THE BIG STORY

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that while pledging to abide by a Southeastern Conference rule prohibiting on-field fan celebrations, Kentucky Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart noted that UK football fans had a compelling excuse.

“It’s a very difficult rule when you have pent-up passion… waiting so long for those kind of things,” Barnhart said Wednesday at the Wildcat Tip-Off Luncheon in Louisville. “It’s difficult to tell fans they can’t be part of that.”

The SEC levies a fine of $5,000 for the first violation, $25,000 for the second and $50,000 for the third and any subsequent violation. UK is the only three-time violator, the third time coming last weekend with the football team’s three-overtime victory over then-No. 1 LSU. It was UK’s first football victory over a No. 1 team since 1964.

Earlier fines levied against UK came after celebrations of football victories over Georgia last season and Louisville earlier this season. Barnhart said he mentioned UK football’s “pent-up passion” in a recent conversation with SEC Commissioner Mike Slive (right).

“He was respectful of my opinion,” the UK athletics director said with a growing smile, “but the fine was still $50,000. So it didn’t change the fine.”

UK fans have volunteered to pay the fine. Barnhart said he received $1 donations from about 50 people. A couple of fans sent $10.

“I don’t worry about the money,” Barnhart said. “I worry about the safety of fans and the safety of players.”

SEC Associate Commissioner Charles Bloom noted that the intent of the ban was to provide a safe environment for players, officials, cheerleaders and administrators.

When asked about the “pent-up passion” of UK football fans, Bloom said that all 12 league schools voted for the ban. The SEC has levied a fine each and every time fans have charged out of the stands in celebration.

Barnhart expressed reservations about the fines acting as an effective deterrent. “I’m not sure the financial piece is enough to scare anybody from coming on the court or the field, if the passion’s there,” he said.

Bloom suggested that publicity generated by fines inhibited rowdy fans.

A look at the league:

ALABAMA

Alabama offense lineman Justin Britt is back with the Crimson Tide, practicing Wednesday with the first-string offensive line for the first time since Vera Britt was hospitalized with a severe head injury the weekend of the Oct. 6 Houston game. She fell from a cart and struck her head on the pavement, cracking her skull in five places. Two surgeries later, she continues to make gradual improvement. Doctors said last week she had a 15 percent chance of living. She remains in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Birmingham’s Trinity Medical Center, but there have been positive signs, Justin said. On Tuesday, she grabbed a toothbrush and held it to her teeth. “It’s been nothing short of a miracle,” Justin said. “Now all the swelling has gone down out of her face. She’s responding to everybody, knows all our names. It’s just going to be a long process, but she’s making it. She’s doing great.”

ARKANSAS

The Arkansas offense has worked on dealing with the defensive rush that the Hogs should expect from Ole Miss defensive coordinator, John Thompson in Saturday’s game in Oxford. “John Thompson worked for me here and has been on the Arkansas staff,” Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. “He likes to blitz and bring different types of blitzes, so we really had to work hard on that today.” On a day the head coach said quarterback Casey Dick threw the ball well, he was also glad to see the progress made by Marcus Monk. Though the senior receiver is not 100%, Nutt said Monk can still help contribute for Arkansas. “It was good to see Marcus out here,” Nutt said. “He got a little bit more (work) than yesterday (Tuesday), he did some one-on-one. That was very encouraging.” Robert Johnson did not practice Wednesday as he continues to deal with an injured ankle. Nutt said the day off for the receiver is just a precautionary measure to make sure Johnson is ready Saturday. “(Robert) is awfully sore and limping around, so we thought we’d give him the day off,” Nutt said. “He’s going to go. We have to have his leadership. He’s great on the sidelines and he’s into the game on every snap. He’s helped us a great deal.”

AUBURN

Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox’s recent hot streak and his ability to rally the Tigers in the final minutes of games have earned him the right to change plays at the line of scrimnmage. Cox isn’t really a risk-taker at the line and his actions are not so different from the ones enjoyed by former Auburn starter Jason Campbell. Still, Cox is busy. He “checks” into a new play about 30 percent of the time. These changes can be subtle - run right instead of left - or can change from a run to a pass. Cox probably comes up with a completely different play about 10 percent of the time when he calls an audible. “Defenses, knowing how smart he is, usually make a lot of late moves to change formations on him,” said coach Tommy Tuberville. “We’ve countered that by going on quick counts, trying to catch them while they’re moving. That slows them down.”

