BBN Radio presented by Clark's Pump-n-Shop with Ricky Lumpkin, September 1st 2025

Join us for BBN Radio, presented by Clark’s Pump-n-Shop! We talk Kentucky Football with Ricky Lumpkin ahead of the SEC opener! Plus, David Kellum of Ole Miss Radio, gives us a scout on Ole Miss!

Episode Transcript

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Speaker 4 (00:13):
From the UK Sports Network. This is Clark's Pumpin' Shop,
Big Blue Nation Radio.

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Second for one bake, the turn got him. Game's over, Kentucky.

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Speaker 6 (00:40):
Two sixty three four.

Speaker 4 (00:44):
Kentucky, or tweet the show at UK Sports Network. For
the eighth time, Collins Best of All National Championship Trophy
is coming home to Kentucky. Now your host Taron Hendrick.

Speaker 5 (00:57):
It's the sec opener for Kentucky all this weekend as
they welcome Lane Kiffin's Old Miss Rebels into town at
Kroger Field. It's a three thirty kick on Saturday. Our
Jack Burford Chevrolet Countdown to kick Off begins at one
thirty to talk about the matchup with the Rebels. Tonight
will be joined by new UK Sports Network analyst and

(01:19):
former d lineman Ricky Lumpkin. We'll also chat with the
voice of the Rebels David Kellum to get the old
miss side of things, and we'll wrap up tonight's show
with a feature on quarterback Zach cal Zada. This past weekend,
not only was football in action, but there was a
big volleyball match down in Nashville, as number seven Kentucky

(01:41):
took on number one Nebraska inside Bridgestone Arena and it
was an excellent match. Fortunately, Kentucky came up short in
five sets. They won the first two twenty six, twenty
four and twenty five to twenty, but the corner Huskers
rallied to win the final three sets to take the match.
Kentucky is now one and one on the season through

(02:02):
the opening weekend. They also beat Lipscomb on Saturday. The
Cats will have a couple of days off before traveling
up to State College, Pennsylvania. They'll take on number two
penn State Friday night in State College. That's an eight
o'clock first serve on Fox. As UK continues its non
conference run, they'll play all four of the NCAA Final

(02:24):
four teams from a season ago. So they just played
number one Nebraska. They've got number two Penn State on
the road this coming Friday, but we'll switch things back
over to football when we come back. We'll be joined
by UK Network Analyst Ricky Lumpkin. You're listening to BBN
Radio presented by Clark's Puppet Shop. This is the UK
Sports Network.

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Speaker 5 (05:56):
Welcome back into BBN Radio, presented by Clark's Puppin Shop.
Is the Wildcats get set to take on the Old
Miss Rebels Saturday at three point thirty from Kroger Field.
Our airtime on the UK Sports Network begins at one
thirty with the Jack Burford Chevrolet countingdown to kick off.
And we've got a new member on the pregame show

(06:17):
this year, joining Christy Thomas and Logan Stenberg. He's former
Kentucky D lineman and NFL D lineman, Ricky Lumpkin, and
he's on with us now to talk about what he
saw in that season opener against Toledo and also look
forward to the Old Miss game. Ricky, we appreciate you
joining us and let me be the next one in
line to welcome you to our UK Sports Network team.

Speaker 16 (06:41):
Oh man, I appreciate it so much. It's a lot
of fun. It was a great atmosphere. It was fun
to be there. We're working with Logan and Christian, the
entire crew, even the guys and the girls behind the scenes.
You know, you get a different perspective of it, and
you see the passion that's put into it. And it's amazing.

Speaker 5 (06:58):
You've played in some big games, James, we talked about
you've been in the NFL and all that. How nervous
were you to do your first pregame show with Christie
and Logan.

Speaker 16 (07:08):
It was just like being a freshman again, right, Like
I wasn't overall nervous nervous. It was like, Okay, I
just got to get the first play out the way.
Let's just get the first playout the way. My wife said,
I found the nervous at first, and then she said
you settled in and I was like, yeah, I just
had to get that first hit, get that first hit,
that first segment. Then it's like, okay, we're good, we're rolling,
We're good. Let's figure this out. And then you get

(07:28):
in the groove. It's like playing a football game. Once
you get gone, I'm gonna be nervous before every single show,
just that first play like I was when I played football.

Speaker 5 (07:36):
There you go. I would also imagine it was easier
or made easier because you and Logan know each other
so well.

Speaker 16 (07:44):
Right, Oh, yes, this made it so much easier because
I've known him since he was a sophomore in college
when I first got back here as a football counselor,
and working with him for three years, and then seeing
how much he's grown as a person individual and now Dad,
It's made it a lot easier because there's something that
I'm looking at that I've known for so long.

Speaker 5 (08:05):
We're chatting with Freaky Lumpkin, the newest member of the
UK Sports Network. So let's talk about what we saw
on the football field inside Kroger Field this past Saturday
against Toledo. Let's start on the defensive side of the ball,
your first love. I thought Kentucky's defense really disrupted Toledo
all afternoon, especially when you take away that ninety five

(08:27):
yard touchdown drive late in the game. But overall, I
thought Kentucky did a great job of containing their quarterback
and being disruptive.

