By the numbers
3 True freshmen in Miami’s projected starting lineup.
199 Years of college coaching experience by Miami’s staff.
318 Passing yards needed by quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh to reach 5,000 for his career.
What would be a bad sign for Miami in the first quarter against Kentucky? If the RedHawks can't get a first down on their first possession or score on one of their first three possessions, Miami fans will have a good reason to start groaning. The flashbacks to 2008 will have begun.
What would be a good sign for the RedHawks? Thomas Merriweather, Danny Green or Andre Bratton breaking a run of at least 10 yards or longer early in the first quarter. Miami has a young offensive line, but Kentucky has an inexperienced defense and the RedHawks would gain some much-needed confidence by punching a few early holes in that defense.
What could be a key weakness of Kentucky? Kickoff coverage. "Coach (Rich) Brooks said that's one thing they haven't gotten better at," Miami coach Mike Haywood said. "That's one thing we'll have to take advantage of." But not too often, he hopes. The one thing Haywood does not want to see is a lot of UK kickoffs.
What do the Wildcats think about the RedHawks? They're not really sure what to think. "We have no real feeling for them, because they have a new coaching staff," UK senior defensive tackle Corey Peters said. "It has been difficult trying to prepare for this game, because we can't get a good feeling of what they will do."
How much of a home-field advantage will Miami have in this "home game" at Paul Brown Stadium? Not much. The Wildcats' trip to Cincinnati will take about an hour longer than the RedHawks. And the number of red jerseys in the stands aren't likely to overwhelm the number of blue jerseys, and UK fans can be very vocal. But Haywood doesn't seem to think it will matter much to his players. "The noise factor is different in every stadium," he said. "You're supposed to have butterflies in your stomach. If you don't have butterflies in your stomach, you're in the wrong game. But (the fans) can't come down on the field. It's 11 versus 11."
Behind the mask
Mark Paun, Senior Defensive tackle
Q: What has been your most memorable moment on a college football field?
A: My freshman year I was told I was being moved up in the rotation for the game at Purdue. In the first series, on the first or second play, I tackled the running back for a TFL (tackle for loss).
Q: Which three items would comprise your perfect meal?
A: That's easy. A medium steak, a fully loaded baked potato, and let's say a lager beer. (For the record, Paun is 22 years old.)
Q: With which person from history would you most like to hold a conversation?
A: You're talking to a history major. That's a hard choice ... George Patton. I loved the movie and he's one of my favorite generals in military history. I would like to see what the man was all about.
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: Definitely "The Empire Strikes Back."
Q: If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go?
A: Germany. To be honest, I've been taking German for years. I'd like to put the bad German I know into some use.
Key Players
Miami QB Daniel Raudabaugh
The senior will set the tone for Miami’s offense, and he has been cool, confident and precise in the preseason, which is saying something considering the type of season he and his teammates endured in 2008. Junior wide receiver Chris Givens is a playmaker, something he proved even at the worst of times last fall.
Kentucky QB Mike Hartline
The junior is a battler. Last Oct. 18 he rallied the Wildcats from a 20-7 deficit late in the fourth quarter to throw touchdown passes of 32 and 21 yards to Randall Cobb for a 21-20 victory over Arkansas. Senior cornerback Trevard Lindley, who a knack for making big plays, has nine interceptions in his career and a school-record 34 pass breakups.
Scouting report
The RedHawks hope to be on the prowl again and regain control of their football destiny by controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. That’s a tough assignment since Miami is extremely inexperienced on the offensive and defensive lines with a total of eight new starters. The RedHawks are loaded at the skill positions, but that won’t matter much if there are no holes or pass protection.
The Wildcats have the momentum of three straight bowl-winning seasons behind them. They have a mostly new defense, but the Wildcats also are loaded at the offensive skill positions. UK didn’t have many big plays last year and scored 21 or more points in just three of its last eight regular-season games. Of course, that might have had something to do with the opposition (which included Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee).
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