2025-04-03 LEACH REPORT

Tom talks with Derek Terry, Jack Givens, and Justin Rowland.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good afternoon, Good afternoon, good morning, everybody. Welcome into the
Leech Report presented by Bobcat Enterprises. After a stormy night
for our state. The reports I've seen there that there
have been confirmed reports of two tornadoes that touched down,
one in Murray, one in Louisville. There may be more

(00:23):
that come out after they get out into the light
and start assessing the situation. But hopefully everyone was able
to stay safe last night. I think that was the
worst of it from what I've read and heard in
terms of, you know, really tornado level type storms. But
we'll see. But it is going to be unpleasant inclement

(00:49):
weather through the weekend and that will and that is
why Keeland has done something that I don't know if
they've ever done or I can't ever remember it. They've
moved two of their biggest racing cards from Friday and
Saturday to Monday and Tuesday. The Ashland Steaks will be

(01:13):
contested headlining the card on Monday instead of being the
opening day lineup, and then Bluegrass Steaks Day will be
on Tuesday next week. So at the moment, the plan
is to open the Keenland Spring Meet with the Sunday
card that was already drawn. It was to be the

(01:33):
third day of racing, and now that is slated to
be the first day of racing, followed by Monday and Tuesday,
so they'll have eight straight days of racing out at Keeland.
So we'll get into a little more of that as
we get closer to the start of the Keenland Meet. Well,
I guess tomorrow and then certainly Monday and Tuesday with

(01:55):
those two big days. The last time I could find
the Bluegrass Stakes was tested on a weekday, as I
think nineteen eighty eight. It used to be held nine
days prior to the Kentucky Derby, and then they changed
the schedule because horsemen wanted more time between a prep
race in the Kentucky Derby, so they've moved it out
to the beginning of the meet now. But for the

(02:17):
longest time it was nine days before the Derby on
a Thursday, and I think the last time I think
that happened was nineteen eighty eight. During COVID they ran
the Bluegrass Stakes in the summer, but it was on
a Saturday. So a guest lineup today. Derek Terry will
lead us off from Batcat Central. The UK Baseball team
slated to open a series against number nine Ole Miss tonight.

(02:40):
I don't know if that'll get to happen or not,
but we'll see Jack Gibbons the Goose will be with
us to look back on the just completed the Kentucky
basketball season and justin Rowland from Cats Illustrated wild Cat
News of the Day presented by Juseppes of Lexington, Kentucky
football open practice to the media yesterday and as far
as guys general dating some buzz, Kendrick lawwide receiver was

(03:02):
right there at the top of the list with some
plays that he made in the passing game yesterday. Mark
Stoops and his comments afterwards had praise for Jason Patterson
at running back. I think Patterson turned some heads for
the folks that watch practice yesterday, Stoops saying Patterson could
be in every down back for the Wildcats, which figures
to have a at least to start a running back

(03:22):
by committee approach for the running game this season. Stoops
also is very high on Titan Willie Rodriguez from coming
to Catholic, saying that he loves everything about Willie, so
he could be edge some flashes last season. I remember
the big catch and running head and the upset win
at Old Miss had a big hit on special teams
to start that game kind of set the tone so

(03:44):
Willy could be in store for a big second season
for the Wildcats. The offensive line getting good reviews from
those who watched practice. Evan Wibberley, the transfer from Western Kentucky,
penciled in as the starting center. He's been battling an injury.
He was back out of practice yesterday, but Jagger Burton's
running first team at center for the moment. Coach Doups said,
they have they they're using guys at various positions to

(04:07):
increase their versatility. You remember a couple of years ago
there was the experimented with Jagger at center and he
didn't adapt to it well at that time and the
ended up going back to Eli Cox. They wanted to
take Eli and put him at it, thought he could
be even better at the guard position, but it turned
out they needed him at center. But maybe with more
time Jagger could be in the mix at the center

(04:28):
spot for them. We'll see, but Wibberley was back out
there practicing yesterday. Good luck UK Gymnastics. They're headed up
to the regional at Penn State and they start competition
today with Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan State. That
starts at one Eastern time today and the top two
from today will advance to the Regional the Regional final

(04:51):
on Saturday, and then the top two from there would
go onto the NCAA Finals. UK softball defeated rival Louisvill
last night eight to three in Louisville. Amory Donaldson's three
run trip will broke the game open late as Kentucky
got the win over its rival. Links to the stories
that we talk about each day can be found on
the Bud Light Leach Report page at Tom leachky dot com.