Speaker 16 (08:34):
Oh, they did an amazing job. Man. You look at
Steven Sole's two sacks. He showed up. He showed that
motor that he has, that quick twitch to get around
the edge, and he's a person you can look at
making plays this season along with Alex Afari of course,
flying around, living in the backfield. He made that big
stop on the fourth down down there by the goal line.
You know, the defensive line showed up physical upfront, just

(08:56):
like we talked about in the pregame show, Humphrey Gray,
like they were there, Khalil, Josiah Jerrod Smith. You saw
a whole bunch of guys showing up. And that's what
you want to see in that first game, that domination
by that defense and the defensive backs flying around, getting
that early interception, and a lot of it was with
that pressure from the linebacker's defensive line getting in the face,

(09:18):
the blitches that coach White dialed up to stunts the games.
They were on top of a quarterback that was on
every preseason watch this you could be on and they
made him look really mediocre throughout the game. And I
was really proud of that defense.

Speaker 5 (09:32):
Yeah, no question about it. And you mentioned Alex Safari.
What a great story. I know he's drawing some attention
in terms of the NFL draft. He had thirteen tackles
to lead the way for Kentucky, and like I say,
with the attention he's getting for the NFL, what a
fantastic story. He's been watching him grow and develop and

(09:53):
now he's, like you mentioned, a star disruptor on this team.

Speaker 16 (09:57):
Man, it's amazing, amazing story. And when you see the film,
he sees green space and when I say that, it's
that hole opens up and he shoots it. Man, he
shoots the B gap. He's shooting the A gap and
he's living in the backfield as soon as ago. There's
no stutter step, and he sees the ball, he goes
and his awareness and the way he tackles is amazing.
And speaking of tackling, they did a great job of tackling.

(10:19):
In my opinion, there wasn't really many miss tackles that
we saw last year. Yeah, some people say, oh, they
got the shoe string tackle. A tackle is a tackle,
you got them down.

Speaker 15 (10:27):
That's right.

Speaker 16 (10:29):
You didn't see a lot of mistackles. They were getting
guys down. There wasn't a lot of yards after Cats,
especially early on. You did just see a lot of
broken tackles. They were flying around. And there's one thing
I can say about this group is you're not doubting
their effort. They are moving and they are playing for football.

Speaker 5 (10:45):
You also mentioned Steven soles, Ricky, What do you like
most about him when you turn on the film and
watch him through your eyes where you're seeing footwork and
hands and all that, what do you like most about
souls and his ability?

Speaker 16 (11:00):
Natural just natural twitch. He's just going, man, his engine
is NonStop. And knowing him as a person and as
a kid, that's how he is outside the field, he
just he goes like he's all in, great personality, a
great kid, and he just likes he loves the ball right,
and you can see it on the field. He just goes.

(11:20):
His technique can still be refined right and still can improve.
He's a baby still out there on the football field
in terms of experience. But when you look at that
first game him getting his first action, you just see
him pop on the tape with his speed right, he
can bend right, he gets some moves down pack, he
gets a little more confidence. He's going to be a problem.
It's something that you know, we've been wanting, We've been

(11:43):
needing for a bit, probably since Jordan Wright left, in
terms of someone that's going to really show up consistently
and make a presence. We had guys show up, but
wasn't as consistent he can be a guy that can
do it.

Speaker 5 (11:55):
Kentucky, You don't miss on Saturdays, presented by Coca Cola
Tastes the Field. We're chatting with Ricky Lumpkin here on
BBING Radio presented by Clark's Pumping Shop. Overall, with the
defense obviously happy, don't like the fact they gave up
that ninety five yard drive at the end of the game,
but overall, fifty minutes of shutout ball against the quality

(12:17):
quarterback and offense for Toledo. Now the step up is
Old Miss this weekend, Lane Kiffin's going to come in here.
You know, he's going to scheme receivers and tight ends
and running backs. But he also has a new quarterback.
So having said all that, Ricky, what are some things
you would like to see this defense maybe improve upon

(12:37):
or clean up? Nailed down as you I mean, there's
no easing into the sec. We're diving right into the
deep end with Old Miss coming in here.

Speaker 16 (12:46):
I think the main thing proven upon it is, you know,
a little mental errors here and there, right, you have
some in every game. No game is perfect. You know,
Toledo they're going to look at the film, They're going
to see what their mistakes made to where if pressure
didn't get there, that ball might have been completed to
a receiver that was open. And you're gonna fix that.
You're going to dive that in because when you look
at the old Miss tape initially that their new quarterback,

(13:07):
he trust his arm. He's going to throw it, and
it's Lane Kiffin's offense. He can place it in places.
But at the same time, he's going to be able
to throw it to you, right, And I want to
see them continue to be aggressive upfront to stop Lane
Kiff and everyone knows they're going to play fast. Right,
to stop someone playing fast, you hit them in the
mouth and you make them play slow. If they get
a first down, they're gonna sprint, tell the line of

