Your segment one and three two one. Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider
Dick Gabriel with you from Dallas, Texas, where the SEC staged it's annual
media Days. They began on Monday and concluded yesterday, and the Kentucky Wildcats,
along with their head coach Mark Stoops, were the last group to go
through basically what they call the car wash, and that's just going through one
stop after another, one station after another, and answering the same questions over
and over again. But they did a really good job. I sat in,
of course, in the Electronic Media room, but I was going through
some of the comments from what they call the Big Room, the main room,
that's essentially the writer's room, that's what you see on television. But
they've got the writer's room, they got electronic media, as I said,
they've got a separate breakout room for some of the other TV networks. And
they have Radio Row, which is a long stretch on tables on each side
of radio stations that have set up mostly morning drive at a lot of afternoon
drive stations as well. And I tell you here at the Omni Hotel in
Dallas, Radio Row extended. I'm trying to estimate now almost I would say,
almost one hundred yards in this huge hotel in the lobby, and this
thing has grown from a small hallway off to the side at the hotel in
Birmingham where they used to have this event. It's just massive now. And
of course now to this year, you're talking about stations from Oklahoma and more
stations from Texas, from Austin originating here in Dallas. No, I am
not originating the big Blue and Cider from the Radio Row area because we are
primarily pre recorded. But I was tempted. But now when you're in Radio
Row, you're just scrambling around trying to compete for interviews in snatch pace people.
And really I knew that I would be bringing you interviews from the electronic
media room, which is what we're going to do tonight. I've got some
comments from Stoops and some of the players from the electronic media room, but
also in our second hour, I'm going to present with you the in depth
interviews that we the Kentucky Media. The people on the UK Beat who came
here to Dallas were afforded an opportunity to talk to Stoops and the players in
a smaller, more intimate setting. It's not exactly one on one. I
call it the scrum, but there were probably I say six to eight people
talking and firing questions that Stoops and the players Dion Walker, offensive lineman Marcus
Cox, and linebacker de Eric Jackson, and as I said, they all
did a really good job. But I thought I would share with you here
in segment number one some of the comments they made in the electronic media room.
The stuff that we got from a one on one I think was better.
They're more relaxed, and I think the answers were better. But these
were some of the things that came up in the electronic media room, starting
with the fact that all three players were asked by I think it was somebody
from Alabama who must have been doing a story along these lines about Mark Stoops.
Basically, what's it like playing for Mark Stoops? And of course,
you know, all the players who are here have great relationships with Stoops and
the position coaches and Stoops. You'll hear him talk about, you know,
why he brought these particular guys because of their leadership abilities and their abilities on
the field. But starting with Dion Walker, he talked about why he's at
Kentucky first of all, and why he is a Mark Stoops fan because remember
Walker came down from the Detroit area to play as college football election and said
no to the University of Michigan, said yes to Kentucky, and because of
Mark Stoops, he's happy that he did. You know, Michigan was a
close second option for me. You know, they're a great program, don't
get me wrong, but I just feel like it wasn't the right fit for
me. So what may what about Kentucky made at the right fit. I
just trust your coach soups more. You know, he's big on loyal to
how I am. You know, that's one thing that I was looking for
because out of anywhere in my top five top ten schoolers, you could go
and get developed. You know, you can go get bigger, faster,
stronger. Everybody's going to get your technique right. Everybody's going to get you
enough reps so you could be ready in game. But I didn't just want
to be a number. I wanted to be somebody who I know the head
coach cares for you know, and he cares for everyone, no matter if
you're a walk on scholarship guy. He if you need something, his door's
always open, and that's one thing that I was looking for in the school
at Dean Walk the all conference defensive linemen who will be playing probably some noseguard
this year. You'll hear him talk about that a little bit later on because
of injuries the deposition on the defensive line. So next we here from Marcus
Cox, the offensive lineman who transferred in from Central Michigan. I think this
is his seventh year because of injury and COVID in college football, and he
talked about the pluses of playing for Mark Stoops. This is really great.
He's a player led coach. He really cares about his players. He really
cares about us. He asks us every meeting is something that he could do
for us. So he put us in the front of his mind at all
times, and it's a blessing to be playing for him. That's Marcus Cox,
the old lineman and now linebacker Eric Jackson, who's always been kind of
a shy guy. And later on you'll hear us talk to him about coming
out of his shell a little bit. But he talked about playing for Mark
Stoops and he described as just a genuine person like I'll say, he's very
real with us and what he's saying, like we comeing to meetings, he's
being very real, like he's he's selling what what we need to hear,
not what we want to hear. And he's also he's also a good person
to be around. And for me my personal experience with him, from everything
he said, he's done, he's gonna he'll do for me he have done,
and just just being around him, he's a good man. And Eric
Jackson d jack this book as well, and this is important of course,
about when recruits come through and they're hosted by veteran players or they just meet
him for the first time. Recruits ask questions and Jackson talked about what he
shares with recruits. When it comes to Mark Stoops, I tell a person,
Coach Stutter is very he's very real and authentic. Like you said,
he keeps it word of everything he said. He's not gonna sugar coat nothing
with you. He's gonna tell you like it is. And he's he's a
cool guy. In the program. The program that he's built, he put
people in place to help uth. That is the Eric Jackson, Kentucky linebacker
said, And Mark Stoops comes into the room, and as they wrapped up
the Q and A session, I actually asked a question to him, And
of course I had asked questions already in the scrum, but I asked Stoops.
I described the answers from his players and the reaction Stoops might have to
these comments. Upstairs, you talk to us about what the three guys you
brought mean to you and your program. In this room, they were all
asked what Mark Stoops means to them, and they talked about the fact that
fundraising aside, you were always there for them. One of them called you
a second uncle and things like that. What does that mean to you?
That means everything to me. You know, That's what we're here for,
you know. You know when I sit behind my chair in my office,
I tell them I sit in that chair for them. You know. I'm
blessed to be there, blessed to be the head coach, you know.
But I work for them, you know, Yes, you know, we
have to lead. We have to put them in a position and give them
guardrails, and you know, give them the the the you know, the
food to be successful, you know, and the medicine to be successful.
But I work for those players I love them, you know, I'm here
to help them in every way I can. And you know, I'm glad
they still feel that way about that be because I am the only thing I'll
say negative, Really, I think all Dad did a pretty good job.
The only negative thing I'll say is that it in this world, it does
take me away from them. My job is to be there for them,
and I am distracted with raising money and that sucks, you know. And
some people don't have that problem. I do, and so what that's my
problem and I'm addressing and I'm working on it, but it does take me
away from the players that I love. Another question put to Mark Troops in
that room was about the fact that he was linked to the Texas A and
M job, and he said the same thing in the electronic media room that
he said in the main room. I was, you know, I was
pursued by an M I had, you know, and you know, out
of respect for everybody involved that I'm at Kentucky. You know, as I've
said, there's only nineteen coaches in the history of SEC that's been in the
school twelve years or more. And last year I think coach became eighteen and
Coach Savan this year I became nineteen. I like being a part of that
group. You know, I think, you know, I fit well at
Kentucky. I've been very blessed to be there as long as I have,
and I love the team that I have, and you know, I've been
pursued before and I like where I'm at. We kind of braced ourselves for
that one. And we also braced ourselves because every year, it seems,
or at least for the longest time, Then when a Kentucky coach comes here,
somebody and they think they're asking this question for the first time, when
they had to know it's been asked every year about a football school quote unquote
versus a basketball school. Well, of course Cali Perry made that comment a
couple of years ago, and somebody brought that up, and of course Cali
paris now at Arkansas. But for whatever reason, they dredged it up and
Stoops handled it well to what you're alluding to. I had a great,
you know, respect and working relationship with John cal Perry and wishing nothing but
the best. He's a friend of mine. We're big boys, you know,
we could handle things. You know, we don't have thin skin.
