WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.120 Welcome to the Big Moon Cider Day Abroe with you 2 00:00:03.319 --> 00:00:06.040 Friday edition of our show. It is the eve of 3 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:08.560 game day, and not just any game, and it is 4 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:13.039 the beginning of Southeastern Conference play. Tomorrow, the Wildcats take 5 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:16.519 on those Florida Gators eleven a m. You'll hear it 6 00:00:16.600 --> 00:00:19.920 right here on six thirty WLAP. Why eleven am, as 7 00:00:19.960 --> 00:00:23.519 always television. I don't know any other details, guarantee you 8 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:27.839 that's why. So start your day off with Kentucky in 9 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:31.440 its first SEC game, and it's gonna be tough. The 10 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:34.560 SEC is gonna be a bloodbath all year long. The 11 00:00:34.600 --> 00:00:37.159 worst team in the league right now in terms of 12 00:00:37.159 --> 00:00:41.600 win loss record South Carolina at ten and three. I've 13 00:00:41.640 --> 00:00:44.320 not seen a lot of SEC games other than Kentucky. 14 00:00:44.359 --> 00:00:46.920 I have to admit I've paid more attention to football. 15 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:50.520 But I've seen Alabama play, I've seen Auburn play. Man, 16 00:00:50.600 --> 00:00:53.759 are they good? It's gonna be tough. I think Kentucky 17 00:00:53.799 --> 00:00:56.240 has picked the finish middle of the pack that may 18 00:00:56.280 --> 00:00:58.880 indeed happen. And I know how good the Wildcats have 19 00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:02.960 looked at times, but we saw what happened against Ohio State. 20 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:06.200 Not a great team. Against Clemson, not a great team. 21 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:08.959 But on the other hand, we see them come back 22 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:13.000 against Gonzaga and Duke. Now those teams played different styles, 23 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:16.640 and Clemson and Ohio State not nearly as physical, So 24 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:20.879 Kentucky's gonna need to learn to bang and battle in 25 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:24.680 the Southeastern Conference. These guys have come together playing together 26 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:28.719 for the first time against SEC teams which likewise have 27 00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:31.879 been cobbled together. But the better teams, of course are 28 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:35.400 the veteran ball clubs. So it's gonna be fun. It's 29 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:39.840 gonna be wild. Just try to be patient because everything 30 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:43.680 now is so vitally pointing toward March. And you got 31 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.640 tired of hearing that with John Caliperi, But that's because 32 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:48.959 his teams were so up and down, I think with 33 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:53.359 those true freshmen. But it's gonna be fun. Of all else, 34 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:55.760 it's gonna be fun, and you'll hear it right here. 35 00:01:55.799 --> 00:01:59.840 Speaking of fun, how much fun was last night's UK 36 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:04.159 women's game. Kentucky opened up SEC playing the women's side, 37 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:09.240 blew out Mississippi State ninety one to sixty nine, and 38 00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:11.719 State kept trying to come back, trying to come back. 39 00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:15.280 Kentucky went on a run late first half early second half, 40 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:20.319 but Mississippi State kept getting to the basket and making shots. 41 00:02:20.360 --> 00:02:24.199 Fortunately for the Wildcats, the Bulldog could not hit three pointers. 42 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:28.080 And that's what Kentucky did better than it ever has. 43 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:34.240 In fact, Wildcats has set a record eighteen made three pointers, 44 00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:40.919 the previous record sixteen set four years ago. In twenty twenty, 45 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:45.800 Kentucky has made at least ten triples in three of 46 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:48.680 its last four games. And this is not a team 47 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:50.439 that at the beginning of the year we heard, oh, 48 00:02:50.439 --> 00:02:52.000 they're gonna shoot a lot of threes, They're gonna make 49 00:02:52.039 --> 00:02:54.400 a lot of threes the way we did the men's team. 50 00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:59.759 But it's happening that way. It's the fifth time Kentucky's 51 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:04.639 made at least three ten threes in games this season. 52 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:07.759 It's not gonna live and die with the three pointers. 