Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good day, everybody. Welcome in to the Leech Report, presented
by Bobcat Enterprises for this Monday as we start another
week of shows coming up today at shuffle Bee Coffee
Monday Morning, Quarterback Day. It means Van Hiles will be here.
He did a post on social media last night talking
about how eager he was to come on and get
(00:22):
started because of the three game winning streak. Lots of
good things to talk about for his alma mater and mine,
so we will do that and then spent a little
time at the end of the show with the chat
with Jay Billis from ESPN ahead of the Champions Classic
matchup with Michigan State tomorrow night in New York. For
Kentucky Ben's Basketball wild Cat News of the Day, a
(00:45):
service of Giuseppees of Lexington, Kentucky made it three in
a row, beating Tennessee Tech forty two to ten. The
big talking point was the thirty yard touchdown run by
Cutter Bowley designed pass play. Couldn't find an open receiver, pressures,
pockets starting to collapse, so he slides off to the
left and then commits to a run and you're thinking, okay,
(01:09):
can he get to the edge and maybe he get
a first down. Well, he did that, and then he
goes down the sideline, staying in bounds with his very
nimble moves. And then when he gets inside the five,
a Tennessee Tech defender comes up to challenge him, and
he drops his throwing shoulder and runs into him and
knocks him back and scores a touchdown and plays went nuts,
(01:33):
and it's all anybody's talking about on social media and
after the game reminiscent. Maybe not the stakes were as high,
but of Steven Johnson diving into the end zone it
he had already had an injured shoulder, but just a
quarterback giving up his body for his team. Not something
(01:56):
you want to see Cutter Bowley doing all that often
because of how valuable he is. He's playing right now.
Kentucky scored on six of eight drives with Bowley at
the helm. He just missed setting a school record for
single game completion percentage. He was eighteen of twenty one,
the records twenty of twenty three, so he was just
percentage points away from breaking a record that Bill Ramsdell
(02:17):
holds back to nineteen eighty six. He has completed seventy
percent of his passes in a game four times this season.
That's the most since Tim Couch in nineteen ninety eight.
Kentucky Volleyball sweeps Arkansas three ZIP, completes the perfect season
in the SEC twenty two and two overall. Eva Hudson
fifteen kills on her senior day. Kentucky's the number one
seed for the SEC Tournament starting Sunday in Savannah at noon.
(02:41):
Kentucky will play either Auburn, Oklahoma or Arkansas Wildcat. News
of the Day service of Giuseppes of Lexington, and they
have their own barrel pick bourbon that's on the way
to the restaurant. You can buy a bottle take it
home with you. They're also working on a new Russell
Reserve barrel pick. Get to open table, make your reservation
for a special night out of Joseppis during the holidays,
(03:02):
and check on those barrel picks while you're there. We
will be right back and chat with Van Hiles here
on this Monday Editionhit I believe you report.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Man, I tell you I end up being so turned
up in a football game before, Like I said it
boy crazy, but like that just show you what type
of player he is. Like he gonna do everything he
can for this team. He's a selfless guy, and you
know at that point, you can't ask much more, especially
from a young player like he is. You know, I
definitely think the sky is the limit for that man
(03:33):
right there, just because of how young he is. And
like I said, when you have little to no hesitation
at that age, and you know with that little of experience,
you know, that's that's a great quality to have. And
like I said, he's been executed at a high level,
especially the past couple of games, and you know, I'm
I'm super excited for him. He deserves everything that's coming
(03:54):
towards him.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Right now, it's Seth mcgallan talking about his teammate and
his quarterback back Cutter Bowley, the red shirt freshman from
uh Lexington Christian Academy and Hodginville, Kentucky, and Van Hiles
joins us now for the Shuffle being Coffee Monday Morning
Quarterback edition of the show. I think that might be
the best analysis of the one line of Cutter Bowley
(04:17):
I've heard yet that boy crazy.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Look, there is there is nothing better as a player
to hear your peers talk about you like that. That
that is when you know you you you have the
respect of your teammates and and that, and that's all
you want as a player is to respect from your teammates.
And I know that made him feel feel very good
(04:45):
when you heard that, when.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
He made that run and ran over the Tennessee Tech
player has said on the broadcaster was a little reminiscent
of some of Billy Jack Haskins runs.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Anything.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
And you're a former Chicago Bear, you can see if
you agree with me on this, I see a little
I see a little Jim McMahon in Cutter Bowley.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
There's a you know what I'm gonna say, I think Cutter,
as every player would say, cut is Cutter, And yes
he has little elements of everything. But what I can
say about the kid is he is unsaved since day one,
and that's just him. Like that play there. I don't
(05:27):
like it when coaches say, all you have to protect
yourself because then as a player, you start overthinking, yes,
there are situations where god, look man, we don't have
we don't have to back up. That's just as good
as you, et cetera. But sometimes you gotta let a
player just play the game. And he didn't do that
on purposes. One like something. He's like, well, let Monroe
the guy he saw the end zone and he's like,
(05:49):
if I'm gonna run this far, I'm gonna get rewarded
for how far read and and I love it. I
love when when guys on game they played to that
level and it was awesomnescee live too.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
He clearly is a player that rarely makes the same
mistake twice, it seems. And I say that because in
his post game he referenced the Texas game. Remember that
first drive, I think when he slid and it came
up just short of the first down, and then they
failed on fourth and that was in his head at
that moment. He's like, I'm not sliding.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
And that's the thing is is if you can score,
score I mean in Missouria a couple of weeks ago
against Dandy, lost their third quarterback because they didn't score
in the red zone. If you have a chance to score,
you feel like you can get there. Don't say, oh,
I have a great running back that's gonna get there
and two downs. No, you never know what might happen.
(06:46):
You could fumble with bad exchange. Anything can happen if
you have a chance to put in end zone, put
in end zone.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Another here's a stat that I think you'll like. I
looked up yesterday in at CFB stats dot com. You
can look up a lot of different things, and in
the month of November, Kentucky's number one in the SEC
and pass defense and their number one in fewest yards
per attempt at four point three. And I know the
most recent opponent was an FCS level but the other two,
(07:16):
you know, Auburn the next week hung forty five on
our thirty eight on Vandy, and Florida took Ole Miss
to the wire. And that's give you those numbers to
say that in September Kentucky was last in both of
those categories.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Yeah, facing facing Old Miss will hurt you. But here's
the thing that's that's underrated and I don't think we
actually tacknowledge of, is that we haven't played with a
healthy secondary of the entire year. When DJ Waller plays
what a couple series in the first game, and he
hasn't played since, We've been playing with a backup at
(07:54):
least the whole season. And I think about we were
playing with a true freshman at corner last week and
held up pretty well. To think that we've been staying
with your third corner for probably over half the season.
That says a lot about that secondary and what they
have accomplished this year. Because if you say, if you
would have told me that you're on your fourth, fifth,
(08:15):
potentially sixth corner and it's able to have that grave
of a month, as far as that's concerned, I would
have said, no way, that's.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
A little bit of a concern. Though for this Saturday,
hopefully they'll get maybe at least one of the guys back.
They thought Waller was going to play this past week,
so maybe he'll be able to go. But the thing
is he had played in so long. You'd rather have
a guy and probably played a little more recently, like
Addison or even Nicklas to get back. So they could
certainly use one more guy with some experience back there.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
You a I'm sure, Cole Collins like, I'll take what
you give me, and hopefully it's a guy that's ready
to play on Saturdy. Yeah, it'd be great to get
Nicholas or it'd be great to get Nicholas back, because
Nichol was your backup and I think in this game
you need to have a guy with some experience that
truly knows the data scheme in the system. But it's Addison.
