Aug. 25, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips held a brief practice Thursday morning, just under an hour, as the Kentucky football team begin its game-week preparation for its season opener with Western Kentucky University on Thursday, Sept. 1, at 9:15 p.m. ET in Nashville, Tenn.
Phillips, who gave the team off from all football activities Wednesday in order to focus on the first day of classes, said the team did a basic walk-through practice Thursday morning, typical of what they would do on Sundays following a game.
“We haven’t really done a whole lot on the field since we last saw each other (Tuesday night),” Phillips said Thursday morning. “The last couple of days we have been trying to get into it mentally and trying to recover (physically) also. We have some dead legs that we are trying to get back. Today was like a Sunday for us. We went through some corrections and did some special situations. We will come back and have two Tuesday-like practices, a Wednesday practice and two Thursday practices.”
Phillips said with school starting it is important for the players to be concentrating on football when they enter the Nutter Training Facility.
“We have to be focused,” Phillips said. “You only get them four hours a day. You worry about making sure they get their rest, that is one thing, but we usually can get them focused once we get them in this building. The thing that we have to do is make sure they are resting when they are not in school.”
Fans Encouraged to Donate Blood in “Battle of the Bluegrass”: The Battle of the Bluegrass isn’t just played on the football field. It’s a blood battle between the Cats and the Cards, too.
Kentucky Blood Center’s annual Battle of the Bluegrass runs Aug. 22 through Sept. 2. Donors can give blood and vote for their favorite team – the UK Wildcats or the U of L Cardinals.
All donors receive a T-shirt and a chance to win prizes, including a 2011 Toyota Tacoma.
To find a convenient location or schedule a donation, visit kybloodcenter.org or call 800-775-2522.
