Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
From border to border across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This
is Big Blue Insider. Talk to Tick Gabriel. Call eight
five nine two eight zero Cats. That's eight five nine
two eight zero to two eight seven. Or state wide
that's one eight hundred six oh six game. That's one
(00:27):
eight hundred six oh six four two sixty three. Or
you can tweet the show. That's Big Blue Insider one.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Now here's Tick Gabriel.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Hell are running through the facilities of the iHeartMedia Megaplex.
This is Dick Gabriel. It's a state wide edition of
The Big Blue Insider. It is game week again after
the open date the Wildcats with South Carolina coming up tonight.
We'll talk about the game with Jeff mccor or the
UK Radio Network and Cole Park of the Cats. Pause
be a part of the state wide BBI Order the Border.
(00:58):
It is the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel joined now
in the celebrity hidline by Jeffiicora of the UK Sports Network.
He'll be behind the mic one of the mics when
the Wildcats take on South Carolina this Saturday evening. You'll
hear the game on most of these same stations and uh, Jeff,
did you play at South Coline. They were not in
the league when you were playing football.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Noyep correct, but we played them and their running back
was a guy named George Rogers.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
He was good.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Just happened to win the Heisman that year.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
He was good.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So you know, said now, Williams Brice Stadium was not
anything like it is now when you were down out
Because I don't know about you. I enjoy going down there.
You know. We have great road experiences and uh, some
stadiums are although, man, I'll tell you everybody in the
league I think is up their game now that I
can't wait to see Vandy what they've done. Man, Williams
(01:54):
Bryce now is a real challenge, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Well, it is. They They're huge fans down there. I
mean they have some of the best fans in the country.
I think it's just a neat atmosphere. You know, it's
just fun. It's a fun place to go see a
football game. They're loud and what used to be really cool.
Remember Dick, when we used to go there schedule. We
(02:20):
were there every year during the State Fair. The fair,
Yeah yeah, state it was shoes.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Yeah yeah. I don't know if you remember this, but
we were and it might have been preceded on the network. Oh,
they've been doing it for twenty years. We would do
the Friday night football show, and I remember once we
were doing we'd do it at the stadium and we're
on the air and we're talking to each other and
the guests and all this, and whoever was back in
(02:46):
the studio. We kept hearing this sound over and over, like,
what in the world is that? And then we looked
across the way and if you're watching a game on
TV while it was in the radio, the State fairs
to your left in that huge lot area, and they
had one of those like a ride with a parachute
(03:06):
or something where you know, they take you to the
top and then they let you go and people would scream,
and oh yeah, that was a big time. Although that
made Parking was a premium mob. Before we break this
game down, though, I want to ask you about something
you've already reported on this, I know on TV side,
but the permanent opponents for the Southeastern Conference and we
(03:31):
can debate and discuss and I'm sure Kentucky fans will
add nauseum about the team's chosen for Kentucky and what
teams got tougher draws and easier draws. But what you
being a guy who was a traditional Kentucky X player fan,
you grew up here, there was word that Tennessee might
not be on the list for Kentucky, but it is
(03:53):
along with South Carolina and Florida. What do you think
of Kentucky's draw?
Speaker 4 (03:58):
What?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
You know, you pretty much play those three teams every
year anyway, you know, so I don't think it was
that that far of a reach. The only thing I
thought may have been different was Georgia instead of Florida.
I'm I'm happy it's it is Florida instead of Georgia.
But here, but here. I just think that Georgia is
a much better program than Florida is. They're probably gonna fall,
(04:22):
They're probably gonna fire Billy Napier, you know, after this season.
So it's gonna be interesting to see who they bring in.
Because look, it doesn't matter how big a school you
are or what your uh, you know, what your you know,
the past ten years are like what your history is, uh.
I mean, look at Florida State, I mean they won
what two games last year? You know, so it can
(04:43):
happen anyway if you get another Dicky in there, like
Tennessee did when they hired you know, Doug Dickey and
then they went completely downhill, you know, to see Duly, yes,
Dulee not Dickie. Yeah, douy there. Yeah, yeah, I know,
but you know it's gonna be interesting. I think the
other interesting thing is is, you know, does if they
(05:08):
do let go of Napier, does John summrll get that
job too? But that's you know, we're going down the
slippery slope there. But I you know, I don't mind it.
Tennessee's you know, Tennessee's Tennessee. We played him since the
turn of the century and we've beat him about as
many times as I got fingers. So yeah, you know,
it's one of those damned if you do, damned if
(05:30):
you don't. But I don't mind it. The other thing too, Dick. Look,
you're going to play every team in the league in
two years, so it really doesn't matter that much. You know.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
It's curious though, because we thought maybe Vandy would be
in there, but it's not. And I think Kentucky, I
think it's a it's a decent draw, as you say,
they've played and we've got they play every year anyway.
But it's all about recency bias. And when you try
to break this thing down, you can look at it
and say, well, this team is good now, but hasn't
(06:03):
been traditionally good like Vandy.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Look at Vanderbilt. I think Vandy's climb that climb a little.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Bit or vice versa a team that's struggling now that's
been good in the past. Yes, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
The great example.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
That's true. That's true. Have you had a chance to
really look at it, because I can tell you I
think got the best end of it. I don't know
if you've had a chance to study.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I think that what they've done basically, Dick is you
look at those things that you and I have talked
about a lot of those of the games that like
Florida Georgia. You can't cancel that game, right, you know,
they have to have that, uh, Auburn Alabama, they have
to have that missip State. So once you do that
to all the teams, now you then then you go, okay,
(06:48):
then what are the next biggest games they play? Right?
And and so you know, I don't who do you
think got the easiest.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Draw Tennessee, reason being they wanted to they had Indian
Kentucky exactly, they wanted Alabama. It's not a knock on Kentucky,
but just Tennessee has had more success against Kentucky than
any other school against Kentucky and Vandy, which is good now,
but you know it can sustain that goodness. You know
(07:16):
they couldn't after Franklin was here, but now they're good again.
But again, this will change from year to year, and
you're right, as long as you're playing everybody over the
next couple of years, I guess it'll all even out.
But what it also does, Jeff, is the fact that
we can't really with any authority, say this team got
the best, dra all this team got the worst tells
you where we are with regard to the SEC in general.
(07:40):
Maybe not on a given weekend or a given season,
but it tells you just how tough this league is.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, now, Dick, I did hear this? You tell me
because I'm sure you've study it's a lot more than
I have today. But in four years or in twenty thirty,
they're going to go back and make sure that those
the priorities that they put our still in place, the
competitiveness of the teams and stuff. So for instance, if
(08:05):
Vanderbilt comes the next Alabama, right, do they move Vandy
away from you know that kind of stuff where they
re excuse they reshuffle the deck so to speak.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Yeah, which which giving him giving your substimately way, you know,
and the way you do with TV contracts. I mean
everything is in his fluid, everything's in flux and why
not you know, And I guarantee they're doing this with
an I on the TV networks, the TV matchups.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Well, you got to think of it this way, yeah, Dick,
I think you have to think of it this way too,
is do they expand again? You're an eighteen? Do you
go to twenty? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
You know, yeah, because the big ten's not slowing down?
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Correct?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
And that's that's keeping up with the Joneses right there.
Talking to JEFFICORL the UK Sports Network, he and Tom
Leach will call the action along with yours truly on Saturday,
when the Wildcats take on South Carolina Cutter Bowl, he
gets to start. Not a surprise, The depth part came
out just before the Marks Tooops news conference, which you
covered earlier today, and Stoops basically said Calzada wasn't one
(09:07):
hundred percent, so it kind of made his decision easy. Now,
Cutter Bowley, who has not started a game on the
road in nancyc but did play down in Texas, acquitted himself. Well,
what's it going to be like for this youngster going
into Williams Brice.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Well, I think that that was a great experience for
him at Texas. I mean that place was nuts. That's
a Now you've been down there because you were with
the Southwestern Conference for a long time, but that was
my first four way into Austin and that stadium is
just it's magnificent. I have the same feeling as that
as I did with Texas A and m You know,
(09:47):
that's another thing, and I just wanted to say this,
how long does Texas AAN have been in the league now?
Ten years? Probably? Yeah, at least Kentucky's played him one
time there. They've never been here yea once. So that's
why I like this kind of roundabout thing. But getting
back to your point, I think that's really going to
help him in that game. And here's the thing. Here's
the thing. If you're gonna ask me what the keys
(10:07):
are for your next question two of them one run
the football on offense, because that's really takes a lot
of pressure off of Cutter. So if you can run
the football, that makes it a lot easier because you know,
now they start dropping that safety down into the box
a little bit, and then they're probably gonna go single
high and Cutter loves that because then he can throw
down the field. And I think Cutter is backwards from
(10:29):
a lot of teams. A lot of teams when they
go back to pass, they look short, medium, and long.
I think Cutter looks long first. He loves to get
the ball down the field, and I think he's kind
of backward. I have to ask Bush about that, but
that's just my observation. He only completed twelve passes last week,
but for two hundred and forty yards, so twenty yards
a catch. So he's not you know, he's not dinking
(10:51):
and joint and like Tim Kunch used to do. But
Couch completed you know, twenty five thirty passes a game, too,
But yeah, it's interesting. Then the second thing they have
to do is they have to slow down Cellars and
le Norris. He is a great quarterback, but if he
runs it, make him run it up the gut not
released to the outside. That's that's the two keys to me.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
What do you have to give up in order to
do that if you want to contain him, well, you
know you can't go blowing up the field and then
just let him get outside your edge, man, Dick.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Their offense has really sputtered this year. He has made
every place. Yes, they have lost. They lost a couple
of I think what three starting linemen. They brought one
guy in who's who. You know, he's hurt. They have
they have a starter that on the offensive line. It's
not going to play this week. They've got a couple injuries.
(11:44):
They ran for minus yards last week against Missouri. You know,
it's so it's all he's almost like Johnny Manziel, but
two of Johnny Matzell. Because Johnny manzel was what five
to eleven maybe two hundred. This guy's a you know,
reincarnation of Newton back here. He's two thirty five to
forty and can move and can throw the ball down
(12:04):
the field. I think you have to play a spy
on him, seriously, because well, I'm not scared of their
passing game. I'm scared of the passing game when he's
on the run, Yes, because he has such a strong arm.
