WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:03.080 Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:05.679 on a Thursday edition of our program, as we take 3 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:09.000 one step closer to college football. We're going to chat 4 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:11.800 a lot of college football tonight. Coming up in our 5 00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:14.199 very next segment after the break, we'll hear from the 6 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:18.480 football Wildcats, they made them available to us earlier today. Also, 7 00:00:18.519 --> 00:00:21.359 we're going to chat with Walt Wells of EKU. The 8 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:25.359 Colonels open up with an SEC opponent at Mississippi State 9 00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:29.199 same Saturday that Kentucky opens up here in Lexington, and 10 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:32.200 then after that the Colonels the following week play at 11 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:35.880 Western Kentucky. So last year they opened up at Cincinnati 12 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.840 and then at Kentucky, and they'll do it again this 13 00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:42.119 season with a tough one to two punch before they 14 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:43.399 get into conference play. 15 00:00:43.719 --> 00:00:46.600 But you might recall last year EKA you crushed. 16 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:49.520 At U, saying on media day, Walt Wells admitted he said, 17 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:52.119 we got boat raced. But then we talk then and 18 00:00:52.119 --> 00:00:54.679 we'll talk tonight about how they turned things around in 19 00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:57.479 time to throw a scare into the Wildcats. So that's 20 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:00.320 coming up at the bottom of this hour, and our 21 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:02.679 number two we're gonna I'm sorry that's coming up in 22 00:01:02.759 --> 00:01:04.079 our number two with wal Wells. 23 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:06.959 Bottom of this hour, Corey Peters is going to join us. 24 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:08.439 He is one of the new. 25 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:12.480 Members of the UK Athletic Hall of Fame. So Corey 26 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:14.760 Peters coming up in just a few minutes, and then 27 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:18.719 leading off our number two wal Wells followed by Kim Shelton, 28 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:22.760 the new CEO of the Lexingingon Sporting Club professional soccer 29 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:26.640 here in Lexing and it's moving up a league starting 30 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:29.799 next season. And if you haven't been out Richmond Road 31 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:34.519 which turns into Athens Boonsboro Road, that huge construction project 32 00:01:34.760 --> 00:01:36.680 that's been going on for at least a couple of 33 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:39.760 years now, that's where the new seventy five hundred seat 34 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:44.159 stadium will be for LSC. So it's growing and it's 35 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:46.959 moving and it's all happening quickly, and we'll talk about 36 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:50.840 that coming up as well in our number two. We 37 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:54.200 talked last night with Sean Woods, the Unforgettable Guard, which 38 00:01:54.200 --> 00:01:57.200 we do every week, and we talked a lot about 39 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:01.120 the fact that players today, these kids today, but it 40 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:03.359 bothers me and it bothers him, and he's a former player. 41 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:07.159 I've covered the program since the mid seventies. But I 42 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:10.479 just it bothers me. And this is even before the 43 00:02:10.520 --> 00:02:14.879 portal and Ni Ellen all that players who come through 44 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:18.439 Kentucky not everybody, and of late, it doesn't seem like many, 45 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:23.120 if any, really appreciate They talk about tradition. But to them, 46 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:25.680 tradition is we want to hang a ninth banner. And 47 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:29.159 that's great. They know that obviously eight came before them, 48 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:34.879 but who did it? Most players don't really know unless 49 00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:38.120 that kid you're asking him about, that young man is 50 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:38.759 in the NBA. 51 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:40.439 They don't know. 52 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:44.439 About the great players who came before them. And if 53 00:02:44.439 --> 00:02:46.439 you're of a certain age, you'll shrug that off. It's 54 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:50.039 no big deal. But if you follow Kentucky basketball for 55 00:02:50.199 --> 00:02:53.759 much of your life, you might agree with me that 56 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:56.680 that's important. And I tease Cameron Mills all the time 57 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:59.520 about that because he knows a little bit, probably more 58 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:02.000 than you're a player. But to me, I don't think 59 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:05.360 he knows enough, especially given the fact that his dad played. 