Welcome to the Big Blue and sider Dick Gabriel with you on a Friday, the eve of game day, but also it is event is tonight Big Blue Madness unveils the glass court basically at Rupperena. You can see it on the SEC Network. And a man who will be there for the SEC Network, Tom Hart, also called Vandy Alabama last Saturday. He will work the Kentucky Vanderbilt game tomorrow night, So double dipping here and lexing, and also we'll be with us coming up a little bit later
on in the show. In fact, after the next break, he'll be working with Jimmy Dikes tonight and our own Christy Thomas will pop in and talk about the UK women's team on the SEC broadcast. She of course part of SEC plus coverage of UK women's basketball, along with our own Jeff Bicoro. So that comes up tonight in Rupperina Football Tomorrow night seven forty five kick five point thirty pre game with Christy, Jeremy Jarman, and Logan Salo
and then of course it's Logan Salo, Logan Stenburg. We Logan s on last night the baseball coach, but Jeff and Tom and I will have the action for you. A huge game coming up a little bit later on, we'll hear Diego Pavia part of his conversation with Dan Patrick courtesy of The Dan Patrick Show, and Billy Derek from vandysports dot Com. We'll tell us a little bit more about those Commodorees. We talked to my friend George Plaster the other night just about the history of Andy
football and what this all meant. But we get more of a breakdown from Billy about the Cats and the Commodoores coming up tomorrow night. We're also gonna hear from Walt Wells, the EKU head football coach. Colonels have won three straight coming off in bye week. They're on the road tomorrow in Cedar, Utah against Southern Utah. So it's a pretty long road trip for the Colonels, but a chance to make it four straight. We're also going to
relive the highlights again. I know I had them last week, but people have hit me up on social media and they really like it when we play the melted highlights, if you will, of the entire ball game. And so you will hear once more the upset of old miss think about this now Kentucky and Vanderbilt playing tomorrow night right here in our town. Those are the two teams coming off the biggest upsets so far in college football
this year. The only thing that knocked Kentucky off the top of the coverage charts two saturdays back was that great Alabama Georgia game. Even if Alabama had finished up the blowout of Georgia, which of course it did not. Georgia made a hell of a game of it. But even if Alabama had beaten Georgia badly that day, it might have still been the lead story. But I don't know. Kentucky knocking off the top ten team and in some polls top five or six team of Old miss might
have led the college football world. At any rate, it was the biggest upset of the day. And then, of course Vandy does its thing against Alabama. Those two teams now will clash tomorrow night, and we'll see which team keeps the momentum going one of the biggest games, probably the biggest game in the country, Tomorrow's Ohio State Oregon. I have already predicted to our man, our West NBA chief Gary Moore and Ohio State blowout. I don't know why.
And I'll be rooting for Oregon primarily because my cousins live in Oregon, A bunch of my cousins and they're all Duck fans, and I'll behalf of rich Brooks. But I know my man Ocorro is a big Ohio State fan because his dad played baseball there. So anyway, I'm still rooting for Oregon. But I do believe Ohio State not just whin, but blow them out. I don't know why,
I just think that's going to be the case. One other note about madness tonight, Well, there are several notes, but if you need information and you're probably on your way for listening in the car right now and it being a little bit after six, that's whyse doors have been opened since five point thirty. But it's getting close now to event time. But access your mobile tickets and parking pass before you get there. You know what to do. Parking is twenty seven bucks at the gate, no cash accepted.
And remember now Rupperina has gone entirely cash less, all right, so you got to have your credit card. They need those clear bags. There's a temporary box office area set up inside the High Street instance of Rupperina it is already open, and if you're still needing information, you can go online and find it through the UK website. There's gamed assistance there if you need it, and all kinds of info on the UK website. So have fun at Madness.
But if you can't get there, it will be on the SEC network, as will tomorrow night's football game, but we know you will have your radio close at hand. By the way, the SEC has released it's times for TV for college basketball games men's games. And you're not gonna like this, but Kentucky plays a couple of nine o'clock games nine pm Eastern time. Although the first game on the schedule Florida at Kentucky, that's an eleven am start. A lot of you don't like that one, But that
one starts at eleven am. You probably like that more than the nine pm games. There are at least a couple of those. One is iffy. But February first, Alabama at Kentucky, that is a nine o'clock start, even though it's in the Eastern time zone. The Oklahoma game, which comes up on February toward was a twenty sixth I think it is, Yeah, is a nine o'clock start, and
then the LSU game, which is on March fourth. That's either a seven o'clock or a nine o'clock game, So is Auburn and Texas A and I guess they'll figure out which game is bigger and decide then which game is a seven o'clock start which game is a nine o'clock start. Go to UK Athletics dot com you can find out all the other start times. There are some noon starts, mostly seven o'clock and two thirty in the afternoon on the weekends. But getting ready for the nine
pm games. They are coming at you. While we're on football. Last night's Thursday night football game, Seahawks Niners. Niners turned it over way too many times, rather than Seahawks turned it over way too many times. Niners come back after that shocking loss to the Cardinals. But I bring it up because it was an historic game for Deebo Samuel, the all purpose wide receiver slash running back for the
forty nine ers. He became the first wide receiver in NFL history with twenty touchdowns, twenty touchdown catches and twenty touchdown runs twenty of eight. That's pretty amazing. And remember now he was a South Carolina game cock and you might recall back I want to say it was eight years ago. The Wildcats go to South Carolina, fall behind because Deebo scores like on the first play from scrimmage for South Carolina, and we wondered, how in the world
are they going to handle this guy? Well, he had a big game, but Kentucky actually came back and won that one. I was actually twenty seventeen, that's right, and Deebo caught a sixty eight yard pass from Jake Bentley first played from scrimmage thirteen seconds into the game and Kentucky was behind seven nothing, but the Wildcats answered with the Benny Snell touchdown run later in the quarter and
ended up winning at twenty three to thirteen. And that's the game where Jojo Kimp talked about the Wildcats celebrating in the locker room and it was just nuts. After that game, Deebo Samuel getting it done still in the National Football League. Tom hard of the SEC Network next on six thirty WLAP welcome back to the Big bluin Cider, joining us now. One of our favorite broadcasters and a good dude because we've watched him on ESPN, the SEC Network,
Tom Hart, he'll be in town. In fact, he is doing Friday Night Big Move Madness and Tom, I texted you, and I know you've got tweets about it. What a great job you and your entire crew did on that Vandy Alabama game. What was that like for you? Because that was a slice of history.
So I really appreciate that, Dick, and thanks for having me on. It was you know, it was thrilling in many ways. And I think there's this great responsibility and others may roll their eyes at this, but in a scenario like that, you said, you s the word history, and it is historic. And so there are times I like to be loose in the air. I like to
show some personality, you know, have fun. But it was one of those moments where I didn't have to remind myself, but I was hyper aware that, you know, a reference to you know, famous comedian Theo Vaughn in this game, in this moment, it's not going to hold up when somebody watches that back twenty years from now, you know, or anyway, just my way of saying that, I take that responsibility seriously and our first goal is to document the game. I really appreciated what it meant for Clark
Lee into the Vanderbilt program. And I got a message from a Vanderbilt fan and he said the game moved him to tears.
Oh wow wow.
Yeah, so to try to you know, that's hard to process on air. But after the fact of all the messages I got, that one really hit home.
Yeah. Well, and you know, and me being a TV and do you guys notice these things? But the graphics you guys had that frame the picture so well the first time this and all the record you've got to be ready for that in the unlikely event that this upset occurs. But you and your producer, as your whole your graphics people were right on the money with that, weren't they.
