SEC East notebook

Posted 6:45AM on Thursday 25th November 2004 ( 20 years ago )

TENNESSEE: Left guard Rob Smith was named the SEC's offensive lineman of the week for a second time this football season. It's fitting that he is a repeat winner because he's the only offensive lineman at Tennessee who hasn't missed a start this year. ``It's still exciting,'' he said about winning again. Smith, a sophomore from Fort Thomas, Ky., had 10 knockdown blocks in the No. 15 Volunteers' 38-33 win at Vanderbilt last week. Tennessee rolled up 236 yards rushing and had a total of 425 yards of offense. Tennessee (8-2, 6-1 SEC), which has clinched a berth in the SEC title game, will host Kentucky for the 100th meeting on Saturday in both teams' regular-season finale. The Vols' other linemen have missed time because of knee and ankle injuries, concussions or, in the case of center Jason Respert, an infected hand. Coach Phillip Fulmer said Smith hurt his ankle during last week's game but kept playing. And on Sunday, when the players are supposed to report if they have injuries, Smith said he was fine and was going duck hunting. ``I guess I was given a tough body,'' Smith said. KENTUCKY Speculation about the future of Kentucky coach Rich Brooks has ended at least for now after the resignation Monday of Brooks' offensive coordinator, Ron Hudson. Both university President Lee Todd and Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart had publicly backed Brooks on several occasions this season, so Brooks never seemed in imminent danger of being fired or forced to resign. But Todd and Barnhart didn't offer their unequivocal support for the coach last week and hinted that changes to Brooks' staff were in order. Hudson, whose offense ranked No. 114 among 117 NCAA Division I-A teams, decided he'd had enough of being a lightning rod for criticism from fans. At least that's the explanation offered by Brooks, who said neither he nor Hudson was pressured by university administrators. Barnhart said Hudson's resignation probably was for the best because of the fan unrest. ``We have a financial responsibility to this program, and there's no question that's a piece of it,'' Barnhart said. Brooks said the only positive aspect of Hudson's resignation was that it might put the focus back on the players. Kentucky (2-8, 1-6 SEC) will close its season Saturday against No. 15 Tennessee, a team the Wildcats haven't beaten since 1984. ``I have great admiration for Ron as a person, as well as a football coach,'' Brooks said. ``He didn't forget how to coach. Some situations just don't work out the way you want them to.''

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