March 4, 2026 • 25 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Across the forty Coming here side tenny five means a
Buck's tent.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
He's going off dun touch DWN Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
From the UK Sports Network.
Speaker 4 (00:14):
This is Clark's Pumpin' Shop, Big Blue Nation Radio.
Speaker 5 (00:20):
Second for one, make the turn, got him, Game's over.
Speaker 6 (00:23):
Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Wab interact with the show by calling eight five nine
two eight oh cats that's at five nine two eight
oh to two eight seven, or state wide at eight
hundred six oh six game that's eight hundred six oh
six four two.
Speaker 5 (00:39):
Six three four.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Tuck or tweet the show at UK Sports Network. For
the eighth time, college basketball National Championship Trophy is coming
home to Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Now your host Taron Hendrick.
Speaker 7 (01:05):
The official start of spring is just sixteen days away,
and that also means spring football is just around the corner. Hello, everybody,
Welcome into BBN Radio presented by Clark's Pumpin' Shop. I'm
Darren Hedrick. On tonight's show, we thought we would spotlight
a brand new era and a brand new program for
Kentucky football as they are now under the direction of
(01:26):
head coach Will Stein. He's brought a lot of new
faces to the field and a lot of new faces
on the coaching staff as well. We'll hear from a
couple of them tonight as Logan Stenberg sits down with
new offensive line coach Cutter Leftwich. We'll also hear Michelle
Kanzevik's conversation with new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman. Now, if
(01:47):
you miss any of these conversations tonight, just a reminder
you can listen to them. You can watch them by
going to UKSN all Access. Unlock exclusive coverage of UK
Athletics with UKSN all Access from behind in the scenes
content to game day coverage. It's all in one place.
Find it on the UK Athletic SAP or UKSN all
(02:07):
access dot com. And here's Logan Stenberg's conversation with offensive
line coach Cutter left Which.
Speaker 8 (02:14):
Cutter, what's up man? How you doing good? Brother, Glad
to have you in the building. Congrats on the new job, Haws.
It feel to be the offensive line coach.
Speaker 6 (02:20):
It's pretty it's pretty cool.
Speaker 9 (02:22):
The history here is awesome, you know, being able to
be here with you former offensive linement, but being able
to meet a lot of the guys.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
There's been a lot of.
Speaker 9 (02:31):
Guys around here came back, work out, be around the
guys and and still being able to connect with everybody
and the you know, the tradition of the offensive line
here at Kentucky has been really elite, and I want
to be able to continue to you know, improve that.
Speaker 8 (02:46):
You know every day you kind of touched on a
little bit how important it was to continue that tradition.
What do you think you're gonna have to do to
continue and better that tradition.
Speaker 9 (02:54):
I think it starts with how we attack every single day.
I don't think I'm a big believer and being able
to want to know every single day, And I think
when you look too much, you know in the future, right,
and you get caught up with that, right, you're not
being able to put all your focus on what's going
on right now and being where your feet are. So
it's really important we talk about that every single day
in my room, about being able to be where your
(03:14):
feet are and how we can make today right the
very best day. How can we make today better than
yesterday and attacking that day by day in that mindset,
I think we're going to look back and have a
really good process and then hopefully you know the end result, right,
not you know, always what we're looking at, right, because
sometimes you have good results are good you know, a
good process and bad result, but being able to make
(03:34):
sure our work is consistent and everything we do.
Speaker 8 (03:37):
I wanted to touch on it just a little bit obviously,
young guy. Yeah, twenty seven, Chris, How does it feel
being in that room with those players that are you know,
the twenty one, twenty two year old? Is it?
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Is it good? Is it awkward?
Speaker 8 (03:49):
Sometimes? Just kind of take us through that.
Speaker 9 (03:51):
Yeah, No, I think that, you know, I tell them
like there's not going to be you know, another coach
that can be able to connect with them what I
can because not too long ago, just in their shoes.
I feel like I've been coaching my whole life. You know,
my dad coached college football for like thirty years. Right,
It's coaching family, So I think it's in my blood.
It's just kind of like, you know, whenever I got
done playing, you start coaching, Like you know, there was
(04:11):
nothing else you know, I.
Speaker 6 (04:12):
Wanted to ever do in my life. I think you
know that started whenever I was playing.
Speaker 9 (04:16):
Of being able to have guys you know, ask me
questions and and things like I don't necessarily think I
was the best player, but I always knew what to
do right now I was, I was right, So get
everybody else right. So I think it's the respect of
knowing that I can be able to help them improve
on and off the field every day, and being able
(04:37):
to relate to those guys because, like I said, not
too long ago, I was in their shoes, so I
know how it is. Waking up early and being able
to stay late, and being able to be in the
treat being the rehab and treatment and you know, doing
all that extra work. So being able to have a
voice and and being able to talk to them a
little bit more personal. So I think it's been really
cool and unique, and especially with the guys in our room,
(04:59):
and we have a really good room.
Speaker 6 (05:00):
So excited about the future there.
Speaker 8 (05:02):
So he saw coach Stein and Oppresser a couple of
weeks back talking about guys want to come and coach
with me, That guys want to come and play for me.
Can you explain on that What does he mean by that?
