Welcome everyone to another edition of the KSR Pre Show. Today is Monday, April seventh. You can give us call at eight five nine two eight zero to two eight seven or text us at five oh two two six five six six five six is always The KSR Pre Show is brought to you by Italics Fine Italian dining right here in Lexington, Kentucky, on Main Street in the city center where we are now. I am here live and studio in Lexington without my co host Shannon the Dude.
Almost all of KSR is actually off this week down on down in the beach, maybe down in Amster down Damn. They're in a lot of different places. But Shannon and Ryan on their bro date together this week, so it will be a week of special guest Drew Franklin. Big week for him as well, Drew Palooza. I'll be joining him on KSR a little later today. Our friend Corey Price will join us then. But joining me for this first hour on the KSR Pre Show is a guy that's he's tapped in, folks, I mean he's locked in.
It's his busy time of the year. It is Transfer portal expert Jacob Policheck, who works for KSR plus. Good morning, Jacob, how are you.
Good morning Billy. Thanks for having me.
First time having you on the pre show, so it is an honor to have you here. I got your last name right, correct. Polo check, Polo check okay, right, I get a lot of polar check, but it is polo check.
Okay.
Good well. You do a great job on KSR plus and the YouTube channel as well with rapid reactions. And I thought i'd have you in to talk a little transfer portal because I don't know what's going on, Jacob. I'm going to be one hundred percent and honest with you, Like these kids are changing their minds last minute. I mean, Kentucky's trying to fill out a roster. I mean it's a really interesting time of year, don't you think.
Yeah, it is really NonStop right now. It was NonStop before the season even ended. And now the second Kentucky lost in the tournament, it hit a full head and now they're going after guys every single day.
Kentucky's got a new commit they missed out on a couple others. We'll break that down throughout the show and if you have any questions for Jacob, maybe if you have an eye on a recruit that Kentucky would should check out Texas five o two two six five six six five six. I do want to want to start with the severe weather that we've had throughout the Commonwealth this past weekend, Jacob. It's been unreal the amount of
rain that we've gotten. You know, Keemlin will be racing today and tomorrow after had they had to delay their schedule, but other things have gotten delayed, including thunder over Louisville being canceled this weekend. I guess the ground is just gonna be too wet for them to do these these these festivities and the fireworks show that was supposed to happen this weekend. The only other time it's happened was
during COVID, Jacob. So you know the weather's bad when you got to cancel a great event like this.
Yeah, that's unfortunate to hear.
Actually, when I was in high school, the first time I ever went to Kentucky, I visited Louisville and it just so happened that thunder over Louisville was taking place.
Oh it was.
That was the first time.
It was the first time I visited.
It was not planned We just happened to be there when it happened, and it was a really cool.
Four timing four time.
It is crowded as hell down there, but I'm sad to see that. I mean, it really is. We've seen some flooding all throughout the states, some terrible images coming out of places like Frankfort, Kentucky, where a boy was washed away walking to the to the I guess the school bus stop a little on Friday. I've seen houses floating down the floating down the road. It's just been incredible to see. And our thoughts and prayers are with
everybody affected. Dawson Springs in the western part of the state is underwater, so I'm thinking about everybody today throughout the Commonwealth and some of the severe weather that we've gotten, and you know, it's bad when Keeenlan's backed up, when thunder is canceled, and we're just hoping that we can all get through this week a little bit drier. You know, we're excited for Drudihost. But Jacob I had something over
the weekend that I want to share. I did a little spring cleaning, trying to clean up the upstairs and the closets, and found my old class ring, and I've got it on this morning. Jake, there you go, pass of twenty seventeen, the Western Kentucky Old Toppers with this huge red stone on the top of it. That is a nice ring, And I want to start with a little bit of a fair or foul. Do you think I think it's tacky to wear a class ring? I mean maybe to an event of like your graduating class.
But if I were to just start wearing this around, Jacob, would you look at me a little differently?
If you've got it flaunted, I think it's better than sitting in a drawer where you're never going to see it.
If you have it, I think I think it's definitely fair. You gotta wear that thing fair. So if we were to go fair or foul, you'll say fair on the class ring.
I think one hundred percent fair. I think it looks good.
Well, I'm also wearing it on. I guess where my wedding ring would be, since I don't have one yet, I guess that changes. If you were to have a wedding ring, maybe you put it on your right index finger or your ring finger on your right hand to differentiate. But for now, if I'm gonna punch you with my left fist. You're gonna get a little bit impression right now, Jacob with the class ring. Where did you go to college? You didn't go to Kentucky.
I went to the University of Kansas, Kansas. Yeah, so another blue blood.
Unfortunately, Shannon's not here to say Kansas is the worst state, so I will it's one of the most boring states. Would you agree with that or do you have a fond place in your heart for it?
I would one hundred percent agree with that.
I always tell people that the best city in Kansas is Kansas.
