WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.439 Welcome to the Big Blu. Insider Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:06.280 on a Friday edition of our program, just ahead of 3 00:00:06.519 --> 00:00:08.960 game day Kentucky Ole Miss the game you will hear 4 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:13.439 tomorrow at noon kickoff at eleven am local time. Everybody 5 00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:15.960 keeps talking about, oh, it's at eleven am, eleven am 6 00:00:16.039 --> 00:00:18.920 local time. Those of us who are going on the team, 7 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:23.960 the coaches, media, our bodies will remain on Eastern Time, 8 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:27.160 so I never worry about stuff like that. They might 9 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:29.879 worry about it down there. They're used to it though. 10 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:33.200 They have noon Eastern time games, which of course they 11 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:35.920 are always for them at eleven am, but they'll just 12 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.880 crank up the grove a little earlier and count on 13 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:41.920 their high octane team to get it done. Mark Stoops 14 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:45.840 is counting on his defense to handle that high octane offense, 15 00:00:45.880 --> 00:00:48.320 and we'll get a chance to see if that happens. 16 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:52.320 Ten am is when our pregame Eastern Time is when 17 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:56.399 our pregame covered starts with Christy Thomas, Logan Stenberg and 18 00:00:56.520 --> 00:01:00.479 Jeremy Jarman, Tom Leach and Jeppecoro have it for you 19 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:03.240 along with yours truly down on the sideline as the 20 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:07.840 Wildcats take on those Ole Miss rebels. It's gonna be 21 00:01:08.599 --> 00:01:12.359 a lot like the last several games you've seen with 22 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:14.879 Kentucky and Old Miss, especially the one down there two 23 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:17.319 years ago where All Miss kind of came in. I 24 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:19.680 won't say they blew the doors off the Wildcats, but 25 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:22.959 they set them back. They were up at one point, 26 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:26.799 nineteen to six. But you might recall that Kentucky completely 27 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:29.640 turned the game around in the second half. The defense 28 00:01:29.640 --> 00:01:32.840 gave up only three points in the second half. Now 29 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:36.760 that of course was the margin. But the Wildcats, again 30 00:01:36.920 --> 00:01:39.599 we've talked about this this week, put to go ahead 31 00:01:39.640 --> 00:01:43.400 touchdown on the board with not a lot of time left, 32 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:47.799 but lost it because of a penalty and then another 33 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:52.840 fumble and the game was over. But Kentucky basically stunk 34 00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:56.159 it up in the first half and at halftime regrouped 35 00:01:57.480 --> 00:02:01.359 played extremely well in the second half. This Ole Miss team, 36 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:03.599 I think, is better than that one. So what I'm 37 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:06.400 telling you is Kentucky can't afford to get behind too far. 38 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:09.360 I mean, they might get behind early, but they can't 39 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:12.800 let Old Miss get too far away because it's going 40 00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:14.639 to be tough to catch up. This is an Old 41 00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:17.560 Miss team that has a pretty good defense, maybe the 42 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:21.360 best defense that Lane Kiffin has had since he's been there. 43 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:27.240 Now Kentucky knows what to expect. They've studied all kinds 44 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:30.120 of video. They looked at the bizarre numbers. But how 45 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:34.680 do you duplicate the Old Miss attack in practice with 46 00:02:34.759 --> 00:02:37.319 a scout team, Well, it's impossible. We heard Brad White 47 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:40.840 talk about it earlier this week. Mark Stoops talked about 48 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:44.319 just the real challenge of this Old Miss offense. 49 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:50.400 You know, the first thing with their tempo. Obviously that 50 00:02:50.439 --> 00:02:53.360 creates a lot of stress. Then you put the tempo 51 00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:57.560 in there with what they do, with how balanced they are. 52 00:02:57.639 --> 00:03:01.199 They're committed at running the football, and then the RPOs 53 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:05.159 off of it, and you know Jackson Dart, you know, 54 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:08.639 running this offense now and being so comfortable with it. 55 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:10.479 They put a lot of pressure on you. 56 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:11.400 In the run games. 