Speaker 9 (05:10):
Yeah, me and coach Stein had a pretty long relationship
back to where you know, back at UTSA first job
ever of being able to be there with him been
him with at some other stops. And I think the
thing for me is he's a fantastic football coach, and
you know, he is really really elite, right I'd being
(05:30):
you know, the quarterback room and all that stuff that
he's had before. But for me, it's the type of
person he is, the type of father that he is,
right Like. I can look up to him right about
what type of father husband, right like? I think more
than anything, the type of person that he is and
how he cares for you really sets him apart, I believe.
(05:52):
And you know it's funny whenever you know, we're kind
of going through this process and I just told him,
just tell me when and where, you know, and I'll
be there because that's you know, I don't want to
be able to I want to go to coach with
him as long as that possibly can.
Speaker 8 (06:05):
You know, Yeah, you can feel the genuiness from him
as as soon as you meet him. You know, he's
he says what he means, and he means what he says.
Another coach that we've had like that was John Sloman,
my offensive blind coach, a guy who obviously we lost
a couple of years back. Was just you know, he
meant more than football to this program. Can you kind
of expand on talking about his legacy to guys making
sure that hey, this is the big Blue Wall, this
(06:27):
is the standard set by this guy. What that means
to not only this team but Kentucky as a whole.
Speaker 9 (06:32):
Yeah, I think the Big Blue ball is extremely important
to not only the university but the entire state. Like,
you know, wherever you go, like everybody knows the Big
Blue Wall, and I think it's extremely important. Like you
see his mural in the endoor, and you know that's
where the old line always is.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
Like we're always around that, We're always around.
Speaker 9 (06:51):
Him and kind of like always think that he's kind
of looking over us right to be able to see
if you know, we're holding up to the standard that
he's set here.
Speaker 6 (06:59):
So which I think is a extremely important because you.
Speaker 9 (07:01):
Know, like we talked about, I think the history and
the standard and how well the offensive line has been
here at the University Kentucky over the years has been elite,
and I want to be able to keep that standard
where it's used to be.
Speaker 8 (07:12):
You're replacing an entire offensive line. How's that looking?
Speaker 6 (07:16):
You know? What?
Speaker 8 (07:16):
What do we have to look forward to? This next year.
Speaker 9 (07:19):
Yeah, I think to start out, I think there's some
really good pieces that were in the room already when
we walked in here, some guys that we want to
continue to be able to build around. I think we
have done a good job to be able to kind.
Speaker 6 (07:31):
Of fill in those pieces.
Speaker 9 (07:33):
But overall, I think it takes time, right going back
to like every single day trying to be able to
improve and get better. You know, it does doesn't happen overnight, maybe,
you know, sometimes as a coach you want you yea
quick exactly. But I think from what we've been able
to do so far, really excited. We have a really
smart group. And so there's a lot of guys that
play a lot of football, a lot of college football,
(07:55):
which is really good to be able to you know,
going through the installs, teach them kind of some nuances
of some things. And we have a really group that's
getting really well connected with each other, ye which I'm
really happy for or really happy with and excited for
kind of what we got going on.
Speaker 8 (08:14):
And that's underrated. You know, in the offensive line room,
obviously you and I know we were in that room. Yeah,
you gotta be brothers in there. You gotta be able
to have fun and go through the hard times together.
So it's fun that you're saying they're already building that.
Speaker 6 (08:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (08:24):
And then you talk also about how you got a
bunch of smart guys. Yeah, when you're recruiting a guy
either in the transferport coming out of high school, what
is that one characteristic that this guy has to have
if he wants to be in my room.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
Yeah. I think that's a great question.
Speaker 9 (08:38):
I think you know, like you said, smart and independable, tough, right,
I think you know, size, high weight, speed, like all
those things you know you look at, but ultimately, like
I always look at like.
Speaker 6 (08:49):
Do they love football?
Speaker 8 (08:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (08:51):
Right? Like do they love football? Right?
Speaker 9 (08:53):
Is it just something they do because they're good at
or is it something they truly love? And I want
guys in that room that love football, that crave to
be coached, always wanting to be able to get better,
always wanting to, you know, get the extra nuggets for
them be able to improve their games.
Speaker 6 (09:09):
So I wanted to answer your question.
Speaker 9 (09:11):
Well, I mean I always want and I you know,
talk to as many people around them as I possibly
can to be able to really find the answer and
really dive deep and like, do they really love football?
Speaker 8 (09:21):
Can't coach them the care So I completely agree Cutter,
thanks for the time, brother, really enjoy getting to meet you.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
Yeah, that's awesome, thank you.
Speaker 7 (09:28):
And again that was Logan Stenberg with Cutter Leftwich. Coming
up on the program. Well, here Michelle Kenezevik as she
sits down with new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman. This is
BBN Radio presented by Clark's pumpin Shop on the UK
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Michelle Kenezevi Kat with new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman.
Speaker 16 (14:33):
Well, first off, welcome to Lexington. How have the last
couple of weeks been for you just getting acclimated to Kentucky.
Speaker 17 (14:40):
Yeah, it's been I mean it's been great, but we've
been we've been pretty busy.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
You know.
Speaker 17 (14:43):
It's we had a lot of work to do when
we got here, obviously with with coaching the playoffs, will
coach in the playoffs, so you know, it's kind of
a hectic pace there. But then we knew the transfer
portal Perier was going to be important to us, and
I think we did a really nice job there. So yeah,
it's been busy, but it's been good.