You know a lot of times you say, hey, you
make a quarterback move his feet and they're an ordinary quarterback.
That's not the case with this dude. You have got
(12:26):
to stay on your guys down the field. That means
you've got to you've got to rotate that defensive line,
keep them fresh, and just get after him. That's I'll
just get after It made him uncomfortable.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
He hurt Kentucky last year throwing on the run, didn't
he yep?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, yeah, And that's just it because once they take off,
once the quarterback takes off, your instinct is a defensive
back is to come up and you know, trying to
defend against the run. But as he runs left or right,
he squares his shoulders and he could he could throw
it on the run. He can die. Deny at forty
yards is on the run, man, That's that's pretty strong arm.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Yeah, And there was such great discussion, debate, whatever you
want to call it about QBS in the SEC. He's
starting with arch Manning, who's dropped off everybody's radar way
too much expected him. And then everybody looked at DJ
Lagway well, we find out he's back in a boot
today and they said it was precautionary. But when your
QB is in a boot, you know, at the beginning
(13:24):
of the week, you're you're you're not where you need
to be. So I think you've got to look at
Sellers maybe maybe and was clearly top three. I think
Materier at Oklahoma maybe the best in the league. But
this kid's right up there, isn't he.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Yeah, and you know you lose back who's you know,
playing for Miami for a lot of money.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
They brought Matier in, who's a really nice quarterback. Uh,
you know, Pobby has has done a really nice job.
I think I think there's that that top tier is. Uh,
it's it's those three guys. And then I think Arch
is behind them, and you know, it's just it's it's
very interesting the quarterback in each of those quarterbacks is
(14:04):
totally different guys. Yes, you know true Bobby is a tough, rough,
rough guy. Sellers is a big monster. Matti is a
guy that can run when you need it, you know,
but more of a packet pocket passer but doesn't mind
getting out of there and running. And then Arch is
your is your quick essential, you know, pro style quarterback
(14:24):
sitting in the pocket all day. It's really interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yeah it is. And we're still learning about cutter Bully
more of a pocket guy than a runner by his
own admission. Yeah, you know, but I really liked Jeff
when he did have to move out of the pocket,
you know, and we can all say it together, kept
his eyes downfield, and his receivers helped him. His roommates,
you know, the tight ends. Uh, they've they found the space.
(14:50):
So it's going to be interesting. But the one thing
I keep thinking back on, I've got to watch a
lot of that Missouri South Carolina game. I got dumb
a volleyball on Saturday. He went home just watch football.
I'm sure you did too. But two things. As you said,
South Carolina could not run the ball against Missouri. Now
Missouri's really good, I think. And then almed Hardy, that
(15:12):
running back, a bowling ball of a running back for
Missouri ran all over them. You know what is he
five to nine to ten transferred in from Louisiana Monroe
and now he's tearing things up. And I know you
like the way Kentucky's runners that run the ball. This year.
Can they do that to South Carolina?
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Yeah? South Carolina is a team that lost a ton
uh to the NFL Draft. I mean, I mean they
lost a lot of guys, especially on the defense. They're
one of the best defenses in in you know, the
SEC last year. Yeah, a bunch of those guys are gone.
You know, they're playing at the next level and they
just haven't found the replacement hip or the guys that
(15:54):
they have haven't played obviously to the levels of the guys
you had. I mean, I mean, the defensive end is
fantastic for them, and you've got to know where he is.
I think on every single snap he's that good. But
I think to negate what he does, you kind of
run right at him because that way you're going to
(16:16):
have a tackle on him and then maybe a lead
runner or a tight end as well, so you're basically
going to double team him. So why not run at
him and make him stand in there instead of letting
him get a you know, a running start as he
comes across the line to go and pursue down the line.
That's that's the way we tried to do it. Unless
(16:37):
it was you know, a Lester Taylor type of Reggie
White type of guy that was on the other side,
Bruce Smith, when we just said, heck with this. With
wherever he lines up, we run the other way.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Reggie White was playing when you were playing.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
He was a Tennessee Oh yeah, I play against him
three times.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Yeah, man, I forgot about that. Yeah, I just remember.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
We played Bruce Smith too at Virginia Town.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Well, that's right, that's right man, You're played against Hall
of famers. And who was the guy you tried to
block at Florida. The big guy.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Who was that He played for the Chicago Bears named.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Wi Wilburn Marshall. That's who it was. Yeah, I need
you to block Wilburg Marshall. Yeah, good luck with that.
We'll take a break, come back and talk for Kentucky
football at Jeff pe Corral of the UK Sports Network.
After this, on a statewide edition of the BBI From
Pikeville to Paduca, it is the Big Blue Insider Dick
Gabriel with you coming up Saturday night Kentucky South Carolina,
(17:33):
Tom Leach and Jeff Piicorl will call the action. I'll
be down on the field as usual as the Cats
take on the game Cocks and Jeff. You heard Mark
Stroops talk earlier today, talked about it on the show tonight.
One of the questions, what about the defense? Why so
many yards through the air last week? From where you
sat and where the vantage point for Tom and Jeff
(17:55):
very similar to what you folks see on TV. Why
you're listening to your radio but it's not zooming in
on anything. So to you, I know, it's kind of
like a chalkboard come to life. But what were you
seeing up there as to why EMU It seemed like
a pick and choose against Kentucky's pass defense.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
I think that the loss of basically the two of
their top three cornerbacks has really hurt them. DJ Waller
and terrya and Nickel both you know didn't play. And
I think DJ, when the season was getting ready to
start that Toledo game, he was the best defensive back
(18:35):
on the team. I mean, he was that good. That's
how good he was playing. He had really come into
his own at the end of last season, had a
great spring and a really good fall. He might be
back Saturday, We're not sure. I'm not sure. If he is,
it would be a huge boost. But so you're putting
in guys who haven't just haven't played a lot of ball. Yeah,
(18:56):
And the one thing you're always scared of is, especially cornerback,
is getting beat deep. So instead of being three or
four yards off the ball, you're seven or eight yards
off the ball because you really don't know that much
against the guys you're defending, but you don't want them
to beat you deep. So a snap your eight yards
off the ball, and as soon as the ball snap
(19:17):
you kind of start backpedaling. And what's killed Kentucky, especially
against Old Miss, was just that little six yard just
a quick stop pass. We call it a stop and
then you know, sticks out of ten you're gonna make
the tackle, but the other four you miss the tackle,
and all of a sudden, it's that big chunk play
(19:38):
and it's all the way down the field for a
twenty five yard game. And that's happened to them time
and time again. It's just I think, just get there
and wrap up or get up closer and try to
play them like in the old days with Lester Hayes
and Michael Haynes, where they were right on top of you.
You know, Frank Minefie will tell you all about that.
(19:59):
I mean, Yeah, you're breathing the same air as the receivers,
just right on them. And you know, I don't know
if the corners are that good yet for us that
can do that man to man, but it's gonna be
interesting to see. But I'm telling you, Dick, if you
just can slow him down. They lost a lot in
that receiving room. You know, they have one Harbor is
(20:24):
the only guy back, and he's basically a track star.
But you know, other than that, they don't have a lot.
They had to revamp the whole wide receiver room.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
But that's the problem though, is because Sellers can extend
plays with his legs, yes, and you're a d back,
you've got to cover for maybe one or two more seconds, which,
as you know, can be an eternity back there.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I think that in this game instead of the wide receivers, look,
Harbors are really good and he's a track star. Okay,
he skipped the season. That was the false the spring season,
so you could concentrate on football. But what really has
hurt Kentucky when they've played South Carolina has been the
tight ends that They've always had really good tight ends there,
(21:10):
and they've got another one coming back. This year with
the starter last year in Michael Smith. So he's a
guy that you really have to watch. And then they
also have a guy by the name of Jordan Dingle
remember him, Oh yeah, oh yeah, he plays for them
as well, since he'd be interesting to see how much
Jordan plays. But tight ends could play a key role
for them on the offense. But again, to me, that
(21:32):
the whole thing is, I don't worry about their running game.
I really don't worry about the receivers. I worry about
the dude that wears a weird number in place quarterback,
I think seventeen or something. But I mean, he's just
he's just such a great player. I mean he's just huge.
He's a monster back there.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
And we have seen Kentucky go down there and win before,
including yes, the year that South Carolina broke out to
an early lead thanks in part to it guy named
Deebo Samuel, pretty good player. That was the year that
the South Carolina Captains would not shake hands pregame yep
with a Wildcat captains. There was drama out there and
I was standing right in front of him, but Kentucky
(22:14):
just and there was that was also the place and
we'll talk more about the shameless plug and the wildcat
whip that you can hear a little bit later on
in the week through the UK Sports Network app. But
that's where the Lynn Bowden era as a quarterback was born.
At the midway point of the season. So we've seen
Kentucky go down there Jeff and prosper, but we've also
(22:35):
seen Kentucky go down there and beat itself with turnovers.
Got to play clean, as Stoop said tonight, I got
about thirty seconds, but Tuope said, keep it up, keep
it up with a low number of penalties and turn
them over without giving them the ball. Right.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Yes, well, they had a chance to win the Old
Miss game, they didn't. I think this is gonna be
a lot like the oldest game. And if they win
this game, it start off three to one. I think
that's as good as anybody thought they were going to
start this year. Even the biggest optimist I.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Couldn't agree more. Jeff Row, thank you so much. We'll
see you in Columbia, hi, Bubba. And when we come
back Cole Park from the Cats, Palls will join us.
He's actually in South Carolina, if memory serves back in
just a minute, on the state wide edition of The
Big Blue Insider. Border to Border. It is the Big
Blue Insider. We are going now beyond our borders down
(23:24):
to South Carolina. I believe Cole Park of the Cats
pause is either still in Charleston, South Carolina and route back.
Where are you, young man, currently in Goose Creek? Goose Creek?
Oh okay, well that sounds good to me, but you've
been in South Carolina?
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (23:43):
What was the What was the mood like down there
over the weekend with the game Cocks not performing up
to snuff against MISSOO.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Yeah, I was at a Actually it was a bit funny.
