KSRMore UK Football Media Day at Nutter Field House.
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Welcome to our too of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Now Here's Matt Jones.
Welcome back to KSR. Sorry that was loud, Mario, you jump back? Did I do that too loud? Okay, make sure all right? Welcome back to KASAR. This is Drew Franklin with Super Mario. I got Billy here and now a empty Nutterfield house, Shannon, the dudes back in Louisville making all the magic happen for the radio show. Everyone just cleared out and went to the field. I can't see this guy, but I assume the sun's out. Maybe they got good weather doing the team photo out there. And then all the media. This is where they conduct their interviews with players and coaches. This is when I thought we would have players and coaches, but they all crashed the set in the first hour. So that was fun, but it's thrown us off a little bit.
Yep, just throw the script out the window today. Like you said, there's not a single person in here besides us. Now, well there's one guy over there on the phone. But it's been fun. And the way Vince ran out of here, maybe we did get.
Him in a little bit of trouble.
Mario.
Yeah, I keep turning around my shoulder. Every time I turn around my shoulder, I'm expecting to see somebody because Mark Stoops. Last time I turned around my shoulder, Mark Stoops popped up.
So with an empty in here to one of us need to go like hit a slid or attacking dummy. This is your moment. You could be a UK football player for two minutes if you wanted, until we get caught and get in trouble.
That's true.
Can I do it like a recruiting visit where they put the helmet and the shoulder pads on.
Get the gloves and receiver gloves.
I like how like the parents do that as well, Like you get a dad that likes to be really involved, they'll just suit him up as well.
Listen, we're about to have the Ryan Lemon photo shoots. This is the year. It's gonna start. Josiah's friend Douglas. He had an injury last year. I saw just saw to make a good catch in a little highlight video. So you get ready. We're about to have Ryan Lemon wearing the jerseys and the gloves or wherever Josiah's interested in visiting.
And you know back you know, maybe a year or two. Ryan kind of teased that he may leave KSR if he decided where to go to a place out of state or something like that. So you know, this may be a contract year for Ryan Levon.
Could I hope not, But we're keeping a close eye on. I wanted to start the show with our favorite memories for the summer, and then we just had people lined up to talk to us. I want to get back to that, Shannon, do you have anything that you want to lead off with, maybe a favorite guest host or an in particular moment, or a caller or anything in this ten weeks without Matt Jones as we kind of closed the book on that long summer without him.
Well, we'll say, you guys weren't here.
But just last week when we had Jhon Fanta host the show with us, we had some of the best callers during that segment after we had Russ Smith on with us, I think of the entire summer. So if you didn't hear that, I would definitely go back and check that out. The one guy that called in and said that Russ Smith's bourbon taste it like Ohio water or Ohio river water was a great burn on him. But if we're going like best moments of the entire summer, I don't think you can top Rick Patino on Kentucky Sports Radio words that I thought I would never say, and the part of my take, guys made it happen.
I still can't believe that happened, and I'm interested to hear Matt's thoughts on Monday, what Matt has to say about it, because he, you know, obviously has been gone, has been checking in with this. I'm sure he was in disbelief that day. Whatever part of the world he was on, probably a little later at night for him. But seeing that Rick Patino was a guest.
Well, they kept the surprise close to the vest. I mean, I like to think Shannon the dude and I are pretty close friends. Shannon wouldn't tell me who the guest was for part of my take, so I definite.
To spoil secrets, so I couldn't tell you that's true.
If it was a Netflix involved, I might might really spoil it.
Shannon's right about the John Fanca Rob Doser show Field of sixty eight. I wasn't on. We got to take that day off, but I stayed home and listened, and they were doing a good job for the first hour and a half, doing fine. Nothing really excellent. It was just a good show. But then with thirty minutes left, it got real good. I mean, it just took off with callers. I even tweeted that it was like the KSR caller All Star Game, because one after another, we're so good. Some people we've never heard from, some we've heard from before. They were mostly dissing on Louisville. It kind of felt like John cal Perry and Russ Smith were getting jumped a little bit by KSR callers because they were either talking trash about Russ Smith and the build up to Monday's TVT game or getting jokes in on Arkansas. But that one really stood out for me. Were you able to hear that one?
Or no, I didn't hear it. I gotta go back and listen now. But those guys they did it last year, they did it again this year. We've had some good guest hosts this year, not to just mention Myron and Tom and the consistent ones that they did. But Alyssa Lang I thought was great. She opened up and they were a lot of great guest hosts.
She maybe got some of the best feedback of anyone we've gotten all summer. I mean pardon my take. We always hear of people like that and how some people don't like that. There were a lot of reoccurring guests, but Alyssa Lang making her debut. A lot of people really enjoyed that. She had lots of good things coming back from SEC media days. I couldnt even believe she agreed to do it. Haven't been in Dallas all week. Wakes up and does the show with us. But it was fun hearing her talk about UK football sources SAT podcast. That was cool. That was so Yeah. They always do a great job. Check them out on the KSR YouTube. You don't even have to call out source. Everybody just knows they're getting done speaking up. I guess we should mention a few news tidbits. They're not UK football related, but since you up sources say UK basketball recruiting Jasper Johnson took an unofficial visit to Kentucky. It sounded like he's staring down a late August decision, so later this month he'll make it known if it's gonna be North Carolina, Alabama or Kentucky. But he was on campus yesterday and Mark Pope furthered his pitch to get into Lexington. We don't know how that went just yet, but uh, that's the big news in the UK basketball recruiting world.
