Welcome to the Big Blue and sider Dick Gabriel with you on a Monday edition of our program twelve days away from College Football East from Kentucky Football. There are some games this week, including the Dublin Ireland Game, Georgia Tech and Florida State. But the Wildcats open up, as you know, on the thirty first against Southern Miss at Kroger Field, a game you will hear right here on six thirty wlap. Tom Leech, Jefpichory, yours truly with all
the action, including our pregame crew. So we're looking forward to obviously do every football season, but I was looking forward to seeing the Wildcats Saturday. I actually went to the scrimmage, and I don't go to all of them, but I ask for permission because it's closed to the media, and while I am yes on the UK Network, I
also talk to you guys every weeknight. Now. Jeff Picorro, sports director at Channel thirty six, also has to balance being a member of the UK Network and a media member and Tom Leach, of course with a radio show on this very state. So basically what we do is agree to keep everything we see in this scrimmage or to practice, it may not be open to the public. We keep it off the record, quote unquote, So I would like to tell you more about what I saw,
but I have agreed not to. I will tell you this that Mark Stoops talked about it, and we noticed it, of course in the practice that the starter's got some work, but they looked a lot at the twos and the threes as they're looking to build depth, obviously, and that was one of the first things Stoops talked about when he spoke with us after the scrimmage.
You know last week when I spoke to you, I said, I thought we got out of this scrimmage unscathed, and that didn't really happen. There's a few things that popped up on us after that. Two guys that have some significant time missed that were important to us. But other than that, just pumps and bruises. Few days, some guys that missed a little bit of time. This week with this scrimmage, we did a lot of work with the
younger guys. We feel like there's some young talent that needs to just play football, and we did that and got the ones some good work as well.
And Stoots later said that they as far as he knew at that moment. This was, you know, twenty minutes after the scrimmage, no injuries to report, No serious injuries after that scrimmage, So I'll be's always good news. Obviously, everybody always wants to know about the quarterbacks, and Brock
Vandergriff likely will be the starter. But Stoops talked about the fact that and it's interesting given the fact they've had issues through the years about quarterback depth not a problem this year, as you know, with Vandergriff transferring in, bo Allen comes back, Gavin Wimsy transfers in from Rutgers, and Cutter Bully signs apparently the quarterback of the future. So Stoops likes the quarterback room a lot.
Absolutely no knock to anybody that's been here for but like as a group, I mean, the four guys that we have, I have so much confidence in. It's a really good group. And that's really helpful because as you know, things have happened in the past, and as you know with the portal, sometimes when you have guys, other guys leave.
And it leaves you thin.
And I feel like we were in a really good situation with the quarterback room. I really do and I just told them that that I have confidence in all of them. We don't want anybody to get hurt, but it lets you have the confidence to let the guys go play and just just go play the game. And we all know the game is physical and things happen and we don't want that to anybody. But I really do feel good about the depth, and I feel like all four guys could play.
And again, I wish I could tell you more about what I saw on the scrimmage, but I will say this, first of all, I'm not entirely sure what I'm seeing because I'm not an expert. A lot of former players there and they are, but they all look pretty good to me, all the quarterbacks. I stopped trying to judge how well the team executes in practice when it comes to the passing game and things like that for two reasons.
Number One, as Stoops has pointed out, is it because the offense is playing well or the defense is not, or vice versa. Is the defense dominating or is the offense screwing up? So there's that. But I've talked about this before the season, going into what turned out to be how mummies last year at Kentucky the summer, I
should say, went to a lot of practices. They looked great, but what were they doing throwing the ball around either against just token defense or air And of course in the air raid with the guys they had it was Jared Lorenzen and some really good receivers never dropped the ball. They looked great. Then he went out and won two games.
And I'll never forget when people were so excited as well they should have been about the air raid with Tim kouch I said, remember now when it's not working, this offense is dreadful because nobody wants to see the ball skittering along the ground or receivers obviously dropping passes. And that's what happened Mummy's last year. And you all the fans, for the most part, at least the most vocal fans, couldn't wait to get rid of them. They've
gone to two ball games back to back. But then they laid that big egg and Mummy actually got fired because of NCA improprieties. But they were terrible that year, so I quit trying to figure it out. I'll leave that to the experts. Speaking of experts, a lot of people thought Mitchell Trubisky would flop in the NFL, which
he has so far. He is on what his third team now drafted by the Bears, played four years that didn't work out, then Buffalo for a season as Josh Allen's back up, two years in Pittsburgh where he started for a little while, but that didn't work out. Now he's back in Buffalo trying to win a roster spot, and last night threw a pick against those same Steelers and announcer Bob Popp piano from Pittsburgh. They're a little shade his way.
Neither team has crossed the fifty yard line. Trubisky now over the middle, looking deep and it's going to be picked.
Off right there.
That's Miles killerber raising for the Steelers, Killer Brow, who's one.
Of the best.
Well here so far, neither team has crossed the fifty yard line. Trubisky now over the middle, looking deep, and it's going to be picked off right there. That's Miles Killiberg raising for the Steelers, Killer Brow, who's one of the best his special teams, trying to make an a for himself in the safety position. An overthrown by Trubisky. Not sure what happened, but Miles, Killerbrow says, thank you very much. The interception and drafts Now the Steelers can
get things going on offense. We've seen a lot of that with Trubisky and Pittsburgh over the year. Is one of the reasons why he's no longer here. But clearly an overthrown at. Killerbrew has to be extremely happy.
Ouch, But such is the life of an NFL quarterback. He was drafted basically on half the season he played at North Carolina. Best of luck to him. I will say Ray Davis a good game. I didn't get to watch. Don't know if he started the game, not that it matters, but he led the Bills in carries with eight actually tied with Frank Gore Junior, but led the Bills with fifty eight yards. That's more than seven yards per carry. The only thing that surprised me is according to the
box score, he did not catch a pass. I don't know if they targeted him or not, but he did not catch a pass. And I expect him to do that for the Bills. But you know he can carry the ball. You know he's a willing blocker, and you know he's playing for a good team with one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League, So you got to like his chances not just to make the team,
but to produce for the Buffalo Bills. When we come back, just how highly rated is Tyler Bill, Kentucky's incoming freshman shortstop. It might surprise you here on the Big bullon Siders six thirty wlap Welcome back to the Big Blullonsider. Coming up in a few minutes, lots of football chatter are going to hear from Van Hiles, the former Kentucky defensive back.
You hear him now and then on Sunday Morning Sports Talk with Anthony White, one of our favorite football chattering guests, of course, the former dB for the Wildcats, now living in Louisiana, but he breaks down UK video on Twitter or ex or whatever you want to call it on
driving with Styles, So great way to learn football. As Aaron gershad of the cast pause, he was there when we chatted with Mark Tuobs and the players on Saturday, and he of course covers football, baseball, basketball for the Cat's Pause online and in the pages of the Cats Balls.
A little bit later on as well, we'll hear from Kentucky track and field coach Loney green back from Paris where he witnessed just a tremendous performance by UK current and former athletes over there, and we'll talk with him and hear from him and some of the athletes about their experience at the Olympics. Earlier this afternoon, it was UK's volleyball media day and because we pre record, I
couldn't turn that around for tonight's show. We'll have a whole lot about UK volleyball on tomorrow night show, and of course I'll get a chance to do some of their games on SEC Plus the streaming channel. But Kentucky very popular, so a majority of the Wildcat games will be on the non linear channel. You'll be able to see them on the SEC network. As Kentucky will try for an eighth consecutive SEC championship, is going to be a lot tougher now, with of course Texas and Oklahoma
in the SEC now. But the Wildcats are good. How good are they well? On the SEC Volleyball Preview show over the weekend, Missy Whitmore, one of the volleyball analysts for the network, likes the chances of this team, which is standing on the shoulders, as she points out of the national title team from three years ago.