(13:27):
screams like they did last year against us down that
old miss and they're gonna play really quick, hoping, hoping
you make a mistake because you're discombobulated trying to get
the play in. So you want to see him continue
to play fast, wrap up tackles, get in their face.
Because when they played was at Georgia Southern, I believe
they were they were all over the quarterback Georgia State.
They were all over them. Right, there was a They

(13:48):
got plenty of pressures getting in the backfield with stunts
and blitches and cause a couple of interceptions due to it.
And I believe we can do the same thing. Right
seeing that is going to be the key, because you
know Lane Kiff is going to come in here, especially
after losing to us last year. He's gonna try to
put as many points on the border as he can.
He's like Steve Spurrier. He's gonna keep trying to score
a longso's time on the clock. He is not gonna care.

Speaker 15 (14:09):
Yeah, that's right.

Speaker 5 (14:10):
And I was particularly impressed going back to last year
where Kentucky upset Old Miss down in Oxford, Kentucky for
sixty minutes. Ricky, they were the more physical team against
Ole Miss. That's what they're gonna have to do again
this weekend. And I think that's where I liked so
much how physical the team looked against Toledo, because you're

(14:33):
gonna have to be physical against Ole Miss if you
want to have success and get them off the field.

Speaker 16 (14:39):
Yes, you have to be physical. You have to him
in the mouth and you're gonna get punched, right, But
the thing isn't in any football game, when you get punched,
what are you gonna do? You're gonna get, you gonna
you gotta respond. And I think that was the most
disheartening part in a Toledo game, right we punched him
in the mouth right when we really opened it up
off that long touchdown run, and then and then we
received the punch right back and they scored a testdown

(15:01):
Like ooh, I wish we just would have kept them down.
But you know the guy who are looking at that
on film, the coaches are harping on that this week, saying, hey,
we can't do that this week. If we punched them,
we got to be able to guard up and retaliate
and continue to punch them in the mouth on defense
to let them know that they're not getting back up
off the canvas.

Speaker 5 (15:18):
We've got to take a quick time out here on
bb AND Radio presented by Clark's Pumping Shop. But we'll
have more with Ricky Lumpkin on the other side. This
is the UK Sports Network BBN Game Day.

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UK Sports Network. We're chatting with Ricky Lumpkin here on

(20:21):
BBN Radio, presented by Clark's Pumping Shop and Ricky before
we go back to football real quick. I know part
of your day job is being an academic advisor for
the University of Kentucky. You work with the volleyball team,
and man, what a heartbreaker in Nashville yesterday against number
one Nebraska, but so proud of their effort. Being up

(20:41):
two sets to none with a chance to knock off
the number one team is part of a really difficult schedule.

Speaker 16 (20:48):
Man, I'm really proud of the girls, and I'm learning volleyball, don't.
I'm not going to there and act like I know
what was happening, but watching them and seeing their intensity
and being around them for the last going on eight
to nine months. Now, Man, you want to talk about
a group that head down works hard. Practice is hard
girls in the gym all the time. That group gets
after it. Coach Skinner, coach Meredith, coach Amayan, coach Kyle,

(21:12):
along with Christa Sanford and Katie Iersman, that entire group. Man,
they got something great and it's fun to watch. And
it sucks because I know they put the hard work in,
but you know what, knowing how they work, they've already
back at it, looking at the film and getting ready
for next week. And like you said, they have a
tough schedule. They're not signed away from anybody they're playing.

(21:32):
I believe every team that made it to the final four. Yeah,
they've got and they're not running away from it.

Speaker 5 (21:37):
Yeah, you're right. They've got number two Pens State on
the road this Friday. So yeah, tough schedule, but it's
also fun and to see how that sport has grown
and the way coach Skinner has helped grow volleyball through
what he's done here at Kentucky, leading them to a
national title and all these SEC titles and now you're
seeing all these showcase events like the one against the yesterday.

(22:00):
So it's just fun to see the hard work paying
off and the way the sport's growing. And we wish
them the best against Penn State on Friday. But Ricky
going back to football now, big matchup against Ole Miss
to open SEC play this Saturday at Kroger Field should
be a fun atmosphere. They're looking for the blue white,

(22:21):
the blue on one side, the white on the other.
We're looking for a blue white game, great weather. Let's
talk a little bit about the other side. We don't
have Logan Stenberg with us, but that Kentucky offense, Let's
talk about them a little bit. What's going to be
a key imperative for them against Ole Miss to have
success on Saturday.

Speaker 16 (22:42):
The offensive line, the dolphinsive line, in my eyes, did
amazing things against Toledo, that big offensive line. You saw
the way we we ran the ball before the long
Test and run. I was up there watching with Logan
and looking at the stats, both running both our running
backs were averaging over four and a half of tot Like,
you can't complain about that one bit, right. The offensive

(23:03):
line was holding up in pass protection, they were opening holes.
You didn't see a lot of holding penalties, you didn't
see a lot of misalignments. They were fluid, man. I
mean that's something that puts your hat on you know.
That run game was strong, they were physical and they
were getting after that defensive line. And you're going to
have to do it again this week. Like you said earlier.
You know, we went down the Old Missing We were physical.

