Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good day everybody. Welcome into the final week of twenty
twenty five, and we'll be live through Wednesday here on
the Leech Report, a best of show on New Year's Day,
and then back live to preview the start of SEC
play for Mark Popen Company on Friday. Our show is
always presented by Bob Kat Enterprises. Coming up today, we'll
(00:23):
talk Kentucky football in the first half with Adam Luckett
and then in the second half we'll switch gears to
Kentucky men's basketball with Brandon Ramsey, both from All Three
Sports and KSRS. So that's the agenda for today. Wildcat
News of the Day presented by just Sepies of Lexington.
Big win for Kentucky women's basketball yesterday at the Coliseum.
(00:45):
They routed Hostra eighty to forty two and they go
to thirteen and one on the season. Kentucky shot fifty
percent from the field, had twenty seven assists on thirty
one field goals, pretty good ratio. They were eleven of
twenty seven on threes. Individually, Claire Strack had the best
(01:05):
line twenty four points, eleven boards and seven blocks. Tony
Morgan had nine points ten assists, Claire just missed the
triple double. Tony just missed the double double yesterday. Kentucky
will start league play for women's basketball on Thursday, New
Year's Night at LSU. It'll be an eight o'clock tip
down in Baton Rouge and Neil Darren Hendrick will be
(01:30):
on the call from down in Baton Rouge. I think
it's SEC Network Plus as far as the TV side,
So Kenny Brooks and company have rolled through this early season.
They wrapped number eleven the polls last week. Don't know
if they'll crack the top ten this week or not.
We'll see when the new pole comes out. But they
(01:50):
have gotten off to a fantastic start and hopefully they
can keep it rolling. It's a tough start though, to
go at LSU in league play Tonight. It's the Mark
Pope Radio Show at six Eastern and we'll get a
little update on how things have gone post Christmas for
the Cats. They had a couple of days off and
then have been back at it on the practice court
(02:12):
over at the Joe Craft Center and they will open
SEC play on Saturday at noon down at Alabama. Crimson
Tide plays tonight against Yale in their final non conference
game of the season. So we'll catch up to coach
Pope tonight. He has a media availability scheduled for tomorrow,
and then we'll see how conference play begins for the
(02:35):
Cats and the Tide and everybody else in the league
comes Saturday. There's a report that says Kentucky has found
its special teams cord dator Parker Fleming will come from Oregon,
where he's been an offensive analyst with will Stein. According
to reports, he's the choice. He'll also coach inside receivers.
(02:58):
Before Oregon was at Ohio State in the same job.
He started out his coaching career as a grad assistant
at Ohio State. He coached then at James Madison, coached
at Texas State, went back to Ohio State, and he
was with their special teams I think for five seasons,
and then went out to Oregon with will Stein, and
(03:20):
now we'll follow him to Kentucky. So we'll talk with
Adam Luckett here shortly. But it is going to be
a large staff for coach Stein, and he has been
busy putting the group together. I think you saw I
think it was last week they made it official that
anmar Stewart was staying on with the d line. Happy
to hear that another former Cat, Mark Perry, it's going
(03:43):
to be staying on I'm not sure exactly. I just
saw the headline on Mark being retained, so I don't
know what his official title is, but he's I think,
been working with the offense for the time that he's
been at Kentucky and fantastic young coach and thrill at
Both of those guys are staying on board. Always good
to have, I think a little continuity and hopefully all
(04:06):
the support folks will stay in place for the most
part anyway, with the new staff, a new head coach
that will always bring in obviously his assistants, but maybe
a few other folks. But I mean, you've got some
folks that have been there a long time that know
how to get things done for Kentucky football and then
(04:26):
have a great passion for it. So always glad to
know when they're gonna retain their jobs. Links to the
stories well, you can find those on the Bud Light
Leach Report page at Tom leachky dot com. Coming up,
we're gonna chat with Adam Luck and talk Kentucky football.
Our opening segments presented by Giuseppes of Lexington. They have
(04:47):
a barrel pick, a bullet barrel pick that you can
buy a bottle of and take home with you. They're
working on a Russell reserve barrel pick as well. Start
the new year with a special night out at Giuseppe's.
Go to open table and make a reservation. Probably a
little late for New Year's Eve, but get in there
as soon as you can after the first of the year.
(05:10):
Heading to a break back to talk Kentucky football with
Adam Loockett. It's the Leech Report Radio Network presented Bobcat Enterprises.
Shufflebing Coffee is the official coffee of the Leech Report
and you could pick some up. Make it the official
coffee of your home. If you're having folks over for
(05:31):
the new year, well serve up some shuffle Being coffee.
You'll be a hit. You can pick it up at
Central Kentucky Meyers stores. You have time to get it
ordered through Amazon or the company's website. Shufflebeing dot Us.
It's a company based right here in the Bluegrass that
is all about being the best. That is Shufflebeing Coffee.
We'll welcome in Adam Luckett to the program. From on
three sports ks are and you're a busy man. In
(05:54):
these last few weeks, Adam just constantly updating coaching staff
additions and exits and new jobs for the old guys,
and then you're about to enter portal season. So it's just, uh,
you're you're a man in demand.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Yeah, you know, Tom, I would never recommend having a
signing day and a coaching introductory press conference on the
same day, but that was kind of a sign of
things to come here for the beat we covers. So yeah,
it's been a busy time and as soon as it
starts to slow down, then we've got, you know, the
free agency window where there's gonna be a lot of
player movement here over the next few weeks. So it's
(06:33):
a very busy time and an important time. I think
for will Stein this is gonna kind of set the
foundation and set what kind of year this team can
have what they do here over the next few weeks,
because they need they need to go find some starters.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
We'll talk about the player part in a minute. Let's
start with the staff though. How close is he to
completion on the staff do you think right?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I think that they need one more kind of what
would be your kind of a recruiting assist a guy
who woul hit the road. I would look at tight Ends.
They still don't have a tight Ends coach. I think
that's where the final assistants is gonna come. I think
there's gonna be some more kind of support staff hires,
like analysts, and then they need a strength They still
don't have a strength staff and that's an important, really
(07:15):
important role that they're gonna need to fill. But you know,
you kind of look at it, it looks like they're mostly
done at this point. There'll be a few more hires
of tight Ends coach is the biggest one, but most
of the big pieces are in place.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Now. What do you think about the group? He as
a symbol to this point.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, I think from the coordinator aspect, it's very interesting
because Jay Bateman and Joe Sloan both have extensive SEC experience,
both have SEC coordinator experience, and you're able to get
them for a couple of different reasons. Jay Bateman, he's
gonna get full autonomy of the defense where he didn't
have that with Mike Elko, and then Joe Sloan was
(07:56):
part of Brian Kelly staff that was let go. So
for them they're both looking they have something to prove,
I think with this job, so they're both looking to
kind of use this as a launching point. But they
both have reputations as really strong recruiters. Sloan was kind
of the guy Brian Kelly hired basically because he needed
someone that had connections to Louisiana. Solan has deep connections
(08:17):
through Louisiana. Jay Bateman was a really good recruiter at
North Carolina when he's a linebacker coach at Florida twenty
two and twenty three, really good recruiter, and I mean
that same thing when he went to A and M
for two years. So you're adding from a coordinator aspect,
you're adding to too good recruiters with something to improved,
and then around them, I think there's a lot of
bet on a lot of young ascending coaches. I mean
(08:39):
Cutter left, which is the biggest one, twenty six years old,
the offensive line coach, but he's not the only one.
There's a lot of kind of young ascending coaches where
this is their first kind of you know, really big
break or second big break, and he's kind of betting
on that, which I don't think is a bad bet
to bet specifically at Kentucky because a lot of times
Kentucky football you just got to be early to the party.
You've got to beat people to the punch. You get
(09:00):
to be ahead of the curve. And if these staff
hires hit, specifically the assistants, they could be ahead of
the curve on some of these guys.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
And you're gonna have a staff that's really hungry because
it's I mean, the work is NonStop now in terms
of recruiting, not only you know the new guys, but
your own guys, right.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yeah, with the portal, like everything changes, you're having contract negotiations.