(05:14):
Heading to a break and back with Derek Terry, We'll
talk to some UK baseball here on the Leech Report,
presented by Bobcat Enterprises, our opening segment of Wildcat News
always presented by Giuseppes of Lexington. The Keenland Meets getting
up and running this weekend and when you're coming to Keenland,

(05:35):
finish the day off with a great meal at Giuseppes.
Go to Open Table and make your reservations now full
wine and bourbon selections there at Giuseppes and just fantastic food,
a lot of it locally sourced too, and you can
sit in the lounge area and enjoy the live jazz
music to a company your meal. It's something that's unique
to Giuseppes and really makes the evening extra special. Giuseppes

(05:58):
Lexington dot Com so we can go to check out
the men. It's one of my faves. It will be
one of yours. Jiuseepies here in Lexington, just off Nicholasville
Road out past mantal War. And one more note before
we bring on our first guest, I'm meant to include
this of the opening segment. Today starts a dead period
in the transfer portal as far as recruiting, with the

(06:19):
final four coming this weekend. Starting today and going through
April tenth, coaches are prohibited from doing on or off
campus recruiting of the kids in the transfer portal. Now,
players can still make their commitments, so that there still
could be transfer portal news, it's just that the visits

(06:42):
the contact is restricted during this dead period. So it'll
pick back up a week from Friday, and that's the
next time the coaches will be able to bring recruits
onto campus. So this should all shake out here, I
would think of the next couple of weeks. Right now,
we welcome Derek Terry to the program the Club Blue
Innile dot com hotline. He covers Kentucky baseball for Batcat

(07:04):
Central and Derek Kentucky is hosting number nine Ole Miss
supposed to be at seven tonight and a game that
is slated for the SEC network UK radio network of course,
and then a six thirty game tomorrow, and a two
o'clock game on Saturday. So a Thursday Saturday rotation here
for the games in this SEC series. But I would

(07:28):
think it's gonna be hard to get this one in
tonight to begin with, right.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah, it will be on some unfortunate weather coming through here.

Speaker 3 (07:36):
In the h last few days.

Speaker 2 (07:38):
I hope everybody say, first of all, but yeah, this
is I'm quite sure what they would do. It's been
rare that you would have a series that is you know,
I'm going to be raining basically the whole weekend. Those
very little gaps. I mean, I think you know this
weell just from working over there. I think keen wand
go ahead and changing their schedules is a pretty tell
tale tigme that it's gonna be hard to get anything

(08:00):
done outside this weekend.

Speaker 1 (08:02):
I know there is at least the forecast I've seen
from the local TV folks is that there was there
are going to be some gaps in the onslaught of rain,
so it won't be, you know, non stop. And I
wonder I've kind of expected that there'd be some announcement

(08:22):
maybe that they're gonna, you know, move up the game
on Friday maybe for example, I think there's supposed to
be a gap maybe somewhere in the afternoon. It's because,
you know, with an SEC series, it's not like you
can't do like Keelan's doing and push it into next
week because you've got another SEC series following that.

Speaker 2 (08:40):
Yeah, and anytime you kind of change schedules or try
to get the curfew and stuff involved, like you just
saw on Sunday, that always kind of frustrates some people too.
And yeah, I'm not quite sure this is a really
good team coming in here this week. I'd though with
whole mess, this is a kind of a resurgent team.
Have been one of the programs that back into the
twenty two the last team in the College or the

(09:03):
Insulay Tournament and ended up winning the whole thing, and
I've been very good since, and they weren't really all
that good best season. They were a highly ranked team
in that preseason and kind of just put it together.
I'd almost compare it to you know, well not quite
to the same extent, but almost like if twenty fourteen
Kentucky could have finished off the National Championship running basketball,

(09:23):
where they were really highly thought of in the preseason,
had a lot of tough moments during the year, but
whenever it mattered most they kind of turned it on.
But they seem to be a team here that is
certainly on their way still, you know, a little ways
to go with twenty one games left in the league,
but they look like they'll probably be back in the
Instabay Tournament this year. And I've also got a familiar

(09:45):
face a catcher with the Austin Foley who was here
last year in Kentucky's College World Series team, so somewhat
of a homecoming for him if they're able to play
any of these games this weekend.