I was in a sports bar at one point and
I was right wall clenched and was in weather delay.
South Carolina was about to kick off, and you know,
Clemson was down pretty bad there against Syracuse ended up
losing that one. In South Carolina was about to kick
off against ranked Missouri, and let me tell you, for
a Saturday football Saturday where both of the biggest programs
(24:15):
in the state are playing, it was quite empty. And
that's what's.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Yeah, but it had to be fun, right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
I mean it's a good time for me. I got
to watch a lot of games.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Than care man. What are your thoughts. I know you
listened to Mark Stoops via the internet today on his
UH on his news conference, nothing to too totally shattering. UH,
let's start with Cutter, Bully, I'm assuming you expected him
to be the starter one way or the other. And
he said, Calza is really not ready yet. So it's
(24:45):
it's Cutter going into that tough stadium, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Yeah, it is it is. And I think, you know,
I think maybe you and I have talked about this,
but it felt like this kind of had to be
the decision, right. I mean, you know, you have Cutter
play like you did against Eastern Michigan. It's Eastern Michigan,
not South Carolina. But you know, after that kind of performance,
Zach still being not one hundred percent the way the
first two weeks went, I mean, you had to go
(25:10):
with Cutter this week, didn't you. And you know Stoops
kind of said that, he said where he said, I'm
confident Cutter. He said, We've always told him it's not
a matter of if, it's a matter of when you
get that opportunity and what you do when you get
that opportunity. And you know, he said Zach's still not
quite a hundred percent. When you got a quarterback with
his shoulder, you know, his arm, you got to be
really cautious because you know, I'm no expert, but I
(25:32):
think quarterbacks kind of need those, so oh yeah, you know, uh,
but it was it was interesting. I thought he was
He was very neutral about a lot of the things
he said.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
You know, that's a big surprise, right, yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 4 (25:48):
You know he's going to try to be respectful about
it and you know, not put down Zach in any
kind of way. He even said, you know, the guys
like Cutter, the guy's rallied around and they were excited
to see what he could do. And that's not a
knock on Zach. It's not that they don't don't want
to see Zac succeed. I just think they were excited
for Cutter, And you know, I think Kentucky fans are
excited to see how he does when he has another
shot against I gotta be careful of how I say this,
(26:11):
but against a more legitimate opponent. You know, we saw
last year. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we saw a little bit
last year when he had to play against Texas and
Louisville and Florida, and you know, he was just a
true freshman then. So it'll be interesting to see, with
the added confidence, the added year in the system that
the Eastern Michigan game, which went pretty well, how he's
(26:34):
going to do against South Carolina, which another thing Mark
Stoops talked about, has a pretty threatening front line there
on defense, So it's going to be of the utmost
importance you keep him protected going into this one, especially
if Zach's still not healthy.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Anyway, we were just talking with Jeff Aquoro about the
key players South Carolina's missing on the offensive side of
the ball, but they've still got, Speaking of quarterbacks, one
of the most explosive guys in the league. He's got
to be I think a top three QB Inleinoris Sellers.
We didn't know if he played his past week, but
he did played fairly well. He was damaging to Kentucky
(27:09):
last year, and now Brad White after trying to fix
whatever ailed his defense last week. He's got a different
challenge this week, doesn't he.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Yeah, I mean certainly, you know, I think Stop's talked
about that a little bit today. He said he's one
of those guys that if you give him a chance,
back in the pockets. He's able to pass the ball
really well. But arguably thing that makes him even more
threatening is you can't just kind of defend the pass
because he's a running quarterback. You can kind of get
out of there. And you know, a Kentucky team has
maybe had some problems around the edge these last few weeks,
some issues, you know, kind of keeping some of those
(27:41):
chunk plays at Bay, keeping those explosive plays from happening
too much. It's going to be really interesting to see
how that defense adjusts to going from Eastern Michigan. And
not to say no, Kim can't also run, but yeah,
Eastern Michigan versus an SEC team like South Carolina, which
for as much as they lost and as much as
there wasn't a ton of fans out on Satay, I mean,
they still played pretty close on the road against a
(28:03):
ranked Missouri team. So I think it's gonna be really interesting.
You know, South Carolina, even if I always said I
didn't think they were a top ten team in the
country and they started the season, even if I was
a little bit lower on them, they're still a very
good football team, and they're still a very strong SEC
football team. At that So you're going to have at
your challenges, not just defensively with that defensive line and
the problems they can put on your offense, but with
(28:23):
that offense and its ability to, you know, create some
explosive plays, create big plays on a defense that you know,
they said. Mark Stups said, this last week's looked good.
He feels like he feels like they've been practicing well.
They've responded well, but going against the defense, the last
time we saw them, they didn't look like they're playing
their a game.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
We're talking to Cole Park at a Cats pos covers
the football and basketball cats who have begun practice. We'll
get to that in a few minutes, but of course
we're talking about Kentucky South Carolina coming up. And you're
in a sports bar and good on you on Saturday,
meaning you probably had different games on every different monitor
in the place. I had to spend a dial a bit,
but I stayed on that South Carolina Missoo game because
(29:05):
I wanted to see South Carolina. But I became really
intrigued by Missouri and how well Missoo was running the
ball with Hardy but also stopping the run. But the
fact Cole that they all but shut down South Carolina's
run game to nothing, and yet because of Sellers, they
stayed in the game. I mean that that just tells
(29:26):
you everything you need to know about this guy, right.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
Yeah, I mean absolutely he You know, it's a team sport, certainly,
but I feel like, regardless even if I played the
sport and we didn't say that in our locker room,
certain players might have more of an impact on the
game than others. And you know, the quarterbacks is one
of those players who can make or break a team truly,
and Leonora Sellers you know, even the games where he
(29:50):
isn't at his best, he's one of those kind of
quarterbacks that has the capabilities to completely turn a game around.
Like you said, Missouri did a fantastic job. I thought
of kind of really stifling the South carolin on a
run attack. They kind of locked them down there, but
Lenora's Sellers still kind of kept them in it, and
ultimately it wasn't enough to get South Carolina the victory.
But at the end of the day, like I said,
it was close. They had Missouri sweating it, and a
(30:12):
lot of that, you know, again, team sport, but a
lot of that goes back to Lenora's sellers and the
play he made. And he's the kind of guy that can,
you know, not single handedly, but almost single handedly keep
a team in a game sometimes just with the kind
of plays he makes. So you're gonna have to be very,
very at the top of your game going against a
guy like that in a really hostile environmentally. Bruce, Oh yeah,
(30:33):
Resturm Stadium, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
And that said, I've got to think, and I'm just
spitballing here, but if I am South Carolina's defensive coordinator
or a head coach, either one, I'll take the job.
Looking at Kentucky, you got it, like most coaches stop
the run, you know, Looking at Kentucky's offense, especially McGowan
because Dado has been hurt a little bit, but as
effective as Kentucky's been running the ball, I've got to
(30:57):
think they're telling each other, whatever this hardy can it
did does We've got to shore that up, make sure
Kentucky can't do that. And if the red shirt freshman
making his first start in the league on the road,
if he beats us, so be it. Does that make
sense to you?
Speaker 4 (31:14):
Yeah? I think that makes complete sense. And first things first,
I misspoke there Williams Brice Stadium office around Bryce Williams,
But regardless, I agree with that one hundred percent. You know,
if you're if you're South Carolina, you're going into this saying,
you know, we're hoping to get the win. We believe
we can win, but if we're gonna lose, we're gonna
choose how we lose this game. Right, You're gonna say,
you know, it's kind of like in basketball, you say,
(31:35):
if they're gonna if the team's not the best three
point shooter and they're just hitting a lot, you know,
you'll say, at the end of the day, the game
plan was the game plan. We were willing to give
them that shot because they don't usually make it. So
if you're South Carolina, you know you're saying, yeah, you know,
you know Kentucky, you've played them year after year after year.
And Mark Stoops even said today he said, you know,
for us, it really starts with that rushing attack. Except
(31:56):
mcgallan on pace to break records. Dante Dowdll probably gonna
be back. He's already looked really really strong handed that
phenomenal run in Week one, and then we also saw
Jason Patterson's a very capable back in his own right
as the third string kind of guy. Kentucky has been
a running school for a very long time, and if
you're South Carolina, you know, obviously you have to prepare
for both. But I would agree with that sentiment that
(32:17):
if you're going to lose this game, you're gonna say, hey,
we're gonna let Cutter Bowley, you know, maybe have more
than we're gonna give the run game, because we need
to make sure that if we're gonna lose, it's not
gonna because of the same thing Kentucky's done year after
year after year that we know they're good at. You
can't lose to the obvious thing. You know, if if
Cutter Bully comes out there and plays his absolute best,
that's a risk you have to be willing to take sometimes.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Oh yeah, because you can't stop everything in a game
like this exactly, you know. And it's it's Kentucky, as
you said, run the football. Well, they've had the Benny
Snow is it Chris Rodriguez, you know, and they've had
an old line that allowed them to run the ball.
And it looks like this line is maybe not as
good as those original big blue wall lines but getting
(32:58):
better and better, and you know, stoops, I thought he
was going to go there today, Cole, but he didn't.
But I think he was on the verge of reminding
us that. And he probably hears himself and he's always
self critiquing. But how many times and you were, you know,
with a colonel for several years now with a cast balls,
but going way back, he would always bring up the
(33:18):
fact that the team that wins the rushing battle statistically
often wins the game. And I have a feeling he was,
you know, hungry to say that today. But he's probably right,
isn't he.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Yeah, I mean, generally speaking, because there's a lot that
goes into that, right when you know, we just were
talking about how certain players can impact the game. But
at the end of the day, it is a team sport.
And while there are, without a doubt, phenomenal running backs
who can single handedly turn a tide of a game
and make a big plays out of nothing, generally speaking,
the team that has the best rushing offense has the
best line, don't they, right. I mean that line has
to create the holes, they have to create the running lanes,
(33:53):
they have to get the blocks, So I would agree
with that. You know, oftentimes you see the team that
runs the ball the best wins the rush battle is
the one that wins the game. Because overall, the team
that I feel often most often wins the Russian battle
is the one that kind of commands their will more
in the game, is able to you know, play their
style of football and not let the defense make you
play differently. And I think a lot of that goes
(34:15):
back to the offensive line. And Stoops did kind of
talk about that a little bit today, you know, he said,
he said, we have to hold our own. He said,
we know that South Carolina likes to harass the quarterback.