Yeah, I'm really excited to see what the flavor is of the Wildcats this year. Because we talked about that national championship. Well, that group of players has filtered through now and so this group has an opportunity to really create an identity for themselves. And traditionally, the identity of Kentucky has been all about building on great libroplay and great setters. And Kentucky has both of those things this season.
And you add to that Brooklyn Delay a young star in this game, and I think the recipe for success is there, and if anyone can do it, it's Craig Skinner. Brick By Brick, he has built that program.
That's Missy. Whatmore of the sec Neil work And as I said, we'll have much more about the volleyball Wildcats tomorrow right here on the Big Blue Insider while we're talking UK sports. In this segment, interesting meme or whatever you want to call it, graphic on Instagram Prep Baseball Publishing. It's back to school top one hundred class of twenty four prospects headed to college baseball, and it probably comes as no surprise that a kid named William Schmidt is
number one, and he's heading for LSU. Number two on that list, Tyler Bell, the Kentucky shortstop, turned down big money from professional baseball. He wants to play at Kentucky for I think he can play two years before he's drafted because of his age. That's a huge get for Nick Minjione and his program. Because who's next? Charlie Bates going to stand for the next kids going to Tennessee. Here's a surprise though, The fifth number five kid on
the list is named Anderson French. He's going to Virginia Tech. You don't hear about Virginia Tech much when you hear about college baseball. But the usual powers are scattered throughout this ranking. They listed the top twenty five. Lots of SEC kids, but Kentucky's Tyler Bell rated the number two high school prospect heading for college baseball by Prep Baseball's website. So, like I said, what a great get for Nick minjeon And before long he'll be working and practicing. Fall baseball
is vital, the practices, the inner squad games. They can every now and then bring in another team and scrimmage and whenever we talked with Kentucky's best teams, under menji on the regional title teams. There are teams that had any kind of success, And when they talked about preparing for the season and we would say did you have any idea you'd be this good? They always go back to the fall. Yeah, we knew back in the fall
that we had talent. We knew back in the fall that we had the kind of desire and the kids it would take to put together a good team. So fall baseball is vital, and this year it will include Tyler Bell among others for the Wildcats. Pretty good get for Nick Minjiem. While we're on baseball, the Reds with a pickup and if you're a Reds fan still holding out hope that your team might just do something this year, the Reds claimed Ahmed Rosario off waivers. The Dodgers let
him go. This guy's hitting three TOZH five and the Dodgers designated him for assignment, meaning they were setting him down. But the Reds and that also means that somebody else can pick him up, and the Reds grabbed him off waivers. He only played like seven or eight games in LA and did well. They had traded with the Tampa Bay Race to get him just before the deadline as insurance against injuries. The Dodgers did, but Mookie Bets is back, he is healthy, and so they really had no need.
Didn't have enough room on the roster for Rosario hitting three zero five, as I said, couple of homers, he's driven to twenty eight runs, and if it's his batting average stays up around in there, that would be a career high. So he's playing extremely well and can play three of the four infield positions. Has played right field as well this year for the Dodgers and the Rays, and now he's a Cincinnati read, he could take over at third base. If you're a Reds fan, you're a
little frustrated. I'm guessing with Noel vi Marte one pint eighty one average, three homers, twelve runs, bat it in, and he ain't getting it done right now. So Rosario might be the guy who can help spark a playoff run for the Reds. But they're in fourth place right now in the NL Central. They got to get hot to finish up their sixteen sixty three right now. But my Cardinals are taking the gas right now, so I don't think we'll have to worry about them much longer.
It's all the Reds would a pretty good pickup. One other Baseball Notes saw this on the interweb over the weekend. John Cruck, the former Big leaguer rather rotn very colorful, heck of a power hitter in his day, and part of the Philadelphia Phillies broadcast crew. Funny colorful knows the game, but evidently doesn't know geography very well, or let's just
say a sense of direction. When he's in various ballparks, including the home ballpark in Philly, he gets lost, He gets turned around and gets lost, and every now and then the broadcasters call the game from the stands, and you know, if you've been in some of these huge ballparks, it's kind of easy to see. Although if you know what section here your crew is in, we're in section
one fifteen today. Just look for the signs. But apparently Kruk, who is sixty three years old, has a senior moment now and then and gets lost in the ballpark, so they make him carry an air tag. That's right, the broadcaster carries an air tag. That Another broadcaster, Ben Davis,
the Playboo plane man. God, I'm sorry, Tom McCarthy can use to find him even when they're in Citizens Bank Park in Philly, and I've been in that park, great ballpark, but John Cruk apparently gets lost and sometimes McCarthy has to reach out by phone and talk him in. It's not a bad idea, really, If you've got an air tag in your luggage or whatever, you know how all those things work, but they have to tag a broadcast partner.
I've never had to do that with Doug Flynn, although quite frankly, as forgetful as I can be, he might have to do it for me. Shifting over to college football, if you like college game day, you might be a Pat McAfee fan, but you might not. Apparently the Athletic and a survey it did showed that forty eight point nine percent of the viewer surveyed indicated they didn't really
like him that much. Only thirty percent said that they liked him for his new approach, the fact that he's unique some new blood, new traditions to the show, and McAfee doesn't mind lashing out at fans who lash out at him. That's a losing proposition either way. Really, the
Internet's always going to have the last word. McAfee's words will have a great impact because he's on television, But I find it interesting that he was not more widely accepted by critics, and unfortun he has used terms like rat, loser, puppet went confronted with negative feedback. But he'll be back and it'll be as colorful as ever. So if you're a college game day fan, be ready for it all right when we come back. Van Hius, former Kentucky d back.
A little later, Aaron Gershin on the Cats Balls, you're on six thirty w LA join out in our celebrity hotline by one of my favorite guests, Van Hiuse, former Kentucky defensive back who of course visits with us and teaches us about football. Always good to learn from Van. And you got to be getting excited now, coach. A couple of weeks.
Away, Yeah, it's man. A couple weeks away. Next week we get some games, just to chew on, some actual live games, and that really means something that affects the record. It's going to be cool next week. Not a lot of great games, but but games nonetheless, and yes, in two weeks we'll be able to see the blue and white finally in and coming wealth that that'll be awesome to steal on team.
Yeah, but you're right. There are games a couple of games next week, including Georgia Tech playing Florida State in Dublin. Can you imagine what that might be like? You never got the opportunity. I got a chance to go over to London when the basketball team played over there, but man to haul two footballs. Oh and by the way, I covered a game in Tokyo back in the eighties. Oh, Houston played SMU over there, so that's got to be a real trip.
Yeah. No, I actually played in Islan. My what did the second preseason game with the Bears? We played the Steelers? Yeah, played with coach Archer was coaching the Stills at the time. I actually played over there one. It's interesting. I would say this. It was tough the way we did it, getting over there a little early because the time difference is that it affects you as an NFL, as a football player, you a creach of habit. I would say this. Lovely Smith did it the right way. Actually did it
like a normal week. He did not go out there two or three days. I hit a schedule. He did it on Uh. They left Friday night, Saturday game Sunday and they played well. So yeah, it's it's it's a great place to go to. I think if these teams like treated like a normal game, I think the results will be a little better.
You get a chance to look around at all, do any sight seeing, have any fun in Ireland?
Yeah, we actually did well. That's now that's the advantage of going early. I played golf there. Uh, since I'm not a drinkers with a pub to where we're not my my was my cup of tea. But yeah, we played some golf there and that was awesome.
