Warford may be accustomed to SEC honors, but most of his Wildcat teammates are not. And anytime a Kentucky player is recognized in the best football conference in the world, it’s an important step forward. Offensive lineman don’t get the glory and the buzz currently surrounding quarterback Max Smith. But without the line, there would be no quarterback left, merely a blue smear on the field. Warford’s numbers for Saturday’s game came out to 91.7% with 8 knockdowns and no sacks allowed.

Many though, myself included, that Kentucky’s offensive line was going to be too weak to compete outside of Warford and Matt Smith. The opposite has been true so far, with Kentucky’s offense rolling and the defense stumbling. Warford’s weekly honor wasn’t a surprising result nor an unusual award for him individually, but it’s an important one for the offensive line as a whole. If they continue to improve and work cohesively as a unit, the Cats’ offensive potential is limitless.

The pieces are starting to come together when the ball’s in hand, and it’s all coming together behind guys like Larry Warford.

Despite all the negativity surrounding Kentucky football, the fans and players alike certainly seemed to be enjoying the home game experience. I have little doubt there’s a lot of camaraderie among the team even when the fans and media are down on them, which is a good sign and certainly something to build on throughout the rest of the year.

In regards to observations, Kyle Wiltjer looks like he’s put on a lot of upper body muscle. He weighed a surprising 239 last year, but I’m willing to bet a lot of fat has been traded for muscle. He and Alex Poythress look like they’re adequately developed and might be bigger forces inside than many were expecting. Willie Cauley-Stein comes across as a beast of a man. Noel lacks the mass of his fellow big men, but then again, so did Anthony Davis and he was okay. There’s not much to say about the guards, other than the fact that Brian Long was seemingly squished into the photo at the last moment.

The man tripped on his own quarterback’s foot. It happens, but Dri Archer picked the worst spot on the field to take a fall. Thankfully Archer’s trip made up for Dyshawn Mobley’s total inability to get into the end zone despite four different attempts from the 1-yard line.

Only 48,000 fans turned out to Kentucky’s first game, but among them were John Calipari, Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones, and Nerlens Noel. The star-studded audience wasn’t treated to many highlights to begin the game, as three-and-outs dominated the opening minutes. That is until Kentucky’s typically weak defense was unable to stop a stampeding Kent State rush from Dri Archer, as the back broke the line wide open and sprinted to a 47-yard touchdown run. Kentucky was down a score to begin the game and the woes of a week ago were rearing their ugly heads.

But then the Max Smith and Aaron Boyd show began after the quarter ended, and the small crowd had something to enjoy. Pass after pass, it seemed Smith and Boyd were connected at the hands, and Kentucky tied the game on a Smith-to-Boyd touchdown pass after a quick drive. The offense continued to thrive in the second quarter, gaining a 14-7 lead on a bolt to the end zone by backup tailback Raymond Sanders, who was merely filling in for an injured CoShik Williams. Kentucky also managed to end the quarter on a successful 47-yard field goal attempt by Craig McIntosh, taking a 17-7 lead into the half.

Coming out of the half, Kent State took one last gasp before drowning under the Kentucky offense. Taking full advantage of the Cats’ lacking rush defense, a lumbering 260 Trayion Durham went practically untouched 26 yards into the end zone. It looked like it was happening in slow motion, but Kentucky’s defense was still unable to bring the beast down, showcasing how far behind they are when it comes to stopping the run. The Wildcats gave up 182 rushing yards on the game, capped off by the two enormous untouched touchdown runs. Such inconsistency won’t be acceptable against a higher level of competition.

After Kent State scored early in the third quarter, Kentucky began a fantastic 30 point run that left fans awed and kept the hope alive. Smith kept going to Boyd to advance the ball, but also completed touchdown passes to Gene McCaskill, La’Rod King, and DeMarcus Sweat before the final horn. Smith ended the game with an impressive 354 yards and 4 touchdowns on 30 of 39 passing. His final QB efficiency rating was an impressive 187.2, which is one of the highest single game values since the Tim Couch era.