We're gon'n have to protect them, you know. And he
said last year, last year was a game that really
stood out. The South Carolina just thumping that we all win,
missed and we two, he said, He said, it was
just protection and they had guys that wrecked that. You know.
(34:37):
Pressure was a big thing for Kentucky last year. And
I also thought it was interesting, he pointed out. You know,
someone asked the question of do you game plan for
a specific player, you know, try to keep him at
bay there, try to keep maybe double teams and he said, yeah,
I mean there's times and you do that, but there's
times you just have to win. Also, you know, sometimes
you just have to be the better line. Sometimes you
can game plan for anything, but on other times you
(34:58):
just have to win, simply put. I think that's going
to be kind of the theme of this week. If
Kentucky's going to get the victory, it's going to be
in the trenches with the running backs. You know, are
they going to as easy as it sounds, are they
going to simply win? Are they going to inflict their
will more than South Carolina is? And that's what it's
going to come down to.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
Well, and he was a guy who played a little
bit of O line back in the day. That's what
they do, That's what that's their job. Their assignment is
moving the opposing guy, the guy in front of you
or off your shoulder and making him go someplace or
do something he doesn't want to do. You know, that's
the hardest part of the game. And those are the
only guys who have to do that. Quite frankly, so
(35:39):
before I hit the brake, let me ask you your
reaction to the permanent opponents quote unquote they they're going
to reviews it these in a few years. But Kentucky
with now Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, what kind of a
rundown do you think that is? And you play everybody anyway,
but did you expect that?
Speaker 2 (36:01):
No?
Speaker 4 (36:01):
I was actually quite surprised when I saw Kentucky's list
of opponents. To be completely honest with you, you know, Florida,
South Carolina, Tennessee as much as you know, those are
never easy games. Those are teams that have the capability
to be very good. I feel like, if you're Kentucky,
that's got to be almost a dream scenario, right Like
that kind of gives you the chance. If you're betting
on yourself as Kentucky, you're believing that you can be
(36:21):
a good football program. Those are the kind of games
you want on your schedule every year. You want to
be able to beat your Florida, your South Carolina, your Tennessee's,
especially Tennessee's. And honestly, I think the one that surprised
me the most was that Tennessee when I was one
that you know, I really hoped would get preserved. I
think that that's a very good, healthy rivalry in college sports.
There's a lot of bitterness and hatred on both sides,
(36:42):
for regardless of how lopside, regardless of how lopside of
the overall rivalry has been on the football field. You know,
Tennessee fans they love talking their smack to Kentucky fans.
They care about that game, whether or not they'll limit
it or not. I kind of thought Kentucky might have
gotten stuck with the Mississippi State. You know, they had
that rivalry with them going to and from store feel
pretty frequently. And Mississippi State certainly a team that has rivals.
(37:05):
You know, you're old miss But I feel like that
was one that I feel like when you look down
the list of all three opponents, there's a lot of
teams that are like that makes sense, that makes sense,
and you know, we just had to give them somebody.
So here you go. I thought and kind of the
deal with Kentucky Mississippi State. I thought Kentucky might have
gotten Vanderbilt. I understand, you know, from a scheduling perspective,
why that might not have been the case, especially you know,
if you wanted to make sure Tennessee also got Vanderbilt.
(37:26):
But I was surprised, but I was pleasantly surprised by
the opponents. I think in terms of preserving historical rivalries,
preserving rivalries that matter to people, I think, you know,
the Florida Kentucky one that's obvious, the South Carolina Kentucky
one that's a lot more of a recent one, I
would say, but a healthy rivalry right now. And you know,
with Tennessee that's obviously one that I was really hoping
(37:47):
get kept there. It is going to be weird not
seeing Georgia on the schedule every year. But you know,
if you're Kentucky, I feel like that's also kind of
going back on what I just said on wanting to
bet on yourself. If you're Kentucky, I don't think you're
gonna you know, shake your fists at the air because
George is not on your schedule over the years.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
But you know what, you can just say, well, we'll
play him in the championship game. In the championship game
because there's no divisions anymore. Before we hit the break.
You know, you make a great point about needing to
beat those teams, because when we think back to Mark
Stoops's teams at their best at Kentucky, they were beating
Florida home and away. They were beating South Carolina home
(38:25):
and away, and believe it or not, beat Tennessee in Knoxville,
beat Tennessee and Alexion. So it is possible. You just
got to get back to that talent level that it
takes to compete with and beat those teams on your
schedule permanently, at least for now, as permanent as something
can be. We'll come back and talk a little basketball
(38:46):
with Cole Park of the Cats Pause on the other
side of the break here on the statewide edition of
the Big Blue Insider final segment. Cole Park on the
line with us. He is usually in studio, but he
has been traveling, so staff writer for the Cat's Pause
joining us via the Celebrity Hotline. Basketball practice underway. We're
not looking beyond football, but your job is juggling the sports,
(39:10):
and I know that you'll be heavy on football for
the time being. But I don't know about you. This
basketball team, it's a little bit like this football team
with all the new faces. I'm really curious to see
how it all comes together. You know, you've got some
guys injured, one big one in particular, that they need
to get healthy. But they were both kind of mystery
(39:34):
stories in the offseason, weren't they.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
Yeah, I mean it's really really interesting and I'm going
to be fascinated the more that comes out about this
Kentucky team. I've been fascinated to keep up with everything
we've seen so far, you know, gathering as much as
I can and all the new players, because like you said,
it is a very very new team. And then once
you start feeling like you got a hang of it,
then you hear that, you know, injuries are at bay
and you know, is JQ Jaye Quaintin's per getting ahead
(40:01):
of schedule? You know the Rostin tweet kind of words,
and people now it seems like he's ahead of schedule,
he's recovering very well, we'll take it away, pops up
in a boot and then you're like, oh my gosh,
what's going on to a guy that people are saying
could be the potential as they see player of the
year this year, and you know, it seems like he's
hopefully doing all right. I had some turf toe. I
believe he revealed on a I want to say the
field of sixty eight. But I think the biggest thing
(40:24):
for me is like you said, just the question mark factor.
I kind of turned in my column today for our
basketball yearbook just coming out shortly got thrown into a
bit of a whirlwind by Bruce Pearl just deciding to
leave Auburn randomly a few weeks before the season. But
you know, regardless of that, you know, my column kind
(40:45):
of just focused on this is a very talented team
for Kentucky. This is a very deep team. But to me,
the biggest thing about whether or not Kentucky can be
successful this year is not if they have the players,
which you know, maybe that was a concern last year
when you have all these transfers, you don't know what
they are, you know, do they have the talent this year?
To me, it's do they have too much? You know
how you know they say too many cooks can spoil
(41:05):
a broth, And how is Mark Pope going to manage
these personalities, manage all these guys. And they seem like
they're bought in guys. They seem like they're really you know, obviously,
Mark Pope recruits a certain kind of player, you know,
with certain kinds of goals. But there's a lot of
talent on this team and a lot of guys who
you know, could feel big roles. I think they said
on that same episode where Otega talked about his his foot,
(41:26):
you know, they said, Kentucky's like seventh guy in the
rotation could play thirty minutes at three hundred and thirty
schools around the country. So you know, whether that or
not that's an exaggeration, we'll see, but regardless, the sentiment
is there. And the thing that is my biggest question
mark for basketball and what I'll be interesting to see
as the team progresses, is you know, it's certainly not
an easy schedule for Kentucky this year out of conference.
(41:48):
In conference, there's going to come times when you lose
a game. There's gonna come times where you know, you
have to make some tough calls. Who to put in
in late game scenarios in those big moments, Who who
to play here? Who to play there? How is this
team going to come together and stay together throughout the
course of the season with so many players who could
have such large rules.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
You know, it's funny when you were talking about, oh wait,
we've got the football game up, the Monday night game
Ravens Lions. As you were talking about, oh way, they
were showing his brother who plays for the Ravens, So
that couldn't have worked out better for us. Yeah, and
it's the most fascinating thing to me that we know
right now, other than you know, the roster of the personnel,
is when Pope admitted to us that he's kind of
(42:28):
flip flopped the way he's preparing this team compared to
last year. You know, last year was making sure they
got the offense down, and they did, I mean, out
of the gate, they were so much fun to watch,
so efficient offensively, couldn't stop me you and Bo Robinson.
On the defensive end, they could by the end of
the year. It almost was too late, and by the
end of the year they were playing, you know, really
(42:50):
solid defense. But now he's going about it the other way.
And admitted he said, I wondering what was the word
he was warped or something like that. Coaches who really
likes offense, because most coaches, you know, like the Deed,
just like Patinos, just like Cala Perry. But I really
want to see where this team is defensively, because you
can score out of your defense and compare to where
(43:11):
they are offensively, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (43:13):
Yeah, absolutely, and you know, when he said that, I
think there was some concern maybe from some people. I
think it needs to be said. He's not just ignoring
the offense. This is going to be a very good
offensive team. You know, He's pretty much said everyone is
going to be expected to be able to shoot, to score,
to do this, to do that. But I think it's
interesting and it's it's an important point for me personally,
because you know, I don't have the stet pulled up
(43:34):
right in front of me and call me ill prepared.
But there's a stat out there that's something like, no
team has ever won the national championship being outside of
I'll make like the top thirty, top twenty five defensive
teams in the country. No team outside of the top
twenty five in Ken Palm defensive metrics has ever won
a national title. So yeah, you can you can score.
(43:55):
That's important. You have to be able to score, or
you know, when no one wants to see Bennett Ball
from Virginia act with your fifty four.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
Hey cool, thanks a lot, We'll see you in Colombia.