And uh, you know, so, yeah, we had a little blip
over over eleven years and that's all it was. And as far as Mark
Polpa love him, you know, you know, it's pretty hard not to.
You know, he's you know, what you see is what you get,
and you know, he's a great guy and done a great job and
very personable and you know, but I wish them both well, you know,
I'm sure, you know, for our school and for Kentucky. I
know Coach Pope will do really well and Coach Kyle did an amazing job and
it was time for him to you know, that's his business and I wish
him nothing but the best. So those are some of the answers from the
electronic media room, And like I said, there are similar questions and answers
in the main room, the writer's room, and you may have seen some
of that on TV coming up an hour number two, though, we're going
to bring for you in their entirety for the most part, the interviews we
did with Stoops and his three players. If you like Kentucky football, you're
going to want to be around for that. We'll come back and talk about
what else is going on around the country. In just a minute, and
at the bottom of the hour, Trent Noah. That's right, we're going
to talk some basketball. Had a chance to she have with Trent Noah before
I left, and we'll have our conversation that's coming up in just a few
minutes, because I think this is one intriguing basketball player who finally made his
way to UK after it looked as though he would be a South Carolina game
Cock, and anybody who saw him in the sweet sixteen wondered, why in
the world is this guy not at least not being recruited by John Caliperry And
he wanted to come here all along. If cali Perry had looked at him,
he would have said, yes, that's the impression I got from talking
to him. So that's coming up at the bottom of the hour. Stay
with us here on the Big Bluon Sider six point thirty wlap All right,
here is segment two and three two one. Welcome back to the Big Bloon
Sider. Dick Gabriel with you in Dallas side of us. He see media
days, but coming up guts for football now. We're coming up next will
be our interview with Trent Noah, one of the newest Kentucky wockeas of course
they're almost all new, but this is a true freshman and a guy of
course played at Harlan County and led his team to the Sweet sixteen championship game,
where they lost to his future teammate Travis Perry and Lyon County. But
Trent Noah turned in one of the greatest performances in the history of the Sweet
sixteen. Literally the numbers back that up. So we'll hear from him coming
up in our next half. But in our number two we are wall to
wall football, as we will present the interviews we did with Mark Stoops and
his players down here as the local media were given access as we always are
to the local players. But there are other things going on, including speaking
of college football, the release of the EA Sports College Football twenty five game
is described as among the most highly anticipated sports video games of all time.
It has flooded the market. Gamers have been waiting since twenty thirteen to play
this game again. You might recall that that's when players rose up basically and
said you're using my name, my image and likeness and I'm not getting anything
for it. And the company was making gazillions of dollars. That lawsuit really
gave way to nil and I don't know if it had anything to do with
the portal, but it had a profound effect on college sports, college football
in general, college sports specifically football. So yeah, EA Sports took it
off the market and now has brought it back and they figured out how to
make restitution with everybody and make it work legally. So yeah, it's out
there now and people are going crazy over it. A couple of other notes
from the world of football, and this one is rather run savory. Utah
State has fired, it's officially fired Blake Anderson as football coach. That has
been out there now for a couple of weeks. But he was under investigation.
He was basically suspended, and they told him on July second that he
would likely be fired. And it is the reason for that is he has
had issues with non compliance with university policies concerning Title nine. And of course
he and his lawyer are suing because they believe it violates his contract. But
if what in fact, I can believe that this happened, and I'm glad
guy got fired. Quite frankly, I never wish Ill will on anybody,
but this guy made a horrible, horrible mistake, and he's getting he's being
held accountable for it. What happened was during a team meeting and one of
his players, for whatever reason, recorded this. Anderson made comments about sexual
assault victims and why. I don't know the context, but maybe he was
trying to tell his players, you know, to walk the straight and arrow
on that kind of thing. But from reading between the lines, he was
trying to make sure that the players understood that even being accused of a terrible
crime like that can be just a horrible thing, even if they're not guilty.
But what he said to his players was reprehensible, and one of his
ballplayers recorded it. What he said was, and I'm quoting it has never
been more glamorized to be the victim unquote of sexual assault. And as I
said, one of his players recorded that, and it all came to a
head. He tried, and he succeeded in getting the player to apologize to
the team for recording the comments. He Warren Maddox the player that his teammates
might try to get answers out of him through whatever means possible if he didn't
apologize to the team, and so the kid does apologize. Anderson publicly apologized
in December of twenty twenty one for those comments, but he was still fired
and that has now become official. It took a while to get through the
courts, of course, but he's done. Speaking of unsavory situations. I
didn't know this had happened. Bella Hadid had been named the face of Adidas
for the upcoming Olympics, and almost immediately there was an outcry because this was
to honor and recognize a line of shoe dating back to the Munich Olympics.
Well, if you're of a certain age, when you think of Munich,
you think of the tragedy there where eleven Israeli athletes were murdered by terrorists,
Palestinian terrorists. Well, Belahedid's father is a Palestinian and identifies himself as a
proud Palestinian. And nobody saw this coming until after this was announced and Israelis
rose up. So Adidas apologized, issued a statement said they're revising the remainder
of their campaign. So there is a lot going on, including a story
out of Japan. Shoko Miyata, she's nineteen, she's the captain of the
Japan women's artistic gymnastics team, at least she used to be. She withdrew
from the Paris Olympics today after admitting the smoking and drinking. The Gymnastics Association
of Japan at a press conference and talked about the decision. Smoking and drinking
are prohibited in Japan for anybody under twenty. The allegations surfaced after related information
was provided on Monday. Apparently somebody routed her out. She admitted to it,
talked about the stresses of her position as the team leader, said she
smoked once and drank once, and apparently that's all it takes. Trent Noah
coming up next, come back to the bigger inside of joining us now in
our celebrity hotline for the first time. Is a familiar name if you're a
Kentucky fan or a fan of high school basketball in the common well. Trent
Noah Kentucky's fifth all time leading scorer in high school basketball history and part of
Mark Pope's first kentuck Ucky team. Trent, thanks so much for joining us.
Yeah, thanks so much for having me. It's a pleasure. What
has life been like for you since the end of your high school career?
When you were committed to South Carolina and all of a sudden there are big
changes at Kentucky and the next thing you know, you're a Wildcat. What
has life been like for you? Yeah, it's been a whirlwind, But
I mean, I'm just super thankful where I ended up and everything worked out
like I should have. And now I'm super excited that be here and like's
intending be on campus and get things rolling up here. It's been excellent four
weeks and I just can't wait to keep going and keep them freeing with our
team. Well, before we talk about that, I got to take you
back to the Sweet sixteen. I know it didn't end the way you like,
but man, it was close and you had the tournament of a lifetime
for Harland County. You must have loved those rims and rupp Arena. Am
I right? Maybe a little bit? Well, you come in, you
get thirty five in your first game, forty eight in the next. Going
into that tournament, and you had add a great junior year. You'd had
a great senior campaign, average nearly thirty a game, But did you feel
like you had that kind of tournament in you as you took your team into
the sweet sixteen. Yeah, I mean it was just such an honor to
be in the state tournament. We finally got over the hump, so I
knew this is my last year and we had one opportunity to make full hittory
and win a game. So he and my teammates just want to do whatever
we could, go down in the history books and do something for our community.