Speaker 1 (09:56):
With Derek Terry batcats Central, where can folks fight your work?

Speaker 2 (10:01):
They can find that at a backcatcentral dot com and
then on Twitter and follow me there at Derek S.

Speaker 3 (10:07):
Terry posts almost every link there.

Speaker 1 (10:10):
You mentioned the curfew, the word curfew there. That caused
a little bit of an issue last Sunday down at
College Station, Texas and you had the rubber match of
the series there for a Texas A and M team
that was what I think pre seed were the preseason
number one in the country. Yes, and they hadn't won
an SEC game. They beat Kentucky on Friday for their

(10:32):
first win, so they're in desperation mode. Kentucky had let
a chance to win a series slip away at Georgia
and Auburn with some close losses early in those series,
and so they desperately wanted to win a series and
I think get back what to four and five? Now

(10:52):
in league play. They ultimately did get the win ten
to five. But there's this rule that is in place
in the SEC that I guess tell us the rule
for fans that are just casual baseball followers. What is
the rule and why did it it become such a
big issue last weekend.

Speaker 2 (11:09):
Well on the on the getaway days for the SEC
that the curfews in place just try to get these
guys back in time just because they are still as
terms them student athletes, and I guess that was for
four thirty Central time down there at A and M
and I believe if you can't start an inning after

(11:29):
the curfew hits, so Kentucky was more or less it
was the bottom half of the inning, and Kentucky was
more or less stalling it out to where the timing
would work out. Once they recorded the third out of
that inning, the time would be passed and they wouldn't
be able to start a new one, and therefore the
game would end. And Kentucky had had a five run lead.
It played pretty well that day. I would say A

(11:51):
and M stance on it would have been. You know,
people who have watched Kentucky baseball this year, it's been
hard for them to keep your runs off the board.
The pitching staffs had a bit of a rough go
of it so far, so I mean, to be honest
with the I would say A and M kind of
felt like they'd still have a chance, but you know,
the rules are the rules. And uh, this is not
me taking up for Nickmnjeon necessarily, but I I tend

(12:13):
to think every single coach in the league would have
would have done this absolutely.

Speaker 3 (12:18):
Yeah, it's very hard.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
To win SEC games, and whenever you're at a point
that your team's played pretty well throughout that day and
it was able to work in their favor. Now there
might come a time that you know, it goes against them,
you know who knows, and and it might not work
out in their favor.

Speaker 3 (12:33):
But they had an opportunity there.

Speaker 2 (12:36):
I thought, probably their best played game of that series,
and uh, we're able to get away with honestly, really
a huge win. You'd mentioned that A and M had
not won a game coming in. They're you know, on
a path to being a preseason number one team. That
doesn't I mean they might not win more than ten
or eleven SEC games if that so, but still extremely

(12:57):
talented team. I mean, if you're going to look at
the draft picks in July, I'm sure they will far
out Pacet Kentucky. And it was still a big deal
for you, Cad to be able to go on the road,
and especially like what you'd mentioned, they've probably played well
enough overall to have won at least the Auburn series
and they come up short. So I think this kind

(13:18):
of has them back at a good spot in the
schedule where they.

Speaker 3 (13:23):
Have back to back home series, which is pretty rare
in the SEC.

Speaker 2 (13:25):
They'll play Ole Miss this weekend and then Texas at
home next weekend, and Texas, who's having a great season
so far, So a pretty big opportunity here, and I
thought it kind of came out a good time just
in terms of interest. Now that basketball is over, people
that are maybe going to turn their attention and try
to figure out what's going on with some of these
spring sports. I think they're still in a spot that
it's reasonable. It's certainly not a guarantee, and they'll have

(13:47):
to play a lot better to get there, but a
third straight install a tournament is certainly still on the
table for this baseball program.

Speaker 1 (13:54):
Backcat Central and Derek Terry joining us to talk a
little UK baseball and hopefully they get to play these games,
because you're right, it is a great opportunity for baseball
fans over these next two weekends to see some very
important games here at Kentucky Proud Park. So we'll keep
our fingers crossed that they can find a way to

(14:14):
get some are all of the games in Derek, Thank
you much.