57 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:13.680 You have to play with numbers, and then the RPOs 58 00:03:13.719 --> 00:03:16.199 are there, and then of course their play action and 59 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:18.919 the steps of plays they're they're just well designed. They 60 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:19.840 just stress you. 61 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:22.560 As I said a minute ago, Ole Miss jumped ahead 62 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:25.919 of Kentucky last year and then got further and further ahead, 63 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:28.520 But the Wildcats were able to catch up well this 64 00:03:28.759 --> 00:03:34.560 ole Miss offense, especially Stoop said behind Jackson Dart, you 65 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:37.159 can't afford as a defense, you got to be ready 66 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:40.120 every play. You cannot afford to even blink or they 67 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:41.759 will run right by you. 68 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:44.520 You know, that's that's a that's a big deal because 69 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:46.599 you have to do it. They put pressure on you 70 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:50.680 every every play, and you know, we have to have 71 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:54.879 consistency in that. You know, we've had these before where 72 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:56.599 we played in these games and you play a lot 73 00:03:56.599 --> 00:04:00.240 of snaps good, but I think that's part of what 74 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:02.400 they do. And they want explosives and they want to 75 00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:04.439 put that constant pressure on you. And that's where we 76 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:06.759 got to be just dialed in and locked in at 77 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:09.879 all times because the moment you're not, they're gonna they're. 78 00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:11.800 Gonna hit you in the big It's gonna be up 79 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:14.199 to the Kentucky defensive line, of course, to keep Jackson 80 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:17.759 Dart from getting too comfortable. This guy's put up video 81 00:04:17.800 --> 00:04:21.279 game numbers so far, admittedly against a week's schedule, but 82 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:26.720 ole Miss has a lot of transfers, including most of 83 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:30.279 the starting twenty two new players on the offensive line, 84 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:34.800 and they're pretty good. Kentucky defensive line has to win 85 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:37.519 that battle, and Dion Walker said, we have got to 86 00:04:37.560 --> 00:04:40.519 get to the quarterback. We can't let him get too comfortable. 87 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:43.759 I feel like we got you know, we got a 88 00:04:43.759 --> 00:04:46.720 great pass rush in the defensive line. You know, we 89 00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:51.560 made great strides and just to alleviate the pressure off 90 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:55.519 of our dvs, off of our back end. Just getting 91 00:04:55.560 --> 00:04:57.199 to them a fight in the past, get them off 92 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:58.959 the spot is going to help them out. 93 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:02.720 Now if anything bad quote unquote does happen to the Wildcats, 94 00:05:02.759 --> 00:05:06.199 of course, Walker said the entire team has to be 95 00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:09.759 like defensive backs. I always talking about how dbacks have 96 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:13.720 short memories. Walker said, everybody has to be that way. 97 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:16.879 If you make a mistake, something happens, you just got 98 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:17.360 to move on. 99 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:18.759 No matter what they do. 100 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:22.240 It's that's as first. Don't that they make a good play, Okay, 101 00:05:22.759 --> 00:05:24.399 had them on their back to get up. You're ready 102 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:27.000 for nice player. You know that We've got to have 103 00:05:27.079 --> 00:05:32.199 an exploy mentality or or if we don't, then I'm 104 00:05:32.199 --> 00:05:32.839 down to the dumps. 105 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:33.199 This way. 106 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:35.279 Next thing, you know, they make a forty yard games, 107 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:37.600 then twenty and then next thing, you know, their story. 108 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:39.759 He just got to have an exploy mentality and not. 109 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:40.759 Get down in the dumps. 110 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:43.839 Some of the Kentucky veterans have been to Oxford before 111 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:47.079 they know what they're getting into. But anytime you go 112 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:50.639 on the road in the SEC, it's a hostile environment. 113 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:54.560 And Zion Childress said he's actually looking forward to it. 114 00:05:54.680 --> 00:05:58.240 I love that because I say, I said, he shows 115 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:00.519 what you really are made of. You know, in the 116 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:03.399 times are adverse times, tough times, you fall on your 117 00:06:03.480 --> 00:06:06.000 level of training. And so we'll see how disciplined we 118 00:06:06.040 --> 00:06:08.560 are and see how prepared we are and how much 119 00:06:08.600 --> 00:06:10.839 will you know lean on Coach White. 