Yeah, you were the first school, I know, you know this
to reach the state finals since twenty eleven. I saw, I know that
meant a lot to you, didn't it. That's there for sure. I
mean, I guess in our area, the success the state tournament hasn't been
great recently, so to see us win a few games down there and make
some noise just just meant a lot to our community and the and the surrounding
areas. You know. One thing I think people maybe in a bigger city
like Lexington or Louisville don't appreciate, and I've been down the state a little
bit, is what the high school team like Carland County High can mean.
As you said, to the community. I mean, it just grabs everybody,
doesn't it. It's there, I mean definitely, I mean all all
of Our team is all Harlan County kids. They've all grown up together.
Ye didn't have any transfers or anything like that. So I think that's what
what kind of makes us special. We just have been going to classes for
four years together, just growing up, building our way up, and really
just just build a determined team to make some noise and win some games.
So it's always fun when you do it like that, you do it with
your buddies, with your friends, right, It's there, definitely. I
mean, that's what it's all about. That's why i'se go basketball is so
special and I'll never take those times for granted. Some of the greatest times
in Hawaii. Talking to Trent Noa, he is, of course from Harlan
County and now Kentucky Wildcat, and you talked about how things changed not long
after you had committed to South Carolina, but you said things are now the
way that he should be. I mean, your dad played football, are
you. I'm sure your grandfather played football in UK in the early sixties.
Can I assume you grew up a Kentucky fan. That's there, definitely,
I did. I mean growing up in Kentucky, I think everybody's a Kentucky
fan. My grandfather played and playing with the ten thirty team. I mean
every time going down to his house, there's there's just UK decres everywhere.
He's always got Kentucky sports game on, and so is our family. I
mean we've been going to Kentucky football games for like sixty three years. I
thinks how long we've had season tickets. So yeah, I mean it's just
our family bleeds blue, and so do I. So it's just it's a
real feeling now that I'm here where the Kentucky jerse. What did he tell
you about Did you ever ask him about being part of the thin thirty?
Yeah, I mean he it's super cool to just get down and kick his
brain and just and just hear the stuff that he had to say. I
mean, how how hard that that he worked and and and to stay there
and just a crazy, crazy year for Kentucky football. That was. Well,
let's talk about the president now. You you get the call from Mark
Pope. What was that like to hear from him and get an offer because,
as you well know, he puts such a premium on shooters. Yes,
Sarah, it was it was incredible. It was it was such a
it was such a great feeling that that I won't forget, and it was
it was a no brainer once that happened, I made. I made a
pretty clear decision whenever whenever he reached out to me. So yeah, it
just all worked out and and God's plan just just because plans beier than mine.
So it's a crazy little bit, but I'm so thankful for it all.
When you have scholarship offers a young man at your age, I know
that is a life defining decision that you and your teammates have to make.
But you also had to show a level of maturity when you had to reach
out to South Carolina and say thank you, but I'm going to Kentucky.
How difficult was that? Yeah, I mean, I just there's some things
that are going on, a lot of factors that went into it, and
that's when I've got on my letter of inton and then my recruitment opened back
up, and then it was just back back from day one. So that
was something really challenging because I finally knew where I wanted to go and then
I restarted all over. So yeah, it was difficult, but I mean,
like I said, it all worked out how I should have been and
I'm just super excited for this year. So now you're on campus, You've
already worked out with your new teammates, and there are a lot of older
guys on that squad and here you are as a true freshman kind of starting
all over again. What's that been like for you? I mean, yes,
it's like a gold mine here. I mean there's so many great resources
and great people to learn from. I mean our coaching staff that it is
so brilliant, and the ac in the gym whenever we practices is so high.
I mean listening to all the older guys talk. But it's such a
it's such a perk being around those those older guys and just getting to learn
from them and let them take me under their wing and just and just uh
stepping me off in the right direction of my college career. I mean,
there's just so much learning going on and it's just it's just awesome and in
a gold mine for for basketball. Well, your head coach is a gold
mine of information. You know how smart he is. Rhodes Collar a candidate
uh in college and I covered his teams obviously at u K. What's it
like having kind of a brainiact for a head coach. I mean it's amazing.
I mean I wouldn't I wouldn't want to be playing for anybody other than
him. I mean, he does, he does an excellent job. He
definitely has us going in the right direction. So I mean just every day
just just looking to learn from him and and uh, just picking up stuff
that he does is just help help me and the team out. I mean
it's just amazing every day you can just learn so much from from a guy
with his knowledge. He is quoted as saying that he liked you because you're
tough, You're hard nosed, and you have a special physicality and ordinarily,
Trent, you don't hear shooters described that way, but that, honestly,
that's the first thing I noticed about you in the Sweet sixteen is you're a
little bit bigger than than most of the wing players, but you're strong enough
to get inside. Tell me about that. That combination you've been blessed with,
and I know you worked hard at that, haven't you. That's there,
I mean for sure. I mean I just do whatever I can to
help the team win. I mean, I mean, no matter what it
is, just try to always play hard and make the rot play and and
just try and make my teammates better around me, because that's what wins basketball
game. So if I can do that, then I think I I think
I'm doing a fair a fair job. Oh well pretty fair. Yeah.
Tell me about the way your Harlan County teams were prepared, were coached and
how that's helped prepare you for u K. Yeah, I mean we had
we had excellent coaching staff. I mean, it was it was such a
cool experience being able to play for my for my dad and my senior year
and and then making the run whenever he was on the staff. So yeah,
I mean just going in it's just super cool that that we just leave
like math class and then go practice with those guys. We were just trying
to figure out math problems and then and then we're running. So like,
I think that's that's just something a special thing about Hogs School basketball. So
yeah, I mean I always, uh, occasionally I'll go back and watch
some games from from this time season, but yeah, that was such a
great time. What's that like for you when you queue up a game from
this past year and you get to watch your yourself and your buddies. Yeah,
I mean just whenever we all hang out after act of the year,
it's just good times. Just just get to go back and laugh at and
stuff, and then it's just really good, good bonding time and just get
a look back on the cool memories that we may. It's more about what
happens on the bus and in the locker room, right as opposed to I
mean, you go back and look at wins and all that, But it's
it's the stuff off the court that's the most fun, isn't it. For
sure? I mean we had so many we had so many good times that
I mean, we can tell stories about forever. But yeah, that was
great, great kids, great people to be here, for sure. Well,
you've talked about the wealth of basketball knowledge on the Kentucky roster. Tell
me about chemistry. Tell me about the bonding that's taking place yet there.
I mean you would think that. I mean, I think if you put
in an outside er, just just dropped them in and watch the practice with
no power knowledge, I think they could they could tell that. They would
say that we've been together for a while. I mean, I think our
chemistry is really taken off super quick, and I think that comes with what's
doing hard stuff together, practicing condition and also off the court. I feel
like we we take a lot of time bonding off the court. I mean,
we have all been excited about the new college football video games. That's
been fun playing with the gods. Yeah, I mean, I just think
we're a really close group, and I think that'll translate to the basketball court.
You mentioned conditioning. What has strength and conditioning been like for you?
And nutrition they feed you guys pretty well, yes, sir, I mean
it's it's all completely different, but I mean it's all for the better.
I mean, they're they're so they're so smart with what they do, and
they have a plan for everything. So me and my teammates are just trying
to follow the best we can and know that it all be good for us
in the end. I lived on campus my first year, and I met
a lot of guys from around the country but also from around Kentucky, and
a lot of them got homesick right away. I guess you probably don't have
time for that, do you. You're so busy with basketball. Yeah,
I mean I am extremely busy with bat well in school. I mean,
and and there's no there's no reason to be homesick. For me. I
mean, this is a dream that I've that I've always wanted to happen.
Now it's finally happened. So I don't think homestickly problem. I'm just I'm
just living. And well, now you've got a new roster of brothers.
