Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – 2025-11-19 – Hour 2
Hosts: Matt Jones & KSR Crew
Date: November 19, 2025
Focus: Kentucky Football & Basketball – Recent Struggles, Program Leadership, and Fan Reactions
Episode Overview
This hour of Kentucky Sports Radio dives into the current challenges facing UK athletics, particularly the men's basketball team's recent poor performances and the swirl of fan frustration. Matt Jones breaks major news with a bold prediction on Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart’s future, and the show features spirited discussion about roster construction, coaching, team leadership, and changing fortunes in both basketball and football programs. There are memorable stories, listener calls, and plenty of classic KSR banter.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. KSR Thanksgiving Programming & The Mood Among UK Fans
- [04:07-05:20]
- Matt references the airing of "Home Court with Mark Pope" and jokes about the poor timing, considering fans' current dissatisfaction.
- The show's usual happy "best-of" Thanksgiving episodes feel inappropriate after multiple disappointing basketball performances.
- “The problem is we haven’t had a lot to celebrate. I think I would feel bad playing the Purdue postgame thing because…we probably would look kind of silly.” – Matt Jones [04:54]
2. Matt Jones Drops a Bombshell: “Mitch Barnhart’s Last Year”
- [05:41-06:48]
- Matt predicts this will be athletic director Mitch Barnhart’s final year (“This will be Mitch Barnhart’s last year as AD. That’s my prediction.” – Matt Jones [06:05]).
- The implication: If coaching changes (especially in football) are needed, who should make the hire? The outgoing AD or a new one? The consensus is the new AD should shape the future.
- “Cannot hire and walk away.” – Co-host [06:43]
3. College Basketball Quick Hits: Arkansas-Winthrop, Chaos, & Kenny Payne’s Apathy
- [07:46-09:21]
- Recap of Arkansas’ near-loss to Winthrop, followed by a full-blown on-court brawl.
- “One person does not move. Kenny Payne...He doesn’t try to break it up. He’s just like, I’m Kenny Payne and Louisville still paying me, and I’m good. Got a tee time in the morning.” – Matt Jones [08:53]
4. The Bill Belichick “Adult Cheerleading” Sideshow
- [09:36-13:37]
- Discussion of Belichick spotted supporting his girlfriend at an adult cheerleading competition.
- Light-hearted KSR banter about what’s required of supportive partners and whether it’s appropriate for a celebrity head coach to attend such events during the season.
- “If you look at your leader and your leader looks scared, then you’re going to be nervous, too.” – Matt Jones [50:44]
5. Caller Segment – Roster Construction & Returners vs. Transfers
- [13:47-17:45] & [39:07-42:59]
- Caller Levi voices concern over Mark Pope’s roster construction, particularly the late transfer portal moves.
- The hosts agree: The biggest disappointment isn’t portal guys, but the returning players (notably Otega Oweh and Brandon Garrison).
- “Our portal guys are doing okay. It’s our returners that are struggling. Owe and Garrison are struggling... Chandler’s the only returner who’s really played well.” – Matt Jones [15:10], [15:35]
- Discussion continues later with another caller asserting the team lacks “elite talent” and the argument is shot down by Matt as oversimplified: “I’m not going to listen to people blame this stuff on nil. The rest of these teams are playing well. Okay.” – Matt Jones [41:07]
6. Team Performance Analysis: Who’s Exceeding Expectations (and Who Isn’t)
- [15:25-16:46]
- Malachi Moreno is singled out as the most impressive player relative to expectations.
- Returners like Garrison and Oweh criticized for regression.
- “If you were to say, okay, Matt, who are you really pleased with how they’ve played? I would say...Malachi Moreno.” – Matt Jones [15:35]
7. Can UK Turn the Season Around Without Jaylen Lowe?
- [17:15-17:59]
- The panel’s consensus is somewhat optimistic but acknowledges significant problems remain.
- “I don’t like the offense as much with Aberdeen running the point though. It seems to be out of sync and it’s not as efficient.” – Caller [17:45]
8. The Annabelle Doll “Curse” & Sudden Basketball Woes
- [22:37-24:39]
- Anecdotal speculation that a cursed “Annabelle doll” brought into Rupp Arena coincided with the sudden slide of the basketball program—and even injuries.
- “On the air first. Don’t say openly. I’m not the one who brought the doll in.” – Matt Jones [23:00]
9. Power Conference Struggles & the Mark Pope “First Half Deficit” Pattern
- [25:12-29:24]
- The hosts detail UK’s record against Power 4 basketball teams, noting regular double-digit first-half deficits in significant games, even dating back through last year.
