Kentucky coach Rich Brooks accused Middle Tennessee State of stealing some of his team’s signals during the Wildcats’ 20-14 win last Saturday.
Chip Cosby of the Lexington Herald-Leader reported that this isn’t the first time that Kentucky has felt like they’ve been spied on. Last year during Kentucky’s 54-50 four overtime loss to Tennessee, towels were placed around members of the staff in order to cover up signals.
“They were either getting them from the field or the press box,” Brooks said of MTSU. “They might have gotten some help from Tennessee. Tennessee had them last year.”
The games against MTSU and Tennessee were played at Lexington.
Kentucky (3-0) won’t play again until Western Kentucky visits Commonwealth Stadium on Sept. 27, but there will be more re-evaluation than relaxation the next two weeks.
That was the message Brooks delivered.
Brooks told the Louisville Courier-Journal he’ll use the upcoming practice time to evaluate “all the positions” on his team.
“This is an evaluation time where we can go back not only (to) the past game but the past three and evaluate our play — what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong, who’s doing it right and who’s doing it wrong,” Brooks said in a teleconference. “If they don’t start getting better at it, there will be switches made.”
Brooks said the evaluations will be across the board, but he indicated that Kentucky will put a particular emphasis on examining its field-goal kicker and wide receivers.
Former Central High School standout Lones Seiber missed four field-goal attempts against Middle Tennessee. One of those was blocked in the game’s final minute, a play that Brooks attributed to an improper protection scheme and miscommunication from the sideline.
But Seiber consistently pulled kicks left, Brooks said, so Kentucky will take a look at redshirt freshman Ryan Tydlacka, who shares punting duties with Tim Masthay and is Seiber’s backup.
Brooks also said he’d like to stop rotating so many players at wide receiver.
The Wildcats’ receivers have been maligned for dropping passes, running improper routes and misunderstanding quarterback Mike Hartline’s play calls at the line of scrimmage.
“We’ve been working eight guys, nine counting (quarterback/receiver) Randall Cobb,” Brooks said. “I would like to get the rotation down to six. … The next two weeks of practice will determine who out of that eight is going to slide into the top six.”
Hartline, who passed for 254 yards and two touchdowns against the Blue Raiders, likely will have plenty of time to work with receivers in the next two weeks.
Cobb, the former Alcoa star, has an apparent high ankle sprain, and Brooks said it’s “doubtful” that he’ll be ready to play against WKU.
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Comments » 62
vtvol#210290 writes:
I'd gladly give up this 1st spot for a Vol victory this Saturday! Go Vols!
LifeTimeVOL writes:
Why was this article even written? Similar to the recent one about UF - they have nothing to do with anything. So Kentucky is crying a little bit, who cares? GO VOLS BEAT THE GATORS!!!
Volunteerfan writes:
some losers will try anything to put blame and excuses on their own personal loss
orangesox writes:
So change your signals, genius.
rrcase3#220589 writes:
Maybe they should use hand signals instead of big signs that say "PASS" and "RUN"
jclowers writes:
It seems like Brooks is trying to fire some shots at Tennessee about two months before we play them. I guess he feels that Kentucky has pulled even with Tennessee. Their defense is really strong and Cobb looks like a star in the making, but they have 6 or 7 SEC games before they even need to worry about the Vols.
FLAVOLS writes:
I'm pretty sure there aren't any players on either team that were born since the last Kentucky team won versus UT in football.
Therefore KY you can go exactly where your state initials go - not that there is anything wrong with that.
cdonsbach writes:
Stay classy, Rich!
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
if Coach "Dan Rather" Brooks says it's true, it must be true!! And let's hear an Amen!!
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
Is this sumfemale dog serious? We've dropped as a program, but we'll never drop to Kentucky's level.
caskew#218608 writes:
Seriously? Yes, Coach Brooks, UT and MTSU are out to get the evil empire known as Kentucky Football. Give me a break.
UTKpremed writes:
I'm not old enough to remember the last time UK beat UT. Stop crying, Brooks. We're just a superior football program and routinely smack you guys around. Sure, you play us close on occassion and you guys should be proud of that, but at the end of the day, you know who daddy is.
We look vunerable early this year, Cats. Go ahead and get your hopes up. We'll be there to crush them(and steal your signals) in November.
kdaff51 writes:
Gee..Brooks your signals don't work for you so why would anyone else want them?
ravensearay writes:
I agree with lifetimevol. Why was this article even written? There is not a team in any sport in any league that does not try to find a way to have an edge when they are competing. That is why they call it a game...........
BigMix writes:
The in-laws will be hostile at Thanksgiving this year.
forkball writes:
Paranoia strikes deep.
GreerVol22 writes:
If we stole any signals...I say thank goodness! It was obvious we needed to...
WVVOLFAN writes:
FLAVOLS: I wouldn't be so sure. we are discussing Kenlucky. The 10-12 players that are on their team that are from KY are at least in their 30's.
Ironcity writes:
I hope we are stealing signals. I would be disappointed if we didn't steal them when we could.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
errr, Brooks, you hung 50 on us, so we need to figure out what to do with those stolen signals once we get them.
