By: LONNY DEMAREE
Kentucky is preparing for the Florida Gators and astoundingly many of the BBN are picking an upset over a big, experienced, and talented team that is riding a 26-game winning streak over the Wildcats. Mark Stoops lauded his team for having had a very good practice, offensively. He said they were flying around and catching the ball and looked fresh.
* "Max did good," Stoops said. He said they were more efficient in the things they did probably more so than in the last few weeks. "We were limiting his reps and trainer Jim Madaleno is working with Neal (Brown) on that." He said when they were going good on good he didn't notice who was in there because both (and Jalen Whitlow) of them were throwing the ball well.
* Za'Darius Smith said that Florida on film actually seemed smaller than he expected. This young man exudes lot of confidence in his abilities to play with the big boys.
* "They are a okay team," "Z" said. "I'm not going to say they are all that but it's the SEC."
* All the questions of players relating to Joker Phillips' return to Commonwealth Stadium were very pleasant. They said they still admire Phillips and wish him well but not on Saturday night.
* Some of the Kentucky fans seem to still want to make trips to the airport and go the baggage claim to pick up negative things that Phillips left behind. They are still trying to find fault in, of all things, recruiting. Of the fifteen or so players UK has active in the Pro ranks, eleven of them have the Joker Phillips stamp on them. He couldn't do all the recruiting all by himself.
* Mark Stoops said Joker Phillips was very supportive and had nothing but good things to say about UK. Phillips still buys UK season tickets for his family. Perhaps the baggage claim has a time limit on the holding of such mythical claims.
* One fan picked the Cats to upset Florida because Joker Phillips is on their sideline........
* Cody Quinn and Blake McClain both Phillips recruits said they will seek out the coach after the game and give him a big hug. "We understand that it's a business," Quinn said.
* Josh Forrest is one of the new faces that's emerging as a big athletic linebacker. How did he feel when he was asked to make that transition from wide receiver? He said - "It was cool how they made it but I've had my downs but now I'm happy with where I'm at. I miss it sometimes." Stoops said when he make the read properly he pulls the trigger very quick.
* Defensive tackle Tristan Johnson said he hasn't thought about how he's going to act in the event of an upset. He said he is just glad to get out on the Commonwealth Stadium field one more time against Florida and whatever the outcome he doesn't want to leave anything out there on the field.
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