WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:02.399 Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:04.960 you Friday edition of our program as we wrap up 3 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:09.039 the week and look ahead to tomorrow's contest with South Carolina. 4 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:12.919 The Wildcats opening conference play, and this one is crucial. 5 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:15.759 We've talked about it all week. It's so weird to 6 00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:19.960 see Kentucky open the conference this early in the season, 7 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:23.320 but it's vital for actually both teams as they try 8 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:25.320 to get to another bowl game, to try to stay 9 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:28.920 relevant in the SEC. So much tougher now to get 10 00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:31.719 to Atlanta. You gotta have this one, in my opinion, 11 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:34.079 if you're going to get there, the Wildcats with those 12 00:00:34.119 --> 00:00:36.679 hopes and dreams. So we'll have the ballgame for you 13 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:41.000 right here on six thirty WLAP tomorrow one thirty airtime 14 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:46.039 with Christy and Jeremy and Logan Stenberg, Tom Leech, jeffcol 15 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:48.079 and I will have the call. Should be a great day, 16 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:52.679 Kentucky fans. You deserve great weather for tomorrow and from 17 00:00:52.759 --> 00:00:54.679 all the counts you're going to get it, so we 18 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:56.719 hope you get a good game to go along with 19 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:01.280 as well. Kentucky for the longest time couldn't beat South Carolina. 20 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:03.560 There was a Tennessee streak, there was the Florida streak, 21 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:06.719 but ten straight years the Wildcats lost to s See. 22 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:11.760 But Mark Stoops turned that around and Jojo Kemp had 23 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:14.120 a great game back in twenty fourteen at one hundred 24 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:17.879 and thirty yards plus three touchdowns through the Wildcat formation 25 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:21.680 as the Wildcats up ended South Carolina here in Lexington 26 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.640 then the next year, and Jojo talked about this on 27 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:27.760 the show earlier this week, they went down and won 28 00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:29.640 at South Carolina. 29 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:30.120 Which was a huge win. 30 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:32.920 It was an upset and as I told Jojo this week, 31 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:36.159 when I walked in that locker room to do postgame interviews, 32 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:42.719 the wall of sound was deafening. It was amazing how 33 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:46.519 loud that room was. I could barely hear myself think 34 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:50.680 I could barely hear the players I was interviewing. Tom 35 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:52.799 Leech came down by then it had calmed down a 36 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:55.079 little bit to talk to Mark Stoops. But it was 37 00:01:55.159 --> 00:01:58.560 quite the performance by the Wildcats and quite the experience, 38 00:01:59.079 --> 00:02:02.400 and it was just so much fun watching Kentucky turned 39 00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:05.799 that thing around against South Carolina, especially in fourteen when 40 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:10.639 Neil Brown was the OC and people hadn't quite turned 41 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:15.120 on the Wildcat. Yet they just don't really like it 42 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:17.919 that much. But I think that goes back to when 43 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:20.919 Benny Snell had a rough time with it early in 44 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:23.120 his sophomore year and it just didn't work very well 45 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:26.439 because Benny didn't have the timing down. Once he mastered 46 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:29.520 at or remastered it because he had it as a freshman, 47 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:32.520 then the Wildcat really took off again. But that night 48 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:36.080 with Jojo Kemp and Patrick Toles. 49 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:37.439 It worked beautifully. 50 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:40.800 And there was one play where Jojo lines up in 51 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:43.240 the Wildcat, but it turns into a flea flicker I 52 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:45.960 had almost forgotten about. This play turned into a long 53 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:51.080 touchdown bomb to Ryan Timmins, wide receiver. Kentucky signed out 54 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:55.840 of Frankfurt, and this was probably Timmins' best play as 55 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:59.000 a Wildcat, and certainly a great call by Neil Brown. 56 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:02.400 Set Eye Tolls goes in motion to the near side, 57 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:05.360 so Kemp will go from the Wildcat. But they did 58 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:06.919 it out of a different look this time, and now 59 00:03:06.919 --> 00:03:09.360 he brings Blue in motion and they handed to Blue 60 00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:11.759 sweeping laugh and out. He gets it back to cols 61 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:13.960 Hey throwing deep Timmith wide open. 62 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:20.759 He got it five touch down Kentucky huge play, especially 63 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:23.360 for what was happening at the time. Kentucky twice fell 64 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:28.240 behind by fourteen points, and Jojo pointed this out earlier 65 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:31.319 this week that what a call by Neil Brown. What 66 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:34.800 a decision to stay with the Wildcat. Of course Jojo 67 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:37.800 loved it and had a great game, but to be 68 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:42.159 down fourteen and stay with it, But he said, Jojo said, 69 00:03:42.199 --> 00:03:45.000 they knew it would work, but I don't think they 70 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:50.199 expected South Carolina to be so slow or incapable of 71 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:51.240 making adjustments. 