WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:02.960 Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:06.519 on a Friday, wrapping up the week with UK Football 3 00:00:06.599 --> 00:00:10.160 Media Day and the talking season in full force. And 4 00:00:10.199 --> 00:00:13.080 of course what everybody was talking about earlier today when 5 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:15.919 it comes to Kentucky football was the fact that the 6 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:20.000 program has to forfeit victories based on the investigation it 7 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:23.440 did a couple of years ago into players who were 8 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:27.239 taking money for jobs that they weren't showing up to do. 9 00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:29.679 They weren't doing the work, but they were taking the money. 10 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:32.520 And this was all reported on back. Like I said, 11 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:35.280 a couple of years ago, it's taken that long for 12 00:00:35.320 --> 00:00:39.520 the NSAID to process the information and issue the report. 13 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:43.560 And as it's all said and done, the penalty is probation. 14 00:00:44.039 --> 00:00:47.159 But also all the wins from the twenty twenty one 15 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:50.280 season when they went ten and three have been vacated. 16 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:52.640 You can shrug that off. I know a lot of 17 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:54.960 people just kind of snicker at that. Some people will 18 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:57.320 be mad about it, but look, they broke the rules. 19 00:00:57.320 --> 00:01:01.479 They were apparently as many as eleven players who did this, 20 00:01:01.880 --> 00:01:06.480 and remember Chris Rodriguez was suspended for four games. So 21 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:10.640 it's a serious thing and it is a blight on 22 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:15.079 the program's record, and it's gonna be an asterisk from 23 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:18.159 now on. When you talk about the record of Mark Stoops. 24 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:20.439 You know how many wins did he rack up as 25 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:23.519 the head coach at Kentucky. But twenty twenty one, that's 26 00:01:23.560 --> 00:01:26.640 the one that included went over Iowa that you remember, 27 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:30.599 So those wins have been vacated. But also, this is 28 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:33.439 media day, so we will be talking and hearing. We 29 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:37.000 didn't know about this when we talked with Stoops earlier today, 30 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:39.359 but I got comments coming up from the head coach 31 00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:44.159 and his coordinators. It's all good now. Nobody's bragging, nobody's predicting, 32 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:47.680 but the players obviously are excited and optimistic. They've had 33 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:51.439 two practice days going into media days, so they practiced 34 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:56.319 again this afternoon and you're already probably seeing video online 35 00:01:56.560 --> 00:02:00.239 on local TV stations from the practice. They opened up 36 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:03.719 the practice to local cameras today as well as the 37 00:02:03.799 --> 00:02:07.680 SEC Network. So yeah, if you're a Kentucky football fan, 38 00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:11.120 it is an exciting time. Question is will your team 39 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:15.199 keep you excited all year? I think it will. I 40 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:18.879 think Kentucky has a chance to be pretty good, probably 41 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:24.919 better than last year. But will the schedule allow that reflection. Now. 42 00:02:25.159 --> 00:02:30.759 Stoops did not field one question interestingly about the schedule, 43 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:33.759 you know, and he always says the same thing. I 44 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:36.240 can't control that. It is what it is. I've said 45 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:39.159 all along. It's not the teams on the schedule, it's 46 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:43.000 the calendar. It's when they hit that South Carolina game 47 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.159 second week Georgia so early in the year. A lot 48 00:02:46.199 --> 00:02:48.520 of people like that. I kind of like to see 49 00:02:48.520 --> 00:02:51.639 a team get its feet under it before it takes 50 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:54.639 on those huge games. They're all big, I know, but 51 00:02:54.680 --> 00:02:57.960 I think South Carolina is crucial this year. Got to 52 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:01.800 win that one and a chance to be Georgia. So anyhow, 53 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:04.280 we did talk a lot with Stoops and the players 54 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:08.520 about the Wildcats and Stoops in general. When he opened 55 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:12.120 his comments said his team looks good. They're in shape, 56 00:03:12.599 --> 00:03:14.560 and so far, so good in practice. 57 00:03:15.159 --> 00:03:19.159 I like the way practice has started. The guys are 58 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:22.960 in very good shape. They worked very hard this offseason. 59 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:28.599 Credit to our strength and conditioning team with Mark Hill 60 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:32.759 and Corey Edmund and their staff. The players look really good. 61 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:38.240 The coaches have worked quite a bit, as I mentioned before, 62 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:41.599 a little bit more freedom and autonomy for us to 63 00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:44.919 work with our players through the summer, and that's evident. 64 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:46.759 But that's going to be the same way with everybody. 65 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:49.680 I think teams are going to be further along than 66 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:51.800 they used to be, just with the ability to work 67 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:55.719 with them some more in the summer. So off to 68 00:03:55.759 --> 00:03:57.719 a good start. 