Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 2
Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts/Crew: Ryan Lemond, Shannon Dawson, Mario Urrutia, Jeff Decoro
Location: Wild Eggs, Tate’s Creek, Lexington, KY
Main Theme: A lively discussion of the current state of University of Kentucky (UK) football, inside insights from veteran analyst Jeff Decoro, stories about the UK program and its personalities, fan interaction, and some lighter, community moments.
Overview
The second hour of KSR dives deep into the Kentucky football program, focusing on the current season's passing struggles, receiver play, coaching decisions, and the broader mood of the fanbase. Special guest Jeff Decoro, longtime color commentator and former UK receiver, provides tactical insights and anecdotes. The hosts field live calls and texts, celebrate a birthday, reminisce about Kentucky sports culture, and wrap up with their weekly parlay picks.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Live from Wild Eggs – Community Vibe
- The crew broadcasts from the grand opening of the new Wild Eggs at Tate’s Creek, with energy from fans and giveaways.
- There’s playful banter over a pancake flipping contest, where Mario Urrutia was declared the winner, and everyone jokes about their kitchen skills.
"I blame it on the spatula. No, no, no. Inadequate spatula."
– Ryan Lemond [04:00]
2. UK Football’s Passing Game – In-depth Analysis
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Jeff Decoro fields a listener question about the team's struggling wide receivers.
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Technical breakdown of passing plays, receiver routes, and the crucial chemistry needed between quarterbacks and receivers, especially amid shifting coverages.
"When you’re playing against SEC defenses, that perfect window is...very small, and you have to throw a ball—sometimes to a point, not to a person."
– Jeff Decoro [05:46] -
Discussion about Zach Calzada’s tendency to wait for receivers to be open versus “throwing them open,” referencing differences between quarterbacks with strong vs. less powerful arms.
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Issue of receivers getting physically jammed at the line, making timing and separation a challenge; this affects top receiver Macklin’s performance.
"Teams are playing Kentucky...going to get real physical at the line...anything a defensive back can do to get you off schedule is a win for them."
– Jeff Decoro [08:32] -
Success of tight ends compared to wide receivers, attributed to their being less covered at the line and their size/strength, allowing them to get open more easily.
3. Modern Complexity in Playcalling
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The complexity of modern football play calls is humorously contrasted with the simpler systems of decades past.
"Now it’s right over Wham, Zipper, Crimson Tide, slam. And each one of those words is for a different person on the team. It’s crazy."
– Jeff Decoro [10:08] -
Breakdown of sign-calling systems and how signaling and dummy calls help disguise plays, with stories about chaos and in-game management challenges.
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The hosts reflect on the challenge for fans (and even former players) to keep up with the layers of communication and playbooks.
"When you break it down like that, it just sounds like absolute chaos."
– Shannon Dawson [11:45]
4. Kentucky Fanbase Mood & Apathy
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Ryan voices concerns about a sense of apathy among the UK football fanbase, rooted in recent underperformance and unexciting home records.
"It seems like some apathy has set in...they can’t win an SEC home game...and it just seems like apathy is starting to settle in."
– Ryan Lemond [40:33] -
The crew discusses how a big road win at South Carolina could dramatically shift fan morale.
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Discussion on coaching expectations and job security for Mark Stoops: unless performance improves, his options shrink.
"Mark knows right now if he wants to continue coaching, he has to turn this around. Texas A&M or Florida...is not going to hire him if Kentucky continues 4, 5, 6 wins."
– Jeff Decoro [40:48]
5. Listener Calls & Fan Questions
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Light-hearted feedback about Matt Jones’ quirks, callers correcting terms like “shaking your head” versus “nodding your head” [17:05].
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Question on SEC scheduling and "tiers"—Jeff suggests the focus is more on preserving historic rivalries than any tier system, and that schedules will rotate enough for balance.
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Inquiries about bye week preparation: Jeff explains the balance between hard practices and strategic rest, with specifics on “thud” practices and weight maintenance.
"They practice hard. Tuesday and Wednesday were really hard...giving them the whole weekend off...already started South Carolina prep."