72 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:53.120 There are ways to beat it. 73 00:03:53.159 --> 00:03:55.240 If you sell out to beat the Wildcat, you can 74 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:58.319 stop it. That opens you up to be damaged by 75 00:03:58.360 --> 00:04:03.199 other offensive attack. But South Carolina never made the adjustment. 76 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:06.120 And I've always said, or for the longest time, the 77 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:11.240 word adjustment sometimes overblown, because Steve Brown, the former decordinator Kentucky, 78 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:13.599 once said it us. You know, people talk so much 79 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:17.279 about adjustments at halftime, and as often as not, it's 80 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:21.040 simply reminding kids to carry out the assignments they worked 81 00:04:21.079 --> 00:04:24.480 on all week long. Not changing everything, not throwing the 82 00:04:24.519 --> 00:04:27.360 game plan out the window. Just hey, do what you're 83 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:33.000 supposed to do, properly, do your job, and everything's going 84 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:34.439 to be okay. We're gonna get back to that in 85 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:36.879 just a minute, because that's the theme this week. It 86 00:04:36.920 --> 00:04:39.319 should it really is every week, but especially this week 87 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:43.480 for the wildcast. But anyhow, South Carolina never made the change. 88 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:46.279 And there was also this huge play by Jojo. And 89 00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:49.199 remember if you were there you or saw the game, 90 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:51.319 you thought he's going to score and he didn't. 91 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:53.199 But it was his biggest carry of the game. 92 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:55.199 So take the direct snap to himself this time, has 93 00:04:55.240 --> 00:04:57.879 it takes that explodes the head across the forty five breaks, 94 00:04:57.879 --> 00:05:00.000 the tackle gets outside of the forty for the thirty five, 95 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:01.160 I cuts left at the thirties. 96 00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:02.639 He's gotten run to the far side. 97 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:04.079 He's a blunder twenty. 98 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:05.560 Five twenty ten knock. 99 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:07.959 Kind of Thus I had the seven yard line. 100 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:09.439 It'll be personal goal to go. 101 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:15.000 Tom was kind of chuckling there because, well, Jojo, after 102 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:17.879 that play was over, he just lay on the ground. 103 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:20.399 They tried to help him up and he shrugged off 104 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:21.079 the help. 105 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:22.720 He was like, no, I just want to lie here 106 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:23.720 for a minute and rest. 107 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:26.360 But then he went right back in with just an 108 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:29.879 amazing performance that night by Camp and by the old 109 00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:32.079 line and Neil Brown, the offensive coordinator. 110 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:33.600 So don't think we'll. 111 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:36.279 See much wildcat this week, but we're going to see 112 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:40.240 quarterback run game from both teams. They've got a really good, 113 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:44.360 young running quarterback with a strong arm. South Carolina does, 114 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:48.439 and that's why we heard so much this week about 115 00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:51.759 being gap, discipline, gap sound. There was a lot of 116 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:56.279 talk from the players and Mark Stoops about as Trevon 117 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:58.680 Ripket pointed out to us this week, it all starts 118 00:05:58.680 --> 00:06:00.959 with the eyes. Your eyes have to be in the 119 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:04.000 right place. Your eyes have to be on what you're doing. 120 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:05.480 Do your job. 121 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:08.800 Don't be looking off somewhere else to see maybe what 122 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:12.160 you can do to help somebody else. Know, keep your 123 00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:15.839 eyes where they belong. And if you don't, they call 124 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:18.319 that dirty eyes. We've heard that a little bit this week, 125 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:22.680 especially from Stoops, but it is absolutely vital with a 126 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:25.600 guy like Norris the QB who can run and hurt you. 127 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:28.560 For South Carolina, we need to be clean, you know, 128 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:32.040 clean with our vision and you know, guys, as I 129 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:34.160 told you last week, ause I told the team many 130 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:36.480 times going in the game when everybody wants. 131 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:39.560 To do too much, everybody you know worked hard, they've 132 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:41.240 left it, they've run, they want to go. You know, 133 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:43.399 make every play, and you have to take care of 134 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:44.040 your business. 