FLORIDA

Florida sophomore receiver Percy Harvin is having a great week of practice. Florida coach Urban Meyer was quick to offer an explanation for Harvin’s recent workouts. Inspiration may have come from the recent visit of former NFL standout receiver Cris Carter, who talked to the team Monday. “They’ve got a little deal,” Meyer said. “They talk to each other, and they spent some time together. Cris always talks about taking your game to the next level, and Percy is one of those guys that admires a guy like Cris Carter.” The bye week also helped Harvin rest ankle and hip ailments that have bothered him early this season. “He’s fully healthy,” Meyer said. “His correlation with playing at the highest level is pretty good.” Harvin is coming off a 58-yard receiving, 11-yard rushing night at LSU. For the season, Harvin has amassed 698 total yards (rushing and receiving) and four touchdowns.

GEORGIA

Georgia leads the nation in fewest turnovers lost with five and is assured it will head into the Oct. 27 game against Florida best in the nation in that category. “Really?” a clearly pleased quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “Nice. It’s good for us. It lets our defense play. That was the thing that everybody said we needed to work on and we worked on it hard in the offseason.” The Bulldogs tied for 107th in the nation last year committing 31 turnovers-16 interceptions and 15 lost fumbles. This year, Georgia has lost just one fumble and Stafford has thrown four interceptions in seven games. “That was just a point of emphasis coming in,” tight end Tripp Chandler said. “Coming into the season that was an emphasis - ball security and ball control. I think it’s paid off.”

KENTUCKY

The Braxton Kelley-Micah Johnson linebacker platoon has worked like a charm for the Wildcats thus far. Johnson is third on the team in tackles with 35, and has added three tackles for loss, an interception and three pass breakups. Kelley isn’t far behind with 31 tackles. If you combined their 66 stops, it would rank third in the Southeastern Conference behind teammate Wesley Woodyard (76) and Mississippi linebacker Ashlee Palmer (67). Kentucky linebackers coach Chuck Smith said he basically rotates Johnson and Kelley every other series. Johnson’s improved recognition of pass coverages has allowed him to play more in UK’s nickel package than he has in the past. “It’s been coming out fairly even,” Smith said. “They basically have been splitting the reps. Both guys have been doing an excellent job. The quality of that position is really good right now, and we’re also able to keep both guys fresh.” The two players also provide a nice contrast in styles. At 6-foot-2 and 255 pounds, Johnson provides a bigger, more physical presence inside, while at 6-foot, 226, Kelley can cover a little more ground. Both players admit to wanting to be the starter and getting the lion’s share of the repetitions, but with UK off to a 6-1 start with a No. 8 national ranking, neither one of them sees a need to rock the boat. “It hasn’t been much of a problem,” Kelley said. “As long as both of us are making plays, we’re happy. Both of us want to play a lot more, but as long as we’re winning and it’s working, there’s no need to change it right now.”

LSU

LSU running back Charles Scott barely played and did not carry the ball through LSU’s first 13 offensive plays of the first quarter in its 43-37 loss at Kentucky Saturday. Then the sophomore tailback from Jonesboro gained 55 yards on the last play of the period to set up for a first-and-goal at the Kentucky 1-yard line. “Everybody was playing for the outside option with Ryan Perrilloux at quarterback, and it was just a gash up the middle,” Scott said. “You could tell they were playing for outside on that play.” Scott followed that run with a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. He rushed three more times in the second quarter, including a 13-yard touchdown run, and finished the half with 91 yards on five carries. Scott also never knows when his No. 32 might not be called. He carried it only two more times on the day for three yards, including the last play of the game when he was stopped for a yard on fourth-and-two in triple overtime. “We got a lot of great guys out there,” Scott said. “It just so happened they called my number. I just did what I’ve been practicing to do all week. About me not playing in the second half, it was just about them spreading the ball around and trying to get it to other people. I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

OLE MISS

Ole Miss right guard John Jerry worked with the second team in practice on Wednesday after being benched for disciplinary reasons during Saturday’s 27-24 loss to Alabama, according to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. Neither Jerry nor coach Ed Orgeron would discuss the specific incident that led to Jerry’s benching. But both have said they have moved on and there are no ill feelings. However, that doesn’t mean Jerry will be in the starting lineup on Saturday against Arkansas. “Coach O ain’t going to give you nothing,” Jerry said. “I’m going to have to earn my spot back and I know that.” Jerry, a sophomore, had started every game of his Ole Miss career until Saturday. Senior Thomas Eckers started in Jerry’s place.

