Hot seat grows cooler for Brooks at Kentucky

HOOVER, Ala. — Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks could have stuck his tongue out and said I told you so.

Instead, he calmly took the stage and issued a simple, albeit sing-songy response to the SEC’s media gathered in the Wynfrey Hotel for Wednesday’s opening of SEC Media Days.

“I’m baaack,” Brooks said, to chuckles from members of the media. “Hopefully I won’t have to answer too many questions about job security this year.”

Kentucky quarterback André Woodson deserves as much thanks for that as anybody.

A year after throwing just six touchdown passes and six interceptions in another losing season for the Wildcats, Woodson was transformed like no other in 2006.

He earned second-team All-SEC honors after leading the league in total offense, passing yards per game and touchdown passes.

His numbers — a 63 percent completion rate, 3,515 yards passing and 31 touchdowns to just seven interceptions — are straight out of a video game.

But numbers aren’t motivating Woodson this season.

“If we continue to just progress, get better and win those games we’re in and should win, other people will notice that more than they notice numbers,” he said Wednesday.

Woodson has already been noticed.

This year, he’s the coaches’ All-SEC pick at quarterback. The media will likely reach the same verdict later this week, too.

Woodson’s numbers are even more impressive considering where he was this time last year.

“I’d be blowing smoke up here if I said I thought he was going to go from six touchdowns and six interceptions to 31 touchdowns and seven interceptions and lead the team in quite the way he had,” Brooks said. “At this time last year, I wasn’t sure André was going to be our starter.

“He totally turned around, and (former Tennessee offensive coordinator turned Kentucky quarterbacks coach) Randy Sanders has to get a lot of credit for that.”

It’s worked pretty well for Brooks, too.

While the Wildcats aren’t projected to go 8-5 again this season by most preseason publications, he promised “an interesting year for Kentucky football.”

And he also thanked his quarterback for a considerably cooler seat in Lexington and that spot behind the podium on Wednesday.

“It’s maybe one of the biggest transitions from production, leadership, accountability that I’ve seen a young man make from one year to the next in my coaching career,” Brooks said. “And thank God he did, because I’m back here talking to you.”

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.