Missed the game? Watched it but can’t get enough or can’t believe what you saw? Cat Scratches will break down the nuts and bolts from each and every game, including some postgame reaction and comments from the players who made the difference.The essentials: Behind the play of true freshman quarterback Morgan Newton, the Kentucky football team handled Eastern Kentucky 37-12 in front of 67,053 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. UK outgained the Colonels 444-264, but it took a 13-0 third quarter to finally pull away. Without leading rusher Derrick Locke (knee) and do-it-all sophomore Randall Cobb, who was a late-game scratch with a sprained left thumb, UK stuck with what head coach Rich Brooks termed a “workman-like effort” to down the Colonels. Newton threw for 187 yards, including his first career passing touchdown, and the trio of Donald Russell, Moncell Allen and Alfonso Smith combined for 214 yards on the ground.The win was UK’s 18th straight non-conference win, breaking the school record of 17 straight set from 1954-60.”I’m proud of this team for bouncing back and doing something that has never been done in this school’s history,” Brooks said. “I know that we need to do a better job in the SEC, but no other team over a period of time – and there have been some good teams in this institution’s history – has been able to win 18 straight non-conference games.”I think that’s a significant milestone that gives this program a totally different platform to build on and move forward to try to attack that SEC ladder.”Play of the game: In a game with a relative lack of big plays (the exception being Russell’s 79-yard touchdown burst), Newton’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Chris Matthews probably takes the cake. Just a play after linebacker Sam Maxwell picked off a pass, Newton went to air to his tallest target in the right side of the end zone. Matthews made a double move on the hitch-and-go to get past the initial coverage.”It was very pleasing to see Morgan put the ball up there where (Matthews) could go up and make a play on it because the corner was still there,” Brooks said. “That’s the type of play that we would like to see him make on a more regular basis.”Turning point: It took a series of plays, but the Cats finally put the Colonels away in the third quarter. Newton calmly led the UK offense on a nine-play, 50-yard drive, capped off with a 14-yard strike to tight end Maurice Grinter, Newton’s first touchdown toss of his career and Grinter’s first grab of the season. The score gave the Cats some breathing room for the first time all game.Two plays later, Maxwell picked off a pass by T.J. Pryor, and Newton iced the game the very next play with the 18-yard toss to Matthews in the end zone.Player of the game: The Big Blueprint game ball has to go to Newton. The Carmel, Ind., native finished the day 20-of-29 for 187 yards, including two touchdown tosses. Without some of the offense’s biggest playmakers, Newton stepped up and looked mature beyond his years.Brooks admitted that what Newton faced was not a Southeastern Conference defense, but the game has finally started to slow down for the first-year quarterback. He was able to sit comfortably in the pocket and go through his reads. As a result, Newton was able to connect with eight different receivers.”Morgan is way ahead of where (André) Woodson was as a freshman,” said Joker Phillips, head coach of the offense. “He’s way ahead of where (Mike) Hartline was as a freshman. For a guy who comes in here in his sixth game and he’s only played four games and he’s doing some of the things he’s doing, that’s amazing.”
Unsung heroes: They never played a snap, but Cobb and former UK great Keenan Burton had a huge impact on getting over the devastating loss last week to Mississippi State.Cobb, who sprained his thumb in practice Thursday and planned on playing, was a late-game scratch and forced to watch from the sidelines.”He wanted to play,” Brooks said. “He said, ‘I can still block.’ “Brooks told him he couldn’t block, or play for that matter, but he didn’t tell him he couldn’t help. Instead of putting on a helmet, Cobb traded it in for a headset and helped coach the wide receivers. Cobb was as animated as anybody on the sideline, getting up in players’ faces and firing up his team.”I could hear the way he was communicating with them,” Phillips said. “The way he was communicating with them, he’s going to be a great coach. He was communicating with them well. Those type of things pay off for our program.”Burton, a wide receiver at UK from 2003-07, shared some of that similar wisdom with some of UK’s receivers while he visited Lexington during his bye week for the St. Louis Rams. It paid off, particularly for Matthews (seven catches for 56 yards and a score) and freshman La’Rod King (four receptions for 41 yards).”It’s been a growing process for our program, but we now we have guys coming back on their bye weeks from the NFL,” Brooks said. “We didn’t have that a lot when I got here. We’ve got more guys going into the NFL. They come back and they can impart some wisdom on this team and on their teammates. They’re all extremely proud of what the team has continued to do after they’ve left.”” He said what? Other notable quotes:Brooks on Newton’s play …“I thought Morgan Newton managed himself very well out there. … He threw the ball accurately, he had poise, he delivered it pretty much on the money and I thought he had a very good day.”
Brooks on the play of King …“La’Rod last week made some really good plays and earned himself more reps, and he certainly has earned himself some more reps with his performance today. La’Rod King is going to be a really, really good football player. I think he’s another underrated recruit with maybe not as attention as some, (but) he’s got some big-time skills and he’s learning how to play the game at this level pretty darn fast for a freshman.”
Newton on his development with the wide receivers …“I think it’s tough coming in (trying to get on the same page as everyone). You try to get continuity with all the guys. As we continue to get better, we’ll be able to hook up more with the receivers and the guys that are making plays for us.”
Injury report: Cobb, as mentioned before, did not play Saturday because of a sprained left thumb. They didn’t think it was that bad after injuring it Thursday, but it kept getting worse. They tried putting a splint on it before the game and then went to a cast once that didn’t work, but Cobb could barely catch passes and field punts with it on. His status for next week remains up in the air, but Brooks said that X-rays were negative.As far as the rest of the rather lengthy injury list: Tight end Ross Bogue hyper-extended his knee but did return; defensive end Taylor Wyndham suffered a shoulder strain; Maxwell sprained his thumb; cornerback Trevard Lindley re-injured his ankle before halftime and did not return; tight end T.C. Drake has a “significant” groin pull; and cornerback Paul Warford tweaked his quad and did not return.Brooks does expect Locke to return next week. Hidden stat: Maxwell has been overlooked and underrated his whole career, but he continues to make a name for himself in his final season at UK. The senior made yet another big play in Saturday’s game, recording his team-leading fourth interception of the year.”Sam is probably one of the most underrated players on this team, let alone our league,” Brooks said. “He’s got a nose for the football. All he does is make plays. He’s an outstanding player.”What this one means: To the average fan, it probably means very little. UK came into this game a heavy favorite against its Football Championship Subdivision counterpart EKU, so it was expected to take care of business.Consider it a day at the office.But this one is yet another notch in the belt of Brooks when you consider how he got it done. He played without his opening-day starting quarterback, without his leading rusher and without the services of Cobb. Still, behind the steady of play of Newton, UK was able to move the ball for 444 yards.Going forward, it gives Newton a huge boost of confidence heading into the season’s final stretch. If UK wants to make it to a bigger bowl game, it might have to be on the shoulders of the true freshman. Newton has been hailed as the future. Given Newton’s play the last two games and the stretch that lies ahead, the future is now.