Well, I really appreciate that. Yeah, and I am not going to take credit for that, but I want to bring up something that I brought up to our team, and I said, we need these graphics. And you may say to yourself, or some may say in a different light, well, why are you making fun of Vanderbilt or why are
you poking at all of this failure? And I said, regardless, if this is a game in the second half or the fourth quarter, to your point, it frames what it means, Yes, And I don't know that quite honestly, I don't think that, you know, the people put it together really thought that it was going to air in that way. But I'm really glad, you know's that and appreciated that. I'm really proud of our team for being on top of it.
And I agree, and I think I think one thing we have to remind ourselves that too, is like, there are a lot of people watching the game that were at other games or at a bar or that you know, maybe just start popping up on restaurant screens. And somebody looks at her husband and says, well, what's the big deal about this, and goes, look, they're all in sixty gets, top five teams. They've never beaten Number one ever, That's why it's the big deal.
I had Chris Doring from your network on the other night and he talked about just in the studio, you know, they could feel and it was pretty obvious that that audience had to be growing. And I know you you you were processing so much in your mind, but looking back on it, somebody liked me. I was watching another game, I'll be honest, and I saw the score, I thought, I mean early, I thought, oh that's interesting, flipped over
and never left the game. And you had to know that was happening across the country, right, one.
Hundred percent, And especially with some of the you know, of all the media that I have an appetite for during the week, hearing the different podcasts talk about it and radio shows, it was evident that you know, you weren't the only one. Yeah, and to your point, I
know you have an appreciation for this. Somebody said, well, sometimes those stats or those nuggets were redundant, and I said, yes, but our audience grew every minute of the second half, and I don't We don't have the numbers, but I would venture to believe that you know, the audience from the beginning of the third quarter to the beginning of the fourth quarter probably doubled.
Well, no question, they measure it by fifteen minutes. Of that, yeah, they measured it by every fifteen minutes. But yeah, I guarantee you're right, every minute the audience grows. Tom hard of the SEC Network, you see his work on ESPN and SEC as well, worked the Kentucky as working Madness, but also work Vanderbilt in Alabama, I got to tell you a couple of weeks ago down in Oxford work in that game, and you know, I've worked Kentucky football forever.
I've seen a lot of near misses. And when Vandy took or rather Ole mist took the late lead, I was kind of bracing myself for the late hammer, wondering about how am I going to phrase this postgame interview with one that got away? And then they win it. At what point did you, well, I'm not going to say, did you think Vanderbilt had it, but were you bracing yourself for the late hammer? Because Alabama did show some life in the second half.
Alabama is an elite team and I think I still think Jalen Milroe is one of the best quarterbacks in college football. And what Vanderbilt did in that game, and you know, I'm lucky that I get a double dip this weekend. But they're going to try to do Saturday night against Kentucky. Is possessed the football and keep Kentucky's offense off the field, and they were able to do that with Jalen Milroe and Ryan Williams, maybe the best receiver in the country, and they limited them to only
a handful of possessions. So when Van when Alabama was driving in the fourth quarter and they had a they had a sack fumble. The guy came basically untouched to Milroe's right side when he was looking left and forced that fumble. Then then, and only then because they took the ball out of Jaln Milroe's hands, and I knew they were going to be able to flate it going forward and run some clock. And their offensive play calling
I thought was absolutely perfect. And they knew him to take a shot, they knew when to keep it on the ground, and they didn't. They avoided mistakes and all the while scoring forty points with these long drawn out drives just led the clock. That's a lot of points to put up. Their points per possession would be something that Kentucky basketballill be proud of this year, for sure.
A couple of minutes left with Tom Hard of the SEC Network, all right, we got to talk about Diego Pavia. I mean, he's become I don't know if folk hero is the right term, but he's a heck of a football player. And you pointed out more than once what a story he couldn't get the SCOLLI offer from the hometown team Juco New Mexico State, And the next thing you know, half the New Mexico State personnel had moved to Nashville. This kid's a good ballplayer, isn't he?
He is?
And it is a very unlikely marriage. I don't think New Mexico State and Vanderbilt have anything in common academically or otherwise, right, but to get Jerry Kill, Tim Back and the coaches and Diego Pavia to come over, Eli Stowers had a bunch of huge catches in the game at their death conversions. He's not just this gritty ballplayer who wills his team to success, although that's a big part of his persona. He is incredibly efficient in that offense.
In fact, they were telling us that there was a time earlier the season where they lost helmet communication and the offensive coordinator. They got to signal out to him just right, and he calls his own plays, and he runs the offense and he knows the balance. You know, I don't know that he gambles. He seems like the gambler, but he'd be someone you would never want to play poker against. Right, he just has an eight feel for
what card is coming next? And when you run an offense like that that you know, shows one play to set you up for another, and everything is this long string. It's like a popcorn string around the Christmas tree. Right, one leads to another, leads to another. And even though it looks like a failure of a play, in fact, they had a first down on their last possession where he kind of tucked it and tried to stumble to the left and boss two yards. And I said that
Cole Kublack, who's in the root for the game? I said, well, are they not playing too conservatively? And he said, just wait, let's see what that sets up. And that set up a roll out to the right, the pass to the flat, the first down, and it was you know, to have someone with that high level of football like to run the offense really what makes it work?
Yeah, and Cole did such a great job. Alyssa Lang fighting for her life down there. My heart goes out to a fellow sideline reporter, and just a great job she did getting those interviews. I mean, that was athletic what she did. But I know, you got to wrap things up. But what's the storyline on Kentucky coming in? As you've done your research.
Well, I think it's really similar to what Vanderbilt wants to do. And I think the big picture is, you know, Mark Stoops has vacillated over the years with what he wants his offense to be. And I think they came into the season certainly wanting to run more plays last in the country in place per game last year, and to be more explosive. And the thought is kind of like we'll see with Mark Pope's basketball team. The more possessions you have, the more you can share the ball,
the more guys get shot, the more guys get touched. Sure, it's evident now that it back a little bit and being an old school ground and pound and then take
shots offense is what is going to fit fit Kentucky best. Yeah, And I think styles make fights, and I think they have the you know it's in Vanderbilt obviously with toe to toe in Alabama from a size and frisicality standards, Yes, Saturday Night, but I still think that's an advantage for Kentucky given what they have, especially on the defensive line.
This Saturday Night amazing that time of possession, which doesn't always tell the right story, it did on both Kentucky Ole, miss Andy, Alabama and was almost identical forty to twenty. Basically, I know you've done the madness football double dip before, but you know, do you like that? Do you enjoy coming to madness and then you know, how do you work that compared to a ballgame?
Oh?
I love it. I love it. I think it gives me great energy. I really like to see a basketball especially as many teams I can before we get into season, because certainly football takes takes priority, and so to build relationships and to get to know players and get your eyes on helps. Then when you show back up and with two more teams in the league, you might be seeing it teams less often than than you did if
you have my schedule now. It gives me a great feel for the fan base and their excitement and what they're thinking and kind of their their state of mind. And I'm just I especially like it when there is such a high level of excitement around Mark Pope's energy and enthusiasm and the ties to the past, which obviously is such a huge part of Kentucky basketball, and that the football team's coming off of it such a huge win. Yeah, it certainly makes a lot more fun.
Oh, it's been fun around here, trust me, and an extra week to enjoy it because of the open date. Do you get to sneak off to Keenland on a weekend like this because I know you're working your butt off?
I usually try to. I don't know, Madness, I'm going to be able to, But it depends on how much work I could knock out in the hotel. Maybe I'll free to sneak be free to sneak out their Saturday morning.
I get it. Hey, thanks, brother, We'll see it safe travels.
Thanks great to talk to you'll. I'll see you Saturday.