60 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:07.960 But I told him, I said I one day, I said, 61 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:09.520 I'm going to give you the media guy, or you 62 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:11.520 should take the media guy and just study it, open 63 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:14.120 it up and read it like a textbook. I bring 64 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:16.960 that up because Shawn and I also talked last night 65 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:20.560 as we often do, Sean being a former head coach 66 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:22.759 at the college level, and I got to think he'll 67 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:26.599 do it again. He's taking a sabbatical this year, but nil, 68 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:32.159 and he is so frustrated. Sean is by the recruiting process, 69 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:34.599 and it's what can you do for me? You know, 70 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:36.759 it's basically a bidding war for the top players. And 71 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:40.639 when you think about Shawn's level, you know where he coached, 72 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:44.039 he coached at Moorhead State, Mississippi Valley. The smaller schools, 73 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:47.919 he is having to re recruit guys coaches at that level, 74 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:52.360 and well, every coach really has to re recruit, but 75 00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:56.919 those kids that players who come through the smaller schools, 76 00:03:57.680 --> 00:04:00.120 you know, it's probably easier to lure them away. They 77 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:01.319 were just a little more money. 78 00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:03.240 You don't need to come up with a couple million 79 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:06.879 for players like that. So it's got coaches really in 80 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:07.919 an uproar right now. 81 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:09.520 And you feel for him, and you know what Mark 82 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:13.039 Stoops said about it, and he's been criticized for talking 83 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:17.040 about it. But Sean, by follow up, we had a 84 00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:20.519 conversation of via text. He sent me this clip off 85 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:25.800 of TikTok courtesy of DraftKings, which sponsors The Big Podcast. 86 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:29.439 That's Shaquille O'Neill's podcast. And Shaq was talking to his 87 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:33.439 former Orlando Magic teammate Penny Hardaway, now the head coach 88 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:36.879 at Memphis, and Memphis has got some deep pockets and 89 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:41.480 Penny has used them legally and some say illegally at times. 90 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:45.000 You know, they did get nailed by the NCAA back 91 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:48.920 before NIL and everything seemed like everything became legal. But 92 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:52.240 the bottom line is Penny Hardaway's facing the same issues 93 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:55.439 Mark Stoops is facing and he talked about it with 94 00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:58.600 Shaquille O'Neal and a possible solution. 95 00:04:58.680 --> 00:05:00.920 The kids, and he's in iol deal. How do you 96 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:02.639 as a coach, how do you deal with all these 97 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:05.399 agents and NIL players and all that stuff, because it's 98 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:06.480 kind of driving me crazy. 99 00:05:06.600 --> 00:05:09.079 It's very difficult because you gotta do it. We're in 100 00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:11.199 a world right now where it's happening. It's here, there's 101 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:12.879 nothing that we can do about it. It's survival of 102 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:14.920 the fittest. It's a whole thing now and it's not 103 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:17.000 about hooping anymore. Shaq, who knows what you would have 104 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:18.759 gotten from LSU coming out right now, they would have 105 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:20.319 been crazy numbers. But at the end of the day, 106 00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:23.199 think about now the foundation that we laid and even 107 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:25.399 the guys before us. For these young men, they're able 108 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:27.680 to get these type of numbers in NIL and it's 109 00:05:27.720 --> 00:05:29.560 just a part of the college life now, man. 110 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:30.240 And it's very. 111 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:32.279 Difficult because instead of talking to a guy about what 112 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:34.360 you can do for him from a basketball point of view, 113 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:36.160 of helping him become a young man to a man, 114 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:39.600 it's instantly talking about the number that everybody else is offering, 115 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:40.639 and what can you do? 116 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:43.959 You think we should have some type of NIL governing 117 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:46.120 body because the only thing I don't like about it is, 118 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:49.360 let's just say I took three hundred thousand from University 119 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:51.560 of Memphis and me and you don't get along. Now 120 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.199 I can go back in the portal and get some 121 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:55.439 new money. You think I should be able to say, Okay, 122 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:57.800 if you're gonna sign with Penny Hardaway and he gives 123 00:05:57.800 --> 00:05:59.600 you three hundred thousand, you at least got to stay 124 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:01.920 two or three. Do you think there needs to be 125 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:03.800 like an NIL governing body? 126 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:06.480 There should be a governing body because I think that 127 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:09.360 what's making that donors and the boosters around the country. 128 00:06:09.399 --> 00:06:11.759 Frown is because they could give a guy by six, seven, 129 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:13.680 eight hundred thousand and he could have the best year 130 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:15.759 of his life. But if someone offers him two million max, 131 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:16.439 sure he's gone. 132 00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:18.600 It's just that simple. 