(23:24):
I believe on both sides of the ball. We have
to do that again, especially in the sec You go
as your lines go. Our lines are playing well, we'll
be fine.

Speaker 5 (23:33):
That's exactly right. And they've got a pair of outstanding tailbacks.
This should be a fun matchup really on the offensive
side of the ball. Old Miss is bringing in a
pair of terrific tailbacks and some home run threats. Kentucky
definitely has some home run threats in the backfield. Seth
mcgallan and how about Dante dal dale Man just exploding

(23:54):
for that seventy nine yard what appeared to be at
the time the knockout punch with that long run, and
it was amazing.

Speaker 16 (24:01):
You saw him hit that hole and he said his
eyes got big. He's like I gotta go. Yeah he
took off.

Speaker 5 (24:12):
Yeah, no doubt about it. Quarterback play always critical. Zach
Calzad has got another week to just continue to mesh
with his receivers. Old Miss is bringing in and I
think this will be a key one too. Old Miss
is bringing in a young quarterback in Austin Simmons, who
takes over for Jackson Dart. He's got a big time arm,
but he's young, Ricky, so that means this defense has

(24:35):
got to get after him and make him make some mistakes.
Georgia State was able to do that in the first
half against the Rebels last Saturday, exactly.

Speaker 16 (24:43):
And that's the thing, right when we talked earlier, just
getting the stunt to get into pressure. He struggled with
the pressure in his face. He started throwing it and
throwing it up a little bit. But you know, at
the same time, when there's not pressure, the kid made
some amazing throws like he was putting them in spots,
throwing receivers open. He's not afraid he's going to put
it in there. But at the same time, you saw
where he was throwing the ball to the defense where

(25:05):
he trusted a little too much, And that pressure makes
him think a little a little harder, right, And that's
what we need to do. Force him to make mistakes
as a young kid, and it's going to happen.

Speaker 5 (25:16):
One question that I had for you is we're getting
ready to open SEC play and I heard your conversation
with Dick Gabriel last week and he brought up something
that I thought was a fun topic, and that is
kind of take us through for those of us that
never experienced or played at that level. What it's like

(25:36):
to be on the defensive line against an SEC team,
an SEC offensive line. What's that like?

Speaker 16 (25:44):
It's fun, It's it's a game within a game. And
the best way explaining is Coach Petrie. Coach Petrie is
our defensive line coach.

Speaker 15 (25:54):
Love him to death.

Speaker 16 (25:54):
I still talk to him. He used to say this,
especially when we played Missipi State, right, and that was
a big cross you know, the winning we had, the
East West, all the cross sectional rivalries, that's who we
played every year, and it was the same for every
You better buckle it up, boys, Yeah, buckle it up
because you know what's coming, right, and there's no disrespect

(26:16):
to any you know, non power forward team or whatever,
but you know what's happening, and you're still buckle it
up for them. But when you're going into SEC play
and you're looking across and it's like, all right, here
we go, it's the season within the season, right, Yeah,
the miss everything is amplified even more. Right, you never
look past an opponent, but the same time, you know

(26:37):
who's coming next week and you're preparing for that moment.
But then when you get on that field and you
look at each other and you put your hands on
each other for that first time, and you and you
see who's sitting the tempo, it is gonna be one
of those days. Okay. Sometimes if you hit, if you
put your hands on the offensive line and he's strong,
you go, oh, all right, we're gonna be dancing today, boys, And.

Speaker 5 (27:07):
Yeah, that's great stuff. Ricky. We appreciate the time so much,
my friend, and thanks for being with us here on
the show. Should be a fun matchup Old Miss and Kentucky.
The last four games decided by three points or less,
so I would imagine this one will be very similar
in how it plays out on Saturday. But Ricky, thanks

(27:27):
so much for the time, and we look forward to
hearing you. Alongside Logan. We get the offense and defensive
perspectives with Christy Thomas, the host on our pregame show
beginning at one point thirty this Saturday.

Speaker 16 (27:39):
Thanks for the time, Bud, Thank you, no problem anytime.

Speaker 5 (27:42):
That's Ricky Lumpkin of the UK Sports Network. Coming up next,
we'll chat with David Kellum. He is the voice of
the old Miss Rebels. He'll give us the latest and
a good scouting report on Lane Kiffin's team, and then
we'll finish up the show with a feature on quarterback
Zach Calzada. That's all coming up on BBN Radio, presented
by Clark's Puppet Shop. And this is the UK Sports Network.

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Speaker 5 (31:13):
Welcome back into BBN Radio. We're presented by Clark's puppin
Shop and happy to have our friend with us on
the phone, although I don't know how friendly we can be.
This week is Old Miss and Kentucky play each other,
but it's the voice of the Rebels, David Kellum on
the line with us and David first of all, I
know Old Miss, like many of the other teams in
the SEC, trying to answer some questions early in the season.

(31:36):
Impressive win over Georgia State sixty three to seven. What
did coach Kiffin find out about his squad this past Saturday?