City, which is not even in Kansas, Missouri. There you go.
Yeah, so you know, we'll get to know Jacob as the show goes on. I once drove through Kansas. It was the only time that I stopped driving to Colorado. So I drove from Louisville to Colorado. It's a long drive. We stopped in Kansas City to watch a Royals game. We stayed overnight, and really the only time of the trip I didn't drive was through Kansas. So I started to take a nap in the passenger seat, and that's when we got pulled over. So it was like a fiance.
You know what, just back in the passenger seat. I'll drive the rest of the way. She's gonna get pulled over. But hey, man, what a what fun weekend it was. Those final four games were incredible, weren't they.
Yeah, that was four.
Number one seeds and they were really the four best teams in the Country's hard to arg game.
Oh, people complain about all the chalk, but it allowed you to get some pretty good games. In the Final four. Florida defeats Auburn seventy nine to seventy three. I mean Walter Clayton junior man, I mean, first person since Larry Bird to have back to back thirty point games in the Elite Eight in the final four. It wasn't only his range, Jacob his layup pack, which was incredible. I mean he was. He's somebody that's definitely turning heads, isn't he.
Yeah, he could do everything, and for his size to be able to get to the hoop like he does, it's pretty impressive. I think a lot of teams are going to regret not drafting him in the upcoming didn't he go.
To Iona Is that was at his transfer portal?
Yeah, I think he went to Iona and then transferred two years ago.
I want to say, so.
Got that Ricky p in him a little bit, He's got that dog in him. So that was That was a great game. Despite Jeni Broome being the player of the year and Bruce Pearl being the coach of the year, Auburn could not get over that hump. Despite what's the guy's name, Baker, Chad Baker Massari. He said that little Oh my god, glad that he is. I mean, doesn't he have another year of eligibility.
He does because of the jew coach.
Unbelievable, It's unbelievable that guy.
I was.
I was, I'm gonna be glad to see his career end, but maybe it'll be at a different school instead of Auburn. But really, the game we will remember for eternity was that Houston upset over Duke seventy to sixty seven, where Duke I believe, had one field goal in the final ten minutes of the game, a collapse that saw Houston trailing by fourteen at one point, I mean, Florida trailed by eight at halftime to Auburn, and we thought that
was a great comeback. But Jacob we didn't have to wait but two hours to see a historic collapse from Duke in that game.
Yeah, I think everyone in America that is not a Duke basketball fan was pretty happy about that. And I was just surprised that Cooper Flagg didn't slip in the last place. Yeah, just missing the shot.
Well, Kentucky ends up beating Florida, who's in the National Championship game tonight, and Duke who lost that game versus Houston. I was really happy for Calvin Sampson. We've talked about on this show before about his journey to Houston and just really him turning into one of the best coaches in the sport, doing it the right way. But to see Duke Luke like lose like that was incredible, It really was.
I mean.
John Schier was undefeated up ten and you know, leading it half and things like that. So many great stats came out of that. It was a historic loss for the Blue Devils.
Yeah, that was a collapse of epic proportions.
And like you said, I think we were all okay with it. I think we were all absolutely okay with it, but they just they kept hanging around, hanging around. Duke can never put them away, kind of very similar to the Kentucky game. And you know what a Duke roster you talk about underachieving, I mean a historically good roster, don't you think one that they'll look back on, like, how did they not win the title? For that one?
Yeah?
When are you ever going to have a talent like Cooper Flag playing on your basketball team?
Maybe? Never?
Yeah, And you know what, I don't know if I would have called it over the back foul on Cooper Flag, But you know what, I enjoyed seeing it called, you know what I mean? I enjoyed that in the moment, there was no doubt about it.
Yeah.
And they just let Houston hang around too long. They really should have closed that game out. You can't let good teams hang around, and they got the bad end of the sixth.
I was stun though, weren't you? Like I just could not believe what I was watching to some degree. Yeah, it was shocking and it was just fun to watch. You just you're hanging on the edge of your seat the whole game, thinking is this actually gonna happen?
And when it does you can rejoice a little bit. Yeah.
I don't like Duke. I covered Kentucky. I went to Kansas, so Duke is pretty high on list of schools.
I don't like.
So, I know you cover Kentucky as a job, but where's your fandom?
Lie? Are you a So.
I'm rock chalk jayhawk kind of guy?
Deep down, I'm a little bit.
But I've been doing the journalism thing since I was a sophomore in high school, so I kind of, even when I was in college, tried to maintain of a level of objectivity.
I understand, but I did when I was in high school.
I tell this story before I I was actually considering Kansas and Kentucky. Those were my two schools that I was considering going to, and they were playing each other in basketball one day and I was like, you know what, whoever wins this, I'll go to school there. So maybe if things would have turned turned out a little differently, did Kansas win that game? Kansas won that game and I wound up going to Wow.
So Jacob chose his school based on a one basketball game.
