Random notes: At least Mark Stoops’ assistants are in high demand
Random notes:
▪ Kentucky lost offensive line coach Eric Wolford to Alabama. It sounds like the departure was a messy one. Wolford left Mark Stoops after just one season, meaning UK’s o-line will have its third position coach in as many seasons. Far from ideal.
On the flip side, Stoops’ staff is obviously held in high regard. LSU tried to poach defensive coordinator Brad White. When that failed, new Tigers coach Brian Kelly hired former UK defensive coordinator Matt House. Troy tabbed linebackers coach Jon Sumrall as its next head coach.
The rumor mill claims Miami is/was interested in UK offensive coordinator Liam Coen. The Canes aren’t alone. Last year, Michigan hired defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale. Two years ago, Michigan State made a serious run at UK recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow. It’s the price of building a winning program.
▪ Pro tip: Tune in to the Senior Bowl on Saturday, 2:30 p.m., on the NFL Network. Kentucky safety Yusuf Corker, offensive guard/tackle Darian Kinnard and center Luke Fortner will all be playing. So will Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe and defensive lineman DeAngelo Malone.
▪ Name to know: Raena Worley. Last Saturday, Worley posted the highest regular-season all-around score by a UK gymnast since 1996. The junior from Christiansburg, Va., has now won SEC Gymnast of the Week honors three straight weeks. Kentucky’s next meet is Friday, 7 p.m., in Memorial Coliseum.
▪ Rankings to know: UK’s men’s and women’s track and field teams are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 nationally in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s first Top 25 of the indoor season.
▪ I prefer Washington Football Team over the Washington Commanders.
▪ Please contact me if you know what in the world Tony Romo was talking about in the final moments of the Bengals-Chiefs AFC title game.
▪ I get the feeling Joe Burrow is just getting started.
▪ Critics claim the Bengals don’t have a general manager. They do. His name is Duke Tobin. His title is director of player personnel. He selected Florida kicker Evan McPherson in the fifth round of last year’s draft. For that alone, Tobin should be the NFL Executive of the Year.
▪ I have no problem with current NFL overtime rules. A minority view, I know. The Bengals lost the overtime coin toss last Sunday. The Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City to the Super Bowl, right? Wrong.
▪ Auburn has what so many college basketball teams lack. Two excellent bigs. Walker Kessler is good most games for a double-double. Jabari Smith is the rare 6-foot-10 freshman man who can play out on the floor. Many think they can, but can’t. As Jimmy Dykes would say, that duo is “hard to guard.”
▪ Former EKU star Wendell Green scored 23 points and dished six assists in Auburn’s 100-81 win over Alabama on Tuesday. Green played just 27 minutes.
▪ Don’t look now but Northern Kentucky has won five straight basketball games. Sunday, the Norse beat Horizon League leader Cleveland State, 78-72. Now 7-4 in the conference, Darrin Horn’s team plays visiting Oakland on Thursday night.
▪ Ex-Henry Clay star Marques Warrick leads the Norse in scoring. He’s averaging 14.4 points per game. Warrick has reached double figures in eight of NKU’s last nine games.
▪ More surprising? The Bengals making the Super Bowl or Tennessee basketball scoring 90 points in a game? Rick Barnes’ previously punchless Vols beat Texas A&M 90-80 on Tuesday night.
▪ Rick Pitino to Adam Zagoria: “(I think) Kenny Payne can unite Louisville again. I’m not endorsing him because that would probably be the killer for him. But I’m hoping Kenny Payne gets it because he can unite all the factions of Louisville and that would be great.”
▪ Tickets for Keeneland’s 2022 Spring Meet go on sale Feb. 15 at 9 a.m. at tickets.keeneland.com. Tickets for Kentucky Derby Day at Keeneland also go on sale the 15th.
▪ Happy trails to Randy Sanders. The former Kentucky football offensive coordinator announced his retirement after coaching East Tennessee State to a program-record 11 wins and the FCS quarterfinals. Said Sanders, “I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and being around my grandchildren.”
This story was originally published February 2, 2022 at 12:26 PM.