Right, so you're you're you're already at home. Uh have you decided yet
what you want to study? What your major is? I have not.
I'm still kind of exploring a little bit. But hopefully we'll get that figured
out here. I have plenty of time for that. We're talking with Trendon
Noah. He of course is one of the new Wildcats, so many new
Wildcats, but coming in from Harlan County, which he led to the Sweet
sixteen championship game you lost to Travis Perry. I know you've answered this question
a bunch, But now he's a teammate. What's that like for you?
Yeah, I mean it's awesome getting to suit up on the same team with
him. I mean, he's an exceptional player, really good person, really
good frandom one. And now that we can finally we've been playing against each
other all over these past years, and now we can finally be on the
same team and share the ball with each other and tear the court with each
other. So yeah, it's really cool to be alongside a player like him,
and he just makes everybody around them better. All right, who's a
better shooter? You were him? I don't know. He's a really good
shooter. But yeah, I guess we'll have to have a shootout here too.
Looking at the roster, here's an opportunity for you to work against guys,
as you said, who've played so much ball, guys who are in
their third, fourth, fifty years of college basketball. Uh. As,
it's been fun just picking up on the little things that these guys are,
kind of the subtleties of the game. Yeah, I mean definitely. They
they know, they're so experienced and and they never make like you rarely see
them make mental areas because how often they've seen this stuff and how often that
they play at this level. So I mean, yeah, just being able
to just talk with them and just hear the stories that they get through and
and and they're ups and downs. That just makes Big Cloth easier. For
the three pressmen that we had, we got a chance to talk with three
of the veteran players. I guess it was late last week early this week,
uh, and they all Trent talked about what it meant to them to
be a part of Kentucky basketball and have that name on their chest. I
know some people are concerned about that that these guys, you know, they
come and go after a year, they don't really know or appreciate what it
means to play basketball here. I don't get that impression you've grown up with
it, But what have you seen and these guys who have dropped in for
maybe just the one year, but how they appreciate where they are? Yes,
sir, I mean, I definitely think everybody in our roster really really
gets the message and really understand how big of a deal and honor it is
to put on the Kentucky jersey. And I think the coaching staff and coach
Cope has done a good job to let the people know, maybe like from
far away that don't fully get it at the beginning, that that how big
of a how big of a deal it is, And yeah, it really
just is an honor for all of us and to play for to stay to
Kentucky and play for the people and the amazing fans that we're that we're bused
to have. It's really just an honor. There's so much proud that kind
of effect. Your passion is really evident when you did not get the offer
from the previous staff. Were you hurt, were you angry, dejected?
Or did you just shrug it off and move on? I mean, I
mean, like I said, everythings for a reason and never every uh.
Every coaching team has different philosophy, and I wouldn't want to be in a
situation where it wouldn't say best for the both of us. So we're not
completely understand everybody does everybody does stuff different. But I was just focused on
the schools that they were created to be at the time. Yeah, well
that's smart and like you said, it all worked out. I will let
you go with this. Growing up, you grew up a wildcat. Whether
people want to say that or not. You talked about what the household is
like being a big blue house. But that said, Trent, you know
what the expectations are from Kentucky fans, and I know that you guys are
intent on delivering, But what about expectations from the big Blue nation? How
are you guys handling that? I mean, I think it's I think it's
awesome. I mean, there's a lot that comes, there's a lot that
comes with player in a Kentucky jersey. But I think that's what makes it
so special. I mean, anything short of the banner is not what we
wanted. So that's the plan this year, and that that's the plan moving
forward to hang them or none and hopefully we can get the job done.
Trenton Noah, Kentucky freshman. Looking forward to seeing you play again in rupp
Arena. Thank you so much for your time. Have a great summer.
Yeah, thank you so much for having me. There's a pleasure talking to
you. Up next. More from Dallas here on The Big Blue Siders six
thirty w l A P First Hour Segment four and three two one. Welcome
back to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel with you from Dallas. Swear.
Yesterday they wrapped up SEC media days and I thought as we go into
the break quick segment here I would share a Dallas related story. Troy Aikman,
of course, made a name for himself here were the Dallas Cowboys,
and he's a lead broadcaster now in the NFL. But he's in the news
today because he and Lamar Jackson another famous number eight are knocking heads over the
number eight. Jackson is challenging Troy Aikman's use of number eight in the US
Patent and Trademark Office complaint. According to federal records, Jackson owns or has
applied for several trademarks using the number in various phrases, and Aikman right now
is attempting to use the word eight. I guess and I'll cap. It's
the way it appears in a wire story on apparel and bags, and Jackson's
complaint says it would likely cause confusion, mistakes, or to deceive the purchasing
public as to whether they're buying products from Jackson or Aikman's company. This is
all according to Jackson's attorney. They filed it earlier this month. The motion
or whatever they call it, so they claim that Jackson has spent a lot
of time and effort and money in promoting advertising and promoting advertising and popularizing the
number eight in connection with his personality and fame, and is well known by
the number because of his notoriety. Of course, well so is Troy Aikman.
So now you're looking at recency bias. And this is all over two
guys who are trying to use a word, just a number. The image
of the number eight later in the ory does not appear in all caps,
so who knows. But it's not a bad idea, but the fact that
I guess that you above all others could be whether it's Jackson or Aikman,
could be the guy known as number eight. Now, Jackson has applied for
trademarks and usages, including quote era eight by Lamar Jackson, Era eight,
here's another one, you eight yet, and a lot of other stuff like
that. So he and Aikman knocking heads over their number. And we've heard
before about athletes who are traded or signed by a team and they want their
old number and they have to pay through the nose or trade a car or
something like that they get to use their own number. Well, now this
one has gone to court. Lamar Jackson, the current star, and Troy
Aikman, who's still a star here in Dallas on TV, but his football
days are well behind him. We'll come back with our number two. We're
going to have some longer conversations with the Wildcats, including their head coach,
who are here in Dallas for SEC media days. It's a special look at
UK football and hour number two as we wrap up the week from Dallas here
on the Big Blue Siders six thirty. Welcome back to the Big Blue Sider.
Dick Gabriel with you in Dallas side of SEC Media Days. We attended
yesterday when the Wildcats were talking to the media, and as I mentioned earlier,
they made the stops and they made a lot of them in the main
room of the writers, in the electronic room with the networks, with so
many radio stations here. But before they really did much of anything, I
guess they hit some of the radio stations, but they were herded into a
separate room off to the side, and it's reserved for just such things.
The local media get a chance to fire questions and answers, and some of
these will be asked again on UK Media Day, which by the way,
is the first weekend of August. Fan Day is August third, so you
need to know about that. But at any rate, we had a chance
to do not one on ones, but like one on eight or nine with
stoops and the players and Stoops went first, and believe it or not,
for a guy who kind of dreads the talking season in a way, but
as you'll hear him talk about it also marks sort of the stretch run to
the season, so he actually had a smile on his face when he greeted
us. It's really good to see you all here. Different venue, being
in Texas. You know, for us, we've been in meetings with OU
in Texas already, but being here gives it new meeting meaning, I should
say. But it's a lot of fun. I know, once we get
here and I start talking to you guys, it's time to go. So
summer is over. It was very short, but I'm excited about this team.
I love the leadership that we have in the three women that I brought
with me today to represent our team. We'll do a great job and we're
excited to get going. What do you think will excite the fans about your
team? Just the competitive nature that we're going to have. You know,
I know this team has a chip on its shoulder that's going to play the
way we want to play and represent the state and our fans the way we
want them to and we're excited about that. There's so many big picture issues
with football the SEC college sports right now. Does that energize you find in
a way that Kentucky exists in that landscape, or do you get kind of
tired of all of that stuff you feeling outside of You hit a keyword right
there? Exist, you know, and so you know that's just it.