That's great. Well you mentioned uh and you showed your agent how Commonwealth Stadium. It's not, of course Kroger Field, but would always be Commonwealth to you. No disrespect to the fine folks at Kroger, but that's where you played. You played the Commonwealth. Uh. But let me start with the defense. I know that you're you're in Louisiana, but you keep up as best you can, and it looks like, man, that the defense will be the strength of the team. That's got to excite you.
Yes, you you can't win with a porous defense. I think we'll figure that out. After coach Curry left and they brought and have money with a great offense, but the defense just and hold up. You have to have at least a service serviceable defense, and this defense might be might be the best defense in the Stoop's era, and that's exciting to think about with some of the
defense that he's had since twenty eighteen. So I think there's a lot of potential, there's a lot of depth, There's there's some worrisome areas maybe potentially, and can we find a second corner? Can we stay healthy on the defensive line. Those two things are all things that are really concerning to me, because I think the pass rush is gonna come and we might have to be a little creative with it, but I think that's going to
happen this year. But finding two more because the theme that hurt us last year if you look back at the tape, is when we lost Andrew Phillis in or Max the corners that did not step up to their level and we saw some issues. So we can find two more corners. I think this defense is going to be exceptionally elite.
Before we start talking about personnel on the field, let's talk about the personnel on the sideline, specifically the defensive coordinator Brad White. You mentioned your time in the NFL. Here's the guy who came from the NFL, and is it chances that you know Van to leave get some more money down there where you are. Lsu wanted him exactly what impresses you about him?
To me? The thing that impresses me about him is the same thing that impressed me with Eddie Grant is that they don't try to force a round peg into a square hole. They try to marph. Well, both of them marph their their scheme to what they had in the room with them. The talent level that what those guys could have. Though there are some things that fans get upset about, why we don't do this, why we
don't do that. Well, here's the bill. When you practice Monday through Friday, and if the guys can't handle it, he's not gonna call it on Saturdays. Will play more man. If you look at Charenton, Valentine and Kevin Josephs years they have played more Man, but then when we didn't have them, we'll played more zone. You have to play. You have to create a scheme that maximize the talent and ability of your players. I think that's one of the great things that coach White does for the defense.
And he is a guy who's not afraid to blitz a corner every now and then. But I think he reads the room pretty well, don't you.
I think so too. I mean, if you just look at the track record, we've had great defenses. That's up. I mean you want to say last year was the disappointment. I mean, everybody should be disappointment last year, but that's anomaly for the time he's been to DC, and there are some issues that happened with injuries and things like that. And if you want to me, the only thing that you can maybe dean coach White on is the recruiting of top level guys on the defense consistently, and maybe
that's the one thing they can ding them on. But now with the portal, you don't have to have as great a high school evaluation because now you just grab a guy out of port if a guy doesn't work out.
Well, let's talk a little bit about about that cornerback spot, and you mentioned the lack of depth. They it looks like got some help. We'll find out soon. DJ Walder trans in transfers in from Michigan. Looks like he'll be one of the starters opposite Maxwell Harriston. But Ken Janssen done, He'll have to rotate through Zarwoni and so we'll.
Hard Yeah, yes, we got done hardaway. I've heard Nicholas is doing great things. I'm waiting to hear some good things about Addison. If those guys come along, I mean, they're there. I just named what real four more extra guys outside of Wallace, So now there's some depth on that back end that we didn't have last year. And all you got to do is like, hit on one or two of them. You if you confident the Waller, We definitely confident the Wax I mean and Max I
gotta do it. Hit on one of those three or four guys that we just mentioned, and now you've got a very good cornerback room.
You got to like the safety room as well. Though Jordan love It's back. You remember he had a pick at the end of the Louiso game and Zion Childers, a veteran ty Bryant looked really good last year as a freshman, and Mark Stoops was heaping praise on him after the scrimmage Saturday.
Yeah, and we got a story from Alabama, so I think that room is exceptionally deep. I need those guys to be more consistent because it's very hard playing safety because you are the last man of defense, and when you make a mistake, it really it really hurts the defense because now at least the touchdowns instead of been a long play and you have an offense force to go over downstairs first and ten instead of six points
on the board. I think those guys need to be more consistent, and I think if they're more consistent down the teams we have to do like they have there in the past, where they have to snap the ball continually to score points, and usually offense they have to snap the ball out. Eventually they're going to make a mistake in college. I think that's what we've done prior to last year, more more than not.
Talking to Van Hiuse, former Kentucky defensive back, we talk football was manned as often as we can and he of course is looking forward to the opener coming up with Southern miss And as we wrap up our conversation on defense the front seven, you know, it's hard to remember expectations being higher when you've got a Dion Walker backed up by an Octavius Oxen Dine. They did have an injury and nose tackle, but they do have some depth there Van and you know the linebackers pick up
Dumas Johnson from Georgia. So I'll tell you what if you're if you're Kentucky, you got to feel pretty good about the defense, don't you.
I think this defense is going to be great because one thing about DV you have to be able to stop the run, and we should be able to stop the run this year with all the guys that you have mentioned. We got a former All American and Pop Dumas as a linebacker next to probably one of the most solid guys as linebackers since since Square with d Jack. I think the middle of this defense is going to be solid, especially if Silver keeps progressing like I've heard
he's progressing. You have to be strong up the middle of the three four defense. I think if Silver can can the demand a double team is going to open up so many things for everybody else. And so I think the run game is going to be something we're going to have. It's going to be a strong suit for all defense, which is going to help us getting to second and long and third and long. Now that's when the second dey can can have an easier time when it's third and eight compared to men third and five.
And Silver is your starting those tackle Deon Walker actually listen to d tackle. You got to think that if Silver's double team, somebody's going to have their hands full one on one with Dion Walker exactly.
So if you think about it, Silver should be the one who has us has a one on one with the center, and he's having a natural advantage, so he's going to have to eat while Deon is getting double and if he does a good job pushing the pocket up the middle making running backs bounced, then teams are gonna have to make a choice. We can we double de On it do we have to double the guy who's going to create an immediate problem with the guy
off the middle. So that's a great thing, and that makes Fonders and Ripped the job easier on the other side because now they are a single team and when they when team out to pass that they should get a lot of pass rushing and hopefully pressures.
Yeah, I was about to say it's pressure, it's hurries. You love sacks, obviously, you love picks hurries. That's what forces mistakes. I mean, you know you love to see.
Those Hurry's usually lead to interception. And I have stories about that where Chris Warre got a sack and I was right there waiting for interception. So hurry's brees bre in a. Interceptions really changed games. Facts are great for the fans and for the players, but interceptions can flip the momentum of a game in a constance old quarterback in one play. So purris for a cornerback and for safety are much more important than the facts.
Chris Ford sacked a lot of people though, so you know, yes he did. It's just the way things happen. We're talking to Van Hius Swimer, Kentucky defensive back. We'll come back and talk more Kentucky football after the break here on the Big Booing Sider six thirty wlap Welcome back.
We're talking with Van Hiuse Swimer, Kentucky defensive back, looking forward to the Wildcats opener with Southern Miss. And I don't know what it is about Southern Miss, Van, but it just seems like, well, I do know, I think those kids down there in Hattiesburg believe that they're everybody as good as the SEC. They want to prove themselves and they've given Kentucky a tough time through the years exactly.
And in Southern miss during my time in the nineteen hundred, so I almost went the Southern Miss. That's actually the place I was going to go. Wow, for Southern miss didn't have a mechanical engineering program. So coach Coach Bauers and I can't remember the coach after him, did a great job of recruiting that Mississippi area and getting the guys that were I guess looked over a little bit.
