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[FONT=Tahoma]When you start a new school year or maybe a new job, you often go in with some sort of expectations. You might meet with your teacher or boss and go over some goals that both of you would like to accomplish throughout the year. Why not do the same thing with sports? I want to pick five various aspects of the [/FONT][FONT=Tahoma]UK[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma] football season and give each one a grade. Once the football Cats win their bowl game (see what I did there?) we will re-visit these same five points and grade them once again.[/FONT]
[B][U][FONT=Tahoma]Excitement[/FONT][/U][/B][FONT=Tahoma] – Today’s grade: B+[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]Though last season ended in a disappointment and saw three key players exit the team, the excitement level around [/FONT][FONT=Tahoma]UK[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma] football is pretty high. Fan day was a great success and Tee Martin is doing his best to get the fans ready. Positive vibes are coming out of the Morgan Newton camp and Joker is picking up recruits left and right. The only reason I did not upgrade the Excitement grade to an A is because of the upcoming [/FONT][FONT=Tahoma]Dominican Republic[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma] vs. Legends game. [/FONT][FONT=Tahoma]Kentucky[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma] will always be a basketball school and this game has proven that, and unfortunately stole a little of the preseason football thunder. [/FONT]
[B][U][FONT=Tahoma]Offense[/FONT][/U][/B][FONT=Tahoma] – Today’s grade: C+[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]After losing three important players from the offensive side, one would think this year’s team might struggle. Hartline was finally coming into his own within the offense last season, Locke was the man behind the run and Cobb…well he was everything, the heart and soul behind the team. On the other hand, you have a strong offensive line returning. If they can give Newton the time he needs to make the big passes, and the wide receiving core steps up their game, then we could see more W’s than expected.[/FONT]
[B][U][FONT=Tahoma]Defense[/FONT][/U][/B][FONT=Tahoma] – Today’s grade: C[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]If you were a fan of [/FONT][FONT=Tahoma]Kentucky[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma] football last season, it was blatant the defense was more than lacking. Steve Brown’s mustache just didn’t get the job done. Luckily, Rick Minter was hired on to bring a new intensity to the Wildcat defense and even though the defensive performance versus SEC talent is still up in the air, you have to think the defense can only go up from here. Plus, Danny Trevathan is on our team, YAY![/FONT]
[B][U][FONT=Tahoma]Special Teams[/FONT][/U][/B][FONT=Tahoma] – Today’s grade: A-[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know much about the special teams this year, but I optimistically gave it an “A” because something on here needed a perfect grade! What I do know is the [/FONT][FONT=Tahoma]Kentucky[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma] kicking game is solid, Craig McIntosh returns with 11 of 15 FG, and 34 or 35 PAT’s. The Cats also have Sophomore Joe Mansour returning who led the SEC in touchbacks last season. [/FONT]
[B][U][FONT=Tahoma]Crowd [/FONT][/U][/B][FONT=Tahoma]- Today’s grade: B-[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]One thing the football staff is really pushing this season is crowd participation during games. A survey was sent out to season ticket holders regarding the atmosphere surrounding games at Commonwealth, it appears the administration is putting out the effort to kick it up a notch (get it, kick?). What is probably a combination of a struggling football team mixed with late fan arrivals, Commonwealth doesn’t equal the best college football stadium to watch a game. The more the crowd is into it, the better the team performs, time to turn it up big blue nation![/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]Overall the Cats average out to a solid B in the preseason, do you think the Cats can become A+ students?[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma]What grade do you give the football Cats?[/FONT]
[I][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Arial]Follow Courtney Deuser on[/FONT][/COLOR][/I][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Arial] [I]Twitter [/I][/FONT][/COLOR][I][COLOR=#3e3e3e][FONT=Arial][URL=”http://twitter.com/wildcatty11″][COLOR=#2655a3]@Wildcatty11 [/COLOR][/URL][/FONT][/COLOR][/I][I][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Arial]for[/FONT][/COLOR][/I][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Arial] [I]more UK sports insight.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR]