Mario, what do you guys think about Jasper Johnson coming here? Do we have a legit shot Billy Drew? What's to looking like?
It sounds like money's not gonna be the deciding factor, but he's not gonna take a big discount to go anyone either, So I think I think North Carolina and Alabama have really been aggress throwing the nil money around, And as long as UK can at least get in the ballpark, you know, the attraction to coming home can make up for a little bit of that big You're not gonna get him on sale, I know that much, even though that's not his top priority. You need to be in the ballpark.
Oh I did.
Kentucky's definitely in the conversation. But this would be I think a huge get for Pope early in his tenure.
Yeah.
I mean, we've already seen him instruct the roster with transfers and older guys, but we know how cal dominated the freshman and got these guys out of high school, and I think this would go a long way of showing that this talent can stay in the state and go to Kentucky.
Yep, hoping that's the case. Malachai Marino also out there. Love to have both of those guys. I'd be great just keeping that Kentucky connection. And then of course, you know people have some concerns about Pope can get those top tier guys. That's that's two in your backyard. He needs to go out and get We'd love to see that channel. Let's go get some calls. I know I've got some full LUNs.
Let's go to Neil.
Neil, thanks for calling KSR. What's up?
Hey, Drew?
First time, long time? So my question is with how hard it has been to retain talent in this era of college football. What are the odds that Cutter Bowley ever actually suits it up for UK. And if he does, if you think he's going to stay and suit it up for UK.
What does that happen?
Is that next year is a two years down the line, and I'll hang up and listen.
That is a great question. You're right. In this world of college basketball football, you never know what anyone will do. He's looked good at just a true freshman that enrolled early in the spring. Obviously, Brock, vandergriff and Allen bo Allen, Gavin Windsor. It's loaded now. I think with him being local, the local nil money will really help a lot of the boosters will want to see a Kentucky guy stay and see it through. So if he gets to a point where another school's trying to pick him off and pull him away from UK, I think him going to high school down the road here might help some of the local donors step up and make sure that didn't happen, because I know people are very excited to see him, even if this year might not be getting a lot of them right away.
Bush Handhm had some interesting comments just a couple of weeks ago, saying he was the most talented freshman that he's worked with, maybe ever. So I mean, we'd love I think in a perfect world you'd love for a guy to stay one or two years and learn the system and get ready. But like the college said, that is just not college football right now. And if this guy is that talented, you gotta think they'll be suitors. But weren't we at his announcement. I mean, it's different when you stay in state and there's some love from the people around you hopefully that will be the case and maybe one or two years down the road he can finally get that starting spot.
Yeah, and a question about when, you know, Brock's got a couple of years if he wants him, So it kind of depends on what he does. I mean, it'd be awesome for Kentucky to win ten games and we wave him off to the NFL. But you know, I'm not putting that pressure on him or saying I'm expecting that. But it could be a two year thing with with Brock vander Griffs. So that's something Bowdly have to do with who knows, maybe still the job. I noticed when I mentioned Brock, Vandergriff and Gavin Wims, did Josh see how quickly Stoops was to add Cutter Bowley to the discussion? Yeah, jumped. I think that was a little telling of what they think of him.
He likes the depth you talk about Brock, Vandergriff, bow Allen, and then you know Cutter Bowley. He likes to have a deep quarterbacks quarterback spot, you know.
And and I think I think it's gonna work out for col all.
Leak because yeah, that's because we had to live through Lynn Bowden having to be thrust it into that role and and what a great job at he granted shaping that offense and then still being able to make a Bowl game. But you don't want to be in that situation where you're having to put a talent or receiver back there. So I think he'll always have I'm sure a little bit more depth than he always did.
Can I can I bring up one more moment from the summer.
You can go over there and just help yourself to the gate raad if you want. I don't care.
I don't know.
I don't know if they'd like that. I'm already Uh, I've already got an extra eye on.
Me right now.
The pop up shows have been fun, whether it be us eating beer cheese somewhere or you know, going to a place like Whiskey Thief, or you know, just showing up and then still people showing up to see us. But watching Mario and his video content what he brings to the show has been incredible.
I wanted to give you some flowers.
You have been great and like the ideas about eating chicken wings or the stuff that you've done with Drew and Ryan. Uh, listen, man, you deserve praise that you're getting in youre a great addition of this.
I appreciate it. Man, It's been a blast this whole summer.
It's been crazy for me, Billy because first week, right off the bat, Cow's going, I didn't expect it.
Right for guys, we can't believe you did that to him.
You guys talk about it all the time, like summer is usually not like this, and like this has been not stop so far. So I've been enjoying it man. With you guys, no summer has been like this. We've had baseball all the TBT, Matt's been gone for ten weeks. We have had nothing like this. But I think all of y'all have done a good job and we're almost to the end of it. You mentioned the pop up shows. I hate singling a few out.