69 00:03:57.319 --> 00:04:00.000 And they're having injuries. You talked about that, Josiah Hate. 70 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:02.879 It looks like we'll be at most of the season 71 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:05.280 and a lot of that information coming out. He was 72 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:08.159 kind of cryptic with one comed He said, one player 73 00:04:08.199 --> 00:04:11.240 you all will be looking for at a soft tissue 74 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:14.639 injury and is not out there, won't be practicing, and 75 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:17.319 I'm not entirely sure who that is. We looked around, 76 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:19.560 put our heads together. If somebody may have figured it 77 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:21.920 out by now, but at the time we went on 78 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:25.000 the field earlier today, we did not figure that out. 79 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:28.000 Of course, we're not the brightest bunch in the world Stoops. 80 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:33.240 Of course, as always asked about quarterbacks, Brock Vandergriff, everybody 81 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:36.680 excited about him. Appears to be the starter, but there's 82 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:39.360 a lot of talent in that room, including the young 83 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:40.439 man from LCA. 84 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:43.319 We feel really good about the high school guy we 85 00:04:43.480 --> 00:04:46.040 took and Cutter. He's going to be a special player, 86 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:49.160 but we want to give him time to mature and grow. 87 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:54.480 But Brock has done a very good job and you know, 88 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:57.600 we're excited about him. And then also Gavin, you know, 89 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:00.639 and what he brings to the table, and he's got 90 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:02.720 some snaps under his belt in the Big Ten. He's 91 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:05.399 a big, strong guy. He could throw it, he could run. 92 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:07.519 And then you know, it was also really good to 93 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:10.040 bring bow back. You know, you've seen what happened in 94 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:13.519 years past when you're not deep at that position, some 95 00:05:13.560 --> 00:05:15.720 funny things can happen. So we feel like we do 96 00:05:15.800 --> 00:05:18.240 have some really quality depth of deposition. 97 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:22.000 I like how he called Cutter Bully, the high school guy, 98 00:05:22.759 --> 00:05:25.399 but really compared to the other guys, he is. I 99 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:28.399 had a chance to meet Gavin Wimsen. He's a very pleasant, 100 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:31.360 outgoing guy who transferred in from Rutgers. You'll hear from 101 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:35.000 him on the Big Blue Sider, but talked about going 102 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:38.319 from the Big ten Rutgers to the SEC. And he 103 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:41.160 of course is a Kentucky kid from Owensboro. But he's 104 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:45.360 excited and they talk about him in terms of a 105 00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:48.800 running quarterback, the Wildcat. But he told me, he said 106 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:51.319 in terms of the offense. I like the passing as well, 107 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:53.600 so we'll see how much of a shot he gets. 108 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:57.759 When it comes to defense, Stoops talked about the fact 109 00:05:57.879 --> 00:06:01.160 that this team needs to be much much better at 110 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:04.120 getting off the field on third down so the offense 111 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:06.759 can get the ball back, of course, to short circuit 112 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:08.279 the other team's offense as well. 113 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.160 You know, we want to get continue to get off 114 00:06:11.160 --> 00:06:14.160 the field. You know, we did a decent job at times, 115 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:16.439 but we got to you know, get better at third down, 116 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:20.519 you know, and execute and get some more three and 117 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:23.000 ounce get off the field. I'd like to see the 118 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:26.000 offense have more possessions, more plays. We've talked about that 119 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:28.439 with the tempo with the offense, but that goes hand 120 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:30.759 in hand. The defense has to play well, you know, 121 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:33.439 and get off the field. When we have opportunities to 122 00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:35.160 get off the field. We have to do that, you know. 123 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:38.000 I think we were disruptive last year. I like that. 124 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:40.560 I like the fact that we created negative yardage plays, 125 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:42.560 we had some more sacks. We're getting some pressure, but 126 00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:44.720 we've got to want to continue to build on that. 127 00:06:44.839 --> 00:06:47.959 You want to continue to be able to when you 128 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:52.279 want to rush for and get good great pressure. 129 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:56.079 That's the key, getting pressure on the quarterback. Everybody likes blitzing. 