Speaker 16 (14:58):
What is that like being thrown from the college football playoff,
to so many new coaches here in Kentucky, transfer port O,
recruiting all of those things from you guys getting to
really bond right You're getting to know all your other
coaches because you're getting thrown into it and you got
to start right away. What is it like from that too?
Speaker 17 (15:13):
You know, I guess just what's made this a pretty
cool situation. And it was a lot of the guys
on defense. You know, I was able to get to
come with me, had been with me before, a couple
of them had played for me. And then you know,
Joe and I've known each other for a long time,
so I think that that worked out pretty well. And
then you will has been awesome, you know, just putting
the whole thing together. So yeah, it's been great. I
mean it's been I feel like a little bit of
(15:33):
like putting the band back together a little bit. So
it's been it's been a good start.
Speaker 16 (15:37):
I like that line that you just said, put putting
the van back together.
Speaker 6 (15:39):
Get the van back together.
Speaker 16 (15:40):
So we're gonna go back a little bit further to
the fan base to get to know you a little
bit more. Did you always know that you wanted to
be a football coach.
Speaker 17 (15:47):
I think I knew football was always really important to me.
You know, I played Division thie football and so, you know,
when I got into coaching, I think it was one
of those deals like, hey, football was really good to me.
I felt like I felt like I owed the game
a little bit. You know, my position coaching college was
really important to me, really impactful man in my life,
you know, Dan Jones. And so I kind of got
into it thinking like, man, you know, I'll help my
(16:08):
local high school coach out. And while I was getting
a job and starting and then it just it was
I realized like, man, this is what I think. I'm
pretty good at this. I enjoyed it, and uh, and
so I started getting you know, I kind of was
like I was young, figured out to try it out,
and then you know, I've had I've had some success.
I've been able to move up and uh, you know,
it's been great.
Speaker 16 (16:26):
It's funny you kind of mentioned it. You said you
were just helping your helping your high school out a
little bit, and now it's become a full career here
you're at Kentucky. How do you think maybe coaching at
the different levels has helped you, right, Yeah, that's a
great point.
Speaker 17 (16:38):
Yeah, it's weird. Like I tell guys all the time,
I get the way I did. I don't know if
you many guys do it that way much anymore, you know.
So you know, I learned the hard way. I mean
I lost some games, right, and so yeah, I think
when you're when you're not coaching the elite athlete, right, yeah,
you learn man, how do I how can I how
(16:59):
can I help this young man become a better player?
I think the relationships of those levels are different too.
So as as I've kind of moved up, you know,
I think you're you're so involved when you recruit them.
Now you're you know, you just so you know, the
connection you make with the family and the kid. It's
become a really really special part of the relationship you
(17:19):
have with your players. So the hardest thing is leaving
right when you have when either when they tell you
to leave or you get a chance to take another
a better opportunity. So yeah, I think that that's helped
me as I've gotten as I've kind of moved up, right,
and then you know, you start coaching better players, all
of a sudden, you're a little bit better coach.
Speaker 16 (17:35):
What as you mentioned the development part of guys, and
you know, looking at your history, you've developed guys who
played at the next level in the NFL. As much
as you know, of course, winning is the number one priority,
But what is it like to to build those relationships
with individual players and be able to develop them and
see them go on and play.
Speaker 17 (17:50):
Yeah, I mean, I mean, ultimately, I think that's the
number one reason you do this is is to help
young men achieve their goals, you know. And I think
when you coach at Kentucky and theyers, you're going to
recruit every single player you're going to recruit. The goal
is for them to play in the National Football League.
And so I think if you're doing your job and
you know they've got the athletic ability, it's it's to
maximize what they've been given. And I feel like I've
(18:11):
done that with a number of guys I got. You know,
I've had a lot of kids play in the NFL.
And that's that's a like I take pride in that.
Speaker 12 (18:19):
Man.
Speaker 17 (18:19):
I think that's a that's an important piece of what
we do. But the other piece of it is, man,
sometimes it's not in the cards. And so if that
if it doesn't happen right, then you've developed my hope
right as a as a man, right to go be
a great husband and great father and go into whatever
career they go into. So I think I think it's
a twofold, you know, kind of a double pronged approach
(18:40):
to it. And if but certainly when you coach in
the SEC, you coach in Kentucky, you better find some
guys that can play in the National Football League.
Speaker 16 (18:46):
You entered the SEC two years at Texas A and M.
Now you come here. What's thea about Will Stein? And
what made that pitch for you to come to Kentucky.
Speaker 17 (18:55):
You know, I tell everybody the story. You know, in
twenty twenty three, I was at Florida with work for
Billy Napier, who's who was awesome, and you know, we
had beat Tennessee. We thought we were pretty good, and
we came up here and they they Kentucky beat the
brakes off of us. And I remember thinking like, man,
this place is awesome, right, And so when Will called
me about the job, you know, I had a lot
of interest in you know, you know, my relationship with
(19:16):
Joe helped, But yeah, I heard great things about will.
You know, he did some fact checking on me. I
did some fact checking on him, and I think it's
become it's gonna be a really good partnership.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
Man.
Speaker 17 (19:27):
I'm excited to work for him.
Speaker 16 (19:28):
What do you think it'll be like working I mean,
obviously you guys have already started, but working with a
young offensive mind and you really being able to take
full control of Yeah.