53 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:10.280 It's gonna live and die with what the Cats can 54 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:13.719 get done in the paint. And Kentucky did a great 55 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:16.280 job last night because the three pointer opened up the 56 00:03:16.319 --> 00:03:22.039 paint for the Wildcats. But Kentucky with all that side 57 00:03:22.120 --> 00:03:25.919 Clara Strack and Silva and Key, they did the job 58 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:31.199 last night against Mississippi State. Ninety one points tied for 59 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:36.039 the largest margin of victory for Kentucky and an SEC opener, 60 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:39.719 and was the most points scored in an SEC opener 61 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:43.319 in the history of UK women's basketball, So all kinds 62 00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:47.919 of milestones. Last night, Dojah Lawrence had a game I 63 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:53.240 and season I twenty eight points three I'm sorry, seven 64 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:58.240 three pointers, their second twenty point game this season. Of course, 65 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:02.560 Georgia Amore the outstanding point guard I had twenty seven points. 66 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:06.000 She had seven three pointers and she hit a lot 67 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:09.560 of hers on the run. Lawrence was spotting up in 68 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:12.560 the corner or on the wings, did a great job 69 00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:18.600 doing that. Aymore, of course, is perpetual motion and not 70 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:21.720 only hitting shots. She had nine assists for the second 71 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:25.439 straight game, by the way, first player in program history 72 00:04:25.480 --> 00:04:29.040 to have at least twenty seven points and nine assists 73 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:32.959 in the same game, so watching her shoot on the 74 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:36.639 run pretty incredible. She will be the head of the snake. 75 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:41.079 Of course, most point guards are for SEC opponents coming in, 76 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:45.120 but then you get Amelia Hasset, who can score from outside. 77 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:51.279 The birthday girl. She had three three pointers and Taoni 78 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:56.040 Key was absolutely wicked tough on the boards ten points, 79 00:04:56.319 --> 00:05:01.240 thirteen rebounds, tied to a career high, and had her 80 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:06.439 sixth double double this season. Clara Strack sixty five, seven points, 81 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:12.319 eleven rebounds. So Kentucky looked good last night. Kentucky now 82 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:15.240 twelve and one. Next up for the women Vanderbilt in 83 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:18.800 Nashville on Sunday three o'clock. You'll hear it right here 84 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:22.279 with Darren Heddrick. It'll be on SEC Plus as well, 85 00:05:23.079 --> 00:05:25.959 justin Rowland the catch illustrated. We'll talk Kentucky football for 86 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:27.680 the most part. We're going to talk about the portal 87 00:05:28.279 --> 00:05:30.839 and how the Wildcats had done so far. A little 88 00:05:30.839 --> 00:05:33.319 bit later on Christy Thomas at the SEC Network. She 89 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:36.879 worked last night's game. Scott Brown, a freelance writer who 90 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:40.480 wrote Reggie Wharford. Scott Brown, a freelance writer who wrote 91 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:44.120 a book about Reggie Wharford, the first African American basketball 92 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:47.279 player at Kentucky to graduate, will join us in nowur 93 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:49.120 number two and a few minutes. We're going to talk 94 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:52.879 about Eddie grand because I posted something on Twitter that 95 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:56.319 got all kinds of responses from UK fans good and 96 00:05:56.439 --> 00:05:59.160 bad about Eddie Grant. Really interesting, but I got to 97 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:02.319 share with you. I comment from a man, Charles Barkley, 98 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:05.560 who was kind of going back and forth via Inside 99 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:09.879 the NBA on TNT with JJ Riddick, who claims that, 100 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:14.720 among other things, NBA ratings TV ratings are down because 101 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:20.600 of the criticism of the product. On TNT, Sir Charles 102 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:21.639 clap back at him. 103 00:06:22.279 --> 00:06:25.959 She's just talking about TV. He said something about with 104 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:30.120 the reason people aren't watching this craftic product we got JJ. Yeah, 105 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:31.279 I like we out. 106 00:06:31.079 --> 00:06:33.439 There jacking up one hundred trees to night. JJ. I 107 00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:34.600 don know Jason Monroe. 108 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:36.600 I don't know who that is, but JJ, you come 109 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:37.160 for the king. 110 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:38.360 You been not missed. 111 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:40.639 And I can't get you, brother, because I got Remember, 112 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:41.879 I got your Lakers games. 113 00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:44.120 You can't hope them flaws. 