(09:06):
I'm cool with Addison too.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Talking with Van Hiles on the Shuffle being Coffee Monday
morning quarterback edition of The Leach Report from the Clark's
Pumping Shop Studio. Return, refresh and refuel at Clark's. We'll
be right back.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
No, I have not had a day like that, so
today it was super exciting for me, and you know,
very motivational for me to keep going, you know, and
just constantly keep showing the world what I'm capable of.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
And I got more in my bag too. Kendrick Law
confident young man there wide receiver with eleven catches for
one hundred and twenty four yards, both new personal bests
for him. As we continue our chat with Van Hiles,
a former track man as well as football players. So
could you pull off that kind of hurdle?
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I was. I was a hurler,
so yes, definitely definitely over two people. Probably not, but
hurdle technique I heard up technique is is much better.
But now that was that was exciting. Look, the first
of all, he's a boot guy. He's from the Great
State Louisiana. And and I know a little bit about
(10:14):
Kendrick and and the concern with Kendrick coming in while
going out of high school was his ability to run routes.
He is, like I said beginning of the season, he
is the He's Lynn Bolden. That's how that's how elite
he is as far as when the ball is in sand.
The concern was routed running. And when he started running
speed outs the way that he started running about three
(10:36):
or three weeks ago, he's unguardable as a dB. You
when you can run by me like he can run
by you, and then to run a speed out, it's
the most deadliest combination. And when they started implementing that,
it's like it's over for a typical dB. And and
he is showing now to the NFL guys that he
can run routes and and when you can do that
(10:59):
and also contribute on special team's department return kick off
return man, he's got a real shot of making it
on the next level.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
It's a credit to his position. Coach, He's done a
nice job. Kender didn't. I mean, he's I'm sure he's
worked hard, but he wouldn't do it all on his own.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
I'm Ana Bragg on my state again, another Louisiana product.
So I'm sure that and this is honest though this
does help. I'm sure that connection is based on that.
When you come to a place and a guy kind
of has he kind of knows where you come from,
kind of maybe knows how to how to say things
to who who to get certain things across to you
(11:38):
because you're from the same area. I think it's a difference.
They're from the same area. And and I think that connection,
like you said, has shown and his progression this year,
I don't think people want to say how much he
has gotten better this year as a senior. And and
that's correct to see that a guy is still bought
in to to who hone his craft this lay in
his career, and it's awesome to see that it's is
(12:00):
spanning off. At the end of the season.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Offensive line seems to be playing it's best football of
the season. Is that what you see?
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Look, this offensive line on the honest with you has
been playing well all year. Are their hiccups in this game?
You're not gonna win all your battles. Have there been
issues during the season, Yes, have individual guys lost individual battles. Yes,
that is gonna happen every week. But what I like
about this this unit is they have played every game
(12:31):
and I know that they are warriors because I know
that there are bumps and bruises that some players say
I can't play this week. They have played every snap
pretty much every game that they could as a unit together,
and that week, whether there's Week nine, week ten, is
showing that that level of playing all those snaps together
is starting to playoffs. They are picking up stuts even better,
(12:54):
like they're their cohesiveness and you can see them becoming
a great unit. But I would say this all year
they have flaying really, really well, and now it's just
showing because of the amount of rep they's played as
a unit and as a group.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Tagoer Van Hiles at V Style seventeen on x you
can see his cutups on the Tennessee Tech game and
the breakdown of key elements of the game. And then
you can also hear him on Wednesday nights on the
Locker with Anthony White to the former Cat and they
chop it every chop it up every Wednesday night, and
(13:28):
you can see it on YouTube and other podcast platforms
at nine Eastern time, and it's had to be a
lot of fun for you and aunt be so I
used to call him on these weekly shows.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
The last three weeks have been great. And look, I
have honestly thought that I was a jinx because ever
since we started this show, I'm like, sheez, can we
get on any kind of momentum streak or something? And
now I can say the things that's been broken. There's
we're on a three streak and it's it's nothing better
(14:03):
former player to see those guys because you know what
they go through to be able to get three wins
in a row. And I guarantee you this show on
Wednesday might not be as colorful because we are we
are winning, but I guarantee you it's gonna be some
great insights about the ball. Wednesday's not PM sus standard.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Uh. I get that on on like free throws in basketball.
If you say, like somebody's hadn't missed all night and
then they they missed because they miss they lost because
they lost, had nothing to do with you.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
I wish you wasn't that simple.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
He's talk a little bit about the matchup with Vandy.
Obviously a different level of quarterback in Diego Pavia. But
they gain a little bit of a of a preview
in Vesparis from Tennessee Tech, and he was impressive with
his ability to cramble. But this is a whole other
level with Pavia. So give me your early thoughts on
(15:04):
the matchup.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yeah, that's exactly I thought DJ Lagway would give a
little bit more of it a couple of weeks ago.
And it's kind of hard to analyze last week because
we say so many players. I mean, I have to
look at the roster to see who these numbers, who
these guys were associated with these numbers. The thing about
is we have to find a way to contain them.
(15:27):
I would say this we did pretty well last year
of containing him. He's gonna make three, four to five
electric players a game, But can you contain them? And
when they get in the red zone, we have to
find a way to limit them to the field goals.
Because now with our offense being as efficient as it is,
I think as a defensive player, the stress of giving
(15:48):
up points is way less than it was probably six
games ago. So now with you knowing that the offense
can score points, we got to hold them the field
goals if they get into the red zone. And I
think this game is going to be the tail sign
is gonna be countpossession, turnovers, and conversion in the red
zone wherever does the best, and those three I think
wins this game on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
To your point, and Andy's been into the red zone
forty seven times this season, one of the higher numbers
in the SEC, and they have scored a touchdown seventy
nine percent of the time. That is number one in
the league.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Yees, yeah, that's exceptional, and that is Diego. That's solely
him because the fielders can bet and it's easier for
secondary to cover in the red zone unless the quarterback scrambles,
because then it becomes pretty much back to our football.
And that's the thing is when you get them in
(16:43):
the red zone, you got to contain him in the pocket.
I will be okay with him throwing touchdowns from the
pocket more than him scrambling and causing havoc plays on
defense with his legs. We keep him in the pocket
and forcing to beat us with his arms. I think
we have a really good chance of winning that game
in Nashville here.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
In the month of November, they have scored at that
same seventy nine percent rate. But there are four teams
that have outperformed them this month, one of them being
the Kentucky Wildcats. Eight touchdowns from ten red zone attempts
in three games this month. So Kentucky's suddenly become quite
efficient in that part of the field.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
They have become efficient everywhere. And for me, the tailtale
sign of great offenses is when you can convert on
any third down distance. And I think that is where
we're at right now as an offense. It doesn't matter
if it's third and two, it's thirty to fifteen. We're
going to find a way to convert. And that's the
great thing about having a quarterback that the team trusts
(17:42):
and believes in, and more importantly, the OC trust and
believes in. And that's the evolution of this offense. And
that is what I'm gonna tell you this from a
decent standpoint. You love it.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Vanderbilt number one, Kentucky number two, and third down conversions
here in the month of November. We'll continue our chat
with Van Hiles when we return Shuffle being Coffee Monday
morning Quarterback edition of the Leech Report, brought to you
by Bobcat Enterprises. Bobcat Enterprises presents our show each day.
They have four locations in Kentucky. So when you need
(18:14):
to buy or rent some heavy equipment for a job
or know someone who does, that's who you need to call. Tractors, excavators, forklifts,
whatever it is. They have zero turn mowers for your
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can get fantastic service after the sale from Bobcat Enterprises.