Do I get tired of it? No? I mean you either exist,
You either exit or you explore new ways to be innovative and to make the
best of it. I think, you know, I want to live in
that world of exploring the best way. How do we make that next jump?
Is there some frustration in there sometimes with all that is there some more
work and some different things, you know, new meaning to the job fundraiser,
you know what I mean? Like it's new, it's challenging, but
it's also exciting. How can we explore this avenue to help us make that
jump and and compete and be relevant? And you know I work for our
players, you know, I raise money for our players. And that's just
a new, you know, new part of it. Mark Mike Tomlin made
a statement. He says he has a lot of guys on his roster that
are capable, says he needs more guys that are willing to do the work.
Do you feel like you have enough guys that are willing to put the
work in, paid the price to take that jump. Yeah, that's a
great point by coach Tomlin. It doesn't surprise me with the wisdom that he
has. But you know, you know, we'll see. I believe we
do. You know, I believe in our players. And you know that's
you know, in a way, it's what we talk about with culture,
right, It's a part of our culture. You know, we have a
competitive culture, a united culture, but that's not always perfect, you know,
and you know, and so we need people that are willing to pull
a teammate up when when you know, when adversity hits, Because when adversity
hits it, it kind of shatters that mental model that we all want,
right, we all want it to be perfect. We prepare our players for
adversity, We talk about it constantly, But how do you really respond to
that and are you willing to go right back to work and put that play
behind you, put that game behind you and grind it out. And I
think coach Tomlin is a great example of that because for him to have a
winning record every year no matter what his players are like in that league says
a lot about him. And you know, I like that about about us
and about what we've done. You know, do we want more? Do
we want to take it to the next level as we just talked about what
your comment, Yes we do. But also I can't lose sight of the
fact that we have been consistent. You know, there's only eight teams in
the country that have been the eighth straight bulls and there's only two teams that
have been in the SEC this whole time that have done that. That's not
nothing, you know, so it's something. But we want to continue to
progress. We want to take it to the next level. You talked about
the changes. Pete Tamil reported that the rough number for roster liments will be
one o five. Is one oh five enough to operate a football team.
It's not that. I really don't want to get into too much of that
right now because it's all still hearsay and we're working through that. I think
we're pretty collective, you know, within the SEC to think that's that,
you know, that's pretty tough number to operate, you know, because you
know, if people want to say, well that's you know the NFL,
well, they can bring in unlimited players. They have somebody hurt, they
just replace them with somebody that's healthy. So, you know, it's a
lot of things to take into consideration. We are marketing yourself from the very
first day you got here about depth and quality. Depth. This seems to
be if you look on paper, you've got great depth on the defensive line,
a great depth on the offensive line. You brought in really good receivers,
defensiveout is Are you finally where you want to be with this program?
Depth and quality dip wise, I think we're in a good position. I
like our team. I like the depth that we have. I like the
way they're working, you know, and now we got to take it to
the field. We got to take it to camp. You know, our
guys really never really stop working, you know. They they during May,
they a lot of them may branch out and go their own way. Not
a lot of them. Some of them will go and specialize, maybe with
a pass, rust specialists, or do some different things. But they're working
all year round, and they're they've been grinding all summer, and the rules
permit us to spend some time with them, and the coaches have been around
them, and you know, I like what I see kind of expanding on
that offensive line wise, it seems like you guys are eight or not deep
now with Gerald and Jalen coming in, do you feel more comfortable than you've
been the last couple of years with the depth there? I do. I
do feel more comfortable. You know, we needed to add some depth to
give us some some more bodies upfront and you know, be physical. We
have to be who we are. And you know, we've talked about it
many times, you know about you know, having that physical nature being able
to run the ball. And I could go back several years and we're you
know, bringing in Liam and what do we need to improve on? We'll
getting the ball down the field. Well, now we feel like we have
some skill guys we hit. We have a quarterback we believe in. He's
got to go prove it. But we have some guys we believe in.
But we still have to be who we are and that's physical on both sides
of the line. Who was the pitch to Gavin? We even talkings that
you added him because you already had Brock here. He's a guy who started
for two years into Big ten. What was the pitch to him? Well,
I think he had an opportunity to come in and compete. He has
a lot of snaps under his belt. We don't have a lot of experience
on our roster, you know, and he was looking for an opportunity to
come in, improve himself in and compete, you know. And so we
like that with Gavin. We like the fact that he's got snaps under his
belt. He's a big, strong guy, and I think he'll do very
well in our system. Alex Afari, He's a guy who's kind of played
around at multiple spots. Is there a sort of directive you want him to
take in year three after really pop up in your one? Yeah? I
think you know, he is a guy that that is you know, came
in kind of as a tweener. He's such a big athlete, you know,
and we knew that coming out of high school. You know that he
was just a very good football player. He's played multiple positions for us already,
may play him in some different spots here coming up this fall. But
he's a guy that has a bright future, you know, has to go
through the growing pains of trusting us to move him around and put him in
a position that ultimately is best for him, because what's best for him is
going to help the team as well, and it's going to help him in
his future. You had so many issues injury wise on the defensive line and
spring practice. How many of those do you expect to kind of carry over
into the fall or are you concerned still about depth? Especially No, you
know, I think Knows. You know, we definitely took a little hit
at Knows and so you know, we're we're you know, we have some
other guys that are coming back that weren't completely healthy in the spring that will
help us. But there's a few that you know, maybe up this will
be the first time in a long time you're not handing off to either a
guy named Snell or Rodriguez. I mean, what are your concerns about running
back? You've got numbers, but what about the depth there? Yeah,
I think you know, it's another position that has to go prove it right.
You know, it's you know, we have guys that are very capable.
You know, we have to work together. We have to have good
system. We have to guys have guys up front that could block. We
have to change the picture and be multiple, you know, like we've been
in the past. But we have to have some guys make some people mess
and get the tough yards that we've had what we've always had here. You
know, I think Chip is a guy that that we're all excited about.
But you know, Jason Patterson has done some really good things, and you
know, and you know, so you know Will Cox even as a guy
that I'd like to see step up a little bit and do something. But
you know, we feel like we have some depth. We haven't seen Bush
Hammon's offense extensively, but you've talked a lot in the off season about getting
more physical. Is a lot of that getting back to running the ball downhill.
Well, I think you know that you've listened to me long enough and
you understand. You know this game and at this level, you're not going
to be consistent unless you can run the ball. You know. Uh,
that doesn't mean we have to go back and be and just run the football.
I mean we want to be exciting. We want the ball down the
field. That helps set all that up if you could run the football and
and be effective running the football. So I think if you if you talk
to every single head coach that stood in front of you here, you know
what media days, and I think I think every one of them would say
they want to be physical upfront, no matter what, no matter what it
is. I mean, you look at you know, the the the offenses
that everybody is wild by the speed and by the getting the ball down the
field. You look at you know, Tennessee, you look at Old Miss,
you look at some of those guys. They run the heck out of
the ball, you know, and you know it starts there, you know.
Can you talk about the change that you made at the wide receiver coach
position? Are you starting to see signals that that group is ready to take
a take a leap there? Mark, I'm very impressed with the kill schortz
Uh. You know, he's a guy that that we brought in from Houston,
and he's a young guy and he has a great relationship with the players,
but he's very demanding. He I love the fact that you know,
he has that youth uh, you know, youthfulness and can relate, but
also is very demanding. He really doesn't play, you know, He's about
work and about business and he's done a really good job. I think the
players really respect him, and I feel like we're making some growth there.