So like having guys specifically I think have recruiting experience
specifically in this league, kind of know what they're going
up against, I think is really big. And just overall this,
I think the staff is going to have, you know,
something to prove because they aren't established. One thing different
(09:42):
I think for maybe the Stoops era will be that
Stoops in them were they were established for a while.
This is this is totally different. This is going to
be kind of I think kind of early Stoops era
is what you might have to compare it to because
they're they're trying to make a name for themselves here
top without Adam Luckett.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
It's at Adam. Look at KSR right on X. That's right,
it's worth that's the follow Let's shift gears to the
player's portal. Window opens up Friday.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
That's right? Friday, January second. It runs for two weeks.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Uh, what's what are the boxes that you think Kentucky
has to check? And then maybe the next level would
be would like to check?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Yeah, I think you know it's kind of an evergreen statement,
but we're starting with the offensive line here. They've got
to find multiple starters. They need five new starters. Now.
I don't know if you're gonna get all five from
the portal, but I think you're probably gonna need at
least three. Got like plug and play guys on the
offensive line, so that immediately stands out. I think linebacker
stands out. I think they feel good about Grant Gottfrey,
(10:49):
but after that it's a lot of question marks, So
they probably need a plug and play linebacker. I believe
they're going to be in the market for getting one
of the top receivers. I don't think receiver is a
big kind of volume position. For them, but they're gonna
want I think one of the top guys, and Malcolm
Simmons Auburn transfer is a name that's popped up early
as one to watch. So those are the three positions
that stand out. I would also throw in cornerback just
(11:11):
because how much the decisions struggle last year. I think
they'll be in the market safety from a number standpoint,
they only got five scholarship safeties, are probably gonna want more.
And then also they've got to figure out quarterback. Still
think it's heaving direction where Cutter Bowley will be the
starter next year, but that's not locked in yet. But
even if he is, they only have three scholarship quarterbacks.
Now now that you know bo Allen left, Zach Calzada left,
(11:35):
and then Stone Saunders entered the transfer portal, so you're
johe Sloan even said this, you have to have at
least four scholarship quarterbacks, so they're gonna be adding at
least one transfer, probably to come in and be the backup.
So you're not I think asking Brennan Ward or Matt
Ponatowski this early in their career to maybe be the
immediatet QB two to kind of create a competition there.
(11:55):
So there's a lot of positions they're gonna be, you know,
shopping for and so they're I have to check a
lot of boxes. But I think it really starts with
that offensive line.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
We'll pick up on that quarterback discussion, I think obviously
is a big one for fans, and we'll do that
when we come right back. It is the Leach Report
coming to you from the Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return,
Refresh and refuel at Clark's started four past the top
of the hour. As we welcome or we see continue
our discussion with Adam Luckett. You can read him in
(12:25):
on three Sports and at Adam Luckett KSR on X.
Let's talk about the quarterback position and Cutter Bowley is
the returning starter. What's your read on the lay of
the land for the quarterback battle or quarterback position at Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Yeah, I think it's trending towards Cutter Bowley being the
starter here. I think one he had a productive I
think first season as a starter, and I think he
does fit what will Sound likes to do on offense,
which is, you know, the ball out quick, be really
precise and kind of the short intern intermediate passing game,
(13:05):
which I thought Bullies showed last year. I think one
improvement they would probably like to see is more better
you know, more improved deep ball accuracy, or more just
taking more shots down the field. But I think he
fits what Kentucky wants to do. And then I think
you also look at the market in what Kentucky needs.
Right if they were gonna go say they wanted to
move on from Buwliying and try to go get a
top quarterback Bobern Forts, that's gonna cost three to four
(13:28):
million dollars and that's gonna eat into a lot of
your money, especially when you look at a situation where
Kentucky's gonna have to go get some other players. It's
not like they're just missing a quarterback. They gotta they
got to build around some guys, and I think Bully
is a good guy to build around. And you've got
to get an offensive line like we've like we talked about.
So I think it's trending in the direction all things
I'm hearing, it's trending in the direction that Cutter Bully
(13:50):
is gonna be the starting quarterback. I think they're just
working on getting whatever his new contract, it's gonna be
locked in, which is kind of weird to talk about,
but that's the world we're in, uh nowadays. But I
think he's going to be their starter, and then I
think they're going to be in the market for a quarterback,
but it's going to be more like kind of like
a Sawyer Smith situation or a Gavin Wimsett situation where
(14:11):
they're adding a guy not to really come in and start,
but to kind of be their backup or maybe a
change of pace guy if if you want to do
kind of a wildcat thing, which I don't expect them
to do, but they're looking for maybe an experience backup
so some of these younger guys can grow and they
have an option behind Bowlie.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
I would think from Cutter's standpoint, I mean, he's a
from all indications, wants to be here, you know, loves
being the Kentucky quarterback as a Kentucky kid, and I'm
sure from his standpoint, his family they just want to
know that they're viewed that Cutters viewed as as the
guy that they want to lead the lead, and they're
(14:49):
going to look for somebody to back.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Him up, right, sure, absolutely, you want to know, like, Hey,
is this new coach really gonna come in and build
around him or is that just talk right? You want
to like you're trying to find out all those answers.
I think for all parties involved, I think it makes
probably the most sense, at least makes a lot of
sense where everyone comes back and we try to make
(15:12):
this all work together because of everything that's needed on
the roster, what Bully showed, how he fits Stein's offense.
I think all of that comes together where it's the
best thing I think for everyone to kind of move
forward together. And I think that's what we'll see happen eventually.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
And from the other perspective, if you're Will Stein and
the guys that are certainly on the offensive side of
the ball, takes a little time because Will is working
two jobs. But you've got to assess the skill set
of cutter relative to what you want to do. You
also you have to see who all's out there some
(15:49):
you know this day and time. I mean, this is
a staff with a pretty strong offensive reputation. Haven't read
anything on paper yet, but I mean their background as
a strong rep you will want to see who might
want to come and play for you, So you have
to this all takes I guess bottom line is it
just takes a little time to sort itself out.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Yeah, just like compared to the NFL, you have free
agency before the draft. If you need a quarterback, you
look at the draft market and where you're drafting. Is
it going to be better to go get a rookie
or do we need to sign you know, a veteran here.
In free agency, you got to you also have to
valuate the players, and you've got to valuate the market
(16:29):
like what's available. And that's something I think in the
new age of college football, specifically school like Kentucky where
you're gonna have to go to the portal very frequently,
you've got to do that very very well.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I was encouraged by some of the things we saw
from Cutter. You mentioned, you know, the short to intermediate
passing game is completion percentage was up around you know,
seventy for the stretch when he became the starter. That's
the number I'm sure they're looking for right.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Right from everything you hear from Stein, they want to
they want to get the ball out quick fast, but
you know, the quarterback's got to be accurate on time
so they can gobble up the yards after catch and
stay ahead of the chains. And then he's very big
on taking shots, you know, multiple shots per game. By shots,
I mean, you know, vertical throws down the field to
(17:17):
try to create explosive plays. But the pass game, really,
I think starts with a short passing game, and it's
not going to be that different from kind of what
Kentucky did last year, which just getting the ball out quick,
getting the ball on the perimeter on wide receiver screens,
taking things underneath and just trying to stay ahead of
the chains and living that way. And that's that's something
they're going to ask of their quarterback and I think
(17:37):
Cutters showed that last year. What they're gonna want to
see more of, I think is more kind of vertical
completions and less interceptions. I think that's the one thing
with Cutter moving forward. Interceptions were an issue in high school.
He threw a bunch last year. That's something he's going
to have to get down. But he's got time to
develop and grow into and grow into something, and we
saw kind of the foundation I think of what he
(17:58):
can become last year.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Adam Luckett, thank you very much. Happy New Year. Thanks Tom,
We are halfway home on this edition of the Leech Report.