114 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:44.839 They got. 115 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:48.399 You just a dead man walking. They got rid of 116 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:49.920 Frank Vogel, who did a good job. 117 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:51.879 They got rid of Darbnham, who did a good job. 118 00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:53.800 But you came out that thing and you were gonna 119 00:06:53.879 --> 00:06:55.759 change things with that same ugly girl you went on 120 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:56.279 to hate with. 121 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:59.639 Sixty fifty one was your halftime score. 122 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:03.439 We get back to the highlights. I think it came 123 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:05.759 in at thinking I can make this thing worse. Here. 124 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:08.879 You can. 125 00:07:12.680 --> 00:07:15.959 Legus steak Man, okay Man Tatum. 126 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:19.959 By the way, I love it and Charles ain't wrong. 127 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:22.959 Everybody jacking up threes now, but everybody's trying to be 128 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:26.199 like the Warriors. And if you don't have Steph Curry 129 00:07:26.759 --> 00:07:29.680 and Klay Thompson and Steve Kurr running the show, you 130 00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:34.439 ain't gonna look like that NBA champion Warriors. So Barkley 131 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:37.279 coming from the top rope and I love it. We'll 132 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:39.879 talk Eddie grand next on six thirty w l A p. 133 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:42.680 Welcome back to the Big Blue and Sider. I wanted 134 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:46.639 to go over some tweets that have popped up in 135 00:07:47.319 --> 00:07:52.560 my profile because the other day somebody posted a clip 136 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:57.759 from gosh, what was it twenty nineteen when Lynn Bowden 137 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:02.079 ran for ran all over the SEC and helped leat 138 00:08:02.120 --> 00:08:08.360 Kentucky to the Belk Bowl victory, And that entire season 139 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:11.879 was just so weird because you know what happened. All 140 00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:14.639 Kentucky's quarterbacks went down and they stick Bowden in a 141 00:08:14.759 --> 00:08:20.560 quarterback and he just took over and the Kentucky offense, 142 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:23.920 they completely changed the offense. Yeah, a lot of it 143 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:26.839 was Lynn doing things, but it was also the offensive 144 00:08:26.920 --> 00:08:30.720 line in formations and play calling and a little bit 145 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:35.600 of passing, including the last play of the Belk Bowl, 146 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:39.600 the last offensive play for Kentucky when Bowden throws a 147 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:43.919 touchdown pass and I tweeted, I retweeted the clips. Somebody 148 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:47.159 had shared the highlights from the Belkboll. In fact, it 149 00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:50.919 was the Kentucky Network, not the UK network, but whoever 150 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:54.879 goes by that. And I just tweeted, Eddie gran We'll 151 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:57.399 never get enough credit for what he did with the 152 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:00.679 offense that season. Boy did it touch off reaction. It 153 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:02.840 was really kind of fun to see it kind of 154 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:05.799 come pouring in and Darren Ininshaw was involved in that 155 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:09.039 as well as quarterbacks coach. I got close to one 156 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:14.440 hundred and fifty responses to that post. It was a repost, 157 00:09:14.519 --> 00:09:19.480 a reach twheet. Most of them were supportive, agreed with me. 158 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:23.200 Many of them didn't. And I thought that was interesting 159 00:09:23.320 --> 00:09:29.159 because there were so many people who complained about Eddie 160 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:32.799 Grand and ripped him of course on his way out. 161 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:36.600 So I thought, what am I forgetting? Am I forgetting 162 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:41.399 something about Eddie Grant? And that season when Bowden took over, 163 00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:45.360 like I said, it was more than just give Lynn 164 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:49.320 the ball and get out of his way. No, there 165 00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:52.360 were actual plays called. As I said there and many 166 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:55.960 of them involved run pass options and the option usually 167 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:59.039 you know Lynn running the football. But like I said, 168 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:03.600 they had to alter formations and blocking schemes and things 169 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:08.159 like that downfield blocking by receivers. It was an absolute 170 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:11.240 team effort. And a lot of people pointed out they 171 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:14.000 said our offensive line was really good that year, and 172 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:19.559 it was. It was, But do not conflate that old 173 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:23.360 line from that year with the best on line Kentucky 174 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:27.559 said in my opinion, which was the Will Leviswandelle Robinson year, 175 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:31.600 which was