Maybe we had the wrong chart.
ctownvol writes:
Pd- Maybe we needed the Cap'n Crunch decoder ring to decipher just what signals we had.
rusty_shackleford writes:
An SEC team vs. MTSU should be able to come to the line and yell "Tailback over Right Guard, on go. Go!" and gain five yards.
Losers make excuses. Winners make love with the homecoming queen.
usnavyvolfaninva_still_getting_paid writes:
No Catscratch??
Anyway, funny how the article starts out with the accusation, then proceeds to list some of the unforced errors (dropped passes, missed FGs, etc). How's that our fault??
auttat writes:
If you got Sanders sending in the plays, shouldn't be too hard...huh?
rootin4volz writes:
Yeah, we had one guy in a book depository outside Commonwealth Stadium, and another on a grassy knoll in the end zone.
b_neas writes:
What a friggin whiny baby. Looks like he is in good company up there in lexington. Basketball coach BillyG and RichB must have lunch every day together and talk about how everyone is out to get them and how the local 8th grade talent is looking.
Greyback_Vol writes:
Gotta agree with Ironcity here. If you can steal the signals, then do it.
Brooks acts like this is a new thing. This kind of stuff happens all the time. Do a better job of hiding your signals before blaming someone else.
HotlantaVol writes:
General Neyland did it in the conservatory with the lead pipe.
Go4Two writes:
Help me Tag me !!! give me a break
DCVolFan writes:
I really hate sore winners...
TommyJack writes:
As an old baseball player, it is considered an artform, if not an obligation, to steal signals. What's the big deal?
dfreeman writes:
Amen TJ!!
chad_t31 writes:
First of all, it was 52-50 not 54-50. Secondly, wtf?!?! 1984 Rich Lombardi...no one needs to steal signals from KenSUCKY. You were one yard short of getting beat by MTSU and went 4 ot's with us last year...get over it. You won the game against middle, now get ready to take your annual sec tail-whipping(s)!!
orangevolz writes:
Posted by LifeTimeVOL on September 15, 2008 at 11:52 p.m. Why was this article even written? Similar to the recent one about UF - they have nothing to do with anything. So Kentucky is crying a little bit, who cares? GO VOLS BEAT THE GATORS!!!
It was written because the entire world does not surround UT football. As much as I love the Vols, I would hate for govolsxtra to have nothing but UT sports on it. Besides, don't read the article if that is the way you feel.
DennisVols writes:
Its all part of President Bush's highten National security program to tap cell phone calls. It was the US security that stole those signals thinking it was part of some plot to overthrow the goverement.
"He's an undercover agent for the FBI"* CDB: Long Haired Country Boy
JacksonvilleVol writes:
I'm in ur football game stealin ur signalz
ha. Well, if you don't want us to see your signals, why don't you use mind bullets and fire them at your quarterback so we can't see your calls. Geez. Football, what can you do?
WVVOLFAN writes:
pat summit, library, candlestick
TommyJack writes:
Sanders only had two signals. Finger in left nostril, run. Finger in right nostril, pass.
jasonn1970 writes:
So he knew Tennessee had his signals and spent the entire off-season not changing them?!?! Not exactly the best course of action imho.
GreerVol22 writes:
TJ, that's a bit hard to do with his head up his butt. Would make great reality TV though.
invisiblekid writes:
Greer, didn't you know that Dandy Randy was a contortionist?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
It is a nervous crowd laughing at Catman Brooks when we all know we should be thinking about what will be boarding their DC3 in Gainesville Friday.
TJ, can we get Miss St's OC and UAB's DC?
Spice things up a bit.
TommyJack writes:
PD: Gotta poke fun at someone. I can remember when KY would not even be worth mentioning. Vandy too. Don't know if they're more formidable or...well, you know.
IBleedOrange444 writes:
I guess UK should get some new signals then.
BSweet writes:
Sounds like he's already defending his job. First, claim MTSU was stealing signals so KY fans believe that's the reason they almost lost that game, and not the fact that they played poorly. Second, attack UT because everyone knows the best way to fire up KY fans is to throw our name into the mix. Voila! Now there is some big conspiracy against the wildcats and if they continue to struggle, that must be the reason why, not coaching. Smart move Coach Brooks.
Colliervol writes:
Classic T.J., classic. My thought is that if you have simple enough signals that any football coach can decipher them just by looking at them a few times, you have nobody to blame but yourself. That's just Rich trying to take attention off the fact that he almost got beat by a Sunbelt team (or whatever they are).
If you've read Tony Dungy's book there are four key words here: "No excuses, no explanations". And that should go for lots of things in life. (Like Mike Hamilton and last weekend's gas price excuse.)
evilcarl writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
BSweet writes:
Speaking of cheating, and I know this is b-ball and not FB, but anyone else remember an incident where Travis Ford took a teammates free throws because he was a better free throw shooter? I think KY knows a thing or two about cheating.
Colliervol writes:
Carl, whether you are a Cat or Tide fan, I'm not sure but it really doesn't matter. Pretend I'm saying this S-L-O-W-L-Y so you can comprehend it. It's not cheating if you don't get caught. To date, the NCAA disagrees with you and I think I'll go with their opinion. Yours is irrelevant. Have a nice day.
BSweet writes:
After reading this article, I couldn't get that image from "The Waterboy" out of my head where the coach is on the sideline using the book COACHING FOR DUMMIES to figure out the other team's every play.
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