120 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:14.040 You know, Zion has been playing his best football as 121 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:17.879 a Kentucky Wildcat, but he knows Ole Miss has been 122 00:06:17.879 --> 00:06:21.199 playing some of the best football in the SEC so far. 123 00:06:21.800 --> 00:06:25.480 And as I said, video game numbers, which I don't 124 00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:29.959 care who you're playing against, that's impressive. And as Children's 125 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:32.959 pointed out, wild Cats can't let that happen to them. 126 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:35.680 Offenses don't average six hundred yards a game. You know, 127 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:39.360 that's something that's abnormal. So we just want to be 128 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:41.519 able to you know, see that, Okay, cool, Now what 129 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:44.600 can we do to limit those those players? And so 130 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:46.759 we'll be ready. I think Coach White and the Estaff 131 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:48.680 has done a great Chompion. It's pre pare for practically 132 00:06:48.920 --> 00:06:51.839 flown around in these past two days. So really excited 133 00:06:51.879 --> 00:06:53.199 for the opportunity. 134 00:06:52.759 --> 00:06:55.399 At Zion Childrens and the player comments come to us 135 00:06:55.439 --> 00:07:00.759 courtesy of Jeff Drummond and Cats Illustrated. And by the way, 136 00:07:00.839 --> 00:07:03.920 I said Zion was playing his best football as a Wildcat. 137 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:09.399 His numbers back that up. He has fifteen unassisted tackles 138 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:13.399 that leads the team through four games, two assisted for 139 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:18.079 total of seventeen. He has five five tackles for loss. 140 00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:21.879 He is leading the team by a wide margin. Trayvon 141 00:07:21.959 --> 00:07:25.879 ripkez next with two and a half. Zion also has 142 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:30.319 a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. 143 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:33.279 Man is he playing pretty good football? De Eric Jackson 144 00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:38.319 leads the team with nineteen total tackles, eleven unassisted, eight assisted, 145 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:42.959 and one tackle for loss, three pass breakups. In case 146 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:46.720 you're wondering about Dion Walker, who has of course been 147 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:50.639 double team quite a bit, he has eleven total tackles, 148 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:55.519 two unassisted, nine assisted, and one tackle for loss as 149 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:58.879 well as a pass breakup. But again, he's the guy 150 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:02.759 who commands the double teams and that allows everybody else 151 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:05.120 to go out there and have fun. In case you're 152 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:09.920 wondering about sacks, JJ Weaver has two, Zion has one. 153 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:15.160 Didn't mention that Ribka with one. Maxwell Hairston won coming 154 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:18.199 on a corner blitz. Steven Soles Junior has a sack. 155 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:21.879 The Wildcats have a total of six. They've given up ten, 156 00:08:22.519 --> 00:08:27.120 so they need to improve on that number, preferably against 157 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:31.800 this Old Miss team. Kats have picked off four passes. 158 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:34.759 Of course, Maxwell had the one this past week for 159 00:08:34.919 --> 00:08:37.639 the pick six from twenty five yards out. So if 160 00:08:37.639 --> 00:08:40.799 they can improve on all these defensive numbers Market League 161 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:44.879 Saturday against Ole Miss, that'll slow down that rebel offense. 162 00:08:45.480 --> 00:08:48.840 When we come back, Oakland A's fans said goodbye to 163 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:50.960 their team. They said a lot more about the owner, 164 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:53.480 what a chief skate that and more Coming up at 165 00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:55.960 the bottom of the hour. Darren Hedrick joins us here 166 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:59.840 on the Big Moon Sider six thirty WLAP Welcome back 167 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:01.879 to Big Blue Insider. Coming up at the bottom of 168 00:09:01.960 --> 00:09:05.879 the hour. Darren Hedrick, who covers football, baseball and basketball 169 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:09.919 for the Wildcats, anchors our football scoreboard on game days. 170 00:09:10.120 --> 00:09:13.000 Of course, is the radio voice of UK baseball and 171 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:16.320 women's basketball, and every once in a while fills in 172 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:19.200 for Tom Leach on the radio. And he has also 173 00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:22.000 done a little bit of UK basketball for the SEC 174 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:25.919 streaming channels. So Darren well schooled and well versed in 175 00:09:25.960 --> 00:09:29.279 what we like to talk about here. Looking around the country, 176 00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:33.960 there was so much weird stuff out there, including a 177 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:39.559 comment on the CNBC Sport newsletter from Alec Sherman. That's 178 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:43.960 the title of it. Former CNN executive Jeff Zucker talked 179 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:49.679 about the what currently faces the industry TV and sports, 180 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:53.159 and he was asked about future investment opportunities in the 181 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:57.360 sports media space, and since he left CNN, he runs 182 00:09:57.399 --> 00:10:02.360 a joint venture between Redbird Capitol and International Media Investments. 