what twenty twenty one. But it was good. 176 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:33.320 I mean, it was developing. There were a lot of 177 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:38.000 good players, young guys, depth, that sort of thing. So yeah, 178 00:10:38.039 --> 00:10:40.639 the old line was good, no question. And if you 179 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:46.559 ask me, the offensive line problems have been number one 180 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:49.639 on a UK football list. All of you out there 181 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:51.840 who are and I would think that's all of you 182 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:55.519 Kentucky football fans who have been very frustrated over the 183 00:10:55.559 --> 00:10:59.480 last three years, really because seven wins that's not enough anymore, 184 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:03.200 is it. Most of it I think goes back to 185 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:05.360 the old line. I'm not laying it at the feet 186 00:11:05.399 --> 00:11:08.080 of any particular coach or player. I'm just saying that 187 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:13.679 because of the portal, and because of different recruiting successes 188 00:11:14.039 --> 00:11:18.519 and near missus, Kentucky has not been able to put 189 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:22.399 together the kind of offensive lineman room that it takes 190 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:25.440 to go back to playing the way it used to 191 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:27.720 it and I don't know if it ever will. Quite frankly, 192 00:11:27.799 --> 00:11:32.440 because of the portal. Young players don't stick around now 193 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:36.559 and work on their game to the point where it 194 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:39.720 might be their junior year before they can play. They 195 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:42.600 can go out and get more minutes and more money elsewhere. 196 00:11:42.679 --> 00:11:47.799 They won't be as good for the most part. But 197 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:49.960 how do you put a group together? And this isn't 198 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:54.879 just Kentucky. Everybody's having the same issues. But let me 199 00:11:54.919 --> 00:11:57.759 remind you, and again, I don't need to carry Eddy 200 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:02.039 Grand's water. His resumes for itself, the job he did 201 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:05.200 at Auburn, the job he did at Cincinnati, and the 202 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:07.360 job he did at Kentucky. And I bring up Cincinnati 203 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:11.840 because you might recall Mark Stoops was looking for an 204 00:12:11.879 --> 00:12:15.320 offensive identity. He tried a form of the air raid 205 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:17.240 when he got here, and he later admitted he shouldn't 206 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:19.519 have that that was more of a marketing thing. That's 207 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:22.399 not who he is. He's a play action guy who 208 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:24.919 likes to run the ball first, but they've got to 209 00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:27.159 be able to throw the ball down the field. And again, 210 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:30.799 think about that jan Dale Robinson year. That was Kentucky 211 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:34.960 at its best offensively. Per Mark Stoops, he didn't call plays, 212 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:37.759 but that's what he wanted to see. A guy like 213 00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:41.440 Benny Snell or Chris Rodriguez who could move the chains, 214 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:44.320 especially in the red zone, get the ball into the 215 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:49.200 end zone. But when you need it, gash people do 216 00:12:49.320 --> 00:12:53.159 the explosives, like they say. So if you're going to 217 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:56.320 single out one year, it's that one. But you might 218 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:00.000 recall Eddie Grant and Darren Hinshaw get here fully expect 219 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:03.960 to do at Kentucky what they did at Cincinnati, and 220 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:06.039 that was put the Wildcats into the top ten and 221 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:09.840 so many different offensive categories including running the ball and 222 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:14.759 overall offense. And Drew Barker was the trigger man part 223 00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:16.759 of that class at twenty fourteen. It was going to 224 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:22.000 turn Kentucky football around. And you might remember this, Freddy Maggert, 225 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:25.960 our buddy, predicted that that class and he did this 226 00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:29.799 not long into the twenty fifteen year. He thought that 227 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:34.639 twenty fourteen class might set Kentucky football back because it 228 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:38.440 wasn't working out properly. The fifteen class ended up being better. 