November 26, 2024 • 39 mins
Tom talks with Chris Fisher, Larry Vaught, and Keith Farmer.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
The Leech Report Radio Network is on the air with
the voice of the Wildcats, Tom Leech. It's the daily
gathering spot for the Big Blue Nation to hear the
latest news and views on the Cats. If you have
a question for Tom, email Leech Report at gmail dot
com or send a tweet to add Tom leech Ky.
(00:23):
Now here's Tom good Day.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Everybody. Welcome in to the Leech Report, presented by Bobcat
Enterprises Game Day as the uk men will take on
Western Kentucky tonight at Rapparita and we will talk about
that in Kentucky Football and more. Chris Fisher from the
Cat's Pause will lead us off, Larry Vaught in the middle,
(00:47):
and then we finish up with Keith Farmer from LAX
eighteen and BBN Tonight Wildcat News of the Day presented
by Joseppes of Lexington. Kentucky's looking you go to six
and O tonight when it hosts Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers
average about ten threes a game, so there should be
a lot of three point shooting in this one. It
(01:10):
will be let me look it up here the eighth
all time meeting. Kentucky leads the series five to two.
Western has a player in McHenry Don McHenry, who is
their leading score at seventeen a game. According to Ken,
Palm takes about thirty nine percent of their shots, so
(01:33):
they definitely have a go to guy. Western comes in
at three and two. They lost their first two games
of the season to Wichita State by seven and then
at Grand Canyon by two, and now they're on a
three game winning streak and one of the oldest teams
in the country, as is Kentucky. So that matchup tonight.
(01:55):
It's at six thirty Eastern time. I think I had
head in my head it was seven. All these games
have started at seven, but this one's it's six point thirty.
It's on ESPNU. Coverage will start at five Eastern on
the pregame show on the UK Sports Network. Did the
first Mark Pope radio show of the season yesterday and
(02:16):
the first call. Someone had set this up, but it
was really cool. Ron Mercer, Pope's teammate on the ninety
six National Championship team when Pope was a senior. Mercer
was a freshman and Ron called in to get us started.
Mark Pope got to handle the interview, which was great,
(02:36):
and he asked him at one point if there was
a player on this team that Ron could see some
of himself in, and he said both Jackson Robinson and
Kobe Brea. And they reminisced Coach Pope and Ron about
the teams they played on. They're the team they played
on in ninety six. Burser was a Round for a
(02:58):
second season. In ninety seven. Pope had moved on, but
that ninety six team, as Mercer recalled, he was starting
early in the season, and then coach Pattino moved him
into a role coming off the bench, and I think
he scored twenty in the National Championship Game win over
Syracuse coming off the bench for that loaded Kentucky team
(03:18):
in ninety six. The big news yesterday out of football
was Mark stoops announcement that Cutter Bowley would start at quarterback.
I don't think that came as a surprise. I think
the surprise was that coach Stoops announced it so early
in the week. But as he correctly said, they would
have leaked out quickly anyway once they started going through practices,
(03:43):
and so he said, why to just go ahead and
announce it. So that's why he did that. So Cutter
will make his first start as a Wildcat quarterback against
the UFL Cardinals in the Battle for the Governor's Cup.
The last true freshman to start at quarterback was Destined
Wade in the Music City Bowl at the end of
(04:04):
the twenty two season. Prior to that, the last true
freshman to start at quarterback was Randall Cobb in two
thousand and eight. The last true freshman to make his
first start against u of L can't find one since
the series was revived in ninety four. Jared Lorenzen started
as a red shirt freshman against Louisville in the first
(04:26):
game of the season, but as a true freshman, can't
find any quarterback for Kentucky that has made his first
start against the Cardinals. Coach Stoops was a little late
to the call in show last night because he was
on a recruiting call. Obviously that's a higher priority, and
(04:47):
I think the speculation that it was DJ Miller will
maybe find out today. I don't know, but he's slated
to make his announcement today. According to media reports, Miller's
a sixty to three receiver from I think East St.
Louis But later on in the show, we talk with
Coach Stoops about what's going to happen after this game
when you've got signing date, and then the transfer portal
(05:09):
will open up pretty quickly after that, and obviously offensive
line's got to be a key focus for Kentucky. Stoops
said yesterday at his news conference he was happy with
where they are at guard. Jagger Burton will be a
returning starter, Jalen Farmer will be a returning starter. Assuming
both are back, You've got Dylan Ray and Abaseelm behind them.
(05:32):
But he noted that they've got to find help at
tackle and help at the center position, and he said
they've already scouted more than three hundred offensive linemen in
preparation for the portal. Links to the stories that we
talk about each day can be found on the bud
Light Leach Report page at Tom Leach ky dot com.
(05:53):
Chris fisherill join us when we come right back. Our
opening segment's always presented by Just Sepies of Lexington, and
they have gift cards for the holiday season for somebody
that's hard to buy for that could be the perfect
item or something a little extra to put in a
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(06:14):
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(06:37):
monthly specials for what's left of November and then soon
to come December. Joining us now on the Club Blueennil
dot com hotline is Chris Fisher. You read him at
katzpause dot com and Chris. Let's start on the football side.
Cutter Bowlie named starting quarterback for the Governor's Cup game
on Saturday. Guessing that's in your mind the right call.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Yeah, I'm not sure Mark Stoops had any other choice, honestly.
I mean with the way Cutter Bowley played in the
second half at Texas and the poise that he showed
and kind of how the team rallied around him in
that second half and then you know, I think announcing
it this early in the week kind of you know,
(07:22):
I think is a serve to kind of rally the troops,
you know, towards Saturday's big rivalry game. But I think
it also sends a message about the future of the program, like,
you know, kind of like, hey, this is our guy
that we're gonna build around going forward. And so I
definitely think that's the right call. And you know, going
with with the youth movement, and I think Cutter Bowlly
(07:44):
definitely gives Kentucky the best chance to win.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
On Saturday, assuming things go well. Would you expect that
Brock Vandergriff would not be back next season.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I think that would be my expect, especially, you know,
going with Cutter Bowling and naming him the starter this
early in the week. I just think, you know, schematically,
you're not really gaining anything from that by naming him
the starter on Monday. And so I definitely think that's
(08:18):
the message that Mark Stoups is sending. And you know,
I think it's the right message. I think he has
the obvious talent, he's a homegrown kid, and he's a
guy that you want around in your program and if
you bring Brock Vandergrift back next season, I'm not one
hundred percent sure that that would happen, and so I
(08:41):
definitely think going with the youth movement was was something
that Mark Stoups just absolutely had to do. And even
from a fan perspective, I'm just not sure how you,
you know, rally the troops for another season of this
without making a major change at quarterback.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
And Cutter is a guy that certainly Stoops use the
word moxie or swagger yesterday, that bully has I think
you used the word presence in our postgame interview on Saturday.
It certainly looks and feels like there's some of that
(09:22):
at work with him. It's not something you can measure
and you know, quantify, But when you watch that second
half against Texas, it's one thing against Murray State, but
you know Texas on the road and situation where Texas
knows you're probably more likely to pass, I mean you're not,
you know, kind of in your normal rhythm that you
(09:43):
would be with your offense, where you're using the run
maybe to set up the pass. You're down twenty four
to seven, so you know Texas knows the circumstance, and
yet for Cutter to still succeed in that regard didn't
get him in the end zone, but you certainly move
the ball there was certainly it felt like something there
the players picked up. Yeah, absolutely, And.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
He comes from an athletic family, and so I think.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
That's part of it.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
You know, like when you see a coach's son, they
just play a little bit differently than than other players.
And so I think coming from an athletic family that
has achieved at a high level in collegiate athletics, I
think kind of gives him a little bit of an edge,
gives him some confidence.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
I think he.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Had unbelievable poise in the pocket. I mean protection has
been an issue all season long, and so I think
he showed a lot of poise. Like Mark Soup said,
use the word moxie. And I think he has a
very quick release on the football.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
And I think when you.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Have protection issues, that kind of thing can go a
long way. And so I think that's something else that
you know, may give him a little bit of an
advantage of quarterback.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Yeah, that's a that's a good point. And you know,
I fans are down because of how the season has gone.