– Jeff Decoro [19:30] -
Question on slow play calls and frequent timeouts: The team needs to solidify personnel groupings and script plays more. Over-rotating and waiting for the “perfect” personnel leads to confusion and wasted timeouts.
"Why change personnel each play? It's dumb. If the guys in the game can't run the next play, why are they playing?"
– Listener via text, read by Ryan Lemond [41:45]
6. Kentucky Program Highlights
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Celebration of Kentucky Volleyball’s victory over Louisville, ending a multi-year drought and cementing coach Skinner's legacy.
"Is there a more successful coach at UK than Skinner?... He’s not making $9 million a year either."
– Jeff Decoro [31:44] -
Shout-out to UK Hockey for an undefeated start, plus fun references to hockey poster promotions involving Kentucky celebrities.
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Discussion of former UK athletes returning to Lexington, highlighting the lasting pull of Big Blue Nation.
Notable Quotes & Moments
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On Passing Game Struggles:
"The passing game is the one area where there seems to be some deficiencies. Unless you talk about just passing to the tight ends. That seems to been off the charts."
– Ryan Lemond [12:03] -
On Modern Play-calling Complexity:
"When I played, it was past 86C Corner...Now it’s right over Wham Zipper Crimson Tide, you know, slam...and each one of those words is for a different person."
– Jeff Decoro [10:08] -
On Role of Tight Ends:
"They have great tight ends...I really think Boyer will make the NFL just because of his sheer size...the hands we’ve seen from CAT is ridiculous this year."
– Jeff Decoro [12:29] -
On Halftime Adjustments:
"Halftime consists of this: you go into the locker room, take your helmet off...now they have Gatorade gels and nuts...then the coaches are yelling at each other...and you go back out."
– Jeff Decoro [29:07]
Fun & Lighter Moments
- Birthday celebration for Mario Urrutia with a Wild Eggs cinnamon roll [26:41].
- Banter about hosting pancake flipping contests, kitchen incompetence, and generational confusion about UK basketball legends.
- Story: Ric Flair, Sting, and Goldberg hanging out at a UK football weekend in Georgia [13:14].
- Reflections on the evolution of halftime snacks from orange slices and Snickers bars to pickles and protein gels.
Sports Bets & Parlay Segment
Segment: 37:22
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KSR DraftKings Parlay:
- Jeff Decoro: Oklahoma -7 vs Auburn
- Ryan Lemond: Nebraska -1.5 vs Michigan
- Mario Urrutia: Tulane over Ole Miss
- Shannon Dawson: Syracuse +16.5 at Clemson
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Group agrees that a few key wins could quickly change the narrative for the UK football program and re-energize the fanbase.
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Observations about over-specialization in personnel rotations slowing down offensive tempo and driving fans crazy.
Community & UK Notes
- S/O to listener Anita, who flew from Florida to be at the remote show.
- Assorted asides about local Lexington personalities and famous UK athletes, like Kenny McPeek and Maria Montgomery.
- Next remote show teased: Fort Thomas Highlands High School.
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 03:27 Pancake flipping contest recap and Wild Eggs atmosphere
- 05:13 Jeff Decoro joins: insights into UK passing game
- 10:08 Modern playbook complexity
- 12:03 Analysis of team weaknesses & tight end discussion
- 19:30 Bye week preparation details
- 22:01 Why UK struggles to get plays in and calls so many timeouts
- 26:41 Mario’s birthday celebration
- 31:44 Volleyball triumph and coach Skinner’s success
- 37:22 KSR DraftKings Parlay segment
- 40:33 State of program and fan apathy discussion
- 41:45 Text question: personnel changes slowing offense
Tone and Style
Conversational, playful, and insightful. The show balances deep technical football analysis with light banter and community energy, featuring a mix of expert insights, fan questions, and relatable Kentucky culture.
Conclusion
This episode is a must-listen for Kentucky fans looking to understand the deeper tactical issues behind the Wildcats’ current offensive struggles, while also capturing the essence of KSR’s friendly, community-driven approach. Key voices like Jeff Decoro make the discussion especially informative with their mix of experience and humor.