Tom Hard He'll be on the call tonight for Madness at Rupp Arena, and then he'll head over Saturday to Kroger Field for the Wildcats and the Vanderbilt Commodorees. And when we come back, we'll talk more basketball. We'll hear from some of the Cats in just a minute on
six thirty WLAP Welcome back tonight. It is Madness. Some of you are already there, many of you are on your way, and we thought we would help prepare you by sharing with you some of the conversations we had in case you didn't see him and if you did well, you'll enjoy him again. The conversations we had with some of the Wildcats before Pro Day on Monday. Of course, it's been a big week for Kentucky basketball fans as the Mark Pope era slowly begins to unfolds. Start off
with one of the guys I talked to. They were all really interesting and they all did a really nice job. But let's start with the point guard, the guy I will handle the ball quite a bit for the Wildcats. Here's my conversation with the San Diego State transfer and a tremendous defensive player, Lamont Butler.
It's been a dream of mine for a long time to play in the NBA, So you know, I'm really excited to have them, you know, come out here see me and my teammates, and you know, it's just another prep day for us to get ready for our season. So it's gonna be a fun day.
You have Final Four experience. So a lot of scouts have already seen you. What have they seen in Lamont Butler?
I think they've seen now. I'm a winner. I do anything to go out there and win. I think I'm a high level defender. I hang my hat on that in and then you know, offensively, I feel like my game is continuing the girl. I feel like I'm a great facilitator and then you know, just getting my shot up to par and you know, just just making shots at the end of the day, and you know, I feel like I've improved that. I'm ready to show that today.
Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. And people don't really understand they do play defense in the NBA, don't they.
Yeah, you need to show Yeah, definitely, definitely. I mean it's gonna be a great year for us.
That's something you bring to this team. But you bring scoring. Do you think that's that's overlooked a little bit?
Yeah, I mean I think so. I think, you know, I've put a lot more into my offensive game. And then you know, just Coach Pope's offense is gonna be you know, great for me to you know, open up my game and uh, you know, I'm gonna just go out there, you know, play hard, try to find my teammates, and you know, score when I need to.
It's easy to see when you guys go five on five and practice. You're a leader. You got the ball in your hands, so you gotta be. I got to think you enjoy that role.
Yeah, I mean, you know, as the point guard, you got to be a leader, like you said, you know, from the greats like Chris Paul, you know, guys in the league now, John Morant. You know, they're very vocal and you know they lead by example as well. So I'm a guy that tries to go out there every day, you know, just set an example for the team, you know, set the tone in you know, try to be just a you know, a great role model for everybody.
Just about everybody on this roster is an experienced college player. Yeah, refreshmen, but otherwise lots of years in the game. Have they given themselves over? Do they want to be led?
Yeah?
No, That's that's one thing that we you know, uh, that I you know, I admire from everybody else is that you know, everybody, you know, no matter how much college experience they have, they're they're willing to be led and they want me to you know, go out there and you know, be a leader. So you know, I uh, you know, I definitely admire that from them. You know, let me uh, you know, become a late leader with you know, all these older guys so I'm very thankful.
You know, I'm just ready for the year to start.
Everybody knows this team's gonna shoot and shoot a lot make well, we'll find out. But uh Mark Pope started building with defense when he put this roster together. That's gonna make you feel pretty good.
Yeah, you know, I feel like I'm ahead of the snake there me, Me and Amari. I feel like we're you know, we're the top defenders on the team. You know, we just set the tone every day and practice, so you know, just try to, you know, get the guys up up to that. You know, like if we guard, you know, whole team's a low point. Is gonna be hard to beat this because, like you said, we can shoot the ball at a high level, so then we're
gonna be scoring the ball a lot. So if we can guard, it's gonna be it's gonna be hard to beat this.
They're a long way from San Diego, but you're playing basketball at Kentucky, So I've got to think that pretty good trade off.
Yeah, definitely, definitely. I mean it's gonna be a you know, a great year. Kentucky is you know, one of the biggest programs in the nation. So you know, it's a blessing and I'm very grateful to be here and I just can't wait to go out there. And so what I can do.
That's la Mott Butler. He will be wearing number one, and as I mentioned, he can score a thousand career points at San Diego State. But he is fifth all time for the Aztecs and Steels and the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year NCAA All Tournament Team as a junior when he helped that ball club make the Final four, and in fact began showing up on the All Defensive team as a sophomore. So watch for him with the ball in his hands and taking the ball away from
other people. I know you're thinking about three pointers, and Kobe Brea is the man now. He was two times a ten to six Man of the Year, did it as a sophomore, battled injuries as a junior, came back and won the award again as a senior. He had one hundred of two hundred and one three pointers last year, just the one miss. Otherwise he's an even fifty percent. That was the best three point shooting in NSA Basketball
Division One in the last six seasons. Kobe Bray of the transfer from Dayton Kobe, you have a real varied skill set. What do you hope the scouts notice about you tonight?
Yeah, just sting to continue showing my shooting ability, you know, and what more I could bring to the team, you know, So just play making, leadership defense on the other end, and you know, just keep showing that I'm not just a shooter, but I'm actually more than that.
Well that's why you were two times six Man of the Year in the A ten. What do you think that tells the scouts?
Yeah, I think that just shows that, you know, I'm able to accept the role. You know, everybody wants to be a starter nowadays, but sometimes you know that's not what you're brought into the team to do. And so you know, I'm just able to bring a spark off the bench and whatever the team needs, whatever the coach needs. You know, I'm willing to do that.
So you're a guy who can come off the bench and start hacking down three, which is not easy if you haven't even broken a sweat yet. Have you always been able to do that?
Yeah, I think it's just about being ready, you know, just waiting your turn and understanding where in the game we are, you know, and what's needed. And sometimes you know, games start off a little slow and the coaches just need somebody to come in, you know, hit a couple of shots to get things going a little bit. And that's something that I've always been able to do and you know, I'll continue to do.
When Mark Pool came to you about playing here, how soon did he tell you about how much you guys are going to shoot three pointers? Is that before avenue? You agree?
Oh?
Any waste no time? Saying that waste no time? That was probably the first thing he told me. You know that we're going to be a team that's going to be shooting threes all game long, you know, and he made a note that he wants to be the team that shoots the mosteries actually the whole season. And so that kind of just shows how much of a perfect system this is for me and what I do. And we have a lot of guys that are able to do the same team. So it's going to be pretty interesting for being.
At practicing around here today. It's pretty easy to see you guys like being around each other. How big is that for a team coming together like this.
I think that's the biggest thing, you know, just making sure that the team chemistry is right. You know, throughout the season, there's gonna be adversity, it's gonna be times where we're gonna need the person next to us, you know, and you know, just like you said, any anytime people see as they see automatically that we're just a group that bonds well together. And I think that's really important for us off the court, but like even more on the court. So that'll definitely be shown.
That's Kobe Brea. He'll wear number four, Thank you, mister Macy. Overall shot fifty one percent from the field. This guy can knock it down now. And a side note on him as godfather is Felipe Lopez. He was a start Saint John's went on to do an NBA career. You might remember those of you at a certain age. Felipe Lopez as a high schooler got his picture on the
cover of Sports Illustrated. Lebron was not the first. So Kobe Brea is a guy I think Kentucky fans will fall in love with the guy who led the nation in three point shooting last year. We also talked to Kerkkrisa. He is kid from Estonia and you may already know about him, not just because of his Kentucky experience, because during a FOEBA World Cup qualifier, he went head to head was mouthing off challenging Luka Donsich, the Slovenian superstar.
Donsic apparently was called for a foul, went after the referee to argue about it, and then Creasa reportedly waved his finger at Donsage, basically saying shouldn't argue about the call. They exchange words, glared at each other, But it kind of shows a little bit about Kerr Crease's personality. But it's a personality that also has brought him to Kentucky after a couple of prior stops, and he's a guy
who won't back down from anybody. Kurtis is your third stop in college basketball Arizona, West Virginia, but your first experience with Pro Day. What's this been like for you?
Yeah, it's been cool.
You know, usually the last i mean four years that I've been in college, I've been I've been watching it from TV. You know, when the guys go through the through the draft and my old teammates and Uh, but just to get to do it myself, it was it was a good experience.