But with Bowlie. Uh and assuming you know, all these
guys are back, you can't just you know, just count
on that in this era. But ja Mary will Cox
as a running back. Uh, not that he's you know,
(11:13):
the next superstar, but uh certainly has shown a lot
of promise to where you could you know, build a
you know, a rotation around him. And then Willie Rodriguez
a tied end looks like as a playmaker. Hardley Gilmore
is a freshman wide receiver. So uh, it does look
like if they if they have a chance of you know,
(11:34):
turning this around in the next couple of seasons. It
takes talent, and it does look like they at least
have some of that in the young group.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Yeah, and I think again looking toward the future, you know,
he's Mark Soups has already said he plans on bringing
Bush Hamden back as the offensive coordinator. And again, I'm
just not sure how you sell bringing Bush Hamden back
and Brock Vandergriff back at quarterback and you know, getting
the fan excited about another season of that. I think
it's the right call to go with Cutter Bowley and
(12:05):
build around him.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
And like you mentioned, they have a.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Very very exciting young nucleus of skill position players. And
then you know, maybe you save the money on a
quarterback and possibly a transfer portal running back, and you
go with Cutter Bowley and Jamariy and Wilcox in the backfield,
and you go all in on fixing this offensive line,
(12:29):
because I think if even if you do everything else
without the offensive line, does any of it matter. And
I think the offensive line has just been so bad
this season that no matter who's playing quarterback, no matter
who's running the football, it's not going to matter unless
you fix the offensive line. So I think they have
to go all in on trying to get some of
(12:50):
those issues corrected.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Let's shift to basketball. Kats play the first of two
games this week tonight against Western Kentucky, where we just
talk about how the team is going. Last night, the
Coach Pope's first radio show just another example of it
is just a fun time right now for Kentucky basketball fans,
for the men and the women's team. But with Coach
(13:14):
pope first call, they had set up for Ron Mercer
to call in, and uh, just fans I think are
really just reveling in all the nostalgia that is going
on with Kentucky basketball right now, as well as what
they're seeing on the court right.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Yeah, I think nostalgia is kind of the tie that
binds Kentucky basketball from one generation to the next. You know,
it's kind of the stories that we tell each other
and where we were when you know, X, Y Z happened.
And I just think Mark, Mark stoops, Mark Pope has
done uh And I'm sure I'm not the first person
(13:54):
to do that.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
I was proud of myself. I never got I never
crossed the streams last night.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I think he's just done an unbelievable job of marrying
the old with the new. And in recent years it
had certainly felt like the sand base had been fractured,
and you know, kind of friction with cal and and
Patino and so, you know, there were you had Cal's guys,
you had patinos guys, and so now it feels like
(14:22):
one big, happy family again. And it certainly doesn't hurt that,
you know, Kentucky's averaging one hundred points a game and
they're undefeated and already have a win over a top
ten duke team under their belt, and so all as
well in Big Blue Nation right now, and it feels
it's a warm, happy, fuzzy feeling that I think hasn't
been around in quite a while.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, with Mark Stoops and Mark Pope, I was worried
about a miss Mark last night with the two shows.
Got one more of those those doubleheaders to get through
next Wednesday. But as far as the product on the court, yeah,
there's obviously a lot to like right now. As Mark
(15:03):
Pope last night, if they're things that are on the
do better list, and he ticked off several things, but
that looks like there's any glaring issues, are there?
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (15:13):
I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I think this team is much better defensively than anyone
you know, gave them credit for coming into the season.
And you know, when you're averaging one hundred points a
game and you're five and oh, I wouldn't change too
much at this point in the season. But it feels
like it's a different guy every night. You know, it
feels like otega Oway is usually the guy that gets
them jump started and gets them going, and then you know,
(15:37):
it's it's a different guy off the bench every night,
whether it's a Kobe Bray or Andrew Carr or whoever
it is, comes in and kind of gives them a spark.
And when you have that much balance on offense, that's
the way it's going to be. And I think it
makes Kentucky that much harder to defend when you know
you have to account for pretty much all nine or
ten guys in the rotation on any given night.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Chris, Happy Thanksgiving and we will talk to you next week.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
All right, you two, thank you.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
It's Chris Fisherkatzpause dot com twenty five past the top
of the hour. Heead and do a break. Our shows
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(16:27):
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to you. Right back with Larry Vott. It is the
Leach Report and we are bringing on Larry Vott via
the Club Blue Nil dot com hotline. You can read
them at your sports edge dot com and voughtsviews dot com.
(16:52):
Fun to hear Ron Mercer calling in and interacting with
Mark Pope on the radio show last.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Night, Larry, Yeah, I kind of brought back a lot
of memories, did it, Tom? It was I don't know
how you cast set that up or if that was
totally spontaneous or what.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yeah, somebody said, I don't know who set it up,
and somebody did. They told me before the show that
Ron would be calling, so that's why I introduced him
as Ron who grew up in Tennessee. Yes, Pope got him.
I had it written down. I was going to show
him the name, but he recognized the voice in about
five seconds.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
Yeah, I think it's kind of hard fort anything over
on Mark Pope. But I think again, it just kind
of shows how just a difference in the Pope era
and how these guys are all staying connected. And I
thought it was a really nice little segue. Of course,
maybe some younger folks didn't quite get it, but I
think us older gas and women really appreciated it.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Well. I always say these days, if there's something that
you're younger and you don't get a reference, Larry you
and I had Encyclopedia Britannic and now you can look
it up in your phone in about five seconds. So
look it up. You sure can't.
Speaker 5 (18:01):
I showed my grandkids the other day what I said
of Encyclopedia. They looked at me like, my god, why
would you ever needed that? Yeah, it sure was that,
So I've got to set it Encyclopedia Steam.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I would like them, but I don't know what anybody
would do with the best. Yeah, I don't think you're
gonna get much at the garage sale for that. Larry
VOTs with us. Will continue the chat when we come
right back. It is the Leach Report Radio Network and
our guests come to you on the Club Blue nil
dot com online, the official collective partner of UK Athletics
(18:37):
Leach Report presented by Bombcat Enterprises, and we are chatting
with Larry Vott from your Sports Edge dot com and
Vaughtsfuse dot com. Got a little Kentucky basketball right now.
As Mark Pope on the show last night, if there's
anything that he had on his to do list for
(18:58):
his guys, and and he cited several things. Coaches are
inclined to do that even when things are going really well,
but he said they open practice yesterday and having each
player talk about one specific area they wanted to get
better at. So he seems to be very interactive with
his team, and he's got a veteran group, but he
(19:20):
It's interesting. I noticed in you know, in the huddles,
the players first are talking amongst themselves while the coaches
are gathered off to the side, and then they go
into the huddle during a timeout.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
Yeah, Mark just does things in creative ways. I think
he's probably always looking at ways to kind of challenge
or do things just a little bit different for his team,
and I think that's just kind of what makes.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Mark who he is.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
He just kind of thinks a little bit outside the box,
and like some of the answers he gives you just
various questions. Listening lass time. I hate to say, it's
just entertaining. He's listening to him. If it's the right word,
do you know you're not or informative or what it is.
But it's really just fun listening to him. And I
catch myself sometimes even in the press conference's kind of
(20:04):
just getting I don't know it's mes maries, but kind
of forgetting to write down to pay attention because you
just kind of get caught up listen to what he's
having to say, and it's just different from any coach
I've been around.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Well, yesterday and I brought this up to him on
the show, I jumped on Facebook just to see if
I had any messages, and there happened to be something
that popped up on the feed, and it was a
clip that somebody had posted of Hope at what looked
to be maybe some kind of coaching clinic, but it was,
you know, sometime this year, because he had a UK
gear on and he was talking about analytics in the
(20:41):
restaurant business and it had to do with the story
he told was that if somebody couple goes to a
restaurant everything goes well, there's like a sixty percent chance
they'll return. But if they go to a restaurant and
there's a something doesn't go well, but the restaurant people
go out of their way to fix it and they
(21:01):
rectify the situation and they go all in on getting
it right and showing the customer they're going to take
care of. He said that in that situation, there's like
a ninety two percent chance that they'll return to the
restaurant for a second visit, and I just thought that's
And he went on to talk about how they he
(21:21):
when he heard that stat. He thought this could be
applicable to recruiting, and if something goes wrong, we really
take that as an opportunity to fix it, and maybe
that helps us in recruiting. And it was just really
interesting how he took something that he said on the
show last night that he had learned from one of
the folks at Malone's, which is one of the network sponsors,
(21:42):
in a conversation, that's where he'd gotten that stat. But
that number one, you know he's in a conversation with somebody,
tells you that he was truly listening to what they
said and not just kind of there, but he was
engaged in you know, he is where his feet are
as the as the saying goes. And then he found
a way to to make that applicable to his profession.