But Smith didn’t do it alone. Aaron Boyd caught an astounding 11 passes for exactly 100 yards. Boyd’s numbers were higher than his entire previous career totals, including last week’s Louisville game, making it far-and-away a career night for the senior. DeMarcus Sweat caught the first pass of his career and turned it into a 56-yard touchdown after impressively breaking a couple tackles. Ten different players had receptions in the game, giving Smith a wide array of viable options and keeping the Wildcats offense fluid.

Kentucky was also able to score on the ground. The previously mentioned 67-yard Raymond Sanders run was nearly matched by Johnathon George’s 38 yard touchdown haul. Sanders ended the game with 115 yards on 13 carries, while George totalled 52 yards on 6 touches.

Even the Cats’ defense contributed to the massive scoring total, if only by accident. Martavius Neloms started the fiasco with a ground-shaking hit which forced a fumble. Kentucky recovered, moved the ball to the 1-yard line, and then Dyshawn Mobley failed to score on four straight one yard pushes, leaving Kent State with the ball on their own 1-yard line. The Golden Flash’s tailback then tripped in the end zone, giving Kentucky a bonus safety without much in the way of an accomplishment.

Despite the defense’s overall weak play, there were a few standout individual statistical performances. Neloms’ forced fumble was complemented by 7 total tackles and a tackle for a loss. Miles Simpson also tallied 7 tackles, recovered a fumble, and earned a sack. Dupree added 6 tackles of his own, 2 of which were for a loss including a quarterback sack.

Kentucky was expected to beat Kent State, but they weren’t expected to win by such an enormous margin. The Cats’ defense still lacks the necessary pieces and consistency to stop any number of powerful SEC rushers, but the offense is firing on all cylinders. Max Smith is confident and comfortable, the receiving crew is solid from top to bottom, and the backs are finding seams and making things happen. Even the young and inexperienced offensive line is proving themselves dependable.

A win is a win, and Kentucky will need to take this momentum into the rest of their schedule. Things are only going to get tougher, and they need to toughen up to match.

Today’s tweets cover Kentucky’s 47-14 victory over Kent State.