As favorites because I don't want others to think I didn't love them. But two that really I had a fun They're more of the more recent ones Downtown Lebanon that they they were great hosts. That was cool. I mean, Mario, I feel like you've been wearing your Lebanon shirt up time I see you. That was very cool. Lebanon's a very cool place and nice people, That's what I mean. Everybody there. And then Mount Sterling the same. I mean, I hope that they had a golf simulator. You know, I can be fought off. I enjoyed hitting golf balls during but really all of them. We went to the UH of course went to Whiskey Thief, one of my favorites. Yeah about that, Yeah, that was cool. But I'm glad they added those summer pop ups. That was fun to get out and about and see some some new places.
And it felt like the whole town was there in Lebanon. That was the cool part. Like I think they said they had put it in the newspaper of the day before that we were gonna be there, so not much pop up to it, but you know what, we had a great time.
And Anthony michaylay Epps being on that show.
Yeah, their first ever radio interview together. That's your father daughter interview. That was so cool, Shane. Let's go back to the phone line. We'd like to hear your Kentucky football comments, or your favorite moments of the summer, or really whatever you want to say to us. We'll take it. Who's up next?
Let's go to Austin.
Austin, thanks for calling in. What's up?
Hey, man?
I just wanted to say, y'all have done a great job this summer without Matt, It's been really impressive. It's been a phone forumber even with you know, we we have had a lot of stuff going on.
For a summer.
Babe.
Yeah, I've just done a great job this summer. And that's all I've just wanted to well.
Thank you, thank you. We appreciate the call. We appreciate you listening all the day, all the time, and the nice compliment. We like compliments, and we uh, I don't want to say we I want to keep talking about you. I just show up. But you guys have been busting your tails. We joked that time. But Billy you like to live at the studio, Yes he does. Yeah, the day we had Mac and Mac Jack and Maggie, we were kind of talking about how everyone got their store. But we kind of learned that day that you have to just grind it out. And you sleeping on a cot at iHeart as well.
You're here today and the problem is there's not a comfy couch at the new Studios Mario. Like we used to have some couches and and really some couches that should be burned.
Shannon, the dude knows what I'm talking about.
The q Mouth count Mouth couch on the old studio.
But you know, I had to take a part time job, moved back and with my parents for two and a half years just to get the opportunity to do this full time. So you know, if people want to do something like this, you got to grind and you gotta want it, and you know, maybe bringing.
A cot to the studio is one thing you gotta do.
And look at you. Now you're getting in trouble for asking football players about Little Caesar's pizza. Just live in the dream.
Now, I've been banned from Western Kentucky football media days. I just don't want to make sure that's the case for Kentucky football media.
Well, actually I was about to go to the next caller, but let's hear about this. You're allowed at Kentucky football media day but not at Western Kentucky.
Well, you know, I'd like to think that i'd be welcome back.
Now.
Maybe you know, time heals all. But I had some pointed comments for the for Mike Sandford when he came into Western and they said, you know you can get lost, and uh, I've I've told that story times on the air now.
But do you think your comments were out of line or were you.
Just not at all?
I said, he went four and eight as offensive coordinator at Notre Dame with the Shan Kaiser and we have a great candidate in house. And they saw that tweet and they decided that I was going to ask him questions that were out of line during the press conference and they said, you're not welcome here.
That's uh. I don't want to say anything about that man, but I feel like he should be a little more open to questions, comments calling. Jerry Tipton told cal that day, this is not coaches day, this is media day. I'm allowed to say and ask what I want to do.
And he did not have a great coaching career, as we saw that pan out. He was intern at Colorado I think at one point two before Dion and it just never worked out.
So I'm not nostrodamus or.
Anything, but you know what, just let's let's not be so sensitive to criticism.
Channel. Let's get one more caller in before the break.
Let's go to Kentucky Joe.
Oho, Kentucky Joe sing to us, buddy, h Yeah, that's exactly what I said, sing to us.
Well, okay, I mean I'm waiting to wait a minute. I got this little love song on my mind.
We were hoping you had a love song on UK Football Media to Day.
Well, no, it's a love song. I guess it could be for a lady that loved you keep up on nothing. I'm sure she would. Well, I got to feeling, I've got to.
Love.
I got to dreams about tomorrow and I ham feeling right. Oh, I love you and.
I know.
Is this this hormment? This is a time to dream beautiful joke.
No, No, it was like this at some point, just off in the break when you feel necessary. We got.
We got love and with their friends we got love. Man lot straighten, Yeah, and will.
I kind of want to keep listening to grocery there, Mario dance a little bits back to KSR, Drew Franklin with Walk, a flock of Mario and Billy R Sports and Shannon T.
Dude.
We're having fun at UK Football Media Day. I don't want to make our callers keep waiting, so let's go in clear those phone lines and go to Who's up next? Shannon, Let's go to Bones, who Bones a great name. Thanks for calling in. What's up?
