Cats shut out Redhawks 42-0

Junior+wide+receiver+Chris+Matthews+celebrates+after+scoring+a+touchdown+for+UK+during+the+first+half+of+their+game+against+Miami-Ohio+on+Saturday%2C+Sept.+5%2C+2009+at+Paul+G.+Brown+Stadium+in+Cincinnati%2C+Ohio.+The+Cats+defeated+Miami+42-0.+Photo+by+Allie+Garza

Junior wide receiver Chris Matthews celebrates after scoring a touchdown for UK during the first half of their game against Miami-Ohio on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009 at Paul G. Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Cats defeated Miami 42-0. Photo by Allie Garza

CINCINNATI — From the first three-and-out to the third quarter pick-six from senior cornerback Trevard Lindley, there were zero questions about UK’s defense after the Cats shut out Miami of Ohio before a crowd of 41,037 at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

UK started its season with a dominating 42-0 victory over Miami of Ohio, shutting an opponent out for the first time since 1996. It equaled the largest margin of victory in any shutout for the Cats since beating Marshall 55-0 in 1960.

“I think we’re better defensively than we were last year,” senior linebacker Micah Johnson said. “It was important for us to come shut them out and it was important for the offense to come out and play as hard as they did. We’ve got both sides of the ball now so I think we’ll be able to hang in there a lot more.”

Sophomore wide receiver Randall Cobb paced the Cats on offense and on special teams. He ran for a touchdown, caught seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, and was the Cats’ top punt returner.

The Cats also unveiled their Wildcat formation, scoring two touchdowns in the gadget set. UK head coach Rich Brooks had told reporters in the days leading up to the game he would likely hold back some of the package, the Cats went to it twice in the red zone.

With Cobb in the shotgun and junior quarterback Mike Hartline split wide on a moment’s notice, the Cats scored two touchdowns in three plays in the formation. Despite that, Cobb said there was plenty left for the Cats to go to in the gadget formation.

“There’s a whole lot left,” Cobb said, grinning from ear to ear. “Believe me, you’ll see a whole lot left in the Wildcat.”

Cobb compared the Wildcat to playing backyard football. He while he likes being under center because it makes him feel like he’s in high school again, but he no longer wants to play quarterback full-time.

“I would’ve said yes maybe three months ago, but now, you don’t have to do as much thinking (at receiver),” Cobb said. “It’s just going out there and playing football when you’re at receiver.”

Sophomore tailback Derrick Locke said the team is just having fun whenever the Cats go to the Wildcat. Locke, seeing his first action since badly injuring his knee in last season’s Arkansas game, led all rushers with 61 yards on eight carries. He said his knee is fine and it felt good to get out and be tackled outside of a scrimmage.

The Cats started slowly and the offense stalled in the first quarter. But once the coaches made adjustments to Miami’s new coaching staff at the break, there was no looking back. UK scored three offensive touchdowns in a ten-minute span of the second quarter, two of which came from the arm of Hartline.

By the third quarter, it was clear Miami had no answer for the Wildcat or UK’s balanced offense. The crowd that stuck around bounced beach balls as little-used players like sophomore quarterback Tyler Sargent saw some playing time.

Brooks said he was most pleased that the offense showed the same spark and balance it had in fall camp, but also addressed the defense. Brooks had said for some time he wasn’t overly worried about the Cats’ losses on defense from last year; now he had something solid to point to.

“Surprised by the shutout? Maybe,” Brooks said. “I thought even though we lost a lot of people on defense, I thought we had some excellent people to replace them and I think, for the most part, that proved to be true today.”

INJURY UPDATE

Junior center Marcus Davis broke a bone in the ankle and dislocated his ankle. Davis was making his first career start in place of the suspended Jorge Gonzalez and beat out freshman Matt Smith to earn the start. Davis will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season.

Other than that, there were only minor injuries. Junior wide receiver Kyrus Lanxter suffered from back spasms and senior tight end Ross Bogue had an injured thumb. Bogue’s thumb was scheduled to be X-Rayed, but it is not considered to be serious.