133 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:22.199 You could go anywhere anytime, it seems, for any amount 134 00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:25.000 of money. And the reason is there are no guardrails, 135 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:28.519 as people said, and the schools were forced or agreed 136 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:31.319 at least to jump into this because there was a 137 00:06:31.399 --> 00:06:33.959 lack of leadership involved. You can either say it was 138 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:38.800 from the president of the NCAA committee, members, presidents, chancellors. 139 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:42.399 They didn't listen to coaches or ads. And now it's 140 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:46.079 a mess and they're going to have to come up 141 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:48.160 with something. You can call it a contract, you can 142 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:51.240 call it a different letter of intent. But it used 143 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:53.839 to be scholarships bound you for X amount of years. 144 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:58.319 And this is ironic because the coaches and administrators did 145 00:06:58.319 --> 00:06:59.959 away with that. It used to be when you sign, 146 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:02.560 you signed for four years. I mean that was on 147 00:07:02.600 --> 00:07:05.040 the dotted line. That was that was on the paper 148 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:07.600 you signed. Then they cut it back to one year. 149 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:12.879 Because coaches and ads and universities were having to live 150 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:16.560 with scholarships that didn't work out. 151 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:18.079 Jerry Clayburne used to. 152 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.879 Talk about why he never signed kickers, He only took 153 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:23.959 walk ons because one year at Maryland we signed a 154 00:07:24.040 --> 00:07:27.360 kicker to a four year scholarship and he wasn't any good. 155 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.920 And I'm paraphrasing a guy apparently couldn't kick or whatever, 156 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:33.519 couldn't couldn't get the job done, and they were stuck 157 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:35.879 with him for four years on scholarship. 158 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:37.160 So that changed. 159 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:40.600 They are one year deals now, and you think a 160 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:44.040 kid signs for two, three or four years, No, technically 161 00:07:44.120 --> 00:07:46.680 he signs for one year and they can quote run 162 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:49.959 him off after that. Well, now it's backfired. He signed 163 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:52.480 him for one year and if it takes a million 164 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:55.040 or two to get him, hey, that's the way things 165 00:07:55.079 --> 00:07:57.920 go these days, because next year he can go find money. 166 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:02.360 As Penny hardway he just said somewhere else. And Sean 167 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:05.399 Woods has talked about that at length, and he's quite 168 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:08.040 open and frank about it. You won't hear as many 169 00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:11.399 coaches talk about it the way Penny did because they 170 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:13.240 don't want to sound like their poor mouthing. And that's 171 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:16.480 exactly what has happened with Mark Stoops that all happened 172 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:20.240 while I was on vacation and I came back and 173 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:23.000 I've been following it on social media and Stoop's getting 174 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:26.120 blasted for the comments he made to Daryl Bert, and 175 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:30.639 he was quite pointed with Daryl. But that's essentially where 176 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:34.360 it started and ended with this latest round of comments. 177 00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:37.919 The problem is everybody and their brother picked it up 178 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:43.960 and ran excerpts of it on their website in their publications, 179 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:46.879 talked about it on the air, and it made it 180 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:50.200 sound now and I keep hearing Mark Stoops keeps whining, no, 181 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:53.000 he doesn't. He did it the one time he has 182 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:57.120 referred to it. Yeah, but the really pointed comments, and 183 00:08:57.240 --> 00:09:00.440 he wanted to talk about it with Darrylt to talk 184 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:02.679 about it more than he wanted to talk about his 185 00:09:02.679 --> 00:09:04.960 football team, because he had a point to make and 186 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:09.080 he made it. But now, just because everybody else is 187 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:13.559 weighing in on it, the story itself, it still pops 188 00:09:13.639 --> 00:09:16.519 up and Stoops is catching flak for it. 189 00:09:16.679 --> 00:09:18.879 And I'm not here to carry his water. He doesn't 190 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:19.240 need me. 191 00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:24.000 I just find it kind of annoying that the second 192 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:27.960 cycle of this is Mark Stoops keeps complaining no, people 193 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:30.720 keep running his comments, but they're the same old comments 194 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:32.000 from the middle of the summer. 195 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:32.679 Anyway. 