xt79kd1qjt8t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt79kd1qjt8t/data/mets.xml The Kentucky Kernel Kentucky -- Lexington The Kentucky Kernel 2005-04-12 Earlier Titles: Idea of University of Kentucky, The State College Cadet newspapers  English   Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Kentucky Kernel  The Kentucky Kernel, April 12, 2005 text The Kentucky Kernel, April 12, 2005 2005 2005-04-12 2020 true xt79kd1qjt8t section xt79kd1qjt8t Tuesday
April 12, 2005

www.kykernel.com
newsroom: 257-1915

first issue free. Subsequent issues 25 cents.

THE KENTUCKY

Kerrie

Celebrating 33 years of independence

1 +

Top wide receiver out
for remainder of spring
Page 3

 

Targeting Top 20: UK Med Center

valuable to research mission
Page 4

 

 

By Megan Boehnke

m: kmrucxv ktnnfi

For the three people
gathered around a table in
a desolate Student Center,
voices were quiet but con-
versation was flowing.

Dick Purnell and Diane
Cross. employees in UK‘s
Disability Resource Center.
sat with one of their stu-
dents. laughing as they
signed quickly with their
hands.

“()h. I‘ll brag for you."
Purnell said. turning. "In
the weightlifting contest.
Terry lifted more weight
than any of the other line-
backers both times last
yean"

Terry Clayton half-
smiled shyly. glancing
down while gesturing with
his hands.

“I don‘t like to brag." he
signed. “1 don't want to say
that."

Terry Clayton is a line—
backer for the UK football
team.

And although he occa—
sionally talks in one-on-
one conversations. he is

 

 

legally deaf.

“You should tell them
honestly that you are real—
ly a mama’s boy." Purnell
joked. causing a wave of
amusement at the table.
mostly from Clayton.

“Yeah. I am really a ted-
dy bear." Clayton said with
a smile.

“Terry and I tease each
other all the time." Purnell
said. “We get along great."

Purnell has been an in-
terpreter for 30 years.
earning a degree in deaf
education at the University
of Nebraska.

Cross majored in inter—
preting and has been work-
ing in that field for almost
20 years.

As one of many ser-
vices provided to students
through UK‘s Disability
Resource Center. Purnell
and Cross work with hear~
ing~impaired students.
signing for them in class.

He and Cross have been
working with Clayton for
about two years.

“I don‘t want any new
interpreters here at UK."

 

mm PM... I STAFF

Dick Purnell of UK's Disability Resource Center, signs for Terry Clayton, a linebacker on the football team, during a class. Purnell and Diane Cross aid
Clayton, UK's only full-time deaf student. “If he was to look down even for a minute, he is probably missing really important information." Purnell said.

Seeing all the signs

mm nun I sun

Linebacker Terry Clayton is the only deaf football player in the South-
eastern Conference. He lifted more than any other linebacker last year.

Clayton said. “I am really
comfortable with Diane
and Dick."

The duo first met Clay»
ton two summers ago.

After then-recruiting
coordinator Joker Phillips
sought out Clayton when
he played football for Lo-
gan County (Ky) High
School. Clayton decided to
come up for the summer to
meet the interpreters.

“I wanted to see if they
were any good.“ Clayton
said. laughing.

After being asked to
work with Clayton over the
summer. Purnell decided
to stay and help Clayton
when the fall semester
started.

Purnell and Cross are
both contracted by UK
through the school’s Dis-

See Clayton on page 2

 

 

A new alarm clock: This one runs and hides 9

By Roger Vincent
‘losriiiiCEEs’iiu't—s’

After years of cowering
helplessly as their owners
bash them every morning.
alarm clocks are starting to
run away

“Clocky.” invented by a
graduate student at the
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Media Lab. is
round, furry and has
wheels.

It takes off in search of
a far-away hiding place as
soon as you hit the snooze
button.