And they did have a chip on their shoulders. I know when I went on a visit, big chip on their shoulders because they felt like they could play the SEC. They have little issues now, but yes, that was a for those Mississippi guys that was big because I don't remember missis the state had Jackie Chryl, had Walt Harris a year. They were really doing well in some of
those and they wouldn't totally recruit Mississippi like they should have. So, yeah, those those guys back then, man, they really had a big chip on their shoulders.
Yeah, and people forget to saying Southern miss is a D one program. It's not just the state for Mississippi State and Ole Miss. And there are so many jucos in the state of Mississippi.
Right, Yes, yes, Heines College is a big one, and there's more. But yeah, those you you have, and some of that that eastern part of Louisia also they can pick off from. So they have a hot bit of talent when the right coach is there, and when Southern Mists can find the right coach in that program or get back to what it should be.
Well to talk a little bit about the offense, Brock Vandergriff coming out of this last discrimmage apparently is the starter. But I'm curious about Gavin Wimsy. He is listed as the backup. He has listed as the number two QB, and of course I'm sure they'll have a specific package for him to run the football. He can throw it a little bit, man, But what do you make of the fact that Bush Hampden is wide open apparently to
rotating his qbs a little bit, not alternating them. But he's not afraid, apparently to run whims it in there and run the football.
I think for one thing we think about it, especially the first couple of games, you give the opposing defensive coordinators something extra to have to prepare for it, chew on and that means his young kids have to put air for something, which means more data, more information, more studying. So that just that's just getting getting another carry out
for these dcs they have to prepare for now. Also, we don't want to get brocked banged up early, so I can see on third and short situations maybe we can run quarterback power read and quarterback r pos and quarterback read option like those are options that we can have and take Brock out the game and not have to deal with all that palty earlier in the season, kind of like how we did Will Levis in twenty twenty one. We didn't really start running Will Leves until after,
I guess during the LSU game. So I think that can that can take less wear and tear off of Brock, get him confident for the for the stretch runt of season while using a guy who can run the ball very well and can pass it when needed as a change up on the goal lines and third and short situations.
Let's talk about running back because chip train and I saw him on campus the other day with his hand heavily taped, heavily wrapped, and he's going to miss at least two games, I believe, which means Demi Sumo Kongbey is Krnbay is the starter. He is six foot two ten, that's not small by any means, but training him's five eleven to twenty seven. Just a different kind of running back, different style. Now Demi's got the speed, he can catch the ball. Can he succeed in then sec? Do you think.
He's a D one running back? So I think he can definitely be successful. I think that his specialty and his niche is acted more of a third down back. I think eventually you will see more Patterson and Willcox getting more of the lion's share or the or the true toast of the ball. I think Demi's gonna be that guy who's gonna be able to pick up blitz this,
run great routes, run the ball when needed. But I think at the end of the day that those two young guys are gonna probably get more more more attempts rushing the ball than than maybe Demmy. I'm not sure. That's just my guess. Uh. Those two other guys have a little more juice, in my opinion, than Demi, and I think that can be a game changer for the golfhin.
Neither one of them is a big power back, though, so I'll be curious to see how the plays are called with any one of those guys in the backfield
until Chip does get back. I don't know about you, but I firmly believe that Dane Key and Barrion Brown are sitting on big seasons, if for northern reason the new offense Brock vandergrit, but I also think this being their junior seasons van that I think they'll probably not that they weren't working hard last year, but I think that they based on my conversations with them on media Day, for whatever that's worth, I think they're going to really
knuckle down this year and play more like veterans. What do you think?
Yeah, I think there's a couple of things in play. I think there's the obvious obvish maturity issue thing that's gonna they're maturing. To me, they're just juniors if you really think about it. Yeah, the most important thing is getting coach short. I think he's going to the ability to really teach them how to be a wide receiver with the experience and being a wide receiver makes a
big difference. Then the other thing is they're going to have slot receivers in Macklin and failure that would be able to open a field up for them a little bit more. You cannot double team them. We have a slot receiver as potentially as good as those two guys are, So I think that's going to also open a field up for him too, with two really good slot receivers that can go to work on linebackers or safety. If that happens, now that game will open up for those two guys on the outside.
Macklin the guy a proven commodity from North Texas. And yeah, if he gets off the line of shimming you pointed out, you know, like Wandlle could get off the line, tab and Robinson could get off the line. As the slot back, he has got such a chance to do damage because the defense cannot look away from Key or Brown at all, can it?
Right? And that's the thing. Once he wants he s that he's that that calboy player. Now the defense can'ke double on the outside. Now they got to play more of a straight up defense because they got to take take it into account the slot receiver, and I think that's that to me, is a difference with his offense. We haven't had a slot receiver like that since one Dale and that just opened up everything for everybody. The tight end when josh I Lee was was healthy, opened
things up for him. I think if we can get some some some production out of that position, it opens up everything for everybody.
The old line may be starting two different transfers. You got Farmers, a kid who came in from Florida. You got Gerald Minci who came in from Tennessee. What did you think of the way the old line performed last year? What do you expect this year?
The O line performers last year was kind of like the defense. It was a disappointment. I don't think we need to get back to the era of John Slom in a big blue wall. We just need to get to the to the new era just being fishing and doing your job. And I think this this old line has a chance because they have more depth to be able to be. All they needed to be is an average SEC line, which is pretty good for the for
the other conferences, just the average through your job. Opening lines, protect block as much as you can, and I think that's that's when we are better than last year. Last year, it just it just didn't work out. And I don't know, I can't put my finger on exactly why, but it just didn't work out last year. I hopefully we're getting coach Wolf's back and getting a new voice with Bush that that will help that old line play up to their caliber too.
Well. They had their moments and they produced to help produce them one thousand yard running back in Ray Davis. But yeah, I think they need to take it. I'm think you're right, they need to take another step forward. Speaking of Ray Davis, uh, just looking back on him, the special season he had and nobody, I don't think anybody really expected ready to come in and do what
he did. I think expected it. But it's going to be interesting to see when you look around and you don't see him carrying the ball that was That was a loss that might be bigger than we think, you know what I mean.
It's definitely a loss that I think impacts this team this year more than I would expect it to impact this team this year. If you really think about it. Honestly, we might not have used Ray as much as we should have. Now. I don't know if that was he couldn't take on that pounding and all that for all those attempts, But for me, as a season went along, he was underutilized. And I don't think we have a runner back this year kind of like Ray that can be the be the guy who took the ball twenty
five times a game. We're gonna have to do it by committee. And I wish we had Ray Davis another year because I think bush would have used them in that capacity. So yeah, he's a big loss for us. That more than what I anticipated at the beginning of last year.
Yeah, he would have been fun to watch and Bushmen's offense, but that's college football, man. As you all know, players come and go, they move on, and you got to play with what you got. Van Hiles, former uk D back, love talking football. We shall talk again, by the way. You can hear Van on his podcast. And I know you're a favorite of the Sunday Morning Sports Talk, aren't you.
I don't know about favorite, but but my co host on the Locker four one one is a host on Sunday Morning sports Talk so so he kind of puts me on there. Anthony. I yeah, Anti twight now on Wednesdays. Now give me some standard time the Locker four one one.
That's right. You can find Van's Van on Twitter at v Style seventeen and he is a co host of The Locker four one one. Thank you, sir, And we'll talk again after the opener.
I hope, of course anytime.
Not only will we talk with Van after the opener, I'm gonna find out what he cooks for his game day feast. Back with that Renumber two Aaron Gershawan and UK Track and Field on the Big Going Sider six thirty. Welcome back I Renumber two in joining us on our celebrity hotline is Aaron Gershan to the cats Balls. He joins us every Monday, and Aaron, this time next week we'll be live on the State Wide Show because Mark Stupa's first show is next Monday. Man, it's right on top of us.
