Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) — Hour 2 (September 16, 2025)

Podcast: KSR
Hosts: Ryan Lemond, Shannon the Dude, Jack "Babyface" Pilgrim
Location: Live from KS Bar & Grill
Date: September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of KSR dives deeply into Kentucky basketball roster analysis, roles, and expectations for the upcoming season, alongside discussion of Kentucky football’s quarterback situation and evolving offensive identity. The crew welcomes calls from listeners, shares some poignant and humorous moments, and reflects on some timely headlines outside sports as well.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Kentucky Basketball: SEC Landscape & Roster Breakdown

(Starts ~04:36)

Contenders in the SEC

• Jack Pilgrim highlights Florida as a primary rival, following their national championship run, but points to Kentucky as “the team to beat.” Arkansas and Tennessee are mentioned, but both have question marks.
  • "I think Kentucky is the start of the conversation, and everybody else is kind of... well, I like this about this team, and this team does some interesting things, but I think the SEC is going to run through Kentucky this year." — Jack Pilgrim [05:24]

Denzel Aberdeen’s Transfer to Kentucky

• Surprise over Aberdeen leaving Florida after title run; Jack attributes his decision to a mix of money (NIL), role dissatisfaction, and a desire for a bigger spotlight.
  • "It wasn't all about the money, but it kind of put a sour taste in their mouth to lead them to say, all right, well then let's look. Let's explore our other options in Kentucky." — Jack Pilgrim [06:58]

Potential Starting Lineup & Rotation

• Lowe and Otega are locks at 1 and 2. Aberdeen is not guaranteed to start; Colin Chandler is pushing hard after impressive off-season improvement.
  • "Lowe is the absolute guarantee. Ortega is the absolute guarantee. And I think Aberdeen maybe will start the year there, but I think Colin Chandler has something to say about that." — Jack Pilgrim [07:28]

Chandler’s Development

• Chandler has become a major bright spot, staying healthy and earning increased praise in practice.
  • "This is a good phone call. This is a... let's talk about how, how big Colin Chandler, sophomore season can be at Kentucky." — Jack Pilgrim [08:53]

Roles of Other Key Players

• Diabate: Called the "Swiss Army knife," expected to start at the four; praised for defensive versatility and leadership.
• Andrea Yelovich: Pilgrim projects him to start at the four by March Madness, with Diabate playing multiple roles.
  • "Your starting front court will be Yellow Bitch at the four and Quaintance at the five going into March Madness..." — Jack Pilgrim [12:01]
• Trent Noah: Praised as a glue guy and high-energy bench option, earned respect for shooting and hustle.
  • "He just makes the right plays. He always has a nose for the basketball, you know, getting after it for loose balls and, you know, crashing the glass." — Jack Pilgrim [12:58]

Depth Chart & Bench

• Jasper Johnson, Cam Williams, and others discussed as depth pieces, with Jasper likely the "eighth man."
  • "I would probably put him behind Colin Chandler, that two to three spot. I think Jasper's looking at, you know, eighth man in the rotation." — Jack Pilgrim [11:00]

2. Kentucky Football: Quarterback Switch & Tight Ends Emerge

(Starts ~20:01)

Cutter Bowley Takes Over at QB

• The hosts agree Bowley should have started sooner, noting his poise and chemistry with roommates/targets Josh Catus and Willie Rodriguez.
  • "If you're going to invest in the youth movement, why waste our time in the first two weeks and, you know, not invest in the future?" — Jack Pilgrim [20:30]
  • "I feel like this is his job to lose." — Shannon the Dude [21:26]

Tight Ends’ Surging Role

• New tight ends coach Derek Shea gets extensive credit for building bonds and transforming the group. Catus is on pace to shatter receiving records for Kentucky TEs.
  • "He said that the tight cat has said the tight ends want to play for him. There was this like, you know, this is a guy that we, that we root for, that we're playing for." — Jack Pilgrim [22:14]
  • "Josh Cattis is on pace to shatter that with 448 yards. And Willie Rodriguez is on pace for 272." — Jack Pilgrim [23:18]

Wide Receiver Struggles and Play Design

• Discussion centers on issues with receivers getting separation, and the need to create opportunities especially for Kendrick Law and Jamari Macklin.
  • "You can't tell me that Kendrick Law can't get open. I mean, he's one of the fastest dudes in the country... so scheme him open, figure find a way to get the ball in his hands and open space." — Jack Pilgrim [25:30]

Key Game Preview: South Carolina

• The panel frames next week’s South Carolina road game as “the biggest game of the Mark Stoops era,” critical for team and fan momentum.
  • "I think this is the biggest game of the Mark Stoops there. I really do. I think just what it means for fan morale..." — Jack Pilgrim [35:22]
• Scenario hypothesized where Stoops could lose the fanbase if he goes away from Bowley as starter.

