary Club luncheon on Thursday and spent extensive time talking the new faces the fans will see in 2004.

?I feel pretty good after two days watching them run around,? said Brooks, whose team has practiced in helmets, jerseys, and shorts so far, per NCAA rules. ?We?re going to get better.?

Brooks spoke well of the junior-college players that entered in January and will be playing for the Wildcats this fall, including defensive end B. Jay Parsons, linebacker Cedric Koger, offensive tackle Ernie Pelayo, wide receiver Scott Mitchell, and tight end Jamir Davis. Brooks had very kind words on Parsons.

?He makes a lot of plays with his height (six feet, five inches), athletic ability, and effort,? Brooks said. ?He reminds me of Sweet Pea Burns in that he doesn?t know half-speed, he doesn?t know three-quarters speed, all he knows is full speed. He has a great motor and goes hard from snap to whistle.?

Brooks also mentioned several of the true freshmen who had made a good impression during the first two days of practice, including wide receivers Lonnell Dewalt and Dicky Lyons Jr., offensive guard Micah Jones, cornerback Jarrell Williams, and safeties Wesley Woodyard and Marcus McClinton.

?I said when Woodyard and McClinton signed that it was the best pair of safeties we ever signed in the same class,? Brooks said. ?After watching them for a couple of days, you can underline that.?

Injury Update: Following Thursday?s practice at the Nutter Training Facility, Coach Rich Brooks gave an injury update on players who missed the workout because of injury, cornerback Warren Wilson, wide receiver Dicky Lyons Jr., and tight end Jeremiah Drobney.

?Warren (dislocated toe) has to get the swelling down to the point that he is functional. It could be at least a week. It?s not serious, but it is painful,? Brooks said. ?Dicky (sprained ankle) will be out two or three days. Jeremiah is day-to-day with a slight hamstring strain.?