Hell our ruddy through the facility of the iHeartMedia Megaplexus is Dick Gabriel. This is the statewide edition of the Big Blue Inside. You've heard comments from Mark Pope, Kenny Brooks, and Nick mengeone, and now we'll chop it up with Billy Rutledge and Aaron Gershan and we'll keep you posted on the National Championship College Football Game underway. It's all ahead on the state wide BBI from Pikeville to Paduca. It is a statewide edition of the Big Blue Insider.
Dick Gabriel, Aaron Gershean Billy Rutledge. Glad to have you along on an evening when we've talked basketball and baseball. Now we're going to talk a little bit of football. And by the way, Notre Dames just drove the ball. The entire one out, the entire line took the kickoff, went ten minutes, an eighteen play scoring drive, longest scoring drive in bcs CFP Championship game history. Seven to nothing, irish. And so if you took the points, you got quite
a cushion. Because Aaron and Billy and I were talking about really you know, this will be Ohio State's coronation. Uh, the question is can Ohio State or can Notre Dame cover? Well, it looks like it's going to be a game unless it's like the Broncos who beat the Broncos.
The Broncos, Seahawks Super Bowl.
No, no, no, no, no, no, just this year.
Oh the Bills, Oh Broncos. The Broncos marched down the field and then I was a bomb touchdown bomb, yeah, hit.
A bomb and then the Bills fans like, oh.
Thirty one on answer.
Yeah.
But anyhow, and TCU scored early against Georgia.
I think, yeah, it was a game for about five minutes, wasn't it years ago?
I know, yeah, ends up being sixty six.
Yeah. By the time I got home, I think TCU had fallen behind, like thirty one to seven. Anyhow, I wanted to start with football right away because Aaron, you had the story on the Cats Pause website, and you talked about it each of the last well probably every week, but I remember specifically each of the last couple of weeks when we've talked about the portal and you've talked about players ABC and D. But you said, and they still don't have a left tackle. Well now they do.
Yeah, they really needed it. And don't quiz me on the first name yet. We'll get the pronunciation eventually. But the last name Pete six foot eighty three, Mister Pete will call him for now until we can get the proper pronunciation. But six ' eight three twenty that's definitely ideal size. The guy who this year started six games he was banged up with twenty twenty three, was an
all conference performer in the in Conference USA. And if you remember New Mexico State that year, they went in and beat Auburn at Auburn yep so a guy who had success in that game. I think I had the numbers in front of me. I know Pete held up really well against Auburn that day. And that was a team that went to their conference championship game when they were finished to finished the place near the bottom of their conference. So and then you saw the success Jerry
Kill and Diego Pavia helped bring to Vanderbilt. So they're bringing in from that pipeline and they needed again, You're right. I talked at nauseum about how badly they had to fill that gap at left tackle. It's the most important position on the offensive line. That's been the position that's held Kentucky back the most, in my opinion, in the last three years, and they got it at least solidified
for twenty twenty four. And I think the biggest thing now that they added that piece where you can compliment is not only did they bring four starters, they brought in a guy in Wallason Bond, but from New Mexico, not New Mexico State, so not a teammate of his, but a guy who can be a swing tackle. And that's another thing that's been missing so so badly. I mean, Malchi would God bless him. He was not ready to play last year and had to step in there as
a red shirt freshman. Had some moments like late in the Florida game he held up really well, but we saw him get exposed against Auburn against Tennessee and just wasn't quite ready yet. And now if he's not ready again this year, they have a guy who's an experienced right and left tackle that can be the swing tackle. And then obviously you filled every other spot on the
offensive line. Jalen Farmer is probably gonna be the lone starter from last year to keep playing, at least keep starting I think Jager Burton kind of moves into a swing guard rule. So, you know, these last three years when Kentucky's really struggled up front, they've really been six deep max the on line of guys who can even play, let alone trust. I don't think the number of trust was even six. I don't think it was five this year.
Now you have probably seven or eight that can play in five or six you can trust and that that's huge, huge, huge, And you know, they they've done everything I think they possibly could to improve this roster. But it's all gonna mat it's all gonna be result based. But you can't, you can't, you know, crush them for this offseason. They've done everything you could have asked them to do. Given the circumstances.
They can play in theory, we shall see, you know, how how well can they play? Can they be top notch performers in the Southeastern Conference? You know? But the old line, as we all know, is different, and it's special in that and more challenging and that it's you know, five have to act and perform as one. But Billy I thought was interesting. Somebody posted this on one of the social media platforms and didn't put names, but just
put sizes. Yeah, and the big yeah, the potential is five guys across the front and the lightest is three point fifteen. And you might remember this from the broadcast, but I remember that Tom and Jeff were talking in the latter stages of the Texas game and it looked like it was gonna go the Longhorns way. They just rattled off the sizes of the of the Texas. You
know what it was. It was during that last drive when Texas just like this Notre Dame drive, Remember when they marched down the field and never threw the ball like a fifteen play all runs and Jeff and Tom just right off the sizes one of them did, probably Jeff. Of all the old linemen for Texas, they were just human landslides, you know. And now Kentucky, maybe you'll have a line at the least looks like that, hope.