Speaker 17 (19:35):
That was that was That was a huge plus for me,
was that that I was gonna be able to kind of,
you know, run the defense and see it and run
it the way I see it and obviously will have
impact on it, but you know, the ability to kind
of be, you know, be the guy on defense that
makes a lot of the decisions and kind of helps,
you know, it does a lot of the game plan
that was important to me. So I think I think,
you know, I've had mostly offensive head coaches in my career,
(19:58):
and I think that that's been the role I've enjoyed
the most.
Speaker 16 (20:02):
When big lunation are people around the country watch Kentucky
football and they think about your deference, how do you
want them to think of it?
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Yeah?
Speaker 17 (20:11):
I think the number one thing you can say to
a decordinator to make him feel proud about his unit, right,
is how hard they play. So I think how hard
we play, the physicality we play with. I think that's
gonna be where we're going to try to hang our hat.
Speaker 12 (20:25):
Right.
Speaker 17 (20:25):
If you don't have that, man, I don't know what
you have, right, So, you know, playing with effort, playing
with physicality, and then look, I think I think you know,
my mindset historically has been a little more aggressive, it's
been a little bit more pressure, it's been a little
bit more man coverage, and so I think that'll be
a component of it too. But I really think it's
going to be how we play more than what we play.
And I think how we play, the physicality we play with,
(20:46):
and the effort we play with is going to be paramount.
Speaker 16 (20:49):
You mentioned there, how how they play the effort? Right
when you are identifying guys to come to Kentucky to
play on defense, of course you can see skill on tape,
But how do you find or what do you look
for for to know that a guy maybe has that
edge will give you that extra effort. What do you
look for as a coach man.
Speaker 17 (21:06):
That's a great question, you know, I think a lot
of it comes to like your relationships with high school coaches,
and it maybe not hit the players high school coach,
but the coaches in the area and what they say
about a kid. I think that's where you know, having
a little more experience has helped me in the in
the last few years. And then you know, we watch
a lot of film on them that's not just their
(21:26):
highlight tape. You know, we're trying to watch you know,
the the their complete game, right and see how hard
they play, and like, because I'm not sure, man, I'm
not sure you can fix that, right, Like if a
some kids are there's an innate like willingness to go
chase the football, And I think, man, if I see that,
that's a that's a that's a huge piece to me
wanting to recruit that kid.
Speaker 16 (21:47):
Does it easily stick out to you when you watch
something like that, can you know like you've done it
for so long?
Speaker 17 (21:52):
Yeah? I think when you initially watch their film, I
think I tell everybody this, Like my wife can tell
that guy's a good player, right, It's it's the other piece.
And I think that's where, like you know how hard
they play, you can tell about how much passion they
play with When I feel that. Man, that's when I
get pretty fired up about a kid.
Speaker 16 (22:09):
Well, when we walked into the facility today, you know,
we can hear stuff going on in the weight room.
It's always exciting when it's February and you can hear
guys or see guys working out when you walk in
every day and you just you see guys throughout the facility.
What is that like to you to know that you're
kind of establishing that culture already?
Speaker 17 (22:24):
Yeah, I think you know, I think our Stringstaf's doing
a great job down there, Brand's doing a great job,
you were, We're right in the middle of it right now.
We're trying to build this thing. And I think nowadays, man,
the player ledge standard is important. And so we've got
some really good leaders on this team, and you know,
Todd Bryant's an unbelievable kid. We've got some some young
men on defense that know what it's supposed to be like.
And I think now it's like, Okay, let's establish that
(22:46):
player ledge standard. Let help me help you establish that,
and then let's go play that way. We won't play.
Speaker 16 (22:51):
How much are you guys chomping at the bit to
get out there? Spring football will be here.
Speaker 17 (22:55):
Yeah, I think you know, it was like at that
last week of recruiting, it was like, man, let's get
this over with. I want to get back to our guys.
And I'm fortunate to have a couple of kids that
play for many other places come that that know what
it's gonna be like. And I think they're excited to get.
Speaker 16 (23:11):
Going to when you guys get onto the field, Like,
you can only do so much right now in this
period before you can just hey, we just want to
get out there. What do you think it'll be like
to finally be able to see, Okay, this is what
they can give me. You've recruited them all, but finally
get them out there and playing versus each other.
Speaker 17 (23:25):
Nowadays in college football, like every single day you're trying
to get better, right and so right now you know
they're they're working in the weight room, but you know,
pretty soon we're gonna start meeting with them and starting
some walkthroughs and some of those things that'll get get
us to spring ball. And then at springball, I think
it becomes hey, look we're establishing now, like how we're
gonna practice, how we're gonna play this game. You know,
how physical we're gonna play the effort we're gonna play
(23:46):
with So yeah, I mean I'm ready. I mean i'd
go right now, but I'm glad we got to, you know,
a few more weeks to kind of prepare them. So
we get out there, we're ready to go.
Speaker 16 (23:56):
I know we have time. It's only February. Springball will
be here. But what are you looking for to most
this fall? Really getting acclimated here in Kentucky, maybe off
the field or just to be officially introduced to the
fan base when you have that first game in September.
Speaker 17 (24:08):
Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, I think anytime
you're in the flagship institution of a state, right you
owe it to that state to play football a certain way.
And so I'm just excited to see our kids go
out and play the way in the state of Kentucky
wants our team to play. And I think we're heading
that direction.
Speaker 7 (24:23):
And we appreciate Michelle sharing her conversation with coach Bateman.