(22:03):
And he is an interesting guy. And I think the
thing you were talking about, Larry, what is what happens
is that, you know, with coaches, politicians, whatever, you're used
to hearing the coach speak, you know, or the standard
answer to you know, what the answer is gonna be
when you ask the question. I don't think you do
with Mark Pope. And that's why it's interesting.
Speaker 5 (22:26):
Absolutely, I think you nailed it exactly right. And it's
not gonna be just a little quick dismissive answery. So
he's going to pretty good damp of what he tells you.
But the way he just does things, I mean, like
I recently talked to Kayden Lewis's dad and he said
that Cayden was ready to commit to Yukon. And the
same day Pope had called, or Jason Harde called about
(22:48):
wanting to come up. Pope wanted to come up for
a visit, and the dad and Toady, Yeah, come on
up the next day. And when the sun got Homeie,
So I'm ready to commit to Yukon, the dad said, well,
you can't yet.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
I've already told I Hope and Jays Harth they.
Speaker 5 (23:02):
Can come tomorrow. We're gonna have to wait, and you
need to listen to them and see what they've got
to say. And when he came, that's the day the
Pope went to the barbershop with him and walked to
the shoe store with the dad and all these different things,
and all of a sudden flipped back and now kay
Lewis has signed with Kentucky, and just the way Mark is,
it's just different from anybody else, and I think that's
(23:23):
what makes it so much fun and why I think
you're going to have a terrific season covering Kentucky basketball.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah, I agree with you. It's just really interesting time
for Kentucky basketball fans and then all of us that
are around it. And obviously it helps that they're playing
really good basketball too.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Yeah, it really tice if they are playing terrific. I
think that will continue against Western Tuesday night. I think
Western be a little bit better than some of the
teams they've played, but probably not near good enough to
challenge this team.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
The shift gears to football. I assume you are firmly
behind the decision to start Cutter Bowly.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
I've been kind of behind that decision for a few weeks,
not so much as anything against anybody else. I just
thought they needed a change and to try and they
need to find out what they've got with Cutter going
into next season, and I think going into the Louisville game,
it kind of maybe rejuvenates the whole team I think
it definitely will rejuvenate the fan base and more people
maybe want to go ahead and be there for what
(24:28):
hopefully will be the start of the Cutter Bowley era.
But Cutter just has a little different player about him
when he's out there.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Now.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
Again, it's easier to be out there the second half
against May when you've got a big lead. You're in
there the second half against Texas when it's kind of
I don't desperation time was the right word, but I
don't think there's quite as much pressure. Now you're the
starter against Louisville, a little bit more pressure on you.
But I think, for what I've known of Cutter for
a long time, I think he'll handle it well.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
I think, as somebody told me, I did not go
back and watch the telecast yet, but somebody said Jesse
Palmer made a comment that he or an observation that
he thought that the players around Cutter had elevated their
play for some of the things he was doing out
there on the field. Did you get a sense of that.
Speaker 5 (25:17):
I think absolutely so. And of course I think it
also if you're an offensive lineman, helps when Cutter has
a little bit quicker release and looks like a little
bit quicker decision making with him, or at least he
did in Texas. That makes your offensive line and think, well, hey,
we don't have to block quite as long or hold
these guys out quite as long to give him a
chance to do something with the football. And I think
(25:39):
that Jesse did say that. I think it was pretty
obvious when you're watching. And even Jeff Brahm at his
press conference Monday, before he knew what Mark Stoops was
going to do, had already said that he thought Kentucky
found his quarterback of the future just for what he
was looking at with Cutter Bowley. So I think we
can here guys like Jesse Palmer and Jeff Palm talking
like that. Yeah, you've kind of got to pay attention
(26:01):
to what they're saying and.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
The common thread there is both more quarterbacks.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
That's exactly right, and they know what they're talking about.
So I know Cutters abound to be excited about the opportunity,
and it's a huge game for Kentucky that could certainly
appear a nice way to end what's not been a
really great season for them and at least maybe get
a little bit of momentum started for next season because
(26:26):
I think the two weeks after the Louisville game are
going to be pretty hectic with National Signing Day and
the transfer portal and who knows what different coaches might do.
So it'd be nice to just get a win to
kind of have something positive to build on.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Yeah, it would be one thing to win the Governor's
Cup game keep the streak going. But I think at
another level, if you do it with a new young
quarterback that plays well, and you know that's still got
to happen. But if that kind of scenario plays out,
that you know, everything's better with little hope and that
(27:03):
you know, boosts the hope factor.
Speaker 5 (27:05):
If that happens, that's right in Kentucky football needs a
boost of hope right now in the worst way. So
that would be like a I guess probably as well
as you could script the end to what this season
has been. They have Cutter come in and lead them
to a win, and I sure hope that can happen
on the defense, and that is still going to have
to play really well because that Louisville offense has been
(27:26):
really good at times, so the defense is not gonna
be able to kind of set back and hope Kentucky
to win thirty eight to thirty one, hoping the defense
can have one of its better games too.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
Yeah, I went back and looked yesterday because Kentucky as
I gainst the Power four opponents or I guess actually
it just would be against conference opponents at this point.
This will be the first Power for outside the SEC
they will have played. But they haven't been able to
score both twenty points in any of those games. And
went back, I said, when's the last time twenty points
won the Governor's Cup turned out? Was nineteen ninety five.
(28:00):
This game has been more high scoring more much more
often than none.
Speaker 5 (28:05):
Yeah, so that kind of answers their own questions at
the time, and can can the defense rise and not
make it the work cutter has to get in a
shootout and I sure hope that's the case.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
I would hate to see.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
Kentucky while behind fourteen and that's in the first quarter.
That would not be the right scenario here. So hopefully
the defense has one more big, big game in them
and can kind of help make Tutter's first game a
little bit easier for him.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Larry, thank you much as always for the time. Have
a happy Thanksgiving with you and the family.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
All right, thank you, Tom.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Larry's joining us on the Club bluenile dot com hotline.
They're the official collective partner of UK Athletics and you
can support whatever sport you want when you join up
with Club Blue. So if you are inclined and you
have the funds, then go to Club Blueenile dot com
and be part of the team to help raise the
nil pool for UK Athletics and you can get some
(28:55):
special perks for yourself. They do meet and greets before
home football games, for example, with athletes from the other teams,
and you get to be right up at the front
of the line. If you're a Club Blue member, you
can get in the club for as little as twenty
five dollars a month. Club blueinil dot com. We'll be
right back. Int Report's presented by Bob kNN Enterprises were
(29:16):
thirteen away from the top of the hour this holiday
seas at Kentucky Eagle at Anheuser Busch. Request that you
plan ahead and decide to ride. Never an excuse to
drink and drive. Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends,
but remember decide to ride and go. Cats from Kentucky
Eagle and Anaheiser Busch. We are joined on the Club
blueanil dot com highline at Keith Farmer from LAX eighteen
(29:38):
and BBN tonight and you and Maggie Davis made the
trip down to Austin, and it's unusual these days to
get to go to a new road site.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
Keith.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
So what did you think about your first trip for
football in Texas Austin, Texas style.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
Well, I will tell you this.