We're chatting with Van Hiles, former Wildcat and NFL dB
(18:38):
about Kentucky football. It's shift gears to the defensive side.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Van.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
They had four starters out for this game and two
of them are lost for the season in love It
and oh and Sam Green on the outside. But I'm
I'm impressed by how many guys that Brad White trust
and has for a while now. So these young guys
(19:03):
are certainly coming through for them.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Yeah, they man from works to great new play to
I mean you talk about old the portal guy to
to uh what's the linebacker? I can't think of his
name right now, No, Godfree. These these guys have really
(19:29):
really played well for this coach. But I would say this,
this is the part that I don't like, but now
I understand also as being a coach. Now, it's early
in the season when we played Toledo and Eastern Michigan,
when the defense was playing well. Then all of a sudden,
we started subbing their young guys and they started getting drives.
And I hear fans like, what are we doing on defense?
(19:50):
And it's like, guys, I don't think I understand. We
started selling guys in having those guys play early in
the seasons. Why they are playing well now, and all
though it might hurt the defensive stats a little bit
the first four games of the season is helping this
defense towards the end of the season. The way we
kick guys speek wet in game one, game three, game four,
(20:12):
knowing that we might meet them at the end of
the season is what is the fourth side of this staff?
And when you had guys go down last game in
the first series, the guys who came in basically started
the game. I know they won't get the start, but
when you lose your starting linebacker, the first player of
the game and you're starting saf is the third playing
the game. Those are basically starting reps for those guys,
(20:33):
and those guys have played well since they have been
thrust into that position, and that just says how much
it's two things, how well they're being coached, but also
how well that those guys prepare themselves during the week
with mental reps, because you're not gonna get a lot
of reps during the season as they backup. But when
you're on the sideline, you watch and you engage, you're
paying attention when you get your shot on Saturdays. This
(20:55):
is what you do and that's why they have been
performing well. Kudos to the young kids because I know
that the freshman or young guy, it's far to pay
attention all the time. Obviously they have been doing a
good job of that.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
This was defensive coordinator Brad White after the game Saturday.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
From the day I got here in twenty eighteen, there's
that no flinch mentality, like we're not gonna blink. We're
just gonna keep fighting. We're gonna put our head down,
we're gonna work, you know, and sometimes you get the
results that you want and sometimes you don't. We preached that,
you know, within this building, and it starts from the top,
(21:31):
and I think they understand, you know, how important. These
next two weeks.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Are van your former athletes, you can speak to this.
Fans get tired of hearing things like, you know, going
back to work or just got to keep working. I
always just remember one time Tiger Woods was at a
period where he was struggled a little bit, and they
went to the reporter and to talk about it, and
(21:54):
Tiger went from the eighteenth green to the practice tee
and putting green and UH worked for over an hour
immediately after finishing around UH. And you know, every no matter.
There's levels of talent that separate levels of goodness and greatness,
(22:15):
but one common factor for all of them is how
hard they work at it and prepare.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Yeah, we look, we are a creatures of habit. The
great thing about football is you always have another week
to prepare. Here's the thing for me that's interesting why
the common person doesn't understand it. Look every Monday, this Monday,
mister leech, when I had to wake up at six something,
it's like, do I really have to do this? But
(22:41):
I like doing what I'm doing. So when it's like,
especially after two wins in a row, we on our
third one, it makes exciting. Every Monday is a drag
and every Monday you have to tell yourself, hey, let's
get ready to work. It's the same thing of football.
The great thing about the next week is this the
next week, and now it's up on you to make
it a positive or negative. And that's that's how football
(23:03):
players work. We're a creature of a habit and that's
just the habit. And as coaches, it is the truth.
You've got to prepare for the next week. It's not
coaches speak, it's the truth. And unfortunately, when things are
not going well, it doesn't sound good. The things when
they're going well, it sounds great. So hopefully these next
two weeks, whatever coach Stoops, Coach White and coach bullch say,
(23:25):
hopefully it's after win and.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Fans will love it and they can say all those things,
but you have to have a group of guys that
will walk the walk, don't you look.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
I guess, I guess. Finally these last couple of weeks,
all coaches figured out a way to coach better, or
it could be the guides of executing in their evolution
of their progress within the system. I think the players
have really this is the great thing about the players
is no matter what's said and going on the outside
of Joe Craft Center. They are they are taking what's
been said inside it and trying to bring it out
(23:58):
on Saturdays, and finally they are reward for the hall work.
I can see they have been doing Monday through Friday
on Saturdays. Hopefully it will continue.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
That is Van Hiles Shuffle being Coffee Monday morning quarterback
edition of our program. It's at v Styles seventeen. If
you haven't done your homework yet, go watch all the
cutups so that you're ready for the Vandy game. And
you can hear Van and Anthony White at nine Eastern
time on Wednesday on the Locker, on YouTube and all
the other podcast platforms. Van always a pleasure and we
(24:31):
will talk to you next Monday and see if we're
talking about a fourth straight win for the Wildcats.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Why not us Let's make it four in a row.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
There you go. It's Van Hiles, it is the Leach Report,
and we are presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises. Coming
up on twenty before the top of the hour, Kentucky
men's basketball in New York City for a matchup with
the Champions Class in the Champions Classic against Michigan State
tomorrow night. It's the early game of the two in
(25:00):
the Garden and we will talk about it with Jay Billis.
We'll come right back. Welcome back into the show, and
we welcome to the program. Jay billis CSPN. He was
on the call for the Kentucky loss at Louisville, and
we'll be on the call for Kentucky, Michigan State and
the Champions Classic. Jay, what were your takeaways as far
as Kentucky with that loss to Louisville at that juncture
(25:21):
of the season.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Well, it's that juncture of the season is important, Tom
as you point out, I mean it was game three
for both teams. Last year when Kentucky and Louisville played
in rep it was game eleven for each team, and
we thought that was early for them to be playing.
So neither team is fully formed yet, so I will
you know, I don't tend to take too much from it.
(25:44):
It was a fabulous game if you didn't care who won.
But I think Kentucky is going to be really good.
I thought all indicators were when things didn't go as
well as they wanted. Their transition defense was not on points.
They caught themselves chasing a lot to some really outstanding
(26:06):
Louisville guards, and they got down twenty and still had
a chance to win the game coming down to the
last couple of minutes. It certainly didn't work out in
Kentucky's favor, but I think the indicators were more positive
than negative. It was negative on that result, but I
still think Kentucky's got a chance to be an elite
(26:29):
defensive team and clearly they could score. So I took
more positive out of it than perhaps most Cats fans did.
You know, in the one game.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Result area, they Kentucky is a team that has a
lot of pieces to fit together, with various skill sets.
You know, got like the Abats, multi dimensional guy. You know,
Aberdeen played well, But putting the pieces together to see
how it fits best was it seemed going to always
(27:00):
be a little bit of a thing that would take
some time once the game started. So the fact that
Louisville seemingly their pieces fit together pretty easily when you
see their roster. Now for Kentucky, it seems like it
would be a team that would take a little bit
of time, wouldn't it?
Speaker 5 (27:16):
Well for both teams? I mean, I think you know,
the perspective of being Game three. I still believe is
important because you know, if you take a snapshot of
even Louisville, I mean, they lost to Kansas ten days ago,
and Kansas turns around and gets walloped at North Carolina.
So what are we to take from that? I mean,
(27:37):
I think, to me, you know, the issue for Kentucky
and for other teams, like Kentucky's got a lot of talent,
and they've got a lot of guys that are capable
of logging significant minutes, and that provides a challenge I
think for the Wildcats and for Mark Pope and his staff,
you know, how much are each guy going to play?
(27:58):
What are the combinations that work best. I think it's
the better problem to have than not enough players. But
when you don't have enough depth, then your decisions are
made for you. And going back to and they don't
even have Jaden Quainton's ready to play yet, and when
he is, he's a defensive difference maker and on the glass.
