QB competition will continue after starter fails to emerge from Blue/White game

It was fitting that the weather for Saturday’s Blue/White game was overcast because the competition for UK’s starting quarterback is still cloudy following the last day of spring football.

The Blue team defeated the White team 60-25 in a modified form of the scrimmage, whereby the offense (Blue) played against the defense (White) and scored points for things such as first downs, and the defense scored points for things such as three-and-outs.

But, more importantly, UK head coach Joker Phillips was not ready to announce who his No. 1 quarterback was heading into the summer so the three-quarterback race among senior Mike Hartline, sophomore Morgan Newton and redshirt freshman Ryan Mossakowski will wage on.

“I think this (quarterback) competition is way too close to decide in April,” Phillips said. “We’ll carry this competition into August and hopefully we can come up with a decision quickly because we’ll need that guy to get a majority of the No. 1 snaps.”

Phillips said that he would’ve liked to know who his man under center would be at the end of spring, but that the uncertainty at the position isn’t concerning him right now.

“The reason I’m not disappointed is because I think we can win with all three of those guys,” Phillips said.

The three quarterbacks essentially received the same amount of playing time on Saturday. Hartline and Mossakowski led five offensive series while Newton led four.

But, the quarterbacks’ performances didn’t make Phillips’ decision easier as they showed flashes of brilliance at times, but also committed some costly errors.

Hartline, who finished 11 of 24 for 124 yards, graded his performance as a “C-plus.”

“As far as execution today, it was sloppy,” Hartline said. “I let a few passes get away from me, and our receivers dropped a few passes…I hate to say this about the spring game, but it was probably our worst scrimmage of the three we’ve had.”

Hartline produced a well-thrown 21-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver E.J. Fields in the corner of the end zone, but also threw an ill-advised pass down the sideline that was intercepted by linebacker Danny Trevathan on the offense’s first drive.

Likewise, Newton, who finished 6 of 12 for 92 yards, kept several plays alive with his feet, including a 36-yard scamper, but with the offense at the five-yard line, he under threw his receiver in the end zone, which resulted in a Winston Guy interception to end the first half.

Mossakowski, who was sacked hard twice, finished with the most modest stat line of the three: 6 of 13 for 37 yards.

The three quarterbacks said they are using the competition as a means to get better because they are pushing each other every day.

“The drama is exhilarating,” Newton said.

In fact, the drama is only building because Phillips said the competition is a tight battle after Newton and Mossakowski closed the gap that Hartline had established earlier in the spring.

“Whoever gets (the starting job) I’m going to support 110 percent,” Mossakowski said. “We’re good friends, we’ve got a good relationship between all three of us, and that just makes it that much better.”

Former Cats selected in the NFL draft

Three players from last year’s team were drafted by NFL teams over the weekend. On Friday, defensive tackle Corey Peters was drafted in the third round (83rd overall) by Atlanta. Then on Saturday, cornerback Trevard Lindley was taken in the fourth round (105th overall) by Philadelphia, and fullback John Conner was a fifth-round pick (139th overall) by the New York Jets.

This marks the third consecutive year at least one Cat has been taken in the draft.

Quarterbacks and Phillips talk after the Blue/White game

QB Morgan Newton on the QB competition and his performance in the Blue/White game.

QB Mike Hartline on the QB competition and his performance in the Blue/White game.

QB Ryan Mossakowski on the QB competition and his performance in the Blue/White game.

Joker Phillips discusses the Blue/White game.

Another video of Phillips discussing the Blue/White game.

UK drops series opener to Auburn, 13-6

Auburn scored runs in seven of the nine innings as they claimed a 13-6 victory over UK on Friday.

UK (22-16, 5-11 SEC) starter Logan Darnell allowed a career-high nine runs in 6.1 innings.  He was relieved by Walter Wijas, the hero of the Florida game last Sunday.  This time, however, Wijas didn’t record an out, allowing two home runs in his short outing.  He was followed on the mound by Braden Kapteyn and Mike Kaczmarek.

The Cats were led offensively by Lance Ray, who went 3-for-4 with three doubles.  Ray, in his last three starts, has now reached base safely in 11 of 13 plate appearances.  Braden Kapteyn also had a good day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.

The series resumes Saturday at 1 p.m.

Patterson to forgo senior season for NBA

A legendary Cat is moving on.

Junior forward Patrick Patterson called it a career Friday afternoon, formally announcing his intentions to turn pro.

Patterson first thanked his coaches, including former UK head coach and current Minnesota head coach Tubby Smith, for getting him acquainted with the university.

“I just felt that it was time for me to go, time for me to start a new chapter in my life, time for me to move on” Patterson said. “I’ve had a great collegiate career here these past three years. I had a lot of fun, created a lot of memories, and met some exciting people.”

Patterson said he seriously considered returning for his senior season, but intends to complete his degree this semester and participate in graduation ceremonies on May 8 with the rest of the UK graduates.