Speaker 26 (31:45):
Well, I think, you know, one of the keys was
trying to see as effective maybe on the defensive front,
and I know you think, well, DK's going defense first
with Lane Kiffen is an offensive minded coach. But you know,
last year we probably had our best quality depth we've
ever had on the defensive front, all those guys that

(32:07):
get the chance down the second level, and we lost
several of them with you know a handful of them back.
But the question was there's some really good pieces there.
Would they be good enough to get back to the
you know, level of play that we had a year ago,
and then we may not even have to be as
good as that was a year ago. But you look

(32:28):
at Avian Harris and William Eccles, Cam Franklin's going to
get his chance to shine this year too, to Mary's Brown,
and I think coming out of that game with Georgia State,
they had to feel pretty good about the penetration and
how well that group played up front.

Speaker 5 (32:45):
I know, similar to Kentucky looking at the box score,
old missus tight ends stood out with some catches and
how they were productive in the offense, very similar to
the way Kentucky used Theirs to chew up a majority
of their passing yards.

Speaker 26 (33:02):
Yeah, you know, the tight end position there seemed to
kind of disappear for their few years. Remember a thing
like nobody wanted to throw to them anymore, and all
of a sudden, how it's become, you know, a key position.
But Daikwan right is fantastic, transferred in here a couple
of years ago from Virginia Tech, and he's a great target,
runs well after making the catch he's done it with

(33:23):
a thousand yards receiving now and he's on the Mackie
watch list, and he really does give you know, a
young quarterback and Austin Simmons a target that's reliable, one
that you know, figures out a way to get open
a good bit, not necessarily having to make that seat
throw all the time. And right, I think poised to
have a fantastic year for us.

Speaker 5 (33:43):
You know, you mentioned Old Missus defensive line, and I
got to think, and Kentucky invested so much in their
offensive line in the off season, and I know Old
miss has replaced two or three spots on the offensive line,
and I kind of feel like we could sit here
all afternoon and talk about the skill players. But in
an old fashioned SEC game, that's where it's decided, Right,

(34:05):
it's going to be along the trenches, and who can
establish the line of scrimmage.

Speaker 26 (34:10):
Yeah, no doubt. And you know, you go back to
the game a year ago, and I know it's kind
of hard to even look at that game because both
teams have got a lot of portal transfers and your
team just changes so much now from year to year.
But I thought the physical nature of Kentucky a year
ago is what hurt Old Miss more than anything else.
In that game. We played four cupcakes, if you will.

(34:32):
Going into that game. And even though Kentucky did not
have a very good year in SEC play that particular day,
you might say, well, Old Miss was the better football
team at the end of the year, but on that day,
Kentucky was the better team and they had a you know,
a freak play that worked out, dropped it down the sidelines,
went on to win the game. But if you look
at the whole body of work in that contest, I

(34:53):
thought UK was very, very physical in that contest. And
if you play in our league, you gotta have some guys,
you know, upfront, and it all starts there, you know,
pressure on the quarterback and change game so much, and
when you've got the ability to win the line of scrimmage,
you know, more time than not, you're gonna win the game.

Speaker 5 (35:12):
We're chatting with David Kellum, the voice of the Old
Miss Rebels. It's a three point thirty eastern kickoff at
Kroger Field this Saturday between the Cats and the Rebels,
and dk I might have buried the lead because both
teams have new quarterbacks. Zach Calzada, a veteran of the
SEC starting for Kentucky but also Old Miss coming into
this season, had to replace Jackson Dart. So how did Simmons,

(35:36):
their new quarterback fair against Georgia State on Saturday.

Speaker 26 (35:40):
I think he played pretty good. He had a couple
of interceptions early there, but one of them he got
hit in the backfield, was not necessarily his fault. I
think because of the lack of experience, we're going to
have to live with a little bit of that from
Austin Simmons. I don't think he'll shoulder the load as
the season progresses as much as jack and Dart did.
I mean, Jackson's played every snap and it was a

(36:01):
fantastic quarterback for us now with the Giants. But Trindad Chambliss,
who is transferred from Grand Rapids Michigans at Fair State,
put up some really big numbers for them, played a
pretty good bit in the contest too, and he's probably
a better runner than Austin and so we'll see him
in the mix somewhat. But Austin Simmons got a fantastic arm,

(36:23):
arguably a better arm than even Jackson dart head. He
can really sling it. You know, two years ago on
the our baseball team and hit the mid nineties left
handed pitcher, hurt his elbow and all but very poised.
He's just crazy mature for his age, Darren. It's amazing.
He comes in here as a seventeen year old, had
pretty much the first semester under his belt from high school,

(36:47):
attend taking to college credit courses, you know, and so
he's working on his masters and he hadn't done a
starting quarterback yet for us. I mean, it's just crazy
how well he's done academically. I was picking him the
other day. Well, I guess you know you hang around
you here with us again. Next year we're going to
start calling you doctor Simmons. You know. But he's very

(37:07):
very gisted. It makes all the throws just so, the deep,
all the very accurate as well. It's just a matter
of getting some experience for him.