Uh.
And as a competitor, I think it's it's fun that you get your results and and everybody else's results are online so you can compare and like kind of see you know where you need to improve and and what is the average like numbers.
So it's been good.
I know you like to distribute the ball team player, but today is much about individual skills. What do you hope in you show?
I'm just showing who I am. I mean, I for me, it's another day. I'm not gonna be somebody who I'm not. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna give extra energy just because there's a few important guys in the house.
I'm I'm gonna be me.
I'm gonna be who I've been, you know, all my career, all my life.
And uh yeah, for me, it's another day.
You are, like I said, a guy who passes the basketball, but you shoot it well as well. That's gonna be your role with this Kentucky team.
Right, Yeah, Well we get to shoot a lot of threes and uh like that. Yeah, yeah, because you know three is more than two, so you know, good. So people are like, oh, he doesn't shoot layups, but like, why I shoot threes?
What has it been like being a part of this group that has come together in a way no other basketball team in the history of the schools come together with all the new faces and you got to get to know each other in a relatively short amount of time.
Honestly, it's been it's been amazing, just like having this veteran group that we have and the guys being college five years guys are you know we're making fun in locker room.
How old we are college wise? You know.
So it's you know, it's been a pretty smooth transition.
And uh.
And also like I mean I got guys who have played against you know, so it's like, you know, we.
Have we have a very good squad.
I'm actually I'm very I'm very, very excited for a season to start. Yeah, you like the chemistry, oh, absolutely, amazing, amazing, And uh, I think that's the you know, that's a big part that our coach is preaching is you know, is the culture. And uh and I think even if coach wasn't preaching that, like, the guys are mature enough and old enough to understand that this wins games and it's important, and it's it's really been very it's been been a blessing.
You're from Estonia, Yes, sir, I have to admit I had to go to the internet to find out exactly where that was.
Oh, you're not the only one.
I was going to say. You're hearing that a lot, aren't You tell me about just it's an overused term, but the journey. But in your case, it's a literal from Estonia all the way to election in Kentucky and you're playing in front of NBA scouts.
Yeah, I think that just shows how how amazing basketball is and what basketball can do your life.
You know, Estonia for people who don't know.
One million pie you know my hometown one hundred thousand people. I mean now ro Kroger Field here, football field is you know, my whole hometown.
Would fit it into, you know, in there.
So I think it's just, you know, I'm taking one day at the time. Obviously it's super cool to play in front of scouts, but like I said, for me, it's another day. I'm I'm just happy that I get to play Bagh school another day.
That is Kerkkrisa. He will wear number seventy seven. Name for Steve Kerr. That was his dad's favorite player, but his favorite player it's Steve Nash. But started off at Arizona, had a triple double as a sophomore, just a tenth in school history. Transferred to West Virginia, but is a shooter now he'll hit for He hit forty two percent from outside last year, made sixty one to three pointers and we'll also give it up. As a junior, he led the Pac twelve and assists for a second straight season.
Only one other person, Brandon Granville of USC has ever done that in the Pac twelve. And he had still another triple double when he was a junior, but ultimately he was an assist man one hundred and eighty assists, twentieth in the NCAA. It's going to be an interesting Kentucky team, all right, we're gonna shift you back to football and number number two. We're gonna learn more about those Vanderbilt Commodore. Stay with us more than Big Blonsider coming up on six thirty WLAP Welcome back to the
Big bloon Sider. Coming up tomorrow at five thirty airtime for Kentucky Vanderbilt with Christy Logan and Jeremy. Then at seven forty five, Tom and Jeff and I will have the call of the Cats and the Commodores. Talking to Kentucky players and coaches all week, including of course Mark Stoops, and he pointed out and didn't really need to that the Wildcats the coaches had their full attention this week
after what Vandy did with Alabama. But something that I have been lost I think in that game story was the fact that Yeah and Andy pulled off a huge upset, But one of the ways that the Commodores did it was by playing really physical football against Alabama, really took the fight to the Crimson Tide. And Stoop said he expects that kind of game tomorrow night.
You saw creativity in their offense, and you you saw physicality and obviously tremendous efficiency from their quarterback position. So you know, you put those things together and it's hard to defend no matter who they're playing against. So I think it's important for us to match them physically, but also be very sharp in our assignments, are very disciplined in what we're doing.
Going into the Georgia game and especially going into the Old Miss game. We heard a lot of the defensive Wildcats talk about I discipline, you know, keep your eyes where they're supposed to be, either on your man on the quarterback, do your job being the right place at
the right time. And it was incredibly important again going miss with the offense that the Rebels run, and Stoops brought it up again going into this game with Vanderbilt, especially with a guy like Diego Pavia calling the shots at quarterback.
As a secondary player. I think, you know, as a defense, it's it's critically important to where our eyes are. This is a perfect example of that, you know, like we have to have great eye discipline. Whatever our keys are, our guys, because they do a good job, as I mentioned, they'll stay front side and then they'll also come back, you know, and so you know, you really got to be dialed in on what your assignment is.
Earlier this week, Stoops talked about Diego Pavi. You talked about the perseverance this kid has for not being recruited by his hometown University of New Mexico. Goes juco plays at New Mexico State, the worst program in America, and they win ten games, and then because his head coach Jerry Kill retired but then came back to move to Vandy and be the decoordinator. He came to him he was going to go to Nevadorno, but Jerry Kill called him up and said, I'm going to Vandy. You're going
with me? H And Pavio said yeah, even though people told him, you don't want to do that.
A lot of people when I first, you know, told him that, you know, there's possibility of me going to Vanderbilt, they said like, hey, like, don't go, don't go. Don't go, Like, you're not gonna be able to win there. You know, you're not gonna be able to to get drafted there. You're not gonna be able to do anything. And so I like challenge, Like, if you know me, that's like you tell me I can't do something, I'm gonna do it that day.
So now he's one of the architects of one of the biggest upsets in the history of college football, clearly the biggest upset in the history of Vanderbilt football. This audio coming to your courtesy of The Dan Patrick Show. Patrick asked him what was it like in the huddle late when Vandy was trying to nail down the win.
So when we got when we got the ball back, but it was like, hey, we got to go. When they scored and we were up by five, I said, hey, two first downs, we win this game. You changed You change your life forever, Like that's just reality. You change his program's life forever. And so we were, you know, we were hype. I said, no dumb penalties, we can't, can't get behind the sticks. Just just play smart, play fast. Let's go do this thing.
That's what you got to say when you're a leader. Don't do anything stupid. No stupid penalties. But I love the fact that he told his team, if you pull this off, you'll change your life forever. And he ain't wrong, is he? But what happens if Vandy comes in here and loses to Kentucky and they're two touchdown underdogs, will that mean they give back all the goodwill? No, it
won't because you'll always own that win over Alabama. But Dan Patrick, who played I think freshman basketball, maybe more, but I know he played his first year at e KU. He's from Dayton, but he came down here and played basketball for at least a year. So he's always kind of aware of what's going on here in Kentucky. And he gave the warning to Diego.
Pavia, Kentucky, don't sleep on Kentucky.
Don't sleep on Kentucky.
The truth, yes, the truth, and a lot of people don't. Really they are freaking good, very good on defense top Dan.