Yeah, and it turned out to be the best because I get to experience both Lawrence and Lexington.
Yeah. No, that's that, you know. Bill self a disappointing year a loss to John Caliperry in the tournament. But you know what, we're not We're not gonna cry about that over here on the KSR pre show. But it is Florida versus Houston tonight in the National Championship Game, eight fifty start. It's always a light one for these national titles. But I believe is it Florida that's a favorite in this game? Maybe by three and a half. Jacob, what's what's your early thoughts.
On this one?
I think you gotta go with Florida. But they've been so good down the street, and we've seen what Walter Clayton has done. When you have a guy like that in March, just an elite guard, those guys are just hard to slow down and you don't want to pick against them.
Yeah.
Well, you know, Florida had those back to back titles in the in the two thousands and and now Todd Golden could have a lot of success.
Over these coming years at Florida.
I mean, I think back to that Kentucky game, man, what was it like one hundred and six to one hundred or something like that. It was it was that early start game. It was, Yeah, it was like.
Noon or eleven o'clock, and yeah, they both teams scored in the hundreds, which you don't see very often. And I think this is this is assigned to other coaches because Todd Golden did a phone interview with me the day of the game or the day before the game, previewing his team. So, hey, if you want to go to the national title game, do an interview with me the day of the Kentucky game, and good things will happen.
Is that right? Is that the Is that the how we get to the title game? Okay, that's cool, Well it should be exciting. I'm just you know, Houston is so good at defense, and you know Florida loves to play at that up tempo pace that this will be a fun matchup. I was just hoping that Duke didn't blow out Houston so for them to keep it close, and they just kept hitting those threes and Duke was missing some free throws late.
Uh.
Just definitely a disappointing loss for the Blue Devils and and Houston their their their their story keeps on in Kelvin Sampson, So we're looking forward to that tonight, the National title in between Houston and Florida puts a bow on it all. We get to watch one shining moment after the game, Jacob. That's always a great time. And and then we hit the sports dead period, So you get ready for it, folks, I mean, unless you enjoy the dog days of baseball and maybe a little NBA playoffs.
We still got some NHL going to Jacob, but not a lot of NHL fans around these parts.
Yeah, no, I'm I'm a Brewer fan, so I'll be tuned into the MLB season. They've struggled to start the year, but I think they'll turn it around.
Yeah, Shanon, don't want to talk a lot of baseball right now.
Play it so bad.
But Jacob is an expert on recruiting in the transfer portals, so we're gonna take an early here. When we come back, we'll start to dive in a little bit about Kentucky's latest commitment, a point guard from Pittsburgh, maybe some targets that Kentucky has along the way. Somebody snapped a photo of Mark Pope and San Antonio this week.
Did you see this, Jacob? I did see that.
He just looked so bothered and it wasn't I don't think because of getting the picture with the fan. I think it may have been something that had just been told to him on the phone right before he took the picture. We'll talk about what that possibly could have been and much more on the way. It's Billy Rutlige and Jacob Polojeck from KSR plus joining us on the KOSR pre Show. We will be right back. It's a
Monday edition of the pre Show. Billy Rutledge no Shannon the Dude this week, so we're bringing in some special guests. Jacob Poulocheck is our first guest of the week. He is with KOs R Plus. He does a great job on the recruiting and transfer portal scene and with it being a confusing time, Jacob's going to talk about it with us today. Eight five nine two eight h two two eight seven is the phone line. One person says
on the text line, Yeah, we're in a heist. School letter jacket and class rings is peaked in high school energy. I would understand the letterman jacket, Jacob, if I was strutting around here with my letters on. Yeah, that's a little a little more than the class ring. I liked the was it house of cards where he would bang it on the table and that was some dramatic effects there. But am I having peaked in high school energy with my bangs in my class ring this morning?
I don't listen to the haters. I think it looks great.
Well, if you were wearing a letterman, I'd probably have a different a different comment here, But I like the ring. I don't think you should. I don't think you should let anyone dissuade you into it.
Well, thank you, Jacob. And speaking of not listening to the haters, you've had a few haters over the past couple weeks or so. How's your mental health doing? Or you're not letting the haters get to you? Are you be ready? That's all I gotta say. Two words, be ready?
Two words, be ready.
I'm glad you have a sense of humor about that. I felt like you were getting killed a little bit on online unfairly because you know that was the news at the time. Was it not? Can change?
Right?
Yeah?
Things did change and I was I was made people let me know about it, and uh, yeah, it's all in good fun. It's gotten a lot more attention to KSR plus, which is all I can ask for.
Uh, And that had to do with Donovan dent correct that was the new Mexico transfer that ended up not going to Kentucky and then he committed to was it Ucla?
Ucla? He stayed home, He's from that area.
To sum it up real quickly, Kentucky put in a good nil offer. Nobody thought Ucla would match. They ended up matching it, and the rest is history.