Speaker 3 (14:18):
All right, Thanks Tom, have a good day you Toobe.

Speaker 1 (14:20):
It's Derek Terry. He joins us on the Club blueenil
dot com hotline. The Leach Report's presented by Bobcat Enterprises.
They have four locations in Kentucky, so it's not just
Wildcat Country, it is also Bobcat Country. And when you
need to buy or rent some heavy equipment excavators, loaders, forklifts,
et cetera. Or if you need a zero turn Moore
for your home, Bobcat Enterprises that's your go to guys,

(14:42):
and you can google them to find the location that
is nearest you here in Kentucky. We'll be right back
with the Ghost Jack Gibbons. It's the Leach Report Radio Network.
Whatity six past the top of the hour here on
the Leach Report Radio Network. Coming to from the Clark's
Pumping Shop Studio. Return, Refresh and refuel at Clarkson sign

(15:05):
up for their doue Loyalty rewards program. The Ghost jackibvans
joining us in the Club Blue Nil dot com hotline. Goose,
I don't know about you. I was sitting there and
I was watching the games on Saturday, and then after
I got back from Indy, and then on Sunday when
the first game was the one from Indianapolis. I couldn't

(15:25):
help thinking, Man, Goose and I are supposed to still
be there, still working.

Speaker 4 (15:31):
Yeah, absolutely, I miss you already.

Speaker 3 (15:33):
Tom.

Speaker 4 (15:34):
You know it's only been a week, man, and it's
like it's been a month since we worked our last game.
But yeah, I was definitely not ready for this one
to be over, with such a fun ride with this
team and with Mark and his staff. So I agree
with you, man, we should have still been working.

Speaker 1 (15:57):
This was a season I had a lot of highlights.
Injuries and unfortunately caused them some issues. Said several times
there towards the end, it would be great to have
It would have been great to have seen the team
that lined up against Duke and beat the Blue Devils
to have or even the one that beat Florida, even
though Kerr was out at that point, everybody else was

(16:18):
intact to see that team playing at the end of
the year. But what were your I guess takeaways in
terms of what Kentucky accomplished in year one under Mark.

Speaker 4 (16:29):
Pope, Well, my first takeaway would be, Tom, We've we've
got us a good leader in Mark Pope. Man, what
a job he did, not just putting together the team
and his staff, but making the adjustments with the injuries

(16:50):
and everything this team had to deal with. He kind
of made it look easy. And you and I both
know that what it's not easy to accomplish what he
accomplished with so many key people being out of the lineup.
So that is my first and biggest takeaway is that

(17:10):
I think we're in good hands and I can't wait
to see the team Mark's going to put together. I
like this team. I like the guys, and the reason
is that every one of them, to a man, wanted
to be here. They wanted to make the most of

(17:30):
their experience with Kentucky and Big Blue Nation. It hasn't
already always seemed to be that way, but we had
some really really good guys, and we've been blessed to
have good guys over the years. But that was a
big takeaway also, and that's why I'm looking forward to
seeing what Mark and this staff can do putting together

(17:54):
a new roster.

Speaker 1 (17:55):
We talk more about that when we come right back
the goose Jack Givings with us on the Lead Report.
Radio Network. Guests on the Lead Report come to you
of you the Club blueennil dot Com hotline, Club Blues
calling on fans so raise a glass to commemorate the
new era of Kentucky men's basketball. Club Blues, the official
NIL fundraising partner for UK Athletics, and is teamed up
with Bespoken Spirits for a special release of a limited

(18:18):
edition Club Blue basketball bottle that features a bold, weeded
Kentucky bourbon whiskey. Fewer than eight hundred individually numbered bottles
have been produced, so they won't last long. Perfect bottle
for your collection and ideal forgetting autographs. The limited edition
Club Blue basketball bottles are available now at Liquor Barn
stores across Kentucky while supplies last, and every bottle sold

(18:40):
directly fuels the NIL efforts at UK. So get yours today.
The ghost Jack gibbings with us. We're talking Kentucky basketball.
Me talk about one of the incoming freshmen, Goose because
you live over in Scott County and work at Great
Crossing coach golf right.