We'll be right back with Brandon Ramsey. Lakes Reports presented
by bobcat Enterprises. One last football note before we shift
gears to Kentucky basketball. I wanted to get with Adam Likeck,
(18:20):
we just kind of ran out of time to talk
about the return of ty Brian, but suffice to say
it was great news to see that he is going
to be back for another season with Kentucky. Tied for
the SEC lead in interceptions with four last season, and
is a strong leader and a veteran on the back
end of the defense, so that was great news to
see springing. Brandon Ramsey from on three Sports KSR will
(18:43):
shift gears to Kentucky men's basketball, which we'll start conference
play on Saturday after an extended break when they go
down to Alabama to play on Saturday afternoon. Brandon, last
time we talked, I think was before the Indiana game,
So some very good things have happened for Kentucky basketball
since then, with the wins over the Hoosiers and over
(19:04):
Saint John's. I think from reading some of your posts
on X you just kind of write the Bellerman game
off is you know, it was before Christmas and on
the heels of two big wins, and so just check
the box with a win and don't spend too much
time analyzing it.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (19:25):
I think so?
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
I mean I think back to when I was coaching
and just some of the some of the most difficult
games to play were always before Thanksgiving break and before
Christmas break. And it's just kind of human nature, especially
when you're the team in Kentucky's shoes, you know, like
you like to think that every chance to play in
Reperena is special on all these different things. But I
(19:47):
think it was Kentucky's ninth game and Reperena this year,
and for the Bellarmine kids, it's maybe the only time
they're going to get to play there in their basketball careers.
So you know, it's a game, and no matter when
it's played, no matter what time of day is is
it's one of the biggest games on their schedule to them,
and for Kentucky, it's kind of the game that's heading
into a nice little break, and especially with its being
(20:10):
played during the day, especially with it being played against
a team like Bellerman that executes what they do so
well and kind of has such an entrenched identity. I
think it was just honestly kind of a tough spot
for Kentucky to be in. So I put a lot
more stock in the wins over IU and Saint John's
and how Kentucky played in those games, then I do
it to some of the you know, quote unquote disappointment
(20:34):
maybe of how things win against Bellerman.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Mike Pratt, MYELL broadcast partner, used to talk about them
in terms of being the getaway game. Some strange things
can happen in the getaway game right before Christmas, you know,
from a defensive standpoint, giving up eighty five points to
Bellerman and having you know, score some of the buckets
as easily as they did is not the tape that
(21:00):
Mark Pope will take to any coaching clinic to talk
about defense. But the two previous efforts we were outstanding,
holding both opponents under seventy points. Are looking at those
two games and now moving forward into conference play with
Quaintance back and Diabaate healthy again, is this do you
(21:23):
think starting to crystallize as the vision Mark Pope had
for this roster. And then on the offensive end, kind
of using a lot of pick and roll with low.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
I think so, And I think that that makes sense.
You know, say, it's something that you and I have
talked about on this show with them, that I've certainly
talked about on various platforms that it was always hard
to like really critique the roster construction until we saw
the roster as it was constructed. And I think you
know that now we essentially have the second half of
(21:54):
Saint John's and that to go off of in terms
of having every piece at Coach popes too, So you
were finally able to see the offense with you know,
some heavy pick and roll stuff with Jalen Lowell. You
were able to see the defense with a couple of
the best defenders on the team, with Jaydan plaints it
could be one of the best in college basketball modiabade
(22:14):
with what he brings. And yeah, I think you're you're
finally starting to see here as Kentucky gets healthy, them
established a little bit of the identity. Is it the
identity that maybe we all expected because clearly this team
isn't the shooting team, then maybe Mark Pope thought it was.
But but but he's he's adjusted a little bit here,
(22:34):
He's obviously talked about kind of getting into that smash
mouth sort of identity, and I think that can work
with this team, and we've seen it work now in
a couple of games against quality opponents. Uh So it'll
be interesting to see how that transitions into SEC play.
But I absolutely I think now that they're healthy, you're
kind of starting to see the vision for how things
(22:54):
were supposed to look come together with the Cats.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Let's stick on the defense for a moment, because from
an analytics standpoint, the guys that go deep into that
were raving about Jaden Quaintans's numbers from his first season
as Arizona State before it was cut short by the
injury in February. Off what we saw against Saint John's,
we can certainly see where that excitement about his defensive
(23:21):
impact came from. And I think impact is maybe the
right word, and it's gonna be interesting in this particular game.
You know, quaints has had a long stretch here to
more fully work himself back into the mix because Alabama,
you know, he is all about threes obviously, but it's
(23:41):
also threes or at the rim, and Quaintance may not
be able to may not be blocking a lot of threes,
but he can handle the rim part right absolutely.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
I think that as you get into SEC play, his
rim protection is really going to be vital to what
Kentucky does defensively. I think that we all talk about
this wanting this team to maybe be a little bit
more aggressive and try to force some more turnovers, and
we saw that in a couple of the recent games
with them, I believe, forcing thirty turnovers between the Saint
John's and the IU game with like nineteen steals coming
(24:15):
from that. And I think that when you have a
rim protector on the back end, like like Jayden Quaints,
it allows you to be more aggressive in the passing
lanes or on the ball because you know, if you
do gamble and you get beat every once in a while,
you have a guy in there that can erase some
shots or even just deter some shots. And sometimes with
a guy like Jayden Quaint's, guys don't even try to
(24:35):
drive it into the paint as much. It truly can
change an opponent an opposing offense by having a guy
that can that that can erase some shots at the
rim like Jaden Quaint's, And I think that that quite
honestly makes everybody on Kentucky a better defender because it
allows that allows them to not really worry about the
back end as much when you have somebody standing there
(24:56):
like JQ.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Yeah, you can be a little more aggressive because he
can help on the backside. Now, there'll be times when
you know, like he didn't play much against Mellerman because
they were basically, you know, didn't really have a post band.
I mean they're playing five out, so you neutralize his
impact a little bit in the game like that.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Absolutely, yeah, And there'll be times where you know, teams
do try to spread him out and he's not going
to be as effective if he's having to chase around
guys in the perimeter. He has the athleticism and the
footwork to switch onto a guard kind of on a
possession by possession basis. But absolutely he's going to be
at his best when you saw him banging around against
a twenty one to twenty two year old preseason All
(25:37):
American in ZUBI Edge four for Saint John's and quite honestly,
Quainton's got the better of that matchup in his very
first minutes in the Kentucky uniform. So I think, you know,
you really saw the sort of game that he's comfortable playing,
and that's sort of the hand to hand interieror combat.
He'll be less effective and less comfortable out on the perimeter.
But I don't think it's something that isn't even necessarily
(25:59):
a weak So this isn't the strength that certainly his
physicality is inside.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Grandon Ramsey's with us. You read his work at on
three sports and KSR. What are the other platforms where
they can find your Brandon.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Yeah, as you said, all the written work goes on
Kentucky Sports Radio dot com. You can also subscribe to
the Kentucky Sports Radio YouTube channel where I'm me and
Zach Gig and have a show called Zoom Action. You
can also check out my own film breakdowns on my
YouTube channel, the Brandon Ramsey College Basketball Show. So go
subscribe there and again all that gets promoted through my
Twitter at b RAMSEYKSR.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
We'll continue with Brandon when we come right back about
eighteen away from the top of the hour. It's so
each report presented by Bobcat Enterprises with four locations around Kentucky.
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heavy equipment, they will have what you need and they
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(26:55):
heavy equipment, make Bobcat Enterprises your go to spot will
be right back. All the lead tr Report Radio Network
fourteen away from the top of the hours, we continue
our chat with Brandon Ramsey ad b Ramsey KSR on
X and you can read him on three Sports KSR
talking Kentucky men's basketball ahead of the start a conference
(27:16):
play on Saturday down at Alabama. Brandon, you had a
post recently about Jasper Johnson and he had a nice
game in the win against Bellerman. He has not accomplished
a lot yet in the biggest games, but there are
(27:37):
flashes that you can see that what he could offer
this team. He's the only guy, and you talk about this,
he's the only guy other than Low that can get
into the lane and break down a defense. Denzel Aberdeen.
There's a lot of things he brings to the team,
but he feels a little bit like Jackson Robbinson last season.
(27:58):
When he's playing the point, he can be okay, but
it's not really where he wants to be or he's best,
but Jasper could be down the road.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Right absolutely, and I really do think that he can
be sort of the X factor going forward to really
unlocking what Kentucky's ceiling can be because we all know
that one of the biggest question marks, honestly, regardless of
Jalen Lowe's health, is that backup point guard position. Who
(28:25):
who's going to play the eight ten to twelve minutes
a game, even when Jalen Lowe is in there. Who's
going to play those minutes when he's not in the game,
because obviously he's not going to play forty minutes a game.