That's it for our program this week. We thank all
of you for joining us. This has been BBN Radio
presented by Clark's Pumping Shop, and you've been listening to
the UK Sports Network.
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Now your host Taron Hendrick.
Speaker 7 (01:05):
The official start of spring is just sixteen days away,
and that also means spring football is just around the corner. Hello, everybody,
Welcome into BBN Radio presented by Clark's Pumpin' Shop. I'm
Darren Hedrick. On tonight's show, we thought we would spotlight
a brand new era and a brand new program for
Kentucky football as they are now under the direction of
(01:26):
head coach Will Stein. He's brought a lot of new
faces to the field and a lot of new faces
on the coaching staff as well. We'll hear from a
couple of them tonight as Logan Stenberg sits down with
new offensive line coach Cutter Leftwich. We'll also hear Michelle
Kanzevik's conversation with new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman. Now, if
(01:47):
you miss any of these conversations tonight, just a reminder
you can listen to them. You can watch them by
going to UKSN all Access. Unlock exclusive coverage of UK
Athletics with UKSN all Access from behind in the scenes
content to game day coverage. It's all in one place.
Find it on the UK Athletic SAP or UKSN all
(02:07):
access dot com. And here's Logan Stenberg's conversation with offensive
line coach Cutter left Which.
Speaker 8 (02:14):
Cutter, what's up man? How you doing good? Brother, Glad
to have you in the building. Congrats on the new job, Haws.
It feel to be the offensive line coach.
Speaker 6 (02:20):
It's pretty it's pretty cool.
Speaker 9 (02:22):
The history here is awesome, you know, being able to
be here with you former offensive linement, but being able
to meet a lot of the guys.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
There's been a lot of.
Speaker 9 (02:31):
Guys around here came back, work out, be around the
guys and and still being able to connect with everybody
and the you know, the tradition of the offensive line
here at Kentucky has been really elite, and I want
to be able to continue to you know, improve that.
Speaker 8 (02:46):
You know every day you kind of touched on a
little bit how important it was to continue that tradition.
What do you think you're gonna have to do to
continue and better that tradition.
Speaker 9 (02:54):
I think it starts with how we attack every single day.
I don't think I'm a big believer and being able
to want to know every single day, And I think
when you look too much, you know in the future, right,
and you get caught up with that, right, you're not
being able to put all your focus on what's going
on right now and being where your feet are. So
it's really important we talk about that every single day
in my room, about being able to be where your
(03:14):
feet are and how we can make today right the
very best day. How can we make today better than
yesterday and attacking that day by day in that mindset,
I think we're going to look back and have a
really good process and then hopefully you know the end result, right,
not you know, always what we're looking at, right, because
sometimes you have good results are good you know, a
good process and bad result, but being able to make
(03:34):
sure our work is consistent and everything we do.
Speaker 8 (03:37):
I wanted to touch on it just a little bit obviously,
young guy. Yeah, twenty seven, Chris, How does it feel
being in that room with those players that are you know,
the twenty one, twenty two year old? Is it?
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Is it good? Is it awkward?
Speaker 8 (03:49):
Sometimes? Just kind of take us through that.
Speaker 9 (03:51):
Yeah, No, I think that, you know, I tell them
like there's not going to be you know, another coach
that can be able to connect with them what I
can because not too long ago, just in their shoes.
I feel like I've been coaching my whole life. You know,
my dad coached college football for like thirty years. Right,
It's coaching family, So I think it's in my blood.
It's just kind of like, you know, whenever I got
done playing, you start coaching, Like you know, there was
(04:11):
nothing else you know, I.
Speaker 6 (04:12):
Wanted to ever do in my life. I think you
know that started whenever I was playing.
Speaker 9 (04:16):
Of being able to have guys you know, ask me
questions and and things like I don't necessarily think I
was the best player, but I always knew what to
do right now I was, I was right, So get
everybody else right. So I think it's the respect of
knowing that I can be able to help them improve
on and off the field every day, and being able
(04:37):
to relate to those guys because, like I said, not
too long ago, I was in their shoes, so I
know how it is. Waking up early and being able
to stay late, and being able to be in the
treat being the rehab and treatment and you know, doing
all that extra work. So being able to have a
voice and and being able to talk to them a
little bit more personal. So I think it's been really
cool and unique, and especially with the guys in our room,
(04:59):
and we have a really good room.
Speaker 6 (05:00):
So excited about the future there.
Speaker 8 (05:02):
So he saw coach Stein and Oppresser a couple of
weeks back talking about guys want to come and coach
with me, That guys want to come and play for me.
Can you explain on that What does he mean by that?
Speaker 9 (05:10):
Yeah, me and coach Stein had a pretty long relationship
back to where you know, back at UTSA first job
ever of being able to be there with him been
him with at some other stops. And I think the
thing for me is he's a fantastic football coach, and
you know, he is really really elite, right I'd being
(05:30):
you know, the quarterback room and all that stuff that
he's had before. But for me, it's the type of
person he is, the type of father that he is,
right Like. I can look up to him right about
what type of father husband, right like? I think more
than anything, the type of person that he is and
how he cares for you really sets him apart, I believe.
(05:52):
And you know it's funny whenever you know, we're kind
of going through this process and I just told him,
just tell me when and where, you know, and I'll
be there because that's you know, I don't want to
be able to I want to go to coach with
him as long as that possibly can.
