By LARRY VAUGHT

Rockcastle County coach Scott Parkey was still an assistant coach when the Rockets’ star player, lineman Brad Durham, committed to play at Louisville.

Durham was not a Kentucky native — his family moved to Rockcastle from Indiana — but he seriously considered UK before making his decision to play for then-coach Bobby Petrino’s Cardinals.

“Brad and his whole family were wearing red everywhere. They loved it, loved the town, loved the staff, everything,” said Parkey.

However, before national signing day arrived, Petrino had then assistant coach Greg Nord call Durham to tell him his scholarship offer had been withdrawn. Rockcastle head coach Tom Larkey blasted the Cardinals while then-UK coach Rich Brooks let Durham know he was still welcome at UK. Durham eventually signed with Kentucky and has helped the Wildcats beat Louisville three straight times going into Saturday’s season-opening game at Louisville.

“When coach Nord had to break the news to him about the decision, Brad’s family immediately had a bonfire in their yard. I think it really cut Brad and his family pretty deep. But when UK got on board, everything was fine. Then beating Louisville was even better,” Parkey said.

For his part, Durham has downplayed any lasting animosity toward the Cardinals.

“Every game is special, especially because it is an in-state rivalry. That just brings the hype even more to the game,” Durham, who is listed No. 2 at tackle behind Billy Joe Murphy, said.

What about the bonfire? “No comment,” he laughed and said. “I won’t say he (Parkey) is wrong, but there’s nothing else I will say.”

Parkey says everyone in Rockcastle County is proud of the career Durham has had at Kentucky.

“Words can’t really express how proud we are of Brad. He has been able to overcome adversity from day one to become the player he has dreamed of being,” Parkey said. “On the occasions when Brad is able to come home for a game, or just a visit, it is really neat to see how much the little kids respect and admire him.

“Brad simply being Brad is what makes that so special. He hasn’t changed since he left. He has always loved having the little guys around. We knew Brad was leaving here with a strong work ethic and determination to be the best, so when we got word he was going to be on the field goal team as a freshman, it didn’t surprise us. Then, as a sophomore when his offensive line playing time picked up, we were simply overjoyed for him.”

Durham says it “means a lot” to know folks in Rockcastle respect him and that youngsters look up to what he’s done at UK.

“Rockcastle is a small place and not a lot of people come out of there that people know of. When you go back home and people not only know you, but know you play football and do the right things for the community and how good a student you are, it makes you that much more of a better man and makes you more proud of what you have done,” Durham said.

Even though he’s not starting, Durham says new offensive line coach Mike Summers has been good for the Cats.

“Basically he just wants us to play fast and mistake free, which has always been our goal. Just go through every drill as fast as you can and if you make a mistake, learn from it and try to get better every day,” Durham said. “But I think we are all ready to hit someone who is not wearing blue.”

Parkey says Durham’s success has been no surprise to him.

“Brad’s intelligence on the field has always been a strength of his. We really like to see him use his feet, turning those SEC defensive linemen and running them out of the play,” Parkey said. “What impresses me personally the most about Brad is how he adapts to the various football situations that have come up over the years from playing time to new coaches while keeping his focus on his studies and grades.

“He has matured as a man in a way that makes us unbelievably proud. Brad is still the same guy as when he left. He makes good decisions, which is a product of his family. He will work hard at anything he does to make his team successful.”

Durham is not ready to stop doing that, either.

“It is a dream come true to be playing college football and everything I have done to this point has been awesome and I can’t wait to finish off on the right note starting with a win over Louisville Saturday,” Durham said.

By LARRY VAUGHT
Official confirmation won’t come until mid-October, but Boyle County’s Lamar Dawson will be one of the 90 players in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Jan. 8 in San Antonio.

Dawson was one of 400 high school players across the nation nominated for the game and sources have confirmed he has been selected and will be the first area player to play in the game that has featured such stars at Adrian Peterson, Reggie Bush, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Terrelle Pryor and Ndamukong Suh.

“If this is true, it really is a big deal for me,” said the Boyle senior Thursday. “I still have not heard anything official or got anything from them telling me I have been selected. All I know is that I was nominated and I hope I get to play in it.

“I watched the game last year and know it has most of the nation’s top players playing. It would be something to get to be part of that. And making it is not any pressure. It’s just a huge honor.”

Dawson says he’s not sure if his past performance, summer play or impressive list of college scholarship offers influenced the U.S. Army All-American Bowl selection committee.

“Maybe [...] Continue Reading…

By WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

There is no hidden gunslinger in Mike Hartline.

Sorry, he’s just not built that way. The Kentucky quarterback doesn’t have a cannon for a right arm, he doesn’t see a receiver streaking through double-coverage and think he can somehow thread the needle.

It’s not that the senior doesn’t want to. He just doesn’t see the point. He’s not out there to gamble. He’s out there to win. Period.

“I don’t look at the numbers, I really don’t,” Hartline said.

Neither does Louisville quarterback Adam Froman, at least, not anymore. The senior who once threw for 525 yards in a junior college game is no longer being asked to win games with his arm. Froman is OK with that.

“My job is to be a leader and help our guys make plays,” he said.

The word most associated with both quarterbacks, who face each other Saturday in the Governor’s Cup, is “efficient.” While the word can sometimes be the coachspeak equivalent of being told you have a nice personality, it’s not a moniker either player avoids.

“That’s what you want out of your quarterbacks,” Froman said. “As a quarterback, not only do you have to do your job well, you have to do [...] Continue Reading…

By KEITH TAYLOR
ktaylor@winchestersun.com

Ricky Lumpkin was ridiculed for choosing Kentucky over Louisville, but has had the last laugh the past three years.

Since his arrival at Kentucky, the defensive tackle has been part of a positive trend for the Wildcats, a movement that’s resulted in a momentum shift in the Kentucky-Louisville series.

Heading into the Wildcats’ season-opener against the Cardinals Saturday at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, Kentucky has won the past three games against their instate rivals, including a 31-27 victory last season at Commonwealth Stadium.

Prior to his arrival, Louisville had won the previous four encounters over Kentucky, including a 59-28 thumping in 2006. Since then, it’s all been Kentucky.

“It’s definitely flip-flopped since I was getting recruited,” Lumpkin said. “I was being recruited by Louisville and a lot of fans were wondering why I was going to Kentucky. Just seeing how the environment has changed around here since my freshman year is great and I love it.”

Lumpkin and the team’s defensive unit had a big hand in the past two victories over the Cardinals. Kentucky limited the Cards to just two points in the last meeting two years ago at Louisville and forced two turnovers and a late touchdown down the stretch [...] Continue Reading…

By LARRY VAUGHT

Chuck Smith never coached Jordan Aumiller at Boyle County, but he had a good idea about Aumiller’s potential when he recruited him to play at Kentucky.

That’s why Smith, the former Boyle coach who led the Rebels to five state titles, is not surprised Aumiller will be the Wildcats’ starting tight end Saturday in the season-opening game at Louisville.

“I have been on him all week. I am just always telling him he needs to be doing this and that because he is representing Boyle County and we take a lot of pride in that, and he will represent us well,” said Smith Wednesday. “There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that he is a very conscientious young man and a good football player. You will see the best he has to offer out there Saturday.”

Aumiller’s rise to No. 1 on the depth chart surprised many considering he was a linebacker under Smith during his redshirt season in 2009.

“He might have been down on the depth chart in the spring after he changed , but he kind of moved himself up then,” Smith said. “I recruited him to be a tight end and that is what I thought [...] Continue Reading…