After averaging 14.3 points and 7.4 rebounds during the 2009-10 season and becoming a legitimate 3-point shooting threat, Patterson is projected to be a lottery pick at No. 12 by DraftExpress.com.

In his first two seasons, Patterson played mostly in the paint with his back to the basket.

Under UK head coach John Calipari, Patterson extended his range and said he has no regrets about returning for his junior season after being projected as a first round pick following his sophomore year.

“Ball handling, driving from the perimeter, just overall confidence in myself skyrocketed this year,” Patterson said. “(I improved) from the coaching staff pushing me every day and my teammates just believing in me. So definitely, there is no bitter taste in my mouth for returning for my junior year.”

Patterson’s mother, Tywanna Patterson, said she was more proud of her son for earning his degree than his basketball accomplishments, but she thinks of him leaving UK more as him passing on the baton to someone else rather than leaving. Tywanna said she was happy Patrick decided to come back for his junior season.

“It was his decision,” Tywanna said.

Patterson’s legacy may be one that will live in the rafters of Rupp Arena some day, but for now, he said he hopes he’s remembered for wearing the UK jersey with pride, and someone who was a great ambassador for the university.

While only at UK for three years, Patterson has experienced the highs and lows of the UK basketball program.

He came to UK with first-year head coach Billy Gillispie, played in notable home losses to Gardner Webb, San Diego and the Virginia Military Institute, had to sit out with an injury and miss his first NCAA Tournament, play in the National Inviation Tournament, go through a coaching change, help UK win the Southeastern Conference Tournament and played as a No. 1 seed.

“I definitely feel like a veteran,” Patterson said. “I feel like this is my fifth year here at Kentucky.

Patterson will leave the Cats with a career average of 16.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He is 11 points shy of 12th place on UK’s all-time scoring list with 1,564 points.

“Finally, to be a part of history and to be a part of a team that got Kentucky back to its rightful place among the elite programs across the nation, I definitely think that I was a part of history,” Patterson said. “I definitely think I was a part of the progression of getting Kentucky back to the true spot, to the true top point where it needs to be and should be.”

Videos of Patterson talking about going pro

Junior forward Patrick Patterson thanks his coaches and teammates, and announces his decision to turn pro.

Patterson talks about his decision to turn pro.

Another video of Patterson talking about his decision to turn pro.

One more video of Patterson talking about turning pro.

Final video of Patterson talking about his decision to turn pro.

Wall bids farewell to Cats, enters NBA Draft

He can’t do his laundry and he can’t cook, but John Wall is likely to be the No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft.

The electric 6-foot-4 guard from Raleigh, N.C., held a news conference Thursday morning to tell media and family members, including his mother, Frances Pulley, he will be entering the draft.

“(UK head coach John Calipari) told me I had a chance … it was just going to take a lot of hard work and dedication, and that’s the type of person I am,” Wall said. “I always want to work hard, stay humble and hungry, and I came in and did what I was supposed to this year.”

Expectations for Wall varied from person to person since he signed with the Cats in May of 2009.

Wall arrived in Lexington as the premier player in a recruiting class many experts perceived as one of the best of all time. His ball handling, vision and speed were attributes that had the Big Blue Nation dropping their collective jaws, and after one dance at Big Blue Madness in mid-October, the legend was born. As the season progressed, the John Wall Dance swept the globe. Drinks at local bars were even named after the freshman phenom.

“I knew a lot of expectations would be set for me because of what type of player I was coming out of high school,” Wall said. “But I didn’t know all of it was going to be like it was, like a three-second dance and all the other things and so much expectations for this team. But I loved every second, every moment that we had at the University of Kentucky.”

En route to setting UK freshman records in points, assists and free throws made, Wall earned Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors and was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press. With recruiting season in full blast, Wall said he would recommend UK to any student-athlete still considering which school to go to.

Meanwhile, Wall will move on, and take on the responsibilities of an adult drawing an NBA paycheck. During the season, Big Blue Nation found out Wall’s fear of needles, but it seems needles aren’t the only hindrance for the teenager.

“I’m trying to still learn how to wash clothes and things like that,” Wall said. “And it ain’t working.”

Wall, who wore a black suit with pinstripes and a purple tie to the news conference, said he wasn’t worried about what he was going to buy first with his money.

“I have one suit, this is the only suit I got. I wear this to every press conference,” Wall said. “I’m just worried about getting my mom a house and car and just let her relax. Just show her that I care and love her so much for all the stuff she did for me.”

Wall said he didn’t really care what team he was drafted by and didn’t have a favorite team, but he hoped UK fans would come out and support him.

“I never thought college would be this fun for me,” Wall said. “I said I had fun in high school and AAU, but every time I sit back and watch a highlight video of this team this year, I sit back and I cry in my room because it’s so emotional. I never thought that this team would be this special, and the players and the coaching staff meant a lot to me.

