WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Dick Gabriel with you 2 00:00:02.359 --> 00:00:04.639 on a Monday edition of our show, coming up at 3 00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:07.440 seven point thirty. It's the nickmn Geones Show, so we 4 00:00:07.559 --> 00:00:09.519 will be with you right up until then. We got 5 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:12.160 a lot to talk about. We're gonna chat with Kentucky's 6 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:16.359 co defensive coordinator Chris Collins. He also coaches defensive backs 7 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:18.920 and of course one of his prize pupils is now 8 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:22.800 a Buffalo Bill thanks to being drafted in the first round, 9 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:25.879 Maxwell Harriston. We talked about it on Friday to day 10 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:29.480 after the first round, which happened on Thursday, but since then, 11 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:34.079 Dion Walker also was drafted by the Buffalo Bills, so 12 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.479 they'll be teammates along with Ray Davis, the X Wildcat, 13 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:41.359 and a number of Wildcats signed free agent deals, including 14 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:45.280 jam and Dumas Johnson. Pops is going to be a 15 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:47.200 Green Bay Packer. At least he's going to be in 16 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:50.520 camp of the packer, which gives a packer nation two 17 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:53.479 guys at least two who can go by Pops if 18 00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:56.640 they so desire. That's my grandkids call me. I'm sure 19 00:00:56.960 --> 00:00:59.679 in the millions and millions of Packers fans there's other 20 00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:03.000 people who call themselves or go bypops, but those are 21 00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:05.920 two that now you know about. So we'll hear from 22 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:08.640 Chris Collins coming up in hour number two, ahead of 23 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:11.120 the Nickmnjeonne show coming up as well, though at the 24 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:14.040 bottom of this hour Mitch Barnhardt's gonna join us. Over 25 00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:16.280 the weekend, there was a lot of chatter about a 26 00:01:16.359 --> 00:01:20.120 couple of things. First of all, the rededication of Memorial Coliseum. 27 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:24.719 They finally finished it. Basically it's been open and operating 28 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:28.159 for a while, but this was the formal dedication of 29 00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:31.560 the coliseum. And remember, for you younger folks, that's where 30 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:34.680 the varsity played, and I want you to think about 31 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:37.200 that the next time you go in there. That place 32 00:01:37.319 --> 00:01:40.519 used to hold eleven thousand, five hundred. So when they 33 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:43.560 start playing at Rupp Arena and the UK women start 34 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:47.920 playing basketball and volleyball in the facility, it just really 35 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:50.879 began to age and it needed a facelift, and it 36 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:52.719 got a great one. I just thought they did a 37 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:57.159 tremendous job on now what they're calling this year Historic 38 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:01.079 Memorial Coliseum. It goes back to being Memorial College next year. 39 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:03.400 But they wanted to pay homage to the fact that 40 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:09.639 it is Memorial Coliseum. It was dedicated with veterans in mind, 41 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:14.560 particularly the ones who made the ultimate sacrifice in World 42 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:17.520 War Two, in the Korean War, which I think was 43 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:21.439 going on when that building opened, and then of course 44 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.599 later on in the Vietnam War. A lot of Kentuckians, 45 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:29.520 of course, lost their lives in those conflicts, and twenty 46 00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:33.080 five UK student athletes were killed in World War Two. 47 00:02:33.159 --> 00:02:36.479 So they were able to maintain a lot of that heritage, 48 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.439 but did a great job of the facelift. So we'll 49 00:02:38.439 --> 00:02:40.960 talk to Barnhardt about that as well. Go to UK 50 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:43.879 Athletics dot com if you want to learn more. There's 51 00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:48.599 a picture page, the speeches and things like that. But 52 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:52.960 we'll also talk to Mitch about the new LLC that 53 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:58.639 is a huge part now of the University of Kentucky Athletics, 54 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:00.800 and I heard a lot of talk over the weekend 55 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:03.800 about that and grumbling on social media. Well now these 56 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:06.400 kids aren't playing for the school anymore, they're playing for 57 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:10.759 an LLC. Well, no, the LLC is part of the school. 