So, I mean, got to get back to the big blue wall, got to get back to running the ball a lot. I'm sure Mark Stoops was wants to emphasize that again. This Pete guy six' eight three twenty I believe is the intangibles.
Correct. Yeah, I'll give this I'll give it to you real quick. It was from Adam lucktteve On three, so we'll give them credit there. Pete six eight three twenty uh the transfer from Markansas Joshua bron sixty six three thirty eighth, the new Center from w KU Evan Wibberley six ninety six Jalen Farmers sixty five three fourteen, and then the transfer from from Bowling Green at right tackle six to seven at three h five.
So the center needs a couple of biscuits. Yeah, that's what That's understandable though, sure center.
It's different at West.
Yeah, and no backup lineman at an SEC school coming to Kentucky, right, I mean, I feel like that's kind of the different market.
He's sorry, started year starter, but both at Florida and Arkansas, and he was an all SCC guy at Arkansas in twenty three, so more of a proven track record.
So different philosophy to take guys that are all conference linemen at a lower conference and then bring them up to the SEC.
As opposed to a guy that couldn't crack the starting lineup.
Right, and then trying to just rehash that and see if he would work at a new location, So maybe these guys are a little bit hung in their ord at some point.
Yeah, somebody just needs an opportunity.
That's right, different approach, and maybe you're able to get a different type of player than maybe you were looking for it last off season.
Yeah, and I think we talked about it last week, but they going off that they've valued production over potential with this class. Were to your point. Gerald Mincy. They liked his size, but he was a guy who was in now the starting lineup of Tennessee. Brock Mander Griff was a former top forty prospect, had never really touched the field at Georgia this year. You go look at all the transfers they got, and they might be from
smaller schools. I mean, for example, the best player they got on defense from South Dakota, but he was the Missouri Valley defensive player of the year. That's the best conference in FCS. And he's six four, two fifty five. He has the size do you want at the end. True Edwards, their new ex receiver that they just signed I think a week ago, is from Louisiana Tech and he was an all conference guy. But he's going to be a seventh year senior who's been there and done that.
Zach Calzato we know played in the SEC, had a couple of moments at A and M. It was a starter, so that's good. And then you know kind of flamed out for a little bit, was hurt and then goes to incarnate word and lights it up and you know who knows. So I like that they've valued these guys
have been there and done that. And I also think leans into their culture issue they had last year where they didn't necessarily have leaders, because yes, you can, you can become a leader by being highly respected and good in the locker room, but you also need to be a really good football player.
You need to lead by example.
And you know, Kentucky didn't have enough guys who were a combination of that on last year's team. These guys who bring in the portal have records of being good football players, and you know, we'll see how they are as people. It seems everything I've read and done research on seems very positive. So I like the approach. It's been much much different it is. It is much bulkier. I mean, you're talking nineteen transfers, twenty one new freshman.
That's forty new pieces the combined with the guys that are coming back, so you know you'll have to bring it all together. But I like this approach on paper a lot better than last year's.
All Right, if you were going to draw a starting lineup today, let's say, well, I'm going to stipulate that there will be five new starters on the old line.
Well, I have a not the plug, but I have a way too early depth chart projection up right now, good plug, But I have four new starts on the offense line. I think Jalen Farmer stays in the start.
Yeah, I think you're right. I think you're right about that. All right, who do you have starting? And I saw it, but tell.
The audience at Yeah, that's a whole different look. Except so you have Jamoori. Macklin is going to move back outside. That's what he was better at in North Texas. And they added two guys in the slot. So I think Troy Stiello the transfer from Clemson, kne Trick Law from Alabama, they're going to battle for that starting job in the slot. They might honestly just rotate because Kendrick Law is an
elite run blocker. Steello is probably the better pass catcher, so you know that could play a difference in there. And then true Edward, who I just mentioned, I think as your starting x U. They also had a JJ Hester from Oklahoma, big body guy's just not been able
to stay healthy. He did last year though, so I think he's probably your number two at x I think Fred Ferrier still has a role as a number two at why behind Jamoury and then again Stiello and Law and then you know there's trying to the rest.
All right. But the other thing I'm looking at is, so you've got one starter from last year, one guy who played last year Macklin. Yes, you got an old lineman, okay, yes, a tight end will be a veteran, Yes, I think whoever it is, Yeah, Catison Rodriguez, Yeah, be one of those two guys. Now you got to wonder who's your starting quarterback.