And I think that Jasper Johnson quite frankly is one
of the most talented players on this team. Obviously, he
needs to get stronger in some of those things. You
can get better on the defensive end of the floor,
(28:46):
probably improve his decision making a little bit, But all
those things, there are things that can come through additional experience,
and I think that we've certainly seen some of the flashes.
As you said, he's shooting the ball very good from
three point reigns thirty seven point two right now. He
had seven assists against Bellerman, and I think that if
he can kind of just not play the game at
(29:07):
such a high degree of difficulty, something I talked about
all lot with Jasper Johnson. If you can kind of
simplify things and move the ball and play within Kentucky's offense,
then I think that some shots will come to him
and you'll see some of that playmaking ability really be
big for Kentucky getting in JESSEC plays. I'm definitely excited
to see where where Jasper's game goes as we get
(29:29):
into SEC play here.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
He played eight minutes against Saint John's, only three against Indiana,
played eighteen and agains Zaga lass fourteen in the Michigan
State loss. Against those six biggest name opponents, he only
had three assists, so got to be better there. But
on the other side, he only had one turnover in
the minutes that he played, which was somewhere around we'll
(29:51):
say around ballpark of fifty. I don't not adding it
up right now, but so you know, that's that's good.
He's not making a lot of mistakes, but he needs
to be better about, you know, facilitating. But again, in
fairness to him, that's not the role he've been asked
to play before. But I think it's probably one that
the better he can get at it, the better it
(30:12):
will be for him moving forward.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
One hundred percent. I think that his best basketball is
going to be sort of as that true combo guard,
a guy that can really score it, a guy that
can play off the balls to catch him shoot threat some.
But then certainly, just because he's so talented with the
ball in his hands, you're going to need him to
be a playmaker, not just for himself but for others
as well. And I think that unlocking that part of
(30:36):
his game and getting those assist numbers up it is
certainly what Kentucky's going to be looking for, quite frankly,
what they need in the minutes outside of jailn Lowe,
because as you said, you know, even with what some
of what Denzel Aberdeen can bring, what Colin Chandler would
take go Oway, different guys can bring. Certainly Jasper Johnson
is the most sort of tailor made to play those
(30:57):
backup point guard minutes.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Yeah, you speak to this from your coaching background, but
to me, if if you knew you weren't gonna have
if some reason Jalen got injured to the point where
you didn't think you were going to have him, and
they're optimistic they'll have him, but there'll be some you know,
bumps in the road probably, But if you didn't think
that was the case, you'd probably have to change your offense.
(31:21):
But you'd really rather not do that when you invested
a lot into play in the way you want to
play with Jalen low and then they were kind of
stuck in that no man's land for a while. As
Jasper emerges, that enables them to you know, continue to
still play the way they're designed to play, for lack
of a better term, Is that right?
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Absolutely? Yeah. I think you really saw that with some
of the offensive struggles that Kentucky went through early in
the season when Jalen Lowe was out. You kind of
saw that. We all talked about it. It's like, hey,
it kind of seems like we're playing as if Jalen
Low's in the game, but Load's not in the game.
And I think that it was just kind of hard
in the moment to just shift your offense so completely,
(32:00):
especially with the hope that low was going to come back.
So I think, you know, if something were to happen again,
or even just in the limited minutes where Jaalen Loan
is not going to play anyway. I think that being
able to hand the keys to Jasper Johnson, somebody who
at least in theory, can bring a lot of the
same things to the to the floor. It does sort
of help the continuity continuity of your offense to not
(32:20):
have to completely change things just because of who is
driving the car. Sort of sort of speak at the
point for our position.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
With Brandon Ramsey from on three Sports KSR, how do
you see Kentucky evolving offensively? We talked about kind of
uh now getting all their pieces together to embrace the
defensive identity that they envisioned for this team. So what's
the offensive identity going to work itself into.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
I think you're gonna look at a team that's going
to be pretty aggressive in transition with with with with
Jal and Lowe really trying to play faster and kind
of get some get some buckets before defenses are set.
Because I still don't think necessarily this is going to
be the highest half court execution team has certainly compared
what we saw last year. We're sort of half court
execution was the crux of the offense. I think you're
(33:13):
gonna want to get some easier buckets with this team
in transition, and then then the ball screens with Jalen Lowe,
he's so good at getting into the paint, and maybe
this year's gonna be more scoring in the paint, whether
that's via layups from Jalen low whether that's him dumping
it off to the big men, whether that's guys cutting
to the basket. Because we're not going to be the
same three point shooting team that Kentucky was last season.
(33:35):
But what I do think you're gonna see this team
be pretty darn good inside of the arc. Quite frankly,
with the guys like Jayden Quaint. It is certainly what
Mo Diabake is doing around the basket. And then it's
probably going to be the best offensive rebounding team that
we've seen since Oscar, certainly in terms of you know,
really crashing the glass and getting some second chance opportunities
(33:55):
and all kind of fits into that smash mouth identity
that the Kentucky's kind of trying to take hold of,
as Coach Pope has mentioned. So I think that you know,
just being better around the basket compared to on the
perimeter will probably be something that that that you're seeing
going forward from Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
They were a team not really built to win games
when they scored fewer than eighty points. So that we'll
say last season, this is the the team that that's
probably where their wheelhouse is going to be this year,
right at least for.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
The time being, it's gonna it's gonna need to be
where their wheelhouse is, I think, because I just don't
know if this offense has that has that firepower, but
certainly in the defensive upside is there to win games
in the in the sixties or seventies. And I think
that you know, you certainly saw the blueprint against teams
like IU or Saint John's where where where the offense
can score enough to grind out some of those games.
(34:48):
And I think, especially as we get more and more
opportunity to see this team at full strength, you know,
will be better to will be will be able to
better evaluate that be I I certainly think that's gonna
be kind of what we're what we're gonna need to
see from the Cats and SEC players winning some games
at seventy seventy five scores like that compared to what
we saw last year.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Last question, how significant is the ascension of Cam Williams
in the last few weeks.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
It's huge because that gives Kentucky that shooter that we've
sort of been missing. You know. It felt like we
talked a lot about like, man, if this team just
had one more really good shooter, we might have something here.
Well that that guy was kind of lurking on the
bench in Cam Williams. So if he continues to progress
to the mean so to speak, and start making threes
(35:36):
like we knew he could, or certainly what he did
at Tulane last season, that'll be huge for opening up
opening up Kentucky's offense and getting them a little bit
more firepower on that end.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
Brandon, thank you much. Have you new year?
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Yep?
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Have you knew your time anytime?
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Thanks at b Ramsey KSR on X on three Sports
KSR to follow Brandon Ramsey, We'll come back. Close out
this edition of the Lead Report just a moment. It
is the Leads Reports presented by Bobcat Enterprises the Stay
of Wildcat History. Notes nineteen eighty one. Kentucky played Notre
(36:15):
Dame in the final installment of the annual series with
the Fighting Irish at Freedom Hall. It had started in
nineteen sixty continued through this day. In eighty one, it
was the Stall Ball Game. Digger Phelps, going up against
a number four rank Kentucky team with an unranked Notre
Dame game team in the pre shot clock era had
his team hold the ball. Kentucky won in overtime, tied
(36:37):
twenty three all. At the end of regulation, Kentucky won
thirty four to twenty eight in ot They would only
play one other time since then at Freedom Hall and
the day in six it was the Music City Bowl
win over Clemson twenty eight to twenty capping a amazing
stretch run for rich Brook's fourth Kentucky team. Still remember
(36:57):
the huge turnout of fame at the Catwalk Stretch the
entire length of the stadium there in Nashville when the
guys arrived. And Happy birthday to Travis Ford, former Wildcat,
celebrating a birthday today. Well, if Corn Bradamp's been on
your radar, the new year is a great time to
get your wellness routine started off on the right foot.