Speaker 6 (29:56):
My oldest son who graduated from UK, went down there,
found a girl and married her, and so he lives
in Austin. Got married in Austin. So I have been
there several times, but really, to be honest, other than
just kind of driving through campus, that's the first time
I'd been on there, and it was a lot of fun.
It was a nice campus, beautiful, the stadium's massive, and
(30:19):
I love their game day atmosphere. Just the way they
handled everything, you know, reminded me a lot of you know,
maybe even the way UK basketball and football. Really, to
be honest, I mean, but it just seems like it
was on another plane, you know. It was just the
fan stuck to the very end, especially the students.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
So it was neat to see.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Mark Stouop's got a cowboy hat and spurs, and apparently
that's a tradition when a coach makes his first visit there.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Right, correct.
Speaker 6 (30:43):
Yeah, we kind of got tipped off on that, and
so we followed him down across the field and some
guys that were standing there in cowboy hats, vest and chaps,
you know, greeted him, said hello and handed him both
of those things and he thanked them went on in
to get ready for the game. But I thought that
was really touched. You know, they do that, like you said,
for every first time coach.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Did you get a chance to interview Bevo the Longhorn Steer?
Speaker 6 (31:07):
Uh no, but I did get a little bit too
close to him. I can't although he has slowed down,
he's lost a step. They were really having a hard
time getting him to get out on the field. And
all he does now instead of running through midfield, is
just comes literally onto the field. Before he gets to
the goalpost, he makes the left hand turn, goes right
back to his pen.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
So it was a walk. It wasn't much of a run.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
It's like, I'm old, this is all you're getting.
Speaker 6 (31:34):
Yes, yes, he's lost a step, you'd better look out,
look out for that nil deal that could come next.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
B Boat could come his way and knock him out
of there.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Well, I give him a way to segue into Cutter
bally starting at quarterback, as they hope he gains a
step for the football team collectively. You know, what did
you see? I guess you were then there for field
level for some of some of it. What did you
see out of Cutter's performance and what gives you encourage
moving forward?
Speaker 4 (32:02):
Loved exactly what Larry said.
Speaker 6 (32:03):
I thought his decision making and you know, again, as
Larry said, you have to keep in mind, he's in
there a little later.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
He's not in the start of the game.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
You don't know exactly how you know Texas was playing
it at that point, but to your point, they knew
he was gonna be throwing it. I thought his decision
making going from from receiver to receiver was was good.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
I thought, you know, the ball comes out of.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
His hands very quickly, and I did see a little
bit of a pep in the step from some of
the guys around him. So it's gonna be fun to
see him get that chance to do it off the
jump and see how you know he handles this loyal defense.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
I thought one thing that was impressive that we talk
with coach STUPSI bout this last night. You put him
out there for the start of the second half. The
team's down twenty four to seven, playing a top ten
team on the road at a you know, legendary spot,
and he gets sacked for a big loss. Yes, very
first pack.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
And the next play he comes back and there are
multiple reads that he could go to and one that
is open, but his bold is the one that he took,
and he put it right on the money to Barry
and Brown and he's like, you know, okay, I got
this and I like that.
Speaker 4 (33:17):
Yeah I did.
Speaker 6 (33:20):
I totally agree, because not only was he sacked, but
like it was one of those things where he faked
the hand off and then turned to go the other
way and he was greeted immediately, oh yes, Like you know,
that could have really shaken his confidence. And to your point,
you know, he really settled down and just kept playing
next play and trying to find that receiver. And you know, honestly,
(33:42):
there were a couple of drops. He puts some balls
right into hands that were dropped, and so it may
have looked even a little better than what we saw
out there. And I'm not saying he was perfect. He
didn't miss you know, play or two here or there.
But I did like the poise and I like watching
him come off the field. He was upset, but he
(34:03):
wasn't like you know, it was just a disgust, like,
you know, he knew he could have done better kind
of Thingah, you know, he still had his head up,
he was still you know, but but he was, you know,
definitely feeling like you left some stuff out there.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
Dougie's left a lot of points out there when they've
gotten into the five yard line. It's five times in
the last six games. And hopefully if they get back
in that situation, it's one thing that can change with
Cutter in there. He had one opportunity down there in
that situation, and I think they've called for him to
pass on third down and he held it too long,
(34:40):
and so you learn learn from that. But it's second
and goal inside the one, and I just think back to,
you know, the one player that jumps out to be
the Florida game where Christian's story got the interception, nearly
ran it back. But they get into the eleven and
when they got inside the five didn't score there. It
seemed to be just deflating for the defense and everybody else,
(35:03):
I guess. But that's you know, if they just scored
on those five times, scored touchdowns, huh, they'd be the
number one red zone offense in the league or two
instead of being at the bottom.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (35:16):
And you know, I don't know if we've talked about
that on here or not. It's become the era of
the tush push. Yeah, but whatever happened to the whole
Walter Payton, you know, dive over the whole offensive line,
you know, I've not seen teams do that since they
gotten down to the one yard line, you know, just
hand it off to the running back.
Speaker 4 (35:34):
And let them go airborne. I don't know. Maybe defenses
learned how to adjust to that. That's, you know, a question.
Speaker 6 (35:40):
For a coach, But I just have not seen anybody
give it that effort, you know, when they've gotten down
to the one.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Yeah, I'm surprised. Occasionally I've seen somebody start to do
this where they put if if you can push from behind,
then put in a guy like at full back that's
a guard or a tackle and pushing correct.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Yes, I've seen that a lot. You're right. It happened
last night with the Ravens.
Speaker 6 (36:07):
They put a tight end in to take the snap
because they needed it was fourth and one, and then
they put a couple other big guys behind them.
Speaker 4 (36:13):
They weren't small at all.
Speaker 6 (36:14):
They were a couple of fullbacks and and tight end.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
So yeah, that'd be another great idea. But you know,
I think it just gives you.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
Promise when you looked out there at the end of
the game and you saw Cutter and Jamarion and Willie
Rodriguez going out and really making plays, and those are
all freshmen that you know, uh give you give you
faith for the future of this program.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
And hopefully guys that could be making plays this Saturday. Keith,
thank you much. Happy Thanksgiving to you and the family.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
Thank you to you too.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
It's Keith Farmer from la X eighteen and bbntnight dot Com.
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This is the good life. We'll be right back. Shufflebean
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Coffees based right here in the Bluegrass scriup of Kentucky
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get it already ground, you can get the whole bean variety,
whatever you prefer. Just make the choice Shufflebean Coffee and
put some hustle in your shuffle. Today It's day and
wild Catty presented by Kentucky Road Show, Sports Cards and Memorabilia.
They're here in Lexington on Romney Road or at roadshowcards
dot Com. Nineteen ninety four in the state, Kentucky beat U. T.
(38:09):
Martin at Rupparena one twenty four to fifty second greatest
margin of victory in UK history. Jared Prickett leading scorer
with twenty one for Kentucky. Two great games at the
Maui Invitational yesterday. I guess three of them. Actually. Auburn
rallied from seventeen down, if not more. When I was watching,
the were down seventeen to Iowa State. They came back
(38:30):
in one eighty three eighty one. They'll play North Carolina,
which beat Dayton ninety two to ninety. Memphis upset Yukon
in the first game of the day ninety nine ninety
seven in overtime. Those were all out in Mali, Houston,
Alabama tonight, Duke Kansas tonight, and of course Kentucky and
Western Kentucky. And we'll be back to talk about it
tomorrow here on the Leads Report, presented by Bob keededor
(38:52):
b Show.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
You can listen to the podcast at Tom LEECHKWIN dot com,
WLAP dot com or seven ninety Louisville dot com, and
anytime you're out of range of the stations, catch the
show via the iHeartRadio app. If you have any questions
for Tom, email Leach Report at gmail dot com and
(39:14):
check out his website at Tom leach Ky dot com
The Leech Report Radio Network is on the air with
the voice of the Wildcats, Tom Leech. It's the daily
gathering spot for the Big Blue Nation to hear the
latest news and views on the Cats. If you have
a question for Tom, email Leech Report at gmail dot
com or send a tweet to add Tom leech Ky.
