* Joker Phillips had an extended press conference today after practice in lieu of the typical Monday press luncheon they usually do.

* Joker said film review showed "we have some talent on offense; we've got some guys who can make plays," but "way too careless with the football." Liked how the backs and receivers caught the ball, but putting it on the ground a few times cost them scoring opportunities.

* O-Line play was as good as any group he's been around, Joker said. The same 5 guys played every snap and were largely penalty/mistake-free. 

* Very pleased with Maxwell Smith's QB play. Randy Sanders added that he did a great job of getting the team in and out of plays with the no-huddle. He said Max was extremely effective at getting the ball out of his hand fast and accurate. 

* On defense, Joker said "Everyone puts the blame on our line, but our linebackers gotta play better. They've gotta play better and get us in the right calls, and they've got to stay in their gaps. Our D-Line didn't play great, but they didn't play as bad as everybody would think when a team runs for 200-something yards on you."

* "We've got a lot of work to do, especially on defense," Joker said. "We've got to get our best personnel in the game." ... He said the staff has to do a better job of getting the D lined up properly and understanding where they need to be.  "I'm not just blaming the players. I'm blaming us as coaches." ... "Just get lined up. We were unsound in a lot of things... It really wasn't anybody getting whipped. You can't be a guy getting in this gap, and then two gaps later, a guy in this gap."

* Two depth-chart promotions this week: Aaron Boyd, at long last, has earned a starting job at WR. He had three catches against Louisville and did some nice blocking, which always helps you get on the field with Joker. He moves up over EJ Fields. "I'm so proud of Aaron," Joker said. "He's stayed the course and grown up a lot." And at WLB, Malcolm McDuffen has replaced Tyler Brause as the starter.

* Asked how to get his guys back up in practice, Joker said "It's a long season, a lot of games to be played. I like the locker room, I just don't like how we executed all of the time on the field." He added that he likes having a short week for Kent State. "We need to get back on the field."

* Joker said, unfortunately, Demarco Robinson wasn't able to get behind the UofL defense too often, but you did see signs of his playmaking ability in the return game.

* Joker said they have to continue to get the freshmen involved. They're too talented to not be part of the picture. "Talent will overcome experience," he said.

I could name a few positions on defense that I would consider putting a talented Freshman at if he had more talent than the present starter which by the way would not need to be much.

   I will not name players but will say at two of the LB positions and both CB positions.    IMO all moving Neloms from safety to CB did was move a player that was decent at his safety position to a position at which struggles.

I'd be all for moving Neloms back to Safety alongside Lowery, starting Tiller and Harmon with Rice moving in to Nickel again..  Take your lumps with them and hope the "light" comes on later in the year.  It really couldn't hurt, our secondary could not have been much worse Sunday.

I remember a few years back when I was happy to see a DB in the same area as the receiver. (Can I say Mumme?) That old "whupped" feeling came over me again on Sunday when more than one receiver at a time was roaming our backfield, totally unchecked by a defender.

At least one positive: the defensive staff has some great teaching film to work with this week.

BradWoodcock wrote: I'd be all for moving Neloms back to Safety alongside Lowery, starting Tiller and Harmon with Rice moving in to Nickel again..  Take your lumps with them and hope the "light" comes on later in the year.  It really couldn't hurt, our secondary could not have been much worse Sunday.

I think you'll see some moving and shaking in the secondary if some issues don't get solved this week. The safeties took some of the worst angles of anyone on the team. Terribly out of position when UofL sprung a couple of long runs on the edge.

BradWoodcock wrote: I'd be all for moving Neloms back to Safety alongside Lowery, starting Tiller and Harmon with Rice moving in to Nickel again..  Take your lumps with them and hope the "light" comes on later in the year.  It really couldn't hurt, our secondary could not have been much worse Sunday.

I think that is a great idea,  please call Minter.  And I am not kidding.