130 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:58.000 I've heard people say, you know, why do they blitz more? 131 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:00.439 The key Iss Stoops has said more than once is 132 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:03.639 can you get to the quarterback? Can you create pressure 133 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:06.839 without blitzing, without putting yourself in a week in State 134 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:10.040 in your back seven? Remember when Josh Allen was here, 135 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:12.680 they always said pressure on the quarterback, or at least 136 00:07:12.680 --> 00:07:15.360 it was perceived that they had pressure because he was 137 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:18.120 crashing off the edge. And of course Dion Walker is 138 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:21.439 going to be a huge plus again literally for this team. 139 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:23.800 But pressure on the quarterback. And I asked Brad White 140 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:27.079 about this last year. You like sacks, you like TFLs, 141 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:31.360 but it's the hurries of the quarterback that sometimes are 142 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:34.680 even more damaging than sacks. Yeah, you want, you like 143 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:36.639 getting the down, you like it in the yardage, but 144 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:40.319 a hurry can force the quarterback into making a mistake 145 00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:43.600 and throwing an interception. So that's got to be better. 146 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:45.800 But it's really got to be better on third down. 147 00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:49.240 And of course, the most painful memory for fans, for 148 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:52.399 people covering the game, and especially the players and coaches 149 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:55.000 was the Clemson game and the ball game, couldn't get 150 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:58.560 off the field, you know, kept killing themselves with turnovers, 151 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:01.439 but then on the stretch, couldn't get off the field. 152 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:05.560 Injuries and fatigue and all that and cost Kentucky the 153 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:08.920 game when it comes to getting off the field. Brad White, 154 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:11.879 that was one of the first comments he made was 155 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:14.319 that's probably at the top of his bucket. 156 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:19.079 List, specifically towards the back end of the season. Third 157 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:23.240 and long situation, especially extra long, you know, was an 158 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:26.720 area that historically, if you look, we've been we've been 159 00:08:26.759 --> 00:08:30.439 really good, and we were not, you know, not anywhere 160 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:32.559 close to the standard that we need to be at, 161 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:36.559 you know, and it cost us, you know, and when 162 00:08:36.600 --> 00:08:39.039 you give up third downs, you extend drives, you know, 163 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:43.840 and extended drives leads to points, it leads to less 164 00:08:43.879 --> 00:08:48.080 opportunities for the offense. So obviously that was that's going 165 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:50.440 to be a primary focus again. You know, the year 166 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:54.320 before in twenty two was sort of our best year 167 00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:57.600 ever in third down defense, and there's a correlation to 168 00:08:57.879 --> 00:08:59.200 how what we played as a defense. 169 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:02.279 So we need to get yes they do and give 170 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:05.279 the ball back to the offense. The last thing Stoop 171 00:09:05.399 --> 00:09:09.440 said during his twenty minutes with us today was and 172 00:09:09.480 --> 00:09:12.360 he wanted to drive the point home. He said, when 173 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:15.559 it comes to the offense and the tempo, we are 174 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:19.519 not going to be an up tempo offense in the 175 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:22.399 form of Tennessee or Ole Miss the jail what I 176 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:25.519 call the jail break offenses. You know, the ones that 177 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:28.559 where the lineman race to the line of scrimmage and 178 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:30.559 don't give the defense a chance to set up, and 179 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:33.600 the quick hits and things like that. Now you already 180 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:36.360 know this from when he hired Hamden and really going 181 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:39.159 back to when Liam Cohen was still here, Stoops really 182 00:09:39.320 --> 00:09:44.360 really wants more tempo in the offense to give more 183 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:46.919 people a chance to touch the ball, to move the chains. 184 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:50.240 He doesn't want to see the play clock winding down 185 00:09:50.279 --> 00:09:54.919 three two, one zero and Bush Hamden feels the same way, 186 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:57.159 although he kind of kidded us a little bit when 187 00:09:57.159 --> 00:09:58.799 it came to tempo. We're going to. 188 00:09:58.840 --> 00:10:00.919 Run one hundred plays a game and be the fastest 189 00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:04.759 offense in the country. So oh, man, I think I lose, 190 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:07.720 you know, lose sleep over the tempo question, and you 191 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:09.919 guys come in here and asking me, I think the 192 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:12.480 biggest thing this is with tempo in our systems that 193 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:16.080 we've had. Again, if you go back to the tape, right, 194 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:19.440 I think about last year at Memphis, we get down, 195 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:22.279 we've got the ability. I think we put seventeen points 196 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:25.080 up in like seven minutes because we have the ability 197 00:10:25.080 --> 00:10:29.320 to play extremely fast. We always want to be somewhere 198 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:32.600 in the middle. And what that means is have the flexibility, 199 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:35.919 depending on how the game's going to do whatever it 200 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:37.559 takes to win the football game. And I think that's 201 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:40.679 important for us all to know. For me, the checklist 202 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:43.600 in fall camp is we got periods where we are 203 00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:46.440 playing as fast as anybody in the country. One word 204 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:49.759 plays getting up there, snapping the ball within seven seconds. 