229 00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:41.679 But Drew Barker was part of the fourteen class. He 230 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:44.120 was going to be probably a three year starter and 231 00:13:45.080 --> 00:13:47.399 rack up all the yards and lead the Wildcats thanks 232 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:50.320 to Graham and Hinshaw on their offense. And he gets hurt. 233 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:53.960 He gets hurt in the second game in twenty sixteen, 234 00:13:54.840 --> 00:13:59.960 down at Florida. And what happened after that? They turned 235 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:02.519 to a Juco guy that they had signed at the 236 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:10.559 last minute named Steven Johnson, and Steven showed up knowing 237 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:13.320 that Kentucky had what looked to be the incumbent guy, 238 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:16.639 the starter, and Drew Barker. He said, I just want 239 00:14:16.679 --> 00:14:19.399 a chance to compete, and he did, and he lost 240 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:22.840 out to Barker. But the next thing you know, they're 241 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:26.840 down to Florida getting hammered forty five to seven. Barker 242 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:33.519 goes down injured, and suddenly Stephen Johnson is put on 243 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:37.440 the spot. He's got the keys of the Cadillac and 244 00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:40.360 now it's up to him. And how about that. He 245 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:43.919 did the job, starting with that huge win over a 246 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:47.639 poor New Mexico State team. They beat him sixty two 247 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:53.039 to forty two, and it was fun to watch, wasn't it. 248 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:56.360 And Kentucky ends up going seven and six that year 249 00:14:56.360 --> 00:14:59.559 in the regular season. But what happened at the end 250 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:05.960 of the year, Wildcats upset Louisville four touchdown underdogs and 251 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:09.159 beat Lamar Jackson and the Louisville Cardinals the Heisman Trophy 252 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:12.440 winner forty one thirty eight on the last second field 253 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:16.519 goal by Austin McGinnis. And people, well, Lamar Jackson fumbled 254 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:19.120 in Kentucky. Yeah, but you know what, Benny Snell had 255 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:22.679 fumbled and given the ball to Louisville, and Louisville fumbled 256 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:25.840 it right back. And then the Cats go on and 257 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:30.399 losing a ballgame to Georgia Tech. But what did job 258 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:35.240 Steven Johnson did? And again Eddie Grant, Darren Henshaw. They 259 00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:39.120 grabbed this Juco kid who was when he got to 260 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:43.320 Kentucky maybe won sixty one sixty five, he admitted later 261 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:46.159 he was listed in one seventy five or one eighty. 262 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:49.639 But you could look at him and see. And I 263 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:54.840 helped produce the documentary on Stephen called Hartible Wildcat. And 264 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:59.360 there were more people, including the training staff, coaches, teammates 265 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:02.519 who said it was the toughest kid I've ever played with, 266 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:08.200 a scrawny little quarterback. But again there's Eddie Grand's fingerprints 267 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:11.759 on that season. Yeah, it eventually went sour and it 268 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:16.799 was interesting. Not long ago, Mark Stoops admitted that after 269 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:20.159 that twenty twenty year when the Cats went five and 270 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:24.559 six and really struggled at times on offense, you know, 271 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:26.639 it's weird they get They put up forty one against 272 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:32.399 South Carolina and ended up winning the bowl game against 273 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:37.120 North Carolina State. But Grant realized they had to make 274 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:39.600 a change at offense. They talked it over and that's 275 00:16:39.639 --> 00:16:44.159 when they made the change. But it's interesting to me 276 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:49.279 how people remember. Of course, it's like anything in sports. 277 00:16:49.559 --> 00:16:54.200 They remember what they want to remember. And it was 278 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:59.279 so fascinating to me to see so many people respond 279 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:03.879 to the repost of those Belk Bowl highlights with Lynn 280 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:07.240 Bowden and when I mentioned Eddie Grant, and of course 281 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:10.599 he's back with a program. I don't think he has 282 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:13.759 a title, but he's sort of the general manager. He 283 00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:17.160 works on you know, raising nil funds and things like that, 284 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:21.960 and you will not see a person on that sideline 285 00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:28.759 more involved emotionally and mentally. Who's not calling plays than 286 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:32.599 Eddie Grant. I see him before each game. I see 287 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:34.920 him on the sidelines. He kind of stands on the 288 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:39.000 edge of the coaching box and he talks to players. 