Speaker 8 (06:05):
You know, Yeah, you can feel the genuiness from him
as as soon as you meet him. You know, he's
he says what he means, and he means what he says.
Another coach that we've had like that was John Sloman,
my offensive blind coach, a guy who obviously we lost
a couple of years back. Was just you know, he
meant more than football to this program. Can you kind
of expand on talking about his legacy to guys making
sure that hey, this is the big Blue Wall, this
(06:27):
is the standard set by this guy. What that means
to not only this team but Kentucky as a whole.
Speaker 9 (06:32):
Yeah, I think the Big Blue ball is extremely important
to not only the university but the entire state. Like,
you know, wherever you go, like everybody knows the Big
Blue Wall, and I think it's extremely important. Like you
see his mural in the endoor, and you know that's
where the old line always is.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
Like we're always around that, We're always around.
Speaker 9 (06:51):
Him and kind of like always think that he's kind
of looking over us right to be able to see
if you know, we're holding up to the standard that
he's set here.
Speaker 6 (06:59):
So which I think is a extremely important because you.
Speaker 9 (07:01):
Know, like we talked about, I think the history and
the standard and how well the offensive line has been
here at the University Kentucky over the years has been elite,
and I want to be able to keep that standard
where it's used to be.
Speaker 8 (07:12):
You're replacing an entire offensive line. How's that looking?
Speaker 6 (07:16):
You know? What?
Speaker 8 (07:16):
What do we have to look forward to? This next year.
Speaker 9 (07:19):
Yeah, I think to start out, I think there's some
really good pieces that were in the room already when
we walked in here, some guys that we want to
continue to be able to build around. I think we
have done a good job to be able to kind.
Speaker 6 (07:31):
Of fill in those pieces.
Speaker 9 (07:33):
But overall, I think it takes time, right going back
to like every single day trying to be able to
improve and get better. You know, it does doesn't happen overnight, maybe,
you know, sometimes as a coach you want you yea
quick exactly. But I think from what we've been able
to do so far, really excited. We have a really
smart group. And so there's a lot of guys that
play a lot of football, a lot of college football,
(07:55):
which is really good to be able to you know,
going through the installs, teach them kind of some nuances
of some things. And we have a really group that's
getting really well connected with each other, ye which I'm
really happy for or really happy with and excited for
kind of what we got going on.
Speaker 8 (08:14):
And that's underrated. You know, in the offensive line room,
obviously you and I know we were in that room. Yeah,
you gotta be brothers in there. You gotta be able
to have fun and go through the hard times together.
So it's fun that you're saying they're already building that.
Speaker 6 (08:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (08:24):
And then you talk also about how you got a
bunch of smart guys. Yeah, when you're recruiting a guy
either in the transferport coming out of high school, what
is that one characteristic that this guy has to have
if he wants to be in my room.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
Yeah. I think that's a great question.
Speaker 9 (08:38):
I think you know, like you said, smart and independable, tough, right,
I think you know, size, high weight, speed, like all
those things you know you look at, but ultimately, like
I always look at like.
Speaker 6 (08:49):
Do they love football?
Speaker 8 (08:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (08:51):
Right? Like do they love football? Right?
Speaker 9 (08:53):
Is it just something they do because they're good at
or is it something they truly love? And I want
guys in that room that love football, that crave to
be coached, always wanting to be able to get better,
always wanting to, you know, get the extra nuggets for
them be able to improve their games.
Speaker 6 (09:09):
So I wanted to answer your question.
Speaker 9 (09:11):
Well, I mean I always want and I you know,
talk to as many people around them as I possibly
can to be able to really find the answer and
really dive deep and like, do they really love football?
Speaker 8 (09:21):
Can't coach them the care So I completely agree Cutter,
thanks for the time, brother, really enjoy getting to meet you.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
Yeah, that's awesome, thank you.
Speaker 7 (09:28):
And again that was Logan Stenberg with Cutter Leftwich. Coming
up on the program. Well, here Michelle Kenezevik as she
sits down with new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman. This is
BBN Radio presented by Clark's pumpin Shop on the UK
Sports Network.
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Speaker 1 (13:38):
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Make sure you sign up today for UKSN All Access
by going to UKSN all access dot com or the
UK Athletics app. You can hear conversations like the one
Michelle Kenezevi Kat with new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman.
Speaker 16 (14:33):
Well, first off, welcome to Lexington. How have the last
couple of weeks been for you just getting acclimated to Kentucky.
Speaker 17 (14:40):
Yeah, it's been I mean it's been great, but we've
been we've been pretty busy.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
You know.
Speaker 17 (14:43):
It's we had a lot of work to do when
we got here, obviously with with coaching the playoffs, will
coach in the playoffs, so you know, it's kind of
a hectic pace there. But then we knew the transfer
portal Perier was going to be important to us, and
I think we did a really nice job there. So yeah,
it's been busy, but it's been good.
Speaker 16 (14:58):
What is that like being thrown from the college football playoff,
to so many new coaches here in Kentucky, transfer port O,
recruiting all of those things from you guys getting to
really bond right You're getting to know all your other
coaches because you're getting thrown into it and you got
to start right away. What is it like from that too?