Speaker 4 (18:58):
At Scott Only High School.

Speaker 1 (19:00):
Oh, Scott County.

Speaker 4 (19:01):
The last couple, Yes, Scott County, but of course Scott
County and Great Crossing they're they're a big rivalry and
uh and and they spanked this pretty bad this year.
You know, I sat there and watched the game and
I thought, Man, if this kid continues to improve, he's
he's going to be really good. But even though there

(19:24):
are big ribbery congratulations to him for winning the state tournament, uh,
it was it was fun to.

Speaker 1 (19:30):
See malca I had a nice appearance in the McDonald's
game earlier this week. And what kind of an impact
do you think is realistic or do you even know
yet till you see him go through practices of what
he could do in his first year at Kentucky.

Speaker 4 (19:45):
Well, I know, I know him fairly well. I got
to see him a lot and uh had a chance
to of course watch his big brother play. So I've
been uh knowing them, uh although not real personally, but
knowing them for a long long time that family. So
I think with Malachai, he has a little bit of

(20:11):
uh what I might call the high school big guy
uh disease if you will. And it was interesting because
Mark Pope early in the season said the same thing
about Amary Williams, and that is and that was that
they're just too nice at that at that age, coming

(20:35):
out of high school. They don't want to hurt anybody.
They're bigger than everybody else, so, uh, they want to
be nice to everybody and uh, the physical play that
it's going to take to be successful on the next level.
That is one of the things they got to learn.
They got to learn, man, and Malachi suffers from some

(20:55):
of that. He's gonna have to get meaner, if you will.
And you know early in the season was asking that
of Amari. Uh, he's gonna have to uh figure out
what it's like to play against guys who are his
size and what it takes. I think he will. I

(21:16):
don't think there's any question about that. He Uh, he
certainly has the talent to do it. He has a
real good touch. Uh. His footwork, uh, surprisingly is really good.
He knocked down a three in the uh in the
McDonald's game, So I know Mark and his uh the
team work, they were all excited to see that. Uh.

(21:39):
He'll he'll have to improve to really be the factor
that I think he's gonna be. But he has time.
I mean, it's it's not a big deal, but a
lot of that starts with just figuring out that you've
got to be mean. You don't it's not a personal
thing against the people you play against. But in order
to to succeed in the SECN on this level, it's

(22:05):
just a step those bigs have to take.

Speaker 1 (22:07):
For purposes of this discussion, we'll assume that the guys,
the three freshmen and that beg and Otaga are all back.
Otega would return his Kentucky's leading score, and I think
he was a guy that nobody would have expected. Probably
at the beginning of the season, he would have been
way down the list when you ask people to project
to the leading score was going to be. And he

(22:30):
had a great first season at Kentucky. What would a
second season here look like for him to take his
game to a little higher level.

Speaker 4 (22:41):
Well, the good thing about Otega is the way he
gets his points. He'll always be able to get his
points that way. I mean, it didn't take him making
crazy shots from outside and beyond a three point line
for him to get his average sixteen points. But of
course a lot of games he got a lot more
than that. He gets them the old fashioned way. He

(23:04):
earns them. He earns them at the basket by creating
opportunities for himself off to dribble. All of that kind
of stuff. He will still be able to do because
he's gonna still be as strong as he is and
and as physical as he is now. I think he'll
go and try the NBA, see what that's all about,

(23:25):
and they're all gonna tell him, you know, you got
to be able to shoot the ball in this league,
so you have to go back and show us that
you can improve the mechanics of your of your jump shot.
And a lot of times you tell kids that, young
players that, and they think, man, I got to go

(23:47):
out and prove that I can make the three point shot,
and they waste a lot of time trying to convince
everybody that they can shoot threes. And that's not necessarily
what it means for Tega. What that means is he
has to create jump shots, show that he can consistently
beat this guy off the dribble, which he can, but

(24:09):
instead of going in there with the seven footers and
trying to create there, you've got to pull up and
make a jump shot or two. Yeah, it'd be nice
to be consistent beyond the three point line, but he
still has some improving to do. But it's areas where
he can get better, but his points are still going
to be there because of the way he gets them.

