We get Texas in between them going to Arkansas the week before UK and to Texas A &M the week after. I think UK has an excellent shot to get the upset. UK is absolutely the type of team that will give them trouble, a physical team that will beat them up. They still think of UK as a pushover here in Texas. Deone Walker is no pushover.

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Seems like the emphasis is on DEFENSE to start games ... Garrison over Williams surprised me a little bit.
For reference, here are selected stats from last season, ranked by minutes played per game:
Last year comparisons, ranked by 3PT attempts ... Almonor, Robinson and Brea shot more threes per minute than Dilly ... and Kriisa shot more 3PM than Reeves ... so, we have four (4) newcomers that are high-volume three-point shooters.
Carr and Oweh have good three-point percentages, but were far less frequent in attempts:

Anybody know how our guys are doing in the preseason? I know Flax is on IR list.

FSU may be fine by the end of the season. One game may not be who they are, but why should we feel differently since they took so may transfers this off-season?

UK has had this issue too with portal roulette. Some years (2021) you hit a home run. Other years (2022) you struggle. Alabama’s second string may only seem good because they suit up for Bama not because they can start for a Top 10 preseason team.

I can’t help but apply this to Kentucky and the offensive transfers at QB, RB, and OG and OT. They may be great or they may not be much more than average which is a disadvantage against our schedule.

UK’s defense does have transfers but was mostly built through old fashioned recruit and develop, and it’s also veteran, so we have a consensus on the floor for that side of the ball.

What’s the floor (or ceiling) for the offense. Who knows? We can all guess. Here are my indicators fwiw…

Week 1 - skill players win 80% of their match ups 1v1in space against the CUSA. Brock displays good accuracy. Not looking for points, Stoops won’t try and kill them or show too much of the playbook, but skill and talent domination. SMiss could do everything right on a play, but UK out-athletes them to overcome that in other words.

Week 2 - win by 10+ points, put up at least 350 total yards of offense, or put up 6.5 yards per play. Win at least 60% of 1v1 reps.

Week 3 - points not important vs an elite defense. Guys just aren’t going to get routinely open or win their share of 1v1 in space matchups. So, will watch how they compete. Do they lose reps from fundamentals or just because they reasonable get beat by someone going pro in football while most of our players go pro in something besides football.

Had it passed along to me that Jasper Johnson and his dad met with Coach Pope this morning. They were seen in his office. Jasper is also at practice.

Although I don't expect the first 2025 commitment for a while, I will go ahead and start this new thread now. I see that we are discussing 2025 prospects on the 2024 thread, so we need a 2025 thread to accommodate the growing volume of 2025 discussions.

Here are instate 2025 prospects already reported to hold UK offers. All four are being recruited by Coach Marrow although Coach Coen has also gotten involved with Boley.

Cutter Boley, QB, LCA, Lexington
Brock Driver, RB, Boyle Co. hs, Danville
Montavin Quisenberry, ATH, Boyle Co. hs, Danville
Makhi Smith, ATH, Woodford Co. hs, Versailles

Boley is the big headliner here, although Driver is also a nice looking prospect.

Here are some 2025 out of state prospects reported to hold UK offers. This is not intended to be an all inclusive list, and I am not predicting where any of these players will actually sign two winters from now.