205 00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:54.679 We also have that focus where we can huddle, operate, execute, 206 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:55.759 take time off the clock. 207 00:10:56.879 --> 00:10:59.559 That's the balance that Mark steps has talked about really 208 00:10:59.559 --> 00:11:02.120 from day one since he got here, and he talked 209 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:04.879 about it quite a bit in Dallas at media days 210 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:09.080 and again today, and Bush Hampden knows this. Everybody wants 211 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:11.720 to see the ball flying through the air, but more 212 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:15.279 than anything, everybody wants to see points on the scoreboard. 213 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:17.879 So you got to keep moving the chains. Now, who's 214 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:20.159 going to be taking his snaps who's going to be 215 00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:22.679 triggering that offense. Well, we know, as we said earlier, 216 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:27.320 Brock Vandergrip seems to be the number one candidate and 217 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:29.720 he likely will be the starter, but you just don't know. 218 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:32.399 Hampton has said Brock has looked good so far. 219 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:37.759 A smart, smart player, tough, can run all those things. Again, 220 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:39.919 I think we've had success with, probably in the last 221 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:43.200 three to five years, a guy like Brady Cook at Missouri. 222 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:45.519 You see what his skill set looks like, what Taylor 223 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:48.639 Green did last year at Boise Maddix s Matthson. We 224 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:50.799 think he's right in the mold of a guy we 225 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.080 like for the system. 226 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:57.279 Whenever you're asking oc about his quarterback, he inevitably mentions 227 00:11:57.360 --> 00:11:59.799 all of them. You'll see he's usually the QB coach. 228 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:03.399 And I know Henshaw did this when he was here, 229 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:07.000 and he Grant did this, Liam Cohen did this. But 230 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:11.200 keep in mind that in twenty nineteen you could talk 231 00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:13.080 about all those guys, they all ended up hurt. Lynn 232 00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:15.799 Bowden was a QB. So you got to get everybody ready. 233 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:19.720 And keep in mind as well, Stephen Johnson was ready 234 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:23.360 when Drew Barker went down and Stephen Johnson got his 235 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:25.840 chance and made the most of it. So yeah, they 236 00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:28.840 got to have every quarterback ready because as Vandergriff said 237 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:31.879 earlier today, he said, you're an ankle away from being 238 00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:33.480 a starter when you're the backup. And that's the way 239 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:36.399 he approached his job down at Georgia. But he said 240 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:39.679 it was time to play football, so he transferred to Kentucky. 241 00:12:40.039 --> 00:12:42.960 One other Stoops comment before we hit the brake, somebody 242 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:45.600 brought up the fact that Stoops is and he brought 243 00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:48.639 it up as well in Dallas the longest tenured coach 244 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:50.879 in the SEC. We know this his twelfth year and 245 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:54.039 it's amazing when you think about that, that it's Mark 246 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:57.360 Stoops at Kentucky. That's how coaches have come and gone 247 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:03.159 now with Saban retiring. But there's a question put to 248 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:08.480 Stoops about the fact that it's It seems rather surprising, yes, 249 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:12.440 but it's a job where he said to learn every day, 250 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:15.200 Mark twelve years is not to call you old. 251 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:16.399 But that's a long time. 252 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:17.399 It's bell, No, you can't. 253 00:13:19.960 --> 00:13:20.759 It's about the sport. 254 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:23.440 Obviously, it's changing so much, and then the rule changes 255 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:24.639 college athletics as the whole. 256 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:26.240 Does it ever surprise you how much you still have 257 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:26.759 to learn. 258 00:13:27.399 --> 00:13:32.240 No, No, that doesn't, it doesn't. You know that's been 259 00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:36.279 that way, you know since day one when you walk 260 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:39.600 in here. I said it, you know, twelve years ago, 261 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:43.360 through some ups and some downs and mostly downs early on, 262 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:46.279 but that I was prepared for. I knew what I 263 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:49.279 was getting into. That doesn't mean that it's easy. That 264 00:13:49.320 --> 00:13:51.840 doesn't mean that you take it all in stride. Every 265 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:54.759 day you walk in there, there's a new new challenge 266 00:13:54.840 --> 00:13:56.639 or you know, something you have to deal with, and 267 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:00.759 I embrace that. You know, there's young men that are 268 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:04.120 going through things in there that need counseling, that need talk, 269 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.799 you know, to that you you got to put your 270 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:09.559 arm around. Sometimes you got to push them when they 271 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:11.679 don't want to be pushed. And I love that part 272 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:14.639 of it. And so there's just different challenges each and 273 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:17.519 every day. And I feel as good about that right 274 00:14:17.559 --> 00:14:21.679 now as I did that as far as embracing those challenges, 275 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:23.759 and sometimes they're more difficult than others. 