58 00:03:10.840 --> 00:03:14.159 It's not a separate entity. Many of you out there, 59 00:03:14.360 --> 00:03:20.000 I have an LLC in my name. It's in many ways, 60 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:25.280 something you do to protect yourself legally taxes involves things 61 00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:30.639 like that. But for UK it's designed to increase flexibility 62 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:35.400 within the department and help it find new ways to 63 00:03:35.479 --> 00:03:40.360 generate additional revenue and manage expenses and things like that. 64 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:45.400 College athletics is changing so quickly, as you well know, 65 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:49.599 not entirely for the better. You've got kids in and 66 00:03:49.639 --> 00:03:51.360 out of the portal, a lot of kids in the 67 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:55.000 portal who shouldn't be there who are being disappointed, a 68 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:57.840 lot of money flying around, stuff like that, So it's 69 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:00.199 up to these schools to try to stay ahead. Arn 70 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:02.759 Art's been criticized for dragging his feet when all this 71 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:05.520 first started, but he and I were on a show 72 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:08.360 together on k ET and he talked about that. I 73 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:10.039 did ask him about that, and I've talked to him 74 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:13.319 about it on this show before, and his response was, 75 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:15.960 we just want to make sure we do everything right 76 00:04:16.519 --> 00:04:19.160 so that we don't run into a situation down the 77 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:23.959 road where we inadvertently break some rules and get into 78 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:26.959 some trouble. And sure enough, UK did. You might recall 79 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:29.480 a couple of years ago there were some players involved 80 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:32.439 with not showing up for work and being paid and 81 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:35.519 they had to make restitution and things like that. That 82 00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:38.519 could have gone a lot worse than it did. But 83 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:43.879 it's difficult now for universities across the country to stay 84 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:46.399 ahead of things, to stay on top of things, and 85 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:48.720 so UK really and this is the first of its 86 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:52.920 kind creating an LLC within the athletics department. It's called 87 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:55.720 Champions Blue. And I want to know, how is this 88 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:59.000 different from what used to be the UK Athletics Association, 89 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:04.720 which was an independent entity independent of UK Athletics. That 90 00:05:04.920 --> 00:05:09.399 was more of what people think the LLC is. Again, 91 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:12.639 this is not external. The LLC is not It's like 92 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:17.800 UK Healthcare, it's part of the university. But UK Athletics 93 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:20.680 was a separate entity. It was run by the president 94 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:24.040 of the university and the athletics director. So we'll get 95 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:27.360 a lot of that nailed down by Mitch Barnhardt. The 96 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:30.360 baseball Wildcats take two out of three over the weekend. 97 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:34.680 They win game number one and game number three in 98 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:37.439 the series. Should have swept quite frankly, not just could have, 99 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:40.680 but should have if not for one bad pitch in 100 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:43.759 Game number two, a home run, two run homer in 101 00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:46.240 the eighth inning that turned a four to three Kentucky 102 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:49.519 lead into a five to four South Carolina lead. Otherwise 103 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:53.839 the Wildcats sweep, but still they win the series. Now 104 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:56.240 they've won back to back series dating back to Tennessee 105 00:05:56.360 --> 00:06:00.720 last weekend, and it's the first home series the Wildcats 106 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:04.560 have won this season in baseball, So they protect their 107 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:08.920 home turf and they protect their status when it comes 108 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:13.439 to the NCAA Tournament Selections Committee. One of the services, 109 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:17.040 I think it's D one Baseball projected Kentucky going into 110 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:20.959 last weekend as a three seed coming out, and especially 111 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:24.480 now with the wins over South Carolina, a two seed. 112 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:26.519 So a team that we all wondered are they even 113 00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:29.560 going to get into the postseason about a month ago. 114 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:33.439 They're starting to figure things out. They're just grinding away 115 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:37.199 and they're making plays. Their defense has been solid pretty 116 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:40.079 much all year long. The pitching started to come around 117 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:42.920 in the Ole Miss series, and now the hitting is 118 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:45.279 catching up. And as Patrick Herrera told us after the 119 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:49.759 blowout win over Louisville, he said, the hitters have now 120 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:53.959 just settled in to concentrate on quality at bats stacking 121 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:58.160 them up, which was pretty apparent over the weekend because 122 00:06:58.480 --> 00:07:02.160 they were more aggressive. They weren't letting as many two 123 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:05.040 and oh fastballs right down the middle. And I'm oversimplifying, 124 00:07:05.720 --> 00:07:07.759 but they were not letting as many of those pitches 125 00:07:07.800 --> 00:07:13.680 go and it paid off. And the Sunday game was 126 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:16.879 hanging in the balance for a little while. They're late. 127 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:19.680 South Carolina was down seven to three, put up two 128 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:23.240 runs and might have had more but on a base 129 00:07:23.319 --> 00:07:26.199 hit the left field when it scored, made it seven 130 00:07:26.199 --> 00:07:29.360 to five, but the third base coach sent another runner 131 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:32.399 and Cole Hages from left field gunned him down at 132 00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:35.120 the plate. That was a big momentum swing, and then 133 