That you have to get out
of bed to hunt it down after

it rolls off the nightstand is
considered good news by
slugabeds such as Clocky's
creator. Gauri Nanda.

“I‘ve hit the snooze but-
ton for. like. two hours."
said the 25-year-old MIT
student.

One reason Clocky is so
effective ~ some might say
diabolical W is that it's pro-
grammed to move random-
ly in distance and direc-
tion.

It could come to rest
across the room. beneath
the loveseat or under the
bed before it resumes
chirping.

“The idea is a hide-and-

seek game in the morning.
so you don‘t know where
it‘s going to end up." Nanda
said.

Several investors and
retailers have approached
Nanda. She said she would
like to see the Clockys
rolling off the manufactur-
ing line within a year and
selling for less than $30
each.

The prototype is coated
in brown shag carpeting.
which Nanda said she may
replace with a soft. colorful
fabric.

Efforts to wake people
by mechanical means date
at least to the days of

Leonardo da Vinci.

l
I
i

One of the Renaissance j

man's lesser-known inven-
tions was a device that
woke the sleeper by gently

rubbing his feet until he :

awoke.
The earliest known U.S.

alarm clock was created by .

Levi Hutchins of
Hampshire in 1787. but the

New 3

alarm rang only at one .

specified time that couldn't
be set or altered.

For more information
about the Clocky. visit Nan»
da's Web site at
http: ’web.media.mit.edu
nanda projects clockyht
ml.

The idea is a hide-and-seek game in the morning, so

you don’t know where it’s going to end up.”
— Gauri Nanda, the creator of the Clocky, on the invention's purpose :

Todd, mayor formally

The building was budgeted at $67.2
million. but an added fourth floor
raised the cost to $74.4 million. Todd
said UK received a $5 million grant to
help pay for the additional floor.
About 60 percent of the building's cost
was paid for by the state. he said.
while the rest came from research

By Jenna Tyler
not KENTUCKY KERNEI

President Lee Todd and Mayor
Teresa Isaac were part of the ribbon
cutting ceremonies yesterday for the
dedication of the Biomedical Biologi-

cal Science Research Building.

Located at the corner of South
Limestone Street and Virginia Av-
enue. the l&5.li()0square foot facility
houses laboratories and work spaces
for scientists from the colleges of
medicine. pharmacy and arts & sci-

911008.

“We have talented faculty." Todd
said. “We just have to give them the

tools."

funding.

Todd said it is money well spent.

“The real benefit will come from
some of the research that takes place
in these laboratories."

Isaac said the building will im-
pmve the state of education in Lexing-
ton. “This pmject represents the joint
commitment of UK and Lexington to

rooms.

he said.

said.

foster an innovative and intellectual

T

environment both on campus and
throughout the community." she said.

Edward Hall.
Spinal Cord & Brain Injury Research
Center. took tour groups through the
keycard-controlled labs. He said each
floor includes labs. furnished offices
for staff. conference rooms and break

director of the

Hall. a former Pfizer employee re
cruited to help with research at UK.
said researchers have been working in
the building since early February It
will eventually provide space for 350
to 400 faculty. staff and students. he

E-mail
newsmkykernelcom

l

Board
disqualifies
Nash’s SG
victory

President-elect vows to appeal,
runner-up Ellingsworth ‘stunned'

Tricia McKenny
mt mirucn min

In a landmark decision
last night. the Student Gov-
ernment Elections Board of
Claims disqualified SG presi-
dent and vice presidentelects
Will Nash and Michelle Bish‘
op.

A majority of board
members found a “preponder-
ance of evidence" supporting
three claims against Nash
and Bishop. and found that
the violations constitute a
“felony." as defined in the SG
Constitution and disqualified
Nash and Bishop as a result of
these findings. The exact vote
was not released.

“We will certainly appeal
this decision." Nash said
upon hearing the board’s rul-
mg.
“We feel like no student
changed his or her vote based
on the items in the claims.
We are upset the student
voice was not heard." he said.

