Camps over ... now it's on

Students are back on campus, class is in session, and two-a-days are over. We’ve transitioned to game week mode here at Cats Illustrated, but we aren’t the only ones.

With the rigors of camp behind them, Kentucky took to the practice field Thursday with a new focus.

“It was good to get back to work after the day off yesterday, start preparing for our first opponent,” said defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot.

It was clear that the day off was beneficial for Kentucky, who will be looking to extend their streak of 10 straight wins in the home opener when Southern Miss comes to town.

“The players were fired up, excited to get going. They were into it. They were attentive,” Eliot said.

Eliot’s defense will be facing a Southern Miss offense that averaged almost 40 points per game a year ago, and amassed an average of 510 yards per game.

The Kentucky defense will see a familiar face on the Southern Miss sideline. Last year’s Kentucky offensive coordinator, Shannon Dawson, will guide the Southern Miss offense as they look to win back to back road openers for the first time since 1990.

Eliot admitted that it does present some unique challenges in preparation. “We watch our own offense from last year for some of the scheme and then we watch the Southern Miss film from last year for some of the personnel,” he said.

Does Eliot think the fact that Dawson was here a season ago gives his defense much of an advantage?

“I think our advantage is the same as their advantage,” Eliot said. “I think I know him, but he knows me, so I don’t think it’s one way or another.”

Kentucky will have a little more than a week to prepare for the Eagles in what many are calling the most important game of the Mark Stoops era.

With much of the focus this off-season on new facilities, bowl games, and a new quarterback, now, all of the focus will shift to what we have all been waiting for – Football.

Transfer linebacker Courtney Love offered his thoughts on the opener. “It’s gonna be awesome,” he said. There will probably be about 61,000 others at Commonwealth next Saturday who would agree.

Kentucky opens the season September 3rd, in Commonwealth Stadium, at 7:30 p.m.