Speaker 17 (15:13):
You know, I guess just what's made this a pretty
cool situation. And it was a lot of the guys
on defense. You know, I was able to get to
come with me, had been with me before, a couple
of them had played for me. And then you know,
Joe and I've known each other for a long time,
so I think that that worked out pretty well. And
then you will has been awesome, you know, just putting
the whole thing together. So yeah, it's been great. I
mean it's been I feel like a little bit of
(15:33):
like putting the band back together a little bit. So
it's been it's been a good start.
Speaker 16 (15:37):
I like that line that you just said, put putting
the van back together.
Speaker 6 (15:39):
Get the van back together.
Speaker 16 (15:40):
So we're gonna go back a little bit further to
the fan base to get to know you a little
bit more. Did you always know that you wanted to
be a football coach.
Speaker 17 (15:47):
I think I knew football was always really important to me.
You know, I played Division thie football and so, you know,
when I got into coaching, I think it was one
of those deals like, hey, football was really good to me.
I felt like I felt like I owed the game
a little bit. You know, my position coaching college was
really important to me, really impactful man in my life,
you know, Dan Jones. And so I kind of got
into it thinking like, man, you know, I'll help my
(16:08):
local high school coach out. And while I was getting
a job and starting and then it just it was
I realized like, man, this is what I think. I'm
pretty good at this. I enjoyed it, and uh, and
so I started getting you know, I kind of was
like I was young, figured out to try it out,
and then you know, I've had I've had some success.
I've been able to move up and uh, you know,
it's been great.
Speaker 16 (16:26):
It's funny you kind of mentioned it. You said you
were just helping your helping your high school out a
little bit, and now it's become a full career here
you're at Kentucky. How do you think maybe coaching at
the different levels has helped you, right, Yeah, that's a
great point.
Speaker 17 (16:38):
Yeah, it's weird. Like I tell guys all the time,
I get the way I did. I don't know if
you many guys do it that way much anymore, you know.
So you know, I learned the hard way. I mean
I lost some games, right, and so yeah, I think
when you're when you're not coaching the elite athlete, right, yeah,
you learn man, how do I how can I how
(16:59):
can I help this young man become a better player?
I think the relationships of those levels are different too.
So as as I've kind of moved up, you know,
I think you're you're so involved when you recruit them.
Now you're you know, you just so you know, the
connection you make with the family and the kid. It's
become a really really special part of the relationship you
(17:19):
have with your players. So the hardest thing is leaving
right when you have when either when they tell you
to leave or you get a chance to take another
a better opportunity. So yeah, I think that that's helped
me as I've gotten as I've kind of moved up, right,
and then you know, you start coaching better players, all
of a sudden, you're a little bit better coach.
Speaker 16 (17:35):
What as you mentioned the development part of guys, and
you know, looking at your history, you've developed guys who
played at the next level in the NFL. As much
as you know, of course, winning is the number one priority,
But what is it like to to build those relationships
with individual players and be able to develop them and
see them go on and play.
Speaker 17 (17:50):
Yeah, I mean, I mean, ultimately, I think that's the
number one reason you do this is is to help
young men achieve their goals, you know. And I think
when you coach at Kentucky and theyers, you're going to
recruit every single player you're going to recruit. The goal
is for them to play in the National Football League.
And so I think if you're doing your job and
you know they've got the athletic ability, it's it's to
maximize what they've been given. And I feel like I've
(18:11):
done that with a number of guys I got. You know,
I've had a lot of kids play in the NFL.
And that's that's a like I take pride in that.
Speaker 12 (18:19):
Man.
Speaker 17 (18:19):
I think that's a that's an important piece of what
we do. But the other piece of it is, man,
sometimes it's not in the cards. And so if that
if it doesn't happen right, then you've developed my hope
right as a as a man, right to go be
a great husband and great father and go into whatever
career they go into. So I think I think it's
a twofold, you know, kind of a double pronged approach
(18:40):
to it. And if but certainly when you coach in
the SEC, you coach in Kentucky, you better find some
guys that can play in the National Football League.
Speaker 16 (18:46):
You entered the SEC two years at Texas A and M.
Now you come here. What's thea about Will Stein? And
what made that pitch for you to come to Kentucky.
Speaker 17 (18:55):
You know, I tell everybody the story. You know, in
twenty twenty three, I was at Florida with work for
Billy Napier, who's who was awesome, and you know, we
had beat Tennessee. We thought we were pretty good, and
we came up here and they they Kentucky beat the
brakes off of us. And I remember thinking like, man,
this place is awesome, right, And so when Will called
me about the job, you know, I had a lot
of interest in you know, you know, my relationship with
(19:16):
Joe helped, But yeah, I heard great things about will.
You know, he did some fact checking on me. I
did some fact checking on him, and I think it's
become it's gonna be a really good partnership.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
Man.
Speaker 17 (19:27):
I'm excited to work for him.
Speaker 16 (19:28):
What do you think it'll be like working I mean,
obviously you guys have already started, but working with a
young offensive mind and you really being able to take
full control of Yeah.
Speaker 17 (19:35):
That was that was That was a huge plus for me,
was that that I was gonna be able to kind of,
you know, run the defense and see it and run
it the way I see it and obviously will have
impact on it, but you know, the ability to kind
of be, you know, be the guy on defense that
makes a lot of the decisions and kind of helps,
you know, it does a lot of the game plan
that was important to me. So I think I think,
you know, I've had mostly offensive head coaches in my career,
(19:58):
and I think that that's been the role I've enjoyed
the most.