Well, you know, I think it feels like Big Blue Nations started to panic a little bit when the UAB transfer. Is it Yaxel, Yaxel Lendenburgh. Lendenburgh did not pick the Cats to commit. He actually ended up going to Michigan with Dusty May. That was I felt like somebody that Kentucky was a front runner for Jacob. What happened there?
Yeah, that was one that Kentucky was right in the mix the whole way. It was one that we knew from the second he entered the portal it was gonna be a quick recruitment.
And I put up on KSR plus.
I think the day before that, I was told Kentucky was in a good spot. They had a position, they had the chance to make up ground, but they were not the favorite. Michigan ended up pulling that out, and that may be for the best because he will probably be the highest paid player in the entire transfer portal.
I've also heard is somebody that's a candidate to stay in the NBA draft if he hears the right things. And if you were to get a commitment from a guy that would just end up leaving you the same offseason, that would set you back, wouldn't it.
Yeah, I think that it would be a much worse reaction from Big Blue Nation had Kentucky gotten the commitment there and he stayed in the draft, rather than just losing him to Michigan. And maybe Kentucky fans will be able to laugh at Michigan in a few weeks if he stays in the draft.
Well, Michigan had a little bit of a resurgence with Dusty May. We'll see if they can continue that. One name that they had already gotten in the transfer portal maybe a week or so ago, was Cam Williams. Can Entucky actually brought this guy in while they still had games to play, And that's just I guess recruiting nowadays is that you've got to start recruiting your roster before your season is even over. A lot of times, but
Cam Williams comes from Tulane. I believe Jacob, and tell me what Kentucky's gonna get with this guy.
Yeah, he can play the two, he can play the three. This is a commitment that I think really surprised Kentucky because they were obviously recruiting him, but I don't think they were pushing too hard for a commitment yet when he gave them a call and said he wanted to head to Kentucky, and that just starts off your transfer portal class in a really nice fashion. A guy with NBA potential, His stats might not jump off the page
to you. Nine point three points a game, four point five rebounds, but he's really got a high, high ceiling.
Yeah. Absolutely, somebody that's tall and can shoot a three is going to be welcome on any basketball team, I think, Jacob. But that's a guy that's a little bit more athletic than maybe we've seen in this last transfer port class.
Yeah, I think he compliments otega Ver.
Well, he's a good shooter, but he's also athletic, can get to the rim. He can do everything you want in that kind of hybrid wing two three spot, So he can fit alongside a lot of guys, and I think that it's a good first commitment to have because people will want to play with him.
M well, that's good. Another one of those guys that is going to play with him is new point guard commit Jalen Lowe. He comes from Pitt. He was All ACC third team over the season. Not the best three point shooter, Jacob, but what is Kentucky getting with this guy?
Yeah, you're getting a guy that's really good at getting to the rim. He's not a great three point shooter, as you mentioned, but it's funny. I got a text from a friend who's a pit beat writer right after the commitment and he texted me and he said, he is going to be so laughably good there, I cannot wait.
So the pit people have hold him in very high regard, and I think that he's going to step in be that point guard one and then you've got kayten Lewis and Jasper Johnson also to help compliment him.
So somebody that didn't have a lot of talent around him and could benefit from some shooters being able to space the floor and let him do a little bit more of what he is successful at.
Right Absolutely like You see the thirty seven percent from the field, and it might alarm you a little bit, but he won't be asked to shoot the ball nearly as much as he did at Pitt last year.
That's thirty seven percent from three.
Correct, No, that is actually thirty seven percent from the field, twenty six percent twenty six point six percent, so he can round that up to twenty seven percent from three.
How is he turning over the ball?
I mean?
Is he a I mean somebody that can take care of the ball. Is it somebody he's had issues in the past? Like, tell me why Mark Pope in Kentucky is so high on this guy? Or is was it or was this somebody that they just had to adjust to get after they didn't get somebody they wanted.
Yeah, he had three turnovers a game last year, which is not great, But like I said, he his usage was just so high that he had the ball in his hands the entire game. And whenever you have that, you're you're bound to turn over the ball. And if
you're not a knockdown shooter, your percentages might struggle. But we saw what happened with Lamont Butler last season when he went from being a guy that you don't expect to knock down shots to be in A pretty competent shooter for the point guard position.
Average sixteen point eight points a game, five point five assists, four point two rebounds, one point eight steals in thirty five minutes. As a sophomore he comes in will have two years of eligibility remaining as well, so somebody that can learn Pope's system. I'm a little worried about the three, but you don't have to be the best three point shooter if you're the point guard, right Jacob.
Yeah, and he shot.
He attempted fourteen shots a game last season. He's not gonna do anything near that Kentucky, which will allow him to be a lot more efficient.