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:39.519 the Wildcats tacked on four more runs. So it was 134 00:07:39.560 --> 00:07:41.839 a fun weekend. It was a good weekend in terms 135 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:44.959 of weather on Sunday, not so much Saturday. It was chili, 136 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:48.480 but it was a weekend the Wildcats needed. And Kentucky 137 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:51.600 is now heading for Western Kentucky tomorrow night. That's a 138 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:55.519 game you'll hear right here on six thirty WLAP and 139 00:07:55.560 --> 00:07:59.040 then Kentucky will stay on the road and go on 140 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:03.839 Tossissippi State. I think they're going to stop maybe in Franklin, Tennessee, 141 00:08:04.759 --> 00:08:07.120 and practice. I don't know if they'll still over a 142 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:10.040 night there, but they'll go from Bowling Green. They won't 143 00:08:10.040 --> 00:08:12.800 come home. They packed extra clothes and they'll be heading 144 00:08:12.839 --> 00:08:15.519 down to State, which is struggling this year, seven and 145 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:20.160 fourteen in conference play. But still anything can happen, as 146 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:23.240 you know, So the Wildcats need to keep right on 147 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:28.560 rolling if they can through Bowling Green and into Starkfield. 148 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:34.120 Rachel Lawson's softball team split two on Saturday with Mississippi State, 149 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:36.840 but dropped the rubber game of the three game set 150 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:40.960 yesterday afternoon by a final of five to nothing. Now 151 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:45.159 it's Northern Kentucky here in Lexington tomorrow night. Then it's 152 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:48.639 a trip to Austin, Texas for the first time South Carolina, 153 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:51.919 or rather a Texas playing in Kentucky as an SEC team. 154 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:55.279 The Wildcatch are seven and fourteen in conference play, twenty 155 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.960 nine and twenty two overall. They need wins to solidify 156 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:02.840 a spot in the postseason. So that's what's been happening. 157 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:06.279 And when we come back, we'll talk more about Maxwell 158 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:09.879 Harston being drafted by the Buffalo Bills. Well here from 159 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:12.919 Van Hiles, the former Kentucky defensive back who played in 160 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:15.279 the NFL. That's all ahead at the bottom of the 161 00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:19.240 hour of Mitch Barnhart, You're on six thirty WLAP. Welcome 162 00:09:19.240 --> 00:09:21.120 back to the Big Blue and Sider. Coming up, we're 163 00:09:21.159 --> 00:09:24.120 going to talk with Chris Collins, the co defensive coordinator 164 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:27.240 of the Kentucky Wildcats. He coaches defensive backs, and we 165 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:30.000 had Chris on the show a few weeks ago before 166 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:33.639 spring I think it was, and before spring practice. But 167 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:37.519 since then, Maxwell Harston of course was drafted by the 168 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:41.039 Buffalo Bills, and so was Dion Walker. So we're going 169 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:44.679 to get Chris's remarks about both of those guys going 170 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:47.200 to Buffalo, which obviously right now is one of the 171 00:09:47.240 --> 00:09:51.000 best teams in the NFL, and particularly Maxwell Harston, who 172 00:09:51.080 --> 00:09:53.399 was a first round pick, a guy who a couple 173 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:56.559 of years ago was struggling to find his way as 174 00:09:56.600 --> 00:10:00.399 a young defensive back. Young defensive backs often struggle, but 175 00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:04.360 then he became a real force for Kentucky. Was injured 176 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:06.639 last year, didn't get to play nearly as much as 177 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.519 everybody would have liked, but now is a member of 178 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:12.360 the Buffalo Bills in great standing, not just good standing, 179 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:14.759 because he was their first round draft pick and it 180 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:17.519 was also, as we all know, the guy who ran 181 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:21.279 the fastest at the combine that got him if you 182 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:23.440 weren't already looking at him, that got you looking at 183 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:26.759 him right away. So and you know it matters. It 184 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:32.399 does matter some with linemen, but clearly matters with skill players, 185 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:35.840 especially with defensive backs. So we'll talk to the coach, 186 00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:38.840 Chris Collins coming up in just a few minutes. But 187 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:42.679 the other day I hosted the Leach Report and one 188 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:45.720 of my guests was Van Hiles, who knows what it's 189 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:47.720 like to be drafted. He was taken by the Bears. 