I guess yeah, absolutely all right, safe travels man, Thanks,
thank you, thank you, Thanks to Cole Park. Thanks to
Jeff of coor thanks to Bo Robinson, our studio producer,
have a great evening. That's it. Good night from Lexingon
From border to border across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This
is Big Blue Insider. Talk to Tick Gabriel. Call eight
five nine two eight zero Cats. That's eight five nine
two eight zero to two eight seven. Or state wide
that's one eight hundred six oh six game. That's one
(00:27):
eight hundred six oh six four two sixty three. Or
you can tweet the show. That's Big Blue Insider one.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Now here's Tick Gabriel.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Hell are running through the facilities of the iHeartMedia Megaplex.
This is Dick Gabriel. It's a state wide edition of
The Big Blue Insider. It is game week again after
the open date the Wildcats with South Carolina coming up tonight.
We'll talk about the game with Jeff mccor or the
UK Radio Network and Cole Park of the Cats. Pause
be a part of the state wide BBI Order the Border.
(00:58):
It is the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel joined now
in the celebrity hidline by Jeffiicora of the UK Sports Network.
He'll be behind the mic one of the mics when
the Wildcats take on South Carolina this Saturday evening. You'll
hear the game on most of these same stations and uh, Jeff,
did you play at South Coline. They were not in
the league when you were playing football.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Noyep correct, but we played them and their running back
was a guy named George Rogers.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
He was good.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Just happened to win the Heisman that year.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
He was good.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So you know, said now, Williams Brice Stadium was not
anything like it is now when you were down out
Because I don't know about you. I enjoy going down there.
You know. We have great road experiences and uh, some
stadiums are although, man, I'll tell you everybody in the
league I think is up their game now that I
can't wait to see Vandy what they've done. Man, Williams
(01:54):
Bryce now is a real challenge, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Well, it is. They They're huge fans down there. I
mean they have some of the best fans in the country.
I think it's just a neat atmosphere. You know, it's
just fun. It's a fun place to go see a
football game. They're loud and what used to be really cool.
Remember Dick, when we used to go there schedule. We
(02:20):
were there every year during the State Fair. The fair,
Yeah yeah, state it was shoes.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Yeah yeah. I don't know if you remember this, but
we were and it might have been preceded on the network. Oh,
they've been doing it for twenty years. We would do
the Friday night football show, and I remember once we
were doing we'd do it at the stadium and we're
on the air and we're talking to each other and
the guests and all this, and whoever was back in
(02:46):
the studio. We kept hearing this sound over and over, like,
what in the world is that? And then we looked
across the way and if you're watching a game on
TV while it was in the radio, the State fairs
to your left in that huge lot area, and they
had one of those like a ride with a parachute
(03:06):
or something where you know, they take you to the
top and then they let you go and people would scream,
and oh yeah, that was a big time. Although that
made Parking was a premium mob. Before we break this
game down, though, I want to ask you about something
you've already reported on this, I know on TV side,
but the permanent opponents for the Southeastern Conference and we
(03:31):
can debate and discuss and I'm sure Kentucky fans will
add nauseum about the team's chosen for Kentucky and what
teams got tougher draws and easier draws. But what you
being a guy who was a traditional Kentucky X player fan,
you grew up here, there was word that Tennessee might
not be on the list for Kentucky, but it is
(03:53):
along with South Carolina and Florida. What do you think
of Kentucky's draw?
Speaker 4 (03:58):
What?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
You know, you pretty much play those three teams every
year anyway, you know, so I don't think it was
that that far of a reach. The only thing I
thought may have been different was Georgia instead of Florida.
I'm I'm happy it's it is Florida instead of Georgia.
But here, but here. I just think that Georgia is
a much better program than Florida is. They're probably gonna fall,
(04:22):
They're probably gonna fire Billy Napier, you know, after this season.
So it's gonna be interesting to see who they bring in.
Because look, it doesn't matter how big a school you
are or what your uh, you know, what your you know,
the past ten years are like what your history is, uh.
I mean, look at Florida State, I mean they won
what two games last year? You know, so it can
(04:43):
happen anyway if you get another Dicky in there, like
Tennessee did when they hired you know, Doug Dickey and
then they went completely downhill, you know, to see Duly, yes,
Dulee not Dickie. Yeah, douy there. Yeah, yeah, I know,
but you know it's gonna be interesting. I think the
other interesting thing is is, you know, does if they
(05:08):
do let go of Napier, does John summrll get that
job too? But that's you know, we're going down the
slippery slope there. But I you know, I don't mind it.
Tennessee's you know, Tennessee's Tennessee. We played him since the
turn of the century and we've beat him about as
many times as I got fingers. So yeah, you know,
it's one of those damned if you do, damned if
(05:30):
you don't. But I don't mind it. The other thing too, Dick. Look,
you're going to play every team in the league in
two years, so it really doesn't matter that much. You know.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
It's curious though, because we thought maybe Vandy would be
in there, but it's not. And I think Kentucky, I
think it's a it's a decent draw, as you say,
they've played and we've got they play every year anyway.
But it's all about recency bias. And when you try
to break this thing down, you can look at it
and say, well, this team is good now, but hasn't
(06:03):
been traditionally good like Vandy.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Look at Vanderbilt. I think Vandy's climb that climb a little.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Bit or vice versa a team that's struggling now that's
been good in the past. Yes, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
The great example.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
That's true. That's true. Have you had a chance to
really look at it, because I can tell you I
think got the best end of it. I don't know
if you've had a chance to study.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I think that what they've done basically, Dick is you
look at those things that you and I have talked
about a lot of those of the games that like
Florida Georgia. You can't cancel that game, right, you know,
they have to have that, uh, Auburn Alabama, they have
to have that missip State. So once you do that
to all the teams, now you then then you go, okay,
(06:48):
then what are the next biggest games they play? Right?
And and so you know, I don't who do you
think got the easiest.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Draw Tennessee, reason being they wanted to they had Indian
Kentucky exactly, they wanted Alabama. It's not a knock on Kentucky,
but just Tennessee has had more success against Kentucky than
any other school against Kentucky and Vandy, which is good now,
but you know it can sustain that goodness. You know
(07:16):
they couldn't after Franklin was here, but now they're good again.
But again, this will change from year to year, and
you're right, as long as you're playing everybody over the
next couple of years, I guess it'll all even out.
But what it also does, Jeff, is the fact that
we can't really with any authority, say this team got
the best, dra all this team got the worst tells
you where we are with regard to the SEC in general.
(07:40):
Maybe not on a given weekend or a given season,
but it tells you just how tough this league is.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, now, Dick, I did hear this? You tell me
because I'm sure you've study it's a lot more than
I have today. But in four years or in twenty thirty,
they're going to go back and make sure that those
the priorities that they put our still in place, the
competitiveness of the teams and stuff. So for instance, if
(08:05):
Vanderbilt comes the next Alabama, right, do they move Vandy
away from you know that kind of stuff where they
re excuse they reshuffle the deck so to speak.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Yeah, which which giving him giving your substimately way, you know,
and the way you do with TV contracts. I mean
everything is in his fluid, everything's in flux and why
not you know, And I guarantee they're doing this with
an I on the TV networks, the TV matchups.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Well, you got to think of it this way, yeah, Dick,
I think you have to think of it this way too,
is do they expand again? You're an eighteen? Do you
go to twenty? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
You know, yeah, because the big ten's not slowing down?
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Correct?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
And that's that's keeping up with the Joneses right there.
Talking to JEFFICORL the UK Sports Network, he and Tom
Leach will call the action along with yours truly on Saturday,
when the Wildcats take on South Carolina Cutter Bowl, he
gets to start. Not a surprise, The depth part came
out just before the Marks Tooops news conference, which you
covered earlier today, and Stoops basically said Calzada wasn't one
(09:07):
hundred percent, so it kind of made his decision easy. Now,
Cutter Bowley, who has not started a game on the
road in nancyc but did play down in Texas, acquitted himself. Well,
what's it going to be like for this youngster going
into Williams Brice.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Well, I think that that was a great experience for
him at Texas. I mean that place was nuts. That's
a Now you've been down there because you were with
the Southwestern Conference for a long time, but that was
my first four way into Austin and that stadium is
just it's magnificent. I have the same feeling as that
as I did with Texas A and m You know,
(09:47):
that's another thing, and I just wanted to say this,
how long does Texas AAN have been in the league now?
Ten years? Probably? Yeah, at least Kentucky's played him one
time there. They've never been here yea once. So that's
why I like this kind of roundabout thing. But getting
back to your point, I think that's really going to
help him in that game. And here's the thing. Here's
the thing. If you're gonna ask me what the keys
(10:07):
are for your next question two of them one run
the football on offense, because that's really takes a lot
of pressure off of Cutter. So if you can run
the football, that makes it a lot easier because you know,
now they start dropping that safety down into the box
a little bit, and then they're probably gonna go single
high and Cutter loves that because then he can throw
down the field. And I think Cutter is backwards from
(10:29):
a lot of teams. A lot of teams when they
go back to pass, they look short, medium, and long.
I think Cutter looks long first. He loves to get
the ball down the field, and I think he's kind
of backward. I have to ask Bush about that, but
that's just my observation. He only completed twelve passes last week,
but for two hundred and forty yards, so twenty yards
a catch. So he's not you know, he's not dinking
(10:51):
and joint and like Tim Kunch used to do. But
Couch completed you know, twenty five thirty passes a game, too,
But yeah, it's interesting. Then the second thing they have
to do is they have to slow down Cellars and
le Norris. He is a great quarterback, but if he
runs it, make him run it up the gut not
released to the outside. That's that's the two keys to me.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
What do you have to give up in order to
do that if you want to contain him, well, you
know you can't go blowing up the field and then
just let him get outside your edge, man, Dick.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Their offense has really sputtered this year. He has made
every place. Yes, they have lost. They lost a couple
of I think what three starting linemen. They brought one
guy in who's who. You know, he's hurt. They have
they have a starter that on the offensive line. It's
not going to play this week. They've got a couple injuries.
(11:44):
They ran for minus yards last week against Missouri. You know,
it's so it's all he's almost like Johnny Manziel, but
two of Johnny Matzell. Because Johnny manzel was what five
to eleven maybe two hundred. This guy's a you know,
reincarnation of Newton back here. He's two thirty five to
forty and can move and can throw the ball down
(12:04):
the field. I think you have to play a spy
on him, seriously, because well, I'm not scared of their
passing game. I'm scared of the passing game when he's
on the run, Yes, because he has such a strong arm.