And also had his best performances versus Louisville, I believe. I think in the two games that he's played versus Louisville, I think he's scored over twenty points in each game. So if he's got even an ounce of a Lamont Butler in him, the thirty three points versus the Cards, and just the defensive intensity that he had all year, then he can be a great fit. The six foot three point guard from Pitt Jalen Lowe being the newest edition.
So just a couple of minutes left. I want to talk about what's next for Kentucky and the transfer portal. But what do you think about the fit of Kerr Krisa going to Cincinnati over the weekend, Jacob.
I think it's a good fit. I think it's very exciting. The thing that a lot of people don't realize with Kerr is I know he put in his Instagram post when he committed that this is his last year, but there's actually a path for him to return for another year next season because of a suspension he had at West Virginia. I don't want to get into the details, but he really could be in college for two more seasons, which is pretty insane to me.
That's incredible. He's already on his fourth different team.
I believe maybe a fifth next year. We'll see.
I mean, that guy is just embodying the new transferportal era and what it's going to be like more and more for these kids. One more before we take the break. Big Z on the way to Illinois to team up with his brother and Orlando Antique, who I believe is still on the coaching staff there.
Yeah, it's a.
Familiar face, gets to see his brother. I'm just his poor stomach is gonna have to adjust to a different cuisine.
Now, yeah, he'll he'll have to avoid some of that that food a little bit further away in Chicago.
But he's not getting a dog off the street. I don't think he's got a strong enough stomach for it.
Jacob.
That might cause some trouble for Illinois, but it will be fun to see him playing with his brother.
All Right, we're gonna take a break with with Jacob polo Check this morning here on the KOSR pre Show. All right, welcome back. It is the KOSR Pre Show rolling here on a Monday. It's Billy Rutledge and Jacob polo Check. You can find him on Twitter. Is it at Jacob polo Check at Polo Check ks polo Check KSR writes for KSR dot Com and KSR Plus. With all the recruiting and transfer portal scoop, people not really sold on this pit point guard coming to Kentucky. Here
is some responses. One person online on Twitter, Brian says, I don't understand the recruitment. I feel Pope took him in desperation. Another person on the text line says Jacob trying to sugarcoat it. Standards at UK now are third team All ACC players terrible acc at that Jacob, was there any sense of desperation with UK signing this guy or is this somebody that they think feels that they can fit their scheme.
Yeah, I'm not gonna come here and say that he was their first choice. I think we all know that they wanted Donovan Dent. They were going after Silas Demri from Georgia, so he wasn't their number one choice. But I think after missing on your top guys, it's hard to do better than a third team All ACC guy out of the portal that averaged almost seventeen points a game. I think that under Mark Pope he could be a really, really good player.
Do you think he brings more than maybe kerkkrisa who was already in house or is that you know, motivations are different, right, Maybe Kerr wants more guaranteed starting time or whatnot. But do you feel like low can bring a lot that maybe Kerr did not? Yeah?
Absolutely, I think that Lowe going to be brought in to be your point guard one while Kayden Lewis is getting used to the college game.
I don't think Kerr.
I don't think anybody would have been too excited to have Kerk Crisa as Kentucky's point guard one next season, as much as some fans might have loved him.
So you bring oh Way back hopefully, I think that's the that's the biggest hope of this transfer portal time. Garrison another guy that I think you try to pencil in for him to come back unless you bring in a bunch of other bigs. And then you have Chandler Noah Perry, you also have freshman like Johnson Lewis and Moreno we talked about Cam Williams coming for Tulane. What does Kentucky do next in the transfer portal, Jacob.
Yeah, I think they've got their their eyes set on a few guys. The first guy I'll mention is Alvarro Faulgarris from Robert Morris, who I believe is still currently in Spain, so that one's moving a little bit slowly, but they seem to be very well positioned there. Power forward who can hit threes forty one percent from three. I think he's six ten or something around that mark. So if you can have a six ten big that's
hit in threes. That would be really good. And then you got a few other guys like Wesley Yates from USC that they're going after. You got Jaron Pierre from Jacksonville State and those are and then you got Mohammed Diabate from Alabama, who will see how serious the interest is.
Well love him? Yeah, I mean he killed Kentucky, didn't He was the.
Reason that otego Away had lost his ten point streak because he was defending him most of that gay So Kentucky fan should be very familiar with him.
You mentioned a name, Wesley Yates. That's the guy that was at Washington at one point, then was at USC looking for his third school, but was an AAU teammate of one of Kentucky's newest commits.
Is that right?
I think he was if I remember that right? I believe that was with Jalen Low.
Yeah, actually Jalen Low and Cam Williams is if what I'm reading is correct. And was also spent time in the past with UK assistant Alvin Brooks. So somebody that's familiar with a lot of faces on the roster already. So maybe somebody that you know they're texting or tweeting or sharing their Instagram posts. Jacob, it's a weird thing to cover. Talk to me a little bit about covering, recruiting and the transfer portal. I mean, these guys can
change their mind at the very last minute. It kind of drives you crazy, doesn't huh.
