Once again, the eyes of the nation will be on the Bluegrass for the Kentucky-Louisville football game, which is being moved to Sunday, Sept. 4, at 3:30 p.m., to accommodate a live telecast by ESPN. UK will play host to the game at Commonwealth Stadium.
This will be the eighth time that the game will be televised in the 12 years since the teams resumed playing in 1994. ESPN or ESPN2 has carried the game five times, including 1996 and 2002-05. This is the fourth consecutive year that the game will be played on a Sunday.
Schuler in the Middle of the Action: Joe Schuler is in the middle of the action this spring ? literally.
Schuler, a sophomore from Evansville, Ind., has been practicing at middle linebacker recently after beginning the spring as the starter at strongside linebacker.
?I like playing in the middle, it takes me back to my high-school days,? said Schuler, who prepped at Evansville?s Central High School. ?The biggest adjustment is calling the alignment for the front four (defensive line) when the offense comes to the line of scrimmage. It?s really important to make the call quickly so everybody can get in position (before the snap).?
Schuler played in all 11 games last season, including a pair of starting assignments, as a redshirt freshman. He totaled 33 tackles, including a high of seven stops against Alabama. He said that getting to play last season is proving to be extremely valuable this spring.
?That year of experience is helping me a lot,? Schuler said. ?It is so much easier to read a play and know what the different (offensive) formations mean. Last year, my head was spinning. This year, the speed of the game is slowing down and I?m a lot calmer.?
An off-season program emphasizing increased speed has helped his performance as well.
?I?ve lost about 20 pounds, down to about 235,? Schuler said. ?I?m faster but also a lot stronger, about twice as strong as I was in high school.?
In addition to learning a new position, Schuler also has a new position coach this spring as former Wildcat linebacker Chuck Smith has returned to his alma mater and is coaching the linebackers.
?I love Coach Smith. He?s exactly the type of coach I can thrive under,? Schuler said. ?He pushes you hard and harps on fundamentals all the time, but when he gets after you, you can tell that he?s just trying to make you the best you can be.?
Smith has been equally enthused about what he?s seen of Schuler.
?Joe has taken his game to another level this spring,? Smith said. ?He?s gotten a little better each practice and I?m really pleased with his work ethic. He?s having a great spring.?
Kentucky completed the ninth of its allotted 15 practices on Wednesday morning at Commonwealth Stadium. The Wildcats return to practice Friday at 9 a.m.
Kentucky Football Calendar (practices held in Commonwealth Stadium or Nutter Field House):
Fri. Apr. 15 – Practice, 9-11 a.m.
Sat. Apr. 16 – Practice (scrimmage), 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Mon. Apr. 18 – Practice, 9-11 a.m.
Wed. Apr. 20 – Practice, 9-11 a.m.
Fri. Apr. 22 – Practice, 9-11 a.m.
Sat. Apr. 23 – Blue/White Spring Game, 1 p.m., Commonwealth Stadium