190 00:10:48.039 --> 00:10:50.799 He played in the NFL till his injury. Injuries Cutter's 191 00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:55.000 career are short. Now he is a pundit if you will, 192 00:10:55.080 --> 00:10:59.720 breaks down video of Kentucky games and comments on the 193 00:10:59.720 --> 00:11:04.440 inner on YouTube. It's fun talking football with Van and 194 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:07.120 had a chance to chat with him about a fellow 195 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:09.240 d bat going in the first round of guy who 196 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:11.960 Van likes a lot. And if you saw the draft, 197 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:16.399 you saw Maxwell Harrison well before he was drafted, congratulating 198 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:18.960 every player. Everybody who left the green room had to 199 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:22.399 walk past Max and they got a handshake and a 200 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:26.039 hug and a big smile, and Van like that. I 201 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:27.120 think everybody like that. 202 00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:30.840 I think he's more happy for the other guys in 203 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:32.840 the draft they get drafted, and I am happy for him. 204 00:11:36.360 --> 00:11:40.120 Was the best thing the op steen in the draft 205 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:43.399 in a long time, because at first I was like, 206 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:47.200 is that genuine? But then when he got picked, I'm like, Okay, yeah, 207 00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:49.360 that was not a show, that was not an act. 208 00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:52.399 That was him being himself and that was extremely awesome. 209 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:54.960 It was great and what Van is talking about. And 210 00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:58.120 if you watched the draft or just glanced at it, 211 00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:01.279 every kid who was drafted as they made their way 212 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:03.320 from the green room, which was huge, by the way 213 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:07.320 they passed the different players, and every time there was 214 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:10.399 a young man with a huge smile on his face 215 00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:14.559 and an incredible electric blue and silver jacket and a 216 00:12:14.600 --> 00:12:17.519 blue tie and blue slacks, and of course and and 217 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:20.639 he was I mean, what do you dapping him up? 218 00:12:20.679 --> 00:12:21.759 Is that what you say? You kids? 219 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:22.120 Yes? 220 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:25.919 Yes, yes, and just hugging and shaking hands for it. 221 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:28.879 You could tell how happy he was for every young 222 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:30.919 man in that room. And he had to wait a 223 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:32.799 little while, didn't e Van, But he heard his name. 224 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:35.399 But when you wait like that, the odds are you're 225 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:36.519 going to a damn good team. 226 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:39.840 And he did, didn't He Yes, And that's and and 227 00:12:39.879 --> 00:12:43.159 I think he knew that, and I think that that 228 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:47.000 he was enjoying the moment because this is a once 229 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:49.799 in a lifetime experienced and why not treated like that? 230 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:51.799 And and I love. 231 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:54.960 The energy, and I am happy to see him with 232 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:58.360 with organization that that has a history recently of winning 233 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:01.399 games and potentially getting too the Super Bowl next year 234 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:06.279 because they have an extremely incredible team led by Josh Allen. 235 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:08.679 But then they have Ray Davis there. So to go 236 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:10.840 to a team with someone you're played with and you 237 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:14.360 know you have a relationship with is just extra comforting 238 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:17.600 for him. And I'm hoping that he has a great year. 239 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:20.639 Yeah, and they expect him to have a grade. 240 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:23.559 When you're a corner and you go on the first 241 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:27.879 round in the National Football League Draft, that means they 242 00:13:27.879 --> 00:13:29.039 want immediate results. 243 00:13:29.080 --> 00:13:29.559 Am I right? 244 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:35.039 Exactly? And that's an extreme amount of pressure. But I 245 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:38.720 didn't know he had this attitude. But I think he 246 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.559 has the right attitude to go in there and hopefully 247 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:43.559 meet those those expectations. 248 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:46.799 I interviewed him after the Vanity Game two years ago 249 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:50.159 when he had the two pick six's that game just 250 00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:53.240 he just exploded on everybody's radar. For obvious reasons. He 251 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:56.919 was a National Defensive Player of the Week, and he was. 252 00:13:56.919 --> 00:13:59.159 It was funny because Vandy was doing all the construction 253 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:02.279 and they can Entucky locker room and air quotes. Was 254 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:05.879 one of those huge inflatable tints by what was left 255 00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:08.120 in the stadium, and so they had kind of dragged 256 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:10.360 Van out there and we interviewed him on the sidewalk 257 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:13.759 with people walking by. But he couldn't have been happier, 258 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:17.000 of course, and more humble. He was not quite the 259 00:14:17.080 --> 00:14:20.000 level of elation that we saw last night, which is understandable. 