It definitely drives you crazy.
I try to stay away from the who's following who on Instagram because that can get a little blown out of proportion. I feel like every day I'm seeing a new Twitter post of oh my god, ex Kentucky Target followed why Kentucky Target on Instagram, and then the guy ends up going to Memphis or something not related anywhere close. So I try to stay away from that. But Wesley Yates is probably the best player that Kentucky is going after right now.
How do you think these conversations are going. I mean, Mark Pope is getting on his private jet and flying to meet guys overnight. I mean they're constantly on the phone. Do you think their prom seeing playing time millions of dollars? You know? Do you think these kids are starting with small talk before they get into the the big numbers? Jacob, I mean, I just I want a little insight on how do you think that these coaches are conversating with players in the transfer portal nowadays?
Well, it seems like you're having a lot of assistance reach out. First, set up an initial call if they like them, set up a zoom call with the whole staff, okay, and then they can start getting into this is how we see you in our system. And also obviously the money talk of this is what we want to offer you an nil But yeah, I think that it's kind of a slow route to get there to the nil point. I think that's once you really know this is our guy, this is a guy we want, and let's go lock him down.
How do you see this change in over the next couple of years or so? You know, this week is when we could be seeing that settlement in in in the court case. That could you know, make it so like you have a set amount of money to share with your athletic department. So I mean, and this is all it's all been in the wild West over the last couple of years. Do you think that this is going to be much more organized? Maybe a year or two from now.
It can't get any less organized.
So that's true, that's true, it could not get less organized. But what are some changes that you maybe see coming in the next couple of years. Yeah, sot, Right now, what you're seeing is a lot of teams want to unload that collective nil money, locking down players, getting them committed early before this house settlement where most of most collective nil, the regular nil deals that we know today,
we'll all have to go through a clearinghouse. But then there's going to be the revenue share aspect, where basically teams will have a certain amount of money to split amongst their players. You have a fifteen roster scholarship a roster limit fifteen players, so a lot of people see that as an increase, but you still have walk ons, and coaches will want to keep walk on so they don't have to pay their collective revenue or their revenue share among fifteen players.
They can only do that among twelve players. A player could get more money.
Ah, so the less players that you have, the more money you could offer to the players that you do have.
Exactly, and a lot of times walk ons won't be getting that revenue share, or at least getting a very small chunk of it.
That's interesting because I mean cal could pay his team and his players a lot more per player. If there were limits, then maybe somebody that had more players on the bench and you fill out that fifteen. But then you have the luxury of depth. So that's an interesting point, you know. Speaking of NIL deals, I saw a Mari Williams finally got that weeed a big steal. Did you see that over the weekend? I believe it was perfect. That's what nil deals are for. Right then they waited
way too long for that. I don't know if there were some international things that they needed to do, but you know this nil it's just completely changed the way kids look at schools, right It's like what opportunities and how much money can I make before you even talk about starting time or even playing for the school. So we've seen that change the landscape over the last couple of years.
Yes, sometimes Nio will put a team, put their foot in the door and give give them a chance at landing a guy, and sometimes it could be the deciding factor. I'm not here to say that it's always the deciding factor, but when you're a top transfer and you're deciding between two schools that you like, a difference maker could be nio.
Now, tell me about KSR plus. What is it that you guys offer on there that you know maybe listeners of this show would be interested in.
Well, so I'm writing three stories a day on KSR plus. We got Adam Luckett from KSR who writes a story on there every once in a while. But really the main selling point of KSR plus is the message board. I'm on there almost all day. All of the KSR staff is on there interacting with people. It's a lot of fun. And we're giving hour by hour updates on the transfer portal right now because it's nuts.
Now do we have people losing their mind on the message boards? Because that I think is the appeal of message boards is some of these hot takes after or a UK loss or a UK recruiting loss. Jacob is, does that still remain on these message boards? Because that was my favorite part of the old school message board.
Jase, it still remains, And unfortunately for me and fortunately for a lot of other people, I have to moderate that so we make sure that it doesn't get too toxic of after a loss that people aren't people can vent their frustrations, but we limit it to a point so that it's not absolutely nuts.
See when I have a bad hair day and somebody posts my picture online, I can just not look at the mentions. You're telling me, you've got to go through the mansions. I've got to go through the moderate them.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's not a job for the faint of heart, especially if you're in this business of reporting information and it changing by the hour.
Jacob.
If I could survive moderating the message board after the Oakland loss, I can survive anything.
Was that a bad one?
That was as worse as I've seen it?
Well, I was, you know, hosting a morning show the morning after the losses of Saint Peter's and Oakland, So I understand that to a degree. I actually hosted the Leach Report the morning after the Saint Peter's loss, So it was like, I was very you know, professional and my journalism one oh one hat for the Leech Report, and then I came on on the pre show and I was like, what was that? Are you kidding me? But you were probably in Kansas still, Jacob.