Becky Ellingsworth. who
finished second in the elec-
tion with running mate Kyle
Burns. said she was
“stunned" by the decision.

“We are just going to wait
to see what the Supreme
Court decides." she said.

Tommy Cunningham.
who finished
third with run-
ning mate Matt
Neff. said he
was surprised
at the decision
and his inten«
tion was not
necessarily to
disqualify any
candidates.

"They finale
1y got it right."
he said.

“I knew
stuff went
wrong. and my
intention was to bring ac-
countability to SG. and hope-
fully Becky (Ellingsworth)
can step up now." (‘unning-
ham said.

“They (the board) is try-
ing to send SC in the right di-
rection. and hopefully she can
take the reins from there." he
said.

The board found evidence
supporting claims made by
presidential candidate Toni-
my Cunningham regarding
campaign spending rules that
Nash and Bishop violated.

The board ruled that Nash
and Bishop used a tax exemp
tion certificate to purchase
campaign signs.

By using the tax exemp-
tion form. available to all stu-
dent organizations funded by
IIK. the campaign was not re
quired to pay $1.20 in taxes
and did not list the tax on
their required expenditure
forms.

“We feel like
no student
changed his or
her vote based
on the items
in the claims."
Will Nash

SG presudent-elect

The claim said that as a
result of this omission, the
“candidates filed a false. sub-
stantially inaccurate. and de-
ceptive report to the Elections
Board of Supervision. in vio-
lation of Article V. Section 5.
Clause C."

Presidential candidates
are limited to spending $600
on their campaigns and if the
$4.20 was added to the
Nash/Bishop campaign’s ex-
penditures. its total spending
would be $601.62. said Matt
Kirby. SG’s elections investi-
gator. in his presentation to
the board.

“It is unknown whether
their motive was to file false
expenditure reports." Kirby
said.

Nash told the board he
was under the impression
that the tax form was avail-
able to all students.

“Whether it is found not
to be. at the time. I believed it
was available to all students."
Nash said.

He said he called the
printing company on the final
day of elections. the day be
fore the deadline to file expen»
diture reports. in order to
confirm an invoice and was
asked if he was with a UK
student organization.

He said he replied. “Sort
of." and de-
scribed the 86
election to the
employee.

The em-
ployee then
asked Nash to
fax the tax
form in order
to complete the
invoice. and
Nash said he
did.

"You can
only imagine
the stress level
on the Thursday of the elec-
tion." he told the board.

“When someone says. ‘Let
me help you.‘ you only say.
‘Thank you.”

Nash and Bishop told the
board that they admit they
were over the spending limit
if the tax is included.

“I am struck by the non-
chalance by which two experi-
enced candidates have
showed with their spending."
Board of Claims Chairman
Chris Thacker told them.

“Nothing was done pur-
posely." Nash said.

“It was an oversight of
our campaign without mali-
cious intent. We will accept
responsibility and whatever
the board deems as punish»
ment for $1.62." he said dur-
ing the meeting. before the de
cision was announced.

The board also found evi-
dence supporting Cunning-

See 56 on page 6

 

open science research building

Vimala Bonda-
_ da will now
work in the
' Biomedical Bio-
logical Science
Research Build-
ing under Dr.
James Geddes'
spinal cord
research.

 

 

 PAGEZ | Tuesday, April 12, 2005

 

 

 

momma | sun

From left to right, tutor Shawn Clift, Terry Clayton, Diane Cross and Diclt Purnell meet after one of Clayton’s classes. Clayton, who is deaf, focuses on
Cross or Purnell during class as they sign professors' lectures. “We don't want to be noticed," Purnell said. “We want people to focus on our students."

Clayton.

Continued from page i

ability Resource Center. They work
with Clayton. UK's only deaf full-time
student. on a daily basis. as well as a
handful of other part-time students.

The Disability Resource Center
also provides note-takers for classes in
which Clayton and other hearing-im-
paired students are enrolled During
class. Clayton focuses on his signer
and absorbs the lecture.