(28:20):
So I felt pretty positive, even a loss, about Kentucky's
chances this year, especially versus last year. Like last year
was a really good year that was I think marred
by injury and still it was a sweet sixteen team.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
I think this.
Speaker 5 (28:35):
Year's team has the chance to be to be better
than last year's team, but you know, there's a long
way to go to sort of figure that out and
prove it.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
What are those elements that you see that make you
feel that way about Kentucky long term?
Speaker 5 (28:50):
The depth, the athleticism, the positional size, and I think
this team can shoot it from multiple positions. Colin Chandler
is a much different player this year than he was
last year. I think we saw a lot of what
he's showing this year toward the end of last year,
maybe the last eight or ten games, he was terrific.
(29:12):
You know, he's coming off a two year mission where
he wasn't able to play at all, so it certainly
makes sense that he ramped it up. But having the
continuity of playing last year and all summer into this
year and being healthy has paid big dividends for him.
I think Jalen Lowe, I know he suffered a little
setback with his shoulder in practice after the Louisville game,
(29:33):
so I don't know his availability, but he provides Kentucky
with a legit point guard that has vision, that can
make shots and make decisions. They're just gonna have to
get everybody on the same page. And again, you know,
they scored eighty eight points. It's the problem was they
(29:55):
they wound up chasing a team that their transition game
was elite. And I can't remember the last time Kentucky
gave up ninety ninety five ninety six points, and I
don't think that's gonna I don't see that being a
year long issue. I think an acknowledgment that Amen, Louisville's legit,
but so is Kentucky. And not to digress, Tom, but
(30:18):
I don't think we're going to see four teams separate
like we had last year. At least there are no
indications of that. We've got a bunch of really good
teams out there, and how they develop and how they
go through the season is going to be determined as
we go. But I just don't see anybody, you know,
like four number one seeds reaching the final four again
(30:41):
this year. It doesn't appear to be that kind of
year to me. But it's still early.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Yeah, I mean, do you have Kentucky handles Purdue, Kansas
handles Louisville and exhibitions, then Purdue kind of struggles with
Oakland and wins at Alabama, an Alabama team that had
just beaten Saint John's at the Garden, and Kentucky loses
to louisvill which is like to Kansas. It's it's kind
of I said this to the other day. Football coaches
(31:04):
talk about remember November for the emphasis on the finishing strong.
For basketball, it needs to be remember it's only November.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
Yeah, it's only November. And and you know what's funny,
and not to not to go back to the Louisville
thing for your audience, but you know, when I was
a kid and into college, Denny Crumb at Louisville used
to get an enormous amount of credit for the losses
that his team suffered early in the season because he
was getting them ready for postseason play. That was back
(31:35):
when they're in the Metro Conference. And now, for some reason,
and maybe it's the influence of football on on our
collective mindset, but now when when the basketball team loses
a game, it's seen as this this big problem. And
you know, basketball is a different game. You know you're
gonna lose games, and uh so I'm not as bothered
(31:55):
by that. And certainly you know, I don't care who
wins these games. Enjoy the competition, so it doesn't matter
to me. But but I came out more encouraged about
Kentucky's prospects this year than somehow discouraged because of the
of the loss. To me, that's not the lead story.
They They've got pieces to be really, really good and uh,
(32:20):
and I was. I was impressed. They showed a lot
of fight in that second half, and I think that's important.
You know that. I think a lesser group could have
that that twenty point lead could have remained double digits
the whole game, and and yet it didn't. They put
some real game pressure on Louisville and uh, and made
it really difficult at the end.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Lastly, Michigan State, the team that Kentucky will face at
the Garden and the Champions Classic. How will they test
Kentucky in.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
A different way. Michigan State is not going to play
as fast as as Louisville. So you know, tom Izzo
teams typically they're very good in transition. When they get
a stop, you grab a rebound, they get out quickly
and they like to score quickly. But they're not an
incredibly fast paced team in the half court. One of
(33:11):
the challenges, Like tom Izzo's got like sixty different set
plays he can go to. But you know, I think
most teams that are smart about it, you know, you're
not going to go over every play they run. You're
going to rely mostly on your principle. There's certain things
that you can be aware of. But I think the
real challenge is going to be with Michigan State is
on the glass, because they're big guys, are excellent rebounders,
(33:34):
they're really good screeners, they space the floor really well.
But they're not a great shooting team. I don't think
they're as talented as Kentucky is. That's not a determining factor,
but Kentucky's more talented and they're deeper. But Michigan State's
big guys are they're experienced, they're physical, and so I
(33:56):
think accepting the physical challenge that they present is going
to be job.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Number one for Jay. Appreciate it as always, Thank.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
You, always, my pleasure, Tom, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
That is ESPN's jaybellis here on the Leach Report. This
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dot com. This is the last day for that deal
cornbreademp dot com. This is the good life, Stay a
wild Cat. History is a service of Kentucky wrote show
sports cards and memorabilia, and you can find him on
Romedy Road in Lexington at roadshowcards dot com. Our history
note today comes courtesy of Buddy Corey Price the stat
Guru at Corey p eight on X where this showed up.
(35:13):
Today's the thirtieth anniversary of Tim Couch breaking Josh Boody's
national passing yards record, and it came in a come
from behind twenty eight to twenty win over Belfry in
the playoffs on this day in nineteen ninety five. Shortly thereafter,
not that week, but I mean the next month is
(35:34):
when he made his commitments to play for the Wildcats
on the morning of the Kentucky Louisville basketball game. What
a day that was, so big day for the Deuce.
On this day in nineteen ninety five, happy birthday, former
Kentucky offensive lineman Chandler Burdon and Brett Barrp, former Wildcat
basketball player, was born on this day. We lost him
(35:56):
much much too soon. Stuffle Beeing Coffees, a company that
was formed by a group of Kentuckians more than a
decade ago with a commitment to make the absolute best
cup of coffee, starts with the very best coffee beans
from this Rainforest Alliance farm and farms in Costa Rica.
Rich volcanic soil makes great coffee beans which leads to
(36:20):
great coffee. Try it for yourself. Pick them up at
a Myer store in Central Kentucky. Order it from Amazon
or get it on the company's website. Shufflebeant us and
put some hustle in your shuffle today with Shufflebean Coffee.
Josh Allen made history yesterday for the Jacksonville Jaguars as
he set the franchises all time sacks record. So congrats
(36:46):
to Josh. Not surprised that he pulled something like that off,
but still very impressive achievement for him. Men's college basketball yesterday,
Houston won a nail bougher over Auburn seventy three seven
two neutral court game and went right down to the wire.
Auburn had a play that was designed to get them
(37:06):
a shot to win the game, and Houston blocked it
from behind to seal the win. And then Florida handled
Miami yesterday. It's the Miami from Florida fourteen point win
four the Gators eighty two to seventy eight. The UK
women won on Saturday. They beat Marshall handily seventy six
forty four to stay perfect on the season. They will
(37:28):
take on Purdue tomorrow night's seven Eastern time. It is
Wear Blue Night at Cottiseum for the UK women's game,
so hopefully you can head over there and support them
and one last thing saw a note here from This
is from cbssports dot Com. It's from one of their
basketball writers, Isaac Trotter, grading the teams that were ranked
(37:51):
top ten with their transfer classes. Kentucky's was ranked number five.
Gives them a C plus so far, says the most
impressive newcomers been a freshman Malachim Marino, but still very early,
as Jay Billis was saying, so we'll get to see
the Wildcats tested on a big stage again tomorrow against
Michigan State. Dick Gabriel be here to talk with you
about that. I'll be traveling to New York, so we
(38:12):
will see you next time. On The Leach Report, presented
by Bob Kat Enterprises
Good day, everybody. Welcome in to the Leech Report, presented
by Bobcat Enterprises for this Monday as we start another
week of shows coming up today at shuffle Bee Coffee
Monday Morning, Quarterback Day. It means Van Hiles will be here.