135 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:45.720 You know, you got to do your. 136 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:48.600 Primary responsibility first. And I think, you know, we're talking 137 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:51.279 about just dirty eyes and guys getting a little over anxious. 138 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:53.560 They just got to do, you know, do what we're 139 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:55.639 asking them to do and then and then play football. 140 00:06:57.079 --> 00:07:00.199 Do your job, be gap sound, and all things will 141 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:02.120 come to pass. Usually good things. 142 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:04.399 Stop said, it's been a good week for practice. That's 143 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:05.040 a good sign. 144 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:08.199 The week's gone well. I feel like their preparation has 145 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:11.959 been on point. You know, we still have a work 146 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:14.000 to do, a lot of mental work to do between 147 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:16.839 now and game time, but it's been a great start. 148 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:19.160 So we got to just carry that over to the field. 149 00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:22.399 As I just told the team, you know, there's it's 150 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:24.920 it's going to come down to executing, you know, that's 151 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:30.000 that's the bottom line. We need focused discipline, execution. There's 152 00:07:30.040 --> 00:07:32.360 going to be motion, there always is, but that's gonna 153 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:33.879 go out the window and it's going to come down 154 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:37.240 to who executes and who makes plays when the game's 155 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:38.199 on the line. 156 00:07:38.279 --> 00:07:39.959 It always does who executes. 157 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.560 And in fact, Chris collins Worth made an interesting point 158 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:46.319 last night on the NFL broadcast. He was talking about 159 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:50.839 a decoordinator who said that it did. He told his 160 00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:54.240 team in one particular game, big, big game, doesn't matter 161 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:57.720 what I call good or bad as long as you execute. 162 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:00.839 And that's right in every instance of it. Every football game, 163 00:08:00.920 --> 00:08:04.120 you don't execute, you usually aren't gonna win. Sometimes you're 164 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:06.720 good enough to get away with mistakes, but you're usually 165 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:07.199 gonna win. 166 00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:07.839 Great game. 167 00:08:07.879 --> 00:08:10.879 By the way, last night, the Ravens appear to have 168 00:08:11.160 --> 00:08:13.040 had a shot at tier winning the game of a 169 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:16.000 two point conversion at the very end on a touchdown 170 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:20.680 pass apparent touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson, but didn't work 171 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:24.360 because the receiver had his toes on the line. It 172 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:26.879 was clear through the replay that it wasn't a touchdown. 173 00:08:26.920 --> 00:08:29.920 What a great game the rematch at the conference championship 174 00:08:29.959 --> 00:08:33.600 game with the Chiefs and the Ravens. So the NFL 175 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:36.360 season off to a great start. My Packers tonight in 176 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:40.039 Brazil playing those Eagles, and I hope everybody gets in 177 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:43.600 and out of there safely. But yeah, it's here, and 178 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:48.080 the NFL underway, Kentucky football well underway, and you'll hear 179 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:51.360 it right here on six thirty WLAP. But we'll shift 180 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:53.600 to basketball when we come back. You heard it yesterday, 181 00:08:53.799 --> 00:08:57.000 Jasper Johnson is a Wildcat. Chris Fisher of two four 182 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:59.200 to seven Sports will chop that up with us when 183 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:01.080 we come back here in the Big Bloon Sider six 184 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:03.840 thirty w Welcome back to the Big Blue Sider. Joining 185 00:09:03.879 --> 00:09:06.519 us now in our celebrity hotline, mister Chris Fisher of 186 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:09.639 two four seven and the Cat's pause and Chris, you 187 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:13.320 looked on as Jasper Johnson made his announcement, it had 188 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:16.720 kind of oozed out that it was going to be Kentucky. 189 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:18.159 Worke got out he was going to be at the 190 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:22.279 game with the team that with the basketball team tomorrow, 191 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:23.200 so he ain't going. 192 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:23.960 Anywhere but UK. 193 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:28.039 But for quite a while the Alabama was legit wasn't it. 194 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:29.799 I don't not sand he locked him down, But that 195 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:31.840 was that was serious, wasn't it. 196 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:37.039 Yeah. I fear that when the dust kind of settles 197 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:39.919 on this whole thing, fans will look back and say, oh, 198 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:42.960 he was never going anywhere but Kentucky. And he's a 199 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:47.559 Lexington kid and his family is all you know, true blue, 200 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:51.039 and you know has the various connections to UK. But 201 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:54.200 that is not how this thing played out at all. 202 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:58.759 Kentucky was playing catch up before the coaching change with 203 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:03.960 North Carolina, were playing ketchup after the coaching change with Alabama, 204 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:07.960 and this thing really only turned in the last couple 205 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:12.080 of weeks. I think it got to a point where, 206 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:18.039 you know, it's a lot easier to say yes to 207 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:24.120 other schools. No, it's it's a lot harder at the 208 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:26.039 end of the day for him to say no to Kentucky. 