Patrick and Diego Pavia, who if he has studied one frame of video of UK defense, and you know he's studied a lot he has seen this is becoming an elite defense nationally. But can they contain this guy who can make things happen? Remember now, he not only threw the ball well against Alabama, he ran the ball as well, not just escaping from on rushing tacklers would be tacklers, but moving the chains. Wildcats have to keep him from
doing that. Tomorrow night, obviously, we'll have it for you right here, and we'll have our number two coming up with more UK basketball and football. You're on the Big Gold Insider six thirty Wlapang Welcome back to the Big Moon Sider. Coming up tomorrow, it's Kentucky Vanderbilt five thirty airtimes, seven thirty kickof actually seven forty five kickoff Christy Thomas Logan Stenberg Jeremy Jarma will get things started, Jeff pikorl
Tom Leech and I will take over after that. And we thought we were going to the weekend with another reminder of what happened two saturdays ago when the Cats pulled off the upset of Ole Miss. We played these highlights last week. We've had people who requested to hear them again. Remember you can hear them on the podcast version of the show, but we'll go ahead and share him again. And this time we're going to add our celebrity monologue at the beginning. We've done it all season long.
Tomorrow it's going to be Van Hiles, our buddy who's on every radio show in Lexion. But Van was the defensive back and a really good one at Kentucky back in the mid nineties when they weren't winning a lot of games, but they did shut out Vanderbilt in nineteen ninety six snapped a five game losing skid. But prior to Ole Miss, we employed the talents of Bernie Scruggs, the quarterback who led Kentucky to the upset win over
the Rebels at nineteen sixty nine. Here they are the highlights from the upset win over ole Miss.
Did you know Kentucky has taken down top ten ole Miss teams in the past, including one in nineteen sixty nine quarterback to by Archie Manny. The Kentucky quarterback was Bernie Scruggs.
Back in nineteen sixty nine, nobody expected us to beat ol Miss and we were playing in stone Field. The Rebels were ranked ninth in the country. They opened the season with an easy win over Memphis State. The Wildcats. Well, we were coming in after a wild one with Indiana. We put it up thirty points, usually good enough to win. Trouble is the who's you scored fifty eight? That's whys? Casts were such underdogs when over Miss came to town.
But believe it or not, we pulled off one of the biggest of sets in the history of UK football. The Rebels took an early lead in the second quarter on the field goal in a sixty four yard run by the great Archie Manity, but our Dave Hunter blocked the extra point and that came up big down the stretch. In the third quarter, we were down nine to three in driving at the Old Miss twenty three Houston Hogg made a big run for.
Us Later on the drive, Houston Hogg makes this fine. I put on a big third down play for Kentucky. He got the first down at the all.
Miss six, and then I was able to slip.
The Bernie Scruggs wrongs out to take it in Park Kentucky when.
Bobby Jones came in and kicked the crucial extra for in the fourth quarter, he forced an ole Miss funneled at the three yard line and picked off an Archie Manny pass. We held on for a ten to nine win over the Rebels, who would belong to win the Sugar bart but that day belonged to the Wildcats. It can happen again today.
Wow.
Famed novelist John Grisham is an old Miss Law School graduate, so he's likely rooting for the undefeated Rebels in this matchup with Kentucky, but his books frequently follow a plotline that would serve the Wildcats well against number six Ole Miss, with underdogs overcoming seemingly insurmountable.
Odds to win the day.
Good afternoon from vont Hemingway Stadium on the campus of the University of Mississippi and Oxford. I'm Tom Lynch along the former Wildcat White out Jeff Pikoro, Dick Gabriel down on the sign lines. Us moves on the football. It is high, but it's not gonna make the end zone. Data slapes over the left, fiels into the left. Nash Mark at the two hit strings wild good Willy ron Regas got it handed the.
Ball by saying.
Dude, he got absolute Willy ron Regez trying the booma at the seventeen yard line.
Yes, sir, that's the ruling on the field for Country by Kentucky.
After the hit by Rodriguez, What a way to start.
If it holds up.
By goodness, he got absolutely rocked. The problem is he got hit so hard he fell straight down the balls, laying on his chest and just rolls off watching on the scoreboards.
There was no problem there, Zoey.
You bring the rebels dark with a plate faith. Now he's pressured, moves up into the pocket, throws down the middle.
Line open, he's got Harris and he is going to get closer to the touchdown. No, he's down a one yard.
Line first and goal to go or Ole miss at the one and I'll Parrish straight ahead.
He got out and.
All this that is just four defense, right, there, you're walking to the line of crivage. Nobody was even ready for Kentucky and ole Miss just walked into the zone.
Vandergrim On a keeper, heads off to the right, gets across the thirty, breaks a tackle across the twenty five, still going and knocked out of bounds over on the far side at the twenty two yard line. It's eleven yards and another first downs for Kentucky.
Cabin into the.
Game now as Rock gets a brillier after that run.
Thinke By Whim said.
He goes straight ahead, breaks a couple of tackles, gets inside of fifteen and has a first down to the eleven yard line. Rainer twenty seven yarders. It's going to be spotted if you'll miss seventeen yard line. I'm trying to get Kentucky on the board. It's good. I'm thirteen left to play here.
At the opening quarter.
Each team scores on its opening drive, but it's ole Miss seven in Kentucky. Three on the UK sports Edward dark and empty backfield heading the football and he's out.
He's sacked.
Nice Tom Kentucky was playing. We call it cover seven. They're five under in two team and there was no place for Dart to throw him. When he stepped up, they just swallowed him up.
That brings the first quarter to an end.
It's seven three rebels, third and seventh Kentucky showing blitz off the edges.
They bring six.
Dart in trouble dancing around and he sacked eah back of the forty one yard line.
Dion Walker and Jamon Dumas Johnson drop.
Him for a loss of five. Bill first out for Kentucky. Vandergrip sliding left on the option, makes the pitch Casumo Karme's got room up the far side. He has the first down forced out of bounds, out of the thirty one yard line. After a game of fourteen yards. What's a new look and Kentucky makes it work. Dark the play fake. He is throwing deep up the near sideline and it's broken up at the Kentucky forty yard line
by Waller and Bryan. They were both there going step for step with Juice Wells in South Carolina transfer.
And there you see they you know, they take that deep shine again all the way down to the forty yard line where that ball came down, but no pressure on dark Lander.
Grip fakes it to Sumo Carnbay. Quick throw into the middle.
He's got key.
First down into Ole Miss territory at the Rebels forty nine yard line.
He picked up sixteen.
Boy really liked danked. He knows going over the middle, he's gonna get clocked, but man, he has gotten some guts to do that. He comes right into the teeth of the deep fense, finds it opening and rock double clutches and puts it on the money.
To white outs right, one tight end each way for vandergrid. Let's coming up the middle. Playfa Vandergrim setting deep fires into the middle of the Family's got key inside the Old Miss forty pulled down close to the thirty five yard line, up the Rebels twenty four yard game.
Turning on the.
Tackle again, Key gets inside the corner. A beautiful move to the post.
Second down five the Ole Miss fifteen. Two tight ends right, two wideouts left hand off. Sumo Carba bounces it out left. He's got space at the tent, cuts back right and drives his way down close to the five yard line.
First down.
Maybe that'll be first in gold to go. After a ten yard run by Demi Sumocarnbay, but great blocking on the outside by day. Ke could have held, but he did it. He stayed in front of his van. Beautifully done. He'd love to get zeven here instead of three numbers. Vander Gref fires into the middle, broke it up, black Hunter down pass interference. They were trying to get Key in the middle of the end zone, right under the
gold Boats. And they're gonna call holding first down, automatic first down either way.
Seven penalties forty eight.
Yards today whistled against old miss one for ten for Kentucky. Vandergrift play fake retreating, throwing it to.
The back of the m zone, touch touchdownser taste k.
Tracking the back line of the intone is Vandergriff just floaded it out there to him, and Keith reached down and snatched it with two hands.
The Wildcats are in front.
Twenty seven play in the half trips to the left, one white out right, Darth for sure coming.
Again, he shading.
Oxen done got it, yep, big fella got a little ticked off.
He just said, you won't call it. I'll just go get it. He did.
Boy, loss of six back to the twenty ole miss out of timeouts.
That's it.
Kentucky is going to take the lead into the locker room at halftime on the home field of the number sixteen in the country, the Wildcat's ten, the Old miss Rebels seven and inspired first thirty minutes for Kentucky.