I wanted to ask briefly about recruiting because you don't know how many you can
recruit or add for that class. So what's the challenge of that? And
also how do you like the way that class is coming together? Yeah,
I told our coaches, you know, throughout this process go like like,
let's go. Sometimes we've got to be very selective. And you know that's
always been a part of our model of selecting the right players. And now
it's even more of a challenge because you're gonna have to select more and make
sure you're getting the right guys to fit your culture. But you know,
you know, we we have to go, you know, and until we
know what's going on, you got to continue to recruit a lot of guys.
Are you confident whatever the model looks like that Kentucky is willing to invest
in in football in this post scholarship women, everybody else, we have no
choice. You have no you have no choice. You want to compete in
this league, you got to do it. And and that's part of you
know, you know again what what we have to do. You know,
you know again once again, you could exist. You can just hang around
and you know, you could leave, you know what I mean, or
you can continue to invest more and and it's it's super important, you know.
And uh, you know, you know the SEC says it just means
more, right, Well, and so well, we need to we need
to continue to pour into it. And I continue to ask for help.
I mean, you know, if there's one thing that's weighing me down,
it's it's it's raising money, you know, and and uh and that's just
a lot of work. But it's a lot of pressure, you know.
Uh, these guys deserve it. And uh, you know I have the
way to be you know, find a way to be creative and continue to
work at it to raise funds and and uh, you know I need some
help, you know, I need some help in that area, desperately.
This is your what is a twelfth year you've been coming to this event.
You had a plan when you got to Kentucky, won a lot of games,
bowl games. Has this been what you had envisioned for this program?
I know you're not satisfied, But in terms of how you hoped it would
unfold, I don't know. You know, if you ever go back that
far, you know, you start with that plan, and you know you
have to have a good plan. And like I said many times, you
got to have good instincts too, so you know, you don't you know,
you have to alter and adjust and be adaptable or you're not going to
survive. You know, you're going to be irrelevant. And so I think,
you know, again, I don't want to dismiss the great things that
we've done, the good things that we've done and made a lot of growth,
and you know, and you know Tony or Susan told me, is
that. You know, like if you look at twenty eighteen, I mean,
there were worth most wins in the conference. I mean it's not nothing.
You know, do we want more? Does the fans want more?
Absolutely, Let's continue to work. We'll continue to do our part, Let's
continue to invest and we'll do that. And again the consistency, you know,
again, it's not nothing going to h straight Bowl games. I mean
there's there's eight teams that have done that. There's two teams that have been
in our league besides us that have done it, and I think Oklahoma would
be the third, but have been in the SEC. It's a challenge.
You know, there's some great institutions that have gone through some ups and downs,
and you know, you know, we've been very stable. I just
want to continue to grow these three guys. Why did you select them?
What have they done with this program? And what do you see them doing
this season? Why bring these guys? It's the leadership, you know,
it's you know, they're very good football players. That speaks for itself,
but it's the leadership, you know, and in the growth that they've made,
and we need them to continue to be leaders. They know. You
know, what we talk about is doing doing things right first. You know,
you can't influence others unless you're handling your business and doing that at high
level. These guys do that, and then they impact their teammates, they
impact their room, their position groups, and ultimately they affect our team.
And when they're doing that, then they deserve that honor to be here.
And you know that comes with a price. They got to continue to stay
consistent. They got to continue to be effective in the difficult moments and lead
our team. And that's what I expect out of them. That's the UK
coach. He gave way to the players and a first way here from Dion
Walker, who got a lot of attention down here. As you might expect,
a preseason All Conference, preseason All American and he is one of the
big hopes for the Wildcats on defense literally and figuratively, and we'll hear from
him on the other side of the break here on The Big Blue Sider six
thirty WLA. We welcome back to The Big Blue Insider from Dallas. Dick
Gabriel with you as we wrap up media day coverage the Wildcats appearing yesterday at
the Omni Hotel. Three players chosen by Mark Stups. Dion Walker was pretty
obvious. He's good with the media. He loves talking to people, and
he talked about what it meant to him to be chosen. It's a lot,
but you know, it's a great opportunity. Great to be selected by
coach Stoops for this, you know, great to be here with my two
other teammates, de Eric Jackson and Marcus Cox. Is this great opportunity and
I'm trying to make the best out of it. This time of year,
we're out here talking about expectations and big picture things. But you've been very
adamant all off season that you're being processed focused. So what does that look
like for you on a day to day basis to get ready for the season.
Just getting extra work in whenever I can, you know, whether it
be conditioning, another lift, some field work, just in the in our
mean rooms, going over plays from last year, just trying to get those
mental reps, trying to get my body right for the season. Are you
close to where you want to be? Do you feel like you will be
prepared when it comes? Yeah? You know, I'm working every day towards
my goal. Yeah. And there's so much preseason talk about you all conference
teams, this and that, and I know right now it's just talk.
But do you carry that weight those expectations. I wouldn't say that. No.
I don't really look at all of that, you know, especially the
preseason stuff. You know, I might take a look or two for the
postseason, you know, but preseason, I really don't care about it.
I'm just focused on my team and focused on Week one. So you've already
run the gonge on Radio Row and you've got more ahead of you as we
speak. But what's your message about Kentucky football this year? You know,
we're experienced group. You know, we got a lot of guys on our
defensive side of the ball. We got some great receivers, a great running
back, great quarterbacks, you know, great offensive line. So I feel
like we're a real experience team. This group is really talented when it comes
to being able to stop the run. What do you do in this offseason?
Try to add some extra juice to that pass rush, you know,
just working footwark, just working our reactions, working on our hip flips everything,
you know, just working on how to transition from around block to a
past block. You know, just a bunch of little things because we were
there a bunch of times and just missed by a little bit. So is
there anybody in that and maybe not just defensive line room, but also the
edge that can really be a difference maker in the past us. You know,
we got a bunch of guys, you know, uh JJ Weaver,
he's really stepped up his game, Octavius Oxendine, Khlil Saunders has made a
big jump as well. But then we even got some freshman with Gerard and
Jacob Smith. You know, b rob Bryan Robinson. He's a big guy.
But we can on or I can tell that he's getting it down.
Do you feel like you're gonna like a national champion All American and pops over
there in defense? What's he added to the room? And on the field
with you guys, I feel like he adds a bunch of maturity. You
know, we already are mature group, you know, with dear Eric and
a bunch of them, but he adds a lot more experience and of somebody
who's already been there, you know. So he's a great addition to the
team because of the injury situation. Do you feel like you're gonna have to
play some nose this year? And who are some other guys maybe you expect
to step up there? You know, I'm prepared to play anything, you
know, you know, Bacon move meet around however they want I play,
well nine, I can go drop back again. But yeah, you know,
I'm prepared to play nose, d h the field in boundary and I
don't care. But we also got a bunch of guys Khalil Saunders, big
Key, Shawn Silver, even Trayvon Ripker, like all of them. They
can play wherever like. And that's one big thing that we've been working on
with our d line coach ste just being able to place anybody anywhere, not
having any type of drop off when you drop back against Florida, and that
turned into an interception that could not have worked that much better, obviously.
How much do you think about that play? Did you run it back and
watch it a few extra times? Yeah, at least a couple hundred,
you know, But yeah, you know, because all I remember is begging
Coach White to call the play during that time out. I hit him.
Then all I see is Trevor running down the sideline. I'm jumping up and
down by the fifty. Then I'll run over there, Like I told you,
coach, you know what against Florida, that big hit in the backfield
a couple of years ago kind of announced you to college football. I don't
know what it is about Florida, but do you feel like that's just kind
of got your rolling? Yeah? I feel like that was really my welcome
to college moment, you know, show them that I really have a chance
to be great. You know. So I feel like that helped a lot.