Speaker 5 (37:15):
In terms of skill players, it sounded like coach Kiffin
was very pleased with his running backs, but also out
of that wide receiver group. I noticed you have a wallace,
and I feel like every time I sit down to
read about Old Miss football, there is a wallace that's
a playmaker somewhere on that roster.

Speaker 16 (37:35):
That is kind of strange.

Speaker 26 (37:36):
I don't thought about it that way. And they're not
even related.

Speaker 16 (37:39):
Right, right, we go find this old Wallace.

Speaker 26 (37:42):
I don't know, maybe it's the MO for Old miss
but yeah, Harrison Wallace has come in from Penn State,
which is you know, in this world of transfer portal deal.
He's from Montgomery, Alabama, went to Penn State. He had
a touchdown catch against US in the Peach Bowl in
twenty three, and now he's playing for US. You know,
it's just amazing how these guys move around. And then

(38:04):
you mentioned running back, but Keiwan Lacey was at Missou.
We finished kind of second on him and recruiting the
first time around, and then he gets in the portal
and now he is at Old Men's and put together
some really really good numbers against Georgia's. Stated had sixteen
carries one hundred and eight yards and scored three touchdowns.
Had a long run of I think forty something forty
two in that game as well. So yeah, there are

(38:27):
some new pieces in the portal for us that fared
well in game number one. But you know, Lane kind
of got ahead of the curve with the portal deal.
As soon as it was announced, this is the way
it's going to be. I mean, I think he's scared
our fan base to death because he even said on
our Coaches Show with about two weeks before the portal

(38:47):
stuff started, we're going to hold half of our scholarships
for portal players. And our fan base went nuts. And
so we signed, you know, about half a class of
high school kids, and we were like twenty fifth in
the league the organization as far as recruiting goes, Our
fans are going nut. Then we pulled the portal pieces in.
We jumped to like two or three until it was
almost like, oh okay. But it took our fans. Thanks.

(39:08):
I'm sure everywhere in college football a little time to
get accustomed to how important it is to be successful
in the portal.

Speaker 5 (39:16):
Yeah, and that's definitely something that's we've seen it on
our end in baseball as well, and in Kentucky football
is really leaned into the portal to rebuild their offensive
line going into this year. As we chat with David Kellum,
the voice of the Old Miss Rebels, and uh, you
look at the schedule in the history of this football series,

(39:36):
DK and the one thing that stands out, I believe
it's the last four meetings have been decided by basically
three points or less. So looking for another competitive game
out of these two teams. Is it's been a close
series over the years.

Speaker 26 (39:53):
Yeah, no doubt, we've had them outstanding games in this series,
especially in recent years. And you know, the loss of
last year by Old Miss two Kentucky kept the Rebels
behind Ape all the whole year, probably cost us the
opportunity to be in the playoffs by the end of
the year. I mean, you can point to some other
games and all, but to lose that home game, you know,

(40:13):
right out of.

Speaker 16 (40:14):
The gate early in se three, was tough.

Speaker 26 (40:16):
But we have really had some outstanding games against each
other to this point, and I anticipate this one being
very very similar.

Speaker 5 (40:24):
Also a scheduling quirk, and I know a lot of
it has to do with the reshuffling of the rotations
in the series due to new teams coming into the league.
But the last five meetings three straight in Lexington, the
last two have been in Oxford, So welcome back to
Kroger Field. After about what was that about to find

(40:45):
your hiatus?

Speaker 26 (40:47):
I know it, that's crazy isn't it. And for UK
to be able to pull that off, get all those
in a row early on. I mean, they've got better
connections with the league in office than we do. But yeah,
you know it the trip that our fans love to
make too. I've heard several of them talk about the
fact that they're going to go to Lexington this week
and I thought, well, that's really cool. We'll have a

(41:09):
good group of folks there. But you know, our SEC
stops were so much fun. But you hate it when
you have a little bit of a drought there. I
know sometimes in baseball, which you know you're not love
to a great extent, that you'll have a long gap
where you don't go to one of the league's locations
and you're like, hey, I'm ready to get back to

(41:29):
such and such a place. But yeah, it has been
a little bit of a quirky quirky look at the
schedule for sure.

Speaker 5 (41:36):
DK. We appreciate the insight on the rebels. It's always
fun to catch up with you, and we look forward
to seeing you in Lexington this weekend.

Speaker 26 (41:44):
Can't wait. Look, you told me before we came home
we got good weather. In fact, you hold onto that
you work on that, so we'll be all right when
we get there.

Speaker 5 (41:51):
Should be fantastic for a late afternoon kickoff at Kroger Field.
He's David Kellum. We'll spotlight quarterback Zach Calzada when we
come back here on BBN Radio presented by Clark's Puppetshop.
This is the UK Sports Network.

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the state. Check UK Athletics dot com slash UK Sports
Network for stations and times in your area.

