The House of Blue

+++Just one practice for Kentucky today, but the Cats will be back at it on Thursday with a pair of workouts. The schedule is a bit different than it's been the past few years and that's by design. Joker Phillips said the goal has been to push this team and make them respond to challenges.

“Within a 24-hour period we had three practices. That's what teams are doing this time of year,” Phillips said. “The last practice yesterday I was really proud of our coaches, who did a really good job of pushing our players and our players did a good job of responding. Now I want to see how they respond in the next 24 hours. We just finished one and had a lot of energy. We had a red zone scrimmage and got after each other on both sides of the ball. I expect the same energy in the two practices we have tomorrow.

“We need to continue to push the guys. This is the time of year that everybody in the country is mentally shot. There are a lot of meetings and banging but we have to continue to push.”

+++The biggest injury news was that of sophomore RB Josh Clemons. I don't have a lot of details to pass along at this point but many of you saw Clemons' tweet earlier today that suggested things didn't go too well at the doctor's office. Apparently, he had some soreness in his surgically repaired knee after last Saturday's scrimmage and has been backed off this week. Everyone is waiting on the results of an MRI to see whether it's normal stuff as he comes back from injury or if there is a new (or worsening) issue in there.

+++Outside of that the injury situation has been pretty good. You know about safety Glenn Faulkner's high ankle sprain. He was joined on that high ankle sprain list by freshman OL Zach Myers, who will miss a few weeks. That would seem to make it unlikely he plays this season. As for any other injury issues, Joker said it's normal stuff.

“We're a little banged up but nothing significant,” Phillips said. “A little banged up – shoulders here, knees here, hands. Coach Turner tells the D-line and )-line the first day is the last day they'll be healthy all year. That's every position. Everyone is a little sore this time of year. We've got to push through it and be mentally and physically tough and have the right attitude to withstand it.”

+++Joker was asked what one specific thing the offensive and defensive units have done that impressed him most through this point of camp (I think today was practice No. 13, at least according to the monitors in the Nutter Facility that showed today's schedule). You've heard this before but there seems to be a lot more conviction from Phillips and Randy Sanders when they say the following:

“I think we'll be better at throwing the ball,” Phillips said. “Throwing and catching, we've done a good job here on the practice field but you have to take that to the game field. That's been a huge emphasis of ours. We've got to try and be better in that part of the game. We've got to have some big plays after the catch too. I think we have some guys who have that ability but they haven't done it in the stadium on game day, but I feel a little bit better about that.”

+++Defensively, it's pretty clear they like the first group but are really unsure what they'll get from most of the backups because of youth and inexperience:

“I think defensively the thing I'm pleased with is the No. 1's know this defense,” Phillips said. “They've been in it two springs and a season and this is the second fall camp so I feel better about their understanding. We have to continue to build depth at a lot of those positions. They have to know it as well as the 1's and I'm not sure they're there yet. Those 2's are one play away from having to step in there so those guys have got to learn what to do.

“I feel good about the ones because there is a lot of talking. The play has been called and the offense breaks the huddle and there is a lot of communicating. There isn't the same type of communication when the 2's go in there. We've got a couple of guys communicating and knowing what to do.”

+++Joker continued to say good things about Martavius Neloms' move back to corner and also threw out a familiar name who could make a major move this season:

“Martavius has done a really good job at corner,” Phillips said. “He is our boundary corner, the one that's usually locked up man-to-man. He's more than capable and has a really good attitude about it. The reason we were able to (move him) was because we feel like we have some depth at the safety position. Dakotah Tyler has been a blessing to have him back. He allows us to do that. He's competing for not just playing time but a starting position.”

+++I asked for an update on the status and health of the offensive line and how much better he expects them to be if they continue to avoid injury, unlike last year's camp when virtually every projected starter had a significant injury during camp:

“Obviously, we're banged up a little bit with bumps and bruises but it's nothing like last year when we had a couple of high ankle sprains, shoulders, nothing like that,” Phillips said. “It hurts when you don't have all five of those guys. Again, communicating, those five guys have to be on the same page. You have to communicate with the guy beside you. Our center got banged up (last year) and he is the one who sets the calls and it starts from there. You have to be on the same page all across the board.

“All five parts have to be moving. You saw the synchronized diving (in the Olympics)? That's the way our guys have to be up front. That's the way your offensive line has to be. They have to be in sync. Everybody has to be on the same page. That's the reason why you have to stay healthy. You can't have one guy miss one practice and another guy miss another.”

+++I also requested to speak with OL coach Mike Summers and he had some interesting things to say about last year's injury crisis and how things have been different this camp. Basically, as coaches, you just hold your breath and hope you can make it through camp without anything season-ending happening to those linemen:

“Fall camp is hard when you're playing offensive or defensive line,” Summers said. “There is contact every play of every practice and that takes its toll. You're fortunate is you can get through that and be where you want to be. What you hope is there aren't debilitating injuries that take you out of practice. We could come out in shorts every day and play touch but we wouldn't be ready to play the first game. We have to put our hand in the dirt, come off the ball and smack our defense in the mouth. That's how we physically hone our skill.”

+++I asked Summers about the development of projected starters Darrian Miller, Kevin Mitchell and Zach West. Here is what he had to say:

“Darrian has really quietly worked himself all offseason to develop his strength and skills and it's shown up in his performance every day,” Summers said. “I'm so excited about where he's at. The mental state that he plays football in is very sound and very solid. Kevin Mitchell has worked very hard to develop into a good football player. His road has been very long. He's taken the long path to where he is now and worked hard to become a good offensive linemen. Zach has got the least amount of experience and the farthest to go. Every day he sees something new and learns from it.”

+++As for true freshmen playing this year, sounds like one or two of those guys are going to have to: “We would hope (they don't have to play) but from a depth standpoint you know that's probably going to happen at some point,” Summer said. “Every day something good happens to them and something bad happens to them and when it's good I pack them on the back and when it's bad I try to bite my tongue and say it's okay. That whole group is a pretty good group and I can see development.”

+++Programming update for the rest of the week: I am having some surgery tomorrow and will be out a few days. I will be back in action on Saturday to bring you post-scrimmage notes (it's a morning scrimmage this week, which I would like to thank Joker Phillips for). They practice normal late afternoon times the next two days and I've been assured by the powers that be that there will be someone there from TCP to give you your fix. I'm sure they'll do yeoman's work until I can get back with you guys on Saturday. Until then....