289 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.759 He doesn't coach him up, but he just talks to 290 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:44.160 him and you know, gets written all over his face. 291 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:49.440 How deeply involved he is still with UK football even 292 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:53.000 though he's not on the coaching staff anymore. But you know, 293 00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:57.799 he contributes so interesting And if you're interested in looking, 294 00:17:57.960 --> 00:18:01.000 just go to my ex or Twitter and you can 295 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:03.839 catch up with some of the comments that poured in 296 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:09.400 after they saw the video of Lynn Bowden running all 297 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:12.799 over Virginia Tech and what was a great game? Remember 298 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:17.160 Virginia Tech moved down the field and was working to 299 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:19.920 either tie or win the game, and the defense came 300 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:23.240 up for the Wildcats. So all right, we're gonna shift 301 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:25.519 back to basketball when we come back in some football 302 00:18:25.559 --> 00:18:27.680 as well. Here are the Big Moon Sider six thirty 303 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:30.319 Wlap Welcome back to the Big bon Sider, joining us 304 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:32.079 now as a longtime friend of the show. You see 305 00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:35.480 his work with Cats illustrated. He is Justin Rowland, who 306 00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:38.279 has been covering Kentucky sports for quite a while. Justin 307 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:41.920 Happy New Year to you you as well did This 308 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:45.319 is obviously basketball season. We're still talking football because of 309 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:48.680 the playoffs, but now with a portal door spinning like 310 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:52.839 a windmill and the players coming and going, it's really 311 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:55.799 a fascinating time, isn't it for college football? If you 312 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:59.000 if you can put a motion aside, just just watching 313 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:01.359 everything from as you can kids like to say, you know, 314 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:03.400 ten thousand feet, it's kind of interesting. 315 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:06.839 It sure is. I mean, you think about the excitement 316 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:09.119 that there used to be on like National Signing Day. 317 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:12.640 It's almost like signing Day is like a year round thing, 318 00:19:13.160 --> 00:19:16.359 or at least for a couple of months, and it's 319 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:19.759 like immediately important. It's not like we're going to sign 320 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:21.759 these guys in three years from now they might be 321 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:24.920 impact players or they're going to transfer somewhere else. It's like, 322 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:26.599 we're going to sign these guys, and these guys are 323 00:19:26.599 --> 00:19:28.920 going to from in how our next season goes. The 324 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:32.960 problem is people are are kind of worried about next season, 325 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:35.559 but in the long term, it makes the sport more 326 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:36.680 exciting year round. 327 00:19:36.839 --> 00:19:39.000 And it keeps guys like you on your toes because 328 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:43.079 you dig in and you research and you and your 329 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:47.960 folks on your website with rivals are on top of 330 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:51.160 the folks coming in and you tweeted, I guess it 331 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:54.240 was last night about a new running back for Kentucky. 332 00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:56.599 What do we want to know about? Is a Dante Dowdell. 333 00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:01.440 Yeah, yeah, Dante Dadell Nebraska running and I mean they 334 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:04.000 got so many new additions and so much to catch 335 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:07.039 up on. But he was a highly regarded recruit two 336 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:10.240 years ago and he signed with Oregon. He went to 337 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:12.759 Oregon and they were pretty loaded in the backfield. He 338 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:16.079 still got seventeen carries, so even Oregon recognized his talent 339 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:20.039 and he transferred to Nebraska after last year at Nebraska 340 00:20:20.599 --> 00:20:23.640 he scored twelve touchdowns and he was a great short 341 00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:25.799 yardage running back. I mean, I think he's more proven 342 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:29.440 than shit was coming in from Ohio State the previous years. 