Humpday Quickies

It's Humpday here at OTP, and though mid-week games and conference championships have preempted our normal humpday quickage for the last couple weeks, we're back with a vengeance. Both Kentucky and Ball State are going Bowling, the Wildcats in the Liberty Bowl and the Cardinals in the GMAC Bowl. Their opponents? East Carolina and Tulsa respectively, who ironically played each other for the Conference USA championship. Off we go...

Ball State Quickies:

• Brady Hoke was named the FBS Region III Coach of the Year this week. He was also named one of 10 finalists for the Coach of the Year for the entire FBS division. A great honor for a man who took over a steaming turd and has turned it into a consistent winner.
• In other Brady Hoke news, Hoke has vehemently denied being contacted by any other program, but Doug Zaleski of The Star Press says multiple schools are interested, according to Hoke's agent. So take that with a giant boulder of salt.
• What might be making that decision easier is the fact that junior QB Nate Davis announced after the MAC Championship game he will return for his senior season. I'll believe it when it happens, hence why there hasn't been much about this on the site, but cool if true.
  
• Interesting read from the Daily News about Nate Davis' announcement that he will return from the eyes of his brother, Jose.
• Good read and a national stage for Nate, as USA Today wrote up a feature article on his skills, his season, and why he chose the Cardinals.
  
• Ball State assistant coach Stan Parrish is named a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the top assistant coach in the country. It's a great honor and well-deserved for Coach Parrish.
• Frankfort Times columnist and fellow BSU blogger over at The Sixth Ball Brother, Phil Friend has a great piece on a student manager at BSU.
• Proving again that football is a truly team effort, 12 Cardinals made the roster of the All-MAC teams. Truly a great accomplishment for players who don't get a lot of pub nationally.

Kentucky Quickies:

• Three Cats (Tim Masthay, Trevard Lindley, and Micah Johnson) were tabbed for All-SEC teams today.
• Nice little write up on the Liberty Bowl, ECU, and the fact that Brooks and co. didn't want to travel to Nashville. Again.
• KSR is reporting that QB Coach Randy Sanders is in talks with Tennessee Chattanooga about their vacant head coaching position. A little surprising, and this would be a big loss for the Cats. I've always been a supporter and fan of Sanders, and believe he was largely responsible for coaching Andre Woodson to such a great year last year.
• Trevard Lindley, Jeremy Jarmon, and Michah Johnson are all going to test their stock at the NFL draft.
• In the old but still awful news department, Randall Cobb is doubtful for the Liberty Bowl. Awesome.

Everyone Else Quickies:

• In Tennessee Volunteer news, the Lane Kiffin era has begun, and the Phil Fulmer psuedo era continues in an administrative role within the university.
• A really interesting read about what sort of swag the players get for various Bowl Games.
• Another George O'Leary player collapses because of heat related stress. At least this one didn't die. How many players have to keel over before a university begins to make some personnel changes?
• Orson at EDSBS summarizes every Bowl Game in ten words. Classic.
• In the Texas Will Still Be Awesome Next Year category, QB Colt McCoy announced he was staying for his senior season in Austin. Great news for Texas, bad news for everyone else.
• Tim Tebow, he of baby rhino build, also said he was leaning to the same thing. About staying. Not about Texas being good.
• The Wall Street Journal chimes in with what the success of southern football says about America.
  
• I'm not sure what the exact definition of "utter unbelievable tragedy" but this is close. Sort of makes me remember that these people I'll never know who entertain the living piss out of me every weekend are still inherently flawed human beings just like the rest of us. Sad. Infinitely, ridiculously, senselessly sad.