Crazy it flies by, and I'm looking forward to that. We always have a lot of fun in there. Me and Billy Roli jump Monday Night. You kind of missed it during the off season, so it'll be fun to get back in there with you guys next week.
You were there when Mark Stoops and the players spoke after the scrimmage, and of course I got a chance to peek at the scrimmage. You can't really talk about it, but what were your comments. What was your take on Mark Stoops's comments after he basically said we came out healthy.
Yeah, I think first thing first, Usually we all joke around before these and usually one of the Saturday scrimmages in Paul Camp he's happy, you know, content, whatever word you want to use, and the other one he's all pissed off and hated how it went. That wasn't the case this year. I mean, he was simply, I think a little more upbeat after the first one when he didn't realize some of the injuries that may have taken place.
And you know, this one again he was it seemed like he was content and happy with how you know, the team looked, how they scrimmaged.
It was.
I know, you can't say much, but from what he described it was mostly young guys, a lot of the starters just had better days.
Off or whatever.
So you know, he seemed pretty pretty encouraged with the way things went. That the starters at least offensively had a thirteen pleg drive, which got some you know, some good cars show in per se, just get used to that game field those long drives and do that ahead
of the season. So you know, that was all good, but definitely, you know, he was concerned with how no injuries that popped up at that time from this scrimmage, but he was definitely concerned about the ones that popped up the week before, whether a big ship trad Himho's going to miss time hardly Gilmore who's going to miss probably the majority of the season, which could be you know, if Kentucky stays healthy at receiver, could be a blessing for the program that you get a red shirt on
that kid, but you know, you'd never want to see it. At the same time, and then you know, there were some guys who were noticeable that came in and clearly didn't practice. Couldn't really tell if they were injured or not, but guys who were wearing pads and guys who weren't, so you kind of assume, and seems like Josh Tattis.
Hasn't got back out there yet this fall camp.
So yeah, definitely some injured concerns, but seemed like he was happy with the work that the team put into.
Yeah, and it sounded like the theme of Saturday scrimmage regardless was building depth. And we've talked for years about That's that's been probably the number one reason for success with Mark Stoops and as recruiters. It's obviously identifying talent, developing that talent, and building numbers. So when you get it's not unlike the NFL exhibition games, right.
No, exactly. You want to have as many bodies that you feel comfortable with. God forbid, there's an injury as possible, and I think the last two years, especially you know, on the offensive line, I mean quarterback obviously in twenty two when Eleves went down for a game and didn't playing the Bowl corner that year, like it pops up and you got to have guys who can you can thrust in there. Because football is such a physical, demanding
sport and guys get hurt every week. It's almost a surprise when you come out of the game without n injur So definitely, it seemed like that was kind of the point of the practice, Like, Hey, our point of the scrima Chay, we got beat up the week before. Much of our ones aren't going to be in there. Let's see what these other guys got and let's build their confidence. God forbid, they have to go in and play in the game.
Yeah, And somebody asked, and I don't remember who, about quarterbacks, and I played the sound by a little earlier Aaron. But he went in depth, no pun, intended about the quarterback room and how excited he is to have a number of talented guys.
Yeah, he basically said, without saying it verbatim, that it was the deepest quarterback room he's had since he's got here. And you know that that makes sense to me for sure. I mean, Rock Vandergrifs was a former near five star recruit that you have a lot of faith in. The beer starter Gavin Weinstet has nineteen starts in the Big Ten. And then you know Rollins played football and cutter Bowlie's the top quarterback prospect, you know, coming out of high school.
A lot of the marquee programs really wanted him. I mean, Tennessee gave Kentucky a hell the time and Philliam Cohen got back, so definitely he felt that way. He made it clear he even said something I forget exactly what the line was, but like, nothing against anyone that's been here in the past, but you know, this is one of the first times where we have an injury, I
feel comfortable who would come in. Yeah, And the other thing that he said that caught my attention with that is since that's the case, it's going to let guys in that quarterback room play more freely. So that's going to mean when Rock Vandergriff and the bucket starts to collapse, they're gonna let him run where they did say. I don't know if that was a Skangerrillo thing or what, but that handicaps Will Levis in twenty twenty two with it Leary, they just didn't have that element in the game.
So that's definitely gonna make the comeback. And we all know when Gavin Winstat's end, it's not gonna be surprised that he's running the ball.
So some encouraging stuff there for sure.
Now I remember Scangarrillo specifically saying yes that he would not allow Levis to run the ball because he felt like he wanted to protect him physically, and that's an NFA. You know, he had that's an nfling. But you know he never s. Gangarello, as we all know, never made the adjustment to the college game the way he might have.
And that also means not just long winded verbiage when it came to calling plays, but allowing a quarterback who oftentimes is bigger and more athletic than the defenders chasing him down and ain't gonna happen in the NFL. Brother, but we saw it happen, and you see it every week in college right absolutely.
I mean, well, Levice is in twenty twenty one, Rantel was four hundred yards and had a full rushing touchdown game at Louisville. Is a great that was such a strength of his game. Over Line ran over linebackers, hurled the guys, I mean, and we see it with him in the NFL.
I mean there was a play.
I don't encourage it here, but in the preseason he took a big hit on a run against the forty nine ers two weeks ago, and all these Titan fans are like, we love it, but please stop right now, it's for the regular season.
But no, I mean it was.
It was strict from him, and I'll disagree with it. I get it, I get why he did it. I'll disagree with that decision. I think it cost Kentucky some games, but that's in the past. Neither hero door there. And the good thing is I don't think that's gonna be a problem this year. I mean, not only with what Mark Steusch get said there. Obviously you had two quarterbacks and Vander Griffin and and Winstead who that's a big
part of their game. And you bringing an offensive coordinator that you look at his track record and he always had a quarterback that can run.
I mean he unlocked.
I mean I wouldn't say he unlocked, but he definitely helps unlocked Brady Cook's legs at Missouri. I mean you look at the three games he called plays there, and Cook ran for over three hundred yards in those games and that includes whatever sack. So it had one game where he ran for over one hundred. So he did it last year with the quarterback at Beligia State, he had the sound awkinsas so they're going to run the quarterback and that's you know.
That's big.
Kentucky's best offenses under Mark steuss have had quarterbacks that can move in the pocket.
Speaking of depth move out of the pocket. I do wonder about running back because you know, we all that of power game Kentucky head with Benny, with Chris Rodriguez, even with Ray Davis, who wasn't the biggest guy but he ran big. I'm just not sure about Demi Sumo Karnbay when it's third and one and a half or you know, at the goal line and the guys behind him were freshmen and they're not that big either. Aaron, what are your thoughts on running back?
Yeah, chick trainum is a huge blow. Hopefully you can get him back asap, but yeah, it's a wait and see Moses. I mean, look, Sumocarmbay last year, I think Ray Davis played. I thought they were gonna they were gonna platune a little more going into the year. Ray Davis ran away with the chop like what are you gonna do? He was outstanding. He couldn't keep him off the field. So you know, that limited what we got to see from sum O'carbay last year at NC State.
The year before, he was banged up, but he played a bit and he did average five and a half yards per carry, but a lot of that was outside zones that I didn't see too much where he just ran it up the gut and I was able to get those gritty yards. So you know it's going to be a let's see, let's see what he's got week one and two when he's gonna get it. It's very
similar to me. It's not fair because Chris Rodriguez was coming back and Chip Trandon's not Chris Rodriguez, but similar to how they started the twenty two season right where Sea Rod was suspended and it was just all right, someone in that running back room he got.
To step up.