Speaker 1 (24:31):
Coach Pope has said he thinks there's a really good
playmaker inside Otega. O. Wait, so that could be another
thing he could add when he beats his guy off
the dribbles, creates something for a teammate, and Pope thinks
that's something that he has definitely has in his arsenal
down the road.

Speaker 4 (24:52):
Yeah, and when you look at the next level, all
of the point not all the point guards, but a
vast majority of the point guards or six five six
six six' four At otega. Size so, yeah if he's
able to, again he is going to have to prove
that he could handle the ball better, more maybe run

(25:16):
some point guard. Spot doesn't have to do it a
steady diet of, it because nowadays they use point forwards
and sometimes point centers to start the offense in THE.
Nba so but, yeah it's going to be good for
him to prove that he makes good decisions and, transition
he makes good decision in, traffic and that he can

(25:39):
create shots for other guys on the. Team.

Speaker 1 (25:43):
Goose maybe by the time we talk next, week The
cats will have a little bit more of the roster filled.
Out we'll, see but for, now thanks for the.

Speaker 4 (25:49):
Time, yeah Thanks. Tom i'm sitting here in the car
next To Kyle macy were we're headed. Down we're headed
down The knoxville to Meet so it's another former team,
Mate Chris gttlefinger in the. BACKSEAT A scott sent one
of our business. Partners so h you know my my
windshield wipers went out And i've Got cal up on

(26:13):
the hood, wiping wiping the. Windshield that's as we go
DOWN i seventy. Five. Man of Course i'm pulled over.
Now But cal wanted me to say hi to, you
and so Did.

Speaker 1 (26:24):
Scott well give them give him our best and uh
and don't Foul macie because he'll he'll kill you at
the free throw In, yeah.

Speaker 4 (26:31):
He'll make all the free, throws that's for.

Speaker 3 (26:33):
Sure thank, You.

Speaker 4 (26:34):
TOM i look forward to talking to you next.

Speaker 1 (26:36):
Week sounds, good safe. Travels that's the Good jack. Givings
AND i know he would want to say thank you
everybody that turned out for his book signing up In
indianapolis with The Alumni association last. Week and if you
have A Father's day gift that you need to start thinking,
about or a birthday, gift pick, up they call me.
Goose jack's book With Doug. Brunk we'll get to a

(26:56):
break come back With Justin rowland From Cats. Illustrated it's
the Lee Which, report presented By Bobcat, enterprises fourteen away
from the top of the. Hour here on The Leach,
report coming to you from The Clark's pump And shop.
Studio as we welcome In Justin. Rowland you read them
At katsillustrated dot com on The Rivals. Network he, too
was just on The Club Blue innile dot com highline

(27:18):
And i'm sure on the message board where fans are
interacting with your. Site justin there's a lot of interest
slash panic regarding the transfer.

Speaker 5 (27:28):
Portal, Right, yeah needless to say that's kind of taken.
Over it's great for sports media year, round BUT i,
mean if you're trying to plan and advance and anticipate
who's going to commit, where it's kind of a. Nightmare
so the best we can do is just kind of
introduce guys and then after the fact share more info on.
Them but there's a lot of names and a lot
of roster spots to.

Speaker 1 (27:49):
Fill Silas Demri junior From georgia was an early name
that surfaced That kentucky had a lot of, interest and
looks like according to reports as see That yukon has
emerged as the favorite to land. HIM i would think
is this is playing itself out That kentucky is still

(28:10):
somewhat dealing with the effects of having to completely put
together a roster from scratch last. Season So Mark pope
had to do that in a short amount of, time
did it, successfully but you still are probably not going
to have the number of minutes carried over from one
season to the next as you probably will once he's

(28:31):
been in place two or three, years, Right.

Speaker 5 (28:35):
Yeah, YEAH i think that's. Right it's a multi year
project kind of layer the roster with multi year. Players
and we saw the teams in the final four generally
other Than, duke had a lot of returning, production And
pope has emphasized returning. Production so and the thing about
the transfer portal is you can get really good in

(28:56):
the transfer portal if you do it, right but you're
probably not going to get rate doing the transfer portal
in mass and so it's going to be a multi year.
Project and you also don't know who else might lead
the program at.

Speaker 1 (29:09):
This, point at least we on the outside might.