196 00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:36.639 It ain't going away, folks, and changes have to be made. 197 00:09:36.679 --> 00:09:39.320 There's no question. Well here from the Football Wildcats. On 198 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:41.159 the other side of the break bottom of the hour, 199 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:44.799 Corey Peters and hour number two Walt Wells and Kim 200 00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:47.679 Shelton of LSC here on the Big Blue Sider six 201 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:52.480 thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Bluinsider. Coming up 202 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.240 at the bottom of the hours. It's a few minutes away. 203 00:09:54.279 --> 00:09:59.000 Corey Peters, warmer Kentucky defensive lineman, thirteen year career in 204 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:02.639 the NFL and now being inducted into the UK Athletic 205 00:10:02.919 --> 00:10:06.559 Hall of Fame. Our number two Wald Wells EKU head 206 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:10.519 football coach and Kim Shelton the new CEO of the 207 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:14.240 Lexington Sporting Club. We'll talk about pro soccer both men 208 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:20.799 and women here in Lexington. Speaking of defensive lineman, Dion 209 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.519 Walker has been named to yet another preseason All America team, 210 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:29.519 as has Barrion Brown. Sporting News and USA Today have 211 00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:33.080 put both of them on the first team by Sporting News, 212 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:37.360 second team by USA Today. Walker was also named to 213 00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:41.440 ESPN's first team and of course Brown as a kick 214 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:45.120 return specialist, and Dion is one of the best and 215 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:50.480 biggest defensive linemen in the country and another awards list 216 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:56.000 basically potential for Brock Vandergriff. He's on the Johnny Andanidis 217 00:10:56.039 --> 00:11:00.440 Golden Arm Award watch list. If he says, hell, sure 218 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:03.559 he's got a shot at it, given Bush Hampden's office. 219 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:07.759 But he will not rack up huge numbers. But if 220 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:10.960 he can, you know, put up decent numbers and has 221 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:16.000 a good touchdown to turnover ratio. And the key here 222 00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:19.279 is ken Kentucky win a bunch of games. If Kentucky 223 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:24.159 wins like ten games or more, he'll have a much 224 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:27.080 better shot. You don't see these awards very often go 225 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:30.200 to somebody playing with a team that's only won seven 226 00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:33.399 or eight games, although Tim Kautz was mentioned. Tim Kutch 227 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:36.039 was a Heisman finalist for a team that only won 228 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:40.600 seven regular season games, So it can happen. But yeah, 229 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:43.759 preseason awards and lists, the players will be the first 230 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:46.039 to tell you they don't mean anything. Got to go 231 00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:48.919 ahead and win and something that will help the Wildcats 232 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:53.000 win this year. Of course, the plan is defensive line, 233 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:57.440 and that's what we talked about a lot today with 234 00:11:57.559 --> 00:11:58.879 the Wildcats their coaches. 235 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:00.919 Kendrick Gilbert, the backup nose. 236 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:04.080 Tackle, got to stand up in front of the media 237 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:07.559 at the podium, talked about his progress and talked about 238 00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:11.840 the bonds that the defensive line is building both on 239 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:12.799 and off the field. 240 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:15.360 Yes, sir, so we actually have a close bond in 241 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:19.519 D line room, you know, group chats and just like 242 00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:20.960 I said when we were on in the field, we 243 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:23.320 really try to help each other, like get better in 244 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:26.720 It's really no selfishness in the group and all. Coach 245 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:29.559 Stule's really great with us as well with teaching us, 246 00:12:29.559 --> 00:12:32.039 teaching us life lessons as well that go on more 247 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:34.440 than just football. So we really do have a good 248 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:35.120 connection in the. 249 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:35.679 D line run. 250 00:12:36.600 --> 00:12:39.240 Gilbert, as a red shirt freshman, only played in the 251 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:42.720 first and last game last year because of an injury, 252 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:46.320 but he is learning learning very quickly. But the veteran 253 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:50.799 Octavia Saxendne also talked to us today about chemistry and 254 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:52.879 as the guy who's been through the wars, he knows 255 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:53.960 how vital that can be. 256 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:57.320 I feel like it definitely is because sometimes we communicate 257 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.360 down the line and there's some things Coach always says 258 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:00.360 before you get down, take that. 259 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:01.080 Pre snap picture. 260 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:03.200 And I feel like us with the veteran room and 261 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:05.039 the veteran guys, like we can definitely take that pre 262 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:07.440 snap picture and get a lot of things set in 263 00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:09.279 line before the play even starts. And I feel like 264 00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:11.360 that just comes with, like you said, the chemistry and 265 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:13.559 us being around each other. We know the communication, we 266 00:13:13.559 --> 00:13:15.159 know how coach wants is to talk to each other. 