(00:23):
Now here's Tom good Day.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Everybody. Welcome in to the Leech Report, presented by Bobcat
Enterprises Game Day as the uk men will take on
Western Kentucky tonight at Rapparita and we will talk about
that in Kentucky Football and more. Chris Fisher from the
Cat's Pause will lead us off, Larry Vaught in the middle,
(00:47):
and then we finish up with Keith Farmer from LAX
eighteen and BBN Tonight Wildcat News of the Day presented
by Joseppes of Lexington. Kentucky's looking you go to six
and O tonight when it hosts Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers
average about ten threes a game, so there should be
a lot of three point shooting in this one. It
(01:10):
will be let me look it up here the eighth
all time meeting. Kentucky leads the series five to two.
Western has a player in McHenry Don McHenry, who is
their leading score at seventeen a game. According to Ken,
Palm takes about thirty nine percent of their shots, so
(01:33):
they definitely have a go to guy. Western comes in
at three and two. They lost their first two games
of the season to Wichita State by seven and then
at Grand Canyon by two, and now they're on a
three game winning streak and one of the oldest teams
in the country, as is Kentucky. So that matchup tonight.
(01:55):
It's at six thirty Eastern time. I think I had
head in my head it was seven. All these games
have started at seven, but this one's it's six point thirty.
It's on ESPNU. Coverage will start at five Eastern on
the pregame show on the UK Sports Network. Did the
first Mark Pope radio show of the season yesterday and
(02:16):
the first call. Someone had set this up, but it
was really cool. Ron Mercer, Pope's teammate on the ninety
six National Championship team when Pope was a senior. Mercer
was a freshman and Ron called in to get us started.
Mark Pope got to handle the interview, which was great,
(02:36):
and he asked him at one point if there was
a player on this team that Ron could see some
of himself in, and he said both Jackson Robinson and
Kobe Brea. And they reminisced Coach Pope and Ron about
the teams they played on. They're the team they played
on in ninety six. Burser was a Round for a
(02:58):
second season. In ninety seven. Pope had moved on, but
that ninety six team, as Mercer recalled, he was starting
early in the season, and then coach Pattino moved him
into a role coming off the bench, and I think
he scored twenty in the National Championship Game win over
Syracuse coming off the bench for that loaded Kentucky team
(03:18):
in ninety six. The big news yesterday out of football
was Mark stoops announcement that Cutter Bowley would start at quarterback.
I don't think that came as a surprise. I think
the surprise was that coach Stoops announced it so early
in the week. But as he correctly said, they would
have leaked out quickly anyway once they started going through practices,
(03:43):
and so he said, why to just go ahead and
announce it. So that's why he did that. So Cutter
will make his first start as a Wildcat quarterback against
the UFL Cardinals in the Battle for the Governor's Cup.
The last true freshman to start at quarterback was Destined
Wade in the Music City Bowl at the end of
(04:04):
the twenty two season. Prior to that, the last true
freshman to start at quarterback was Randall Cobb in two
thousand and eight. The last true freshman to make his
first start against u of L can't find one since
the series was revived in ninety four. Jared Lorenzen started
as a red shirt freshman against Louisville in the first
(04:26):
game of the season, but as a true freshman, can't
find any quarterback for Kentucky that has made his first
start against the Cardinals. Coach Stoops was a little late
to the call in show last night because he was
on a recruiting call. Obviously that's a higher priority, and
(04:47):
I think the speculation that it was DJ Miller will
maybe find out today. I don't know, but he's slated
to make his announcement today. According to media reports, Miller's
a sixty to three receiver from I think East St.
Louis But later on in the show, we talk with
Coach Stoops about what's going to happen after this game
when you've got signing date, and then the transfer portal
(05:09):
will open up pretty quickly after that, and obviously offensive
line's got to be a key focus for Kentucky. Stoops
said yesterday at his news conference he was happy with
where they are at guard. Jagger Burton will be a
returning starter, Jalen Farmer will be a returning starter. Assuming
both are back, You've got Dylan Ray and Abaseelm behind them.
(05:32):
But he noted that they've got to find help at
tackle and help at the center position, and he said
they've already scouted more than three hundred offensive linemen in
preparation for the portal. Links to the stories that we
talk about each day can be found on the bud
Light Leach Report page at Tom Leach ky dot com.
(05:53):
Chris fisherill join us when we come right back. Our
opening segment's always presented by Just Sepies of Lexington, and
they have gift cards for the holiday season for somebody
that's hard to buy for that could be the perfect
item or something a little extra to put in a
Christmas stocking. You can order them online and they'll send
them out to you from Giuseppes, or make plans through
(06:14):
Open Table to make a reservation at Jiuseppes and pick
up your gift cards while you're there, and you'll have
a fantastic meal and just a wonderful atmosphere at Ji
Seppees off Nicholasville Road in Lexington. We will be right
back on the Leach Report Radio Network. Let Chiport comes
here from the Clarks Pumpin' Shop studio. Return refresh and
refuel at Clark's and download their app to get the
(06:37):
monthly specials for what's left of November and then soon
to come December. Joining us now on the Club Blueennil
dot com hotline is Chris Fisher. You read him at
katzpause dot com and Chris. Let's start on the football side.
Cutter Bowlie named starting quarterback for the Governor's Cup game
on Saturday. Guessing that's in your mind the right call.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Yeah, I'm not sure Mark Stoops had any other choice, honestly.
I mean with the way Cutter Bowley played in the
second half at Texas and the poise that he showed
and kind of how the team rallied around him in
that second half and then you know, I think announcing
it this early in the week kind of you know,
(07:22):
I think is a serve to kind of rally the troops,
you know, towards Saturday's big rivalry game. But I think
it also sends a message about the future of the program, like,
you know, kind of like, hey, this is our guy
that we're gonna build around going forward. And so I
definitely think that's the right call. And you know, going
with with the youth movement, and I think Cutter Bowlly
(07:44):
definitely gives Kentucky the best chance to win.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
On Saturday, assuming things go well. Would you expect that
Brock Vandergriff would not be back next season.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I think that would be my expect, especially, you know,
going with Cutter Bowling and naming him the starter this
early in the week. I just think, you know, schematically,
you're not really gaining anything from that by naming him
the starter on Monday. And so I definitely think that's
(08:18):
the message that Mark Stoups is sending. And you know,
I think it's the right message. I think he has
the obvious talent, he's a homegrown kid, and he's a
guy that you want around in your program and if
you bring Brock Vandergrift back next season, I'm not one
hundred percent sure that that would happen, and so I
(08:41):
definitely think going with the youth movement was was something
that Mark Stoups just absolutely had to do. And even
from a fan perspective, I'm just not sure how you,
you know, rally the troops for another season of this
without making a major change at quarterback.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
And Cutter is a guy that certainly Stoops use the
word moxie or swagger yesterday, that bully has I think
you used the word presence in our postgame interview on Saturday.
It certainly looks and feels like there's some of that
(09:22):
at work with him. It's not something you can measure
and you know, quantify, But when you watch that second
half against Texas, it's one thing against Murray State, but
you know Texas on the road and situation where Texas
knows you're probably more likely to pass, I mean you're not,
you know, kind of in your normal rhythm that you
(09:43):
would be with your offense, where you're using the run
maybe to set up the pass. You're down twenty four
to seven, so you know Texas knows the circumstance, and
yet for Cutter to still succeed in that regard didn't
get him in the end zone, but you certainly move
the ball there was certainly it felt like something there
the players picked up. Yeah, absolutely, And.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
He comes from an athletic family, and so I think.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
That's part of it.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
You know, like when you see a coach's son, they
just play a little bit differently than than other players.
And so I think coming from an athletic family that
has achieved at a high level in collegiate athletics, I
think kind of gives him a little bit of an edge,
gives him some confidence.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
I think he.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Had unbelievable poise in the pocket. I mean protection has
been an issue all season long, and so I think
he showed a lot of poise. Like Mark Soup said,
use the word moxie. And I think he has a
very quick release on the football.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
And I think when you.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Have protection issues, that kind of thing can go a
long way. And so I think that's something else that
you know, may give him a little bit of an
advantage of quarterback.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Yeah, that's a that's a good point. And you know,
I fans are down because of how the season has gone.