I would think it's gonna be Zach Calcotta. I'd be shocked.
I would be surprised as well. And starting if you play, if you start with one running.
I think it's gonna be Dante Dwell starting at least at the beginning of the year. So I think that'll be a pretty even platoon. But I think Dal's gonna be your number one going into camp for sure.
What a new look offense.
In terms of Yeah, I don't think he'll start right away. I think that will be a platoon. I think there could be a game where Dwell takes the first nap of the game. Well, you know, they're just gonna there's so much she's.
Gonna have to show them that he is ready and has is taking in the process of taking a step forward in a maturity department. Okay, yeah, No, that's more than just keeping your shoes untied. It's you know, being on time, you know, doing what you're supposed to do on and off the field, all that stuff. He's another one of these kids apparently. I'm not saying he's a bad kid, he's just young. Yeah.
I just hate for it to be week nine again and the coaching staff is asking, well, we waited eight weeks too long to force the ball to Willcox's hand because we wanted to start chip train him.
Yeah, we wanted to start player. Actually they never did them.
Yeah, and there him and you know, I think they would.
Have played Willcox more. I think that he was his own worst enemy.
Yeah, I'm saying they are so different to the two running backs Willcox and this uh Dante Dowell from Nebraska. I mean, you're talking six to two twenty five, the guy who was just a short yardage guy. Eight of his twelve touchdowns were from the one yard line. And then will Cox is a burner who you know, is he has physicals. He can break some tackles, but he's not a guy who's going to go up the middle much where this Dowel kid, that's where he lives and dies.
So I think I think that's gonna be pretty even at the end of the day, especially because Dowell was the leading running back for a Nebraska team that won a Bowl. You see the talent they brought in. They didn't kick him out, so Kentucky clearly see it is a big role for him if they were able to poach him.
Willcox is I'm trying to come up with a running back who's similar in style to the way he accelerates. I mean, he gets he gets to that second level so quickly.
I kind of like the way Cavasse Smoke was playing at the beginning a little bit.
Yeah that's fair, you know, not Rodriguez, nothing they were more power and once they broke through, they you know, but I mean a guy that is at top speed once he clears.
A lot of fans like the Boom Williams comparison. Yeah, but Boom I think could do a little bit of both. But Boom was extremely explosive.
Oh yeah, yeah, So I don't know. It's gonna be interesting, it's gonna be fun. We haven't even started talking about defense yet, but that's okay. But now you got to wonder about where does Kentucky fit into the SEC once again? And how good this league's going to be because everybody's making moves and apparently Vandy's getting diego back.
They are you know, Yeah, I mean, look, Kentucky was that benefit true? Edwards would not have been able to play if they didn't have Juco rule. Yeah, he's a guy that would be done. So Kentucky's benefiting it from it too. A lot of schools are benefiting from that.
Do we feel like expectations have lowered a little bit with Kentucky football?
Now?
I think the fans are going to be very pessimistic and can't I can't blame them, but inside the way they're building this thing, so, and I put this in the story, eleven of the nineteen transfers they brought in have one year to play, So they're going all in on this year. Whether that's the right thing to do or not, they are going all in on this season.
You can't afford to think about the next season anymore.
Right, That's right. I think the expectations from the outside are probably like, come surprise me, I'm done, I'm pissed off, blah blah blah. But inside those walls, it's.
Do or die.
That's how they're operating. If they're signing eleven out of nineteen guys as one year fill ins.
And you know, I firmly believe as we get to a break, most of the preseason talk will be about, of course, the quarterback, because that's where college football almost always is. When you're talking about a kid who was especially local, you know, absolutely sign But yeah, I mean to bring a guy in with that kind of experience. That means if Bowie, if Bowley ends up being the
starter on opening day, that tells you a lot. That tells you that because it tells you I think more about Bully than it does the kid they brought in.
It could be a little bit of both. I think guests I think definitely would mean bully really impressed exactly. But yeah, you're calls out of here. He's a seventh year senior. I mean he's not coming here to warm up cutter Bully, that's for sure.
No, I'm sure you know, like when Stephen Johnson got here, I want the opportunity to compete for the start in the job, and he said he was given that and ended up the number two guy. But look what happened.
You're one snap away from getting your number, as we saw at the quarterback position this year.
Next thing, you know, Stephen Johnson's beating Tennessee. So all right, we'll come back and we'll talk some basketball. As Ohio State drives and early in the second quarter, tie is the game at seven. We're back in a minute here on the state wide BBI Border to border. It is a statewide edition at a big women's sider Dick Gabriel, Billy Rudlajaron Gershawan and let us shift over to basketball.