3. UK Athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony Highlights

(Starts ~29:14)

• Recap of Carl Anthony Towns’ emotional return and induction, including message about unselfishness, team unity, and paying tribute to late mother with Ellen Calipari stepping in support.
  • "There was just a level of appreciation, you know, with him being back in Lexington... Carl had that message saying that, hey, it's not me getting inducted into the hall of Fame. It's... everybody kind of came together for one common cause." — Jack Pilgrim [29:14]
• Other inductees include Josh Allen (football), Kayla Epps (women's basketball); celebrated for their impact and stories of growth and contribution to UK culture.

4. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Money as Motivation in College Sports

  • "Money can be really cool for some people, and I think it was really cool for Denzel Aberdeen." — Jack Pilgrim [06:14]

• Diabate’s Role

  • "He is the Swiss army knife that you just say, hey, we need a stop here. Go get a stop." — Jack Pilgrim [11:33]

• Trent Noah’s Value

  • "All of the little things that he does, it was just, oh, we need a tough rebound right now. And Trent always was kind of the guy that got it." — Jack Pilgrim [14:01]

• Culture Shift in UK Football’s Offense

  • "For years that's been our gripe of why are we not incorporating the tight end position into the passing game... it's kind of refreshing to see." — Shannon the Dude [23:39]

• Bulls Don't Care (Metaphor from Tight End Coach)

  • "Every time they talk there's a picture up of a, of a bull rider who... says the bull don't care... next time you go out there bull's not going to care that you broke the record yesterday. Focus on what's ahead and doing it again. So they have that next, next week mentality." — Jack Pilgrim [26:57]

5. Fun & Off-topic Segments

Robert Redford’s Passing

(Starts ~18:32)

• News of Redford’s passing at 89 leads to nostalgia and generational confusion; Jack jokes his favorites are Avengers-era roles, Shannon admits he’d never heard the name.
  • "I gotta be honest with you, I didn't know that was even a name until you said it. So rest in peace, sir." — Shannon the Dude [19:12]

Listener Calls

• Callers chime in to praise the podcast, reminisce about Redford (“He is so sexy!” — Marcia [33:15]), and discuss football topics, including Nick from the Sources Say podcast fandom [38:12].

Hometown Honors

• Brief story about hometown ceremonies honoring UK player Trent Noah’s grandfather, with jokes about possible "Mountain Mamba" landmarks in the future. [39:34]

6. Betting Segment & Odds Updates

(Starts ~46:46)

• NCAAB: Kentucky is +1800 to win the title, +475 to reach Final Four. Purdue, Houston, Duke, and UConn as the favorites.

  • "If you think Kentucky has a Final Four team, anything can happen. Once you get to the final four at plus 1800, that might be a good bet to jump on..." — Ryan Lemond [46:46]

• MLB: Cincinnati Reds are +550 to make the playoffs, -800 not to; panel jokes about betting against the Reds this week.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:36 — Basketball: SEC contenders, Kentucky’s status, rivals’ profiles
• 06:07 — Denzel Aberdeen’s transfer, NIL and role discussion
• 07:28 — Projected starting lineup, Chandler’s push
• 10:29 — Bench depth and roles
• 11:33 — Diabate and Yelovich role debate
• 12:40 — Trent Noah’s development and rotation spot
• 20:01 — Football: Bowley as QB, tight ends, receiver challenges
• 22:40 — Tight end historical stats and Catus’s rise
• 29:14 — UK Hall of Fame ceremony, Carl Anthony Towns
• 35:22 — South Carolina football preview; critical for Stoops era
• 46:46 — DraftKings segment, basketball and baseball odds

Notable Quotes

"I think Kentucky is the start of the conversation, and everybody else is kind of... well, I like this about this team, and this team does some interesting things, but I think the SEC is going to run through Kentucky this year." — Jack Pilgrim [05:24]

"He is the Swiss army knife that you just say, hey, we need a stop here. Go get a stop." — Jack Pilgrim [11:33]

"I feel like this is the biggest game of the Mark Stoops era. I really do." — Jack Pilgrim [35:22]

"For years that's been our gripe of why are we not incorporating the tight end position into the passing game... it's kind of refreshing to see." — Shannon the Dude [23:39]

Tone and Additional Details

• The KSR crew maintains their trademark laid-back, humorous, and slightly irreverent Kentucky flavor, mixing in light-hearted banter, sharp sports analysis, and genuine appreciation for UK athletes past and present.
• The basketball talk is detailed and rooted in insider observations; football discussion is both practical and emotionally invested in the future of the program.
• Listener interaction, pop culture asides, and subtle jabs at each other’s (and callers’) age and knowledge provide levity and community engagement.

This episode provides a robust update for passionate UK fans or casual listeners alike, spotlighting Kentucky’s evolving basketball roster, the stakes of upcoming football contests, and the enduring culture of UK athletics.