But with Bowlie. Uh and assuming you know, all these
guys are back, you can't just you know, just count
on that in this era. But ja Mary will Cox
as a running back. Uh, not that he's you know,
(11:13):
the next superstar, but uh certainly has shown a lot
of promise to where you could you know, build a
you know, a rotation around him. And then Willie Rodriguez
a tied end looks like as a playmaker. Hardley Gilmore
is a freshman wide receiver. So uh, it does look
like if they if they have a chance of you know,
(11:34):
turning this around in the next couple of seasons. It
takes talent, and it does look like they at least
have some of that in the young group.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Yeah, and I think again looking toward the future, you know,
he's Mark Soups has already said he plans on bringing
Bush Hamden back as the offensive coordinator. And again, I'm
just not sure how you sell bringing Bush Hamden back
and Brock Vandergriff back at quarterback and you know, getting
the fan excited about another season of that. I think
it's the right call to go with Cutter Bowley and
(12:05):
build around him.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
And like you mentioned, they have a.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Very very exciting young nucleus of skill position players. And
then you know, maybe you save the money on a
quarterback and possibly a transfer portal running back, and you
go with Cutter Bowley and Jamariy and Wilcox in the backfield,
and you go all in on fixing this offensive line,
(12:29):
because I think if even if you do everything else
without the offensive line, does any of it matter. And
I think the offensive line has just been so bad
this season that no matter who's playing quarterback, no matter
who's running the football, it's not going to matter unless
you fix the offensive line. So I think they have
to go all in on trying to get some of
(12:50):
those issues corrected.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Let's shift to basketball. Kats play the first of two
games this week tonight against Western Kentucky, where we just
talk about how the team is going. Last night, the
Coach Pope's first radio show just another example of it
is just a fun time right now for Kentucky basketball fans,
for the men and the women's team. But with Coach
(13:14):
pope first call, they had set up for Ron Mercer
to call in, and uh, just fans I think are
really just reveling in all the nostalgia that is going
on with Kentucky basketball right now, as well as what
they're seeing on the court right.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Yeah, I think nostalgia is kind of the tie that
binds Kentucky basketball from one generation to the next. You know,
it's kind of the stories that we tell each other
and where we were when you know, X, Y Z happened.
And I just think Mark, Mark stoops, Mark Pope has
done uh And I'm sure I'm not the first person
(13:54):
to do that.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
I was proud of myself. I never got I never
crossed the streams last night.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I think he's just done an unbelievable job of marrying
the old with the new. And in recent years it
had certainly felt like the sand base had been fractured,
and you know, kind of friction with cal and and
Patino and so, you know, there were you had Cal's guys,
you had patinos guys, and so now it feels like
(14:22):
one big, happy family again. And it certainly doesn't hurt that,
you know, Kentucky's averaging one hundred points a game and
they're undefeated and already have a win over a top
ten duke team under their belt, and so all as
well in Big Blue Nation right now, and it feels
it's a warm, happy, fuzzy feeling that I think hasn't
been around in quite a while.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, with Mark Stoops and Mark Pope, I was worried
about a miss Mark last night with the two shows.
Got one more of those those doubleheaders to get through
next Wednesday. But as far as the product on the court, yeah,
there's obviously a lot to like right now. As Mark
(15:03):
Pope last night, if they're things that are on the
do better list, and he ticked off several things, but
that looks like there's any glaring issues, are there?
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (15:13):
I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I think this team is much better defensively than anyone
you know, gave them credit for coming into the season.
And you know, when you're averaging one hundred points a
game and you're five and oh, I wouldn't change too
much at this point in the season. But it feels
like it's a different guy every night. You know, it
feels like otega Oway is usually the guy that gets
them jump started and gets them going, and then you know,
(15:37):
it's it's a different guy off the bench every night,
whether it's a Kobe Bray or Andrew Carr or whoever
it is, comes in and kind of gives them a spark.
And when you have that much balance on offense, that's
the way it's going to be. And I think it
makes Kentucky that much harder to defend when you know
you have to account for pretty much all nine or
ten guys in the rotation on any given night.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Chris, Happy Thanksgiving and we will talk to you next week.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
All right, you two, thank you.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
It's Chris Fisherkatzpause dot com twenty five past the top
of the hour. Heead and do a break. Our shows
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(16:27):
give you fantastic service after the sale as well. At
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rent that heavy equipment. You'll find the one that's closest
to you. Right back with Larry Vott. It is the
Leach Report and we are bringing on Larry Vott via
the Club Blue Nil dot com hotline. You can read
them at your sports edge dot com and voughtsviews dot com.
(16:52):
Fun to hear Ron Mercer calling in and interacting with
Mark Pope on the radio show last.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Night, Larry, Yeah, I kind of brought back a lot
of memories, did it, Tom? It was I don't know
how you cast set that up or if that was
totally spontaneous or what.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yeah, somebody said, I don't know who set it up,
and somebody did. They told me before the show that
Ron would be calling, so that's why I introduced him
as Ron who grew up in Tennessee. Yes, Pope got him.
I had it written down. I was going to show
him the name, but he recognized the voice in about
five seconds.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
Yeah, I think it's kind of hard fort anything over
on Mark Pope. But I think again, it just kind
of shows how just a difference in the Pope era
and how these guys are all staying connected. And I
thought it was a really nice little segue. Of course,
maybe some younger folks didn't quite get it, but I
think us older gas and women really appreciated it.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Well. I always say these days, if there's something that
you're younger and you don't get a reference, Larry you
and I had Encyclopedia Britannic and now you can look
it up in your phone in about five seconds. So
look it up. You sure can't.
Speaker 5 (18:01):
I showed my grandkids the other day what I said
of Encyclopedia. They looked at me like, my god, why
would you ever needed that? Yeah, it sure was that,
So I've got to set it Encyclopedia Steam.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I would like them, but I don't know what anybody
would do with the best. Yeah, I don't think you're
gonna get much at the garage sale for that. Larry
VOTs with us. Will continue the chat when we come
right back. It is the Leach Report Radio Network and
our guests come to you on the Club Blue nil
dot com online, the official collective partner of UK Athletics
(18:37):
Leach Report presented by Bombcat Enterprises, and we are chatting
with Larry Vott from your Sports Edge dot com and
Vaughtsfuse dot com. Got a little Kentucky basketball right now.
As Mark Pope on the show last night, if there's
anything that he had on his to do list for
(18:58):
his guys, and and he cited several things. Coaches are
inclined to do that even when things are going really well,
but he said they open practice yesterday and having each
player talk about one specific area they wanted to get
better at. So he seems to be very interactive with
his team, and he's got a veteran group, but he
(19:20):
It's interesting. I noticed in you know, in the huddles,
the players first are talking amongst themselves while the coaches
are gathered off to the side, and then they go
into the huddle during a timeout.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
Yeah, Mark just does things in creative ways. I think
he's probably always looking at ways to kind of challenge
or do things just a little bit different for his team,
and I think that's just kind of what makes.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Mark who he is.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
He just kind of thinks a little bit outside the box,
and like some of the answers he gives you just
various questions. Listening lass time. I hate to say, it's
just entertaining. He's listening to him. If it's the right word,
do you know you're not or informative or what it is.