Come on, guys, thanks for getting my call. A couple of things I just wanted to say. First thing, my favorite part of the summer as just the KSR family's grown, and everybody's been welcomed in Mario, Myron and everybody else. That's been all uh. And then the second day, I don't know why people doubt that there's bears in Kentucky, because that's what Dion Walker is and he is actually as big, it's not bigger than the bear feet and lasting. I just commercially heard about something about checking the back seat. You got listen to that. I'm pretty sure that's Kentucky Joe. Thanks for taking by call, guys.
We appreciate that call. And because I liked your bear joke, you are our Kentucky branded or excuse me, Don Franklin Auto call of the day. We still need our Kentucky branded tweet of today, but you're our Don Franklin Auto call of the day. We appreciate you complimenting Mario and h Thank you Bone comparing Dion to a Bear also mentioned Myron. We didn't you know, as we're going over our favorite moments. Favorite moments. Man, he's been incredible.
My favorite part is how he highlights an artist every time he has a show, whether it's Al Green, James Brown, I mean, whatever the case may be. And then the Mary Mondays that was a very cool situation.
Well, he hit us in the fields on the last segment of the Last Day too, talking about the origin behind Mary Mondays and making a difference in people's lives. And you know, luckily we can do that on a daily basis. Now, is Dean Walker the guy the bear that you lay down and play dead on or do you have to like try to get big and try to scare him away? I think not just playing dead. At that point, when.
We did our Alaskan cruise, we met some people that live on the land there and they were talking about how you have to like punch a bear in the noses. I'm not punching. I'm playing dead if it's Dean Walker. But no, with Myron and Tom Hard, I want to clue bo. We had so many fun shows, but those guys really made a big commitment to do that weekly. You know, covering sports, it's a it's a grind. When sports are going on, you don't get much free time, so summer is when you really try to work in your vacations and have your fun. But they made a commitment to join us every week, and it was Tom. Yeah, it's fun having both of those guys follow Tom on Instagram, right, that's why you at Tommy.
I think I've heard it so many times I should know it by now. And his trivia segments, which Shannon the dude clean swept everybody.
That's right?
Yeah, yeah, Tommy hid might think back for that first game against Southern Myss, so I might be seeing Tom again soon.
Who's next? Shannon Mark Mark, thank you for calling in.
Hey, guys, now that you know Uncle Matt's not around, I'm just curious if y'all might have a story you could tell us, you know, bb in about Matt that might be kind of interesting, but you know something he might not talk about necessarily on the show, and I'll hang up and listen.
Okay, I appreciate that all.
I think we had that with Tom Hart this past week when he brought him the secret Service member. I don't think that would have done.
That yeah, I don't have any stories that we don't haven't already don't already tell about Matt. We're all such open books and we make fun of each other so much so if someone does something that needs to be told, we usually usually tell it. The next day. We usually air it out. Shannon, how do you think that interview will go over with Matt?
Oh?
I think he'll be fine with it. But I don't think that's something that he would have necessarily have done on this show. You know, yeah, probably not. But yeah, I for one thought it was fascinating. I don't know how everybody else thought about it, but just I mean, it's not every day you have the opportunity to talk to a member of the Secret Service, or a former member in that case.
So I thought it was cool.
I actually felt bad because I was into it. I mean, I like learning about that kind of stuff. And then we opened the chicken and we were just like squirrels, just completely lost we shouldn't say lost interest, but we were very distracted. I actually kind of felt bad for Tom. I believe he wanted to continue talking about that. But I mean, when Arkansas mails you a package and then Mario, did you say They commented that they're sitting more. Yeah, they said it's not over yet, like this is just the beginning. Wow, it's consistent, troll job. When are we going to start sending them stuff? That's what I want to know. When are we going to start doing some stuff? I want to cut the heads off the nuggets and mail them back like a mafia. Oh wow, is that too far? I like that?
I like that, but we've got to fire something back though. I'm with Mario. I don't know what we're gonna do, but we've got to do something. I'm sucking a KFC or I don't know if that would be as funny.
Yeah, they commented on our posts that they're not done. Get ready for more? So, Tyson, if you're listening, I'm not a big fan of your frozen nuggets. I'm not eight years old, but if you want to send me just some fresh bacon, you know, I'll take some bacon in the next one.
Nothing wrong, were packing.
More news to just dropped. Malachi Marino visiting Kentucky on an official visit. We mentioned Jasper was in yesterday. Today, Malachi Marino is on campus hearing from Mark Pope Malachai make it happen, Man make it happen. Also, aj Debonsa the number one player in the country. He's kind of one of those generational talents. It's looking like he cut his list to seven, but it does not include Kentuckucky. Now, I will say he is asking for a very large number, so that might plan issue there. He said, the list is based on coaches who spoke with my dad the most. He will decide in February, so I guess you could still maybe try to try to get back in the mix. But number one players moving on without Uk on his list.
Spoke with his dad the most. That's interesting.
You know parents are always involved in recruiting processes. We were talking about dads suiting up with shoulder pads and wearing the receiver gloves.
But Shane, how do you feel about that.
You're a big fan of Marcu's Bolden picking his school because his mom told him where to go. What do you think about whoever talks to my dad the most is while you're cutting schools. M Yeah, I don't like it.