Mark Pope still stinging from the loss to Alabama. Understandable, but as Tom Leach pointed out, this was a experienced Alabama team that was really good at extending its defense and then covering the back door there with some really talented bigs. Good learning process, good learning opportunity for Kentucky.
I thought, yeah, that's a great Alabama team. I mean, they came into the year, I think that the second highest odds a win it all, coming off a Final four, bringing back their best two players from their Final four team, reloading.
In the best player in the league.
Yeah, Mark Sears, So you got to give him a lot of credit. And you know, they play such a similar style, and they've been together longer. They kind of probably helped them defensively, honestly, kind of Kentucky played such a similar way. But I thought Kentucky held their own especially. I still scored ninety seven points. With all that said, and they shot we'll take eleven for twenty seven from three. So when they got the shots up, they were hitting them.
They did a lot of good things. They erased several deficits. But it's very similar to the Florida game in the other direction, right, Kentucky. And the Florida game had three ten oh runs. That's hard to overcome. Alabama in this game had three nine zero runs.
It's just hard to win in Kentucky from getting on exactly, I think, yeah, I think Kentucky.
I know, Alabama led by like nine or eleven early in the first half. Kentucky came back to go up by one.
At one point it was thirteen to seven. Kentucky. Yeah, they well, and then alb you know, Obama went on a run. Yeah, so Kentucky made a run they kept.
I mean, look, with five minutes left, this game was tied with a Brandon Garrison dunk and the moment I was like, uh oh, it was nine seconds after that dunk, Alabama was down the court inting a lot up and oh, they're they're not messing around today.
Well, and there was another moment and I'm not knocking the kid, will I'm knocking what he did. But they're not where they are without Butler. Oh yeah, his his early in the shot clock step back.
Not smart.
No, Yeah, they for a guy with a basketball IQ that's off the charts. Yeah, and I know, you know, it was pretty clear what he was trying to do, Like if he had if he had hit that shot, that would have been massive.
Yep, that's a no no, yes, if you hit.
It exactly, But as it turned out it was just a no no, you know, yeah, no that like I really felt like things turned right.
Yeah, that nine zero run that put the game away was Kentucky. They got beat to fifty to fifty balls twice. Uh, they blocked two Alabama shots, couldn't get the fifty to fifty ball after the block, and they could both get kicked out for threes. They have the rush shot by Butler, they have a rushed layup by Williams that misses in a turnover by Butler, and that's what happens. And when you play a great team like that, the margin fair is very thin, even at home.
And Kentucky was in the bonus five minutes into the second.
That's a huge problem I forgot about. Yeah, I mean that's a huge problem. Entucky was in a lot of foul trouble. Alabama shot fourteen more free throws. They made thirteen more free throws in Kentucky.
And that's not an accident.
That's not you know, it was a well officiated There was a couple of calls here and there, but every game was a couple of calls here and there. I thought it was a very well officiated game.
I think when you've got two teams that get up and on the floor like that, there are more positions, there's more opportunities for officials to make mistakes. And there were there were a couple, but you know, there wasn't anything like the phantom flop.
No, that's all Mark as Billy would know. That's all Mark Popelanda talked about on radio tonight when it was basketball questions.
Like, Yeah, they categorized every foul over the last five games to look at trends, if what the officials are calling, what Kentucky can't attack, what they can't do and and I think even said that in an old show, that's like they're just trying to figure out not what the rule that, not what the rule book says, but what the rules that are being.
Called learned the whistle.
That's a really interesting way of looking at it. Honestly.
Now, can they defend without fouling? We'll see because in the games that they've been tested in the SEC, it's been very physical affairs and both times the other team has gotten more free throws and got to the line more than Kentucky. I think it goes back to something Goose Gibvens said, which was when you are the aggressor, when you are the one, you know, initiating the physicality,
I think you get more calls. I think that lends yourself to be the being, the one that benefits from a fifty to fifty call, and then that leads to you know, differences like that.
But we'll see. Well, you might remember this Billy from our trip to Cynthiana to talk to the pizza man. That's right, right, he is the timeout coordinator at Kentucky games. If you watch when the officials go over to look at the replays and all, he's the guy with the headset on right. Well, he is a former Division one referee, still the best high school ref I've ever seen. Now to cludes, my brother and his sons are both D
one referee. So Billy and I, if some of you listen to the local show, might recall that a couple of summers back and I promise him we're going to make a return trip.
We need to Dozza.
Yeah, and I'm gonna bring my man Cameron middles you hates referees, We're gonna we're gonna sit him down with Doug. But one of the first things Doug taught us or told us. I don't know if this was news to you.