He did a post on social media last night talking
about how eager he was to come on and get
(00:22):
started because of the three game winning streak. Lots of
good things to talk about for his alma mater and mine,
so we will do that and then spent a little
time at the end of the show with the chat
with Jay Billis from ESPN ahead of the Champions Classic
matchup with Michigan State tomorrow night in New York. For
Kentucky Ben's Basketball wild Cat News of the Day, a
(00:45):
service of Giuseppees of Lexington, Kentucky made it three in
a row, beating Tennessee Tech forty two to ten. The
big talking point was the thirty yard touchdown run by
Cutter Bowley designed pass play. Couldn't find an open receiver, pressures,
pockets starting to collapse, so he slides off to the
left and then commits to a run and you're thinking, okay,
(01:09):
can he get to the edge and maybe he get
a first down. Well, he did that, and then he
goes down the sideline, staying in bounds with his very
nimble moves. And then when he gets inside the five,
a Tennessee Tech defender comes up to challenge him, and
he drops his throwing shoulder and runs into him and
knocks him back and scores a touchdown and plays went nuts,
(01:33):
and it's all anybody's talking about on social media and
after the game reminiscent. Maybe not the stakes were as high,
but of Steven Johnson diving into the end zone it
he had already had an injured shoulder, but just a
quarterback giving up his body for his team. Not something
(01:56):
you want to see Cutter Bowley doing all that often
because of how valuable he is. He's playing right now.
Kentucky scored on six of eight drives with Bowley at
the helm. He just missed setting a school record for
single game completion percentage. He was eighteen of twenty one,
the records twenty of twenty three, so he was just
percentage points away from breaking a record that Bill Ramsdell
(02:17):
holds back to nineteen eighty six. He has completed seventy
percent of his passes in a game four times this season.
That's the most since Tim Couch in nineteen ninety eight.
Kentucky Volleyball sweeps Arkansas three ZIP, completes the perfect season
in the SEC twenty two and two overall. Eva Hudson
fifteen kills on her senior day. Kentucky's the number one
seed for the SEC Tournament starting Sunday in Savannah at noon.
(02:41):
Kentucky will play either Auburn, Oklahoma or Arkansas Wildcat. News
of the Day service of Giuseppes of Lexington, and they
have their own barrel pick bourbon that's on the way
to the restaurant. You can buy a bottle take it
home with you. They're also working on a new Russell
Reserve barrel pick. Get to open table, make your reservation
for a special night out of Joseppis during the holidays,
(03:02):
and check on those barrel picks while you're there. We
will be right back and chat with Van Hiles here
on this Monday Editionhit I believe you report.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Man, I tell you I end up being so turned
up in a football game before, Like I said it
boy crazy, but like that just show you what type
of player he is. Like he gonna do everything he
can for this team. He's a selfless guy, and you
know at that point, you can't ask much more, especially
from a young player like he is. You know, I
definitely think the sky is the limit for that man
(03:33):
right there, just because of how young he is. And
like I said, when you have little to no hesitation
at that age, and you know with that little of experience,
you know, that's that's a great quality to have. And
like I said, he's been executed at a high level,
especially the past couple of games, and you know, I'm
I'm super excited for him. He deserves everything that's coming
(03:54):
towards him.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Right now, it's Seth mcgallan talking about his teammate and
his quarterback back Cutter Bowley, the red shirt freshman from
uh Lexington Christian Academy and Hodginville, Kentucky, and Van Hiles
joins us now for the Shuffle being Coffee Monday Morning
Quarterback edition of the show. I think that might be
the best analysis of the one line of Cutter Bowley
(04:17):
I've heard yet that boy crazy.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Look, there is there is nothing better as a player
to hear your peers talk about you like that. That
that is when you know you you you have the
respect of your teammates and and that, and that's all
you want as a player is to respect from your teammates.
And I know that made him feel feel very good
(04:45):
when you heard that, when.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
He made that run and ran over the Tennessee Tech
player has said on the broadcaster was a little reminiscent
of some of Billy Jack Haskins runs.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Anything.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
And you're a former Chicago Bear, you can see if
you agree with me on this, I see a little
I see a little Jim McMahon in Cutter Bowley.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
There's a you know what I'm gonna say, I think Cutter,
as every player would say, cut is Cutter, And yes
he has little elements of everything. But what I can
say about the kid is he is unsaved since day one,
and that's just him. Like that play there. I don't
(05:27):
like it when coaches say, all you have to protect
yourself because then as a player, you start overthinking, yes,
there are situations where god, look man, we don't have
we don't have to back up. That's just as good
as you, et cetera. But sometimes you gotta let a
player just play the game. And he didn't do that
on purposes. One like something. He's like, well, let Monroe
the guy he saw the end zone and he's like,
(05:49):
if I'm gonna run this far, I'm gonna get rewarded
for how far read and and I love it. I
love when when guys on game they played to that
level and it was awesomnescee live too.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
He clearly is a player that rarely makes the same
mistake twice, it seems. And I say that because in
his post game he referenced the Texas game. Remember that
first drive, I think when he slid and it came
up just short of the first down, and then they
failed on fourth and that was in his head at
that moment. He's like, I'm not sliding.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
And that's the thing is is if you can score,
score I mean in Missouria a couple of weeks ago
against Dandy, lost their third quarterback because they didn't score
in the red zone. If you have a chance to score,
you feel like you can get there. Don't say, oh,
I have a great running back that's gonna get there
and two downs. No, you never know what might happen.
(06:46):
You could fumble with bad exchange. Anything can happen if
you have a chance to put in end zone, put
in end zone.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Another here's a stat that I think you'll like. I
looked up yesterday in at CFB stats dot com. You
can look up a lot of different things, and in
the month of November, Kentucky's number one in the SEC
and pass defense and their number one in fewest yards
per attempt at four point three. And I know the
most recent opponent was an FCS level but the other two,
(07:16):
you know, Auburn the next week hung forty five on
our thirty eight on Vandy, and Florida took Ole Miss
to the wire. And that's give you those numbers to
say that in September Kentucky was last in both of
those categories.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Yeah, facing facing Old Miss will hurt you. But here's
the thing that's that's underrated and I don't think we
actually tacknowledge of, is that we haven't played with a
healthy secondary of the entire year. When DJ Waller plays
what a couple series in the first game, and he
hasn't played since, We've been playing with a backup at
(07:54):
least the whole season. And I think about we were
playing with a true freshman at corner last week and
held up pretty well. To think that we've been staying
with your third corner for probably over half the season.
That says a lot about that secondary and what they
have accomplished this year. Because if you say, if you
would have told me that you're on your fourth, fifth,
(08:15):
potentially sixth corner and it's able to have that grave
of a month, as far as that's concerned, I would
have said, no way, that's.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
A little bit of a concern. Though for this Saturday,
hopefully they'll get maybe at least one of the guys back.
They thought Waller was going to play this past week,
so maybe he'll be able to go. But the thing
is he had played in so long. You'd rather have
a guy and probably played a little more recently, like
Addison or even Nicklas to get back. So they could
certainly use one more guy with some experience back there.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
You a I'm sure, Cole Collins like, I'll take what
you give me, and hopefully it's a guy that's ready
to play on Saturdy. Yeah, it'd be great to get
Nicholas or it'd be great to get Nicholas back, because
Nichol was your backup and I think in this game
you need to have a guy with some experience that
truly knows the data scheme in the system. But it's Addison.