Speaker 16 (20:02):
When big lunation are people around the country watch Kentucky
football and they think about your deference, how do you
want them to think of it?
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Yeah?
Speaker 17 (20:11):
I think the number one thing you can say to
a decordinator to make him feel proud about his unit, right,
is how hard they play. So I think how hard
we play, the physicality we play with. I think that's
gonna be where we're going to try to hang our hat.
Speaker 12 (20:25):
Right.
Speaker 17 (20:25):
If you don't have that, man, I don't know what
you have, right, So, you know, playing with effort, playing
with physicality, and then look, I think I think you know,
my mindset historically has been a little more aggressive, it's
been a little bit more pressure, it's been a little
bit more man coverage, and so I think that'll be
a component of it too. But I really think it's
going to be how we play more than what we play.
And I think how we play, the physicality we play with,
(20:46):
and the effort we play with is going to be paramount.
Speaker 16 (20:49):
You mentioned there, how how they play the effort? Right
when you are identifying guys to come to Kentucky to
play on defense, of course you can see skill on tape,
But how do you find or what do you look
for for to know that a guy maybe has that
edge will give you that extra effort. What do you
look for as a coach man.
Speaker 17 (21:06):
That's a great question, you know, I think a lot
of it comes to like your relationships with high school coaches,
and it maybe not hit the players high school coach,
but the coaches in the area and what they say
about a kid. I think that's where you know, having
a little more experience has helped me in the in
the last few years. And then you know, we watch
a lot of film on them that's not just their
(21:26):
highlight tape. You know, we're trying to watch you know,
the the their complete game, right and see how hard
they play, and like, because I'm not sure, man, I'm
not sure you can fix that, right, Like if a
some kids are there's an innate like willingness to go
chase the football, And I think, man, if I see that,
that's a that's a that's a huge piece to me
wanting to recruit that kid.
Speaker 16 (21:47):
Does it easily stick out to you when you watch
something like that, can you know like you've done it
for so long?
Speaker 17 (21:52):
Yeah? I think when you initially watch their film, I
think I tell everybody this, Like my wife can tell
that guy's a good player, right, It's it's the other piece.
And I think that's where, like you know how hard
they play, you can tell about how much passion they
play with When I feel that. Man, that's when I
get pretty fired up about a kid.
Speaker 16 (22:09):
Well, when we walked into the facility today, you know,
we can hear stuff going on in the weight room.
It's always exciting when it's February and you can hear
guys or see guys working out when you walk in
every day and you just you see guys throughout the facility.
What is that like to you to know that you're
kind of establishing that culture already?
Speaker 17 (22:24):
Yeah, I think you know, I think our Stringstaf's doing
a great job down there, Brand's doing a great job,
you were, We're right in the middle of it right now.
We're trying to build this thing. And I think nowadays, man,
the player ledge standard is important. And so we've got
some really good leaders on this team, and you know,
Todd Bryant's an unbelievable kid. We've got some some young
men on defense that know what it's supposed to be like.
And I think now it's like, Okay, let's establish that
(22:46):
player ledge standard. Let help me help you establish that,
and then let's go play that way. We won't play.
Speaker 16 (22:51):
How much are you guys chomping at the bit to
get out there? Spring football will be here.
Speaker 17 (22:55):
Yeah, I think you know, it was like at that
last week of recruiting, it was like, man, let's get
this over with. I want to get back to our guys.
And I'm fortunate to have a couple of kids that
play for many other places come that that know what
it's gonna be like. And I think they're excited to get.
Speaker 16 (23:11):
Going to when you guys get onto the field, Like,
you can only do so much right now in this
period before you can just hey, we just want to
get out there. What do you think it'll be like
to finally be able to see, Okay, this is what
they can give me. You've recruited them all, but finally
get them out there and playing versus each other.
Speaker 17 (23:25):
Nowadays in college football, like every single day you're trying
to get better, right and so right now you know
they're they're working in the weight room, but you know,
pretty soon we're gonna start meeting with them and starting
some walkthroughs and some of those things that'll get get
us to spring ball. And then at springball, I think
it becomes hey, look we're establishing now, like how we're
gonna practice, how we're gonna play this game. You know,
how physical we're gonna play the effort we're gonna play
(23:46):
with So yeah, I mean I'm ready. I mean i'd
go right now, but I'm glad we got to, you know,
a few more weeks to kind of prepare them. So
we get out there, we're ready to go.
Speaker 16 (23:56):
I know we have time. It's only February. Springball will
be here. But what are you looking for to most
this fall? Really getting acclimated here in Kentucky, maybe off
the field or just to be officially introduced to the
fan base when you have that first game in September.
Speaker 17 (24:08):
Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, I think anytime
you're in the flagship institution of a state, right you
owe it to that state to play football a certain way.
And so I'm just excited to see our kids go
out and play the way in the state of Kentucky
wants our team to play. And I think we're heading
that direction.
Speaker 7 (24:23):
And we appreciate Michelle sharing her conversation with coach Bateman.
That's it for our program this week. We thank all
of you for joining us. This has been BBN Radio
presented by Clark's Pumping Shop, and you've been listening to
the UK Sports Network.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
Kentucky, Kentucky, you've been listening to Clark's Pumping Shop Big
Blue Nation Radio on the UK sports netch work Big
Blue Nation Radio. It's a presentation of the UK sports
network powered by jam I Sports.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
What do you think it
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