Turituri Out for the Season : Offensive tackle Fatu Turituri has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the 2005 season, Coach Rich Brooks announced Tuesday.
Turituri, a junior-college transfer originally from American Samoa, was injured during Saturday?s 13-7 win over Mississippi State. Brooks announced Monday that freshman middle linebacker Braxton Kelley also sustained a torn ACL in that game and will miss the remainder of the season.
True freshman James Alexander is expected to start in Turituri?s place. Redshirt freshman Ben McGrath is slated to start for Kelley.
The injuries to Turituri and Kelley bring to 15 the number of Kentucky starters and key reserves who will have missed games this season because of injury. The Wildcats have undergone 18 surgeries since practice began in August; Turituri and Kelley will add to that total.
Little, Mielsch are Game Captains for Auburn Game: Tailback Rafael Little and defensive tackle Trey Mielsch have been named game captains for the Auburn game, Coach Rich Brooks has announced.
Game captains are usually selected based on their performance from the previous game. Little was named Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week after totaling a career-high 247 all-purpose yards in UK?s victory over Mississippi State. Mielsch was part of a defense that allowed just seven points, UK?s best defensive showing in an SEC game since 1999. Little and Mielsch will join permanent captains Muhammad Abdullah and Tommy Cook for the opening coin toss.
M. Jones, Bates, Buckvar are Scouts of the Week: Offensive guard Micah Jones, linebacker Ben Bates, and cornerback Nick Buckvar have been named Scout Team Players of the Week, Coach Rich Brooks has been announced.
Jones (offense), Bates (defense), and Buckvar (special teams) were chosen for their work on the scout teams in helping Kentucky prepare for its game against Mississippi State.
SAAC/God?s Pantry Food Drive Set for Saturday: The UK Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and God?s Pantry are teaming up for the fourth-annual SAAC/God?s Pantry Food Drive.
Fans attending Saturday?s football game vs. Auburn are encouraged to donate canned goods, other non-perishable food items, or money. Students from the SAAC will be set up to take donations at each gate of the stadium.
Fans who donate will receive an entry form for a prize drawing as 125 pairs of men?s basketball game tickets will be given away.
The food drive benefits God?s Pantry, a non-profit organization that helps feed the hungry in Central and Eastern Kentucky. For every $1 donated, God?s Pantry can purchase $10 worth of food.