(09:06):
I'm cool with Addison too.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Talking with Van Hiles on the Shuffle being Coffee Monday
morning quarterback edition of The Leach Report from the Clark's
Pumping Shop Studio. Return, refresh and refuel at Clark's. We'll
be right back.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
No, I have not had a day like that, so
today it was super exciting for me, and you know,
very motivational for me to keep going, you know, and
just constantly keep showing the world what I'm capable of.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
And I got more in my bag too. Kendrick Law
confident young man there wide receiver with eleven catches for
one hundred and twenty four yards, both new personal bests
for him. As we continue our chat with Van Hiles,
a former track man as well as football players. So
could you pull off that kind of hurdle?
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I was. I was a hurler,
so yes, definitely definitely over two people. Probably not, but
hurdle technique I heard up technique is is much better.
But now that was that was exciting. Look, the first
of all, he's a boot guy. He's from the Great
State Louisiana. And and I know a little bit about
(10:14):
Kendrick and and the concern with Kendrick coming in while
going out of high school was his ability to run routes.
He is, like I said beginning of the season, he
is the He's Lynn Bolden. That's how that's how elite
he is as far as when the ball is in sand.
The concern was routed running. And when he started running
speed outs the way that he started running about three
(10:36):
or three weeks ago, he's unguardable as a dB. You
when you can run by me like he can run
by you, and then to run a speed out, it's
the most deadliest combination. And when they started implementing that,
it's like it's over for a typical dB. And and
he is showing now to the NFL guys that he
can run routes and and when you can do that
(10:59):
and also contribute on special team's department return kick off
return man, he's got a real shot of making it
on the next level.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
It's a credit to his position. Coach, He's done a
nice job. Kender didn't. I mean, he's I'm sure he's
worked hard, but he wouldn't do it all on his own.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
I'm Ana Bragg on my state again, another Louisiana product.
So I'm sure that and this is honest though this
does help. I'm sure that connection is based on that.
When you come to a place and a guy kind
of has he kind of knows where you come from,
kind of maybe knows how to how to say things
to who who to get certain things across to you
(11:38):
because you're from the same area. I think it's a difference.
They're from the same area. And and I think that connection,
like you said, has shown and his progression this year,
I don't think people want to say how much he
has gotten better this year as a senior. And and
that's correct to see that a guy is still bought
in to to who hone his craft this lay in
his career, and it's awesome to see that it's is
(12:00):
spanning off. At the end of the season.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Offensive line seems to be playing it's best football of
the season. Is that what you see?
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Look, this offensive line on the honest with you has
been playing well all year. Are their hiccups in this game?
You're not gonna win all your battles. Have there been
issues during the season, Yes, have individual guys lost individual battles. Yes,
that is gonna happen every week. But what I like
about this this unit is they have played every game
(12:31):
and I know that they are warriors because I know
that there are bumps and bruises that some players say
I can't play this week. They have played every snap
pretty much every game that they could as a unit together,
and that week, whether there's Week nine, week ten, is
showing that that level of playing all those snaps together
is starting to playoffs. They are picking up stuts even better,
(12:54):
like they're their cohesiveness and you can see them becoming
a great unit. But I would say this all year
they have flaying really, really well, and now it's just
showing because of the amount of rep they's played as
a unit and as a group.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Tagoer Van Hiles at V Style seventeen on x you
can see his cutups on the Tennessee Tech game and
the breakdown of key elements of the game. And then
you can also hear him on Wednesday nights on the
Locker with Anthony White to the former Cat and they
chop it every chop it up every Wednesday night, and
(13:28):
you can see it on YouTube and other podcast platforms
at nine Eastern time, and it's had to be a
lot of fun for you and aunt be so I
used to call him on these weekly shows.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
The last three weeks have been great. And look, I
have honestly thought that I was a jinx because ever
since we started this show, I'm like, sheez, can we
get on any kind of momentum streak or something? And
now I can say the things that's been broken. There's
we're on a three streak and it's it's nothing better
(14:03):
former player to see those guys because you know what
they go through to be able to get three wins
in a row. And I guarantee you this show on
Wednesday might not be as colorful because we are we
are winning, but I guarantee you it's gonna be some
great insights about the ball. Wednesday's not PM sus standard.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Uh. I get that on on like free throws in basketball.
If you say, like somebody's hadn't missed all night and
then they they missed because they miss they lost because
they lost, had nothing to do with you.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
I wish you wasn't that simple.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
He's talk a little bit about the matchup with Vandy.
Obviously a different level of quarterback in Diego Pavia. But
they gain a little bit of a of a preview
in Vesparis from Tennessee Tech, and he was impressive with
his ability to cramble. But this is a whole other
level with Pavia. So give me your early thoughts on
(15:04):
the matchup.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yeah, that's exactly I thought DJ Lagway would give a
little bit more of it a couple of weeks ago.
And it's kind of hard to analyze last week because
we say so many players. I mean, I have to
look at the roster to see who these numbers, who
these guys were associated with these numbers. The thing about
is we have to find a way to contain them.
(15:27):
I would say this we did pretty well last year
of containing him. He's gonna make three, four to five
electric players a game, But can you contain them? And
when they get in the red zone, we have to
find a way to limit them to the field goals.
Because now with our offense being as efficient as it is,
I think as a defensive player, the stress of giving
(15:48):
up points is way less than it was probably six
games ago. So now with you knowing that the offense
can score points, we got to hold them the field
goals if they get into the red zone. And I
think this game is going to be the tail sign
is gonna be countpossession, turnovers, and conversion in the red
zone wherever does the best, and those three I think
wins this game on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
To your point, and Andy's been into the red zone
forty seven times this season, one of the higher numbers
in the SEC, and they have scored a touchdown seventy
nine percent of the time. That is number one in
the league.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Yees, yeah, that's exceptional, and that is Diego. That's solely
him because the fielders can bet and it's easier for
secondary to cover in the red zone unless the quarterback scrambles,
because then it becomes pretty much back to our football.
And that's the thing is when you get them in
(16:43):
the red zone, you got to contain him in the pocket.
I will be okay with him throwing touchdowns from the
pocket more than him scrambling and causing havoc plays on
defense with his legs. We keep him in the pocket
and forcing to beat us with his arms. I think
we have a really good chance of winning that game
in Nashville here.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
In the month of November, they have scored at that
same seventy nine percent rate. But there are four teams
that have outperformed them this month, one of them being
the Kentucky Wildcats. Eight touchdowns from ten red zone attempts
in three games this month. So Kentucky's suddenly become quite
efficient in that part of the field.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
They have become efficient everywhere. And for me, the tailtale
sign of great offenses is when you can convert on
any third down distance. And I think that is where
we're at right now as an offense. It doesn't matter
if it's third and two, it's thirty to fifteen. We're
going to find a way to convert. And that's the
great thing about having a quarterback that the team trusts
(17:42):
and believes in, and more importantly, the OC trust and
believes in. And that's the evolution of this offense. And
that is what I'm gonna tell you this from a
decent standpoint. You love it.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Vanderbilt number one, Kentucky number two, and third down conversions
here in the month of November. We'll continue our chat
with Van Hiles when we return Shuffle being Coffee Monday
morning Quarterback edition of the Leech Report, brought to you
by Bobcat Enterprises. Bobcat Enterprises presents our show each day.
They have four locations in Kentucky. So when you need
(18:14):
to buy or rent some heavy equipment for a job
or know someone who does, that's who you need to call. Tractors, excavators, forklifts,
whatever it is. They have zero turn mowers for your
home lawn, two parts for the various items, and you
can get fantastic service after the sale from Bobcat Enterprises.
