STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

More SEC News

• Florida backup QB arrested
• SEC matchups for Saturday
• SEC coaches work to keep teams in steady state

Share and Enjoy [?]

So much for moral victories.

Two days after a valiant but ultimately futile comeback against No. 2 Alabama, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said the Wildcats need to get better quickly if they want to be considered a contender in the SEC.

Kentucky (4-1, 0-1 SEC) hosts South Carolina (4-2, 1-2) on Saturday hoping to end a 16-game losing streak against Steve Spurrier-coached teams. Brooks said he believes his team is good enough to beat the Gamecocks, but admitted that momentum is swinging in the South Carolina's direction.

"We're looking at a South Carolina team that looks like they got their act together last week (against Mississippi), unfortunately for us," Brooks said. "They got things going."

Brooks said he was disappointed with his team's performance during the 17-14 loss to the Crimson Tide, citing mistakes by the defense and quarterback Mike Hartline.

"It was very frustrating looking at the film, once we saw all the mistakes we made," said defensive end Jeremy Jarmon. "It didn't look like the same defense that had been playing the first four weeks of the season."

Brooks said the offense will need to make its big plays. The Gamecocks will truly test Hartline, Brooks said, because of South Carolina's numerous defensive formations that are designed to confuse opposing quarterbacks.

The Wildcats could get a boost from the return of defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin and quarterback Randall Cobb, who played a Alcoa High.

Cobb will play as a receiver and backup quarterback, though he isn't 100 percent, Brooks said. Strong safety Ashton Cobb, who had been suspended will practice this week and will be available.

SEC Awards: South Carolina quarterback Chris Smelley (22-of-32 passing for 327 yards) against Ole Miss is SEC offensive player of the week; Vanderbilt linebacker Patrick Benoist (13 tackles) took defensive honors and Commodores punter Brett Upson kicking honors.

Top offensive lineman was Florida center Maurkice Pouncey. Defensive line honors went to Alabama end Bobby Greenwood.

Freshman of the week was Florida RB Jeffrey Demps.