I think that you know, this is your moment, you gotta choose where you want to go. This is not your parents going to college. But you know what, we may be running into that with Ryan Lemon. You think Ryan's gonna have a bigin little less where Josiah goes. So I may have to, you know, have to calm down Ryan a little bit and say, hey, let them let him pick where he wants to go.
It's not your decision.
I certainly feel that coming ahead. Uh, few more, few more news points from yesterday. Let's talk a little about the Olympics. It was quite the gold medal Thursday for Team USA. Simone Bowles and Sunny Lee won gold and bronze and the women's gymnastics all around final. Simone's back. It was so cool seeing like the basketball team in the crowd, all of them had their phones out recording her. And then of course Lee Keefer did it again, her third gold medal, leading the Americans in the team women's foil, first time the Americans have won that. But Lee is bringing two home from Paris to go with the ones she already won in Tokyo. We got a Lexion legend, bill or for sales legend, as we learned yesterday, wherever she wants to claim, but a local hero for the Americans.
Yeah, that's right.
Most decorated female fencing athlete of all time for the country, so she's representing us very well.
Few other tidbits from the Olympics. Katie Ledecky now the most decorated American Olympian and the women keep winning the in basketball have not lost since nineteen ninety two. This is KSR. Will be right back with more from UK Football Media Day. TJ Smith, personal injury attorney, called TJ. He'll make them pay.
Now more of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage.
Here's Matt Jones.
This is Drew Franklin with Mario Billy playing a little Luke Combs Luke Combs Hunts It's gonna be our whiskey Thief song of the day, playing a little song will never die because I'm going to see Luke Combs tomorrow and Cincinnati. Oh is that right day? I've really picked up some Luke Combs listening recently because a friend of mine plays keyboard and a Kentucky fan travels with him. Corey Hunt has become part of Luke's band, so we bought tickets the moment they went on sale, more to support Corey. But you know, as you yeah, if you're going to a concert, you got to start listening to stuff. So I've been listening to a lot of Luke lately. But we're looking forward to getting to Cincinnati tomorrow and rocking out and seeing our friend on the big stage. Speaking of friends, Adam Luckett just joined us. He's been in the fray. We'll get with him in a minute to talk a little football. But I want to uh do a little little Draft Kings in here. Let's do it. We make that a word DraftKings ing. The segment sponsored by DraftKings Promo COKSR. If you bet that five dollars, you'll get one hundred and fifty bonus bets instantly for new customers. But I was just looking it over. There's lots of Kentucky football lines already on DraftKings Southern Miss the opener. Kentucky is a twenty five and a half point favorite. Pretty high, pretty high, that's all right. I love seeing this one though. Louisville at Kentucky is a pick them. Oh they're gonna make me bet that right now, aren't they. I don't normally like to bet something where I have to wait so long. You know, you tie that money up I'd rather be betting on you know, Big Pac twelve after dark. Well that didn't exist anymore, But I might have to go in dabbling a little Louisville at Kentucky as a pick them. We also have looking at Kentucky's odds to win the national championship. I'm still scrolling.
Is that plus thirty thousand? I think that's what it was. But I did see regular season win total at six and a half.
That's the one I was gonna bring up next. We'll look lucky, go ahead and hop on here. How you feeling about a little six and a half win total? You dabble in the gambling from time to time.
Yeah, I think it's more likely they go seven to five and six and six, so for sure.
Especially if it's the minus one fifteen that I think it was earlier. Sometimes the juice gets a little too much to but I'll do some one fifteen.
Right, And I think during this Bowl streak they have you got to throw out I think the COVID season. But I think they've went over every year but one. I think the twenty twenty two year was seven and a half, So I think they've gone over every year. So you could have a lot of mini Fridgers like Drew Franklin.
That's right.
Oh, it's not a mini fridge, It's it's the full deal. Got that on Black Friday, right after they won the Governor's Cup. Mario spread, I know you're interested in our law familiar TBT team into Philadelphia two and a half point favorites like I know you liked them to cover. But how bummed are you that you and I are maybe the two biggest tvt fan boys on Earth and we're not able to go are you? Are you all right? I'm a little bit sad about that, but you know we can. We can hang out Case Bar. Are you gonna join me tonight? I'm gonna join you good. I'm gonna treat it like we're there, Uh, looking forward to a fun atmosphere. Join us at Chaos Bar if you'd like. We'll be there at nine o'clock for that game. But Nate Sestina, yesterday news comes out he's not playing.
I think we still have a good shot though we got we got Kellen Grady's been kind of quiet. I'm expecting him to step up, and Kenner and and Eric Bledsoe didn't play I'm not gonna say they played terrible, but you know, we're expecting them to step up a little bit more as well. A lot of weapons on this team, so I'm confident that they'll get the job done.
Canner has more than he showed in Freedom Hall. Wasn't a great game from him. He carried him in Raparena through three. They're gonna need him to step up and have another one of those big games. And then, as you said, Kellen Grady and Aaron Harrison needs to hit some threes because Nate, Nate's like third in the entire tournament in three pointers. I think he has fifteen and four games. Somebody's got to make up for that outside shooting. Maybe maybe Willie Cauley's done.