New subscribers can get thirty five percent off for the
(37:20):
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coornbredhamp dot com. This is the good life that will
do it for us. We will see you tomorrow on
the Leach Report, presented by Bobcat Enterprises
Good day everybody. Welcome into the final week of twenty
twenty five, and we'll be live through Wednesday here on
the Leech Report, a best of show on New Year's Day,
and then back live to preview the start of SEC
play for Mark Popen Company on Friday. Our show is
always presented by Bob Kat Enterprises. Coming up today, we'll
(00:23):
talk Kentucky football in the first half with Adam Luckett
and then in the second half we'll switch gears to
Kentucky men's basketball with Brandon Ramsey, both from All Three
Sports and KSRS. So that's the agenda for today. Wildcat
News of the Day presented by just Sepies of Lexington.
Big win for Kentucky women's basketball yesterday at the Coliseum.
(00:45):
They routed Hostra eighty to forty two and they go
to thirteen and one on the season. Kentucky shot fifty
percent from the field, had twenty seven assists on thirty
one field goals, pretty good ratio. They were eleven of
twenty seven on threes. Individually, Claire Strack had the best
(01:05):
line twenty four points, eleven boards and seven blocks. Tony
Morgan had nine points ten assists, Claire just missed the
triple double. Tony just missed the double double yesterday. Kentucky
will start league play for women's basketball on Thursday, New
Year's Night at LSU. It'll be an eight o'clock tip
down in Baton Rouge and Neil Darren Hendrick will be
(01:30):
on the call from down in Baton Rouge. I think
it's SEC Network Plus as far as the TV side,
So Kenny Brooks and company have rolled through this early season.
They wrapped number eleven the polls last week. Don't know
if they'll crack the top ten this week or not.
We'll see when the new pole comes out. But they
(01:50):
have gotten off to a fantastic start and hopefully they
can keep it rolling. It's a tough start though, to
go at LSU in league play Tonight. It's the Mark
Pope Radio Show at six Eastern and we'll get a
little update on how things have gone post Christmas for
the Cats. They had a couple of days off and
then have been back at it on the practice court
(02:12):
over at the Joe Craft Center and they will open
SEC play on Saturday at noon down at Alabama. Crimson
Tide plays tonight against Yale in their final non conference
game of the season. So we'll catch up to coach
Pope tonight. He has a media availability scheduled for tomorrow,
and then we'll see how conference play begins for the
(02:35):
Cats and the Tide and everybody else in the league
comes Saturday. There's a report that says Kentucky has found
its special teams cord dator Parker Fleming will come from Oregon,
where he's been an offensive analyst with will Stein. According
to reports, he's the choice. He'll also coach inside receivers.
(02:58):
Before Oregon was at Ohio State in the same job.
He started out his coaching career as a grad assistant
at Ohio State. He coached then at James Madison, coached
at Texas State, went back to Ohio State, and he
was with their special teams I think for five seasons,
and then went out to Oregon with will Stein, and
(03:20):
now we'll follow him to Kentucky. So we'll talk with
Adam Luckett here shortly. But it is going to be
a large staff for coach Stein, and he has been
busy putting the group together. I think you saw I
think it was last week they made it official that
anmar Stewart was staying on with the d line. Happy
to hear that another former Cat, Mark Perry, it's going
(03:43):
to be staying on I'm not sure exactly. I just
saw the headline on Mark being retained, so I don't
know what his official title is, but he's I think,
been working with the offense for the time that he's
been at Kentucky and fantastic young coach and thrill at
Both of those guys are staying on board. Always good
to have, I think a little continuity and hopefully all
(04:06):
the support folks will stay in place for the most
part anyway, with the new staff, a new head coach
that will always bring in obviously his assistants, but maybe
a few other folks. But I mean, you've got some
folks that have been there a long time that know
how to get things done for Kentucky football and then
(04:26):
have a great passion for it. So always glad to
know when they're gonna retain their jobs. Links to the
stories well, you can find those on the Bud Light
Leach Report page at Tom leachky dot com. Coming up,
we're gonna chat with Adam Luck and talk Kentucky football.
Our opening segments presented by Giuseppes of Lexington. They have
(04:47):
a barrel pick, a bullet barrel pick that you can
buy a bottle of and take home with you. They're
working on a Russell reserve barrel pick as well. Start
the new year with a special night out at Giuseppe's.
Go to open table and make a reservation. Probably a
little late for New Year's Eve, but get in there
as soon as you can after the first of the year.
(05:10):
Heading to a break back to talk Kentucky football with
Adam Loockett. It's the Leech Report Radio Network presented Bobcat Enterprises.
Shufflebing Coffee is the official coffee of the Leech Report
and you could pick some up. Make it the official
coffee of your home. If you're having folks over for
(05:31):
the new year, well serve up some shuffle Being coffee.
You'll be a hit. You can pick it up at
Central Kentucky Meyers stores. You have time to get it
ordered through Amazon or the company's website. Shufflebeing dot Us.
It's a company based right here in the Bluegrass that
is all about being the best. That is Shufflebeing Coffee.
We'll welcome in Adam Luckett to the program. From on
three sports ks are and you're a busy man. In
(05:54):
these last few weeks, Adam just constantly updating coaching staff
additions and exits and new jobs for the old guys,
and then you're about to enter portal season. So it's just, uh,
you're you're a man in demand.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Yeah, you know, Tom, I would never recommend having a
signing day and a coaching introductory press conference on the
same day, but that was kind of a sign of
things to come here for the beat we covers. So yeah,
it's been a busy time and as soon as it
starts to slow down, then we've got, you know, the
free agency window where there's gonna be a lot of
player movement here over the next few weeks. So it's
(06:33):
a very busy time and an important time. I think
for will Stein this is gonna kind of set the
foundation and set what kind of year this team can
have what they do here over the next few weeks,
because they need they need to go find some starters.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
We'll talk about the player part in a minute. Let's
start with the staff though. How close is he to
completion on the staff do you think right?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I think that they need one more kind of what
would be your kind of a recruiting assist a guy
who woul hit the road. I would look at tight Ends.
They still don't have a tight Ends coach. I think
that's where the final assistants is gonna come. I think
there's gonna be some more kind of support staff hires,
like analysts, and then they need a strength They still
don't have a strength staff and that's an important, really
(07:15):
important role that they're gonna need to fill. But you know,
you kind of look at it, it looks like they're mostly
done at this point. There'll be a few more hires
of tight Ends coach is the biggest one, but most
of the big pieces are in place.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Now. What do you think about the group? He as
a symbol to this point.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, I think from the coordinator aspect, it's very interesting
because Jay Bateman and Joe Sloan both have extensive SEC experience,
both have SEC coordinator experience, and you're able to get
them for a couple of different reasons. Jay Bateman, he's
gonna get full autonomy of the defense where he didn't
have that with Mike Elko, and then Joe Sloan was
(07:56):
part of Brian Kelly staff that was let go. So
for them they're both looking they have something to prove,
I think with this job, so they're both looking to
kind of use this as a launching point. But they
both have reputations as really strong recruiters. Sloan was kind
of the guy Brian Kelly hired basically because he needed
someone that had connections to Louisiana. Solan has deep connections
(08:17):
through Louisiana. Jay Bateman was a really good recruiter at
North Carolina when he's a linebacker coach at Florida twenty
two and twenty three, really good recruiter, and I mean
that same thing when he went to A and M
for two years. So you're adding from a coordinator aspect,
you're adding to too good recruiters with something to improved,
and then around them, I think there's a lot of
bet on a lot of young ascending coaches. I mean
(08:39):
Cutter left, which is the biggest one, twenty six years old,
the offensive line coach, but he's not the only one.
There's a lot of kind of young ascending coaches where
this is their first kind of you know, really big
break or second big break, and he's kind of betting
on that, which I don't think is a bad bet
to bet specifically at Kentucky because a lot of times
Kentucky football you just got to be early to the party.
You've got to beat people to the punch. You get
(09:00):
to be ahead of the curve. And if these staff
hires hit, specifically the assistants, they could be ahead of
the curve on some of these guys.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
And you're gonna have a staff that's really hungry because
it's I mean, the work is NonStop now in terms
of recruiting, not only you know the new guys, but
your own guys, right.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yeah, with the portal, like everything changes, you're having contract negotiations.
So like having guys specifically I think have recruiting experience
specifically in this league, kind of know what they're going
up against, I think is really big. And just overall this,
I think the staff is going to have, you know,
something to prove because they aren't established. One thing different
(09:42):
I think for maybe the Stoops era will be that
Stoops in them were they were established for a while.
