Doctors clear Lorenzen to play against Bobcats
Published 12:00 am Thursday, October 16, 2003
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Jared Lorenzen has sufficiently recovered from a concussion and will start at quarterback for Kentucky when the Wildcats host Ohio on Saturday, coach Rich Brooks said Wednesday.
Lorenzen suffered the concussion on the final play of the third quarter of Kentucky's 27-21 loss to South Carolina on Thursday, when he received a helmet-to-helmet hit from defensive end Moe Thompson.
Lorenzen did not practice on Monday as Kentucky doctors assessed his recovery from the injury.
Brooks said starting tight end Win Gaffron likely will miss the Ohio game and could be out for up to two weeks because of recurring back problems.
Brooks also announced that sophomore linebacker Deion Holts, the team's sack leader, has been suspended for at least one game for an unspecified violation of team rules.
Holts' absence will reduce an already thin linebacker corps. Another starter, freshman Durrell White, is questionable for the Ohio game with an ankle injury.
Ohio (2-4) broke a four-game losing streak on Saturday with a 28-0 win over Mid-American Conference rival Central Florida.
Brooks is aware of the success MAC teams, particularly No. 12 Northern Illinois, have had this season. He noted that the Bobcats took Northern Illinois to overtime before losing 30-23.
''They're a team that is capable, obviously, of making it an unpleasant homecoming (game), so we really need to pay attention to our preparation in practice this week,'' Brooks said.
Ohio's offense is ''unusual,'' Brooks said.
''It's kind of a combination of the Air Force double-wing option and some wishbone-type option, only it's not out of the 'bone, it's out more of a straight 'T' (formation),'' he said. ''It's combinations of all of those things, different types of motions and unbalanced lines and split sets. They are going to give us a lot of problems defensively.''
Ohio freshman quarterback Austen Everson made his first start against Central Florida because of injuries to the Bobcats' top two quarterbacks, Fred Ray and Ryan Hawk. He rushed for 130 yards and three touchdowns and threw a scoring pass after not playing in the Bobcats' first five games.