• Really looking forward to this game, just hope I’m able to watch it… #BBN
• Calipari’s at the game with recruits. Let’s hope the game goes smoothly. Would hate to scare them away.
• @straitpinkie Are the stands as empty as they look in that photo?
• Really like the full blue look. Kentucky should always take advantage of their great color.
• Not sure Kentucky defense was successful or Kent State offense was abysmal. Either way, glad to see a rare three-and-out.
• Boyd is becoming a nice reliable target. A very welcome sight.
• Boyd already has three catches. Great great stuff. Gonna have more catches today than entire previous career.
• Using Newton in such a predictable manner doesn’t make sense to me. Courtesy has no place in the SEC. He didn’t earn the spot, drop him.
• Must be nice to see Anthony Davis mid-game, us poor folks watching at home have to cringe through the entire break.
• Kentucky hasn’t earned the right to celebrate after plays yet. They still need to hang their head in shame for a week or two.
• Glad to see Smith get a lifetime to throw and make the most of it, but I just don’t see the same thing happening come SEC.
• McIntosh misses again. Wide right once again. Woes continue.
• I think a guy in a walker could average 4 yards per rush against Kentucky’s D-Line.
• I just can’t believe Kentucky’s rush defense. I just don’t understand it. Speechless.
• Nothing like starting the freebie game in the hole.
• Great catch in traffic by Robinson. Smith is making some nice connections again tonight.
• Reports coming in that Neloms will be back, that’s a relief. Defense can’t afford any losses at this point.
• Boyd again. Ties previous three years worth of catches with first-ever touchdown. Ties it up.
• If you’re thinking about last year’s bball greats instead of this football madness, check out my book. http://amzn.to/MDorzU #BBN
• Tyler actually stopped a run. Celebration might be necessary since it’s the first time all year.
• Did Eric Adeyemi leave Kentucky for a better team?
• Sanders with incredible 67 yard touchdown run. He’s looked solid all night. Was he running against his own team’s defense?
• Dri Archer is destroying Kentucky. Late hit penalty just gives him bonus yards. Iffy call but they still let him break it big.
• Did Rumph even touch him on that sack?
• Cal in sideline interview says, “You gotta win every game here” Not in the case of football, I guess.
• Foster continues to look incredible. Fantastic punter on a team that needs exactly that.
• These wonderful blue uniforms make me wish the basketball team got to wear colors in Rupp.
• Kent State consistently eating away at UK’s defense. Another poor showing right before the half.
• 31-yard field goal miss to end Kent State’s half. Thank goodness Kentucky keeps catching breaks.
• Boyd keeps making things happen. Such an impressive turn around and a dream night for him.
• McIntosh finally gets one through. Cats go up 10 into half.
• Practically kicked it into the stands to start the half.
• Don’t feel like this lead is safe when Kentucky could give up a wide-open 50 yard run any given position.
• My grandpa is still eligible if Kentucky’s looking for a better rush defender. They could use somebody yelling ‘get off my lawn’
• Like I said, never feel safe when they can break open a touchdown run. #embarrassing
• I may not be able to watch SEC play when Kent State can run this effectively.
• Who is Aaron Boyd and what did he do with Aaron Boyd?
• Pretty nice catch for McCaskill to re-extend lead 24-14. Good counter drive.
• Monster hit by Neloms. Looked even better on replay. Fumble recovered by Simpson. Unbelievable opportunity to put this away.
• Mobley finally being given his opportunity. Stood up at the 1 yard line.
• Mobley gets his chance. Three times. Can’t get in. Tweet about it.
• Wow. Cats get bought out on a trip for a safety. No contact safety. Lucky break once again.
• Big run by George puts Cats ahead and puts game away. Offense has looked good against a MAC team at times. As much as that’s worth.
• Glad to see some positive momentum and success here, but I still don’t feel like most of these post-play celebrations are warranted.
• Kentucky has some high points tonight, but a lot of breaks and serious inconsistency still has me very very worried.
• I hope this big win gives Kentucky some confidence, but I’m scared it’s going to give them unfounded big heads. We’ll see.
• Sweat makes up for dropped pass early with a huge after-catch run. Kentucky blowing this one open.
• Max Smith putting up some gaudy numbers now. 30 of 39 with 354 yards and 4 touchdowns. Great stuff. Might just be able to keep up in SEC.
• Funny watching Twitter slow down to a crawl as game is put away and media people start writing instead of talking.
• Announced attendance numbers are 48,346. Smallest crowd since 1996 apparently. Feel like basketball could pull 60K average Rupp permitting.
• Kentucky takes it 47-14. Saw some great things. Lots of coverage coming on http://www.StraitCats.com #BBN

Had a lot to say about the game, and I might have even more next week when the Cats take on Western Kentucky. So come back for more game-time commentary, jokes on Joker, and a few positive things along the way.

You didn’t read that wrong. John Calipari has an extra one million Twitter followers compared to the second most followed coach in the country. Here’s the list of top 10 coaches and their Twitter followers.

1. Kentucky Wildcats – John Calipari – 1,203,136
2. Indiana Hoosiers – Tom Crean – 83,915
3. Florida Gators – Billy Donovan – 75,507
4. Kansas Jayhawks – Bill Self – 53,881
5. South Carolina Gamecocks – Frank Martin – 26,505
6. Butler Bulldogs – Brad Stevens – 23,460
7. Central Michigan Chippewas – Keno Davis – 23,134
8. Nebraska Cornhuskers – Tim Miles – 22,976
9. VCU Rams – Shaka Smart – 22,113
10. Tennessee Volunteers – Cuonzo Martin – 20,516

Outside of the top four positions on the list, there isn’t much of a trend. Random schools and some basketball-nobodies top the list. But the only two numbers that matter are the first two. There’s a pretty big difference between 1,203,136 and 83,915, if you hadn’t noticed. John Calipari absolutely trounces everyone else. It’s not even a competition. It’s actually quite a bit like Kentucky’s dominance on the basketball court now that I think about it.