Coach said that you were chosen for this role because of your work ethic
and your willingness to be a leader. Assume you embrace all of that pretty
heartily, don't you. I say I do, But I still have a
bunch of room for growth. I really, more so, I was trying
to be a leader on the field, lead by example, you know,
still not really talkative because I was more introverted this year. I'm really trying
to work on being more outspoken and being a leader more off the field as
well, in the classroom or just making sure everybody's where they need to be.
That's Kentucky d lineman Dion Walker. Up next, offensive lineman Marcus Cox.
More to come from Dallas here on the Big Boon Sider six thirty Welcome
back to the Big Boon Sider in Dallas side of SEC media days. Marcus
Cox made the trip down with Mark Stoops and a couple of his teammates,
and he was resplendent, decked out for the most part in all black,
and he talked about why that was the color scheme. Hecky choice, Yeah,
huh, I love love. My favorite shade is black. So like
there was no brainer about to suit. So I don't got no black suit
yet. So this is a perfect opportunity, a good one. How excited
are you to be here and what what do you want to share about the
offensive line at a proud position group of Kentucky, but one that is still
trying to get back to that standard. Yeah, it's an honor to be
here. That's my first time doing media day, so it's a new experience
for me, and as far as an officer line, we come in with
expectation to do great things. This year. We got a lot of experience
with me and Eli coming back and then Jerald coming in, Jagger also returning,
and Deal and played a little bit, played a lot last year,
so we got a lot of experience and a lot of expectations from coach Doukes
from to be really good this season. Brock Vandergrove adds a running element to
that offense. How much can does it change anything for you all at all?
With a guy that can move around back there quarterback, the only thing
that changes, Like sometimes you want to want him to hand the ball off
instead of pulling it and vice versa. But it don't really change nothing for
us. Our job is to be able to run the ball whoever has it.
At the end of the day, they rely on us to get the
blocks open and open up the holes for them to make creases down the field.
Marcus, there was so much talk in spring about the communication part on
offense transitioning to no huddle, getting them plays in how much can you work
on that in the summer and informal situations. I'm a confident I guess you
feel in this. We've been working on it all summer. We've been doing
it since we got back in June. We do OTAs over Tuesday and Thursdays
and all July then player less so been led by Brock bo me Eli.
We all come together to help out with that communication piece, and everything is
one in the pre snap, so we try to communicate its most in the
pre snap and before the place happens. See significant progress from the spring,
Uh, Yeah, it's definitely need reps, Definitely need repetition. It's new
to everybody, so with those reps just being more critical because these are reps
that go and carry over into the season. What kind of an additional burden
on your conditioning as a unit? Well, the faster tempo place, because
you gotta get down the field and get it going. Yeah. Man,
it's just gonna have to get it rolling. Once we're rolling, we rolling.
You know, office of lineman don't usually like the run, but we
don't really care. Whatever we gotta do to make the team go and whatever
we gotta do to have the team win. De younge gets a ton of
hype. Didn't you take all offense of that this offensive liman? No,
not really. It brings light to us. We block him every day,
So getting the opportunity to show what he could do and also be able to
get better in practice with him is a huge opportunity for us, and I'm
I'm excited for him that I'm excited for what season we could have. So
you you are a guy who has to face him all the time. So
is the hype worth it? What makes him so challenging to go up against?
See how big he is, that's one challenge, and he's fast,
so therefore it's like it's really hard. Sometimes it's really frustrating going against him.
But after like practice, we always talk about how how I could help
myself and what he could do to help himself. So I tell him what
what's going on, like what I see, and then vice versa, so
like tips on the stands and little little things that I don't notice, he
noticed and vice versa. So it's definitely a great opportunity. Running backs room
is a question mark from your vantage point, what should people know about the
running game this year? Go and run the ball? Playing and simple.
You got the people to make that happen effectively. Yeah, I mean we
got Chip, we got Demy, we got Patterson, We got great running
backs old and young, so it doesn't matter who's going to have the ball,
just going running Marcus with adding Jaylen and Gerald. How much more depth
do you feel like this offensive line has compared to last year season, Like
you guys are eight or nine deep. Yeah, we definitely got more depth.
We got more opportunities for more people to play, more opportunities for people
to show what they could do. I've got total faith in our online room
and whoever's up at the line blocking this year, it doesn't matter. We
all want to take care of it because we all need each other. You
were a guy who was not here the last time Coach Wolf was here or
having experienced him for the first time this spring. How much of a difference
is it in coaching style and that offensive one. Yeah, coach will very
intense. He demands a lot out of you, but you're going to get
better at football at the end of the day. He demands a lot.
We push you every day. He don't want you to feel lazy or I
don't want to don't want you to be lazy nor I can't find a word
complacent, Thank you, lazy nor complacent. So every day we started to
get better, one percent better. And he's real intense, but I love
it for asking this question. UK football was built on what they called the
Big Blue Wall. A couple of years ago. The Big Blue Wall was
a sieve. It got better last year. How much is on you guys
on that offensive line to bring that wall back because this team doesn't win unless
you guys can run the football period. Yes, sir, it's it's a
huge. It's it's huge to us in the Old line room. We talk
about it every day. We talk about that's the standard where the legends before
us with like Drake Jackson landon young Canard. No, I'm taking under winner
corner. Yes, that's my boy. But the old line legends before us
and land the foundations for us. So we take that really personable and that's
our standard and we can't be playing lower than that. They Aaron talked about
the death last year. You had some injuries and guys had to move around.
I know Ray he can do a little bit of guards. Yeah,
farmer, he can play a lot of stuff. So is it. Is
it imperative that you all have a set five a strong five or is it?
Does it? Can it still work if guys are cross training and doing
different positions. Yeah, definitely want to cross train because you never know what
can happen during the season might need you to do, like play right guard
instead of left guard and vice versa. At the end of the day,
I do think coach Wolf does a good job to preparing us for those situations
and preparing euth for the season that comes ahead. That you're one of the
most experienced college football players, one of the most experienced off of tolignement in
the SEC. Right, what's on slate for you to season? What are
some of the goals that you've talked about with coach Wolford this offseason and also
the strength staff to get ready for this this year. Yeah. One of
my biggest things with flexibility and my lower half. With battling some injuries in
my career, I wasn't really able to work on my lower half, but
this off season has been one of my key points. Also my flexibility.
I've been doing pilates for the past three weeks, so something to keep on
continuing to do throughout the season and this summer and training camp is hard?
Is it hard? I don't want to talk about it, but now it's
definitely challenging. It helps you find all your little muscles and the muddle,
the l the the little muscles that you don't use often. It helps you
find those and it helps you control your breathing and build your lung capacity.
How big is that just for getting leverage? Oh, it's it's definitely different.
I'm tryna trying to translate it to the field. I'm working on that
with the OTAs and the pilates and everything, so it's it's still a transition.
I'm still working on it, but it's going really well right now.
Are you doing it with any of your teammates? Uh? Yeah, me,
Chip and Courtland Ford right now, I'm trying to get more people into
it. I'm working on that as the season go on. How did you
guys come up with the idea to do that? Uh? I'm real stiff
and like I just need I s for myself. I needed a place to
go to actually go and actually get stuff done and stretch and have somebody that's
like watching over me and teaching me different things and teaching me different methods.
So I just looked did a lot of research and looked into it and reached
out to a couple of studios and Lexington, and honestly they got me in
Yo. God. Next, next, I say, I like pilates a
little bit more. I try yoga. It's too quiet for me. Look
at least with the pilates you can hear the machines and little stuff like that.