183 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:04.360 I have no idea what those are what they do, 184 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:09.480 but what he said I thought was pretty fascinating, which 185 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:14.039 he believes is going to be the prospect of owned 186 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:19.480 and operated sports properties by media outlets. In other words, 187 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:24.639 networks will own the sports leagues in the future. I 188 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:27.080 don't know if it's the near future, but with all 189 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:32.600 these huge contracts that are being negotiated and spread among 190 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:35.639 all the different outlets both over the air, you know, 191 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:43.679 the conventional networks plus ESPN, cable streaming, Amazon, and you 192 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:49.120 could see at some point networks owning the sports leagues 193 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:53.600 networks ESPN owns most of the ballgames. People wonder why 194 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:58.440 there's so many ballgames. It gives ESPN programming, and programming 195 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:02.759 equals commercial sales, and commercial sales is how they stay alive. 196 00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:09.360 And again, John Skipper, the former head of ESPN, said 197 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:12.559 it famously a few years ago. He could see the 198 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:17.240 time when the Super Bowl is pay per view. Look, 199 00:11:17.399 --> 00:11:19.799 so many other things are pay per view. And by 200 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:21.639 that I mean, I don't mean remember when you get 201 00:11:21.639 --> 00:11:23.600 the box and you have to call a number and 202 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:26.320 give them a credit card number, that kind of thing. Well, 203 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.519 what you're doing now if you have to sign up 204 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:32.360 for Peacock or Paramount to get sporting events that you 205 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:35.720 want to watch, that's pay per view and more and 206 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:38.679 more of it's coming. So much big money out there, 207 00:11:38.679 --> 00:11:41.799 and in fact, that's what killed the Oakland A's, or 208 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:43.720 I should say the A's in Oakland. Now they're going 209 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:47.159 to be the Sacramento A's for a while. And allegedly 210 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:49.759 we'll get a new stadium in Las Vegas. There are 211 00:11:49.799 --> 00:11:53.639 people who believe that that won't happen. But the A's 212 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:57.879 last night played their last game apparently in Oakland, beating 213 00:11:57.879 --> 00:12:01.639 the Texas Rangers three to two, and national media all 214 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:05.639 over John Fisher, the owner, who was being accused of 215 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:09.759 greed and a lot more, and Jeff Passing, the great 216 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:12.840 baseball writer said he tweeted it the A's were killed 217 00:12:12.919 --> 00:12:15.399 by greed. Do not allow the people responsible for this 218 00:12:15.720 --> 00:12:19.399 to spin it any other way. He said, John Fisher 219 00:12:19.399 --> 00:12:22.480 did not have to move the team, and he accused 220 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:27.279 Major League Baseball's owners and commissioner of being complicit in it. 221 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:30.480 He said this was a choice of wrong, one history, 222 00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:35.840 will sneer and one woman, a fan held up a 223 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:41.559 sign and said, today there is crying in baseball, and 224 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:45.000 here's an odd one for you. The play by player 225 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:51.320 one of the announcers for the Oakland A's female, Jenny Kavner, 226 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:55.320 a former WKYT intern from way back in the day. 227 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:59.720 How about that? And sadly she signed off along with 228 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:06.120 Dallas Braden. The last game in Oakland forty A's football 229 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:09.720 last night again on Amazon you know Amazon Prime, so 230 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:13.360 you basically had to pay to see that. Giants gave 231 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:16.919 the Cowboys a good run but fell short. Once again. 