I don't know he's been taking three William Curry's doing. But you're feeling good even without Nate. I'm feeling good without Nate. This team is loaded. They got a lot of talent. And then the good news is this is not there last year. They'll be back next year as well.
Is that a scoop? You already breaking news? You have to scoop?
Shout out twenty Beckham. He said they're trying to build a dynasty.
All right, well or Daniel Orton pleae.
Yes more, Daniel Orton Nate had a family obligation. I guess they're keeping that profit. But he hopes to be there Sunday. Let's talk football with Lucky. You've been in the fray and we've been in here just wondering what's going on? What have we missed? Yeah, while you were busy, we were trying to do our just regular show, talk, a little basketball, wait for news, and people just kept crashing the parties. Ion Childress, your boy, Josh Gatis, Stoops, Vince Merrow, They've been all showing up. But what have we been missing? At media Day on the other side of this wall, Yeah.
I think two big things. Offensively, there was eight hundred thousand questions about tempo.
I asked him one too.
Everyone wants to know about you know, are you gonna play faster? And Mark Stoops you know, they kind of got sick of the question. He was kind of like, you know, I've got this question a bunch of times, and it's pretty much he wants people to know like he's hurt the criticism and that they're gonna play faster, but they're not gonna be a full throttle foot on the gas, and he's specifically mentioned we're not gonna do Ole miss in Tennessee, but we are going to play faster. And then defensively, Mark Stoops when I was way to say, you know, we're gonna play more man coverage, and then Brad White kind of said the same thing. And that's another criticism that a lot of people have had this offseason. So to me, those were kind of the two big kind of takeaways from from today is that, Hey, you know that what people have complained about they're looking to fix and they're they're working on fixing those problems. So I think if you had took anything from today, I would take that that would be my biggest takeaway.
Now I'm feeling like I messed up the interview. We only had like four questions with Stoops and I went right to tempo and no wonder he was kind of assumed annoyed by that question. Had no clue that was I didn't know. I'm just in here hosting a radio show. Heard from Bush Hampden from the first time, well not the first time, but his first media day. Did he have anything out of the ordinary other than tempo matters. No, he did.
He even gave it like, you know, we're going to run a hundred plays a game, just mockingly joked to one of those one of those questions he can't. I think Bushamton came off, well, it's pretty much you know, the coach speak answers you can expect in an event like this. But I think he feels really good about his offense. I think offensive line obviously is another hot button issue around this football program. He likes the depth there, so I think they're saying the right things. We'll have to see it kind of play out. But and then Rock Vandergriffs the other thing, kind of the old school, loves the demeanor, loves.
His work ethic.
I think they like what they've seen from VVG to this point, but they got to go out and do it on Saturday, so they're not They're not getting too far ahead. But I think there's some a lot of quiet confidence, I think, surrounding both the offense and the defense. And now we just got to see what they can go do on to.
Everyone knows how hard this schedule is. But let's just say Vandergriff pans out and he does what they recruited him from Georgia to do. What can this season look like?
That is a great question, Drew Franklin. That's why I Heeart pays you the big bucks.
They do.
Checks in them out marios die.
But you know, it's hard to say. It's hard to say because it feels like the ceiling is probably lower than normal because of the schedule. You're out in the visions.
Now.
Texas and Georgia might be two of the best three teams in the country. You play one of those, you play one at home, that makes you know, a game hard to win than you got to go to Texas and then Ole Miss might be a playoff team. Tennessee might be a playoff team. Might be four top ten teams you play and three of them are on the road. That make that that kind of puts a hard ceiling on it. I think if everything like what you're talking about, if things go well, like if the offense is better than expected, the defense lives up to expectations, I think eight and four is probably the realistic expectation, Like they could get to eight.
And for just need to learn eight and four as a success. You train your brain that eight and four can be big year.
I think the important lesson I think this year for a lot of people is gonna be the schedule is gonna dictate a lot of this, Like who who is on your schedule when you play them? That is gonna dictate a lot of this For for everyone that's not in that upper crust, like the Georgia crust, the top of the line, the Texas, the Ohio State, everyone is gonna it's gonna depend on their schedule and that's how it's gonna break. So for like Missouri and Ole miss like, they have the schedule and it's aligning with a really good team for them. For Kentucky, if they have that really good team like we think they could possibly do if they reach their potential, I don't know if the schedule lines up for them to have that type of that type of big push and so that's really they could. You know, it's not fun to talk about when you break it down, but I do think it's important to remember in twenty twenty one, we were all talking like the schedule was brutal. I don't know, like Kentucky schedule is really brutal this year and at Ordron got fired and damn moment got fired, and so it kind of opened up for him there. So you never know how it's gonna break, how the schedule is gonna break, So that's always important to remember. But just looking at it right now, knowing what we know, it feels like the ceiling might be a little lower than normal, just because the schedules so brutal.
I won't do boring radio and do a position by position breakdown. I think that's the lazy way. But I do want to get into the secondary. Max Harrison obviously the name everyone comes back, but he's gonna need some pieces around him. You have Jansen, Dunn, hard Away back, but uh, what's that group in safeties as well? How is he going to look on the back end of Brad White's defense.