Gabriel's gonna catch up with coach Mark students.
Coach, I gotta think you love the pace of this game. You've really controlled it.
We have controlled the pace of the game and both sides. Defense has to get stopped. We've been disruptive, we've covered well. As we talked about all week. The pace of playing early got us and then we settled right in and offensively, it really kept us in the game controlling it. Obviously we knew we had to score there, but you know, so it's really important to.
Get in the end zone.
We got to continue to play aggressive. I went for a couple of those fourth downs, and you know, it's worked out. So, you know, so far, so good. A big, big half here.
Kind of a physical game, you like, isn't.
It it is?
I think that's the one thing that we have to keep up. Our guys are playing really physical. Offensively, we're getting some dirty, tough runs. Three four yard runs, you know, two three four yard runs are are good because we gotta we gotta keep them off balance. And then and as you can see, our game is done. You gotta play action pass drop back pass with struggle. But if we could run it and be physical, then the play action sets up.
Well.
We'll coach, thank you.
And the Wildcats take a ten to seven lead into the locker room here in Oxford. Two minutes gone in this third quarter, three and out for Kentucky and off the Paris straight ahead breaks away, got a big game into Kentucky territory to the forty nine yard line.
Jeff. They had it for a game of a yard or two.
Yeah, they had he'd right at the line of scrimmage, but he just ran through two arm tackles.
Jackson, Dart Hump Bake right. He is gonna run and left and he is in trouble. He's gonna be hitting drop for a loss. Walker Dumas, Johnson time, Ryan not fooled. They drop in for a loss of three, fourth and six, trying to tie the game with nine fifty four to play here in the third quarter, Suns back under the clouds now here in Oxford. It's that way up high and it's good and the game is tied Ole Miss
ten and Kentucky ten. Vandergriff. The receivers each way fakes left, throws rights, complete the key thirty five forty breaks through a tackle up the far side line, out of bounds up at the Kentucky forty six yard line twenty one yard game. They give it to Wilcox's running left, got an alley across the fifty forty five runs over a tackler, knocks an old Miss defender back, goes inside the forty
to the rebels thirty seven yard line. Donnery finally made the tackle on in the game of seventeen, so it'll be a forty eight yard field goal attempt. Or Rainer, I gonna pull this back to the left a little bit. He's hid already from twenty seven today money a leg.
It's good.
Thirteen in a row.
Kentucky retakes the lead with six thirty one to play in the third Kentucky thirteen pull Miss ten. On the UK Sports Network, fourth and seven. Two receivers each Way or Dart coming down to the end of the third quarter, Blitz coming Dart throws it into the middle and its pot for the first down.
And it's a lot more Harris running through the middle of the defense.
Cutch lant, you'll go into the touchdown. Kentucky brought everybody and all outlitz Ole Miss picks it up.
Harris on a deep slant, makes the catch, and I don't know that anybody.
Ever touched a forty seven yard touchdown pass on fourth and seven.
Well, when you give it up like that, you've got to get on your guy. And he was wide open, streaking right through the middle of the field of post pattern if you.
Will, skinny pose.
And once they picked up the blintz Dart was able to pat it and then fire it right to him. And and that kid when he gets into the open field, you can forget about it.
Ten seconds to play the third quarter, and old Miss goes back in front. Here in onscrew seventeen to thirteen on a forty eight yard touchdown pass on fourth and seven, So fourth and eight from its own nineteen Mark stoops pushing the chips to the center of the table. The four O four to play, trailing seventeen thirteen. They don't make it on this as a minimum, starts.
In fieldal ring.
Vandergriff drops.
Let's coming. He's throwing it up the far sideline and it's cold Brown at the thirty four.
He stayed himself, comes back across the near side of the thirty and the twenty down of the seventeen yard line of Ole Miss.
Wanna throw.
Vander Griff dropped it in and right into the hands of Brown streaking down the left side.
There's the chunk play you were looking for. And Ivy is down back in the fifteen yard line. He started to run up the field and he just fell down. It's gonna give the team a blue, but Kentucky has it inside the red zone.
Now wow.
He tiptoed the sidelines top stadium bounds and got himself an extra ten or twelve yards.
Sixty two yards on the completion to Baryon Brown. As the Cats are back in the red zone first and ten Kentucky just inside the left hash mark of the old Miss seventeen yard line. They give it the Sumo Carbay bouncing that left. He's got room fifteen ten carry as a tackler for a first down to the six yard line. Wimsen now the quarterbacks who woke Carnbay to his left. Wimsit on a keeper running left at the five drops his shoulder cap so the two bubble. The football did then go into the end.
Zone, touchdown.
Kentucky.
On the recovery in the en zone.
Trying to see who got it, Cattis Josh Cattis recover the ball. It popped out of wimsit at the two. It went right to Canis in the end zone. Kentucky twenty ole Miss seventeen with two twenty five to play in the game. Here and on s Mississippi dart set Steve stunted up throat all miss kicks it up. He scrambles off to the right, throws it deep into the middle of.
The field like be good, damn time. Kate Grace carn Kristen story. Kristen's story got lost?
What are you doing?
Makes the catch at the Kentucky thirty four yard line.
You got Kayden Davis, a senior.
The ball's gonna be spotted just shy of the thirty nine yard line of Kentucky.
Let's get big, boys.
We'll call this a forty nine yard field goal attempt off the right hashbar. Davis is a right footed kicker, so he has to pull this back to the left a little bit to try and tie the game. With fifty three seconds left, welling of a low staff, they get it down, kicks on the way.
No, that hold.
Forty eight seconds to play and all this comes up empty.
Yes, how about that? The sidelines FDN. Mark Stoopson is Kentucky Wildcats have shot the.
Comics football world.
It go Bubba, a miracle in the Magnolia State. We're Kentucky Wildcats twenty the Old Miss Rebels seventeen.
We'll talk more Vandy Kentucky football on the other side of the break here on six thirty WLA. Welcome back, and we welcome to the show. Billy Derek of The George Paster Show in Nashville and vandysports dot Com. Billy, welcome to the show.
Hey, Dick, how you doing.
I'm well, Thanks so much. What has life been like since Vandy upset Alabama?
Yeah, it's been unlike any other week I've seen, Dick, and I've talked a lot with some older fans that even them, you know, even for them, they've never seen anything quite like this.
And of course we're in the.
Modern age of sports coverage, so you've got all kinds of shows. You know that people once you've got podcasts, you've got, you know, articles being written so that there's all kinds of cover. So for this to happen in twenty twenty four is even more magnified. And I just think it's interesting. I never thought I would see a Vannerbil quarterback on the Dan Patrick Show on Monday morning.
Oh you know, I mean, I I so to see Diego Poppy and just the way he carries himself too, So I think that's been a really cool part of it. I was born and raised in Nashville, grew up going to Vannerable games, and you know, it was always the basketball program that would be top fifteen or top twenty with Kentucky coming in town and and you know, you've got game day and it's fun to go into Memorial.
It's never really been the football program other than eight when Game DWO was here against Auburn, and obviously Vanderbilt pulled that off. And then you fast forward to some James Franklin, you know, years and some of those big games. But this surpasses anything that's ever happened in Vanderbilt football. And it's been cool to see the older people sit here and say that too. You know that that's even going back to the last win over Alabama. Alabama wasn't
wasn't number one. So it's just been cool and it's it's been rewarding for these guys. Now you gotta you gotta come back down to earth eventually. Does it happen this weekend? Who knows. But that's a tough, tough team to have to play at your Vanderbilt coming off the biggest winning school history.