This is this is totally different. This is going to
be kind of I think kind of early Stoops era
is what you might have to compare it to because
they're they're trying to make a name for themselves here
top without Adam Luckett.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
It's at Adam. Look at KSR right on X. That's right,
it's worth that's the follow Let's shift gears to the
player's portal. Window opens up Friday.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
That's right? Friday, January second. It runs for two weeks.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Uh, what's what are the boxes that you think Kentucky
has to check? And then maybe the next level would
be would like to check?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Yeah, I think you know it's kind of an evergreen statement,
but we're starting with the offensive line here. They've got
to find multiple starters. They need five new starters. Now.
I don't know if you're gonna get all five from
the portal, but I think you're probably gonna need at
least three. Got like plug and play guys on the
offensive line, so that immediately stands out. I think linebacker
stands out. I think they feel good about Grant Gottfrey,
(10:49):
but after that it's a lot of question marks, So
they probably need a plug and play linebacker. I believe
they're going to be in the market for getting one
of the top receivers. I don't think receiver is a
big kind of volume position. For them, but they're gonna
want I think one of the top guys, and Malcolm
Simmons Auburn transfer is a name that's popped up early
as one to watch. So those are the three positions
that stand out. I would also throw in cornerback just
(11:11):
because how much the decisions struggle last year. I think
they'll be in the market safety from a number standpoint,
they only got five scholarship safeties, are probably gonna want more.
And then also they've got to figure out quarterback. Still
think it's heaving direction where Cutter Bowley will be the
starter next year, but that's not locked in yet. But
even if he is, they only have three scholarship quarterbacks.
Now now that you know bo Allen left, Zach Calzada left,
(11:35):
and then Stone Saunders entered the transfer portal, so you're
johe Sloan even said this, you have to have at
least four scholarship quarterbacks, so they're gonna be adding at
least one transfer, probably to come in and be the backup.
So you're not I think asking Brennan Ward or Matt
Ponatowski this early in their career to maybe be the
immediatet QB two to kind of create a competition there.
(11:55):
So there's a lot of positions they're gonna be, you know,
shopping for and so they're I have to check a
lot of boxes. But I think it really starts with
that offensive line.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
We'll pick up on that quarterback discussion, I think obviously
is a big one for fans, and we'll do that
when we come right back. It is the Leach Report
coming to you from the Clark's Pumping Shop studio. Return,
Refresh and refuel at Clark's started four past the top
of the hour. As we welcome or we see continue
our discussion with Adam Luckett. You can read him in
(12:25):
on three Sports and at Adam Luckett KSR on X.
Let's talk about the quarterback position and Cutter Bowley is
the returning starter. What's your read on the lay of
the land for the quarterback battle or quarterback position at Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Yeah, I think it's trending towards Cutter Bowley being the
starter here. I think one he had a productive I
think first season as a starter, and I think he
does fit what will Sound likes to do on offense,
which is, you know, the ball out quick, be really
precise and kind of the short intern intermediate passing game,
(13:05):
which I thought Bullies showed last year. I think one
improvement they would probably like to see is more better
you know, more improved deep ball accuracy, or more just
taking more shots down the field. But I think he
fits what Kentucky wants to do. And then I think
you also look at the market in what Kentucky needs.
Right if they were gonna go say they wanted to
move on from Buwliying and try to go get a
top quarterback Bobern Forts, that's gonna cost three to four
(13:28):
million dollars and that's gonna eat into a lot of
your money, especially when you look at a situation where
Kentucky's gonna have to go get some other players. It's
not like they're just missing a quarterback. They gotta they
got to build around some guys, and I think Bully
is a good guy to build around. And you've got
to get an offensive line like we've like we talked about.
So I think it's trending in the direction all things
I'm hearing, it's trending in the direction that Cutter Bully
(13:50):
is gonna be the starting quarterback. I think they're just
working on getting whatever his new contract, it's gonna be
locked in, which is kind of weird to talk about,
but that's the world we're in, uh nowadays. But I
think he's going to be their starter, and then I
think they're going to be in the market for a quarterback,
but it's going to be more like kind of like
a Sawyer Smith situation or a Gavin Wimsett situation where
(14:11):
they're adding a guy not to really come in and start,
but to kind of be their backup or maybe a
change of pace guy if if you want to do
kind of a wildcat thing, which I don't expect them
to do, but they're looking for maybe an experience backup
so some of these younger guys can grow and they
have an option behind Bowlie.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
I would think from Cutter's standpoint, I mean, he's a
from all indications, wants to be here, you know, loves
being the Kentucky quarterback as a Kentucky kid, and I'm
sure from his standpoint, his family they just want to
know that they're viewed that Cutters viewed as as the
guy that they want to lead the lead, and they're
(14:49):
going to look for somebody to back.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Him up, right, sure, absolutely, you want to know, like, Hey,
is this new coach really gonna come in and build
around him or is that just talk right? You want
to like you're trying to find out all those answers.
I think for all parties involved, I think it makes
probably the most sense, at least makes a lot of
sense where everyone comes back and we try to make
(15:12):
this all work together because of everything that's needed on
the roster, what Bully showed, how he fits Stein's offense.
I think all of that comes together where it's the
best thing I think for everyone to kind of move
forward together. And I think that's what we'll see happen eventually.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
And from the other perspective, if you're Will Stein and
the guys that are certainly on the offensive side of
the ball, takes a little time because Will is working
two jobs. But you've got to assess the skill set
of cutter relative to what you want to do. You
also you have to see who all's out there some
(15:49):
you know this day and time. I mean, this is
a staff with a pretty strong offensive reputation. Haven't read
anything on paper yet, but I mean their background as
a strong rep you will want to see who might
want to come and play for you, So you have
to this all takes I guess bottom line is it
just takes a little time to sort itself out.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Yeah, just like compared to the NFL, you have free
agency before the draft. If you need a quarterback, you
look at the draft market and where you're drafting. Is
it going to be better to go get a rookie
or do we need to sign you know, a veteran here.
In free agency, you got to you also have to
valuate the players, and you've got to valuate the market
(16:29):
like what's available. And that's something I think in the
new age of college football, specifically school like Kentucky where
you're gonna have to go to the portal very frequently,
you've got to do that very very well.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I was encouraged by some of the things we saw
from Cutter. You mentioned, you know, the short to intermediate
passing game is completion percentage was up around you know,
seventy for the stretch when he became the starter. That's
the number I'm sure they're looking for right.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Right from everything you hear from Stein, they want to
they want to get the ball out quick fast, but
you know, the quarterback's got to be accurate on time
so they can gobble up the yards after catch and
stay ahead of the chains. And then he's very big
on taking shots, you know, multiple shots per game. By shots,
I mean, you know, vertical throws down the field to
(17:17):
try to create explosive plays. But the pass game, really,
I think starts with a short passing game, and it's
not going to be that different from kind of what
Kentucky did last year, which just getting the ball out quick,
getting the ball on the perimeter on wide receiver screens,
taking things underneath and just trying to stay ahead of
the chains and living that way. And that's that's something
they're going to ask of their quarterback and I think
(17:37):
Cutters showed that last year. What they're gonna want to
see more of, I think is more kind of vertical
completions and less interceptions. I think that's the one thing
with Cutter moving forward. Interceptions were an issue in high school.
He threw a bunch last year. That's something he's going
to have to get down. But he's got time to
develop and grow into and grow into something, and we
saw kind of the foundation I think of what he
(17:58):
can become last year.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Adam Luckett, thank you very much. Happy New Year. Thanks Tom,
We are halfway home on this edition of the Leech Report.
