LEXINGTON - Kentucky is still looking for its punter and he's likely still in high school in Tennessee, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Phillips said possible punters Joe Mansour and Jay Wilmott haven't shown themselves to be viable options this spring. "Our punter probably isn't on campus," Phillips said. "There might be somebody out in the fraternities or the dorms, but he has not been out here. I'm really disappointed in the way we've kicked the ball this spring. "I'm not talking about field goals. (Craig McIntosh) has been outstanding, but our punting situation is not up to standards." Both…

LEXINGTON -- Kentucky's kicking game got a boost on signing day with the signing of kicker Landon Foster out of Thompson Station, Tenn. Foster is listed as both a kicker and a punter. Kentucky will be looking at all options next season with the graduation of long-time punter Ryan Tydlacka, who made the Cats one of the best punting units in the SEC. Coach Joker Phillips told the Lexington Herald-Leader that the Kentucky coaches knew Foster was a good kicker, not from the moment they saw his 6-foot-1, 198-pound frame, but from the moment they heard him meet the ball.…

By Michael Grant / The Courier-Journal Punters have more free time than their football teammates. When the University of Kentucky’s Ryan Tydlacka isn’t practicing his craft, he is cooking up ideas. Tydlacka: soon-to-be former UK punter turned future restaurateur? The college football career for the Trinity graduate will end Saturday when the Wildcats (4-7, 1-6 Southeastern Conference) play host to Tennessee (5-6, 1-6). Tydlacka, one of 21 seniors playing his final game, has enjoyed a strong final season. Tydlacka is second in the SEC and 20th in the FBS (43.7 yards per kick average). He leads the league with 18…

Three University of Kentucky football players, including senior punter Ryan Tydlacka, junior kicker Craig McIntosh and senior linebacker Danny Trevathan, have been named honorable mention players of the week by the College Football Performance Awards for their impressive performance against Mississippi State on Saturday. This is the second-consecutive week Tydlacka has taken home honorable mention player of the week honors. The native of Louisville, Ky., punted four times against Mississippi State, averaging 47.2 yards per punt, including pinning MSU within its own 10-yard line once. Tydlacka is having a fantastic season for UK, ranking third in the Southeastern Conference in…

By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Offenses may not have been in midseason form in the season opener between Western Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky on Thursday, but the punters sure were. Senior punter Ryan Tydlacka boomed seven punts for a 47.1 average for Kentucky in a 14-3 victory over the Hilltoppers. He had three kicks inside the 20-yard line and a long of 59 yards. The special teams boost was just what the Wildcats needed as the offense got off to a sluggish start. Tydlacka averaged 43.8 yards per punt last season as a junior. …

LEXINGTON - Kentucky picked up a commitment from Tennessee punter-kicker Landon Foster on Tuesday, according to CatsIllustrated.com. Foster, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound kicker for Independence High School in Franklin, Tenn., said via text message to CatsIllustrated.com he committed to UK because "it felt like home." He weighed offers from Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Western Kentucky before choosing UK. Foster will have an immediate opportunity for playing time since UK will lose starting senior punter Ryan Tydlacka after this season.

WLEX Lexington Derek Abney is not a fan of getting rid of the play that helped him rewrite the record books at the University of Kentucky. "To eliminate that would be pretty disappointing for me," Abney said of getting rid of the kickoff from college football, a drastic adjustment to the rules that has garnered some support from several coaches and officials since first being suggested by Rutgers coach Greg Schiano earlier this month. Abney returned two kickoffs for touchdowns while becoming an All-American special teams player at Kentucky as a kick and punt returner. Georgia coach Mark Richt also…

LEXINGTON - Kentucky concluded spring drills on Saturday with its Blue-White game at Commonwealth Stadium. The Wildcats, who were 6-7 last year, feel good about the special teams in the kicking department at least. kicker Craig McIntosh has had a consistent spring and sophomore Joe Mansour isn't quite ready to challenge McIntosh on field goals and extra points. Coach Joker Phillips' top special teams issue may be finding replacements for Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke in the return game. Randall Burden may be the punt returner with Jerrell Preister and Raymond Sanders as possible kick returners.

Kentucky wide receiver Randall Cobb has been chosen for the Bill Hartman Award as the Southeast Special Teams Player of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta. The Hartman Award will be bestowed Saturday during the TD Club's annual awards ceremony at the Ferst Center of the Arts. Cobb will not be able to attend because of the National Football League combine. Cobb earned the honor based on his remarkable all-around performance in 2010 as a punt returner, kickoff returner, holder, wide receiver and quarterback: The Southeast Special Teams Player of the Year adds to the list of honors…