343 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:32.839 And he would have yeah, he would have been part 344 00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:34.960 of a one to two kind of thunder and lightning 345 00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:37.519 combination at Nebraska and they would have loved to have 346 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:41.720 him back in Nebraska. Matt Rule brought Dabtele in because 347 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:45.519 Matt Rules said, we have to have a physical culture 348 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:48.319 of physical mentality and doubt all is a guy who's 349 00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:50.039 just going to try to run right through you, and 350 00:20:50.440 --> 00:20:53.319 he runs hard, he runs fast. He's not going to 351 00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:55.599 shake in bake you. He's not going to miss many tackles, 352 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:57.880 but he's going to run through some tackles. And that's 353 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.680 the role he'll fill at Kentucky. Also, you figure they'd 354 00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:03.400 have a thunder enlightening thing going with Jamry and Wilcox 355 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:04.240 coming back as well. 356 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:07.599 Yeah. Will you talk about a need though, just in 357 00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:11.200 a physical back, you know, and that's only brought home 358 00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:14.880 even more by watching Chris Rodriguez play in the NFL. Now, 359 00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:18.119 it was amazing how how often Kentucky needed that this 360 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:19.599 year and just couldn't get it done. 361 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:24.880 That's right, Yeah, it's it's not common. It's uncommon to 362 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:28.839 see Kentucky struggle in those short yardage situations. But you 363 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:32.480 know that's the byproduct of the offensive line struggles and 364 00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:34.640 they didn't have that power back option this year. I 365 00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:37.839 think going into this season, you feel better about Dowdell 366 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:42.400 and Wilcox than you felt about Demy and a less 367 00:21:42.440 --> 00:21:44.839 proven Wilcox. You feel better about the running back. 368 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:48.599 Yeah. Yeah, Well he's got to run behind some talent. 369 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:50.559 He's got to run behind an O line that gets 370 00:21:50.599 --> 00:21:53.640 it done, which really has struggled quite frankly over the 371 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:57.720 last three years. They bringing a kid from Arkansas who 372 00:21:57.799 --> 00:22:02.240 has played in the SEC, but obviously that's that's no guarantee. 373 00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:04.599 What do we know about Braun and anybody else they're 374 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:05.119 bringing in. 375 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:08.160 Yeah, Braun. Braun is the kind of guy that they 376 00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:10.680 could send the SEC media day and he's a very 377 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:15.599 good interview He's very well spoken, he's very intelligent, and 378 00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:17.640 he's a he's a good culture guy. He was All 379 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:20.319 SEC two years ago, right, one of the better, one 380 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:22.720 of the better players on Arkansas's offensive line in twenty 381 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:25.640 twenty three, he wasn't one of their very best offensive 382 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:29.960 linemen this year. And my understanding is he probably needs 383 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:33.240 to lose a few pounds to hit peak performance. But 384 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:35.799 this is a guy that played a ton of snaps 385 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:39.359 in the SEC, started at Florida, went to Arkansas, and 386 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:42.880 I just think he's a set it, forget it, legitimate 387 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:46.920 SEC starter at guard. And so bringing him in means 388 00:22:46.920 --> 00:22:48.799 they're going to have four new starters on the line 389 00:22:48.839 --> 00:22:50.920 instead of three, because it wasn't a given they would 390 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:51.839 bring in another guard. 391 00:22:53.400 --> 00:22:55.519 And they've got the kid from New Mexico. They got 392 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:59.359 a kid from from the MAC from Bowling Green. Yeah, 393 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:01.759 we've seen in this work. We've seen it not work. 394 00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:03.359 But you know they're going to have to learn to 395 00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:04.680 play in the SEC, aren't they. 396 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:10.559 Yeah. Alex Wolfschlager was a first team All MAC player 397 00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:13.359 at Bowling Green. Is their right tackle this year and 398 00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:16.039 he needs to get a little bit stronger, so he 399 00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:18.519 needs a good off season in the strength program. But 400 00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:21.599 I guess the question is do they have their left 401 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:23.799