You know a lot of times you say, hey, you
make a quarterback move his feet and they're an ordinary quarterback.
That's not the case with this dude. You have got
(12:26):
to stay on your guys down the field. That means
you've got to you've got to rotate that defensive line,
keep them fresh, and just get after him. That's I'll
just get after It made him uncomfortable.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
He hurt Kentucky last year throwing on the run, didn't
he yep?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, yeah, And that's just it because once they take off,
once the quarterback takes off, your instinct is a defensive
back is to come up and you know, trying to
defend against the run. But as he runs left or right,
he squares his shoulders and he could he could throw
it on the run. He can die. Deny at forty
yards is on the run, man, That's that's pretty strong arm.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Yeah, And there was such great discussion, debate, whatever you
want to call it about QBS in the SEC. He's
starting with arch Manning, who's dropped off everybody's radar way
too much expected him. And then everybody looked at DJ
Lagway well, we find out he's back in a boot
today and they said it was precautionary. But when your
QB is in a boot, you know, at the beginning
(13:24):
of the week, you're you're you're not where you need
to be. So I think you've got to look at
Sellers maybe maybe and was clearly top three. I think
Materier at Oklahoma maybe the best in the league. But
this kid's right up there, isn't he.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Yeah, and you know you lose back who's you know,
playing for Miami for a lot of money.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
They brought Matier in, who's a really nice quarterback. Uh,
you know, Pobby has has done a really nice job.
I think I think there's that that top tier is. Uh,
it's it's those three guys. And then I think Arch
is behind them, and you know, it's just it's it's
very interesting the quarterback in each of those quarterbacks is
(14:04):
totally different guys. Yes, you know true Bobby is a tough, rough,
rough guy. Sellers is a big monster. Matti is a
guy that can run when you need it, you know,
but more of a packet pocket passer but doesn't mind
getting out of there and running. And then Arch is
your is your quick essential, you know, pro style quarterback
(14:24):
sitting in the pocket all day. It's really interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yeah it is. And we're still learning about cutter Bully
more of a pocket guy than a runner by his
own admission. Yeah, you know, but I really liked Jeff
when he did have to move out of the pocket,
you know, and we can all say it together, kept
his eyes downfield, and his receivers helped him. His roommates,
you know, the tight ends. Uh, they've they found the space.
(14:50):
So it's going to be interesting. But the one thing
I keep thinking back on, I've got to watch a
lot of that Missouri South Carolina game. I got dumb
a volleyball on Saturday. He went home just watch football.
I'm sure you did too. But two things. As you said,
South Carolina could not run the ball against Missouri. Now
Missouri's really good, I think. And then almed Hardy, that
(15:12):
running back, a bowling ball of a running back for
Missouri ran all over them. You know what is he
five to nine to ten transferred in from Louisiana Monroe
and now he's tearing things up. And I know you
like the way Kentucky's runners that run the ball. This year.
Can they do that to South Carolina?
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Yeah? South Carolina is a team that lost a ton
uh to the NFL Draft. I mean, I mean they
lost a lot of guys, especially on the defense. They're
one of the best defenses in in you know, the
SEC last year. Yeah, a bunch of those guys are gone.
You know, they're playing at the next level and they
just haven't found the replacement hip or the guys that
(15:54):
they have haven't played obviously to the levels of the guys
you had. I mean, I mean, the defensive end is
fantastic for them, and you've got to know where he is.
I think on every single snap he's that good. But
I think to negate what he does, you kind of
run right at him because that way you're going to
(16:16):
have a tackle on him and then maybe a lead
runner or a tight end as well, so you're basically
going to double team him. So why not run at
him and make him stand in there instead of letting
him get a you know, a running start as he
comes across the line to go and pursue down the line.
That's that's the way we tried to do it. Unless
(16:37):
it was you know, a Lester Taylor type of Reggie
White type of guy that was on the other side,
Bruce Smith, when we just said, heck with this. With
wherever he lines up, we run the other way.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Reggie White was playing when you were playing.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
He was a Tennessee Oh yeah, I play against him
three times.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Yeah, man, I forgot about that. Yeah, I just remember.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
We played Bruce Smith too at Virginia Town.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Well, that's right, that's right man, You're played against Hall
of famers. And who was the guy you tried to
block at Florida. The big guy.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Who was that He played for the Chicago Bears named.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Wi Wilburn Marshall. That's who it was. Yeah, I need
you to block Wilburg Marshall. Yeah, good luck with that.
We'll take a break, come back and talk for Kentucky
football at Jeff pe Corral of the UK Sports Network.
After this, on a statewide edition of the BBI From
Pikeville to Paduca, it is the Big Blue Insider Dick
Gabriel with you coming up Saturday night Kentucky South Carolina,
(17:33):
Tom Leach and Jeff Piicorl will call the action. I'll
be down on the field as usual as the Cats
take on the game Cocks and Jeff. You heard Mark
Stroops talk earlier today, talked about it on the show tonight.
One of the questions, what about the defense? Why so
many yards through the air last week? From where you
sat and where the vantage point for Tom and Jeff
(17:55):
very similar to what you folks see on TV. Why
you're listening to your radio but it's not zooming in
on anything. So to you, I know, it's kind of
like a chalkboard come to life. But what were you
seeing up there as to why EMU It seemed like
a pick and choose against Kentucky's pass defense.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
I think that the loss of basically the two of
their top three cornerbacks has really hurt them. DJ Waller
and terrya and Nickel both you know didn't play. And
I think DJ, when the season was getting ready to
start that Toledo game, he was the best defensive back
(18:35):
on the team. I mean, he was that good. That's
how good he was playing. He had really come into
his own at the end of last season, had a
great spring and a really good fall. He might be
back Saturday, We're not sure. I'm not sure. If he is,
it would be a huge boost. But so you're putting
in guys who haven't just haven't played a lot of ball. Yeah,
(18:56):
And the one thing you're always scared of is, especially cornerback,
is getting beat deep. So instead of being three or
four yards off the ball, you're seven or eight yards
off the ball because you really don't know that much
against the guys you're defending, but you don't want them
to beat you deep. So a snap your eight yards
off the ball, and as soon as the ball snap
(19:17):
you kind of start backpedaling. And what's killed Kentucky, especially
against Old Miss, was just that little six yard just
a quick stop pass. We call it a stop and
then you know, sticks out of ten you're gonna make
the tackle, but the other four you miss the tackle,
and all of a sudden, it's that big chunk play
(19:38):
and it's all the way down the field for a
twenty five yard game. And that's happened to them time
and time again. It's just I think, just get there
and wrap up or get up closer and try to
play them like in the old days with Lester Hayes
and Michael Haynes, where they were right on top of you.
You know, Frank Minefie will tell you all about that.
(19:59):
I mean, Yeah, you're breathing the same air as the receivers,
just right on them. And you know, I don't know
if the corners are that good yet for us that
can do that man to man, but it's gonna be
interesting to see. But I'm telling you, Dick, if you
just can slow him down. They lost a lot in
that receiving room. You know, they have one Harbor is
(20:24):
the only guy back, and he's basically a track star.
But you know, other than that, they don't have a lot.
They had to revamp the whole wide receiver room.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
But that's the problem though, is because Sellers can extend
plays with his legs, yes, and you're a d back,
you've got to cover for maybe one or two more seconds, which,
as you know, can be an eternity back there.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I think that in this game instead of the wide receivers, look,
Harbors are really good and he's a track star. Okay,
he skipped the season. That was the false the spring season,
so you could concentrate on football. But what really has
hurt Kentucky when they've played South Carolina has been the
tight ends that They've always had really good tight ends there,
(21:10):
and they've got another one coming back. This year with
the starter last year in Michael Smith. So he's a
guy that you really have to watch. And then they
also have a guy by the name of Jordan Dingle
remember him, Oh yeah, oh yeah, he plays for them
as well, since he'd be interesting to see how much
Jordan plays. But tight ends could play a key role
for them on the offense. But again, to me, that
(21:32):
the whole thing is, I don't worry about their running game.
I really don't worry about the receivers. I worry about
the dude that wears a weird number in place quarterback,
I think seventeen or something. But I mean, he's just
he's just such a great player. I mean he's just huge.
He's a monster back there.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
And we have seen Kentucky go down there and win before,
including yes, the year that South Carolina broke out to
an early lead thanks in part to it guy named
Deebo Samuel, pretty good player. That was the year that
the South Carolina Captains would not shake hands pregame yep
with a Wildcat captains. There was drama out there and
I was standing right in front of him, but Kentucky
(22:14):
just and there was that was also the place and
we'll talk more about the shameless plug and the wildcat
whip that you can hear a little bit later on
in the week through the UK Sports Network app. But
that's where the Lynn Bowden era as a quarterback was born.
At the midway point of the season. So we've seen
Kentucky go down there Jeff and prosper, but we've also
(22:35):
seen Kentucky go down there and beat itself with turnovers.
Got to play clean, as Stoop said tonight, I got
about thirty seconds, but Tuope said, keep it up, keep
it up with a low number of penalties and turn
them over without giving them the ball. Right.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Yes, well, they had a chance to win the Old
Miss game, they didn't. I think this is gonna be
a lot like the oldest game. And if they win
this game, it start off three to one. I think
that's as good as anybody thought they were going to
start this year. Even the biggest optimist I.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Couldn't agree more. Jeff Row, thank you so much. We'll
see you in Columbia, hi, Bubba. And when we come
back Cole Park from the Cats, Palls will join us.
He's actually in South Carolina, if memory serves back in
just a minute, on the state wide edition of The
Big Blue Insider. Border to Border. It is the Big
Blue Insider. We are going now beyond our borders down
(23:24):
to South Carolina. I believe Cole Park of the Cats
pause is either still in Charleston, South Carolina and route back.
Where are you, young man, currently in Goose Creek? Goose Creek?
Oh okay, well that sounds good to me, but you've
been in South Carolina?
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (23:43):
What was the What was the mood like down there
over the weekend with the game Cocks not performing up
to snuff against MISSOO.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Yeah, I was at a Actually it was a bit funny.