MISS. STATE

Mississippi State could enter Saturday’s game at No. 9 West Virginia without fully knowing if and how much its backup quarterback, junior Michael Henig, can perform. At Wednesday’s practice, Henig didn’t throw a pass during the portion reporters are allowed to observe. “He’s not doing a lot,” Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. “We’ve just got to take care of his hand and if we have to use him, nothing new with the game plan, we’ll just go with what he knows. He hasn’t gotten a lot of reps this week. We’ll see how much he can do.” Henig was wearing an electrical nerve stimulator unit that was attached to his recovering right hand during Wednesday’s practice. Head trainer Paul Mock said the stimulator is designed to lessen the pain Henig is feeling on the extremities of his fingers. Henig, who broke a bone in his right hand Sept. 15, returned in the Oct. 6 game against UAB, but started feeling pain two days later.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Blake Mitchell hopes his roller coaster career at South Carolina ends with a few more thrills. The fifth-year quarterback, benched each of the past two seasons, will play for the first time in a month Saturday against Vanderbilt. USC coach Steve Spurrier said Wednesday that Mitchell would spell starter Chris Smelley in the first half against the Commodores. Mitchell, the only USC quarterback to defeat Tennessee, Florida, Clemson and Georgia, spent seven weeks on the sidelines last year before playing his best football during the final four-plus games. “You can say my career’s been up and down,” Mitchell said. “But what I did last year is hung in there and waited for him to call my number again. Hopefully, I’ll be prepared.” There are no guarantees Mitchell will take the job from Smelley, who has won all three games since replacing Mitchell. “He’s got three wins and has put up some decent numbers, thrown some touchdowns,” Mitchell said. “I’m sure he’s going to do a good job.” Smelley has completed 56 percent of his passes for 982 yards and nine touchdowns; Mitchell has a 60 percent completion rate with 391 passing yards and three touchdowns. Each has thrown four interceptions. Mitchell’s solid play at practice prompted Spurrier to give him another chance. “He’s not just going to lay down and quit,” Smelley said. “He’s a competitor and he’s a tough guy.” Mitchell, criticized for being hesitant in the pocket last month, does not plan on being tentative. “I’m going to try to go out there and let it go and make a decision and play,” he said. “If you make a mistake, I’m just going to put it behind me and keep going.”

TENNESSEE

Vols’ coach Phillip Fulmer said he couldn’t be prouder of former Vols quarterback and current Colorado Rockies star first baseman Todd Helton as Helton advanced to the World Series. Helton’s last football game for the Vols was at Mississippi State in 1994 when he injured a knee, left the game and turned over the QB spot to a young freshman named Peyton Manning . At that point, Helton figured his meal ticket was baseball. “It’s really unique that we have had a quarterback that played in the Super Bowl (Peyton Manning) and now a quarterback that’s playing in the World Series,” Fulmer said. “There aren’t many people that have the opportunity to coach those kinds of athletes.” Fulmer is elated with Helton’s finally reaching the pinnacle of his sport. “You can tell he’s really proud of what his team has accomplished,” Fulmer said. “I don’t know of anybody who deserves it more. There’s not anybody that’s done any more for a team than Todd Helton has done for the Rockies for years. Now he has a chance to go to the World Series and I’m thrilled for him.” Much has been made of the Colorado team’s roster and staff of former football college-caliber quarterbacks, including Helton and Rockies hitting coach Alan Cockrell. Both were two-sports stars at UT — Cockrell a two-year (1982-83) quarterback starter and baseball All-America while Helton drew a few spot starts at QB early in the 1994 season before moving entirely to the diamond and earning national player of the year honors himself .

VANDERBILT

Steve Spurrier hasn’t forgotten the last time Vanderbilt visited South Carolina. As a freshman in 2005, Earl Bennett established a personal high in receptions and yardage, though he’s eclipsed the latter mark in each of the last two seasons. “Two years ago, they really came in here and went up and down the field,” Spurrier said. “Bennett caught 16 passes against us (for 204 yards).” Spurrier’s Gamecocks won 35-28, but Bennett’s mark was an indelible one. “They were having a hard time covering him. We were throwing it short, throwing it long. We had Jay Cutler delivering the ball; that always help,” Vanderbilt Coach Bobby Johnson said. That was the second of nine double-digit reception days for Bennett, who needs four catches to become the SEC leader. It was one of his three 200-yard games. Last year, however, the Gamecocks harnessed Bennett as he finished with just four catches and 16 yards in Vanderbilt’s 31-13 homefield loss. “South Carolina’s much better on offense right now than they were (two years ago),” Johnson said. “We’ve got to find a way to get the ball to Earl and use a very fine talent.”