I think a lot of people are excited about DJ Waller Michigan transfer.
I mean, if you.
Were to draw up a Stoop's cornerback, I think we would all be like, oh, it's gonna be gout six two sixty three with really long arms. He looks like he came from Central casting, and so that was a guy who was on Michigan was competing for a starting spot. I don't think that's gonna be given to him at Kentucky, but I would be shocked if we getting the season and he's not a starter. I think people are really excited about him, tagging him with Harrison on the outside, I think that's that's an intriguing cornerback do. I would say Harriston's one of the better cornerbacks in the country returning, I think Waller's got a potential to really turn into an NFL player, So that's exciting. I think safety was honestly maybe the biggest disappointment position wise on the football team last year. You return a lot and you get Christian story back and ty Bryant added a lot of experience last year. Unexpectedly he had to play a big role in SEC play like he played in some big SEC games. So I think death wise, they're in a good spot. And Brad White even mentioned this, if something goes wrong, like essentially paraphrasing, we can put somebody else in if their injury happens or bad play. They really didn't have that option on the table, and they dealt with some injuries. Jordan love It had to miss some time, Jalen Geiger had to miss some time, and so that I think injuries really caught up to them. I think they're better positioned to absorb something like that. So overall, I think I think the ceiling is higher because you've got star power obviously with Hairston, But I also think they've done a good job raising the floor because we saw the floor last year because of all the injuries and because of the kind of inexperienced they have. Where they now they have some more inexperience, and even the guys that had to play in struggle last year, they've added those snaps, so that's gonna, hope make them better players. And then the addition of Waller and I think Christian story the Alabama transfer is really gonna help them in the secondary. And there's gonna be pressure on them, but they think, and I think they really believe this, that this defensive front, in this pass rush could really cause some problems. And that's really gonna be the backbone and the spine of their defense is the disruption they're gonna get from that front. And even Brad White mentioned this today. They lose Josiah Hayes and he was a really good sec in tier defensive tackle and they pretty much his specials like, we're fine. You know that was a position to lose. We could we could lose some one. I really like our depth there and then, And I ain't gonna lie. If I was coaching Dean Walker, I'd be pretty dag unconfident too.
Yeah, we all know what Deon can do, but also what you had the surprise when we were coming back, but doomas Johnson coming from Georgia. I think I really got people fired up. Is he gonna be what everyone expects at linebacker helping out on to you?
Yeah, I'm I think you should be really excited about him.
Not just him.
I think the Eric Jack is probably the most underrated player on this football team.
We should have named him in our NFL conversation.
He has led the team in tackles two years in a row. He doesn't like if you watch him, he does not miss tackles. And I think he's lost some He looks like he's lost some weight. So I think that that's the one question you would have. It's like, what can he covers? What's this pass coverage?
Like?
I think he can play out in space. I think he's underrated and I think the team of him and Domus Johnson has a chance to be one of the better linebacker duos, not only has to see like in college.
Football, if they stay healthy.
Both of those dudes are NFL players, and Jackson has been in this system for a long time, and Dumis Johnson was you know, if he plays like his sophomore year that was one of the better linebackers in the country. So I kind of lumped them in with the front. It's just like, guys, this front is really really good, Like you should know this, Like this has a chance to be like a special group if all these guys can, you know, you stay moderately healthy, Like they have a chance to be a pain in the rear for a lot of offenses they face. And that's why I think the defense has a chance to it has a chance to be one of March Stoops's better units because of that, mainly because of that talent in the front seven. And then like Maxwell Harriston's emergency last year is a big deal, Like he came out of nowhere to be one of the better star potentially corners and that you know in the SEC. And that's that's a big deal, especially when you got a front like that because you've got proven commodities and you have legitimate star power NFL guys who are gonna play on some they star power on your team, and that raises your ceiling as a group.
Before we take a break, you know, we were naming all these returners and guys got out of transfer a portal. Are any of these young guys gonna crack the rotation of Brian Robinson, Smith twins or offensively? Is there any any freshmen we need to be looking out for.
Yeah, the draft Smith anytime they talk about him may kind of gush a little bit. You can kind of tell they're really excited about him. A defensive tackle. Definitely think he's gonna have a role to Ryan Nichols. And the secondary's a guy I think to watch. A freshman cornerback was a really big recruiting for the win for them for Vince Marrow out of Cincinnati. So those are two guys I will watch closely. And then Jacob Smith's another one because depth wise at outside linebacker, I wouldn't say that's the deepest position. So he's a guy I could see potentially playing some surprising snaps this year. So all of those guys, I think they're they're they're really excited about that group, but in general that I think they really think highly specifically on defense of that that freshman class.
