KSR (Kentucky Sports Radio) – Hour 2

Date: February 19, 2026
Hosts: Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, Brian Milam
Episode Theme:
This episode dives deep into the most pressing concerns for Kentucky basketball fans—recruiting struggles under new head coach Mark Pope, the changing landscape brought by NIL, and questions about athletic department leadership. The crew also touches on UK community landmarks, new Olympic sports, and field listener calls about nostalgia, uniforms, and even the NCAA bubble.

Episode Overview

The hour centers on the UK basketball program's recruiting woes, particularly the inability to close on top high school talent, the necessity of adapting to college sports' new NIL era, and accountability at all levels—from Coach Pope to university administration. Lighter moments include personal stories, jokes about UK traditions, updates on local businesses, and Olympic chatter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kentucky Basketball Recruiting Crisis

Main Discussion:

• Matt addresses why he’s not been talking as much about recruiting but makes clear his anxiety has only grown (04:22–10:22).
• Severe concern about failing to land top high school basketball recruits—described bluntly as an “epic, epic fail.”
• Acknowledges that even if UK crushes the transfer portal, missing on every elite high schooler for two consecutive cycles is unacceptable for a program of Kentucky's stature.
• Names names: Missed out on targets Tyron Stokes, Christian Collins, and more—despite being favored for several.
• Compares UK’s recruiting haul unfavorably to other blue bloods: Kansas (Darin Peterson), UNC (Caleb Wilson), Duke (Cameron Boozer), UConn, Tennessee, etc.—all of whom landed top prospects.

Notable Quotes:

• “Unless something changes with Tyron Stokes or Christian Collins, it’s an epic fail by UK... it is a failure. When you at one point lead on three of the top 10 guys and you end up with none of them... that's a failure.” – Matt Jones (04:22)
• “They may get a great portal class... But it doesn’t excuse what was an epic failure of high school recruiting.” – Matt Jones (07:36)
• “I will confront Mark about it. I’m going to confront Mitch about it... It's a disaster." – Matt Jones (06:45)

Timestamps:

• 04:22–10:22 – Recruiting crisis breakdown
• 08:39–09:52 – Blue blood comparison; accountability

2. Accountability: Coaching & Administration

Main Discussion:

• Unfiltered critique of Mark Pope’s struggle to close on recruits (some of which is placed at his feet, but also at the feet of JMI and administration).
• Frustration with lack of transparency—mentions AD Mitch Barnhart being “MIA” and abdicating public responsibility (08:39–09:52).
• UK’s approach seen as outdated; their solution since COVID has often been to “say nothing.”

Notable Quotes:

• “Right now their solution, which has been their solution to every problem since COVID, is say nothing. And that’s the worst solution you can have.” – Matt Jones (10:34)
• “Mitch is MIA. When does Mitch ever speak?” – Matt Jones (09:52)

Timestamps:

• 08:39–09:52 – Administrative critique
• 10:34–11:36 – On Mark Pope & staff’s recruiting missteps

3. NIL Era & UK’s Failure to Adapt

Main Discussion:

• Callers and hosts discuss how NIL has fundamentally shifted recruiting; UK’s traditional selling points (the “jersey,” legacy, etc.) can’t stand alone anymore (21:47–25:23).
• Other blue bloods are embracing the change, but UK seems stuck in the past.
• Metaphor: Netflix’s pivot from mail DVDs to streaming—as a model for required adaptation.

Notable Quotes:

• “We have a decision to make. Do we want to be part of the future or do we not?... Do we want to be Blockbuster Video?” – Matt Jones (24:22–25:23)
• “Everybody else has figured it out. Why is it taking us so long to figure it out?” – Ryan Lemond (25:57)
• “If we’re not getting players because Mark Pope is still selling the jersey in a time that that doesn’t work…then he needs to do something else.” – Matt Jones (22:49)

Timestamps:

• 21:47–26:26 – NIL, tradition, and adapting to the new era

4. Fan and Media Dynamics & Local Journalism

Main Discussion:

• Acknowledgement that local journalists (Jack Pilgrim and Jacob) took heat for reporting recruiting problems, but have since been vindicated by national media.
• The UK fan base isn’t receptive to bad news, but it’s necessary for accountability (11:36).