232 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:21.600 Wandale Robinson had a huge game eleven catches and naturally, 233 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:24.840 Corey Price had a great stat He's our statistician on 234 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:28.759 the UK Network. Most receptions in an NFL regular season 235 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:34.240 game by a former UK player. Wandale tied the mark 236 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:38.639 set by Let's see who did it first. Doug Kotar, 237 00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:44.240 UK starback in the early seventies played for the Giants, 238 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:48.039 had eleven back in nineteen seventy six. You got to 239 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:51.240 go to twenty oh three before Moe Williams did it 240 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:56.000 again for the Vikings. Jacob Tammy had eleven catches for 241 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:59.840 the Colts against Philly in twenty ten. I remember that 242 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:04.960 game same season, In fact, same day, November seven, twenty ten, 243 00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:09.679 Stevie Johnson had eleven for the Bills against the Bears. 244 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:14.360 Randall Cobb did it twice for my Packers, once in 245 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:19.000 twenty fourteen against the Bucks, once against the Bears in 246 00:14:19.080 --> 00:14:22.919 twenty sixteen, and now Wandal did it last night. Although 247 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:27.200 Wandell had a couple of plays where toward the end, 248 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:30.799 if he had hauled one in and held on to it, 249 00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:33.320 it would have kept the Giants alive, and he had 250 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.480 another catch where they needed a first down and he 251 00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:38.879 kind of I guess rounded off his route. He was short. 252 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:45.440 But still Daniel Jones had a big game last night. However, 253 00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:50.200 the critics will come after him again because they didn't win, 254 00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:55.200 and I'm not here to carry his mail. But he 255 00:14:55.320 --> 00:14:57.840 was twenty nine to forty for two eighty one one pick, 256 00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:01.080 no touchdowns. But for wow, there was he twenty one 257 00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:04.919 to twenty three. So he completed only his last eight 258 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:08.840 of seventeen or something like that. But still Giants were 259 00:15:08.919 --> 00:15:10.600 in the game. They just couldn't run the ball. Devin 260 00:15:10.679 --> 00:15:17.000 Singletary was their leading rusher fourteen carries twenty four yards. However, 261 00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:21.960 the Cowboys terrible past secondary. That's been the knock on 262 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:25.919 them all year. And Rex Ryan now says that he 263 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:29.679 would have been the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys, and 264 00:15:29.720 --> 00:15:31.879 he said I would have fixed that defense. In a 265 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:34.720 New York minute, of course he says that, but he 266 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:37.919 said they wouldn't pony up the money. He was on 267 00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:46.279 a podcast with Jack mckessey of USA Today and he 268 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:49.960 was ready to pull the trigger, but he said Jerry 269 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:53.440 Jones wouldn't pony up the money. Instead, I hired Mike Zimmer, 270 00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:56.240 who had been on the Cowboys staff from ninety four 271 00:15:56.279 --> 00:15:59.799 to six, was the Vikings head coach from fourteen to 272 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:04.120 twenty one, and then came back and the Cowboys d 273 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:08.879 secondary not great. Didn't look good. Last night, while we're 274 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:13.639 on NFL, Justin Fields fires a shot at the Bears, 275 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:17.320 the team that drafted him with the eleventh pick in 276 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:22.000 the twenty twenty one draft. He was on a podcast 277 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:25.639 with Steelers defensive a lineman Cam Hayward, and he asked 278 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:28.559 him to choose between the coaches on his current and 279 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:33.039 former team, and Field said, Pittsburgh, it's not even close. 280 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:36.960 And of course Fields is starting right now because Russell 281 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:41.120 Wilson is missing time with a calf injury. Kind of 282 00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:43.440 took the decision out of the hands of Mike Tomlin. 283 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:46.639 He's got a decision to make when Wilson's healthy. But 284 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:51.200 Justin Fields is completing seventy three point three percent of 285 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:55.360 his passes five hundred and eighteen yards, two touchdowns, one pick, 286 00:16:55.919 --> 00:17:00.240 and he has rushed for an additional ninety yards and 287 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:04.039 a touchdown. So Chicago media will have fun with that, 288 00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:06.119 but right now they don't care because they have CAITLEB. 