It was before my time and probably before most peoples time that post here but looking at past stats and all the high scoring games makes me wonder if Rupp was known more for his offense or defense? No doubt he was way ahead of his time. I know he wrote some books but I haven’t read any of them. Just wondering if anyone on here has any insight or good stores to tell since it’s a slow time for basketball news

Amazing the Wades left. Don’t think I saw Keaton play at All. Big mistake for him to leave.

Feel free to share your takes!

This kid was an absolute beast.

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Per our good friend @Jeff Drummond

Been hearing a lot of positive things about UK/Mullins over the past couple of weeks. Morenos commitment “definitely helps” there as well, according to a source on Mullins’ side of things. Best shooter in the class.

After the Dream Game they were driving around in Oldham County it was like Japan had just surrendered.

DE-Josh Allen
DE-Art Still
DT-Dewayne Robertson
DT-Deone Walker

How about Second Team?

FYI

Most of you have already read Jeff's notes from today. After some conversations, here is what I have heard about practice recently, the scrimmage, and where things seem to be with the season a few weeks away.

** Asked about Brock Vandagriff and folks seem pretty pleased with where he's at. I'm not expecting him to come in and pass for 3,500 yards necessarily but I haven't been hearing concerns. He's an unknown until he does it in live game action but I think there's a belief he can be what they hoped he would be.

** Hearing that Gavin Wimsatt is doing some good things too, and the sense is they probably shouldn't have let him get away the first time coming out of HS. Brock is still the starter but here's the thing. Rutgers runs the ball all the time. It's kind of like Stoops when Gran was the OC. Not exactly a QB-friendly offense. Put him in a different system, like UK's now, and maybe the light turns on.

** Jamarion Wilcox is trending in the right direction. Last year I think he was just young, immature, and couldn't get it on track. But I'm now hearing that he's showing some Boom-like qualities with his acceleration and breakaway speed. These are the best Wilcox reviews I have heard since he signed with the program and that's very interesting.

** The receivers looked good today. Fred Farrier continues to be a standout. Someone they will count on, someone who will play a lot. Dane Key and Anthony Brown-Stephens had their moments. Ja'Mori Maclin impressing as well. Didn't hear Barion mentioned but he's been good so far on the whole. Haven't heard Hardley Gilmore mentioned much lately but not saying that's bad news or anything.

** Jordan Dingle and Willie Rodriguez have been standouts at tight end recently. Khamari Anderson has had a good fall camp and is going to play a lot, didn't have his best day today but this is a deep room with lots of options.

** Jalen Farmer has been impressing with consistency and I think he will be a starter for them. The other piece of good news at guard is that Dylan Ray is back to the size UK wants him at, apparently, after coming back a bit lighter after he went to Costa Rica on a trip. Hearing the starting tackles Mincey and Cox are looking good. UK's probably going to need portal help there eventually.

** Another offensive lineman who is impressing lately is Aba Selm, a RS-Frosh this year. He's primarily a guard who is being cross-trained to play center. Folks starting to talk like Aba can provide depth maybe even as soon as this year but in the big picture he'll be a good add.

** "The whole defense, really, is standing out," one person told me. I've floated my belief it could be one of Stoops' top-2 defenses and there has been no pushback. They are expecting this to be one of the better defenses in college football.

** Ty Bryant and Zion Childress two of the defensive backs I have heard mentioned as doing good things lately. True frosh corner Terhyon Nichols continues to be one of the standouts from the '24 signing class and he will push to get on the field. Still hearing solid things about Waller but Nichols has gotten the most talk lately, sounds like he's a dog.

Here's a selection of takes from USM fans about the game this weekend.

***

gdunn: I'm about half n half... I'm optimistic that we'll do better than last season but I wouldn't be shocked if we're out of bowl contention by time conference play starts.

USM3000: That's where I am myself.
I hope we don't scratch out 4-5 wins total and try to shine that up to mean "improvement". I hear Coach talk about all the returning talent, but the same players/coaching combo posted 3 wins last year. I guess I need to see results before I buy it.

gdunn: I can see where it's a valid argument because after Hall turned over play calling duties, the team went 2-3, with close loss with App State.

New DC.. New OC... We'll see.. I'm not sold on the OL Coach and that's where the battle starts.

EagNBrian: From what I've heard, expect little and be pleasantly surprised if you get more.

everyone: Game one will be a bloodbath. So, it doesn't matter if you have any optimism going in...it will be taken away after game one. We will sneak by SE LA 27-20. About 8K fans for USF which will be another bloodbath. Since we are gluttons for punishment our coach is still around for a bloodbath against Jax State and then he is finally let go. Bags on heads after that. Just kidding, we will be Top G in the G5 very soon

Golden Fogg: I'm looking forward to the season just to have something to do. I no longer get worried about it. College football as we knew it is dead. Only the sec will matter. I don't know why people still get mad about something that by definition you can't compete against. If they were smart they would have broke off to form their own division. Anyway...
QB play will determine how we do. We've had no consistency there. Since the OL has been bad for what -ten years? - I think it's now a law of nature that can't be overcome no matter who the coach is. We should innovate a way to play sans line. Maybe that all 11 offense or whatever it was.
Nice talking with y'all; it's been a while. Hope you all are doing well.

Black and Gold Battle Umbrella: Unless Tate proves exceptional, 4-7.

Ken: Kentucky has a decent program (they just have to regularly play top tier teams in the SEC). They put millions into their football facilities a while back to attract better players.
USM could learn from them.

Howard:
We should cover if this team has really improved as much as Hall keeps saying it has. No way we should lose by 28 or more to Kentucky even though they're a decent team with a good coach and money pouring in to improve their facilities. God I miss the Fedora days!!!

Cameron:
Why is everyone so angry? The football season hasn’t even started and everyone is mad about what coach said or calling people trolls. Let’s just get the season started. Then, once we start 1 and 3 we can get mad and want to fight each other.

Rob (on Chip Trayanum being out): So instead of stomping us by 50 points, they’ll only stomp us by 35. That’s a relief.


Robert: Did you think he would play much against us? Two series maybe.

Rocky: Basically let him sit out for a scrimmage game.

Richard: Every year, for the past few years, after the first team scrimmages and just before the season starts, I hear about how good we look and about how we’re improved in this area of our offense or defense, and everything is looking up and a bunch of other positive such-and-such, and then the season begins and all that just goes out the window, and nothing has changed from the previous year. So, no offense to those of you who are spouting the same positive messages that I’ve heard before, but I’m just gonna wait till the Kentucky game until I start believing anything.

Alan: Auburn spent $25 million on a scoreboard
Tennessee is spending $100 million to expand baseball stadium.
We are not the same.
The quicker the SEC and Big 10 break away, the better off we will be.

Chad (on the line moving 4 points in UK's direction to -28): They haven’t seen how good we look against ourselves in practice

Chris: I think I would take the Cats and the points.

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