It was interesting to me. Was referees watch if you got an offensive defense, guy, they study I'm not sure what the right word is, but they keep an eye more on the defender than the guy with the ball because I guess because the defender is more prone to make a mistake in terms of a foul as opposed to an offensive foul or a turnover, right, which to me makes sense going back to what you just said about being the aggressor with Jack said, so if you're
the offensive aggressor, you know the defender has to react. And who is the referee watching the defender? Right? I thought Nelson got away with a couple push ups, but you're you're gonna get away with those as much as your call for it. Right.
Yeah.
I think of the the Georgia game, how physical they were, Sampto Ciro and their.
NBA prospect that.
You know, they they were just a presence and this you know this team has a lot of experience, but are they going to be able to match up against physicality of the sec you know, to be seen well and again.
A sign and they can do it.
I think it is news conference last week. It might have been you might have been there, Aaron Mark said. Mari Williams is learning what he can get away with and yeah, being more physical as an SEC's play.
He's played pretty well. He didn't have a game against, but he's playing well before.
As opposed to what he couldn't get away with a Drexel. You get away with a lot more. Now, all right, we'll come back and talk more hoops right here on the state wide bb I it is to say wide edition of the Big Woman's Side or Dick Gabrielle, Aren Gershwan Billy Rutledge talking about the Wildcats. They are lost to Alabama. Now they move on and uh not this week, but very shortly the Wildcats take on Arkansas next game. When the schedule came.
Out, tickets, I don't need them, think too well, pony up who does?
And you know what's unfortunate is that people who want tickets and are paying out the wazoo for them just they just want the opportunity now to rain down booze on Caliperi, which isn't fair. Uh, and keep their fingers crossed it they'll lose another game. I don't know about you, but I'm stunned. I didn't think they'd win the conference.
You could have told me they'd missed the NSAY tournament, like as a bubble team. You could tell me they'd be like toward the bottom of the SEC, but still, like you know, tenth range.
I thought they'd be in the top half. Yeah, I'm sure.
Yeah, I thought. I'm saying like you.
You could have told me that, and I probably say, okay, but not this, notinzero to five getting crushed by Miszoo losing at a bad LSU team. Uh, you know the first three games. Yeah, they had a tough COP slate, but they just got destroyed by Tennessee, not even competitive, a place that Kentucky's played really well out the last two years with Cal. They won both times. So it's not like Cal can't go and compete with Rick Barnes.
It's it's pretty mind boggling how bad it's gotten, and it might get worse because boogiey Fland, unfortunately, which you don't want to see, is hurt.
And they'll be booze and I think they're I mean, it's he went to a rival and decided to leave this university.
He wasn't forced out.
But is that fair to boo a guy you wanted to go him to go anyway he wanted him gone, Yeah, and he does what you want and you're booing him because of that. Yeah.
He went to a rival school in the same conference, and he brought the players that were committed to Kentucky to Arkansas with him. He went to the new school and said, we will keep the band rolling because I am the lead singer.
Kept calling it yeah, and then kept calling it cal It's you know, we're just moving headquarters. It's calibery you all those type of things.
Now, will there be a day he comes back and he's cheered and he will be raised to the rafters because he've won a title and he did a lot for this universe.
That's exactly wary.
First, he will be booed, and he will understand. He will be.
Booed every time he walks in here with that red blazer on. Did you notice he was wearing a blue blazers. Fans were not Hog fans were not happy about that one.
I will respectfully disagree with Billy. We'll get back to hog fans in a minute. I don't ever see him coming back here the way Patino did, I mean everything aligned. I mean Patino instantly won back. I'm betting ninety five percent of the Big Moon Nation it were still angry that he definitely took an arch rival job. I don't consider arkansa on arch rival anymore, but they're a conference rival.
To your point, used to be an arch r But Patino takes the Louisville job, and oh, Benedict Arnold Trader all this stuff. Whereas my reaction to that was he realized he wanted to be a Kentuckian just like us, right, so you know, uh could have taken a Michigan job and did for two hours and then changed his mind. Right, So anyhow he won everybody back.
How endorsing Mark Post endorsing Post exactly?
Do you see, CALIPERI? I mean, what could possibly happen that someday five ten years from now happens that UK fans might say, Okay, we don't hate you as much anymore. And then of course when he came when Patino came back.
I think if they were to have a twenty year union for the twenty twelve team and twenty thirty two, he would get all that. I really do, really I do.
I do.
Look, I wish he would.
I think he will. I really do this fan base. At the end of the day, those banners mean something has years from now. Yeah, he's not lasting. I don't know if he's less than two more years ago. And you know what, I'll tell you this and you guys have both said in Caliperry press conference, there's plenty of them when he the last two and I watched just more so because I'm curious to see the questions being asked.
What not.