You know, way back in the day, even before I got to college, that's a long time ago. Vandy was doing some good things and then they kind of tightened up on academic requirements and things like that, and it's just been a super challenge down there in Nashville. But you mentioned James Franklin. He got it done and we all know that he almost door to door asking people to come to the games. But he also brought in talent,
and that's clearly the key. It's what's what's Risen helped Stoops drag Kentucky uh in to relevance here, Ken, Do you think they can get that done consistent? Really, now that the facilities are being upgraded.
You know, I think they can. It's not going to be as quick or swift as most programs. You know, you could you could see a lot quicker bill that at most other SEC schools. But I think this past off season showed that Vanderbilt and il resources can be there. And I think there's still people, well maybe not after the Alabama win, but before the Alabama win, we're sort of waiting, sitting on the side saying, hey, I want
to support this program. You know, I want to do whatever it takes to get Vanderbilt back to relevance in football, but I need to see something. I need to see something that makes me go, Okay, that's what I'll support. So I think this win certainly helps for that. But I also think there's people out there. We've got a lot of people on our board Danny sports dot Com that this is not enough, and I don't think it.
I don't think it should be enough. You know, for Vannerabile and their mentality has been really interesting to track. After the game, we had to walk walk back as the locker room, and you know, there wasn't any hooping and hollering. I mean, it was, they were excited, but I mean it was it felt like this team took care of business against Alabama, which which which was mind boggling, and so I think just changing the mentality dick it
is has been so hard. I think for Clark Lely that's been a huge battle for him, and I think he's finally got a good pulse of his team. Now they're not they're not perfect, and they have to play to a formula each week. And if they do that, I do believe they can they can beat anybody. But that's not always easy. You've got to take care of the football. They've only got one turnover this season. So but to answer your question, I just I think they can.
But it's all about the administration, and I think the administration has done a good job and in helping Clark Lee with whatever he's needed. It hasn't been shown like there hasn't been a ton of proof that that has happened. But now you get this Alabama win. And I talked about this with Chris Lee. You know, the the hot dogs taste better, you know the lines, don't you know? Waiting in the line lines doesn't feel as bad at you.
Know, during a game.
So no, I think it will. I just think in time, you know, they've still got to continue to build off this and continue to get talent in there More.
With Billy derekavandysports dot Com. After this on six thirty WLAP, we're talking with Billy Derek of the George Plasters show down in Nashville, also works for vandysports dot com. Tell us what else we need to know about this Vandy team. You don't need to mention everybody, but in terms of the way Vandy gets it done taking care of the football. But they played enough defense against Alabama, didn't they?
They did?
They made enough plays. You know that they're an opportunistic defense. They're not you know, I don't even know that. I would say they're an above average defense. Their playmakers do enough. You know, they've got a guy number two, Randon Fontinett, who plays their star position. You back and look at some of the Clark Polieves players at Notre Dames. He's in compared to a Kyle Hamilton and Uusu Cormoa and and I mean he sacks the quarterback, he's making tackles and
running backs. He's he's going out and covering receivers. He does it all for this defense. And he made a big play on a pick six there early in Alabama to go up a couple of scores, but they've got some some long, twitchy edge guys. Miles Capersnber twenty nine had a huge strips back against Jaln Milroe and and Vanderbilt fell on it and that was a huge turning point in the game. So they've come up with big plays.
And I think Dick that's the sign of a program that is that is united, that he's playing together, that that has meshed all three phases together. That's not always easy, and it hasn't happened every game obviously, s Vanderbilt. You know, you saw the loss of Georgia State Missouri. They missed a few field goals that were big. So you know, I just think you look at the rest of this group. Obviously you go to Diego Pavi and the offense, but there is you know, other than Eli's hours the tight
end who's been phenomenal. The other guys are are are just sort of doing their part. You know, They've got a good running back in Cedric Alexander Newberry is good as well. They got a couple of good receivers, so you know, offensively, Pavia is the engine obviously, but everybody else kind of works around him. And and does their part here or there, and and it's worked out. But I like how you mentioned the defense because they have
they've made just enough plays. You know, they haven't been dominant. Uh, they've made teams go the long hard way. They've they've held in the red zone at times to field goals. So obviously that'll be a key against Kentucky. Is Kentucky getting touchdowns? I think that's gonna be tough for Vannerbilt. Yeah, but you're right, Dick, that this defense and that that's a credit to clark Lee. He has figured out, all right,
how can this defense work. They lost a couple of corners before the season, you know, they've They've had a couple other injuries, but for the most part, they've been healthy. He's been able to squeeze as much out of this group as as can. Their linebackers are good, their safeties are good. The middle of the defense is strength. And yeah, you're right that the defense has made just enough plays, and that's exactly what happened against against all of that.
The series is going back and forth between a couple of what have been traditional have nots in the.
Sec Absolutely, I mean this game this weekend, I don't know that I've I've been this excited for Vannerbilt Kentucky game in a long time. I mean, I think you might have to go back to the game where Kentucky came in here, and I think it was Benny Snell just ran all over Vanderbilt when when Vanderbilt had Derek Mason and some of those games Franklin. Obviously those games
were some lean times for Kentucky fans. But I mean it's been it's been an even series, and you know, you go back and yeah, you're right, this is a game that you circle if you're Vanderbilt, but you also circle if you're Kentucky, and this is a brutal loss for either team. I mean, you know last year throw last year out. I thought that win a couple of years ago, twenty twenty two was massive for this program. Obviously it broke a twenty four game SEC losing streak.
You go on the road and be the top twenty five team of respectable and I think that's the big thing. Park and Mark Stoops, so I they're very similar to me in my mind, and I think, you know, they they have so much respect for each other. So I'm excited to see just the dog fight. And you know, we talked about it on my podcast yesterday. You know, this is going to be a knockdown, drag out fight and I can't wait to see, you know, who comes
away the victor because and that that home crowd. I look at that as that's not always the case for Vanderbilt Kentucky games. I mean you go back just to the game a couple of years ago. Obviously that was a frigid day there up in Lexington, but not not a huge crowd, especially in Nashville. But there's been some
big Kentucky crowds. But you know a lot of times Kentucky fans maybe don't travel as well to Nashville, has some other SEC teams just because you know, the draw of that game that you know, maybe not be as not maybe wasn't as big as it is this year.
So Jake, I can't wait.
It's going to be fun. And you know, just the styles, you know, styles make fights, and you know this Kentucky defense will be a challenge for Vannerbilt, but I think you know that this Vanderbold offense will be We'll be able to hold their own and create a challenge as well. So I can't wait to see what happened.
Billy Derek at the George Plasters Show and vandysports dot Com. Thank you, sir, We'll talk to you again soon, I hope.
Thanks, Dick appreciate it.
You can use Walt Wells next on six thirty w l A. P. Welcome back to the Big Blue and Cider, final segment of our program. We've talked a lot of Kentucky football this week. We do not want to forget about e k U Colonels had the week off last week as well. That came after a three game winning streak. They lost their first couple of games to Division one teams Mississippi State and Western Kentucky which is now Division one, but then three straight does he drop back into one
double a FCS if you will? Southern Utah added Cedar Utah is the team that they're gonna play tomorrow and again it's a one double A team. UH got to go a long way to play, but that's the way the conference is laid out. We had a chance yesterday to catch up with Walt Wells, the head coach, coming off and open date. How much did that help you guys?
I think it helped us a lot, especially with you know, some minor injuries that we had and some injuries that we that we might be able to get some use back. We were finding out today basically we're getting who we are getting back and who are not getting back.
But also just.
Some rest, a chance to do some self scout stuff. And you know, we're five games into it. We'll play two FBS opponents and three SDS opponents and and just you know, sitting at three and two and seeing where we're at.
So it was a good week.
Gave him the weekend off, got what's the the Vandy Alabama upset and many others, and uh, it was a good week to I was very thankful not to be playing. Yeah.
