Random notes: Handshake lines, UK offensive coordinator rumors and more
Random notes:
▪ I’m not among those who think college basketball should get rid of its postgame handshake line. If you can’t shake your opponent’s hand after a contest without starting or participating in a fight, you don’t need to be in college athletics.
▪ To me, after striking a Wisconsin assistant following Michigan’s loss at Wisconsin on Sunday, suspended Michigan Coach Juwan Howard is fortunate he still has a job.
▪ With the late Medina Spirit officially stripped of his 2021 Kentucky Derby win, Brad Cox became the first Louisville native to win the Run for the Roses as a trainer. Cox’s Mandaloun was bumped up from second to first with Monday’s ruling by Kentucky’s racing stewards. I’m sure it’s not the way Cox wanted to achieve his first Derby win.
▪ With Liam Coen leaving, Kentucky football will have its third offensive coordinator in as many seasons. All the more reason Mark Stoops will stick with the scheme Coen brought to Lexington from Los Angeles last year.
▪ Jets quarterbacks coach Rob Calabrese is one name that has made it into the UK rumor mill. And with good reason. The 31-year-old Calabrese worked under New York Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, brother of Green Bay Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur. Mike LaFleur coached with Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland, Atlanta and San Francisco before becoming the Jets’ OC. Calabrese was with Denver for two seasons before joining LaFleur with the Jets last season.
▪ I’m fine with the College Football Playoff remaining at four teams for the foreseeable future. Given the toll the sport takes on a player’s body, not sure there should be more than the 13 games most teams play already.
▪ Arkansas’ 82-74 win at Florida on Saturday was its 12th victory in its last 13 games. Kentucky visits Fayetteville on Saturday to take on the Razorbacks.
▪ It’s difficult to see a way for Tom Crean to survive at Georgia. His Bulldogs are now 6-22 overall and 1-14 in the SEC after Tuesday night’s 91-77 loss at Texas A&M. In four seasons at Athens, Crean is 47-71 overall and 15-54 in the conference.
▪ To make matters worse, Georgia assistant coach Wade Mason was suspended after getting into an altercation with director of player personnel Brian Fish during halftime of the Dogs’ loss to LSU on Feb. 16. Mason has now parted ways with the program.
▪ Indiana basketball is floundering at exactly the wrong time. The Hoosiers have dropped five straight, including Monday night’s 80-69 overtime loss at Ohio State. Mike Woodson’s team is 16-10 overall, 7-9 in the Big Ten and sliding off the NCAA Tournament bubble.
▪ Indiana hasn’t made the Big Dance since 2016. It hasn’t advanced as far as the Elite Eight since 2002.
▪ Huge college basketball game Thursday night at Murray State. The Belmont Bruins are coming to town. Murray is 16-0 in the OVC, 26-2 overall. Belmont is 14-2 in the OVC, 24-5 overall. If Belmont comes away with the victory, the league has a legitimate chance of placing two teams in the NCAA Tournament.
▪ Top-five candidates for college basketball’s Coach of the Year: Providence’s Ed Cooley, Texas Tech’s Mark Adams, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl and, yes, Kentucky’s John Calipari.
▪ For those who say Purdue is not good enough defensively to make the Final Four, I present the following evidence: UCLA made last year’s Final Four ranked 86th in adjusted defensive efficiency by kenpom. Entering Wednesday night’s play, Purdue was 114th in that category. The Boilermakers were No. 1 in adjusted offensive efficiency. The way the game is played today, it can be done.
▪ Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL mock draft has the Bengals taking Central Michigan offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann with the 31st overall pick in the first round.
▪ Draft analyst Chad Reuter has UK offensive tackle Darian Kinnard going to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round with the 52nd overall pick. He has UK wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson going to the Kansas Chiefs in the third round with the 94th overall pick.
▪ If you missed it, former Louisville head football coach Charlie Strong is headed to Miami as co-defensive coordinator for Mario Cristobal.