267 00:13:15.399 --> 00:13:17.159 So it definitely, it definitely is a blessing to have 268 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:19.159 that type of communication and connection in the room. 269 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:21.320 So what do you look for in the pre snap picture. 270 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:24.679 Honestly, we're just looking for anything, any tales, coach Tara Taylor, 271 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:27.240 is any clues, any tales how the office linemen look, 272 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:29.559 where the split back is, stuff like that. So honestly, 273 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:31.960 we just try to get our football IQ better and 274 00:13:32.039 --> 00:13:34.279 just and they tell you look think about the play 275 00:13:34.279 --> 00:13:35.000 before it snets. 276 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:38.639 The defensive line coach is annear Stewart played at Kentucky 277 00:13:38.679 --> 00:13:41.440 and well under Bill Curry, then went on to a 278 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:44.759 nice career in Canada. Uh played for a long time 279 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:48.000 up there and got into coaching winds up in Kentucky. 280 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:50.639 And I've mentioned this before. I don't know that I've 281 00:13:50.679 --> 00:13:55.519 ever heard of another former Wildcat who became a position 282 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:59.960 coach who has gotten more praise from his ex teammates 283 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:03.799 and just former Letterman and Anne war Stewart. They have 284 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:06.759 taken notice of what he's done and how he's doing it, 285 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:10.480 and they're very, very impressed with what he's doing. So 286 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:13.360 we talked to Anwar today about a number of things, 287 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:17.519 including the chemistry, the bonds that his charges the guys 288 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:18.919 on the defensive line are building. 289 00:14:19.080 --> 00:14:21.080 Well that's huge, you know, the camaraderie. 290 00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:24.879 You know, you got to be a unit, and so 291 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:27.279 you got to make everybody feel like, you know, they matter. 292 00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:29.799 Everybody has a role to play, and so that's huge. 293 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:31.879 You know, they spend time and I told them, man, like, 294 00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:34.639 you've got to spend time outside the building together, right, 295 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:36.440 go ahead, you know, hanging out. 296 00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:39.600 You know, they play the video games. Apparently Khalil likes 297 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:40.639 to cook, so they go over. 298 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:42.399 You know, they love to eat, so they all go 299 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:44.240 over and they eat and they have a good time. 300 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:46.039 And that's what it's about, you know. And then you 301 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:48.799 know they watch film together. All that's gonna pay off 302 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:51.600 for us, and so you know, I just keep speaking it. 303 00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:52.559 Coach White. 304 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:55.639 You know, coach Toop's always talking about, you know, the 305 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:58.240 camaraderie of the team and their attitude and stuff, and 306 00:14:58.480 --> 00:14:59.960 you got to have that in our room and there 307 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:01.799 there's no hating, there's no division. 308 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:03.759 We're all one unit and we're all going to do 309 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:04.159 it together. 310 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:07.399 Brad White, of course, is the defensive coordinator. He has 311 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:11.320 taken note of the links that the d linemen have made, 312 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:14.440 the bonds they've been forging, and he has noticed the 313 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:16.759 improvement on field during summer camp. 314 00:15:17.080 --> 00:15:21.080 So much is about communication and and energy. And so 315 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:24.360 when when guys are talking, when they're flying around, when 316 00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:26.759 they're you know, good bad are in different you know 317 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:29.759 they're gonna go to their team, they're celebrating their the 318 00:15:29.799 --> 00:15:32.080 good things they do. They're they're coaching them on the 319 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:34.559 on the things that they've done wrong. You feel the 320 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:37.360 communication coming off the sideline. So the guys on the 321 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:40.840 side are getting mental reps because they're engaged, uh, you know, 322 00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:43.240 watching the guys, especially the older guys. They're watching the 323 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:45.720 younger guys trying to be you know, an extra set 324 00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:47.919 of eyes you know for those guys, because as a coach, 325 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:50.320 you know you're watching the next group and you can't 326 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:53.039 always make the you know, the corrections. And so to 327 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:55.360 have a veteran group that young guys walk off to 328 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:58.120 and they hey, you know, hey JJ, what about this? 329 00:15:58.320 --> 00:15:58.519 You know? 330 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:01.039 You know, hey Max resign, what about this? 331 00:16:01.240 --> 00:16:01.480 You know? 332 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:04.840 It's great for those young guys and it helps speed 333 00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:06.879 their development, you know, and we're gonna need those guys. 334 