This was actually fun to write...

So last time I hastily decided that my favorite non-fiction author is John Clay. While I don't regret this choice, I believe it may be difficult to capture his style of writing in a few hundred words. Oh well, I guess I can give it a try.
Part of what I love so much about his writing is the mystery-you never quite know what you're going to read. Sometimes it's the witty, or sarcastic humor, and sometimes he just writes interesting stories, pointing out interesting and often unnoticed facts in the world of sports. And his stories almost always end well, often coming full circle back to the opening sentences.

With half of the college football schedule over, I thought it would be fitting to have mid-season awards given out to Kentucky football players.

The Award: Best Defensive Player
The Candidates: Trevard Lindley is an All-American and arguably the best cornerback the Cats have had in years. He passed up the NFL draft last year to come back for his senior year. So far he has added to his school record number of pass break-ups, but has been banged up the last few games, contributing minimally.
Corey Peters is playing exceptionally this year. Coach Rich Brooks called him "One of the most underrated players we've had on the defensive line for a long time". Enough said.
We seem to be forgetting some defensive stand-outs...oh yeah.... the starting linebackers, Johnson, Trevathan, and Maxwell combined for 38 takles against Auburn. That's right 38. The leading takler on the team (Johnson) came into the game with 38 takles on the year. Pretty impressive.
And the award goes to.................the Linebackers. Okay so they're not really a defensive "player" but they're playing so well it doesn't even matter.

The Award: Best Offensive Player
The Candidates: Randall Cobb. Everyone knows about him. He can run. He can catch. He can throw. And the offense moves the best when he plays in the wildcat formation.
The fastest Cat this year: Derrick Locke. He leads the team in rushing, is third in receiving, and boasts a 4.2 yards per carry average this season, which has included games against the top two teams in the nation. And did I mention he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown?
Mike Hartline (Surely I didn't just hear some booing) whether we like it or not is the best choice the Cats have at quarterback. He isn't a gunslinger, but manages the game well and was starting to get in the swing of things against South Carolina before he was knocked out with an injury. Look for him to finish the season strongly when he comes back.
And the award goes to....................Randall Cobb. Who else? He always seems to come through in the clutch. Its because of him that the Cats have one SEC win and should've had two. (After leading a late scoring drive, Cobb was replaced by quarterback Will Fidler on a two-point conversion. Kentucky wound up losing by two after failing to get the ball to Cobb on the two-point conversion.)

Players to Watch: Morgan Newton, Alfonso Smith, and Chris Matthews. The UK defense has been playing stellarly lately. If the offense is to come alive to win games, these guys should play a large, though largely unnoticed role.

So after six games, the Cats are 3-3. The schedule gets lighter with games against such foes as Eastern Kentucky and Louisiana-Monroe. I'm thinking this is a good start to what could turn out to be a great season.