Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Wildcats enjoying ride but determined to keep focus
By STEVE BAILEY
AP Sports Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky safety David Johnson likes the excitement he sees when he walks across campus.
Offensive lineman Jason Rollins gets compliments everywhere he goes when people realize he's a member of the football team.
For the first time in a long time, people are using the words “Kentucky” and “football” in the same sentence without drawing a groan.
The Wildcats are 2-0 for the first time in four years and generating a buzz that wasn't expected from the program for several years to come.
They already have tallied an emotional victory over archrival Louisville and a 77-17 pasting of Texas-El Paso, equaling the squad's victory total in each of the past two seasons.
With home games against Indiana and Middle Tennessee the next two weekends, the team has a legitimate chance to go 4-0 for the first time in nearly two decades heading into its Southeastern Conference opener at Florida on Sept. 28.
Everybody seems surprised by Kentucky's early success — everybody but the coaches and players themselves.
“I don't think we've changed any of our expectations,” Kentucky coach Guy Morriss said during his weekly news conference Monday. “Maybe the public perception is that expectations are changing. I know we haven't changed anything about us.”
Johnson, a senior from Virginia Beach, Va., was a freshman when the team jumped out to a 3-0 start with victories over Louisville, Eastern Kentucky and Indiana to open the 1998 season.
A blowout loss at Florida in the squad's fourth game, however, brought the sky-high confidence crashing back down to earth, a scenario he is determined not to relive this season.
“We can't let this go to our heads and start thinking we can just step out on the field and win,” Johnson said. “We've still got a lot of games left to play.
“That's where we have to keep our focus. How much will all this excitement be worth if we lose our next five games?”
Kentucky rolled up nearly 600 yards of offense in its 60-point victory over the Miners. Ten different players scored touchdowns, including five who recorded their first college points.
The Wildcats dominated on the ground, rushing for 44 times for 364 yards.
Senior Artose Pinner carried the ball 16 times for 116 yards and a touchdown and freshman Arliss Beach added another 108 yards on nine carries, marking the first time a pair of backs topped the 100-yard plateau in a single game since 1985.
Kentucky also struck quickly and often through the air.
Junior quarterback Jared Lorenzen completed 10 of 17 passes for 211 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. Each of his touchdown passes went to a different receiver.
“That's what made it so fun, seeing everybody get involved,” said junior wideout Derek Abney, who scored on a 68-yard pass from Lorenzen. “It was almost as exciting to be watching from the sidelines as the other guys scored.”
Despite the fun and the lopsided victory, Morriss said he can't imagine his players getting cocky or overconfident after struggling to 2-9 records the past two seasons.
“We'll talk about that tomorrow, and the guys will hear it the rest of the year whether they need it or not,” he said. “It's something you've got to safeguard against, but I don't see any reason why we'd overlook anybody or take anybody for granted.
“I don't want that to start creeping into any aspect of our program. Right now, we're doing pretty good. Let's just continue to do the things that got us to this point.”
For now, Rollins said the players will continue to push themselves in practice so they'll continue to be prepared when kickoff rolls around.
“Everything has worked out well for us so far, and I don't think anybody wants these good feelings to stop,” he said. “The coaches do a pretty good job keeping us grounded.”
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Wildcats enjoying ride but determined to keep focus