276 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:27.320 That's the UK head coach Mark Steubs. More of the 277 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:29.320 Big bluon Sider coming up a little bit later on 278 00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:33.360 Tom Hammond, a Hall of Fame broadcaster and a veteran 279 00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:36.720 of many many Olympics will join us to talk about 280 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:40.600 this year's Summer Games and his new book. Also coming 281 00:14:40.679 --> 00:14:43.879 up in our number two, Justin Rowland of Katz Illustrated, 282 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:47.440 and Kyle Motes, a long time assistant ad at Kentucky 283 00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:51.600 now he's the athletics director at Eastern Kentucky University. That's 284 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:54.000 all ahead. We'll also take a closer look at the 285 00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:56.440 NCAA report on the other side of the break here 286 00:14:56.440 --> 00:15:00.919 on the Big Bluon Sider six thirty WLAP Welcome back 287 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:04.000 to the Big Lunsider. Coming up, Tom Hammond will join us, 288 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:08.639 the legendary sportscaster, Kyle Motz, new athletics director at Eastern 289 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:13.720 Kentucky University, and Justin Roland, the publisher of Cats Illustrated. 290 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:17.399 I'm guessing by now you have heard about the NCAAA 291 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:23.399 announcing violations that occurred in the UK swimming and football programs. 292 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:26.360 You need to understand that I'm not going to dismiss 293 00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:30.320 this as old news. This is basically the official follow 294 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:34.279 up from the NSA Infractions Committee. And people who don't 295 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:36.960 either understand the way the NCAY works, they don't like 296 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.440 it and they want to do away with it. But 297 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:42.279 even if you do, you're going to have a body 298 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:47.399 that oversees college athletics, that creates rules and deals with infractions. 299 00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:50.279 That's all that you're doing, and that's what the schools 300 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:54.159 do that people on the infractions committee work at other universities. 301 00:15:54.519 --> 00:15:57.840 They just don't meet around the clock every week. So 302 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:01.759 this takes a while to to decide what to do 303 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:04.720 and how to do it. Now what we're talking about. 304 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:08.399 Of course, with regard that a swimming program was the 305 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:14.159 controversy involving former coach Lars Jorgensen, UK has dealt with that. 306 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:17.360 Legal people are dealing with it as well. There was 307 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:22.559 at least one lawsuit in place, but UK had to 308 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:26.080 go before the NCAA and take its lumps on that 309 00:16:26.519 --> 00:16:29.200 the school agreed that it failed to monitor swimming and 310 00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:34.120 diving programs and that the underlying violations demonstrated a head 311 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:40.360 coach responsibility violation. When it comes to football, this dates 312 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:43.120 back to you might recall Chris Rodriguez, the running back, 313 00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:46.960 had to sit out four games, and this isn't all 314 00:16:47.080 --> 00:16:51.919 on him. There were apparently eleven student athletes involved essentially, 315 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:57.159 and many of them involved, as was Rodriguez, with being 316 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:01.720 paid for work that was never done, so payment for 317 00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:06.640 work not performed between spring of twenty twenty one in 318 00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:08.799 March of twenty twenty two. As I said, this is 319 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:14.319 not new violations, this is just new information coming from 320 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:17.720 the infractions committee. Eight of the student athletes went on 321 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:23.279 to compete and receive actual and necessary expenses while ineligible. 322 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:29.119 No staff member, according to the enforcement staff in the 323 00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:33.279 athletics department, knew or reasonably should have known about the 324 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:37.039 payment for work not performed. So the violations involving the 325 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:41.759 football program, according to the NCAA did not provide additional 326 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:46.799 support for the agreed upon failure to monitor violations. So 327 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:50.440 cutting through all this, what it means is during that 328 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:54.160 twenty twenty one season, Kentucky was using players who were 329 00:17:54.519 --> 00:17:59.000 improperly and basically illegally paid for work they did not do. 330 00:17:59.079 --> 00:18:01.160 This was not an extra benefit like a pair of 331 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:03.720 pants or a pizza. This was money they should not 332 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:06.839 have been given for doing work that they weren't doing. 