He's answering the questions. That to me is like, Oh, he's dejected, because usually when he's his swagg yim self, he's bouncing around, he's saying what he wants to say. No, he's answering the questions and he looks you can see it on his face. I've never like, even after saying yeah, even after Oakland, he was going on a whole tangent like oh, I love helping families. I don't see his change in blah blah blah blah blah. Same thing with the Saint. Peter's like this is like this is getting
to him. He's taking it personally and it just seems different and it seems real this time where maybe the game and the way how you have to construct your roster and the NIL portal stuff, it's just going over his head. And that's okay. It's just it's almost it's getting to the point where it's there was a lot of a lot of feeling bad for him out there, and I never thought it was And you know.
It's interesting Billy that towards the end here and I don't know if he thought the the end was near or whatever, but he knew it was. He knew he was in trouble. But then again, people forget that he had the the sit down with with Barnard and had that uncomfortable.
The strangest TV destroy poor Farmer.
There were so many there were so many great lines about that, but one of them was like they looked like somebody people who were in couples counseling and didn't want to be there, yes, or like there was a hostage situation or something like that. But I felt like over the last few months of his last year here, he didn't want to turn loose to what Aaron was
just talking about helping families. Look, that's a noble cause, I get that, but it seemed like like starting with that night after five players were taken in the first round, when he made it sound like he was more interested and he wasn't putting kids in the NBA than winning championships. I don't believe he was more interested in one than the other, but it sounded like it, and I felt like down the stretch he was trying to make the point that no, no, I really do want to win.
I know how important it is to win titles. But it was too late, man, because when you say, well, I don't really care about SEC titles, I can't tell you how many Kentucky fans.
And what a little house on the prairie was on Dick. I mean that was one of the reasons that I think the get home. Yeah, the allure kind of went away with him. And I don't think it's controversial to say that he thought this was a player's first program when he was here. I mean, it was about helping the player maximize what they can do with their talent, which means going to the end.
Shouldn't every coach do that?
Yes, But also I think think coaches should say in public that their goal is to win, thank you exactly. That is what he needed to say, and he never did, and it was it was all about the players and helping their families, a lot of them coming from poverty, sure to get to that next level as quickly as possible. Not to keep them in school to help Kentucky win championships.
Well, now I stopped short of saying keep a kid in school. I agree with him, and it shouldn't be about helping him. It should be a bet helping the players, helping themselves and their fans. If a kid, if they're hearing from the NBA that this kid can get first round money, then they need to go. You don't keep them in school just to help yourself win a championship.
Oh that was count PLoP.
Well yeah, I think I think that.
I think that's proper. But I do agree with you in that he should, you know, he shouldn't make it sound like and if we win, we win, you know, And to say, like I said, he totally misread the room when he blew off the importance of winning the SEC tournament or league because that's Kentucky basketball. I mean, that's that's.
There was a quote from Darren Fox four years ago that resurfaced this to go off Billy's point. This was literally from Darren Fox, so we can all think what we think this was Cal cauld Win. Cal couldn't give a damn about winning college basketball games. If he's getting guys who he knows he can end up developing into NBA players. You were automatically going to win thirty games a year from that alone. That's what I loved. Couldn't give it damn.
I read that, but I couldn't remember who said it.
One of his one and done.
But ironically enough, that was one of cala Perry's best teams. Absolutely, Oh, that team was excellent, and all the people and they don't care about being a Kentucky and the players do sobbing in the locker room.
There are into I'd say the vast majority of the players care, passionate agree. There are definitely some that I'm telling you I was in that locker room, Rob Bill, I'm telling you sitting in that locker room last year. If there was a guy who was totally unfazed about the embarrassment that was losing to Oakland, it was that guy because he knew exactly what was happening. Reed Sheppard, bawling his eyes out like you said with dearon Fox,
with Bam and Monk balling their eyes out. I remember we were just talking about it off ten minutes ago. Oscar Shebay, who obviously he was a four year guy, but still a superstar. Here. He after they lost to not probadence they be profits to Kansas State in Greensboro. He was turned around in the locker room, faced away from us for fifteen minutes before he could turn over and show his face, and you could tell he was crying. So it did matter to the players he had. But
it's fair. It's a fair criticism. Look, this Arkansas team that's zero to five in league play. Boogey Flann's probably a lottery pick. He might have other draft picks on it. Like the talent's there again, it's just the x'es and o's, the roster construction aren't there. And that's what the fans at the end of the day could not take anymore.
And I get it.
Complacency, I think is the part in this. After the COVID year, you've you've heard that even former players like Willie cony Stein have come out and said that he was soft to the players in the later years because you just have to talk to people differently. It's you know, you hear Old saying it's like he's you become the
five people you spend the most time around. And I'm not saying cal has become Bruiser Flint or Sinn Coleman or Kenny Payne, but like look at like John Robick leaving and the former ad or assistant A d Living that he was so close to Dwayne Peevee. I mean, when you start to lose people that are valuable and you think that you can just pick up their slack by doing what you always did, I think that's it's a wrong way going about it.