“I’m always going to be a Kentucky Wildcat for the rest of my life. Like I said, the fans and the people support us all year long. Why wouldn’t you want to come here?”

UK tennis in top 10, but still underdogs

By Ethan Levine

Last fall, Alabama and Florida led the way for the Southeastern Conference, holding the top two spots in the coaches’ poll almost the entire season. But the SEC’s depth doesn’t stop there. Louisiana State and UK are all ranked in the top 10, and they’ll all face off this weekend in Lexington for the conference tournament.

“There is some great competition,” UK head coach Dennis Emery said. “The SEC is the top conference in the country every year. The great thing is with the non-conference schedule we played, we saw eight top-10 teams this season, so we know what it looks like.”

UK, despite being ranked No. 8 in the nation with a 23-7 record earned the fourth seed in the SEC Tournament. On Friday, the Cats will face the winner of the Ole Miss-South Carolina opening round matchup.

If UK advances past the quarterfinals, it will likely face the top-seeded Tennessee Volunteers, who finished the regular season 23-1, including a perfect 11-0 record in conference play. But UK is focusing on its first opponent.

“We will have no problems with preparing for Ole Miss,” Emery said. “We beat them earlier this season for the first time since 2002. Ole Miss is one of the elite programs in the country and the players realize it. Unless we act like complete idiots, we should have no problems focusing on them.”

The second-seeded Florida Gators (17-3, 9-1 SEC) and the third-seeded Georgia Bulldogs (17-6, 9-2 SEC) also pose big tests for the Cats. This season, UK was a perfect 8-0 in conference against teams behind it in the conference standings. But against the top three teams in the conference, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia, the Cats could not manage a single win.

“We were five-all, love-30 against Florida and had four match points against Georgia,” Emery said. “So we were two points away from being 10-1 in the conference. We are trying to continue to get better. The way we beat those teams this time is to be a little better at the end of matches.”

But the SEC Tournament gives the Cats a chance at redemption, and a chance to gain some revenge after those close matches earlier in the year.

“Our guys really like each other, and really like playing together,” Emery said. “The camaraderie our guys have means a lot at the end of the year.”

Teague commits to Cats

One point guard leaves, another commits.

On the same day John Wall formally announced his intentions to enter the 2010 NBA Draft, class of 2011 point guard Marquis Teague gave UK head coach John Calipari and the UK basketball team a verbal commitment.

Teague is regarded by Rivals.com as the No. 2 player in the country and the top point guard. Teague, brother of former Wake Forest star Jeff Teague who now plays for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, will be yet another highly ranked point guard to commit to Calipari.

Calipari has now coached in succession, Derrick Rose, who was the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2009, Tyreke Evans, who is the favorite to be the 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year, and Wall, who is favored to be the top pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. Calipari has also landed a National Letter of Intent from the class 2010’s No. 1 player, Brandon Knight.

Teague is a 6-foot-2 guard from Indianapolis who many believed months ago would commit to Louisville. The Cats and Cards were the final two schools Teague was deciding between.

The Cats now have verbal commitments from the top two prospects in the class of 2011, having already received a verbal commitment from Michael Gilchrist on April 14.

Video of Wall news conference

Freshman guard John Wall talks to the media about his decision to enter the NBA.

Wall talks about his time at UK and the college experience.

One more video of Wall talking about his time at UK and his future in the Association.

The Knob Club

Most exclusive clubs require a certain something to become a member.

For three players on the baseball team, it’s all about the bottom of the bat.

Andy Burns, Marcus Nidiffer and Gunner Glad all tape up the knobs on their bats to unnatural dimensions.  It doesn’t really do much.  It’s just their own little thing.

“We started doing it in Cincinnati,” Burns said.  “Ever since then, the numbers have been ridiculous.”

Here are the numbers: when the Cincinnati game was played, Burns was hitting .237, Nidiffer .250 and Glad .348.  Currently, Burns is hitting .276, Nidiffer .281 and Glad .338.  Burns leads the team in home runs with 11 and Glad leads the team with 35 RBI.

The tape on the knob isn’t for everyone, as each player has a unique way of preparing the bat they use in a game.  But Burns said others are close to joining their “club.”

“Luke Maile is on the border,” Burns said of the freshman catcher.  “We’re trying to work him in.  But not everyone can get in it.”

Speaking of Maile, he had one of the weirdest statistics on the team up until the last game.  He was 2-for-15 before the WKU game on Tuesday.  Both hits were home runs.

“It’s definitely contradictory to me as a hitter, I’ve never been a home run guy,” Maile said of the stat a week ago.  “I’ve hit for average, hit the other way.  I don’t know if it’s the weightlifting, if that’s what’s happened, but I’ve been fortunate to put a couple good swings.  If it continues, not going to complain.”

However, the trend changed in the WKU game.  Maile entered the game and went 1-for-2 with a single, his first hit in which he didn’t round the bases all the way.

Maybe it was the knob.