I mean Cavasse Smoke ended up at the starter early. Lavelle Wright spelled them, Jason McClain spelled them. No one really got it done. So you hoped this time, with the offensive line being better, honestly, and the quarterbacks adding an element in the run game, that one of those guys can emerge, and I think Simil Karba is the guy they're going to lean toward first. And if it doesn't work out, you know, Jamarion Wilcox and Jason Patterson two fresh and ury next man up.
Yeah. Well, and the notion that Schimocarnbay can catch the ball out of the backfield. That's that excitesment help and I think we'll see that from this offense.
Yeah, they're gonna have to get very creative now that they don't have that bruiser running back that they're used to having. So and I think that will And you know, back at the football luncheon before camp started and we knew Charinum was gonna get hurt, I mean, bush Hampton said they brought in Gavin Winstat to supplement some.
Of the runs.
So they're gonna get really creative. I'm actually really excited to see exactly what the game plan there is. But they also got to go execute such plan because the schedule. It's not like last year where we had a preseason, right, they basically had a preseason slate the first three four games.
If you want to throw a van in there. This year, I mean, Southern miss obviously should beat them, but we all know the bad the bad karva or not that karma, the bad history in that matchup, whether it was the loss in sixteen or close game down in Hattiesburg in seventeen, and then you jump right into the sec place. They got to figure it out quick.
Aaron Gershan, our guest Daron and beat Righter for the cash Plows, and we'll come back with more football t for Aaron here in a minute. On the Big Bloon Sider six thirty Wlap Welcome back to the Big blueon Sider. We're chatting with Aaron Gershwan. He is the beat writer for the Cats pause Baseball, football, basketball covers at All and of course has some good work in the football yearbook. If you haven't picked it up yet, you need to prep yourself for the upcoming season with the Cats Paws
Football Yearbook. We talked so much offense in the first segment, and everybody knows defense should be the strength of this team. There are some question marks I just had Van Hiles on talking about. We mentioned depth quite often in that first segment. Depth at cornerback could be an issue. Maybe they've got it. It's unproven right now though.
Right Hey, you get that Van on All show. He's so good.
Oh yeah, I just want to give him quick shout out there. But yeah, no, it definitely is and I did think it was interesting. Maybe it's just trying to hype his guys up or whatever. That Max Harrison said it was the best cornerback room he's been in here.
You know, to be seen.
I know last year they weren't great outside of Max twenty two, Carrington and Kedrin were pretty darn lockdown as starters, so I'd argue he was in a better room that year on paper at least, So maybe he's onto something we'll see. But yeah, definitely. And I had heard Jensen Dunn, who had a great spring and I'm not sure exactly how it's translated or not in the fall, didn't practice Saturday,
So that's one to watch. Heard that not from you, don't worry if I goot new in trouble, but I've heard it from other people that were at the scrimmage that told me. So they hopefully he's okay and can get him in there because I think he is a chance to. I thought he played really well at the end of the year against Louisville. At the end of the game, he made some really key plays.
He played. He was the best TV for.
Them in the cleansing game when Max and Phillips got hurt. So that's the guy I want to see you get a shot. I think he has a chance. I'm not thinking he can be right away, but a chance to kind of do what Phillips did, which is when they have two corners on the field, he'll play outside and when they have three, move into the spot and they bring in someone else. Last year was Jordan Robinson who's now gone obviously, but maybe it's JQ Hardaway DJ Waller
to be seen who that is. I think he might have a chance to play that type of role for them. But yeah, and other than that, you know, need one of those two long guys to step up in Hardaway and Waller. Those are your prototypical six to three long, lengthy, speedy corners that Mark Sukes loves and has had success within the past. The Chris Westry Bronnie Johnson Body touched
on Derek Batty as well. If one of those guys can step up and be a solid number two corner across from Max, I think that just the defense's ceiling raises just a little bit more, a lot more, honestly, because I think I think they're gonna be better at safety. I think that room just got banged up last year and Ty Bryan played well, but he's a freshman. There were freshmen mistakes in there. Jordan Lovett was in and
now Zion Childers kind of had a May year. He was banged up a little too, and then Jalen Geiger obviously didn't play much with injury. So you know, this year you got Jordan love It healthy, He has Zigon Children's healthy and seems like he can move in and play in box corner two if you need him to. You have Christian story added to kind of replaced guy here and hopefully keep him healthy. And then he has Ti Ryan back for another year, a guy that Mark
Souso incredibly high on. Ye he doesn't really give out that type of praise anymore. That's the guy he can't help it with every time he talks about. So I really like the safety rohim. I obviously love the defensive line and the middle linebackers if and what JJ can do it outside backer if he's healthy. So it's really I think those two guys are kind of the X factors on that defense. Uh.
One of the two long guys.
You know what might be another X factor? I should say, who is Alexafari? They move him from d bat to what they call star it's a linebacker spot and are sort of a monster man. I guess she depends on any want to describe it, but that guy Aaron, it just seemed like he was always around the ball.
You know he is.
He is always around the ball, even as a freshman in twenty two. So they, yeah, it's gonna be really interesting. I don't have it in front of me, but I did write something about his versatility earlier this camp and was able to find the snack counts of where he was on the field, mostly safety, played a little bit,
inside back, or played a slot corner. So yeah, he's definitely a guy that can move around a ton, And I just wonder if it's going to come down to where they need him, right if they struggle in slot in the slot, are they going to move him there and feel comfortable if Pop Johnson or d Eric get hurt and David Raider is not who you want filling in those reps? Is he just going to play there or if they need a blow or is he going
to be the guy they stick in there? So he's just such a he's such an intriguing player because think you said he's always around the ball. He's extremely versatile, but with some of the death they have more so in the linebacker room and outside back or even I think tyer reesair various health. He's on pace to kind of break out a little bit this year. It's just like there's like nowhere exactly you can pinpoint and say
you're playing right there. And I think that picture for him will be more clear next year, going into his senior year, because you're gonna lose the Erica and Pop and you could probably just blame at Mike or play at a week sidebacker. But uh, they gotta find They gotta finn rest for that guy because he's an impact maker and has been really since.
They won't.
Jamon Dumas Johnson is a unique story. And by speaking of unique, you guys want to be called Pop anymore? Which man, you know, when you're when you're quote unquote building your brand, seems like that would be a plus. But we all abide by his wishes. Uh. But Aaron, you know, I've covered football since they pumped up the first ball. I can never recall, and transfers are much more prevalent now as you as you know. But a guy was an All American two years ago transferring within
the league. I don't know if that happened on the Georgia Bulldogs.
Yeah, from the from the Georgia Bulldogs from Vanderbilt. So yeah, no, it's a very he's a very, very intriguing player and intriguing person The personality has been, Uh he's unique. He's unique to say the least. But uh yeah, I mean you said it two times, our first team All American, two time National Championship starting mike linebacker for an undefeated national championship team. And really he just got you kind of got Wally pipped out of a job, if you will,
Like last year, he gets hurt and they're too. It's Georgia, so there's always going to be. If you think Kentucky has death, Georgia has four times more. Just just how they are to everybody. And you know they're two inside backers, are they?
I think they had two. I think they might have had to either two.
Injuries at inside backer or I forget what it was, but I know they had two guys waiting in the wings and both of them shines, and the plane was kind of just kind of let them play this year, and and ums Johnson was kind of the odd man out, so he hits the portal and a huge win for Kentucky. I mean they were battling atron in Florida State. So he is probably the most intriguing piece of this defense because his ceiling is extremely high.
You just got to keep him healthy and see how he fit.
No, I couldn't agree more. And I do believe he's the most intriguing. I mean, Dion Walker is going to make you know the headlines. He'll be drafted. Probably he's just the best one. Yeah, exactly. But just having a guy next to the Eric Jackson who played next to his buddy Trevin Wallace for so long, and JJ Weaver who came back because he knew last year wasn't the year he wanted to have. I'm curious to see, you know what his focus is this year.
