Before Kentucky's first exhibition game, Coach John Calipari noted how much teaching he had to do.

Before the second, Calipari reflected on a change in teaching methods.

This week, Calipari instituted a curfew, ordered two-a-day practices (the first beginning at 6:15 a.m.) and generally went from counselor at Camp Cal to Parris Island drill sergeant.

"It's a new Coach Cal," freshman DeMarcus Cousins said Thursday. "Intense and focused. It's not the laid-back, chilled Cal no more."

Calipari attributed the change to what he saw in Kentucky's opening exhibition game against Campbellsville. Although UK won, the coach did not like how the players went about it. Fatigue set in, causing the coach to question the team's conditioning. Few took the initiative and drove assertively to the basket, the trigger mechanism for Calipari's dribble-drive offense. Defensive alertness waned.

Calipari likened the situation to a poor scrimmage performance by his Memphis team last year against St. Louis.

"I saw right there the team was not tough enough, not in condition, and the attention to detail wasn't there," he said. "When I saw the same thing against Campbellsville, I went to sleep with what I call them blood sweats because I know it's about me. It's not about them. These kids will do what I tell them."

And Calipari told the UK players what he wanted and what they needed.

"I told them we have to get in better condition," he said, "and we have to get tougher."

Calipari all but promised a better performance against his alma mater, Clarion, in Friday night's exhibition or continued classwork in UK basketball's new school of hard knocks. Or both.

Noting his own new exercise routine (reflected in the sweat-soaked T-shirt he wore to practice), Calipari said, "I'm back into an exercise killer. Either they catch up to it or get dragged through glass. One or the other."

Calipari's prodding extended even to All-America candidate Patrick Patterson.

Calipari mildly rebuked Patterson for not being more assertive against Campbellsville.

"I got on Patrick," the UK coach said. "'You took seven shots. You kidding me?'"

That was a rhetorical question.

"I don't care if we're playing a five-out offense," Calipari said. "You took seven shots. Go get the ball. Go demand the ball. Go get 20 rebounds."

Calipari said he might call more plays for Patterson to get the big man more involved offensively.

"He's one of the best players in the country," Calipari said. "He needs to play that way. And we need to play him that way. It's not just him. It's us, too. We'll see what happens."

Calipari said that he's learned that Patterson can too willingly cede a central role.

"He'd rather defer," the UK coach said. "Don't throw it to him, he's OK. 'I'll just play.'

"But we need him to be the star that he is. I have to help him. But he also has to do it."

When asked to react on Cousins saying the laid-back, chilled Calipari was no more, the UK coach smiled and said, "I've gotten their attention.

"Everything was positive, upbeat, hugging them. OK. How do we get to the next level? I tried to be the same (nice) guy and get them to the next level. It didn't work.

"So now I'm another guy now. The hair grows on my back. All I'm doing is holding the bar higher, and they have to get that bar."

Calipari noted that this change of tactics should not be interpreted as unhappiness with the team.

"I love my team," he said. "I just don't love where we are."

Calipari acknowledged that he needs to be patient. After all, it is early November. Plenty of time remains to improve.

"Everybody tells me to be patient," he said. "It's not March."

Big Blue Madness was only three weeks ago.

"The problem is we're opening up against an NCAA (Tournament) team," the UK coach said.

Kentucky opens against Morehead State next Friday.