“If he (Clayton) was to look down
even for a minute. he is probably miss-
ing really important information."
Cross said. "That's why they need
note‘takers."

The Resource Center does "all of
the behind the scenes work." I’urnell
said. The center contacts professors
before the semester begins. explaining
that a disabled student will be enrolled
in their classes.

The center ensures that the class
will have a designated note-taker and
that all other needs for the students be
met. such as providing captions when
viewing films.

Purnell likened his work to that of
a referee in a basketball game.

“We don‘t want to be noticed; we
want people to focus on our students.“
Purnell said. "If we are in the fore-
front. then we‘re not doing our jobs
right.

“We know we are a curiosity when
we sit in class and we are signing and
people wonder. ‘What is that guy doing
down there in front" But after a cou-
ple of weeks in class. people get used
to it." he said.

To meet Clayton‘s needs. I’urnell
and Cross follow hint to class every
day. signing for him during lectures.
Occasionally. their commitment ex~
ceeds their obligation.

“Sometimes Terry will call me on a
Sunday afternoon and say ‘Hey. I'm
stuck here at the library. I can't find
this and I can't understand the librari~
an. can you come?” I’urnell said.

“And I come. I don't mind. I tell peo—
ple all the time. as long as he is willing
and working. then I am willing."

Purnell said he never worries

about Clayton's work ethic.

“The effort is always there.“ Pur-
nell said. “I have seen him rewrite pa-
pers four. five. six times."

Papers and reports are difficult for
Clayton. The grammar of sign lan-
guage is different than that of English.
meaning he writes in a different lan-
guage than he “speaks."

“It is no different than a student
with a second language." Purnell said.
"If we have a stttdent here from anoth-
er country. they struggle with English
grammar."

While Purnell and Cross are avail-
able to help Clayton with his 12 acade-
mic hours. he's on his own for football.

“There is a lot of work to do in foot-
ball and sometimes I don't understand
everything.“ Clayton said. “There are
a lot of different things to learn and a
lot of information.

"It is tough to read lips for several
hours and make sure you get every-
thing exactly right."

For Clayton. however. growing up
with the game helped him.

Clayton claims he never really
tried when playing little league foot-
ball. but once he hit high school. he be-
gan to take the sport a little more seri-
ously

As a senior. Clayton played in the
Kentucky All-Star game against all
stars from Tennessee. During that
game. an interpreter helped him out.

“All the other players thought that
was cool.“ Clayton said. “I really wish
I had interpreters at football."

While team meetings are some!
times challenging. most of the difficult
ty comes out on the field.

When players have facemasks on
and mouth pieces in. Clayton said it‘s
a lot tougher for him to read lips and
understand what is going on. particu-
larly when calls have been changed.

“I have to really memorize the
plays and know by looking that they
are changing it." the linebacker said.
“The key is to watch the offensive
line."

Occasionally: he fails to hear a
whistle. resulting in a late hit.

While Clayton finds certain cues on
the field to be difficult. I’urnell thinks
he may have at least one advantage:
his eyes.

“It's so hard to explain, but a deaf
person spends their whole life depend-
ing on vision." Purnell said. “So, they
have the ability to see and notice
things that you and I wouldn’t because
we don't have to depend on it."

Because of this. Clayton believes
that it is possible that he is a little
more observant on the field. especially
in reading the offensive line’s body
language.

But the bottom line is that Clayton
simply loves everything about football.

“I love the contact and I love run-
ning to the ball.“ he said. “And I really
like meeting all the guys on the team
and getting to know them I feel like
we are all really good friends."

Following his uncle. Mark Clayton.
who played for the Miami Dolphins.
and his cousin. Michael Clayton Jr..
who is a rookie for the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers. Clayton entertains goals
of one day making it in the NFL him-
self.

“It doesn‘t matter if I am deaf or
not. I can still do it." Clayton said.
“What is really important are my
skills."

