Guaranteeing a win is one sure way for a player to draw attention, in the locker room and in the press.
This week it's Kentucky running back Jojo Kemp, who pledged that the Wildcats would be coming home with a victory after playing Florida on Saturday.
"A couple of my (high school) teammates actually went to Florida, so I'm familiar with a lot of those guys," Kemp said after Tuesday's practice, according to The Courier-Journal of Louisville. "It's going to be fun walking out with a victory and rubbing it in their faces."
If Kentucky were to do just that, it would be quite shocking even if Florida is not exactly top-25 material right now. The Gators, after all, have beaten the Wildcats 27 straight times.
While a few of Kemp's teammates no doubt like his gusto heading into an SEC game on Saturday, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops certainly does not.
"I was furious. The thing is, I was outraged. I talked to him about it," Stoops said on the weekly SEC conference call. "It's not very smart to try to challenge their pride before you play them. Believe me, I know them. And so I don't think that was very smart. It's not something that I teach. It's not how we talk."
So, it will be no surprise if Kemp sees his playing time cut against Florida.
The 5-foot-10, 192-pound Sunshine State native has rushed 17 times for 72 yards and a touchdown so far this season. He's considered the primary backup to junior Braylon Heard at tailback.
It didn't go over well with Stoops, but at least one side is trying to make this rivalry a little more interesting in 2014. Florida won last season in Lexington, 24-7, and it looks like this year's contest could pack a little extra punch in a rather lackluster Week 3 slate of college football games.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