To those saying Twitter followers don’t mean a thing, take a few moments to think about the significance those numbers have when it comes to recruiting, merchandising, and branding Kentucky basketball. Calipari’s social media reach transcends typicality and becomes something of a spectacle. It’s glamorous and appealing in a way that draws both fans and players into his world and his aura of success. It makes Kentucky a destination for athletes much like Hollywood is a destination for actors.

It’s clear that John Calipari is the king of Twitter and Tom Crean is nothing more than the court jester.

As Kentucky vies for its first victory of the season, CoShik Williams will be sorely missed. In the season opener against Louisville, he ran for 62 yards on 10 carries, and grabbed 21 yards through the air on three catches. Williams will certainly leave a gap in the offense, but Raymond Sanders is an adequate replacement until CoShik is ready to take the field again. Sanders ran for 38 yards on three touches against the Cardinals, also pulling in three catches for 23 yards.

Freshman Dyshawn Mobley will almost certainly get some touches as well, despite his recent outburst on Twitter. Mobley took to the social networking platform to express his displeasure about a lack of playing time against Louisville. His complaints were probably ignored, but he’s going to see some time on the field regardless, because he’s the next-best option. He had a single reception for a lone one yard gain against Louisville.

Resting Williams against Kent State is a smart move by the staff. He’s much more useful if he’s healthy against the powerhouse SEC teams later down the schedule. Kent State is one of the easier opponents Kentucky will be facing, and may be Joker’s only chance to leave his starting tailback on the bench without serious repercussions.

“[CoShik] is a tough guy, no doubt about that,” Phillips told media earlier today. “We have to have him for is the long haul. I’m not taking these guys for granted by any means, but we need CoShik full speed. He’s not a real big guy and he needs to be full speed. He busts his butt on every play, whether it’s practice or a game. We just have to make sure we take care of him and get him to the field healthy.”

The last thing Kentucky needs are injury woes. They are going to have plenty of struggles without adding injuries to the list. Hopefully CoShik will recover quickly and reintegrate into the lone bright spot the team has showcased this year, the offense.

Miller will always be number one to Kentucky fans, but he’s set to wear #2 as a New Orleans Hornet. It’s a fitting numerical climb that aptly represents the transformation Miller’s seen in the last few years. From the timid country kid who couldn’t find his shot nor his role in a struggling program to the veteran sharpshooter and professional athlete. Darius was not guaranteed a contract as a second round pick, making this signing a major accomplishment and great sign for his future. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but he’s also set to join Anthony Davis with the Hornets, making New Orleans a home away from home for Big Blue Nation.

In a typically terse manner, here’s what the Hornets had to say about the signing of Miller.

Miller (6-8, 225) was the 2012 SEC Sixth-Man of the Year, helping Kentucky to the national title in New Orleans while posting averages of 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 26.1 minutes per game. The four-year collegian holds the Kentucky record for most games played (152) and is 10th all-time with 175 three-point field goals made.

The Maysville, Ky. native also participated in the 2012 Las Vegas Summer League for New Orleans, averaging 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in five games (four starts).

It’s a great joy to see Darius Miller’s continued success. Many a fan has given up on the young man, but he’s never given up on himself.

Rondo often comes off as cold and unfriendly. But anyone willing to sign another human being to make a mother proud is someone I want to know. I only hope Rondo leaves his signature when Ray Allen comes back into town, making him two for two with babies this year.