Currently. Clayton is the only deaf
player in the Southeastern Conference.
and as far as he knows. the only deaf
Division I player in the country.

"I can do anything if they give me
a chance." he said.

In the middle of his conversation at
the Student Center. a teammate walked
by. slapped Clayton on the back and
talked to him for a few minutes.

“See. he does really well one-on-
one." Purnell said as he leaned over.
“It is in groups that he has trouble and
distance. like teachers lecturing. be-
cause he can‘t see to read lips.“

While Clayton has ambitious plans
for his football career. the recently de-
clared social work major has two years
of school left before completing his de-
gree.

I’urnell and Cross plan to help him
all the way through.

“It has really been enjoyable." Pur-
nell said. “Terry is a good kid and he is
fun to work with.

“I wouldn‘t trade it for anything."

E-mail newsr'a kykernelcom

 

Free dinner every Wednesday night

STUDENTS,

Please join us for a great meal
and a brief worship service
every Wednesday night
St. Augustine's Chapel
5:05 pm worship
Home cooked meal to follow
472 Rose Street

Refresh your

I Spirit

IutheranepiscopalCM uk Icctwqxnet
254—3726 or 489-1222

FliElililll’ lillliE salt!
PIII'liiliiSll nu lllili 15! .

Frankfurt 5358 Zurich $336
London 5334 Rome 5358
Paris 5358 Dublin 5336
Fares In whit-(t to change 3 do not Indude Ines Eligibility vestrlctions apply
um tummmm Mug tum mg).

m Itllln I you“ lift!!! Ilh UM til Travel EITI

K'I'RAVELCU'I'S

See the world your way

Boo-sga-CUTstasoy)

lots more cities on sale!
Call now or book online at www.travelcuts.com

 

 

\ Your Diploma

THIS IS
WORTH THAT
TOWARD ONE
OF THESE»

Volvo Cars of North America is pleased to
announce their College Graduate Program
giving graduates and soon to be graduating
customers an additional $500 toward the
purchase or lease of a brand new
re—designed Volvo S40 Sedan
or V50 Wagon?

VOLVO
for life

Call or stop by Quantrell
Volvo for full details.

1490 New Circle Road
(859) 266-2161 - 1-800-888-2161
quantrellforlife.com

 

‘ Thi -First Annual
Naft ymposium on

Chemistry
&
Molecular
Biology

Established in the
memory of Anna S. Naft

Oxidativo Stms In Aging
and A90- Rotated
v0
Disorders

SPEAKERS
Barry Halliweii
irwin Fridovich

Earl R. Stadtman
William R. Markesbery
J. Timothy Groonamyro

Don W. Cleveland

 

Friday, April 15, 2005

at .. “an
oung ary
Auditorium

For mom into M
“.mumumnmun

 

 

 

Dou'T BE JUST
A BATBOY

Kentucky
Kernel

The Kernel is hiring students to sell ads,
design ads and handle publicraladons
for the Kernel. Work around your
classes, get paid and get experientgl
a”: W and! la a ham m! l i

(all (859) 257-2 72 ’
or stop by Room 26‘!*
Journalism Building for more ’1

 

 

 

1.

APRIL 18TH AND 19TH
UK STUDENT CENTER CAFETERIA

Tournament Starts at 6: 15PM
Participants Accepted until 7:30PM

NO ENTRY FEE!!!
Prizes for top 12 Players

FREE FOOD AND DRINKS FOR ALL
PARTICIPANTS!!!

PRE-REGISTER AT
UKY.EDU/STUDENTCENTER/CATSDEN

EMAIL ANY QUESTIONS TO:
toumamentscalsv.uky.edu

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

  

Tuesday
April 12. 2005
PAGE 3

 

Sports

Tim Wisemen
Sports Editor

Flute: zsmis | [mt Wm

 

 

FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

Cats scream abOUt an SEC Championship

By Jeff Patterson
mt KENTUCKY rum

Say this for the UK foot~
ball players: They dream big.