Yeah, I'm sorry you cut out there. Who's the player?
JJ Weaver?
J Yeah, sorry cut out for two seconds. But yeah, JJ, it's all health with him. In my opinion, it really is. I think when he's healthy and he's right, he's dominant. We saw it in twenty twenty one, saw it towards the end of last season. I thought he really like we all know what he did in the Louisville game, but I think he had two sacks in the clemsing game as well. So he finished the season like on an incredibly high note. And for him, it's it's staying
healthy and consistent. And you know he's he's six five, two forty five whatever he is now, he's got the body.
We all know, he's.
Got all the experience in the world. It's just staying healthy and just more the mental side of all, Right, next play, if you screw up. I think sometimes when he has a play that whether he misses a sack, whether he gets beaten one on one, it kind of deflates him for the whole game if he can just stay with it when he makes a mistake. That guy's as talented as anyone on this defense, and he's been
around the block longer than anyone. So I think if those things happen for him, he's gonna end up leading the team in sacks like he has the last three years. It's just our two years at least, uh two of the last three, twenty one and last year. So uh just just got to put it together for a full year because when that guy's right, he's he's a different thinker.
To me. The biggest question as a unit is quarterback hurries. How much can this defensive produce, this defensive unit produce. And I've talked a lot about hurries, Aaron, I've talked about it with you as well. Those are the plays that forced quarterbacks into making mistakes. You've got lineman starting with Dion Walker, and you've got guys who can come
off the edge. If they can get that done for Brad White who likes to once in a while blitz from the edge with a corner, and this this defense could wreak some havoc.
Yeah, and I thought the passwords finished really strong, and that was even something that our last season that is Yeah, that was even something that Dion Walker mentioned after the game when they lost against Clenson. I mean, they had eight sacks in that game and Clemson's offensive line was all the starters, like no one up at out. So the team that I think going into that game was near the bottom of sacks allowed in the country. So
you know, they proved they can do it. Louisville offensive line had a great year last year too, and Kentucky dominated them, So you got to go do it. An SBC play obviously, I know it's a little different, a lot different, but they have the experience between Weaver, Walker, oxtendne if Man, if they can get there's some There was White with Brad. White was talking a little bit like we see slashes of that guy that we saw against LSU, Like they can model that up and have
that for six or seven games. I mean that that guy's a monster too. So it's all about at the end of the day, health inconsistency. I think there's just been a lack of consistency in the past.
Rush.
There's been games where they've been dominant, in games where they just can't win.
They're one on ones, or they just miss sacks.
That are right there to have, like they did against South Carolina that cost them the game. So very very talented room. They just got to go do it, or talented group, I should say, gotta go do it.
Aaron Gershwan of the Cast Pause a Gershan ninety nine is where you find him on Twitter or x and you find him in the pages of the Cast Pause and the Cast Pause Yearbook. You need to pick that up if you have already. Aaron, thank you. We will see you at practice all right. Up next. Olympic gold medalist Messi Russell, the former Kentucky Wildcat, and UK coach Lonnie Green, who was in Paris watching UK athletes win medal after medal. That's next on the Big Goo Insider
six point thirty. Talk about to the Big Blo Insider earlier today, we got a chance to dive into campus traffic and here from olympians. Yeah, moving in the day, still happening. It started over the weekend, but shout out
to UK campus police. They did a great job of funneling traffic in and out like they do every year, and we were able to get over to the Jim Green Track and Field facility named after the great Jim Green, the great sprinter, my buddy, who is one of the guys people really need to know about when it comes
to the history of UK sports. So we got a chance, as I said, to talk Olympics with Massi Russell, Olympic cham in the one hundred meter hurdles, and Devin Charlton, a volunteer coach at UK two time Olympic finalist in the hundred hurdles she is from the Bahamas, and UK
head coach Lonnie Green. So it was fun given all the success that Kentucky athletes had over in Paris, and got a chance to fire a lot of different kinds of questions at the athletes and the coach, and somebody asked Messiah Russell about the fact that, you know, you step into the starting blocks as an Olympian, you have trained all your life, and sometime in the next ten to twelve seconds, you're going to know are you an Olympic medalist? Are you a gold medalist? But she said,
it's not like that. You don't think about all the hard work and all the years and years of preparation it took to get there. You think about that after the fact.
So after it's all said and done, yes, And it's like I had a lot of losses that I had to go through, a lot of tears, a lot of long nights like that, you know, ended up coming to this moment, but you're not really well. For me, I wasn't really thinking about it until like afterwards, because for me, I like to stay in the moment and just kind of, you know, get the job done while I'm there. But when you do think about like the big picture, it is like we work our whole entire lives for these
small amount of seconds. So that's why you just have to make sure that you are doing the right things. You are taking those lessons for what they are, because once you're in that moment an opportunity, you have to take advantage of it. And that's just where my mind was.
And the head coach, Lonnie Green kind of chimed in by saying, you know, you see the end result, you see the smiles and the metals, but you need to go back and think about how hard these kids work just to get there.
It was good to see the hard work, you know, actually pay off, see it come to fuition for these young people.
You know, I think when.
People see the finished product, they they make it look so easy, but in reality, there's a whole lot of work, the whole lot of time they put into it. You know, for these babies. You know, you're looking at training for four years just to run for twelve seconds. You know, that's a lot. That's a commitment.
Russell at one point talked about the tough times, the sleepless nights, the tears, and I followed up on that because I said, you know, we do see the end results the photos tv uh, you know, biting the metal, all that stuff, but we never think fans media about tough times and I asked her to take us through some of that, take us behind the curtain on what the tough times are like, and she talked about the fact that obviously you can't win every time, and it becomes a real mental game, a mental.
Battle, like you have to go through those failures, you have to go through those tough times, those uncomfortable moments. Because last year when I used to run, I mean I broke the Cocleusive record indoor, I told Coach Green, like after I started to overthink everything, like surprisingly, I'm like, how did I do that? What do I need to do? What do I need to fix? How do I get
back to that? So like when I ran to SECS, it was like I kind of found it again and then I won, and then I was like all right, I was like living in fear of not performing to that. So that's when I came up short at n C Doublea's and then I broke the Cleegesic record again outdoor. I had the talent, I had the capability, but it didn't show up when it needed to because I didn't believe.
I was living in fear of what if I'm not this athlete again, rather than just like being in the moment and just allowing what God has for me, like wherever, like I said, wherever the chips falls, where it falls. I can't force or create anything that wasn't there. So I'm just glad that I went through those opportunities to come second place and to lose and to come up short. You know, I mean it was it was heartbreaking when you know that you have the fastest cleechure time ever
but you don't put it together on that day. So I mean, I'm an Olympic Goo medalist now, and I mean I had to go through those losses to be having this conversation with you, So I mean, I'm blessed and thankful for it, even though it was uncomfortable.
At the time.
Obviously, as a veteran coach, he was successful at Purdue before coming to Kentucky. Lonnie Green has worked with so many great athletes, and it's not all about patting him on the back after they win. He said, he has had to put his arm around a lot of athletes through the tough times.
If she would permit me to tell a story of the NCAA Championship indors, you know, and she lost the meat she lost to meet by like two one hundreds of a second, and then she went into the bathroom. I had to send Devin to go get I said, Devin, go get her, because I couldn't follow him, you know what I mean. And when she was done, I looked out and saw you done, and so you done? You're done? Are you done? I said, you can't. You can't call
that back. You can't un ring that bell. Now we gotta get ready for the next event, you know what I mean. And she said to me, court me if I'm wrong, correct me, if I'm wrong. I just want to cry because I didn't lose. I just want to cry it. So, okay, cry and pick it up, pick it back up.