289 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:09.240 Williams and they believe he is the answer to their 290 00:17:09.319 --> 00:17:14.319 quarterbacking problems. Maybe he is who knows up? Next Darren Hedrick, 291 00:17:14.359 --> 00:17:16.440 We'll talk to Darren about some of the great matchups 292 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:20.839 this weekend in college football, including Alabama and Georgia and 293 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:27.920 Washington visiting Rutgers in Biscataway, New Jersey, which is two thousand, 294 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:31.720 four hundred two air miles from Sea Tech International Airport. 295 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:35.400 The Huskies will travel more than four thousand miles to 296 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:39.279 play this game. That's ridiculous. Back with more of the 297 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:41.079 Big Blue Sider in just a minute here on six 298 00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:43.640 point thirty WLA. Welcome back to the Big Blue Sider, 299 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:45.839 joining us down a celebrity hotline as a guy who 300 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:48.599 can talk baseball, football and basketball because he does it 301 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:51.599 all for the UK Sports Network. That's Darren Hedrick. You're 302 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:56.200 gonna hear him tomorrow morning. Good morning on Kentucky Omen's 303 00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:00.160 football covers Darren. Of course, anchors are scoreboards, segments, the 304 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:04.240 radio voice of the baseball Wildcats, UK Women's basketball, and 305 00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:07.759 fills in for Tom LEAs occasionally with men's basketball. Let 306 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:11.400 me start with football, though, Darren, and unfortunately, well you know, 307 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:13.240 I don't I know, you don't mind getting up early 308 00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:17.720 but some of the best games you'll be previewing, including 309 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:21.079 Alabama Georgia. It is a big weekend, though, isn't it. 310 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:23.240 Yeah, it really is. 311 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:23.599 You know. 312 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.839 I think it's one of those weekends where George and 313 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:32.119 Alabama is obviously the premier game everybody's talking about. But 314 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:35.440 then you've got, obviously Kentucky and Old Miss, and it's 315 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:38.799 going to be another great opportunity for the Wildcats show 316 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:42.119 just how far this team has come from that South 317 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:45.200 Carolina game in terms of getting better, and we're going 318 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:47.599 to find out a lot about Old Miss too, because 319 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:50.559 you know, I guess you could say that Old Miss 320 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:53.759 has done exactly what elite teams are supposed to do 321 00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:56.880 against their competition, but still they in terms of the 322 00:18:56.920 --> 00:19:00.200 physicality and the talent, Kentucky will be by fall are 323 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.799 the best team they've played so far. 324 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:04.480 It will, But I also think that this is probably 325 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:09.079 Kiffin's best Ole Miss team. So that's what's going to 326 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:10.400 really make it interesting, isn't it. 327 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:12.200 Yeah it is. 328 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:15.680 Their offense is really explosive. Obviously a lot made about 329 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:20.799 Jackson Dart, but their skill position players are just phenomenal 330 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:25.200 explosive and on the defensive side, I think this. Like 331 00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:27.480 you said, this is one of the best teams that 332 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:30.599 Kiffin has put on the field from top to bottom. 333 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:34.480 So I'm really interested to Kentucky tomorrow. 334 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:38.000 Yeah, can they bounce back? You know, someone will make 335 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:41.000 a mistake somewhere, an ole miss will take advantage. But 336 00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:43.480 we heard earlier in the show from players and Mark 337 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:46.279 Stewps talking about how you just got to put that 338 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:48.559 behind you have a short memory and move on, which 339 00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:50.440 is easier said than done, isn't it. 340 00:19:51.640 --> 00:19:51.880 Yeah? 341 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:55.759 It is. And I think for me that probably the 342 00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:58.319 most critical part of the game is just going to 343 00:19:58.359 --> 00:20:01.519 be avoid the slow start. 