Look at last year when he brought in John Welsh, I know he had some really good players. Ried Sheppard and Propdelling him helped a lot, but they had a number three I think there were number three in offensive efficiency. And then what does he do. He lets him go to He doesn't take him to Arkansas whim. It goes to President State and Arkansas's offense efficiencies in the one hundreds.
And you know, I realized he goes to Fresno State for a full time. I think he's a number two guy on the staff. Yeah, I think so he would have made more money here. He was want to go volunteer assistant or whatever he was.
He was a well he was volunteer, but he was you know, they expanded the coaching staff. He was the extra and now right now they can all recruit.
Are you trying to tell me they couldn't have made him that at Arkansas?
And yes, and he would have made more money as that at Arkansas as he would be the number two.
Yes, that was that was a puzzleman.
And young and talented guys like Jay Lucas or TJ. Bisnerly, We're like, what do you take position for? At a difference?
Lucas was going home Jay Lucas from Texas, family in Carolina. Yeah, that I get. But yeah, and uh, TJ. I thought was going to be named We all knew TJ and liked him. I thought, like a lot of programs, he might actually be named the GM. A program that needs Every program now needs a GM. And I don't know anything about the inner dynamics. There's no we all know DJ wasn't real happy here and now he's very happy at North Carolina.
You want two more examples? Joel Justice went to a final four last year. Now he's the number two in Ohio State.
And not I kept hearing on him was he was not an effective recruiter. Didn't you hear that?
I heard, Yeah, he wasn't, but I heard he was a pretty good x's and o's coach and they weren't a final four last year. And he's the number two Ohio State who they x ade xod X. You know coached Mark Pope, that's for darn sure on that Saturday. And then you know, Tony Barbie was a guy that he kind of set up with a coaching job. There was a lot of talk that he was going to let him go and that Barbie kind of just he was the MAC Coach of.
The Year last year.
So like these coaches are going and outside of Kenny Payne, who was a disaster and now is back with cal where they're a.
Disaster, but he was one of the most highly respected offense or assistants when he was here.
Exactly, Kenny Payne may have actually been a plant that little more I think about how wow that was.
That's that's a theory I have not yet heard. Billy.
That's outs did you tear down from the inside? Are Louisville fans were anyone those games that yours?
Did you come up with that?
I mean, that's just general.
Credits to pack Kelsey for already having two more wins than Kenny had.
In two years all time wins.
Amazing, No, all serious, it's doing great.
But all right, we'll take a break, come back, and kareem back to Kentucky basketball. Ohio State just took a fourteen to seven lead. We're back in a minute on the state Wide BBI final segment of the state wide Big Blue Insider, did Gabrielle Arren Gershwan, Billy Rutledge is Kentucky. Let's let's get back to this Kentucky team's most people I'm saying BBN, I'm saying media, national, local kind of predicted Kentucky to finish middle of the pack and happily.
So like if if they can, you know, break even in the SEC, if they're they're five hundred in the SEC, they can get in the NC Tournament, maybe win a game or two, which tells you how far Kentucky had sunk in at least any estimation of the people talking. Clearly, it looks like they'll be better than that. But I guess the question I'm posing is how much better than that do you think they'll be at the end of the year. You know, I want to ask you for
how many games over five hundred? But did we underestimate them? I guess is the question, And we had every right to because who knew anything about hard right victim? Yeah?
That and how good the SEC is this year as well.
I think that played a factor into just not knowing what this unknown Kentucky group would do. I'm gonna put them close to the double by seed. I guess four or five in the SEC tournament. I think that's about fair with what we've seen.
I mean that's big.
What you were five and oher in your first five games versus top fifteen teams before the loss most recently, So I mean that's impressive. I mean, that's going to show up and help when it comes to your overall turney seed line. But when it comes to the SEC, I just I hope they can hold court at home, because if so, then maybe they will be right around that four or five seed.
So when I did my game by game predictions earlier this year, I said twenty three and nine and then twelve and six, in the league, which is pretty good. Honestly for a first year. The games I've I've had some wrong. Like I had them losing the Duke. I had them beating Ohio State, for example.
So that week there with Duke and Zaga, Yeah, I almost everybody had it.
I heard them going, oh in two that week, did you really cleanse it in?
Yeah?
But besides the point, yeah, I'm gonna stick with it. I think they could go finish twelve and six in the league. Okay, I think that honestly, Like this league is very hard. But they've gotten Florida out of the way, they got one of their Alabama games out of the way. A and M's out of the way, Georgia's out of the way, so Ode win. They got a road win at State, so you're looking at it. Ole Miss is still there. That's a really tough one. Another one with Bama. The two with Tennessee, though.