Speaker 5 (29:11):
Not so they HAVEN'T i think maybe they're kind of
phishing and kind of just seeing what's out there and
identifying guys that they. Like but it would be it's
kind of hard to speculate how much interest they have
in some of these. Guys Just kentucky being linked to
somebody or having a zoom call with somebody or talking
to somebody or testing the waters doesn't necessarily mean that
he's a can't miss guy For.

Speaker 1 (29:33):
And you also have you, know you're managing a. Budget the.
Funds kentucky has ample, funds but not. Unlimited nobody, does
so you've got that's a little more challenging when you
have to be shopping for a greater number of, guys, right.

Speaker 5 (29:49):
Yeah one hundred. Percent, Yeah SO i think it's hard to.
Say just we might used to have been able to, say,
well if this kid went To, providence or this kid
went To Saint john's or this kid went somewhere that's
a little lower in the traditional recruiting pecking order Than,
kentucky well maybe he wasn't a huge emphasis For. Kentucky
it's not as easy as, that because you, KNOW lsu

(30:10):
might land a guy That kentucky would have been happy
to take for maybe half the price THAT lsu is
able to throw at, him just depending on how many
roster spots these other schools have and how they're allocating
their funds and how much emphasis they place on a certain.
Player so the money angle really complicates our understanding of
what these recruiting boards might look, like just BECAUSE i,

(30:31):
mean the money is a huge. VARIABLE a guy may
be willing to go somewhere he wouldn't have otherwise gone
if the dollars and cents or. More AND i Know
San Diego state said with The magoon glap grafted that
he took less money to come back To San Diego,
State and you're gonna have some situations like. That maybe
a guy went in just to end up getting a
little bit money more money where he was. At and

(30:52):
so it's.

Speaker 1 (30:53):
Complicated and sometimes it's not that they're getting more money to.
Stay it's like maybe with With, gloth it's just you
like the spot you're in and if they can get close,
enough then you'll stay Right and maybe that's what sounds,
like that's what happened.

Speaker 5 (31:08):
There exactly, so and it's easy at this point to
imagine how this guy is attractive or that guy's, Attractive
but as the roster starts to fill, out they get
two three, commitments then it's going to be more obvious
the roles That pope has in mind for all these.
Players other than it's, interesting he said that he knows
that you have to be, longer more athletic in the

(31:29):
sec than maybe he anticipated before he had coached in the.
Conference and how much shooting is he maybe willing to
sacrifice to get longer and more. Athletic these are questions
that that we're going to start to get answers to
as we see who he fills the roster out.

Speaker 1 (31:41):
With, yeah you're, right that will be really interesting because you,
know they got better defensively down the, stretch but you,
know still not to where they need to. Be but,
again you've always got to kind of have the caveat
of the restrictions they were under in terms of time
of putting together. Rosters so now with more time you

(32:02):
can hopefully and he did a good job even in the.
Situation he was the hand that he was dealt to
get guys that fit together. Well so that would be
a REASON i think for fans to be optimistic that
he'll be able to do. It maybe at a higher
level with his second.

Speaker 5 (32:19):
Team, yeah competence is not something that you really, Question.
POPE i don't think There he is a certain baseline
competence intelligence BASKETBALL iq vision that he recruited well to
enough and that he coached well enough that you feel
like he's got a good head on his shoulders and
he knows the direction that he probably wants to take it.

(32:39):
In but that doesn't mean that you're going to knock
it out of the. Park you can be a really smart,
coach but you're still held by the scarcity of players
who's going into the portal and scarcity of, money and
so you might have the confidence that his overall vision
he's going to get something close to but are the
part's going to be available to take the team to
the next level that Sweets Team, central The final four

(33:01):
potential that is somewhat in his, control but also somewhat
out of.

Speaker 1 (33:05):
It shift gears to. Football they had an open practice.
Yesterday in terms of the media opportunity to get in
and see, it the fans will have an OPPORTUNITY i
think at the end of spring practice next week to
it won't be a spring, game but you'll be to
see the team in, action and there seems to be

(33:26):
a lot of comments consistently coming back from not if not,
always the. Coaches then you know people that cover the
program that it feels like there is a legitimate sense
of optimism about the offensive line and getting that closer
to back to the big blue wall. Days that's.

