LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Exceeding expectations has never been easier than it will be for the University of Kentucky football team this season. Why? There are no expectations for Joker Phillips' third UK team.
None.
Official confirmation came Thursday during the wrap-up session of Southeastern Conference Media Days in Hoover, Ala. Media members were asked to predict the Eastern Division standings. They voted the Wildcats seventh – by plenty.
That's well behind Missouri, the spunky newcomer from the Big 12.
That's behind Tennessee, even though the sagging Vols finished last in the East in 2011.
And that's even behind Vanderbilt, which has somehow become a trendy pick as an SEC surprise team because of its hyper-aggressive coach James Franklin.
The media vote essentially made it unanimous that nobody expects anything from the Wildcats. They're projected last in the Phil Steele College Yearbook, last by USA Today, last by Athlon, last by Lindy's, last by Good Housekeeping, last by Kim & Kanye.
That's not all. Votes were also collected on the all-league teams, three deep on offense, defense and special teams.
There are now 14 SEC programs. That means 82 players were recognized on the top three teams. Kentucky and Mississippi were the only schools represented by one player – Larry Warford, an offensive lineman for the Wildcats.
There is one place the Wildcats consistently register -- on those Coaching Hot Seat Lists. Phillips has crashed several. His answer to a question about his Hot Seat status Wednesday was Phillips' sharpest reply during a question-and-answer session.
"I'm not sitting down now, so there's nothing hot," he said, with a smile.
Nice line coach. It enabled Phillips to continue.
"I don't have time to listen to that stuff," he said. "All we have time to think about is doing all the productive things in our program that we need to get back to the level that we want to."
Groaning about the UK program began when the Wildcats lost to Louisville last season and escalated when the Wildcats fell out of bowl consideration. It subsided, a bit, after Kentucky finished its season by defeating Tennessee. But all these predictions about a last-place finish are certain to inspire more angst.
That's unavoidable. But no expectations can become a plus. Correct, a plus.
Being picked last is better than being picked fifth or sixth, which is where Kentucky is usually picked. Being picked last gives Phillips and his team the opportunity to overachieve and silence the skeptics.
Being picked last and then finishing ahead of Vandy and Tennessee gives Phillips his chance to edge away from the hot seat.
Being picked to finish last is never something to celebrate. But it is an opportunity. And any prediction about Kentucky football must be viewed through the prism of this historical nugget:
Phillips is starting his third season as head coach. Of the previous seven coaches to survive into a third season at Kentucky, how many delivered a winning season in year three?
Not Rich Brooks, who went 3-8 Not Fran Curci, who went 2-8-1. Not Charlie Bradshaw, who was 5-5.
Just one – Jerry Claiborne, who won nine of 12 games.
In major college football, managing expectations is as important as managing the clock. Win several SEC games when that's what everybody expects, and your reward will be shrugs. We've seen that often at Kentucky.
Being picked last positions Kentucky to become a surprise team.
There are two SEC games Kentucky must win – Mississippi State (Oct. 6) and Vanderbilt (Nov. 3) – both in Commonwealth Stadium. Those wins are non-negotiable.
Stealing one or two more will be difficult. Predicting an upset at Florida or Arkansas seems outrageous. Winning at Missouri seems unlikely because the Tigers are 11-1 in Columbia the last two seasons. Georgia and South Carolina come to Lexington, but they're the two teams to beat in the East. UK will be double-digit underdogs in those two.
That leaves Tennessee. The Vols have lost 11 games in Knoxville over the last four season. The Vols are still vulnerable.
For Phillips, this situation is hardly ideal. Not with fans already debating his future and talk about a slump in ticket sales. But it's a situation that Phillips can twist to his advantage. No expectations set Kentucky up to overachieve.
Copyright 2012 WDRB News. All Rights Reserved.
Kentucky is a consensus pick to finish last in the SEC East in 2012.