Yeah, I was not covering Kentucky in yours.
Ruby reds slippers, not even worrying about the cats.
No, but the Oakland loss. I was certainly worried that one was a bad one.
Hey, we saw a huge collapse over the weekend Duke falling to Houston, and I talked about it being historic. Here was one of those historic stats. Duke is the only team to lose an NCAA tournament game with a higher field goal percentage, more free throw attempts, more assist, fewer turnovers, and more steals than their opponent. The teams were three hundred and thirty five and zero prior to
Houston's win. I mean Duke dominated that game well, is that they led by fourteen points with about eight minutes to go and then just a collapsed by the Blue Devils.
Yeah. I think I saw one of the big.
Twitter Twitter accounts posting that Duke was undefeated after under Shire with a ten point lead, and I had to think back, didn't they have a ten point lead over Kentucky earlier this year?
I don't think that's nine. It was.
Duke's lead was nine over Kentucky. Kentucky came back. Duke was seventy nine and zero under Shire in games where they led by at least ten points at any time, So not only the halftime lead that they had but ten points at any time, so.
I stand corrected then I thought I thought they led by more than ten against Kentucky.
That's surprising.
Talk about disappointing if you're Duke. I mean an all time roster, a Cooper flag esque and they don't get it done. Houston and Florida tonight at eight fifty pm. Who you got, Jacob Before we move on, I'm gonna stick with the SEC, gonna go Florida.
I'll be rooting for Houston. I think that would be a better story.
But if I'm making my pay, the SEC has been so good this year, it's only right that you get an SEC champions.
Yeah, I'm gonna go Florida two. And you know Walter Clayton Man, he's got is shades of Kemball Walker. Maybe it was just these these amazing guards and that can make plays that make your jaw drop. He has definitely done that several times in a team that Kentucky beat earlier this year. A five nine two eight oh two
two eight seven. If you'd like to join the show, Texas at five o two two six five six six five six, We're gonna take a break here when we come back for our final segment, it'll be Billy and Jacob getting ready to hand it off to Drew Franklin, who is going to be hosting KSR this week. We've got a couple of news tidbits from over the weekend and we'll we'll talk more Transfer Portal with Jacob, because that is his job, it's his life, it's his busy season right now. And I won't make Jacob eat this
twinkie in the studio. We'll save that for Shannon when he comes back. It's Jacob and Billy here on this Monday edition of the ksrpre Show. We'll be right back our final segment here on the KSR Pre Show. Billy Rutledge, big thank you. Jacob Poulachick, who joined us, does a great job on KSR plus. We were talking about a little bit about his process during the break and Jacob, you do a lot of cold calling. You just got to call people. Is that how you get people on the phone.
That's how people pick up Once you let him know you're a reporter, it's it's hard to get him on the phone.
So it's not like DMS or anything like that. You're picking up the phone in calling people.
Sometimes it's DMS, sometimes it's texting, but during transfer portal season it's mainly cold calling.
Well, I told you during the break I would not want to do your job.
I do not envy you.
People seem to get mad at you for the recruiting news that comes out and not just how the landscape works. It's like you did it, Jacob. Somebody. They got to get mad at somebody, so it might as well be you. Right, don't kill the messenger. I am not recruiting any of these players. Hey, well, as long as you get me a two words be ready T shirt. When you start making them.
I'll get you on. We're gonna start making.
Those, okay.
I like them good. I like how you're leaning into it, kind of lean into it as much as I can.
Drew Franklin is going to be hosting KSR all week this week, and he's he's jumping on right before the big show today. What's up, Drew?
How were we doing fellas hop in warm up the vocal cords a little bit?
Yeah?
Are you ready to go? You got your you know, Matt normally has his ten topics? Do you have your ten topics?
I got some topics, you know, I'm as ready as I'm gonna get. We'll just we'll hit, we'll hit, go on the machine there in front of you at ten oh three and see what happens. But I'm looking forward to it.
Well, we've got the National Championship, those final four games to recap. But selfishly, Drew, I'm looking forward to a little master's talk. Me and you love our golf. We got to play Valhalla last year together. That was a lot of fun.
As the last time I golfed, is that the last time you got much anymore? I miss it?
Well, we've got the Lexington Golf Scramble coming up, getting loose, so Drew, hopefully we'll have a team and be ready to go then. But Corey Price is going to be joining you later today, is that right?
He is? He brought donuts. That's awesome. You know, Kentucky's not in the championship unfortunately tonight's game. So I thought we would use today as to learn about the championships. You know, we all remember twenty twelve, most of us remember ninety six, ninety eight, but we'll go way back, start at the beginning and just you know, teach the listeners about the eight seasons Kentucky have done. As we get ready for a ninth next year.