Speaker 5 (47:06):
We wrap up the show tonight with a feature on
quarterback Zach Calzada that recently debuted on UKSN All Access.
It's a free sign up. You can go to UK
Athletics dot com and find your way to the link
and sign up for that. But our Brent Carney recently
sat down and shared a Cuban meal with Zach Calzada.
Great conversation about family and his journey in football. And

(47:29):
here is that feature on quarterback Zach Calzada.

Speaker 29 (47:34):
Jac a Cuban feast in front of us for lunch today.
We're gonna have a lot of good food. Why is
Cuban culture so important to your family and to you?

Speaker 30 (47:45):
Right I just think that, you know, it's where my
dad's side of the family came from.

Speaker 15 (47:49):
And I think that you know, their.

Speaker 30 (47:51):
Journey and their character, and you know, just everything that
they went through kind of represents, you know.

Speaker 15 (47:59):
The dream that I get to live out.

Speaker 30 (48:01):
And you know, they sacrificed a lot and you know,
basically gave up everything that they had to come to America.
So I think that you know, them raising up my
father and him getting to where he is in the
business world, and then just you know, my sister and
myself getting to play college sports.

Speaker 15 (48:19):
And to pursue our dreams. I think that we are
doing the things that they wanted us to do.

Speaker 29 (48:24):
And your grandfather especially and your grandmother, Uh, take us
through their journey right, very specific details. They show up
here with with little more than the clothes.

Speaker 16 (48:35):
On their back.

Speaker 15 (48:37):
Yeah, Sue, it was you know, I was.

Speaker 30 (48:39):
I was lucky enough to have some conversations with my grandfather,
you know, in his later life about you know, what
he went through, and you know, it was.

Speaker 15 (48:47):
Tough for him.

Speaker 30 (48:48):
They had everything taken away from them, and you know
they had to separate from family and make a hard
decision to leave everything behind, and you know, he stayed
in Panama and basically an addict, while my grandmother was.

Speaker 15 (49:01):
Working as a nurse in Miami.

Speaker 30 (49:03):
And when he was eventually able to come over legally,
they lived in Saint Louis for a little bit and
then moved to Atlanta and they just worked.

Speaker 15 (49:11):
Man.

Speaker 30 (49:11):
I mean, I think that's where I get a lot
of my perseverance from. I mean, she was somewhere, you know,
working in a hospital where they would look at her
and tell her to grab a mop, and you know, she.

Speaker 15 (49:21):
Said, no, I'm going to show that I belong here.

Speaker 30 (49:24):
You know, my grandfather the same thing, just just just
hard work and wanted.

Speaker 15 (49:27):
To provide opportunities for their family.

Speaker 30 (49:29):
So you know, taking advantage of every opportunity that I
get is that much more important to me.

Speaker 15 (49:34):
And you lost your glove recently.

Speaker 30 (49:36):
Yes, I lost my grandmother, uh two years ago, and
I lost him just a couple of months ago.

Speaker 15 (49:42):
You know, my sister and.

Speaker 30 (49:43):
I were his pride and joy and even in the
letter that he left that we got to read after
he passed, you know, that's one of.

Speaker 15 (49:51):
His favorite things to talk about.

Speaker 30 (49:52):
And I've seen videos of me playing in some of
my college games, and he's standing up, you know, yelling
at the TV. One of the last things that he
asked was just for them to turn on the TV
film of me and my sister playing.

Speaker 15 (50:05):
So, you know, it kind of stinks.

Speaker 30 (50:08):
Ever since I left the SEC, I've said before, I've
always wanted to come back, and you know, him not
being here for it, you know, sucks. But I know
he's watching at the same time, and I just want
to make the most of this opportunity. And I wish
he could have seen it, but you know, I'm gonna
take it am around with him.

Speaker 29 (50:23):
And that was a letter that he left your entire family.

Speaker 15 (50:26):
Just what are you expressing that letter?

Speaker 30 (50:29):
Just his gratitude too for the family that he had,
for his journey, and just that you know, in his
last days he was able to congregate with with people
that he loved and people that I loved.

Speaker 15 (50:43):
You mentioned your sister.

Speaker 29 (50:45):
I know, I know she's got an athletic background, but
for for those of us who don't know what's what's
her place and sports?

Speaker 30 (50:53):
Oh so, my sister's a baller man. She played at
Texas A and m All SEC. You know, did great
and she's now in her senior year playing for Notre Dame.

Speaker 15 (51:03):
So's she's really good. I love watching her.

Speaker 30 (51:05):
Unfortunately, it's hard we played in the same season, but
you know, my parents are awesome.

Speaker 15 (51:09):
Man.

Speaker 30 (51:10):
They travels across the country and they don't miss a
game for either of us. So you know, she's she's awesome.
Me and her actually wearing the same number this year,
number five. That's why I were so what.

Speaker 29 (51:21):
Have you learned about the Kentucky football program being in
the building now, in the group that you're about to
good about it with this ball.

Speaker 30 (51:31):
I was definitely a good group of guys, and I'm
really excited to play with them. I think the biggest
thing that I've enjoyed seeing since the day I got
here is there's a lot of hunger in that building.

Speaker 26 (51:43):
You know.