I was in a sports bar at one point and
I was right wall clenched and was in weather delay.
South Carolina was about to kick off, and you know,
Clemson was down pretty bad there against Syracuse ended up
losing that one. In South Carolina was about to kick
off against ranked Missouri, and let me tell you, for
a Saturday football Saturday where both of the biggest programs
(24:15):
in the state are playing, it was quite empty. And
that's what's.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Yeah, but it had to be fun, right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
I mean it's a good time for me. I got
to watch a lot of games.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Than care man. What are your thoughts. I know you
listened to Mark Stoops via the internet today on his
UH on his news conference, nothing to too totally shattering. UH,
let's start with Cutter, Bully, I'm assuming you expected him
to be the starter one way or the other. And
he said, Calza is really not ready yet. So it's
(24:45):
it's Cutter going into that tough stadium, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Yeah, it is it is. And I think, you know,
I think maybe you and I have talked about this,
but it felt like this kind of had to be
the decision, right. I mean, you know, you have Cutter
play like you did against Eastern Michigan. It's Eastern Michigan,
not South Carolina. But you know, after that kind of performance,
Zach still being not one hundred percent the way the
first two weeks went, I mean, you had to go
(25:10):
with Cutter this week, didn't you. And you know Stoops
kind of said that, he said where he said, I'm
confident Cutter. He said, We've always told him it's not
a matter of if, it's a matter of when you
get that opportunity and what you do when you get
that opportunity. And you know, he said Zach's still not
quite a hundred percent. When you got a quarterback with
his shoulder, you know, his arm, you got to be
really cautious because you know, I'm no expert, but I
(25:32):
think quarterbacks kind of need those, so oh yeah, you know, uh,
but it was it was interesting. I thought he was
He was very neutral about a lot of the things
he said.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
You know, that's a big surprise, right, yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 4 (25:48):
You know he's going to try to be respectful about
it and you know, not put down Zach in any
kind of way. He even said, you know, the guys
like Cutter, the guy's rallied around and they were excited
to see what he could do. And that's not a
knock on Zach. It's not that they don't don't want
to see Zac succeed. I just think they were excited
for Cutter, And you know, I think Kentucky fans are
excited to see how he does when he has another
shot against I gotta be careful of how I say this,
(26:11):
but against a more legitimate opponent. You know, we saw
last year. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we saw a little bit
last year when he had to play against Texas and
Louisville and Florida, and you know, he was just a
true freshman then. So it'll be interesting to see, with
the added confidence, the added year in the system that
the Eastern Michigan game, which went pretty well, how he's
(26:34):
going to do against South Carolina, which another thing Mark
Stoops talked about, has a pretty threatening front line there
on defense, So it's going to be of the utmost
importance you keep him protected going into this one, especially
if Zach's still not healthy.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Anyway, we were just talking with Jeff Aquoro about the
key players South Carolina's missing on the offensive side of
the ball, but they've still got, Speaking of quarterbacks, one
of the most explosive guys in the league. He's got
to be I think a top three QB Inleinoris Sellers.
We didn't know if he played his past week, but
he did played fairly well. He was damaging to Kentucky
(27:09):
last year, and now Brad White after trying to fix
whatever ailed his defense last week. He's got a different
challenge this week, doesn't he.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Yeah, I mean certainly, you know, I think Stop's talked
about that a little bit today. He said he's one
of those guys that if you give him a chance,
back in the pockets. He's able to pass the ball
really well. But arguably thing that makes him even more
threatening is you can't just kind of defend the pass
because he's a running quarterback. You can kind of get
out of there. And you know, a Kentucky team has
maybe had some problems around the edge these last few weeks,
some issues, you know, kind of keeping some of those
(27:41):
chunk plays at Bay, keeping those explosive plays from happening
too much. It's going to be really interesting to see
how that defense adjusts to going from Eastern Michigan. And
not to say no, Kim can't also run, but yeah,
Eastern Michigan versus an SEC team like South Carolina, which
for as much as they lost and as much as
there wasn't a ton of fans out on Satay, I mean,
they still played pretty close on the road against a
(28:03):
ranked Missouri team. So I think it's gonna be really interesting.
You know, South Carolina, even if I always said I
didn't think they were a top ten team in the
country and they started the season, even if I was
a little bit lower on them, they're still a very
good football team, and they're still a very strong SEC
football team. At that So you're going to have at
your challenges, not just defensively with that defensive line and
the problems they can put on your offense, but with
(28:23):
that offense and its ability to, you know, create some
explosive plays, create big plays on a defense that you know,
they said. Mark Stups said, this last week's looked good.
He feels like he feels like they've been practicing well.
They've responded well, but going against the defense, the last
time we saw them, they didn't look like they're playing
their a game.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
We're talking to Cole Park at a Cats pos covers
the football and basketball cats who have begun practice. We'll
get to that in a few minutes, but of course
we're talking about Kentucky South Carolina coming up. And you're
in a sports bar and good on you on Saturday,
meaning you probably had different games on every different monitor
in the place. I had to spend a dial a bit,
but I stayed on that South Carolina Missoo game because
(29:05):
I wanted to see South Carolina. But I became really
intrigued by Missouri and how well Missoo was running the
ball with Hardy but also stopping the run. But the
fact Cole that they all but shut down South Carolina's
run game to nothing, and yet because of Sellers, they
stayed in the game. I mean that that just tells
(29:26):
you everything you need to know about this guy, right.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
Yeah, I mean absolutely he You know, it's a team sport, certainly,
but I feel like, regardless even if I played the
sport and we didn't say that in our locker room,
certain players might have more of an impact on the
game than others. And you know, the quarterbacks is one
of those players who can make or break a team truly,
and Leonora Sellers you know, even the games where he
(29:50):
isn't at his best, he's one of those kind of
quarterbacks that has the capabilities to completely turn a game around.
Like you said, Missouri did a fantastic job. I thought
of kind of really stifling the South carolin on a
run attack. They kind of locked them down there, but
Lenora's Sellers still kind of kept them in it, and
ultimately it wasn't enough to get South Carolina the victory.
But at the end of the day, like I said,
it was close. They had Missouri sweating it, and a
(30:12):
lot of that, you know, again, team sport, but a
lot of that goes back to Lenora's sellers and the
play he made. And he's the kind of guy that can,
you know, not single handedly, but almost single handedly keep
a team in a game sometimes just with the kind
of plays he makes. So you're gonna have to be very,
very at the top of your game going against a
guy like that in a really hostile environmentally. Bruce, Oh yeah,
(30:33):
Resturm Stadium, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
And that said, I've got to think, and I'm just
spitballing here, but if I am South Carolina's defensive coordinator
or a head coach, either one, I'll take the job.
Looking at Kentucky, you got it, like most coaches stop
the run, you know, Looking at Kentucky's offense, especially McGowan
because Dado has been hurt a little bit, but as
effective as Kentucky's been running the ball, I've got to
(30:57):
think they're telling each other, whatever this hardy can it
did does We've got to shore that up, make sure
Kentucky can't do that. And if the red shirt freshman
making his first start in the league on the road,
if he beats us, so be it. Does that make
sense to you?
Speaker 4 (31:14):
Yeah? I think that makes complete sense. And first things first,
I misspoke there Williams Brice Stadium office around Bryce Williams,
But regardless, I agree with that one hundred percent. You know,
if you're if you're South Carolina, you're going into this saying,
you know, we're hoping to get the win. We believe
we can win, but if we're gonna lose, we're gonna
choose how we lose this game. Right, You're gonna say,
you know, it's kind of like in basketball, you say,
(31:35):
if they're gonna if the team's not the best three
point shooter and they're just hitting a lot, you know,
you'll say, at the end of the day, the game
plan was the game plan. We were willing to give
them that shot because they don't usually make it. So
if you're South Carolina, you know you're saying, yeah, you know,
you know Kentucky, you've played them year after year after year.
And Mark Stoops even said today he said, you know,
for us, it really starts with that rushing attack. Except
(31:56):
mcgallan on pace to break records. Dante Dowdll probably gonna
be back. He's already looked really really strong handed that
phenomenal run in Week one, and then we also saw
Jason Patterson's a very capable back in his own right
as the third string kind of guy. Kentucky has been
a running school for a very long time, and if
you're South Carolina, you know, obviously you have to prepare
for both. But I would agree with that sentiment that
(32:17):
if you're going to lose this game, you're gonna say, hey,
we're gonna let Cutter Bowley, you know, maybe have more
than we're gonna give the run game, because we need
to make sure that if we're gonna lose, it's not
gonna because of the same thing Kentucky's done year after
year after year that we know they're good at. You
can't lose to the obvious thing. You know, if if
Cutter Bully comes out there and plays his absolute best,
that's a risk you have to be willing to take sometimes.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Oh yeah, because you can't stop everything in a game
like this exactly, you know. And it's it's Kentucky, as
you said, run the football. Well, they've had the Benny
Snow is it Chris Rodriguez, you know, and they've had
an old line that allowed them to run the ball.
And it looks like this line is maybe not as
good as those original big blue wall lines but getting
(32:58):
better and better, and you know, stoops, I thought he
was going to go there today, Cole, but he didn't.
But I think he was on the verge of reminding
us that. And he probably hears himself and he's always
self critiquing. But how many times and you were, you know,
with a colonel for several years now with a cast balls,
but going way back, he would always bring up the
(33:18):
fact that the team that wins the rushing battle statistically
often wins the game. And I have a feeling he was,
you know, hungry to say that today. But he's probably right,
isn't he.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Yeah, I mean, generally speaking, because there's a lot that
goes into that, right when you know, we just were
talking about how certain players can impact the game. But
at the end of the day, it is a team sport.
And while there are, without a doubt, phenomenal running backs
who can single handedly turn a tide of a game
and make a big plays out of nothing, generally speaking,
the team that has the best rushing offense has the
best line, don't they, right. I mean that line has
to create the holes, they have to create the running lanes,
(33:53):
they have to get the blocks, So I would agree
with that. You know, oftentimes you see the team that
runs the ball the best wins the rush battle is
the one that wins the game. Because overall, the team
that I feel often most often wins the Russian battle
is the one that kind of commands their will more
in the game, is able to you know, play their
style of football and not let the defense make you
play differently. And I think a lot of that goes
(34:15):
back to the offensive line. And Stoops did kind of
talk about that a little bit today, you know, he said,
he said, we have to hold our own. He said,
we know that South Carolina likes to harass the quarterback.
