LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky football head coach Joker Phillips said after practice Tuesday that the UK football team went through more of a physical practice than normal as he and the coaching staff worked to increase tempo Tuesday morning at the Nutter Training Facility.

“We had a physical and intense practice, which is exactly what we wanted,” said Phillips, whose team had not practiced Sunday or Monday. “We tried to set the tempo with our 3-on-3 drills and you sometimes get worried about doing 3-on-3 the week of the game but we needed it. Our mock scrimmage (Saturday) wasn’t really a full-speed scrimmage and we needed something to set the tempo, so we went 3-on-3 today and got exactly what we wanted.”

Phillips said the coaching staff will dial back the physicality of practice starting Wednesday although they want to continue to increase intensity and number of reps.

“We needed to set the tempo,” Phillips said about practice Tuesday. “We will start easing up a little bit tomorrow as far as being physical. We will not ease up on the reps of the intensity but we won’t be as physical tomorrow. And then we will take the pads off the next two days after that.”