We're chatting with Van Hiles, former Wildcat and NFL dB
(18:38):
about Kentucky football. It's shift gears to the defensive side.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Van.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
They had four starters out for this game and two
of them are lost for the season in love It
and oh and Sam Green on the outside. But I'm
I'm impressed by how many guys that Brad White trust
and has for a while now. So these young guys
(19:03):
are certainly coming through for them.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Yeah, they man from works to great new play to
I mean you talk about old the portal guy to
to uh what's the linebacker? I can't think of his
name right now, No, Godfree. These these guys have really
(19:29):
really played well for this coach. But I would say this,
this is the part that I don't like, but now
I understand also as being a coach. Now, it's early
in the season when we played Toledo and Eastern Michigan,
when the defense was playing well. Then all of a sudden,
we started subbing their young guys and they started getting drives.
And I hear fans like, what are we doing on defense?
(19:50):
And it's like, guys, I don't think I understand. We
started selling guys in having those guys play early in
the seasons. Why they are playing well now, and all
though it might hurt the defensive stats a little bit
the first four games of the season is helping this
defense towards the end of the season. The way we
kick guys speek wet in game one, game three, game four,
(20:12):
knowing that we might meet them at the end of
the season is what is the fourth side of this staff?
And when you had guys go down last game in
the first series, the guys who came in basically started
the game. I know they won't get the start, but
when you lose your starting linebacker, the first player of
the game and you're starting saf is the third playing
the game. Those are basically starting reps for those guys,
(20:33):
and those guys have played well since they have been
thrust into that position, and that just says how much
it's two things, how well they're being coached, but also
how well that those guys prepare themselves during the week
with mental reps, because you're not gonna get a lot
of reps during the season as they backup. But when
you're on the sideline, you watch and you engage, you're
paying attention when you get your shot on Saturdays. This
(20:55):
is what you do and that's why they have been
performing well. Kudos to the young kids because I know
that the freshman or young guy, it's far to pay
attention all the time. Obviously they have been doing a
good job of that.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
This was defensive coordinator Brad White after the game Saturday.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
From the day I got here in twenty eighteen, there's
that no flinch mentality, like we're not gonna blink. We're
just gonna keep fighting. We're gonna put our head down,
we're gonna work, you know, and sometimes you get the
results that you want and sometimes you don't. We preached that,
you know, within this building, and it starts from the top,
(21:31):
and I think they understand, you know, how important. These
next two weeks.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Are van your former athletes, you can speak to this.
Fans get tired of hearing things like, you know, going
back to work or just got to keep working. I
always just remember one time Tiger Woods was at a
period where he was struggled a little bit, and they
went to the reporter and to talk about it, and
(21:54):
Tiger went from the eighteenth green to the practice tee
and putting green and UH worked for over an hour
immediately after finishing around UH. And you know, every no matter.
There's levels of talent that separate levels of goodness and greatness,
(22:15):
but one common factor for all of them is how
hard they work at it and prepare.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Yeah, we look, we are a creatures of habit. The
great thing about football is you always have another week
to prepare. Here's the thing for me that's interesting why
the common person doesn't understand it. Look every Monday, this Monday,
mister leech, when I had to wake up at six something,
it's like, do I really have to do this? But
(22:41):
I like doing what I'm doing. So when it's like,
especially after two wins in a row, we on our
third one, it makes exciting. Every Monday is a drag
and every Monday you have to tell yourself, hey, let's
get ready to work. It's the same thing of football.
The great thing about the next week is this the
next week, and now it's up on you to make
it a positive or negative. And that's that's how football
(23:03):
players work. We're a creature of a habit and that's
just the habit. And as coaches, it is the truth.
You've got to prepare for the next week. It's not
coaches speak, it's the truth. And unfortunately, when things are
not going well, it doesn't sound good. The things when
they're going well, it sounds great. So hopefully these next
two weeks, whatever coach Stoops, Coach White and coach bullch say,
(23:25):
hopefully it's after win and.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Fans will love it and they can say all those things,
but you have to have a group of guys that
will walk the walk, don't you look.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
I guess, I guess. Finally these last couple of weeks,
all coaches figured out a way to coach better, or
it could be the guides of executing in their evolution
of their progress within the system. I think the players
have really this is the great thing about the players
is no matter what's said and going on the outside
of Joe Craft Center. They are they are taking what's
been said inside it and trying to bring it out
(23:58):
on Saturdays, and finally they are reward for the hall work.
I can see they have been doing Monday through Friday
on Saturdays. Hopefully it will continue.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
That is Van Hiles Shuffle being Coffee Monday morning quarterback
edition of our program. It's at v Styles seventeen. If
you haven't done your homework yet, go watch all the
cutups so that you're ready for the Vandy game. And
you can hear Van and Anthony White at nine Eastern
time on Wednesday on the Locker, on YouTube and all
the other podcast platforms. Van always a pleasure and we
(24:31):
will talk to you next Monday and see if we're
talking about a fourth straight win for the Wildcats.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Why not us Let's make it four in a row.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
There you go. It's Van Hiles, it is the Leach Report,
and we are presented each day by Bobcat Enterprises. Coming
up on twenty before the top of the hour, Kentucky
men's basketball in New York City for a matchup with
the Champions Class in the Champions Classic against Michigan State
tomorrow night. It's the early game of the two in
(25:00):
the Garden and we will talk about it with Jay Billis.
We'll come right back. Welcome back into the show, and
we welcome to the program. Jay billis CSPN. He was
on the call for the Kentucky loss at Louisville, and
we'll be on the call for Kentucky, Michigan State and
the Champions Classic. Jay, what were your takeaways as far
as Kentucky with that loss to Louisville at that juncture
(25:21):
of the season.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Well, it's that juncture of the season is important, Tom
as you point out, I mean it was game three
for both teams. Last year when Kentucky and Louisville played
in rep it was game eleven for each team, and
we thought that was early for them to be playing.
So neither team is fully formed yet, so I will
you know, I don't tend to take too much from it.
(25:44):
It was a fabulous game if you didn't care who won.
But I think Kentucky is going to be really good.
I thought all indicators were when things didn't go as
well as they wanted. Their transition defense was not on points.
They caught themselves chasing a lot to some really outstanding
(26:06):
Louisville guards, and they got down twenty and still had
a chance to win the game coming down to the
last couple of minutes. It certainly didn't work out in
Kentucky's favor, but I think the indicators were more positive
than negative. It was negative on that result, but I
still think Kentucky's got a chance to be an elite
(26:29):
defensive team and clearly they could score. So I took
more positive out of it than perhaps most Cats fans did.
You know, in the one game.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Result area, they Kentucky is a team that has a
lot of pieces to fit together, with various skill sets.
You know, got like the Abats, multi dimensional guy. You know,
Aberdeen played well, But putting the pieces together to see
how it fits best was it seemed going to always
(27:00):
be a little bit of a thing that would take
some time once the game started. So the fact that
Louisville seemingly their pieces fit together pretty easily when you
see their roster. Now for Kentucky, it seems like it
would be a team that would take a little bit
of time, wouldn't it?
Speaker 5 (27:16):
Well for both teams? I mean, I think you know,
the perspective of being Game three. I still believe is
important because you know, if you take a snapshot of
even Louisville, I mean, they lost to Kansas ten days ago,
and Kansas turns around and gets walloped at North Carolina.
So what are we to take from that? I mean,
(27:37):
I think, to me, you know, the issue for Kentucky
and for other teams, like Kentucky's got a lot of talent,
and they've got a lot of guys that are capable
of logging significant minutes, and that provides a challenge I
think for the Wildcats and for Mark Pope and his staff,
you know, how much are each guy going to play?
(27:58):
What are the combinations that work best. I think it's
the better problem to have than not enough players. But
when you don't have enough depth, then your decisions are
made for you. And going back to and they don't
even have Jaden Quainton's ready to play yet, and when
he is, he's a defensive difference maker and on the glass.
(28:20):
So I felt pretty positive, even a loss, about Kentucky's
chances this year, especially versus last year. Like last year
was a really good year that was I think marred
by injury and still it was a sweet sixteen team.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
I think this.