But it's really just fun listening to him. And I
catch myself sometimes even in the press conference's kind of
(20:04):
just getting I don't know it's mes maries, but kind
of forgetting to write down to pay attention because you
just kind of get caught up listen to what he's
having to say, and it's just different from any coach
I've been around.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Well, yesterday and I brought this up to him on
the show, I jumped on Facebook just to see if
I had any messages, and there happened to be something
that popped up on the feed, and it was a
clip that somebody had posted of Hope at what looked
to be maybe some kind of coaching clinic, but it was,
you know, sometime this year, because he had a UK
gear on and he was talking about analytics in the
(20:41):
restaurant business and it had to do with the story
he told was that if somebody couple goes to a
restaurant everything goes well, there's like a sixty percent chance
they'll return. But if they go to a restaurant and
there's a something doesn't go well, but the restaurant people
go out of their way to fix it and they
(21:01):
rectify the situation and they go all in on getting
it right and showing the customer they're going to take
care of. He said that in that situation, there's like
a ninety two percent chance that they'll return to the
restaurant for a second visit, and I just thought that's
And he went on to talk about how they he
(21:21):
when he heard that stat. He thought this could be
applicable to recruiting, and if something goes wrong, we really
take that as an opportunity to fix it, and maybe
that helps us in recruiting. And it was just really
interesting how he took something that he said on the
show last night that he had learned from one of
the folks at Malone's, which is one of the network sponsors,
(21:42):
in a conversation, that's where he'd gotten that stat. But
that number one, you know he's in a conversation with somebody,
tells you that he was truly listening to what they
said and not just kind of there, but he was
engaged in you know, he is where his feet are
as the as the saying goes. And then he found
a way to to make that applicable to his profession.
(22:03):
And he is an interesting guy. And I think the
thing you were talking about, Larry, what is what happens
is that, you know, with coaches, politicians, whatever, you're used
to hearing the coach speak, you know, or the standard
answer to you know, what the answer is gonna be
when you ask the question. I don't think you do
with Mark Pope. And that's why it's interesting.
Speaker 5 (22:26):
Absolutely, I think you nailed it exactly right. And it's
not gonna be just a little quick dismissive answery. So
he's going to pretty good damp of what he tells you.
But the way he just does things, I mean, like
I recently talked to Kayden Lewis's dad and he said
that Cayden was ready to commit to Yukon. And the
same day Pope had called, or Jason Harde called about
(22:48):
wanting to come up. Pope wanted to come up for
a visit, and the dad and Toady, Yeah, come on
up the next day. And when the sun got Homeie,
So I'm ready to commit to Yukon, the dad said, well,
you can't yet.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
I've already told I Hope and Jays Harth they.
Speaker 5 (23:02):
Can come tomorrow. We're gonna have to wait, and you
need to listen to them and see what they've got
to say. And when he came, that's the day the
Pope went to the barbershop with him and walked to
the shoe store with the dad and all these different things,
and all of a sudden flipped back and now kay
Lewis has signed with Kentucky, and just the way Mark is,
it's just different from anybody else, and I think that's
(23:23):
what makes it so much fun and why I think
you're going to have a terrific season covering Kentucky basketball.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah, I agree with you. It's just really interesting time
for Kentucky basketball fans and then all of us that
are around it. And obviously it helps that they're playing
really good basketball too.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Yeah, it really tice if they are playing terrific. I
think that will continue against Western Tuesday night. I think
Western be a little bit better than some of the
teams they've played, but probably not near good enough to
challenge this team.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
The shift gears to football. I assume you are firmly
behind the decision to start Cutter Bowly.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
I've been kind of behind that decision for a few weeks,
not so much as anything against anybody else. I just
thought they needed a change and to try and they
need to find out what they've got with Cutter going
into next season, and I think going into the Louisville game,
it kind of maybe rejuvenates the whole team I think
it definitely will rejuvenate the fan base and more people
maybe want to go ahead and be there for what
(24:28):
hopefully will be the start of the Cutter Bowley era.
But Cutter just has a little different player about him
when he's out there.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Now.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
Again, it's easier to be out there the second half
against May when you've got a big lead. You're in
there the second half against Texas when it's kind of
I don't desperation time was the right word, but I
don't think there's quite as much pressure. Now you're the
starter against Louisville, a little bit more pressure on you.
But I think, for what I've known of Cutter for
a long time, I think he'll handle it well.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
I think, as somebody told me, I did not go
back and watch the telecast yet, but somebody said Jesse
Palmer made a comment that he or an observation that
he thought that the players around Cutter had elevated their
play for some of the things he was doing out
there on the field. Did you get a sense of that.
Speaker 5 (25:17):
I think absolutely so. And of course I think it
also if you're an offensive lineman, helps when Cutter has
a little bit quicker release and looks like a little
bit quicker decision making with him, or at least he
did in Texas. That makes your offensive line and think, well, hey,
we don't have to block quite as long or hold
these guys out quite as long to give him a
chance to do something with the football. And I think
(25:39):
that Jesse did say that. I think it was pretty
obvious when you're watching. And even Jeff Brahm at his
press conference Monday, before he knew what Mark Stoops was
going to do, had already said that he thought Kentucky
found his quarterback of the future just for what he
was looking at with Cutter Bowley. So I think we
can here guys like Jesse Palmer and Jeff Palm talking
like that. Yeah, you've kind of got to pay attention
(26:01):
to what they're saying and.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
The common thread there is both more quarterbacks.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
That's exactly right, and they know what they're talking about.
So I know Cutters abound to be excited about the opportunity,
and it's a huge game for Kentucky that could certainly
appear a nice way to end what's not been a
really great season for them and at least maybe get
a little bit of momentum started for next season because
(26:26):
I think the two weeks after the Louisville game are
going to be pretty hectic with National Signing Day and
the transfer portal and who knows what different coaches might do.
So it'd be nice to just get a win to
kind of have something positive to build on.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Yeah, it would be one thing to win the Governor's
Cup game keep the streak going. But I think at
another level, if you do it with a new young
quarterback that plays well, and you know that's still got
to happen. But if that kind of scenario plays out,
that you know, everything's better with little hope and that
(27:03):
you know, boosts the hope factor.
Speaker 5 (27:05):
If that happens, that's right in Kentucky football needs a
boost of hope right now in the worst way. So
that would be like a I guess probably as well
as you could script the end to what this season
has been. They have Cutter come in and lead them
to a win, and I sure hope that can happen
on the defense, and that is still going to have
to play really well because that Louisville offense has been
(27:26):
really good at times, so the defense is not gonna
be able to kind of set back and hope Kentucky
to win thirty eight to thirty one, hoping the defense
can have one of its better games too.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
Yeah, I went back and looked yesterday because Kentucky as
I gainst the Power four opponents or I guess actually
it just would be against conference opponents at this point.
This will be the first Power for outside the SEC
they will have played. But they haven't been able to
score both twenty points in any of those games. And
went back, I said, when's the last time twenty points
won the Governor's Cup turned out? Was nineteen ninety five.
(28:00):
This game has been more high scoring more much more
often than none.
Speaker 5 (28:05):
Yeah, so that kind of answers their own questions at
the time, and can can the defense rise and not
make it the work cutter has to get in a
shootout and I sure hope that's the case.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
I would hate to see.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
Kentucky while behind fourteen and that's in the first quarter.
That would not be the right scenario here. So hopefully
the defense has one more big, big game in them
and can kind of help make Tutter's first game a
little bit easier for him.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Larry, thank you much as always for the time. Have
a happy Thanksgiving with you and the family.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
All right, thank you, Tom.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Larry's joining us on the Club bluenile dot com hotline.
They're the official collective partner of UK Athletics and you
can support whatever sport you want when you join up
with Club Blue. So if you are inclined and you
have the funds, then go to Club Blueenile dot com
and be part of the team to help raise the
nil pool for UK Athletics and you can get some
(28:55):
special perks for yourself. They do meet and greets before
home football games, for example, with athletes from the other teams,
and you get to be right up at the front
of the line. If you're a Club Blue member, you
can get in the club for as little as twenty
five dollars a month. Club blueinil dot com. We'll be
right back. Int Report's presented by Bob kNN Enterprises were
(29:16):
thirteen away from the top of the hour this holiday
seas at Kentucky Eagle at Anheuser Busch. Request that you
plan ahead and decide to ride. Never an excuse to
drink and drive. Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends,
but remember decide to ride and go. Cats from Kentucky
Eagle and Anaheiser Busch. We are joined on the Club
blueanil dot com highline at Keith Farmer from LAX eighteen
(29:38):
and BBN tonight and you and Maggie Davis made the
trip down to Austin, and it's unusual these days to
get to go to a new road site.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
Keith.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
So what did you think about your first trip for
football in Texas Austin, Texas style.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
Well, I will tell you this.