I think they match up well with Tennessee.
Believe it or not, even with the physicality when I saw Vandy light them up put forty two in the first half. I think they match up fine with Vandy. Missouri is a tough one, but you know, Oklahoma is not great. South Carolina is the worst team in the conference. Arkansas, I think I've just Arkansas. That's going to be Arkansas super Bowl. But I still think Kentucky's a much better team and wins that game. I could I see still see a path to that to where they finished twelve and six.
In the league.
That maybe that's not give or take. I could see them definitely finish, you know, maybe eleven and seven, ten and or I guess would be nine in eight possibly. But I just think I think they're in a good spot. I really do. And what I've been really impressed with is every time they've kind of had a situation like the defensive rebounding where Mark Pope is harped on it and really been tough on it, they've come out the
next couple of games and really improved. And I really like that kind of now like the blueprint changes, it's not like the same issue every year. So I'm encouraged and I think that's very possible.
And that's one of the great things. You've got to figure that Cali Perry with a lot of youngsters, but he's got veterans on that dark and that surprised me to move the two highest pay players in the portal. Not to harp on Cali Perry, but his best Kentucky teams were a mixture of veterans and the precocious freshman, which is what he has now. Billy. What I think is interesting to Aaron's point is that he's got veteran
players who know how to be coached. You know what I mean when they said about to teach them something, They've played enough college basketball to be able to assimilate that into their respective games so they can put it to good use right away. I think that's huge, And you don't see that in college basketball now because everybody's so young.
Right right.
It's different when you've got a senior that beat Fau in the Final four with a game winning shot, or Andrew Carr who's been around the ACC for a while. The bye week kind of hits at the right time. We don't have a midweek game this week, and oh they need this his car and his old bad back lamon Butler shoulder, who is just getting hurt every single.
See the memes somebody put out with somebody in a wheelchair completely covered head to toe complete Yeah.
Well yeah, that and you know Kirk Risa doesn't look like his timetable is out there yet with what Mark Pope was saying yet, So maybe it's the thing that Mark Pope can't control that would be end up hurting them the most just being healthy.
Yeah, I was about to say this is you know, we're we're the discussion we're having is presumed that they remain relatively healthy.
Yeah, this week is huge, And that's another sign with this team that I love is these guys got it out right. You don't want to see them obviously re injure themselves or make things worse, but there's no like, no doubt they're going to try to give it a go. We're with the freshman and you're kind of protecting these guys for the league. It felt like at times if there was a hesitancy, it felt like those guys were
sitting and you're not seeing that. Here, you're seeing guys that want to go and play for Kentucky.
We're fifty five minutes into the show and granted we talk a lot of football in the first half, we haven't talked about Jackson Robinson yet, and I think we've learned now that what he did on his big breakout night wasn't a fluke. No, you know, he's had I don't know if you want to call it a come to Jesus or you know, whatever you want to call it. I think he is tapped into something that he knows now he can count on. I agree.
I think he's kind of let that NBA pressure, all the pressure kind of roll off his shoulders a little bit. And he's playing much better. And I even thought, you know, he didn't have a great game against Alabama, but even when he was missing shots or he was in foul trouble, I thought, the body language is better, which is very encouraging.
And be where your feet are is a mark Pope saying for which Jackson Robinson needs to think of.
But his confidence is the number one thing.
He needs to be one of those shooters that does not think about the last shot, because I feel like I've seen his behavior, his body language take over his games. And compared to a A and M Mississippi State game where he goes for twenty two and twenty eight back to back.
Yeah, you know who I heard first say that, be where your feet are? That's pretty good Eddie Grant when he was the OC here. But that's one of those sayings that Pope embraces fully. And he's got a lot of sayings.
Like that, doesn't Someone needs to make a Pope dictionary with all the sayings.
And yeah, there was What is a Bellerman cut? Do we know?
I'm guessing it's got to be something with how Bellermant? I know Bellermint has a crazy unique offense.
Is that like the Ivy League playbook where they do a lot of backdoor cut Princeton.
That may depending on the flow of Thursday's press conference, that might have to be a.
Question that would be interesting because we could reach out to Scotty Davenport coach.
There you go.
It's a good dude, man.
Did you have any idea that Mark Pope's using the Pope is.
Using assuming are there any other Bellerman's out there?
I mean, you know it's got it's gotta be something.
But the first college basketball game I ever saw College Scott he's a good dude, and you know the opposing team was this team from Lexingon. I did see some TRANSI like Transylvania. That's a real school. You know they wore striped socks. I remember that, all right? Thanks to Billy Thanks Daron, Thanks to you for joining us in the state wide BBI that said good night from lexingon