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:09.639 There's some young guys out there. You know that I'm 335 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:13.240 not gonna you know, mention, but that I'm really looking 336 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:14.559 forward to see playing this fall. 337 00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:19.039 Mentioned Dion Walker earlier another preseason All Conference or All 338 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:22.960 All American football team. You know about him and because 339 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:25.879 of him, the other d lineman as they say, they 340 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:28.519 should be able to eat, they should do well if 341 00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:32.120 indeed he is commanding the double teams that you expect 342 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:35.960 him to command. So Octavius Oxen dot I remember when 343 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:39.200 he first got started. They expected so much of him 344 00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:42.000 and we talked a lot about him. Now he gets 345 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:43.919 to fly a little bit below the radar. That's what's 346 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:47.960 kind of cool with a guy like Dion Walker up front. 347 00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:50.639 One of the questions I put to Brad White, just 348 00:16:50.679 --> 00:16:55.960 in a general sense, is we know that they're not satisfied. 349 00:16:56.039 --> 00:16:58.200 There is still time to work. But how does he 350 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:01.159 feel about what he sees with the defense right now 351 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:01.720 in camp? 352 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:02.559 Huh? 353 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:05.039 I would say that I'm glad that we still have 354 00:17:05.079 --> 00:17:10.400 a couple of weeks left, but I've been I think 355 00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:14.400 the energy, the intensity is there, you know, the way 356 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:17.359 they go about their business is there. You know, we're 357 00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:19.279 still in that. You know, we got to just clean 358 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:21.400 up some of the small things, you know, and clean 359 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:25.839 up some of the technical things. But I think we're 360 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:28.519 we're right about where you should be at this point 361 00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:28.920 in camp. 362 00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:29.440 You know. 363 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:31.880 I think if you every year, you know, somebody's asked 364 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:33.960 me that question, it's probably been about the same. Like 365 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:37.519 as a coach, you never quite feel ready. I mean, 366 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:41.960 it'll be it'll be that, you know, whatever it is Wednesday, 367 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:44.759 I guess is when we talk on defense before for 368 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:47.559 Southern miss and You're I'm gonna be saying I can't 369 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:49.599 wait for us to have these last three practices, you know, 370 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:53.799 I just you feel like you need everyone. I think 371 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:57.039 our guys are ready, Like if we had to play 372 00:17:57.079 --> 00:17:59.319 this weekend, you know, are we as polished as we 373 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:01.400 need to be? No, But with the energy level, with 374 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:04.079 the way they fly around, you know, I'm pleased with 375 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:05.079 where they are at that point. 376 00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:08.359 White also said, and he kind of reiterated what he's 377 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:12.319 been saying preseason all along, that a couple of things 378 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:14.480 they obviously have to do. Get off the field on 379 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:17.480 third down. Every defense needs to do that. But one 380 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:21.960 of the problems for Kentucky specifically last year giving up 381 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:25.759 big plays, especially on third down. They got to get 382 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:28.920 back to what they did in twenty twenty two, which 383 00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:32.119 was statistically be one of the top teams in the 384 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:37.119 country at avoiding those what they call explosives that give 385 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:40.119 the other team new life and oftentimes too many points. 386 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:42.640 So we'll keep an eye on that for you and 387 00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:45.400 so you I know, Excat. 388 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:47.079 Corey Peters is up next to new Hall of Famer 389 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:50.279 here on six thirty WAP welcome back to the Big 390 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:53.119 Blue Insider and joining us now on our Celebrity hotline 391 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:55.279 is a guy who talked with us last when he 392 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:58.799 retired from the NFL. Not Corey Peters is going into 393 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:01.240 the UK Athletic Hall of Fame, one of six name 394 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:01.920 the other day. 395 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:05.400 Corey, Congratulations, thank you. 396 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:09.720 I appreciate it man, It's an honor and I believe Blue. 397 00:19:10.119 --> 00:19:13.960 I'm a huge Kentucky guy and following all sports programs 398 00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:17.480 and so it was really exciting for me to get 399 00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:18.000 that call. 400 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:21.000 And the class you're going in with man not to 401 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:21.960