333 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:10.119 So that's why Kentucky has to vacate the ten wins. 334 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:13.200 And again, ninety nine percent of you will shrug that off, 335 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:15.200 some of you will be mad about it, and a 336 00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:17.279 lot of you, I know because you tell me about it, 337 00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:21.279 think that they shouldn't even worry about stuff like this. Essentially, 338 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:24.519 what you're saying is there shouldn't be any rules. Everybody 339 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:26.720 should be able to do whatever they want. Well, you 340 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:29.240 know what, that's essentially what you're doing right now with 341 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:32.920 a portal and with nil money. And you know it's 342 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:35.720 it's it's like people say, it's the Wild West. Are 343 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:39.440 you enjoying that? No players are enjoying it. They have 344 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:42.519 more freedom, they're getting money and the money they deserve, 345 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:45.680 but there are no guard rails. That's what they keep 346 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:49.599 talking about. We need guard rails, We need guidelines so 347 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:53.119 people can at least compete on the same level. It's 348 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:55.480 never going to be equal, but it's got to be equitable. 349 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:59.279 And that's why these rules are in place. And Kentucky 350 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:03.400 broke rules, like I said, on probation for a couple 351 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:07.200 of years and vacating the ten wins from the twenty 352 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:11.160 twenty one season, including the ball win over Iowa in 353 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:14.599 the Citrus Bolt. Tom Hammond's next in six thirty WLAP 354 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:16.759 welcome back to the Big Blue and Cider, joining us 355 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:19.920 now as a longtime friend and the colleague. In terms 356 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:22.920 of well we've covered a lot of sports, the same 357 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:28.160 sports and played basketball together. In fact, Tom Hammond, Yeah, Tom, 358 00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:30.680 I'm gonna call you legendary, but I know that that 359 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:33.319 some people think it just means you're old, But no, 360 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:36.079 I mean you you got quite the resume and now 361 00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:38.960 you've got a book coming out. How are you well? 362 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:41.680 I'm doing well, Dick, And you're right. I had a long, 363 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:45.920 great run, and you know, it wasn't so much I 364 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:48.440 think that of my talent as much as it was 365 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:50.640 things falling into place at the right time for me 366 00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:52.519 in a lot of ways. So you know, I'm very 367 00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:55.759 grateful for that, and it was it was a wonderful run. 368 00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:59.960 And I'm enjoying decompressing a little bit as a retired 369 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.920 although the book. But it's kind of frightening to come 370 00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:06.240 to think about all those things about your life now 371 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:08.680 going out to the to the public in general, that 372 00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:12.440 you didn't ever think about. So anyway, Uh that that's 373 00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:13.480 where I stand right now. 374 00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:17.640 Well, so much of your great career involved the Olympics, 375 00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:19.759 and I will get to that because obviously the games 376 00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:22.160 are going on as we speak, But I want to 377 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:25.319 know about the book. It's called Racist Games and Olympic 378 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.400 Dreams and I heard you talking to Tom Leach. It 379 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:29.960 was a lot of fun when you did Tom's entire 380 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:33.559 show with him. But people were telling you you need 381 00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:35.319 to write a book. Did you hear what you're hearing 382 00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:36.480 that a lot? I assume you were. 383 00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:41.519 Yeah, I was, you know, just speaking to a to 384 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:45.000 a group, or or even just sitting around telling stories. 385 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:48.640 That's what old guys do, tell stories. So uh, they'd say, hey, 386 00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:51.279 you are to write a book. And at the time, 387 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:53.400 it just seemed when I retired, it just seemed like 388 00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:56.400 too big a project to undertake you that time, because 389 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:58.279 I just wanted to kind of let down a bit. 390 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:01.519 So when when Mark Story signed on to the deal, 391 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:05.000 that's sort of a sensitive for me. And we did 392 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:08.799 an oral history for UK and then and then worked 393 00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:09.960 on the book for some time. 394 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:12.799 Is that how it happened? Did Mark interview you for 395 00:21:12.839 --> 00:21:14.799 the oral history and it just kind of morphed into 396 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:15.240 a book. 397 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:19.759 Yeah, it made sense to use that as the basis 398 00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:21.599 for the book, and that's the way it worked out. 399 00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:23.799 He came out and he would interview me for the 400 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:26.440 oral history, which has gone into the archives a k. 401 00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:30.839