But yogat a little bit too quiet, quiet for me and sometimes get
a little bit too hot. So it's not my cup of tea. Does
any of the guys bust you up for doing a Housewives workout? No?
I mean they can't do it. So it's challenging, man, it's not.
It's not. It's not easy. It's not. For the week I
found out different parts of my body is weaker than then you think. But
I'll be squadding four hundred pounds and moving away and moving people. So you
like, how can how can this little exercise be that determined how strong I
am? But it's definitely challenging, it's definitely new, so it's it's definitely
fun too. So what's it like for you being a starting left left tackle
on the sec going up against some of the best pass rushers in all of
college football weekend and weekend. There's a blessed opportunity. I don't take nothing
for granted. I love every opportunity I get to play these amazing players and
amazing pass rushers and amazing defenses in our league, and I love the opportunity.
I just can't wait for another opportunity to play against him. Did you
mention Courtland Ford? How was he doing? Because he's on the other side,
which he never played before till last year's he's do you see improving in
him? You see him getting better? Uh? Yeah, he's definitely getting
better. He moving really well right now. He's doing everything he needed to
do. At the end of the day, he keep on improving. He's
going to be really great for us. That's Marcus Cox and up next year.
Jackson, the veteran linebacker for the last two seasons, is led Kentucky
and tackles. That's on the way here on the Big Bluing Sider six.
Starting back to the Big Bluing Sider from Dallas side of the SEC media days,
where the Eric Jackson joined two of his teammates and as head coach to
talk to the media, and he's always been a decent interview, but he's
always been kind of quiet and gave way to his buddy and one of his
best friends, running made At linebacker Trevin Wallace, who was much more hot,
going and talkative Carolina Panthers of the NFL over in Charlotte, so d
Jack getting more of the spotlight front and center. But he talked about the
fact that he's coming out of his show, just been at this event,
really a dream come true. I used to watch it when I was growing
up, and just coming on my show, I got that from my old
coach summer. He's made me y'all know the store and made me walk down
the hallways talking to everybody. So just getting I love it. So could
you have imagined as a freshman being the guy who comes in and speaks for
the team like this, not as a firstman. I only think I'll be
able to do it. I've been stuttering and doing all kinds of stuff.
So you said previously that you're dedicating this season to your grandmother, So what
about her made her so special to you in your life and why you want
to dedicate your season there? Because she I grew up basically she kind of
raised me and just being with her all the time, just seeing how she
fought through a lot of adversity through her whole life, through sickness and stuff,
and always helped teaching me to keep God first. And that's one thing,
main thing that I always keep with me, keeping God first and just
keeping her in my mind every every snap of every snap this year, every
workout, every rep, just keeping her in my mind. Do you fix
plenty of that when you tore your achilles? H How challenging was that and
is that something that you have to keep in your mind to continue pushing forward?
Honestly, I think I don't think it was a challenge for me.
It was just more of a mindset switch, just switch my mindset of like
Okay, I gotta work through this, get through this. And just going
back on my grandma, I've seen her go through a lot of stuff,
so I'm like when I talk to her, she was like, you know
what you gotta do? And uh, I prayed and got back right.
Some would tell a story about how you camp for an offer. Was it
true you actually camped out in a car on the trip up? Is that
right? Yeah? Me and my dad had drove up in the middle of
that night and I came to camp, slept in the call, and came
out. Did good at camp. Gave me my offer and I took it
and around with it worked out fairly. Awall, You've led the team the
last couple of years and tackles. Uh. I gotta think that you want
to be more of a leader on the field as well, especially with Trevin
John You're running baby mm yeah, just on Trevling, that's my boy.
I was just playing the game last night. I was just testing them.
But yeah, just been a better leader, just helping everybody. I feel
like I was a good leader last year. Y'all just didn't see it,
but I f I feel like it has just been a better leader. Has
it been weird not having Treven? And how is it? How's it like
warning to play alongside of the guy. I don't thinking it haven't been weird
because we talked to each other to day, still to this day, but
just playing playing beside like different players. EM I mean it's different in that
aspect, but I think it's been good. Just just been good. That's
kind of like helping me out of my leadership, helping me grow as a
leader too. Is it one of those things where you kind of gotta get
reps to know where they're gonna be, or it's your job, You do
your job and they'll do theirs. I think it's more of everybody just do
their job and we'll be streat How excited are you and how different is it
coming into this season this year with no injuries on healthy? I think I
think it was very excited. I think it was one of my first years
just coming in just healthy and ready to go and just ready to go wins
games. What can you tell the fans about Pops? So now he's gonna
add to the back seven. I think he bring a lot of He bring
a winning mentally like we've been pract to sometime he'd be like, hell,
they call me DJ. He'll be like, DJ, you've seen this doesn't
And I'd be like, yeah, Like we see stuff certain ways, but
he said a different way. And just bringing like just the mentality that he
bring, winning, winning culture and all that Georgia Penis or Georgia Peaches Peaches.
Last season, Kentucky defense had its best performance against the run and Mark
Stuke's tenure. Did you put some of that on ice for this season?
Are you able to best that from last year old that you guys have been
talking about collectively of just continuing to improve on that rush defense. Yeah,
we just improve on every aspect of about defense. I think the rust defense
is strong one. We just gotta keep working and building on that and keep
working on it. How about a defense that when you build you start with
a guy like Dion. I mean that's a huge plus, literally, is
it. Yeah, it is a huge plus. Just seeing that guy in
front of me are probably be like, oh, yeah, I know,
he gonna make the play, so I can I need to get there for
he get done because he's gonna get the It's one thing to just be here,
but the games are what you're living for, right So is there any
extra excitement high pressure opening SEC play at home on ABC, uh against South
Carolina and then against Georgia. I think I think right now we really just
focus on I'm focused on camp right now, just getting through camp, getting
better at camp, and getting ready for something missed. But the SEC I'm
ready for it too. You know, it's always a big height with the
SEC. I think it's the best conference in the world. So can you
talk a little bit about your defensive line and how much they help you,
especially if Dion Trevor some of those big monsters who are taking up all the
blockers and giving you those alleyways to run through. I think they they should
get all the credit for everything that that go through is our defense, cause
without them we would be nothing if we have no good d line. But
so I think they get all the credit for me. I hope y'all watch
him. Alex Afari's done a little bit of dB, He's done a little
bit of linebacker. What does he have to to learn to be able to
play linebacker in this defense? I think for Alex this is his first year
coming to two inside linebackers. I think it's more more just getting his eyes
right. I Once he get his od's right, he he's gonna be He's
gonna be that in this guy up during spring practice and what you're saying,
table, what did you see from the other corners across the field, from
Max and and the saw especially Jansen done? And then I didn't d J
Waller. I think all of them rook real hard just to get they'll get
coach trust to get them to play. They already got my trust so,
but I think I think they'll be good. I think we're gonna be all
right. Last we're gonna get market your personal goals going into the season,
their personal goals, personal goals. I feel like me coming to this season,
I feel like all the accolades and all that will come me is basically
just really running about us winning, just winning more games and try to win
every game. But it's more of that and kind of just showing that I
that people kind of people be saying that I can't run. I don't know
why, but but just show that I can run a little bit. That's
Derek Jackson. Next week I'll be off. It'll be the best of the
big blon Sider. We're talking a lot of football and basketball of course,
and then back in August for a look ahead at the season. As I
said, Media Day is August second, Fan Days August third, and the
season opener will be here before we know it. Thanks for joining us.
That's it. Good night from Dallas. Tonight, on Texas Deathmatch, Doctor
Hillbilly versus the iron Yuppie, one man will actually be unmasked and killed in
the ring. Well, I hope they killed that iron YUPPI thinks he's so big