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| | Monday, September 4 Mumme takes big gamble on 275-pound QB | |||||
| By Pat Forde Special to ESPN.com Kentucky Wildcats 1999 record: 6-6 (4-4 SEC) Coach: Hal Mumme Returning starters: 16 (9 offense, 7 defense) Outlook Not a coach in the conference -- or perhaps the nation -- made a more astounding summer move than Mumme. Six weeks after announcing that incumbent Dusty Bonner had retained the starting quarterback job in spring practice, Mumme trap-doored Bonner, who led the SEC in six different passing categories. Why? To make room for a jumbo QB who has never thrown a college pass. Jared Lorenzen, a 275-pound lefthander who was repeatedly mistaken for a lineman as SEC Media Days, is now in charge of Mumme's throw-a-minute offense. A crestfallen Bonner took his 3,000 yards worth of Division I-A passing yardage to D-II Valdosta State, in his hometown. Mumme is a renowned gambler who has never seen a punt he couldn't fake or a fourth down he didn't want to go for. But this easily qualifies as his biggest risk yet. If the laser-armed Lorenzen comes through, he has a talented cast around him and on defense that could propel the Wildcats to new heights. If he eats his way out of the position or simply isn't ready, his coach will face a searing cross-examination. Either way, it will make for great theater. Kentucky fans seem to agree, snapping up all 50,000 season tickets and all but guaranteeing six sellouts in 68,000-seat Commonwealth Stadium. Keep an eye on ... Marlon McCree, perhaps the smallest linebacker in the league. McCree weighs 198 pounds -- or about 77 less than the Kentucky quarterback. But he's a fast and fearless speed rusher who has made 22 tackles for loss and nine sacks the past two years. The only thing that moves faster than his feet is his tongue, which said a 12-0 season is a possibility. It's a good season if ... Kentucky beats Florida for the first time since 1986, Tennessee for the first time since '84 or Georgia for just the fourth time since 1977. Win any one of those and the Cats could make their third straight bowl appearance. |
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