344 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:03.680 Against Old Mitz because I. 345 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:07.279 Think the Rebels are averaging like eighteen points a game 346 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:11.599 in the first quarter, and they typically if they win 347 00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:14.519 the coin toss, they take the ball and they're looking 348 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:17.720 to put their opponent in an early hole. So you know, 349 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:21.640 Kentucky's got to start fast. But I heard Cole cuberle 350 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:24.720 At say something interesting on a radio show yesterday, and 351 00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:26.799 he talked about a lot of times when you have 352 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:32.319 these eleven am Central time kickoffs, the visiting team is 353 00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:37.759 almost at an advantage because these home teams the reward 354 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:40.039 is normally getting to sleep in your own bed or 355 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:43.759 at least a familiar hotel near campus. Right then you've 356 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:46.559 got to get up at five am. Whereas the road team, 357 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:50.680 they're used to weird or not weird, but different hotels 358 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:54.960 or unknown hotels, and they're sort of used to things 359 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:58.839 being out of the norm. And you know, Old Miss 360 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:02.480 is one of those pres precision offenses. They do a 361 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:06.920 lot of things with timing and precision routes and different things, 362 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.880 and sometimes that can be off in these early kickoffs. 363 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:12.319 That's a great point. I didn't even thought about that, 364 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:15.960 all right, Well that's something to hang on to. By 365 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:18.319 the way, this game Kentucky Ole Miss is one of 366 00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:22.559 like eight or nine noon kickoffs, so they're not the 367 00:21:22.599 --> 00:21:27.039 lone rang including Western Kentucky at Boston College at noon 368 00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:30.720 on the ACC network. But I tell you one of 369 00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:32.960 the ones I think is really intriguing, Daran, I know 370 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:36.839 you'll be keeping an eye on Maryland at Indiana, and 371 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:40.400 that's not something that we thought we would say ordinarily. 372 00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:44.319 And of course of covering football. Indiana is four and 373 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:47.039 oh and it was a new head coach guy who 374 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:50.920 came from Coastal and it includes a win at UCLA, 375 00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:53.640 so that is a real curious matchup. 376 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:57.759 I think, yeah, Indiana's surprised a lot of people and 377 00:21:57.880 --> 00:22:00.359 how good they've been so far this year, and they 378 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:05.039 certainly gave UCLA a rude welcoming into the Big Ten. 379 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:09.400 So yeah, in Indiana is a team that is an 380 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:14.000 intriguing matchup to watch. And of course Maryland. Maryland's kind 381 00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:15.920 of had it up and down the year, but hey, 382 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:20.759 they're still dangerous. But you're right about all these new kickoffs. 383 00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:23.519 I think everybody's just trying to get their game underweight 384 00:22:23.720 --> 00:22:25.519 and get out of the way so we can all 385 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:30.240 enjoy Georgia Alabama tomorrow night at seven thirty. But you know, 386 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:33.680 another matchup that's intriguing to me is Arkansas and Texas 387 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:36.680 A and M. Because Arkansas is just a couple of 388 00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:40.440 plays away from being undefeated right now. A and M 389 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:44.200 is a team that loses to Notre Dame at home. 390 00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:48.519 Notre Dame has proven to be a team that can 391 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:51.079 be up and down, and A and M themselves they 392 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:53.759 go to Gamesville and steamroll Florida and then they come 393 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:57.119 back and really struggle against Bolding Green out of the MAC. 394 00:22:57.319 --> 00:23:01.680 So that's an intriguing matchup for me, you know, what 395 00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:06.519 kind of how just how improved is this Arkansas team 396 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:09.359 because they host Tennessee and Fayetteville next weekend. 397 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:13.720 Yeah, there are all kinds of interesting matchups. Now, I 398 00:23:13.720 --> 00:23:15.480 don't know that this will be interesting, but at least we 399 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:18.480 can get a scouting report on Texas from Neil Price, 400 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:22.920 Mississippi State at Texas heading into Austin. But you mentioned 401 00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:26.400