We're gon'n have to protect them, you know. And he
said last year, last year was a game that really
stood out. The South Carolina just thumping that we all win,
missed and we two, he said, He said, it was
just protection and they had guys that wrecked that. You know.
(34:37):
Pressure was a big thing for Kentucky last year. And
I also thought it was interesting, he pointed out. You know,
someone asked the question of do you game plan for
a specific player, you know, try to keep him at
bay there, try to keep maybe double teams and he said, yeah,
I mean there's times and you do that, but there's
times you just have to win. Also, you know, sometimes
you just have to be the better line. Sometimes you
can game plan for anything, but on other times you
(34:58):
just have to win, simply put. I think that's going
to be kind of the theme of this week. If
Kentucky's going to get the victory, it's going to be
in the trenches with the running backs. You know, are
they going to as easy as it sounds, are they
going to simply win? Are they going to inflict their
will more than South Carolina is? And that's what it's
going to come down to.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
Well, and he was a guy who played a little
bit of O line back in the day. That's what
they do, That's what that's their job. Their assignment is
moving the opposing guy, the guy in front of you
or off your shoulder and making him go someplace or
do something he doesn't want to do. You know, that's
the hardest part of the game. And those are the
only guys who have to do that. Quite frankly, so
(35:39):
before I hit the brake, let me ask you your
reaction to the permanent opponents quote unquote they they're going
to reviews it these in a few years. But Kentucky
with now Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, what kind of a
rundown do you think that is? And you play everybody anyway,
but did you expect that?
Speaker 2 (36:01):
No?
Speaker 4 (36:01):
I was actually quite surprised when I saw Kentucky's list
of opponents. To be completely honest with you, you know, Florida,
South Carolina, Tennessee as much as you know, those are
never easy games. Those are teams that have the capability
to be very good. I feel like, if you're Kentucky,
that's got to be almost a dream scenario, right Like
that kind of gives you the chance. If you're betting
on yourself as Kentucky, you're believing that you can be
(36:21):
a good football program. Those are the kind of games
you want on your schedule every year. You want to
be able to beat your Florida, your South Carolina, your Tennessee's,
especially Tennessee's. And honestly, I think the one that surprised
me the most was that Tennessee when I was one
that you know, I really hoped would get preserved. I
think that that's a very good, healthy rivalry in college sports.
There's a lot of bitterness and hatred on both sides,
(36:42):
for regardless of how lopside, regardless of how lopside of
the overall rivalry has been on the football field. You know,
Tennessee fans they love talking their smack to Kentucky fans.
They care about that game, whether or not they'll limit
it or not. I kind of thought Kentucky might have
gotten stuck with the Mississippi State. You know, they had
that rivalry with them going to and from store feel
pretty frequently. And Mississippi State certainly a team that has rivals.
(37:05):
You know, you're old miss But I feel like that
was one that I feel like when you look down
the list of all three opponents, there's a lot of
teams that are like that makes sense, that makes sense,
and you know, we just had to give them somebody.
So here you go. I thought and kind of the
deal with Kentucky Mississippi State. I thought Kentucky might have
gotten Vanderbilt. I understand, you know, from a scheduling perspective,
why that might not have been the case, especially you know,
if you wanted to make sure Tennessee also got Vanderbilt.
(37:26):
But I was surprised, but I was pleasantly surprised by
the opponents. I think in terms of preserving historical rivalries,
preserving rivalries that matter to people, I think, you know,
the Florida Kentucky one that's obvious, the South Carolina Kentucky
one that's a lot more of a recent one, I
would say, but a healthy rivalry right now. And you know,
with Tennessee that's obviously one that I was really hoping
(37:47):
get kept there. It is going to be weird not
seeing Georgia on the schedule every year. But you know,
if you're Kentucky, I feel like that's also kind of
going back on what I just said on wanting to
bet on yourself. If you're Kentucky, I don't think you're
gonna you know, shake your fists at the air because
George is not on your schedule over the years.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
But you know what, you can just say, well, we'll
play him in the championship game. In the championship game
because there's no divisions anymore. Before we hit the break.
You know, you make a great point about needing to
beat those teams, because when we think back to Mark
Stoops's teams at their best at Kentucky, they were beating
Florida home and away. They were beating South Carolina home
(38:25):
and away, and believe it or not, beat Tennessee in Knoxville,
beat Tennessee and Alexion. So it is possible. You just
got to get back to that talent level that it
takes to compete with and beat those teams on your
schedule permanently, at least for now, as permanent as something
can be. We'll come back and talk a little basketball
(38:46):
with Cole Park of the Cats Pause on the other
side of the break here on the statewide edition of
the Big Blue Insider final segment. Cole Park on the
line with us. He is usually in studio, but he
has been traveling, so staff writer for the Cat's Pause
joining us via the Celebrity Hotline. Basketball practice underway. We're
not looking beyond football, but your job is juggling the sports,
(39:10):
and I know that you'll be heavy on football for
the time being. But I don't know about you. This
basketball team, it's a little bit like this football team
with all the new faces. I'm really curious to see
how it all comes together. You know, you've got some
guys injured, one big one in particular, that they need
to get healthy. But they were both kind of mystery
(39:34):
stories in the offseason, weren't they.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
Yeah, I mean it's really really interesting and I'm going
to be fascinated the more that comes out about this
Kentucky team. I've been fascinated to keep up with everything
we've seen so far, you know, gathering as much as
I can and all the new players, because like you said,
it is a very very new team. And then once
you start feeling like you got a hang of it,
then you hear that, you know, injuries are at bay
and you know, is JQ Jaye Quaintin's per getting ahead
(40:01):
of schedule? You know the Rostin tweet kind of words,
and people now it seems like he's ahead of schedule,
he's recovering very well, we'll take it away, pops up
in a boot and then you're like, oh my gosh,
what's going on to a guy that people are saying
could be the potential as they see player of the
year this year, and you know, it seems like he's
hopefully doing all right. I had some turf toe. I
believe he revealed on a I want to say the
field of sixty eight. But I think the biggest thing
(40:24):
for me is like you said, just the question mark factor.
I kind of turned in my column today for our
basketball yearbook just coming out shortly got thrown into a
bit of a whirlwind by Bruce Pearl just deciding to
leave Auburn randomly a few weeks before the season. But
you know, regardless of that, you know, my column kind
(40:45):
of just focused on this is a very talented team
for Kentucky. This is a very deep team. But to me,
the biggest thing about whether or not Kentucky can be
successful this year is not if they have the players,
which you know, maybe that was a concern last year
when you have all these transfers, you don't know what
they are, you know, do they have the talent this year?
To me, it's do they have too much? You know
how you know they say too many cooks can spoil
(41:05):
a broth, And how is Mark Pope going to manage
these personalities, manage all these guys. And they seem like
they're bought in guys. They seem like they're really you know, obviously,
Mark Pope recruits a certain kind of player, you know,
with certain kinds of goals. But there's a lot of
talent on this team and a lot of guys who
you know, could feel big roles. I think they said
on that same episode where Otega talked about his his foot,
(41:26):
you know, they said, Kentucky's like seventh guy in the
rotation could play thirty minutes at three hundred and thirty
schools around the country. So you know, whether that or
not that's an exaggeration, we'll see, but regardless, the sentiment
is there. And the thing that is my biggest question
mark for basketball and what I'll be interesting to see
as the team progresses, is you know, it's certainly not
an easy schedule for Kentucky this year out of conference.
(41:48):
In conference, there's going to come times when you lose
a game. There's gonna come times where you know, you
have to make some tough calls. Who to put in
in late game scenarios in those big moments, Who who
to play here? Who to play there? How is this
team going to come together and stay together throughout the
course of the season with so many players who could
have such large rules.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
You know, it's funny when you were talking about, oh wait,
we've got the football game up, the Monday night game
Ravens Lions. As you were talking about, oh way, they
were showing his brother who plays for the Ravens, So
that couldn't have worked out better for us. Yeah, and
it's the most fascinating thing to me that we know
right now, other than you know, the roster of the personnel,
is when Pope admitted to us that he's kind of
(42:28):
flip flopped the way he's preparing this team compared to
last year. You know, last year was making sure they
got the offense down, and they did, I mean, out
of the gate, they were so much fun to watch,
so efficient offensively, couldn't stop me you and Bo Robinson.
On the defensive end, they could by the end of
the year. It almost was too late, and by the
end of the year they were playing, you know, really
(42:50):
solid defense. But now he's going about it the other way.
And admitted he said, I wondering what was the word
he was warped or something like that. Coaches who really
likes offense, because most coaches, you know, like the Deed,
just like Patinos, just like Cala Perry. But I really
want to see where this team is defensively, because you
can score out of your defense and compare to where
(43:11):
they are offensively, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (43:13):
Yeah, absolutely, and you know, when he said that, I
think there was some concern maybe from some people. I
think it needs to be said. He's not just ignoring
the offense. This is going to be a very good
offensive team. You know, He's pretty much said everyone is
going to be expected to be able to shoot, to score,
to do this, to do that. But I think it's
interesting and it's it's an important point for me personally,
because you know, I don't have the stet pulled up
(43:34):
right in front of me and call me ill prepared.
But there's a stat out there that's something like, no
team has ever won the national championship being outside of
I'll make like the top thirty, top twenty five defensive
teams in the country. No team outside of the top
twenty five in Ken Palm defensive metrics has ever won
a national title. So yeah, you can you can score.
(43:55):
That's important. You have to be able to score, or
you know, when no one wants to see Bennett Ball
from Virginia act with your fifty four.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
Hey cool, thanks a lot, We'll see you in Colombia.
I guess yeah, absolutely all right, safe travels man, Thanks,
thank you, thank you, Thanks to Cole Park. Thanks to
Jeff of coor thanks to Bo Robinson, our studio producer,
have a great evening. That's it. Good night from Lexingon
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