Speaker 5 (33:45):
Right, YEAH i wasn't at the, practice but that's consistent
with What i've heard from people around the. Program is
the offensive line looks. Better there's a lot of competence
in that. Unit there's more depth to sustain maybe an,
injury more depth for, competition there's a ton of. Experience
tally up the snaps for all the guys they brought,
in there's a, ton so they kind of know what they're.
Getting but then, again like they allocated a lot of

(34:07):
resources towards that offensive, line so you would expect it
to be. BETTER i would say fans should expect the
offensive line to at least be a solid, unit a
VIABLE sec unit that gives you a chance that you
haven't had for the past couple of. Years BUT i
do think that there are still questions at, quarterback at running,
back at wide. Receiver the hope that just has to
be that that line can lean on you and make

(34:28):
those guys look better and make those guys better across the.

Speaker 1 (34:33):
Board there is another transfer portal window where they could
add a player or, two or however. Many what would
you think If Mark stoops could find the right, guy
he would be looking for the right guy at what?

Speaker 5 (34:47):
Position, YEAH i, MEAN i think running back is a.
QUESTION i still think the running back room is a.
Question they're bringing in the doubtle kid From, nebraska BUT
i think he could be similar To chip in terms
of being a straight, line not a lot of, wiggle
but moved the pile kind of. Guy the vision that
they had For chip And jamri And wilcox they're going

(35:08):
to count on a, lot And Jason patterson is the
one That i've probably heard the most in terms of
a step forward from last. Year but you might not
turn down a really GOOD sec back that's an all
around player and then a. Receiver you knew they were
trying to bring In True edwards From Louisiana, tech but
with THE ncaa clarification on eligibility for former junior college,

(35:30):
players that and he was not announced as a signee,
EARLIER i would imagine receiver is a spot where they
could add somebody else as.

Speaker 1 (35:36):
Well Justin Rowland Katz illustrated dot. Com his Guy David
sisk would be all over The transfer portal. News so
you can read all that coverage on The rivals network
at Cats illustrated dot com and at Rolland rivals on X.

Speaker 3 (35:49):
Thank, you Justin thanks a, Lot.

Speaker 1 (35:51):
Tom it is The Leach report and we have one segment.
Left we will get to that while we come right
back our shows presented each day By Bobcat. Enterprises, Oh
happy birthday to our friends At Cornbread. Hemp they're celebrating
six years of hemp excellence here In, kentucky and the co,
Founders jim And eric have a message for you that

(36:11):
they wanted us to pass, along and here it. Is
thank you for being there from the beginning and for
supporting us all these. Years we'll continue to create hemp
products that make your life better and keep fighting for
your freedom to enjoy those products every step of the.
Way whatever your version of the good life, Is Cornbread
hemp has your back and to celebrate all listeners when

(36:31):
you spend seventy five dollars or more at cornbreadamp dot
com you'll get thirty percent off your order if you
use the CODE b day at, checkout and you'll get
a free limited edition gift as. Well so the code
IS b day cornbreadhamp dot. Com spend at least seventy five,
bucks you'll get thirty percent off that order on things
like their sleep gummies that are fantastic and the other

(36:52):
products there at cornbreadhemp dot. Com understand wildcat. History nineteen ninety,
Three michigan and The fab five Be kentucky in overtime
the final four eighty one to seventy. Eight but such
a fun season because it came on the heels of
that gut punch loss To duke the year, before and
that ninety three team led By Jamal mashburn And Travis

(37:14):
ford Took kentucky on an Incredible march. Round they just
pounded teams in the regional And, charlotte and if mash
had not filed, OUT i think they would have won
the national championship that. Year that team had the record
for most threes made in the season until this team broke.
It and a happy birthday To Jared. Vanderbilt talk for
a second about shufflebing coffee it's the official coffee of

(37:35):
Upp aerna in THE Kfc Young. Center you can make
it the official coffee of your. Home get some At
Central Kentucky myers, stores pick it up Through, amazon or
you can go To shufflebean dot us and you can
order some of the coffee, there and you can find
out more about A kentucky based company that is doing
it right at being the very best that is Shuffle Bean.
Coffee Fun Thursday, show well see it tomorrow to wrap

(37:58):
up the week here on The Leach's, report presented By
Bobcat enterprises