At the end of several prac-
tices, as the team huddles to
gether, there has been a col-
lective yell of “SEC champs."

“That's something we
say,” said sophomore receiver
Keenan Burton. “We have to
start meaning it."

Eight practices into
spring, the Cats have shown
more solidarity than at any
other point in head coach
Rich Brooks’ tenure at UK.
Players on both sides of the
ball encourage each other.

“They are having fun."
said defensive coordinator
Mike Archer. “They enjoy
playing together. To become a
team, you’ve got to have
chemistry.”

“That's why we are look-
ing so good right now." said
sophomore quarterback An-
dre Woodson.

In the previous two
springs. bickering was a sta-
ple of the team. So far no one
has complained about their
position on the depth chart or
anything else.

“We had some positive
guys the whole time I’ve been
here," Brooks said. “Maybe
there are fewer negative

guys."

But the key for the Cats
come fall camp is to still act
this way. Burton said.

“Our attitude needs to
stay the same." he said.

Holt menus shoulder

UK senior wide receiver
Glenn Holt will miss the rest
of spring practice afier suffer-
ing a separated shoulder in
practice yesterday. team
spokesman Tony Neely said.

Team officials said Holt.
who led the Cats in receiving
last year with 49 receptions
for 415 yards and three touch-
downs, should be 100 percent
by UK‘s season opener.

Woodsonsoldhsaiuneoe

Woodson completed eight
of 11 passes for 53 yards dur-
ing Saturday’s scrimmage.

“I thought Andre did some
good things,“ Brooks said. “I
like the way Andre is throw-
ing the ball."

In addition to making
smart reads. Woodson has
stepped up his leadership
role. Often shy last fall ——
scurrying away from inter-
view requests by exiting
through side doors and park-
ing lots —— Woodson is now
visible and vocal.

Woodson smiles after
practice now W a rarity last
fall. You can blame offensive
coordinator Joker Phillips for

that.

“Coach Joker has simpli-
fied the offense so much that
everyone has a great under-
standing." Woodson said.

It's only spring, Coach

As the defense stopped the
offense on a fourth-down
stand inside the 5-yard line
during Saturday's scrimmage,
quarterbacks coach Kurt Rop-
er fell to his knees and buried
his face into the turf.

“This is a tough game,"
Roper said. “The kids invest a
lot. To get them to do some of
the things we ask them to do,
you have to have them believe
in you.”

“I love Coach Roper."
Woodson said. “He’s more of
a player's coach."

The stop was a big play for
the defense after Woodson
had led the Cats down the
field in an offense featuring
fivewide sets.

“We want to set the tem-
po." said sophomore line-
backer Joe Schuler. “Put some
big shots on the offense. We
definitely fly to the ball.

“We showed in an adverse
situation. we can step up and
make the play."

Jollisontflteswwflthg

Senior linebacker Dennis
Johnson. who is out of spring
practice after undergoing

back surgery, has already got
a start on his career after foot-
ball: Reporting.

Johnson. a journalism
major, came to Monday's
practice to write a story for
UKAthletics.com about junior
cornerback Bo Smith's return
after suffering a serious head
injury last summer:

“He‘ll be like. ‘Get out of
here man.‘ " Johnson joked.

Johnson starts his rehab
April 19.

“Hopefully. it'll go well,"
he said. “I can‘t move too well
right now"

Arclierqoessoftaortof

Known for his in-your-face
style, defensive coordinator
Mike Archer is routinely one
of the loudest coaches on the
field. This spring he has toned
down the yelling, but still lets
his players know when they
mess up.

“He’s more positive."
Schuler said. “I want him to
get on my case. It's good to
hear him get on you. It means
he cares."

Jeff Patterson covers UK
football for The Kentucky Ker-
nel. This article contains his
observations and opinions. He
can be heard Sundays at 9pm.
on “The Big Blue Review" on
WRFL. 88.1 FM

Email
jpattersomekykernelmm

 

New coaches feeling right at home

By Derek Pegs
m: xmucn mutt

 

If Jimmy Heggins were still coaching
at Florida State, the weather for spring
football wouldn’t be as cooperative.