209 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:28.279 There's so much pressure. 210 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:32.000 On him with those family ties at the end of 211 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:35.080 the day to say no to Kentucky. And I think 212 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:37.840 that's what I think, That's honestly what it came down to. Now, 213 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:42.159 obviously you could tell by the announcement that and I 214 00:10:42.759 --> 00:10:45.679 certainly played its part, which it plays a part in 215 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:48.679 every recruitment nowadays. But at the end of the day, 216 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:51.240 he was a seventeen year old kid, and I think 217 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:54.399 as the deadline got closer and closer, it got that 218 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:56.759 much harder to say no to Kentucky, you know. 219 00:10:56.919 --> 00:10:58.159 And this was all playing out. 220 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:00.919 I flashed on the recruitment of his dad, who I 221 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:03.639 think yesterday I said, went to Woodford Kennedy coaches at 222 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:07.840 Woodford County played at Harrisburg. But and I reported this 223 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:12.200 the day before Dennis Johnson signed with Kentucky. I reported 224 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:14.360 that the way the winds were blowing, I kept hearing 225 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:17.120 Notre Dame. But he you know, But but then he 226 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:19.600 goes to Kentucky and people killed me on your All's 227 00:11:19.639 --> 00:11:22.399 message boards, on the cats Balls message boards. But he 228 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:25.519 later said he was heading for Notre Dame. But the 229 00:11:25.559 --> 00:11:27.759 next day woke up and decided I want to be 230 00:11:27.799 --> 00:11:29.600 a wildcat. Of course, they hired his dad to be 231 00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:33.320 an assistant coach. So it's never quite the locked people 232 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:37.360 think it is. But now it's even tougher, isn't it, Chris, 233 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:39.480 with all this nil money floating around. 234 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:42.360 Yeah, And I think that's the other thing. 235 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:45.679 I think once Kentucky kind of stepped up with the 236 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:48.960 nil and you know, kind of leveled the playing field, 237 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:51.320 and I think it made it that much harder to 238 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:54.440 say no to Kentucky. And the other thing is this 239 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:59.440 Mark Pope put in the time to recruit Jasper Johnson. 240 00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:03.320 He was not heavily recruited by the previous staff. But 241 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:06.840 since Mark Pope took the Kentucky job back in April. 242 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:09.200 He saw Jasper Johnson and. 243 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:13.879 Indianapolis, he flew to Colorado Springs, he went. He flew 244 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:18.840 to Argentina, flew to saw him play in Shelbyville. Didn't 245 00:12:18.840 --> 00:12:23.679 fly there, it drove there, but then flew to Atlanta 246 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:28.399 at overtime elite to meet with him the day before 247 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:31.759 his decision. So Mark Pope deserves a lot of credit 248 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:36.240 for putting in the time and effort to make Jasper 249 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:39.919 Johnson feel like a priority. There was a lot of 250 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:42.639 ground to make up. Nate Oates had been recruiting him 251 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:45.240 since the eighth grade, so there was a lot of 252 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:48.840 ground to make up there and a lot of relationships 253 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.480 to establish. And Jasper Johnson said as much. Said Mark 254 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:56.320 Pope was very, very consistent in his pitch, made him 255 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:00.360 feel wanted, made him feel like a priority, and that 256 00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:04.159 certainly played a part in this recruitment. Rick Patino called 257 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:08.000 Mark Pope the hardest working player he's ever coached, and 258 00:13:08.039 --> 00:13:11.279 it definitely feels like that's translated over to his coaching 259 00:13:11.320 --> 00:13:12.039 career as well. 260 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:13.440 Well. You mentioned Alabama. 