Yeah. Started off with the losses of Mississippi State and to Western Kentucky which is now Division one. Uh, didn't score a lot of points, gave up too many. But now you're on a three game against teams in your division. You're on a three game winning streak. What and you're scoring your scoring points and you're stopping the other guys as have been in all around successful program.
Plus it has you know, those first two games kind of you know, they tested you obviously in a lot of different ways, and you know, you can list all the advantages that go the other way. But in the end, you know, I thought we did some things, even though the score looked lopsided when we played them, and I felt like when we got it to our level, which is at the FDS level, I thought we we'd have an opportunity to do what we did and we were
Forcingnate to do it. So now we're going to get on a bird tomorrow and head out to Cedar City, Utah.
Yeah, Southern Utah is up next. And I believe you beat them in Richmond last year, and have I got that right?
It was a year before twenty two.
Okay, tell me a little bit about what you hope to accomplish on offense, because, like I said, you've scored, you got a new quarterback, said goodbye to maybe the greatest quarterback in EKU history. But in the last three games, you've put up a lot of points.
Yeah, he's uh, he's coming around. You know, Matt Morrissey had finally got all our receivers healthy. You know, we we were missing a lot during training camp. So really for some of them, they got the week before Mississippi State and then we went out and played and so
Matt's gotten comfortable with those guys. He's also gotten comfortable with Andy Richmond, our offensive coordinator, and you know, it takes a little time to understand who each other are and what they can do, both the guys on the field and our coaching staff. And so with that, Matt's done.
A good job.
And you know, knock on wood, he hasn't turned the ball over I think once he has in his five games here, and so you know, he's getting the ball to different so many different playmakers and giving them the opportunity.
And the other thing that's going on is our running game has really been good for us, and it was actually good against Western and Mississippi State, and so our running games allowing us to be able to have more open throws and he's getting the ball to them and he's playing at a high level right now.
You coaches love your balance, don't you. Most coaches do.
I do.
I love it. You know, I was an on line coach for thirty years, So when we can run the ball, I'm really happy.
Yeah, unless your name's Hall, mummy, you know you like that balance.
That's right.
That's exactly right. I don't like to he throw it all over the yard, man.
I remember Roy Kid once told me that one of his Ekau teams knocked I don't remember where where how was coaching, but knocked them out of the playoffs. And and and Roy said, he meets him in midfield and says, a great game. How Sorry, he had a great season. I said, can you believe we had five hundred yards of offense? And then walks off.
Yeah, I believe it, but I believe it.
Yeah, he was the mad scientist talking to wal Wells, Eku's hit football coach. Not only are you scoring, but against FCS opponents, you got to love what your defense is doing. You've given up what three or four touchdowns?
Yeah, that's it.
And uh I am, I'm I'm proud of those guys. They're they're starting to scale together. You know, we we we've been fortunate to keep most of them around, and so I think we had seven returning starters from last year's team. Our defense wasn't very good last year year and this year, you know, in our SDS games, they've done a great job. And they've got to continue that because if we're gonna win a championship. They're gonna be the reason, you know, because defense wins those and we
need them to continue playing the way they are. But the addition of veto Tisdale's been nice. The addition of Braden Sullivan, who's playing middle linebacker forrest has been nice. And uh, and so those are really the two new guys that we have on defense, and then the rest of them are returning guys, and they're they're understanding what
coach Johnson's doing. Jake Johnson's my defensive coordinator, and uh, they're understanding what he wants done, and I think we're keeping it simple enough for him that they can.
Get it done.
You mentioned the open date and a chance to sit down and watch some football players and coaches alike. But when kids you're coaching, when your guys see a Vandy upset in Alabama, and I don't know if you guys had much chance because you were busy playing to pay attention to Kentucky's upset of Old Miss. But in both games,
both teams, obviously the winners executed their game plan. They were disciplined, they controlled the football, they minimized damage on defense, They executed a game plan well, how much does that help guys like you to reinforce what you try to teach like fellas, just do your job and good things can happen.
That's been our number one preciating point this week is you know you're going on the road.
We've got a lot of distractions.
A four hour flight, you know, altitude, all these things can be a distraction. But you know, I've been telling them all week. Your number one job is to execute at a high level.
And if you do that, you'll give you.
You know, all the other side factors won't be a problem. And it's the number one thing. I mean, you're dealing with seventeen to twenty two year olds at every level. And you know, whether it's Vanderbilt last week or Kentucky the two weeks ago, I mean, just look at the two weeks from South Carolina to the to the Georgia to the ole Miss games in the University of Kentucky. I mean, it's their execution that won the game for them.
And uh and that you know, it's not that Ole Miss is a bad football team or anything like that. They're a really good football team and you saw the very next week. But you have to execute at a high level. You have to do your job, and the biggest thing is taking all the voices out of it and just knowing.
What you're supposed to do and doing what you're supposed to do.
It's hard to be out there and think, I think this guy's going to run out, so I'm gonna jump it instead of doing what I'm supposed to do, and he runs a houting up and runs right by. It's hard to not listen to that voice to tell you to go get yours because everybody in this world you know, wants you to go get yours. Well, yours will come to you if you just do the little things, you know, and I learned that from coach kids. Just do the
little things and the big thing will happen. And but patience is what you got to have in that, and the and the and the willingness to just do your job. And sometimes your job is boring. Sometimes you don't get anything coming your way. For I don't ten plays at the corner maybe, and then all of a sudden, here
it comes two or three in a row. And you you've got to be willing to be patient and do do what you're supposed to do and have your eyes where they're supposed to be, and you know, remember your training and your coaching.
That's mental discipline, isn't it.
It's all. Yeah, it's hard for anybody. Sure, yeah, I mean that's just hard to do in life because everybody wants to do what they want to do. And you know, football is the ultimate team sport. You got eleven guys out there trying to do the same thing, and that that's hard to you know, do everything the way it's supposed to be done. That's hard. It's hard enough to get two people to do it's supposed to be done.
Hurting cats. Uh, you talked about that's that's right. You talked about jumping on the bird and flying out to Utah, and then you've worked at so many different levels, including D one and free ku. Especially back when it was in the OVC, that meant a lot of bus rides for for logical reasons. But now conferences being what they are, you play games in Utah, Texas, you know, all over the country, so it means more plane rides and your
AD's got to worry about the budget. But when you move a small army like that, there there are a lot of different headaches aren't you aren't there, and it's just something else to deal with.
It's always something. I mean, the biggest thing, you know, we just had a staff Meete and Biech. Thing I was talking to our support staff about is making sure everybody had their you know, and our coaches, Hey, make sure they got their driver's license. When we come up through the DA you know all those you know, and you think about, all right, who's lost for driver's licenses.
Then we got to get another form of idd get it to prove so we don't hold up everything and get off because we want to get out there early and go through. You know, we're going to practice out there.
We normally practice at home and then travel, but because of the elevation, I want to get out and get get our guys acclimated to it and uh and let them run around in it so they can feel it and understand it that, you know, so it's not you know, two hours before kickoff the first time they feel Yeah, it's all those little things that you got to you know, I got to get the bust here on time to
get to Lectington. And you can't leave it to the kids to drive up on their own because somebody's going to be late, or somebody's going to get in the rest or somebody's gonna you know, all these things you got to prepare for. And uh, you know, I have a great support staff that does that with Jeff Griffiths and Dan Breswitz and and uh and all the people that are involved in that, so they do a great job.
Well, I wish you the best of luck, and I know you've got it going right now. I hope you made and I'm sure you did good use of the open date, but good luck on making it four straight.
Well, I appreciate that. I hope we did too. We'll find out Saturday around four o'clock our five. But I'm looking forward to it and appreciate your having it all.
That is Walt Wells e K you hit football coach Colonel's taking on Southern Utah tomorrow afternoon. That's going to do it. Thanks so much to my guest Billy Derek tom Hart. That's it. Good night from the garage in Lexington.
Life moves pretty fast.
You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
SA