And he certainly wouldn’t be in
sweats.

“The weather's great. I mean. could I
be wearing this?" the new UK offensive
line coach said. tugging at his gray ‘Ken-
tucky Football‘ sweatshirt. “It‘s so mug-
gy (in Florida)."

Heggins is one of four new faces on
UK football’s coaching staff. And with
more than a week of spring football prac-
tice behind them. they‘re still getting a
feel for the program.

“We've got some tough kids." Heg-
gins said. “They're young. and the offen~
sive line is the toughest position to play
sometimes. It all just takes some getting
used to."

Along with Heggins. linebackers
coach Chuck Smith. quarterbacks coach
Kurt Roper and defensive line coach Rick
Petri round out UK's coaching additions.

Smith, who joined the team in De-
cember. led Boyle County (Ky) to five
straight state titles from 19992003 as the
head coach there.

Smith said he has seen hard work
from his linebacking corps.

"I've just been getting to know the
linebackers." said Smith, a former UK
linebacker himself. “Jon Sumrall and
Raymond Fontaine are great senior lead-
ers. I like their work ethic."

Red River Outdoors

oGuuded Rock Climbing

oCanoe Rental and Guiding
oMountain Bike Rental 81 Gundmg
oPaintball

.Hiking/Backparking Excursions
oCampmg

oSupply/Cear Shop

uCabIn Rentals

GREAT GROUP RATES!

41; Natural Bridge Road
Slade. KY 4oi76
nod—ooa-ROCK

rednveroutdoors corn
redrrveroutdoors®gmail corn

Ideal for student OrgafllZdI’OHS’

 

 

SIIQUID

Be “898!

POI? "SHOW
ADVCIP‘NQM:
can
359'257'2812

 

 

Heggins

 

 

Smith

Roper. who coached quarterbacks for
six seasons at Ole Miss. said he'd been
busy getting settled and finding a place
to live.

He oversaw the progression of Eli
Manning and Romaro Miller while with
the Rebels and said he was impressed
with freshman Andre Woodson and red-
shirt freshman Joe Joe Brown.

“My talks with them have been
great." Roper said. “Andre‘s very quick
on his feet. and he moves well in the puck
et. Joe Joe has improved greatly day by
day just since spring practice started."

Roper graduated from Rice Universi

YQIJIP
AD

 

 

------ 5"”‘(lllllllll A
,.. , 1 iflil’ "

ty in 1995 after playing quarterback and
defensive back and is relating to Wood-
son well.

"He has a real good positive attitude.
He's a great guy." Woodson said. “He has
a great personality »— he knows when to
kid. and then he knows when to be seri-
ous. He knows his game and knows what
you've got to do to play better."

Woodson was also happy to see a
more downfield-oriented playbook this
spring. which could be an attribute to
both Roper and the promotion of Joker
Phillips to offensive coordinator.

“Coach Roper has made for a real
easy transition (this spring)." Woodson
said. “Everyone‘s having fun with it.
We‘ve taken more shots downfield.“

Roper’s not the only Ole Miss coach
to make the trek to the bluegrass. New
defensive line coach Rick Petri spent six
seasons in Oxford.

“1 love it." Petri said of Lexington.
Petri compared Lexington‘s size to Co-
lumbia. S.C.. where he coached defensive
ends at South Carolina from 199698. “It’s
a campus town. very clean."

Before the Gamecocks. Petri coached
future NFL ProBowl defensive end War-
ren Sapp at Miami.

“He really keeps it real; he tells it like
it is." said sophomore defensive tackle
Ricky Abren. “Whether it's me or (senior
defensive tackle) Trey Mielsch. he treats
everyone equally He really makes us bet-
ter players.“

E-mail
dpoore