- “Let’s go through first half double digit deficits in the Mark Pope era...” – Matt Jones [27:28]
- Fans and hosts criticize Pope’s mass substitution strategy, which often coincides with the team falling behind early.
10. Listener Questions – Statues, NIL, and Future Prospects
- [30:34-33:41] & [32:57-34:07]
- The running joke about building statues for coaches returns.
- Discussion of how a bad season could impact NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) fundraising—hosts predict UK will always raise money, but the era of double-dipping is over.
- Matt explains Mitch Barnhart’s contract: after July 2026, he can step down with six months’ notice and become “special assistant to the president” at $800,000/year. [34:07-35:45]
11. Viewer Emotions and the “Ship Without a Rudder” Analogy
- [36:13-38:29]
- Callers express frustration, saying the basketball squad looks “like a ship without a rudder” after the poor showings and uncertain leadership.
- Matt adds: “I would add, and a captain who looks like he has scurvy.” [37:59]
12. Football vs. Basketball: Which Team Inspires More Confidence Now?
- [32:12-32:57]
- Shock that the football program now feels more likely to score consecutive wins than the basketball team does to win its next round of Power 4 matchups.
- “I think beat Vandy and Louisville in football [is more likely].” – Matt Jones [32:14]
13. Memorials & Community Shoutouts
- [47:01-48:23]
- The show pays tribute to former Kentucky football player Randy Burke and Lewis County sports figure Gary Kidwell, both of whom recently passed away.
14. Listener Curious Sightings: Did Coach Pope Check His Cell Phone During the Game?
- [49:31-50:05]
- A caller claims to have seen Coach Pope use his cell phone on the sideline during the last game—a speculation the crew doubts, assuming it was a play sheet or notes.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Barnhart’s future:
“This will be Mitch Barnhart’s last year as AD. That’s my prediction.”
— Matt Jones [06:05] -
On mass substitutions:
“What analytic is saying start every game down 10? I can’t imagine there’s an analytic telling him that’s correct.”
— Matt Jones [29:13] -
On Kenny Payne during a brawl:
“Kenny Payne...He’s just like, I’m Kenny Payne and Louisville still paying me, and I’m good. Got a tee time in the morning.”
— Matt Jones [08:53] -
On the Annabelle doll and the curse:
“The Annabelle doll...See, you don’t mess around with stuff like that.”
— KSR Crew [22:45] -
On player performance:
“Malachi would be our MVP right now in my opinion...If you’re just telling me who’s been better relative to my expectation, it would have been Malachi.”
— Matt Jones [16:28] -
On coaching visible panic:
“If you look at your leader and your leader looks scared, then you’re going to be nervous, too.”
— Matt Jones [50:44]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 04:07 — Show opens, setting the mood, Thanksgiving programming
- 05:41 — Matt predicts Mitch Barnhart’s final year as AD
- 07:46 — Arkansas-Winthrop chaos and Kenny Payne anecdote
- 09:36 — Bill Belichick and adult cheerleading banter
- 13:47 — Caller Levi on roster issues
- 15:25 — Hosts single out Malachi Moreno; returners criticized
- 17:15 — Jaylen Lowe’s absence and point guard problems
- 22:37 — The “Annabelle doll” curse theory
- 25:12 — UK’s Power 4 struggles and Pope’s mass substitutions
- 30:34 — Calls about statues and NIL fundraising
- 34:07 — Details on Mitch Barnhart’s “golden parachute” contract
- 36:13 — Callers air “ship without a rudder” grievances
- 47:01 — Tributes to Randy Burke & Gary Kidwell
- 49:31 — Was Pope using his phone on the sideline?
- 50:44 — Visible unease in Mark Pope’s coaching demeanor
- 51:28 — Show wraps with optimism for UK’s next few games
Final Thoughts
The KSR crew paints an honest, often sardonic picture of a fanbase in turmoil—torn between the hope for a quick basketball turnaround and increasing resignation about its troubles. The bold prediction about AD Mitch Barnhart’s future stands out as headline news, while witty banter, pointed analysis, and caller frustrations all underline the current restlessness in Big Blue Nation.
For newcomers: This episode is equal parts sports therapy and sharp commentary—and it’s clear that, even in frustrating times, KSR is the place where Kentucky fans process, commiserate, and hope together.