Jon Adair, OL, Nashville, TN
Sam Afari, DB, W. Chester, OH (Alex's brother)
John Baker, WR, Detroit, MI
Wyatt Becker, QB, Chatsworth, CA
Preston Bowman, WR, Pickerington, OH
Kole Briehler, DL, Princeton, NJ
Kelan Butler, LB, Jefferson, GA
Brandon Caesar, DL, Cleveland, OH
Marquise Davis, RB, Cleveland, OH
Alonzo Esparza, QB, Chatsworth, CA
Jakaleb Faulk, LB, Highland Home, AL
Zy'Aire Fletcher, LB, Springfield, OH
Noah Francis, DB, Bradenton, FL
Ryan Ghea, TE, Alpharetta, GA
Luka Gilbert, LB/TE, W. Chester, OH
Chauncey Gooden, OL, Nashville, TN
Bowen Gossett, OL, Ironton, OH
Tarrion Grant, DB, Murfreesboro, TN
Rafael Greene, OL, Cincinnati, OH
Caleb Harris, OL, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Jackson Heims, LB, Springfield, OH
Justin Hill, LB, Cincinnati, OH
Eugene Hilton, WR, Zionsville, IN
Bo Jackson, ATH, Cleveland, OH
Naim Jackson, DL, Cincinnati, OH
Sandale Jackson, OL, Cleveland, OH
Napoleon Jemison, LB, Toledo, OH
CJ Jimcoily, ATH, Nashville, TN
Zion Johnson, RB, Covington, GA
Peyton Joseph, OL, Ft. Valley, GA
Tucker Kattus, OL, Cincinnati, OH (Josh's brother)
Robert Lee, DB, Kissimmee, FL
Shiren Mabry, ATH, Columbus, OH
Ezekiel Marcelin, DB, Miami, FL
Dante McClellan, ATH, Canton, OH
London Merritt, LB, Atlanta, GA
Ryan Montgomery, QB, Findlay, OH
Kamauryn Morgan, DL, Red Oak, TX
Paul Nelson, LB, Cincinnati, OH
Eli Owens, LB, Alcoa, TN
Emile Picarella, QB, Madison, MS
Caden Piening, LB, Cincinnati, OH
Quincy Porter, ATH, Oradell, NJ
Ethan Pritchard, LB, Sanford, FL
Kendarius Reddick, ATH, Thomasville, GA
Martin Rhyne, LB, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Anthony Sacca, LB, Philadelphia, PA
Stone Saunders, QB, Harrisburg, PA
Cashus Shivers, ATH, Detroit, MI
Stephon Shivers, DL, Humboldt, TN
Quinton Simmons, WR, Cincinnati, OH
Kaylib Singleton, DB, Orange Park, FL
Kahlil Stewart, OL/DL, Philadelphia, PA
Taevion Swint, RB, Kissimmee, FL
Michael Taylor, RB, Pickerington, OH
Soloman Thomas, OL, Jacksonville, FL
Ethan Utley, DL, Nashville, TN
Amari Wallace, DB, Miami, FL
Tavion Wallace, DB, Jesup, GA
AC Walters, RB, Montgomery, AL
Brennan Ward, QB, Columbus, OH
Jackson Wiley, ATH, Lewis Center, OH
Amaree Williams, LB, Palm Beach, FL
Emaree Winston, TE, Calhoun, GA
Dylon Worthen, LB, Bradenton, FL
Ameer Yasin, OL, Tallmadge, OH

Let's not worry yet about whether 2025 will be a strong or weak instate recruiting class. We are nearly two full years away from the 2025 signing dates, so it is just too early to pass judgment.

But as a side note, take a good look at the number of prospects coming out of the Cincinnati area (including W. Chester) on this list. It is not difficult to see why Coach Marrow spends more time recruiting in Cincinnati than in Louisville.

No secret that Liam Cohen will be looking at QBs for this class. So, no coincidence that a lot of QBs are on the above list. Cutter Boley is the local favorite, and Coach Coen will probably make a big run at him. But if you are looking for an out of state QB with major cred who is already showing strong interest in UK, look no farther than Ryan Montgomery out of Findlay, OH. The gossip is that Montgomery and Coen have hit it off. I guess we will see.

https://www.wkyt.com/2024/08/30/pol...n-pooping-same-porch-multiple-times/?tbref=hp

Well. That's...something.

Three that stand out to me:

1988 Senior Night and Happy Chandler singing MOKH for the final time

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2010 College Gameday at Rupp

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Mark Pope Introductory Press Conference

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1996 Team Celebration at Rupp

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Any others that people can remember?

Lots of updates on how USM coach Will Hall feels about the state of his team.

Just saying. I’m going to be big mad if that damn ham costs us one of the best in state recruits over the last 10 years.😂

I have not paid any attention off season happenings. All I know is Kentucky gets up in that ass every single Thanksgiving. Did UL just do really well in the portal this off season or did they make some sort of change or something? I imagine they are still living off of that nice record against weak opponents last year. How does UK measure up against what the AP is calling the number 26 team in the country this season?

It will never be the SEC on CBS.....but I think this will grow on me. Especially if we win....remember the SEC on CBS game was NOT KIND to Kentucky ever. But this music actually has some more nostalgia than the SEC on CBS theme

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Those of us who remember the ABC games being bigger than the SEC game (pre-2006), you'll know what I mean
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4/10 20yds 2 INTs, 28yd loss on a sack, 1 fumble

Alabama AD is going all in on the basketball program and Nate Oats. Alabama should never be ahead of the UK basketball program in facilites. I know Cal wanted a new practice facility before he left UK. I wonder if it something that Mitch will consider before he retires.