Speaker 30 (51:43):
I know the last season didn't go the way the
people there wanted it to go, and I think that
a lot of people learned from last season, and I
just want to come in and have success with those guys.

Speaker 29 (51:55):
I can balance the responsibility of yeah, last season and
didn't go the way they wanted it to. However, you
weren't here for it. It's a new season. Is it
as simple as you turn the page and don't talk
about it or is it something that.

Speaker 15 (52:07):
You do need to talk about. There's been some conversations.
I think.

Speaker 30 (52:10):
I think a majority of the focus has been on
right here, right now and what we're planning on doing
and how we need to get there. But you know,
there's definitely conversations why do people, you know, the whise,
why do people think things didn't go the way they wanted?
What's the difference between you know where we are right
now and you know where we were right now a

(52:31):
year ago? But yeah, I mean it's a learning process
every year. I could play football for twenty years and
I would be learning for twenty years. I mean, so,
you know, basically just learning and trying to put our
best foot forward and making sure that, you know, things
that didn't go well don't happen again, but also making
sure that things that did go well continue to have.

Speaker 29 (52:52):
You talked about your journey that you've been at the
very top of college football, and there have been some
tough times too. When you look up back on that is,
was there a time where the adversity was specifically really
challenging at a time where maybe you're at a crossroads in.

Speaker 30 (53:08):
Your career, So I think when I got cut from
Auburn was was a really it was really tough. I
wasn't sure what direction I was gonna go, you know,
being injured at and then playing through injuries there and
having to get surgery after the season, making a really

(53:29):
really tough decision to leave, and you know, like getting
to Auburn in really really bad physical condition because of
injuries and re injuring myself before the season was was difficult.
And then eventually having to leave. I wasn't really sure
what direction my career was headed. And you know, I

(53:50):
was really blessed to be given a opportunity by Incarnate
Word to come in and be the guy. After you know,
five years of playing college football and fighting for spots
and fighting for a starting job, I had somebody that
say that, you know, look me in my eyes and
say you're my guy.

Speaker 15 (54:07):
And it was Clinton Killo.

Speaker 30 (54:09):
And that was a really, really long journey, but I
was so grateful for it. I met a lot of
amazing people add Incarnate Word, and I feel like that's
where my biggest transformations as more importantly than a player,
but as a man came and you know, I developed
skills necessary to lead a football team to you know,

(54:31):
garner a group of guys and take them in the
direction that you know we all want to go. And
you know, all forever be grateful for that experience because
you know, like I said, there's been times where it
wasn't sure what I was going to do.

Speaker 15 (54:45):
I was working in a warehouse. Yeah, man, it was.

Speaker 30 (54:50):
It was an amazing experience, it really was, and I
feel like it brought back my love for the game.

Speaker 15 (54:55):
It was.

Speaker 30 (54:55):
It was way different. I mean, we were imagine going
from playing in front of them one hundred thousand people
to playing in front of maybe a thousand. I mean,
we were, but it was, you know, a group of
guys that had all been told no before and that
all loved.

Speaker 15 (55:10):
The game of football. We played, and you know, we had.

Speaker 30 (55:13):
A facility probably smaller than this restaurant, and you know,
we just we just strapped up our pads and we
went and played football.

Speaker 15 (55:20):
And we all loved each other and we all loved
the game.

Speaker 30 (55:22):
But it was a great experience, and I believe that
I needed that experience to be prepared for where I'm
at today and what's coming the season.

Speaker 15 (55:31):
What about the fun part of this game.

Speaker 29 (55:33):
I mean, I've asked you about your journey and the
ups and the downs and the tremendous.

Speaker 15 (55:38):
Story of your family.

Speaker 29 (55:39):
But it's still just football.

Speaker 15 (55:41):
It's the kid's game. You still feel that more so
than ever.

Speaker 30 (55:45):
Oh absolutely, especially after playing it in Carnal Word, and
you know, just just getting to play two years of
football again, it really brought me back to my high
school days where just with a bunch of guys that
loved the game, that want to have success, and like
you said, it's kids game and we put you know,
months and months in of work in to play twelve games.

(56:10):
But I think, you know, anytime I get to put
the pads on, I think it's a blessing. I really do,
whether it's practice, a walkthrough, and you know, especially games.
I mean, I still to this day, every time I
play a football game, I just take it all out
because I know it's something that I won't have one
day and I'll probably miss it forever. But absolutely, I
mean it's I have a lot of whys, but I

(56:32):
mean the biggest reason that I'm still playing is just
because I love playing football.

Speaker 5 (56:36):
You can watch Brent's interview with Zach Calzada on UKs
in All Access again It's free to sign up and
you get that plus many other behind the scenes features
from football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, you name it. The podcasts
are there. You can find it all at UKs in
All Access. That's our show for this week. We thank
you all for joining us and we'll be back with

(56:57):
you next Monday, beginning at seven o'clock. This has been
BBN Radio presented by Clark's Pumpin' Shop here on the
UK Sports Network.

Speaker 4 (57:24):
Entucky, Entucky, you've been listening to Clark's Pumpin' Shop. Big
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