Notable Quotes:

• “Jack and Jacob took a lot of crap from the fan base… but sometimes bad news needs to be heard.” – Matt Jones (11:44)

Timestamps:

• 11:36–12:24

5. Calls & Fun Segments

• Caller on Mitch Barnhart: Amusing story of a fan not recognizing the AD, asking him to take a picture of her and her son—not with her (12:27–14:24).

  • “Oh no, that’s brutal.” – Matt Jones (13:16)
  • Relatable anecdotes about mistaken identity and Jay Bilas pranking back when similarly confused.

• Softness in the Frontcourt:

  • Discussion of UK’s “soft” play in recent games, especially among big men.
  • Malachi’s improvement in physicality noted (15:18–16:31).

• Olympics & Ski Mountaineering:

  • Entertaining explanation of new Winter Olympics event: ski mountaineering, involving uphill skiing, running up steps, etc.
  • “How do you ski uphill?” – Ryan Lemond (31:04–32:59)

• Local Landmarks:

  • News that the longstanding liquor store and plaza near UK campus has been sold; likely future athletic development (26:44–29:47)

• Uniform Nostalgia:

  • Hopes for more UK football uniform variety—Power K throwbacks, alt jerseys, and Oregon-style experimentation (33:06–35:35).

• Khalil Whitney’s College Return:

  • Discusses if Whitney is eligible to play again at UK; general support for his return if possible (37:30–40:03).

• NCAA Bubble Debate:

  • Lively debate on tournament bids: Does an undefeated Miami-Ohio deserve a spot over a struggling but “name” power-conference team like Kentucky? (41:07–44:00)
  • “No one in America that isn’t a Kentucky fan would be rooting for us.” – Matt Jones (43:17)

• Origins of “Long time, first time” Call-in Phrase:

  • Fan discussion of sports radio tropes; credits “Sin of a Woman” and The Fabulous Sports Babe’s show (44:03–45:45).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:22 | Matt Jones | “Unless something changes with Tyron Stokes or Christian Collins, it’s an epic fail by UK...” | | 06:45 | Matt Jones | “I will confront Mark about it. I’m going to confront Mitch about it... It's a disaster." | | 09:52 | Matt Jones | “Mitch is MIA. When does Mitch ever speak?” | | 11:44 | Matt Jones | “Jack and Jacob took a lot of crap from the fan base… but sometimes bad news needs to be heard.” | | 13:16 | Matt Jones | “Oh no, that's brutal.” (about the fan not recognizing Mitch Barnhart) | | 22:49 | Matt Jones | “If we’re not getting players because Mark Pope is still selling the jersey... then he needs to do something else.” | | 24:22-25:23| Matt Jones | “We have a decision to make. Do we want to be part of the future or do we not?... Do we want to be Blockbuster Video?” | | 25:57 | Ryan Lemond | “Everybody else has figured it out. Why is it taking us so long to figure it out?” | | 43:17 | Matt Jones | “No one in America that isn’t a Kentucky fan would be rooting for us.” (on play-in potential) |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• UK Recruiting Breakdown: 04:22–10:22
• Administrative & NIL Era Discussion: 21:47–26:26
• Fan Stories & Call-ins: 12:27–14:24; 33:06–35:35; 44:03–45:45
• Uniform/Nostalgia: 33:06–35:35
• Olympics & Ski Mountaineering: 31:04–33:06
• Khalil Whitney Talk: 37:30–40:03
• NCAA Bubble Debate: 41:07–44:00

Overall Tone & Language

• Unapologetically direct, occasionally humorous, and full of inside jokes—including playful ribbing of each other and the athletic department.
• Matt Jones is especially blunt and passionate about UK’s recruiting failures and the need for institutional adaptation.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This hour of KSR is essential listening for fans frustrated with UK basketball’s place in the shifting universe of college sports. Matt and crew lay out the facts, unvarnished opinions, and necessary context—with plenty of humor, listener interaction, and the warmth of a long-running Kentucky institution. Whether you care about recruiting, athletics administration, or just want to hear talk about iconic campus liquor stores and new Olympic sports, you’ll get a mix of hard insight and local color in this episode.