We'll be right back with Brandon Ramsey. Lakes Reports presented
by bobcat Enterprises. One last football note before we shift
gears to Kentucky basketball. I wanted to get with Adam Likeck,
(18:20):
we just kind of ran out of time to talk
about the return of ty Brian, but suffice to say
it was great news to see that he is going
to be back for another season with Kentucky. Tied for
the SEC lead in interceptions with four last season, and
is a strong leader and a veteran on the back
end of the defense, so that was great news to
see springing. Brandon Ramsey from on three Sports KSR will
(18:43):
shift gears to Kentucky men's basketball, which we'll start conference
play on Saturday after an extended break when they go
down to Alabama to play on Saturday afternoon. Brandon, last
time we talked, I think was before the Indiana game,
So some very good things have happened for Kentucky basketball
since then, with the wins over the Hoosiers and over
(19:04):
Saint John's. I think from reading some of your posts
on X you just kind of write the Bellerman game
off is you know, it was before Christmas and on
the heels of two big wins, and so just check
the box with a win and don't spend too much
time analyzing it.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (19:25):
I think so?
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
I mean I think back to when I was coaching
and just some of the some of the most difficult
games to play were always before Thanksgiving break and before
Christmas break. And it's just kind of human nature, especially
when you're the team in Kentucky's shoes, you know, like
you like to think that every chance to play in
Reperena is special on all these different things. But I
(19:47):
think it was Kentucky's ninth game and Reperena this year,
and for the Bellarmine kids, it's maybe the only time
they're going to get to play there in their basketball careers.
So you know, it's a game, and no matter when
it's played, no matter what time of day is is
it's one of the biggest games on their schedule to them,
and for Kentucky, it's kind of the game that's heading
into a nice little break, and especially with its being
(20:10):
played during the day, especially with it being played against
a team like Bellerman that executes what they do so
well and kind of has such an entrenched identity. I
think it was just honestly kind of a tough spot
for Kentucky to be in. So I put a lot
more stock in the wins over IU and Saint John's
and how Kentucky played in those games, then I do
it to some of the you know, quote unquote disappointment
(20:34):
maybe of how things win against Bellerman.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Mike Pratt, MYELL broadcast partner, used to talk about them
in terms of being the getaway game. Some strange things
can happen in the getaway game right before Christmas, you know,
from a defensive standpoint, giving up eighty five points to
Bellerman and having you know, score some of the buckets
as easily as they did is not the tape that
(21:00):
Mark Pope will take to any coaching clinic to talk
about defense. But the two previous efforts we were outstanding,
holding both opponents under seventy points. Are looking at those
two games and now moving forward into conference play with
Quaintance back and Diabaate healthy again, is this do you
(21:23):
think starting to crystallize as the vision Mark Pope had
for this roster. And then on the offensive end, kind
of using a lot of pick and roll with low.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
I think so, And I think that that makes sense.
You know, say, it's something that you and I have
talked about on this show with them, that I've certainly
talked about on various platforms that it was always hard
to like really critique the roster construction until we saw
the roster as it was constructed. And I think you
know that now we essentially have the second half of
(21:54):
Saint John's and that to go off of in terms
of having every piece at Coach popes too, So you
were finally able to see the offense with you know,
some heavy pick and roll stuff with Jalen Lowell. You
were able to see the defense with a couple of
the best defenders on the team, with Jaydan plaints it
could be one of the best in college basketball modiabade
(22:14):
with what he brings. And yeah, I think you're you're
finally starting to see here as Kentucky gets healthy, them
established a little bit of the identity. Is it the
identity that maybe we all expected because clearly this team
isn't the shooting team, then maybe Mark Pope thought it was.
But but but he's he's adjusted a little bit here,
(22:34):
He's obviously talked about kind of getting into that smash
mouth sort of identity, and I think that can work
with this team, and we've seen it work now in
a couple of games against quality opponents. Uh So it'll
be interesting to see how that transitions into SEC play.
But I absolutely I think now that they're healthy, you're
kind of starting to see the vision for how things
(22:54):
were supposed to look come together with the Cats.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Let's stick on the defense for a moment, because from
an analytics standpoint, the guys that go deep into that
were raving about Jaden Quaintans's numbers from his first season
as Arizona State before it was cut short by the
injury in February. Off what we saw against Saint John's,
we can certainly see where that excitement about his defensive
(23:21):
impact came from. And I think impact is maybe the
right word, and it's gonna be interesting in this particular game.
You know, quaints has had a long stretch here to
more fully work himself back into the mix because Alabama,
you know, he is all about threes obviously, but it's
(23:41):
also threes or at the rim, and Quaintance may not
be able to may not be blocking a lot of threes,
but he can handle the rim part right absolutely.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
I think that as you get into SEC play, his
rim protection is really going to be vital to what
Kentucky does defensively. I think that we all talk about
this wanting this team to maybe be a little bit
more aggressive and try to force some more turnovers, and
we saw that in a couple of the recent games
with them, I believe, forcing thirty turnovers between the Saint
John's and the IU game with like nineteen steals coming
(24:15):
from that. And I think that when you have a
rim protector on the back end, like like Jayden Quaints,
it allows you to be more aggressive in the passing
lanes or on the ball because you know, if you
do gamble and you get beat every once in a while,
you have a guy in there that can erase some
shots or even just deter some shots. And sometimes with
a guy like Jayden Quaint's, guys don't even try to
(24:35):
drive it into the paint as much. It truly can
change an opponent an opposing offense by having a guy
that can that that can erase some shots at the
rim like Jaden Quaint's, And I think that that quite
honestly makes everybody on Kentucky a better defender because it
allows that allows them to not really worry about the
back end as much when you have somebody standing there
(24:56):
like JQ.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Yeah, you can be a little more aggressive because he
can help on the backside. Now, there'll be times when
you know, like he didn't play much against Mellerman because
they were basically, you know, didn't really have a post band.
I mean they're playing five out, so you neutralize his
impact a little bit in the game like that.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Absolutely, yeah, And there'll be times where you know, teams
do try to spread him out and he's not going
to be as effective if he's having to chase around
guys in the perimeter. He has the athleticism and the
footwork to switch onto a guard kind of on a
possession by possession basis. But absolutely he's going to be
at his best when you saw him banging around against
a twenty one to twenty two year old preseason All
(25:37):
American in ZUBI Edge four for Saint John's and quite honestly,
Quainton's got the better of that matchup in his very
first minutes in the Kentucky uniform. So I think, you know,
you really saw the sort of game that he's comfortable playing,
and that's sort of the hand to hand interieror combat.
He'll be less effective and less comfortable out on the perimeter.
But I don't think it's something that isn't even necessarily
(25:59):
a weak So this isn't the strength that certainly his
physicality is inside.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Grandon Ramsey's with us. You read his work at on
three sports and KSR. What are the other platforms where
they can find your Brandon.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Yeah, as you said, all the written work goes on
Kentucky Sports Radio dot com. You can also subscribe to
the Kentucky Sports Radio YouTube channel where I'm me and
Zach Gig and have a show called Zoom Action. You
can also check out my own film breakdowns on my
YouTube channel, the Brandon Ramsey College Basketball Show. So go
subscribe there and again all that gets promoted through my
Twitter at b RAMSEYKSR.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
We'll continue with Brandon when we come right back about
eighteen away from the top of the hour. It's so
each report presented by Bobcat Enterprises with four locations around Kentucky.
When you need to buy or read a piece of
heavy equipment, they will have what you need and they
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Great service after the sales has been a hallmark of
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(26:55):
heavy equipment, make Bobcat Enterprises your go to spot will
be right back. All the lead tr Report Radio Network
fourteen away from the top of the hours, we continue
our chat with Brandon Ramsey ad b Ramsey KSR on
X and you can read him on three Sports KSR
talking Kentucky men's basketball ahead of the start a conference
(27:16):
play on Saturday down at Alabama. Brandon, you had a
post recently about Jasper Johnson and he had a nice
game in the win against Bellerman. He has not accomplished
a lot yet in the biggest games, but there are
(27:37):
flashes that you can see that what he could offer
this team. He's the only guy, and you talk about this,
he's the only guy other than Low that can get
into the lane and break down a defense. Denzel Aberdeen.
There's a lot of things he brings to the team,
but he feels a little bit like Jackson Robbinson last season.
(27:58):
When he's playing the point, he can be okay, but
it's not really where he wants to be or he's best,
but Jasper could be down the road.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Right absolutely, and I really do think that he can
be sort of the X factor going forward to really
unlocking what Kentucky's ceiling can be because we all know
that one of the biggest question marks, honestly, regardless of
Jalen Lowe's health, is that backup point guard position. Who
(28:25):
who's going to play the eight ten to twelve minutes
a game, even when Jalen Lowe is in there. Who's
going to play those minutes when he's not in the game,
because obviously he's not going to play forty minutes a game.