Speaker 5 (28:35):
Year's team has the chance to be to be better
than last year's team, but you know, there's a long
way to go to sort of figure that out and
prove it.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
What are those elements that you see that make you
feel that way about Kentucky long term?
Speaker 5 (28:50):
The depth, the athleticism, the positional size, and I think
this team can shoot it from multiple positions. Colin Chandler
is a much different player this year than he was
last year. I think we saw a lot of what
he's showing this year toward the end of last year,
maybe the last eight or ten games, he was terrific.
(29:12):
You know, he's coming off a two year mission where
he wasn't able to play at all, so it certainly
makes sense that he ramped it up. But having the
continuity of playing last year and all summer into this
year and being healthy has paid big dividends for him.
I think Jalen Lowe, I know he suffered a little
setback with his shoulder in practice after the Louisville game,
(29:33):
so I don't know his availability, but he provides Kentucky
with a legit point guard that has vision, that can
make shots and make decisions. They're just gonna have to
get everybody on the same page. And again, you know,
they scored eighty eight points. It's the problem was they
(29:55):
they wound up chasing a team that their transition game
was elite. And I can't remember the last time Kentucky
gave up ninety ninety five ninety six points, and I
don't think that's gonna I don't see that being a
year long issue. I think an acknowledgment that Amen, Louisville's legit,
but so is Kentucky. And not to digress, Tom, but
(30:18):
I don't think we're going to see four teams separate
like we had last year. At least there are no
indications of that. We've got a bunch of really good
teams out there, and how they develop and how they
go through the season is going to be determined as
we go. But I just don't see anybody, you know,
like four number one seeds reaching the final four again
(30:41):
this year. It doesn't appear to be that kind of
year to me. But it's still early.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Yeah, I mean, do you have Kentucky handles Purdue, Kansas
handles Louisville and exhibitions, then Purdue kind of struggles with
Oakland and wins at Alabama, an Alabama team that had
just beaten Saint John's at the Garden, and Kentucky loses
to louisvill which is like to Kansas. It's it's kind
of I said this to the other day. Football coaches
(31:04):
talk about remember November for the emphasis on the finishing strong.
For basketball, it needs to be remember it's only November.
Speaker 5 (31:13):
Yeah, it's only November. And and you know what's funny,
and not to not to go back to the Louisville
thing for your audience, but you know, when I was
a kid and into college, Denny Crumb at Louisville used
to get an enormous amount of credit for the losses
that his team suffered early in the season because he
was getting them ready for postseason play. That was back
(31:35):
when they're in the Metro Conference. And now, for some reason,
and maybe it's the influence of football on on our
collective mindset, but now when when the basketball team loses
a game, it's seen as this this big problem. And
you know, basketball is a different game. You know you're
gonna lose games, and uh so I'm not as bothered
(31:55):
by that. And certainly you know, I don't care who
wins these games. Enjoy the competition, so it doesn't matter
to me. But but I came out more encouraged about
Kentucky's prospects this year than somehow discouraged because of the
of the loss. To me, that's not the lead story.
They They've got pieces to be really, really good and uh,
(32:20):
and I was. I was impressed. They showed a lot
of fight in that second half, and I think that's important.
You know that. I think a lesser group could have
that that twenty point lead could have remained double digits
the whole game, and and yet it didn't. They put
some real game pressure on Louisville and uh, and made
it really difficult at the end.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Lastly, Michigan State, the team that Kentucky will face at
the Garden and the Champions Classic. How will they test
Kentucky in.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
A different way. Michigan State is not going to play
as fast as as Louisville. So you know, tom Izzo
teams typically they're very good in transition. When they get
a stop, you grab a rebound, they get out quickly
and they like to score quickly. But they're not an
incredibly fast paced team in the half court. One of
(33:11):
the challenges, Like tom Izzo's got like sixty different set
plays he can go to. But you know, I think
most teams that are smart about it, you know, you're
not going to go over every play they run. You're
going to rely mostly on your principle. There's certain things
that you can be aware of. But I think the
real challenge is going to be with Michigan State is
on the glass, because they're big guys, are excellent rebounders,
(33:34):
they're really good screeners, they space the floor really well.
But they're not a great shooting team. I don't think
they're as talented as Kentucky is. That's not a determining factor,
but Kentucky's more talented and they're deeper. But Michigan State's
big guys are they're experienced, they're physical, and so I
(33:56):
think accepting the physical challenge that they present is going
to be job.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Number one for Jay. Appreciate it as always, Thank.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
You, always, my pleasure, Tom, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
That is ESPN's jaybellis here on the Leach Report. This
is your last day to take advantage of that special
deal from Cornbreadhimp dot Com spend ninety nine dollars or
more and you can take twenty five dollars off with
the code save twenty five. Fill up your cart with
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(34:49):
dot com. This is the last day for that deal
cornbreademp dot com. This is the good life, Stay a
wild Cat. History is a service of Kentucky wrote show
sports cards and memorabilia, and you can find him on
Romedy Road in Lexington at roadshowcards dot com. Our history
note today comes courtesy of Buddy Corey Price the stat
Guru at Corey p eight on X where this showed up.
(35:13):
Today's the thirtieth anniversary of Tim Couch breaking Josh Boody's
national passing yards record, and it came in a come
from behind twenty eight to twenty win over Belfry in
the playoffs on this day in nineteen ninety five. Shortly thereafter,
not that week, but I mean the next month is
(35:34):
when he made his commitments to play for the Wildcats
on the morning of the Kentucky Louisville basketball game. What
a day that was, so big day for the Deuce.
On this day in nineteen ninety five, happy birthday, former
Kentucky offensive lineman Chandler Burdon and Brett Barrp, former Wildcat
basketball player, was born on this day. We lost him
(35:56):
much much too soon. Stuffle Beeing Coffees, a company that
was formed by a group of Kentuckians more than a
decade ago with a commitment to make the absolute best
cup of coffee, starts with the very best coffee beans
from this Rainforest Alliance farm and farms in Costa Rica.
Rich volcanic soil makes great coffee beans which leads to
(36:20):
great coffee. Try it for yourself. Pick them up at
a Myer store in Central Kentucky. Order it from Amazon
or get it on the company's website. Shufflebeant us and
put some hustle in your shuffle today with Shufflebean Coffee.
Josh Allen made history yesterday for the Jacksonville Jaguars as
he set the franchises all time sacks record. So congrats
(36:46):
to Josh. Not surprised that he pulled something like that off,
but still very impressive achievement for him. Men's college basketball yesterday,
Houston won a nail bougher over Auburn seventy three seven
two neutral court game and went right down to the wire.
Auburn had a play that was designed to get them
(37:06):
a shot to win the game, and Houston blocked it
from behind to seal the win. And then Florida handled
Miami yesterday. It's the Miami from Florida fourteen point win
four the Gators eighty two to seventy eight. The UK
women won on Saturday. They beat Marshall handily seventy six
forty four to stay perfect on the season. They will
(37:28):
take on Purdue tomorrow night's seven Eastern time. It is
Wear Blue Night at Cottiseum for the UK women's game,
so hopefully you can head over there and support them
and one last thing saw a note here from This
is from cbssports dot Com. It's from one of their
basketball writers, Isaac Trotter, grading the teams that were ranked
(37:51):
top ten with their transfer classes. Kentucky's was ranked number five.
Gives them a C plus so far, says the most
impressive newcomers been a freshman Malachim Marino, but still very early,
as Jay Billis was saying, so we'll get to see
the Wildcats tested on a big stage again tomorrow against
Michigan State. Dick Gabriel be here to talk with you
about that. I'll be traveling to New York, so we
(38:12):
will see you next time. On The Leach Report, presented
by Bob Kat Enterprises
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