260 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:24.200 But that day, you know, breaking on the ball the 261 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:27.159 way he did that put him on video for everybody 262 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:30.000 to see it. Just how vital was that pretty obvious 263 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:32.919 question Van, But next thing, you know, everybody knew who 264 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:33.279 he was. 265 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:34.639 Yeah. 266 00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:38.440 The thing about it is that for me, what was 267 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:41.159 great was he's a bad thing to bring up for 268 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:44.159 him for most of BBN, but the year prior when 269 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:47.039 he had the issue with Vandy and them beating nothing 270 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:51.039 coming wealth, which means he has so resilience to come 271 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:54.279 back and have great year after that. His eye discipline 272 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:58.360 is very good, and to combine that with his elite 273 00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:02.440 athleticism it's going to have a good career because if 274 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:04.759 you can do the little things at that position, which 275 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.600 is being patient and have a great eye discipline, it's 276 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:10.039 going to translate to the next level. And I think 277 00:15:10.039 --> 00:15:12.960 he has a chance to be very special because of 278 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:15.440 the traits that are beyond his athleticism. 279 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:19.200 You've taught me a lot about eye discipline, not just 280 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:22.200 the term, but exactly what it means. And it's some 281 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:24.480 of it's obvious, some of it is not. But you 282 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:27.080 know what I find van the most interesting about this, 283 00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:30.279 and it reminds you, is that in the heat of 284 00:15:30.440 --> 00:15:34.519 battle and all of that's going on, an NFL quarterback 285 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:37.840 can look at you a d back thirty or forty 286 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:41.200 yards down the field and tell if your eye discipline 287 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:42.200 is bad, can they not? 288 00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:43.799 Exactly? 289 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:48.799 It's it's a quality that you can train for, but 290 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:51.840 it's also something that as an individual you have to trust. 291 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:55.840 And if a quarterback sees you not looking at him 292 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.159 and looking at a receiver, therefore you don't know when 293 00:15:58.159 --> 00:15:59.840 a ball is going to be thrown for how kin 294 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:02.639 I react as a corner if I don't see the ball. 295 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:03.240 In all your head? 296 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:04.960 If we plan zone, if you're. 297 00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:06.440 Playing man the man you should never see the quarter 298 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:09.360 But if we're planning zone and you're not looking at 299 00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:11.679 me as a quarterback, I know you have no chance 300 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:15.200 to break on the ball. So therefore, with my quarterbacks 301 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:17.720 on that level, thirty two of the best quarterbacks in 302 00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:19.960 the world, and they can put the ball anyway they 303 00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:22.559 want to the majority of the time. So yes, if 304 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.120 you're not. If you're not, I guess your intentions are 305 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.919 in the wrong area. They will exploit it. 306 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:33.480 I watched the NFL networks coverage for a change, nothing 307 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:36.279 against ABCS, just wanted something different. But I did hear 308 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:39.320 what the guys on the ABC set had to say 309 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:43.879 about Harston, and they were raving about his ability. Not 310 00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:46.840 just to break on the ball, that's pretty obvious, but 311 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:51.399 as Herbstreet talked about finding the ball, he talked about 312 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.279 the fact that so many corners, so many d backs 313 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:56.080 had trouble doing that. 314 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:57.759 Is that the case? 315 00:16:57.840 --> 00:16:58.000 Van? 316 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:00.320 How tough is that? What you know? Tell me the 317 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:01.240 challenges there? 318 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:04.119 Tracking the ball. 319 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:07.599 Is a god given talent and some people just have 320 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:10.640 it naturally. And he does have that the ability to 321 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:15.200 have you seen DB's jump too early or and then 322 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:18.240 they missed the ball and the receiver catches after they 323 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:21.440 come down. That is a trait that is God give 324 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:23.680 And that's the same trait that Travis Hunter has the 325 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:26.440 ability to track the ball and some people just don't 326 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:28.799 have it, and he has that ability. And when you 327 00:17:28.920 --> 00:17:31.599 run a four to two whatever, now you can catch 328 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:34.599 up to any ball while you're tracking it. Because most people, 329 00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:36.799 like myself, if I'm looking back at the ball, I'm 330 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:39.200 slowing down him on the hop city And with that 331 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:43.079 amount of speed and and catch up on ability is 332 00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:44.839 what makes him the potential to be special. 333 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:48.839 That's Van Heils, the former Kentucky defensive back, former Chicago 334 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:51.119 Bears defensive back, talking to me on the Leachs Report. 