261 00:13:13.559 --> 00:13:17.000 Johnson said yesterday that what made it so tough, But 262 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:19.480 he said Alabama was one of the first Power five 263 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:22.559 schools to trust and offer me, not just offer but 264 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:25.200 trust him and through the years, Chris, and you've done 265 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:28.519 this for a long time as well. The first school 266 00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:31.519 provided it's it's a legit, not like you know, East 267 00:13:31.559 --> 00:13:35.440 Nowhere State, but you know, if it's a powerful school 268 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:40.200 that gets in really early, that matters a lot that kids, doesn't. 269 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:42.519 It, It definitely does. 270 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:46.600 And I think when you combine that with the fact 271 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:50.120 that you know they've been on him for a long time, 272 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:53.679 you combine that with the fact that they finally broke 273 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:57.159 through and made their first ever ever Final Four last. 274 00:13:56.879 --> 00:14:01.360 Season and have also developed a guy into high level 275 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:04.879 NBA draft picks. I think Natos was kind of selling 276 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:09.360 Jasher Johnson on being the next Brandon Miller. You know, 277 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:12.720 a guy that goes there and has an outstanding freshman 278 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:15.120 season and goes on to be a lottery pick. And 279 00:14:15.159 --> 00:14:17.960 so I think he saw a lot of similarities there. 280 00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:21.639 But again, I think Mark Pope really put in the 281 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:23.799 time and effort, and then when you combine that with 282 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:29.440 the nil offerings that Kentucky came in with late, I 283 00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:32.559 just think it was it was too good to pass up, 284 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:36.600 especially when you think about the long, illustrious history that 285 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:37.799 his family has with the. 286 00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:42.360 University Pope inherited Travis Perry. I think Cali Perry grudgingly 287 00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:45.879 signed him. No disrespect to Travis, it just was just 288 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:48.480 the way Kentucky was playing and recruiting. But he goes 289 00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:51.720 out and gets Trentono, flips him, gets Malachi Marino. So 290 00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:55.840 now you've got this core, Chris of Kentucky kids and 291 00:14:56.440 --> 00:15:00.600 we'll find out how vital that is to Kentucky's attempt 292 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:04.799 to get back to relevance. But to the fans, this 293 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:08.080 is just huge, isn't it to have a core of Kentuckians. 294 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:13.120 Oh, it's absolutely a dream come true and it's something 295 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:16.559 that fans have been have always thirsted four, but have 296 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:20.080 thirsted four even more after the last fifteen years or 297 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:23.399 so where you didn't see an abundance of Kentucky kids 298 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:28.080 on the roster, and especially guys that could contribute to 299 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:30.720 the program. And I think that's exactly what Kentucky has 300 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:33.840 right now. And whether Terravis Perry and Trent Know are 301 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:36.919 immediate impact guys from day one, I don't know, but 302 00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:40.120 I would be absolutely shocked if those guys aren't really 303 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:43.000 really good college players by the end of their time 304 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:48.159 in Lexington. And obviously Jasper Johnson is a different level 305 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:52.840 of talent. He's a consensus five star guy. He's ranked 306 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:54.879 in the Inside the top ten and the twenty four 307 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:57.799 to seven Sports Composite, and a guy that just knows 308 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:01.399 how to score and he can score from every level shooting. 309 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:05.159 He's a tough shot taker and a tough shot maker. 310 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:10.240 And when you put him in a perimeter oriented offense 311 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:14.039 like Mark Pope's, who gives his guys the green light 312 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:16.480 to shoot it from deep, I think it's a really 313 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:17.159 really good fit. 314 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:19.559 That was gonna be my next question. How does he 315 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:22.600 fit with what Pope wants to do? And like the 316 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:25.159 rest of us, you've seen video of Pope's teams but 317 00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:28.960 yet to see him in person, but we know that 318 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:32.399 he's recruiting guys who need to be able to shoot 319 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:35.399 from the perimeter. Does Jasper Johnson fit that bill? 320 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:37.600 Yeah? 321 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:39.759 Again, I think he takes a lot of tough shots, 322 00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:41.879 but he makes a lot of tough shots. He has 323 00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:44.559 really good size at six foot four, I think he 324 00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:47.480 has a six foot eight wings fan, so he's very long. 325 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:52.879 Not in a freak athlete, but I think he's athletic 326 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:56.080 enough to get the job done at the rim. But 327 00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:58.320 as far as perimeter shooting, I think he's a really 328 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:01.480 good fit from Mark Pope's offense. Didn't quite shoot it 329 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:05.440 as well in the Nike E YBL travel season. I 330 00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:07.759 think a lot of that had to do with some 331 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:12.039 of his shot selection, But is considered one of the 332 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:14.880 best perimeter shooters in the twenty twenty five class, and 333 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:18.640 when he gets hot, there's no stopping him. I mean, 334 00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:21.640 he can absolutely