And I think that Jasper Johnson quite frankly is one
of the most talented players on this team. Obviously, he
needs to get stronger in some of those things. You
can get better on the defensive end of the floor,
(28:46):
probably improve his decision making a little bit, But all
those things, there are things that can come through additional experience,
and I think that we've certainly seen some of the flashes.
As you said, he's shooting the ball very good from
three point reigns thirty seven point two right now. He
had seven assists against Bellerman, and I think that if
he can kind of just not play the game at
(29:07):
such a high degree of difficulty, something I talked about
all lot with Jasper Johnson. If you can kind of
simplify things and move the ball and play within Kentucky's offense,
then I think that some shots will come to him
and you'll see some of that playmaking ability really be
big for Kentucky getting in JESSEC plays. I'm definitely excited
to see where where Jasper's game goes as we get
(29:29):
into SEC play here.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
He played eight minutes against Saint John's, only three against Indiana,
played eighteen and agains Zaga lass fourteen in the Michigan
State loss. Against those six biggest name opponents, he only
had three assists, so got to be better there. But
on the other side, he only had one turnover in
the minutes that he played, which was somewhere around we'll
(29:51):
say around ballpark of fifty. I don't not adding it
up right now, but so you know, that's that's good.
He's not making a lot of mistakes, but he needs
to be better about, you know, facilitating. But again, in
fairness to him, that's not the role he've been asked
to play before. But I think it's probably one that
the better he can get at it, the better it
(30:12):
will be for him moving forward.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
One hundred percent. I think that his best basketball is
going to be sort of as that true combo guard,
a guy that can really score it, a guy that
can play off the balls to catch him shoot threat some.
But then certainly, just because he's so talented with the
ball in his hands, you're going to need him to
be a playmaker, not just for himself but for others
as well. And I think that unlocking that part of
(30:36):
his game and getting those assist numbers up it is
certainly what Kentucky's going to be looking for, quite frankly,
what they need in the minutes outside of jailn Lowe,
because as you said, you know, even with what some
of what Denzel Aberdeen can bring, what Colin Chandler would
take go Oway, different guys can bring. Certainly Jasper Johnson
is the most sort of tailor made to play those
(30:57):
backup point guard minutes.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Yeah, you speak to this from your coaching background, but
to me, if if you knew you weren't gonna have
if some reason Jalen got injured to the point where
you didn't think you were going to have him, and
they're optimistic they'll have him, but there'll be some you know,
bumps in the road probably, But if you didn't think
that was the case, you'd probably have to change your offense.
(31:21):
But you'd really rather not do that when you invested
a lot into play in the way you want to
play with Jalen low and then they were kind of
stuck in that no man's land for a while. As
Jasper emerges, that enables them to you know, continue to
still play the way they're designed to play, for lack
of a better term, Is that right?
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Absolutely? Yeah. I think you really saw that with some
of the offensive struggles that Kentucky went through early in
the season when Jalen Lowe was out. You kind of
saw that. We all talked about it. It's like, hey,
it kind of seems like we're playing as if Jalen
Low's in the game, but Load's not in the game.
And I think that it was just kind of hard
in the moment to just shift your offense so completely,
(32:00):
especially with the hope that low was going to come back.
So I think, you know, if something were to happen again,
or even just in the limited minutes where Jaalen Loan
is not going to play anyway. I think that being
able to hand the keys to Jasper Johnson, somebody who
at least in theory, can bring a lot of the
same things to the to the floor. It does sort
of help the continuity continuity of your offense to not
(32:20):
have to completely change things just because of who is
driving the car. Sort of sort of speak at the
point for our position.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
With Brandon Ramsey from on three Sports KSR, how do
you see Kentucky evolving offensively? We talked about kind of
uh now getting all their pieces together to embrace the
defensive identity that they envisioned for this team. So what's
the offensive identity going to work itself into.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
I think you're gonna look at a team that's going
to be pretty aggressive in transition with with with with
Jal and Lowe really trying to play faster and kind
of get some get some buckets before defenses are set.
Because I still don't think necessarily this is going to
be the highest half court execution team has certainly compared
what we saw last year. We're sort of half court
execution was the crux of the offense. I think you're
(33:13):
gonna want to get some easier buckets with this team
in transition, and then then the ball screens with Jalen Lowe,
he's so good at getting into the paint, and maybe
this year's gonna be more scoring in the paint, whether
that's via layups from Jalen low whether that's him dumping
it off to the big men, whether that's guys cutting
to the basket. Because we're not going to be the
same three point shooting team that Kentucky was last season.
(33:35):
But what I do think you're gonna see this team
be pretty darn good inside of the arc. Quite frankly,
with the guys like Jayden Quaint. It is certainly what
Mo Diabake is doing around the basket. And then it's
probably going to be the best offensive rebounding team that
we've seen since Oscar, certainly in terms of you know,
really crashing the glass and getting some second chance opportunities
(33:55):
and all kind of fits into that smash mouth identity
that the Kentucky's kind of trying to take hold of,
as Coach Pope has mentioned. So I think that you know,
just being better around the basket compared to on the
perimeter will probably be something that that that you're seeing
going forward from Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
They were a team not really built to win games
when they scored fewer than eighty points. So that we'll
say last season, this is the the team that that's
probably where their wheelhouse is going to be this year,
right at least for.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
The time being, it's gonna it's gonna need to be
where their wheelhouse is, I think, because I just don't
know if this offense has that has that firepower, but
certainly in the defensive upside is there to win games
in the in the sixties or seventies. And I think
that you know, you certainly saw the blueprint against teams
like IU or Saint John's where where where the offense
can score enough to grind out some of those games.
(34:48):
And I think, especially as we get more and more
opportunity to see this team at full strength, you know,
will be better to will be will be able to
better evaluate that be I I certainly think that's gonna
be kind of what we're what we're gonna need to
see from the Cats and SEC players winning some games
at seventy seventy five scores like that compared to what
we saw last year.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Last question, how significant is the ascension of Cam Williams
in the last few weeks.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
It's huge because that gives Kentucky that shooter that we've
sort of been missing. You know. It felt like we
talked a lot about like, man, if this team just
had one more really good shooter, we might have something here.
Well that that guy was kind of lurking on the
bench in Cam Williams. So if he continues to progress
to the mean so to speak, and start making threes
(35:36):
like we knew he could, or certainly what he did
at Tulane last season, that'll be huge for opening up
opening up Kentucky's offense and getting them a little bit
more firepower on that end.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
Brandon, thank you much. Have you new year?
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Yep?
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Have you knew your time anytime?
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Thanks at b Ramsey KSR on X on three Sports
KSR to follow Brandon Ramsey, We'll come back. Close out
this edition of the Lead Report just a moment. It
is the Leads Reports presented by Bobcat Enterprises the Stay
of Wildcat History. Notes nineteen eighty one. Kentucky played Notre
(36:15):
Dame in the final installment of the annual series with
the Fighting Irish at Freedom Hall. It had started in
nineteen sixty continued through this day. In eighty one, it
was the Stall Ball Game. Digger Phelps, going up against
a number four rank Kentucky team with an unranked Notre
Dame game team in the pre shot clock era had
his team hold the ball. Kentucky won in overtime, tied
(36:37):
twenty three all. At the end of regulation, Kentucky won
thirty four to twenty eight in ot They would only
play one other time since then at Freedom Hall and
the day in six it was the Music City Bowl
win over Clemson twenty eight to twenty capping a amazing
stretch run for rich Brook's fourth Kentucky team. Still remember
(36:57):
the huge turnout of fame at the Catwalk Stretch the
entire length of the stadium there in Nashville when the
guys arrived. And Happy birthday to Travis Ford, former Wildcat,
celebrating a birthday today. Well, if Corn Bradamp's been on
your radar, the new year is a great time to
get your wellness routine started off on the right foot.
New subscribers can get thirty five percent off for the
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first three months with the code new Leaf in e
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Whatever you're looking to improve in the new year, cornbred
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coornbredhamp dot com. This is the good life that will
do it for us. We will see you tomorrow on
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