I had to look up a couple of notes from the championships, so just so I don't embarrass myself with any Reggie Hansen facts on the show later today. So the old Vernon Hatton's and the.
Yeah, I did my own homework. It's not like I remember a lot about nineteen fifty one.
No, missed most of that.
But that's why we do show prep. We learned so we can educate the listeners. But it'll be fun.
Yes, absolutely well five O two two sixty five six six five six if you'd like to text me today or at any point later today, as Matt and Ryan have taken the text lines with them. You know, we did get some news about an opponent on Kentucky's schedule. Kentucky will take on Bellerman in December in the upcoming season. It is not Scotty Davenport. It will be his son, Doug Davenport. But Jacob, I always like Kentucky plays in state schools. I'm gonna be the one that screams about
Western Kentucky. I'll hit you with my class ring here if you say anything bad about it. But good to see Bellerman on the schedule.
Yeah.
I think that drives a lot of people to want to go see these games when you have them in state, nothing more exciting.
Yeah, just bring in Western, bring in Eastern Drew. I mean they've got so many of these what is it BBN Invitational games? We got to get through. I mean, come on, let's bring in the end state school. So I liked seeing that Doug Davenport will be coming in with Bellermant.
Yeah, if Ryan we're here, he would say, poop State. You know, he always says that anytime you're ask him about the schedule. But you got to play somebody there, And I like that they keep it in the Bluegrass. You know, Beller rooms here a few years ago with Scotty Davenport. Now we'll take the younger Davenport. Heck, I wish we could add Murray. You had Western just last year. I mean, keep it going. It's fun playing the in state schools.
And Western tested you to the point where you knew that you had some issues defensively, right, So Western changed everything.
They figured out the recipe.
I think, So, I mean, I think you can look back. It wasn't the old miss game as the catalyst or duke or beating Gonzaga. It'll be the Western game. But Jacob just a couple of minutes left. You know, it was a fun first year for Mark Hope. I think many rose their letter grade for the year to an A after making the Sweet sixteen. Some may be a little bit more disappointed. Where did you land on a year one under Mark Pope?
I'll give him an A minus maybe even in a like he didn't go one and done in the SEC tournament and he made the Sweet sixteen. Those are the two things that I felt like he needed to do in year one, And it also helps that he beat a whole bunch of top twenty five teams.
Yeah, it just doesn't help. They lost to Arkansas, Jacob. That was the one game, wasn't it, Like it felt like that was the one that we said before that you do not lose at all costs, and then they end up losing it. But then maybe it helped that Caliperry did go on a Sweet sixteen run right after that.
Yeah, that Arkansas loss is probably the one thing that has me at an A minus instead of an A.
So in the fact that Drew's got to deal with his dad, the Tennessee Valls fan the entire time, and then losing in the NCAA tournament. Has he just been insufferable since? Or has it been nice to see that Houston has taken down Tennessee and Duke.
After Kentucky lost to Tennessee, it was not not a good day to be me. It wasn't just him. I have several Vall's friends. Unfortunately. I don't know why I let these people in my life. But by halftime on Sunday it got real quiet. On Saturday they were saying, Drew, enjoy your baseball season, and at halftime of the Houston game, I was getting welped. It's baseball season. So uh it was just a little over twenty four hours. I had to deal with deal with it.
Like good good. I don't know how Mike was able to turn coat like that, and you allowed that to happen, Drew. Is one of the bigger questions I'll ever have.
Me too, me too. You think you know somebody, then they just switching like the Tennessee Valls.
Well, Drew, thanks for hopping on with us here in this final Stey too excited for Drew Palooza excited for another two hours already with you. You're gonna kill it man.
Uh, the Drew Palloza, I feels like it adds a lot of pressure, like it's this big, grand event. I'm just hosting KSR like I've been on this show for over a decade, just doing what I do. But Drew Palouza adds a whole another elbum T shirts.
Now, this is this is.
It's added more than I than I expected. But it'll be fun.
Well, you did the game show a little earlier this year and we had a great time with that.
So also, people forget a host of a week last summer when Shannon and Ryan took their vacation at the same time again and you were a big helping that. So even though Matt build this is the first time we did this last.
Year, like you said, we'll keep clocking in. Yeah, we just keep showing up.
We'll keep showing up to work and paychecks.
Might not be that big, but we'll just keep.
Showing up the low end of the scale when it comes to the KSR paychecks. But yeah, you're exactly right, Jacob, big thank you to you for jumping in, not only with your coverage on KSR Plus, but joining me this morning. I know this is a really busy time for you, so I know you got to get back to the cold, Colin, but thank you for all that you do, and thanks for joining us this morning.
Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure, all right.
That is going to do it for us here on the KSR pre show our week without Shannon the Dude. We'll have more guests tomorrow and we'll talk more Kentucky sports for Jacob Polacheck. I'm Billy Rutledge. This has been the show before the show, and I'll talk to you in a bit with Drew on KSR