start to fill it up when he 335 00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:24.680 gets going, and I think pound for pound, is probably 336 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:27.599 one of the best scorers in the twenty twenty five 337 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:30.000 class and one of the best shooters as well. 338 00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:31.759 And of course when he gets to the rim, he's 339 00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:33.240 a little bit of a highlight reel. 340 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:33.440 Isn't he. 341 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:35.039 Yeah. 342 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:38.039 Like I said, he's sixty four six to eight wings fan, 343 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:42.720 solid athlete. I mean, he's Dennis Johnson's son at the 344 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:46.079 end of the day, and one of the best athletes 345 00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:51.599 to ever play for Kentucky football, the USA USA Today 346 00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:55.640 National High School Player of the Year, and so I 347 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:58.119 think he's going to be one of those immediate impact guys. 348 00:17:58.119 --> 00:18:01.359 Malachai Maraino, as we've talked about, thinks the big guys 349 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:04.920 a little bit longer to develop and so I don't 350 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:08.759 think we'll see male Camarano hit the ground running quite 351 00:18:08.920 --> 00:18:12.680 like Jasper Johnson will, but both of those guys can 352 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:14.519 come in and contribute right away. 353 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:17.359 I'm glad you brought up Dennis because people forget not 354 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:21.079 just the Gatorade defensive player of the Year at Class 355 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:23.200 A level in the state of Kentucky, but part of 356 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:29.240 his legacy at Harrisburg was he started playing varsity football. 357 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:32.480 Of course his dad was the coach, but started playing 358 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:35.400 with the varsity in the third grade, started as an 359 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:39.519 eighth grader, but also was a terrific basketball player and 360 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:41.240 a great track and field athlete. 361 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:44.079 So yeah, Jasper comes by those jeans. Honestly. 362 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:47.759 Forgive me, I can't speak to mom's athletic ability, but yeah, 363 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:50.880 Jasper comes by it, honestly. We're talking to Chris Fisher 364 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:53.559 of the Cats Paws and two four to seven Sports. 365 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:54.599 More to come here on the Big. 366 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:57.440 Blue Siders six thirty WLAP. Well come back, We're talking 367 00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:59.960 with Chris Fisher on her celebrity hotline. Chris, of course 368 00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:03.039 as a recruiting specialist for two four to seven Sports. 369 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:05.319 You see his work on the pages and online with 370 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:08.039 the Cats Paws and two four to seven sports dot 371 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:10.759 Com and of course we're talking about Jasper Johnson's decision 372 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:14.039 to stay home and play for Kentucky and one of 373 00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:17.920 the quotes he gave your Alls, Travis Branham Chris was 374 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:21.440 that it's good to be the hometown hero. I'm paraphrasing, 375 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:23.960 but living close to Rup, he said, watching all the 376 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:27.440 games growing up to follow him his dad's footsteps. Great 377 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:31.599 thing to do in a great feeling. But it's it's unfortunate, 378 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:34.640 but it's just the way things are. That Jasper left 379 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:37.960 the state to play his last year or two of 380 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:41.440 high school basketball. And when you look at Caliperi and 381 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:46.039 your colleague Aaron Gershan pointed out that Travis Perry was 382 00:19:46.200 --> 00:19:50.160 just the sixth in state player who ever signed with 383 00:19:50.279 --> 00:19:53.599 Caliperry in those fifteen years, and immediately you're like, what 384 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:57.720 the heck? But then you realize, kids like Jasper Johnson, 385 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:00.519 Rajon Rondo, I'm sure you can rap off a lot 386 00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:03.960 of names leave the state for prep schools, you know. 387 00:20:04.119 --> 00:20:05.440 So, yeah, you'd love. 388 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:08.119 To see more Kentucky kids on the roster, but how 389 00:20:08.119 --> 00:20:10.039 many can I'm sure calaf Pray would have said, how 390 00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:12.599 many Kentucky kids can help us win a national title, 391 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:14.160 and that's that's legit. 392 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:14.359 Isn't it. 393 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:15.759 Yeah. 394 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:19.880 I think going back to Reed Shepherd last year, I 395 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:26.640 believe he was the first McDonald's All American to finish 396 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:31.640 his high school career in Kentucky to play for UK 397 00:20:32.039 --> 00:20:36.079 since Rex Chapman in eighty eight. So that's going back 398 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:39.440 a really, really long way. And like you said, it's 399 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:41.960 a trend that we've seen where these kids, you know, 400 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:43.920 transfer out of state and go to these prep schools 401 00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:47.079