Apologies for the lack of content the last couple of days. I’ve been under the weather a bit and I’m still trying to round back into form. A couple of notes to catch you up on the latest UK news: – Thoughts and prayers go out to Kentucky men’s basketball forward Eloy Vargas and his family as UK has confirmed that Vargas’ father has died. There are no other details on the elder Vargas’ passing, but UK has confirmed that Vargas’ father died in the Dominican Republic. Vargas’ status for Friday’s season opener is uncertain, but that should be the last thing on Vargas’ mind right now. – UK football fans’ biggest fear got some legs Tuesday when junior Randall Cobb confirmed to the Lexington Herald-Leader’s Chip Cosby that he will weigh his NFL Draft options after the season. In an interview after practice Monday, Cobb told Cosby that he plans on waiting until after the season to submit his name for the NFL Draft Advisory Board before deciding whether to turn pro. Does this mean Saturday’s game is Cobb’s last one at Commonwealth Stadium? Not quite. Most juniors with an NFL future usually have their draft status evaluated, and the NCAA allows student-athletes to submit papers to the draft and return to college once in their collegiate careers. Becase of the (I believe strong) possibility of returning to UK, it doesn’t sound as if Cobb will participate in Senior Day activities. Read the full details on Cosby’s blog.– Leading rusher Derrick Locke is scheduled to talk to the media Wednesday for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury in the Auburn game. Locke has missed the last four games with a shoulder stinger and has declined to talk to the media since. With Senior Day on Saturday and the chances that he will play this week increasing, Locke has agreed to talk Wednesday. I’ll have coverage of what Locke says Wednesday on the blog.- Just a quick reminder that Wednesday is the first day of the fall signing period. The signing period, which lasts through Nov. 17, includes all sports except football, soccer, track and field, and cross country. We cannot talk about the prospective student-athletes on this website until UK has received the national letter of intent. UK will announce the signings with a news release. Those of you looking for comments from basketball coaches John Calipari and Matthew Mitchell on their classes, they are scheduled to talk about the signees during news conferences Thursday.- Congrats to former UK linebacker Wesley Woodyard, who has been named the Denver Broncos’ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award recipient. The prestigious award historically recognizes a player for outstanding leadership both on the field and in the community. Woodyard will be recorgnized during pregame festivities of Sunday’s game against the Chiefs when a $5,000 donation will be presented on his behalf to both the Tennyson Center for Children and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver.