335 00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:55.519 I love looking at his cutups online on Twitter, and 336 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:58.880 of course he's a podcast host, The Locker for one one. 337 00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:01.079 You hear him on Sunday Morning Sports Talk Now and 338 00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:03.559 then with Anthony White and Larry and the Gang, so 339 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:05.839 you can learn a lot of football from Van Eiles, 340 00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:07.799 and I really enjoy talking to him. He still lives 341 00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:11.240 in his home state of Louisiana, but he keeps an 342 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:16.480 eye everlastingly on his beloved Kentucky Wildcats. More Football Talk 343 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:20.039 comes up next with Chris Collins, the defensive backs coach 344 00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:23.160 and co defensive coordinator for the Wildcats. That's all I 345 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:25.359 had on the Big Blue Insider. Plus we'll hear from 346 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:28.640 the baseball Cats here on six thirty WLAP. You're back 347 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:32.039 to work. I know you're busy today. Here is Mitch 348 00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:34.279 in three to two one. Welcome back to the Big 349 00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:38.160 blueing Sider, joined now by Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhardt. Mitch, 350 00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:40.680 how has your week been going? I mean, I know 351 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:42.480 it's early, but you had a busy one last week, 352 00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:42.880 didn't you. 353 00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:47.039 We did a lot going on with obviously we had 354 00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:51.920 trustee meetings and full slate of activities on campus, and 355 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:57.880 so thankful for You're getting close to the end of 356 00:18:57.880 --> 00:18:59.799 the year. We get and wrap up some of our seasons. 357 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:03.240 Our teams are doing well, but a lot to play 358 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.279 for in a lot of different areas. But a lot 359 00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:07.519 to do between now and end of June as well, 360 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:09.359 so we've got a lot of things on our plate. 361 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:11.559 I want to touch base on a couple of things, 362 00:19:11.559 --> 00:19:14.680 but I want to start with the LLC that I 363 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:16.559 don't know if you want to call it a bombshell, 364 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:19.319 but it was certainly a newsworthy A lot of people 365 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:21.880 talking about that. If you could just sort of in 366 00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:25.400 a nutshell explain what it is to listeners and why 367 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:26.559 it's a good thing for. 368 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:30.839 UK, Well, I don't know that you know that in 369 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:34.680 terms of the time allotted, I think the easiest thing. 370 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:37.680 I think the easiest thing for people to understand is 371 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:39.960 that we've been fairly static in the world of college 372 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:43.200 athletics for a good long time. And we can say that, hey, 373 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:46.000 we've done this innovation and we've done that innovation, but 374 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:48.359 the relaty of it is all falls down in four 375 00:19:48.440 --> 00:19:51.720 or five buckets of revenue for athletic departments, whether it's tickets, 376 00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:56.200 or it's fundraising, or it's multimedia contracts, conference revenue sharing, 377 00:19:57.559 --> 00:20:02.400 licensing and t shirts and hats and concessions and serving 378 00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:05.039 those kinds of things. It's sort of been in that circle. 379 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:09.200 If you look differently and you're trying to think differently, 380 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:11.960 we needed to create an entity that allowed us to 381 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:14.160 be hopefully a little more nimble and the way we 382 00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:17.640 do our work allow us some creativity and some space 383 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:20.039 to go do some things that are different and some 384 00:20:20.119 --> 00:20:22.200 ways to be more efficient in what we do. In 385 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:24.200 terms of the way we spend our money. And so 386 00:20:24.839 --> 00:20:28.400 the university's got a thought process on this. They've put 387 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:31.160 those in place through the healthcare system with UK Healthcare 388 00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:36.160 in the overarching organization of Beyond Blue, and in that 389 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:40.519 we have created some entities for healthcare that have been 390 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:45.000 super helpful in terms of hospitals across the state. So 391 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:47.759 we took that same concept and applied that to athletics 392 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:51.000 and gave us that concept to create Champions Blue, which 393 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:53.279 will be the entity which will house the athletic department. 394 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:56.079 Much different from the UK Athletic Association in the old days, 395 00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:59.559 where that was an externally run organization with an external board. 396 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:03.359 This will be internally run organization with under the board 397 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:06.680 the auspice of the Board of Trustees and Athletics Committee. Okay, 398 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.480 so that will be different. And then the concept would 399 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:12.519 be to at that point be able to create three 400 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:17.240 to five six new buckets of revenue streams coming into 401 00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:19.480