Speaker 6 (29:56):
My oldest son who graduated from UK, went down there,
found a girl and married her, and so he lives
in Austin. Got married in Austin. So I have been
there several times, but really, to be honest, other than
just kind of driving through campus, that's the first time
I'd been on there, and it was a lot of fun.
It was a nice campus, beautiful, the stadium's massive, and
(30:19):
I love their game day atmosphere. Just the way they
handled everything, you know, reminded me a lot of you know,
maybe even the way UK basketball and football. Really, to
be honest, I mean, but it just seems like it
was on another plane, you know. It was just the
fan stuck to the very end, especially the students.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
So it was neat to see.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Mark Stouop's got a cowboy hat and spurs, and apparently
that's a tradition when a coach makes his first visit there.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Right, correct.
Speaker 6 (30:43):
Yeah, we kind of got tipped off on that, and
so we followed him down across the field and some
guys that were standing there in cowboy hats, vest and chaps,
you know, greeted him, said hello and handed him both
of those things and he thanked them went on in
to get ready for the game. But I thought that
was really touched. You know, they do that, like you said,
for every first time coach.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Did you get a chance to interview Bevo the Longhorn Steer?
Speaker 6 (31:07):
Uh no, but I did get a little bit too
close to him. I can't although he has slowed down,
he's lost a step. They were really having a hard
time getting him to get out on the field. And
all he does now instead of running through midfield, is
just comes literally onto the field. Before he gets to
the goalpost, he makes the left hand turn, goes right
back to his pen.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
So it was a walk. It wasn't much of a run.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
It's like, I'm old, this is all you're getting.
Speaker 6 (31:34):
Yes, yes, he's lost a step, you'd better look out,
look out for that nil deal that could come next.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
B Boat could come his way and knock him out
of there.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Well, I give him a way to segue into Cutter
bally starting at quarterback, as they hope he gains a
step for the football team collectively. You know, what did
you see? I guess you were then there for field
level for some of some of it. What did you
see out of Cutter's performance and what gives you encourage
moving forward?
Speaker 4 (32:02):
Loved exactly what Larry said.
Speaker 6 (32:03):
I thought his decision making and you know, again, as
Larry said, you have to keep in mind, he's in
there a little later.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
He's not in the start of the game.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
You don't know exactly how you know Texas was playing
it at that point, but to your point, they knew
he was gonna be throwing it. I thought his decision
making going from from receiver to receiver was was good.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
I thought, you know, the ball comes out of.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
His hands very quickly, and I did see a little
bit of a pep in the step from some of
the guys around him. So it's gonna be fun to
see him get that chance to do it off the
jump and see how you know he handles this loyal defense.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
I thought one thing that was impressive that we talk
with coach STUPSI bout this last night. You put him
out there for the start of the second half. The
team's down twenty four to seven, playing a top ten
team on the road at a you know, legendary spot,
and he gets sacked for a big loss. Yes, very
first pack.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
And the next play he comes back and there are
multiple reads that he could go to and one that
is open, but his bold is the one that he took,
and he put it right on the money to Barry
and Brown and he's like, you know, okay, I got
this and I like that.
Speaker 4 (33:17):
Yeah I did.
Speaker 6 (33:20):
I totally agree, because not only was he sacked, but
like it was one of those things where he faked
the hand off and then turned to go the other
way and he was greeted immediately, oh yes, Like you know,
that could have really shaken his confidence. And to your point,
you know, he really settled down and just kept playing
next play and trying to find that receiver. And you know, honestly,
(33:42):
there were a couple of drops. He puts some balls
right into hands that were dropped, and so it may
have looked even a little better than what we saw
out there. And I'm not saying he was perfect. He
didn't miss you know, play or two here or there.
But I did like the poise and I like watching
him come off the field. He was upset, but he
(34:03):
wasn't like you know, it was just a disgust, like,
you know, he knew he could have done better kind
of Thingah, you know, he still had his head up,
he was still you know, but but he was, you know,
definitely feeling like you left some stuff out there.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
Dougie's left a lot of points out there when they've
gotten into the five yard line. It's five times in
the last six games. And hopefully if they get back
in that situation, it's one thing that can change with
Cutter in there. He had one opportunity down there in
that situation, and I think they've called for him to
pass on third down and he held it too long,
(34:40):
and so you learn learn from that. But it's second
and goal inside the one, and I just think back to,
you know, the one player that jumps out to be
the Florida game where Christian's story got the interception, nearly
ran it back. But they get into the eleven and
when they got inside the five didn't score there. It
seemed to be just deflating for the defense and everybody else,
(35:03):
I guess. But that's you know, if they just scored
on those five times, scored touchdowns, huh, they'd be the
number one red zone offense in the league or two
instead of being at the bottom.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (35:16):
And you know, I don't know if we've talked about
that on here or not. It's become the era of
the tush push. Yeah, but whatever happened to the whole
Walter Payton, you know, dive over the whole offensive line,
you know, I've not seen teams do that since they
gotten down to the one yard line, you know, just
hand it off to the running back.
Speaker 4 (35:34):
And let them go airborne. I don't know. Maybe defenses
learned how to adjust to that. That's, you know, a question.
Speaker 6 (35:40):
For a coach, But I just have not seen anybody
give it that effort, you know, when they've gotten down
to the one.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Yeah, I'm surprised. Occasionally I've seen somebody start to do
this where they put if if you can push from behind,
then put in a guy like at full back that's
a guard or a tackle and pushing correct.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Yes, I've seen that a lot. You're right. It happened
last night with the Ravens.
Speaker 6 (36:07):
They put a tight end in to take the snap
because they needed it was fourth and one, and then
they put a couple other big guys behind them.
Speaker 4 (36:13):
They weren't small at all.
Speaker 6 (36:14):
They were a couple of fullbacks and and tight end.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
So yeah, that'd be another great idea. But you know,
I think it just gives you.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
Promise when you looked out there at the end of
the game and you saw Cutter and Jamarion and Willie
Rodriguez going out and really making plays, and those are
all freshmen that you know, uh give you give you
faith for the future of this program.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
And hopefully guys that could be making plays this Saturday. Keith,
thank you much. Happy Thanksgiving to you and the family.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
Thank you to you too.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
It's Keith Farmer from la X eighteen and bbntnight dot Com.
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a special deal if you're a Leach Report listener, early
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This is the good life. We'll be right back. Shufflebean
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Coffees based right here in the Bluegrass scriup of Kentucky
and started the company more than a decade ago with
the idea of making the best cup of coffee. They
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You can order some of the products while you're there.
You can get it through Amazon too, or at Central
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(37:48):
get it already ground, you can get the whole bean variety,
whatever you prefer. Just make the choice Shufflebean Coffee and
put some hustle in your shuffle. Today It's day and
wild Catty presented by Kentucky Road Show, Sports Cards and Memorabilia.
They're here in Lexington on Romney Road or at roadshowcards
dot Com. Nineteen ninety four in the state, Kentucky beat U. T.
(38:09):
Martin at Rupparena one twenty four to fifty second greatest
margin of victory in UK history. Jared Prickett leading scorer
with twenty one for Kentucky. Two great games at the
Maui Invitational yesterday. I guess three of them. Actually. Auburn
rallied from seventeen down, if not more. When I was watching,
the were down seventeen to Iowa State. They came back
(38:30):
in one eighty three eighty one. They'll play North Carolina,
which beat Dayton ninety two to ninety. Memphis upset Yukon
in the first game of the day ninety nine ninety
seven in overtime. Those were all out in Mali, Houston,
Alabama tonight, Duke Kansas tonight, and of course Kentucky and
Western Kentucky. And we'll be back to talk about it
tomorrow here on the Leads Report, presented by Bob keededor
(38:52):
b Show.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
You can listen to the podcast at Tom LEECHKWIN dot com,
WLAP dot com or seven ninety Louisville dot com, and
anytime you're out of range of the stations, catch the
show via the iHeartRadio app. If you have any questions
for Tom, email Leach Report at gmail dot com and
(39:14):
check out his website at Tom leach Ky dot com
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