But we still got a mind. Really, we got running.
She was a part of the relay, you know. So it's just I think it's just it's it's just the rigors of competition. It's just the things you go through when you're competing, you know, the ups and downs, you know. I think that's one of the reasons. I think you see people shed a tear when they on the on the on the metal stand, you know what I mean, Because in that moment when they when they're recognized for what they've accomplished. It all just comes flooding back in
and like jingle bells. I gave up all of this, you know, all of everything I've given up for this moment right here now it's actually reality.
UK athletes, current and former, when it came to collecting medals in Paris did better than most countries in the world. It was amazing. UK athletes kept racking them up. And Ronnie Green, of course a guy who goes out to recruit athletes. He talked about the fact that he didn't have to fire off many text messages. Recruits were texting him about perhaps competing at UK. He was loving it.
I guess that mixed bag, you know, because you know you always want, you want, you want all your babies to perform exceedingly well. But just to know that, you know, you had Sidney mcloughlinstead of world's record, to know that Jasmine being the Olympic champion, the former Olympic champion, was a bronze medalist up in the side win the hundred hurdles, and then to have Daniel Roberts get silver, who ran for me here when I ran when I under my
tenure in the men's once ten hurdles. You know that's you know some schools call themselves hurdle you I would, I would surmise. The Lord knows, I'm not the type of guy to get get prideful or anything like.
That, but I would.
I would say we could votes that we are the University of Kentucky is.
Hurdle you Assia Russell class of twenty twenty three, but still considers yourself a wildcat happy for all Kentucky athletes in Paris.
I think it was more of a thought afterwards, just to see how great Kentucky's legacy is and has been, and I'm glad that I'm still holding that throne super strong. It just means a lot, like the fact that I won this Olympics, and then Jasmine won the last Olympics, and then Sydney won both this year and in twenty twenty Slash twenty twenty one. So it's just a great honor to be able to continue to hold that legacy so strong.
As Messiah Russell, she was the first UK athlete who really jumped on nil had a gazillion followers and I talked to her about that. She said she was just happy to take all her followers on this journey with her, So a lot of smiles from her, from her teammates,
current and former, and from the head coach. One final look at the medals, and it seemed like every time you turned on the TV or looked at the internet or whatever, they were talking about another Kentucky athlete, UK athlete with the medal Eleven Wildcats with thirteen medals, nine gold,
two silver, and two bronze. If you use the formula for the medal table where the medals count as one no matter how many athletes run a single team, Kentucky would have ten medals, six goal, two silver, and two bronze. But if they were on the national medals table, like I said, the ten total would rank twenty first and six goals would rank fourteenth in the world. So just an incredible contribution to the USA's world leading medal count of one hundred and forty goals. I'm sorry, forty goals,
one hundred and twenty six total medals. Seven Wildcats responsible for six goals team medals counting is one medal. Of course, you had one goal for the three Cats on the US men's basketball team. Bam Adebayo Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, and one medal for the two or on the women's four by four hundred Sidney McLaughlin, Lebron and Alexa's Holmes.
Five Cats winning six medals in track and field, foreign basketball, one medaled in volleyball, and one league keeper who actually competed at Notre Dame but she's in the UK MED school actually won two goals in fencing. Believe it or not, SEC competitors at the Olympics, UK second on the SEC medal table does not count lee keepers two goals. UK and the SEC schools don't compete in fencing at the
varsity level. Twenty four UK student athletes, alumni and coaches represented nine different countries across six sports at the Olympic Games earlier this month. Just incredible what they have done there and the program they have now. And by the way, today was the first chance I had to go to the Jim Green Track facility. It's fantastic. I was out of town when they dedicated it and I hated the fact that I missed it. But now you'll see even
more pictures up of all the Olympians I mentioned. Hopefully put up leaue keeper's picture. But Sidney McLaughlin with the gold and the hurdles and the relay Messih Russell with the golden one hundred hurdles. Daniel Roberts gets silver in the one ten hurdles. Avery Skinner, the former volleyball wildcat, gets silver with Team USA. Jasmine Camacho Quinn got the bronze for Puerto Rico. She carried a flag for her home country. Ryan Howard gets a bronze four three on
three basketball. Very cool and I enjoyed the Olympics. I've always wanted to cover one. Annie Green said this was his fifth. I don't know. LA's four years away. Who knows. We'll come back and talk college football. Who belongs in the playoff? Yep, the discussions are already underway. You're on the Big bulld Sider six thirty WLAP Welcome Back, final segment of our show. I mentioned college football begins this week and it's actually Thursday. There are four top twenty
five teams in action on Thursday night. Western Carolina's at nc State number twenty two, Murray State future Kentucky opponent at number eleven Missouri. So Marktopson Company will study that one hard Lyndon wood Is at number twenty four Kansas and Southern Utah at number thirteen. Utah sixteenth ranked. Oklahoma now of the SEC, plays Friday night against Temple at home. That's a seven o'clock start, then the noonkick on Saturday with Georgia and Clemson. Georgia rank number one, Clemson ranked
number fourteen. I was listening to one of the college football talk shows on the radio earlier today and I heard Chris Childers and Rick Neuheisel talking on Serious XM Radio, and they were discussing the college football Playoff. And all you can do right now, of course, is talk about it.
But that's what the powers to be love about the college football Playoff because it generates interest, it generates discussion, and when people such as I or you or these guys are talking about college football, they're not talking about the NFL, and trust me, this all comes into play. But new Heisel got into a topic about who belongs in the playoff, and he started snipping around the edges of an argument that I have made for years. And I was one of those guys who didn't lose my
mind over the BCS. You should never vote. I think a College champion they ought to play, but two teams were playing, and then four teams were playing, and now twelve teams are going to play. I always felt like when they had two teams playing, there should have been
an additional game, in other words, a final four. So I guess additionally Thember three games because I felt like there was always an argument over some team that was left out, and then again after the four teams, the fifth team was going to complain, which was inevitable, but it didn't seem like that happened very often. But my contention was and still is, that no matter how many teams you take, there will be teams complaining about not
getting in. And people believed, honestly that twelve teams would minimize that. My response is, no, that will double or triple the amount of teams complaining. And here's why you
speak to new Heisl's point. He asked Childers, should a team from the SEC or the Big Ten, arguably the two toughest conferences, get into the playoff with only nine wins, and Childers said yes, and new Heizels jumped on that and said, well, that means the committee is totally giving in to the two power conferences, which he said they did not do with the fourteen playoff, And of course my reaction was immediate, so was Childers, although he had
new Heidel's ear and I clearly did not. He said, but look at the two conferences now, and he rattled off all the teams that have joined the Big Ten, far more than have joined the SEC, but the two that did make it a brutally tough conference, Oklahoma and Texas. But look at all those teams from the West that came east and joined the Big Ten. If you win nine games in the Big Ten, are you kidding me? You absolutely should at least be considered, not automatically taken.
Of course, you can't do that. You win nine games in the SEC unless you've got, thanks to the computer, a powder puff schedule in the league and some teams fall apart. Yeah, you belong, But my point is new Heisl is already complaining, and he won't be the only one. There'll be some team out there that's eleven and one and it's left out because a nine and three SEC team or a nine and three Big Ten team will go in. Team A will have the prettier record, Team
B will have the tougher road. It's gonna happen. It's bound to happen, so just keep that in mind. You may not have heard it here first, but I've been beating this drum for a long time and I bring it up only because I get so tired of it. That's going to happen, Trust me on that. Thanks to my guests Aaron Gershan and Van Hile's congrats to the UK Track program. That's it. Goodnight from the garage. In Lexingon, life moves pretty fast.
You don't stop and look around once in a while.
You could miss it.
Oh,