We were there when they committed after the Kroger Game of the Week class fall. That was a big get and it's good to hear they're already making moves on campus. We'll talk more football with Luckett. We have one more segment of the summer before Matt Jones gets back. Maybe we'll just tell him he can take another week. I'll just want to keep going. Oh well, I think Ryan's ready. Ryan is the most ready, but we're gonna take a break here. When we come back. We'll wrap it up here at UK Football Media Day and wrap it up for the ten weeks without Matt Jones. This is KSR welcome back. One last segment of Kentucky Sports Radio with that out Matt Jones, and then he will be back next Monday. We can't even talk. I'm winding down the ten weeks ready to have him back. He'll be at ks BAR Monday through Thursday next week. So if you've missed Matt, want to come by here the show. We'll be there Monday through Thursday. Then on Friday, We're going across the state to Hopkinsville, Billy Hopkinsville. That don't get to go there very often. Isn't that your neck of the woods. It's pretty close. I got a family there. I'm looking forward to it. Might even pull through Madisonville a little bit, say how to Farrell's and all my old favorite places. But uh, mostly looking back for getting into a routine next week with Matt. Like I said, go by, he'll be a chas bar Monday through Thursday if you want to see him. So looking forward to that. I still got Adam Luckett here talking a little bit of football. Did you get the chance the interviewing the players before you joined us? Anybody have any interesting things to say on the field?
Got to talk about Brock Vandergriff or too Brock vander Griff excuse me? Gavin Wimset got to talk to DJ Waller you mentioned and then deep big d On Walker.
How does that vander Griff Wimset QB room look because I think that was a pretty unexpected transfer for everyone once they got Brock.
Yeah.
I think I also think bush Ampton came into a room and it had no QB experience, and it was like, we gotta have have some type of insurance playing here. I actually talked to Wimset about it because the room was not on this roster. Yeah, the entire room is brand new, even the coach, and Gavin Winsett was like, yeah, it's kind of unique because we're talking about how things worked all well because we're all different places last year and now we're at a new place, so we kind of have talked through some things, which is definitely a different I think they wanted to have another like weapon in the run game, like run game diversity. They want to have another like wrinkle they could throw at defenses. And I think a plan is gonna They're gonna run rock I think a decent amount and.
So it doesn't seem like a slide guy. I think you even heard that at SEC.
I asked him met today and he said, uh, well, we'll see about that.
So I don't a little Yeah.
I don't think we're gonna have a full on Tim Tebow on our hands. But I think the whim Set stuff, I think he did really good job running like and run packages last year. Ran for over five hundred yards, had like eleven touchdowns in the Big Ten, so that's something they can bring. And they even recruited a guy at UCLA who was kind of a glorified Wold quarterback who knowed Virginia Tech. So it's obviously something they were looking at, and I think that's I think Hampden wants to have that be a part of the offense. We all know Mark Stoops loves some wildcat football and wildcat formation football specifically, and I think that's gonna be an option. But I think they're really trying, or they're really committed to having multiple options in the run game and being able to run the football. And it's not like last year they Ray Davis ran for a thousand yards, but it was a lot of like, oh, there's a forty yard rip, there's a thirty eight yard run, there's a twenty seven yard touchdown against Louisville. But there wasn't necessarily a lot of second and fours, a lot of second and threes, a lot of second and eights turning into third and ones. They were getting behind the chains a lot in the run game, and I think they want to get to where they can play ahead and find ways to be more efficient. And I believe qb Rum will help them do that. And then Mark Stoops mentioned if you do that, it's easier to find explosives. Like anyone to know watch his NFL football knows all second and two play action down here. But if you wide open anyone know, anyone to watch football, you know could if you're playing ahead, if you're getting second and two, second and threes, big players are more likely. And I think that's what they're looking for. Actual year, and really the year before, they haven't. They've had no efficiency in the run game. It's got them behind the chains and got them in a lot of trouble. And that's why they've had so many short drives. They want to have longer drives, want to get more first downs, want to we want to play faster.
Move the sticks, you know.
That's been the biggest issue is anything is they haven't been able to move the six Any of their drives the last two years have felt like six place seventy two yards. It hasn't been any long sustained drives.
I gotta get this be off of you right here on your collar. I don't want to interrupt you, but I don't want you to get stung in the neck. This is still climbing on you. You might want to get that. Oh we got me. I tried to get it. Oh man, right a little bit.
It was.
It was climbing right towards your neck. I tried to help.
This is the first beasting in Kentucky Sports Radio.
When the right writ the PSR book.
Adam Luckett will have the Bee chapter, me and Muhammad Ali the whole chapter.
We're wrapping up here at UK Football Media Day. That's Adam Lucket. We'renna send him off to the trainer and get that taken care of it. I hope I didn't knock it into you. I was really trying to help. There was climbing right at your face. But uh, I guess we're gonna wrap it up here, guys. Mario Billy been a fun summer. Very good job today, Drew Drew. I just sat here and people kept showing up and talking. I really didn't too much, but thank you, thank you for the help. Mario. Tonight, tbt K, there are we gonna win. We're definitely gonna win. Speaking into existence, you picked Night as the MVP of the game at Freedom Hall. Who's your MVP tonight? I'm gonna go Eric bletsoe Okay, I love it. We gotta get this win over Carmen's crew and Jared Sollinger. He knows what it's like to lose Kentucky. Shannon, thank you for what you did for ten weeks. Yes, sir, we'll be back on Monday from KS Bar and Grill with Matt Jones, who is backstate side, signing off for the weekend. This is Drew Mario, Billy Shannon, and be Stung Adam. This has been KSR
