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- [00:00]
Matt Jones
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- [00:30]
Caller/Listener
Limu Gamu and.
- [00:33]
Drew Franklin
Doug Here we have the Limu Emu.
- [00:36]
Matt Jones
In its natural habitat helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual.
- [00:44]
Drew Franklin
Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.
- [00:48]
Matt Jones
Uh, Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.
- [00:51]
Drew Franklin
Cut the camera, they see us.
- [00:52]
Matt Jones
Only pay for what you need@libertymutual.com Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Very underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance company and affiliates.
- [01:00]
Drew Franklin
Excludes Massachusetts.
- [01:01]
Matt Jones
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- [01:31]
Drew Franklin
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- [02:05]
Caller/Listener
Or a luxuriously large sectional, Anna Bay has you covered.
- [02:09]
Drew Franklin
Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Sofas start at just $699 and right now get early access to Black Friday savings up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop now@washablesofas.com Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. Welcome everyone. It is the local toy dealers KSR Post game show final one of the UK football season. The Cats get embarrassed in Louisville. 41 to nothing give up 41 points for the second straight year to the Cards and finish the season five and seven, which is what I said was purgatory. That's where we are. You can give us a shout. We'll open up the phones at the end of this segment. And here's the way I'm going to do this today. Today I think I want to kind of talk about sort of the game and my position on the program and then kind of throw it to you all. And you know, in the last few weeks we've talked a lot about what would happen, what could happen. I think now is the time for fans just to be able to say their opinions, what they think should happen. So our lines are closed. We'll open them when I finish and then, and then let you go start with the game. I'm not going to go into detail on it. We got destroyed 41 to nothing. That means in the last two years we've lost to Louisville 82 to 17, 82 to 17 against two Louisville teams that towards the end of the season for both of those years were on a downward trend. They still found a way in consecutive years to not just beat us, but humiliate us. Today is the most humiliating. Today is probably the most humiliating Kentucky Louisville game of the Stoops era. Not necessarily because of the margin, although it's an insane margin. I'll note it's one point more than the Joker Phillips loss to Vandy that basically ended his time here, but also because of by game time. I think we were the favorite. I think it flipped right at game time and we were the one and a half point favorite. This was a Louisville team that had lost three straight games that was without their top four running backs. They started a running back who was a walk on freshman from Ashland, Kentucky that at this week last year played against Corbin High school and had 61 yards rushing. And we gave up 113 yards. We gave up 52 more yards than Corbin did last year. That's what happened today. It's a humiliating loss and it was a game that was never close. The moment they blocked that punt, our team, it was over. And in terms of, in terms of all of you watching, you never thought we had a chance to win after that. And then they quit. For the second straight week they quit. Which is in some ways even more embarrassing than the final result that you quit against Vandy and Louisville in back to back weeks when winning any of the games would have gotten you a bowl birth. You not only got humiliated in both of them, you quit. So it's a terrible loss and there's no hiding it. It's awful. But it's also not worth breaking down because the team on the field is not going to be on the field next year. Probably the most interesting thing coming out of the game is that Vince Merrow tweeted at KSR from the sidelines with six minutes to go. Billy, with six minutes to go, he was tweeting about Nick Roush.
- [05:59]
Matt Jones
Incredible.
- [06:01]
Drew Franklin
I mean, that is incredible. And it's very. Vince Barrow. Vince, I'm sure you're listening right now. Congrats. But six minutes to go, that's. That's insane. So ultimately, talking about the game is a waste of time. What matters is the future. And what matters is what needs to happen going forward. And those of you that have listened to this show for a long time know that I. I am much more of an incrementalist than most people are. Most people sort of ride the emotions of the moment. They're up, they're down. I'm like that during a game. But then I try to sit back and go, okay, this is probably the lawyer in me. What is the argument on either side for things? So I have been with Mark Stoops going back to the beginning of the season, thinking, okay, how is it to figure out what we should do with Mark Stoops? And you may remember I said, if he wins four games, you got to make a change, and if he wins six games, you're going to bring him back. But five wins would be the worst scenario. I was wrong about that. Five wins was not the worst scenario. Five wins with two humiliations to end the season is the worst scenario. Five wins with Indiana going undefeated, Vandy having a shot. If they win today to being 10 and 2 and losing to Louisville 41 to nothing, that is probably the worst scenario. After the game's over, Mark Stoop says, basically. Actually, let me read the quote. Cause I want to get it exactly right. Mark Stoops has asked about his future twice. He was asked in the press conference and then he was asked by Tom Leach in the press conference. He said, you think I'm going to walk away? Are you kidding me? There's zero percent chance I'll walk away. I'm going to be here. As far as I'm concerned, zero means zero, zero percent chance I walk. It's pretty definitive. Billy, right? Said 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 times. So you know his take on it? Well, this is my take. Kentucky football. And really even broader than that, Kentucky Athletics. It's time for a change. And it is time for a separation. Between UK football and Mark Stoops. And that's hard to say in some ways because I feel like we're where we were two years ago with John Calperi. So let's talk about. Because I think it's important to know what Stoops has done. Stoops has been the best coach at Kentucky of my lifetime for the majority of his career. When he came here, this program was abysmal. It had two wins. The fans were not only defeated, they had basically stopped caring. And he did something I did not think you could do during that era, which is recruited Kentucky and bring in players that could make you competitive in the SEC on a consistent basis. I didn't think you could do that here back then. I didn't think you could recruit. He made Ohio his base and he created a program that you could actually be proud of. Not only did they have two nine win seasons, they had multiple sixes and sevens. They had a. They were. But more importantly, you went into games, almost all of them, thinking you have a shot here. And think about all the NFL players he produced at one point. One season of our offensive line had more players who went to the NFL than the 25 years prior combined. That's a pretty amazing thing. And he should be given all the credit in the world for doing that. But ultimately, if you want to have a successful program, a successful business, a successful life, you cannot focus on the past. You have to focus on the future. And the reality is that going forward, I cannot see a scenario where it is going to work. If Stoops is back, I just can't. And there are a number of reasons for that. One is I don't think this regime is adapting to the modern era of college football. I don't think they know what kind of player they want to recruit. They had a history of success by recruiting guys, developing them and watching them come up. The system, that's what he was good at. Then the portal started and they combined a handful of those guys with the people they had and it worked. But now it's a different system. Now the system is lots of portal, handful of recruited guys, pay money, and so far they have not shown an ability to be good at that. They've picked the wrong quarterbacks at least two years in a row, depending on what you think of Devin Leary. Three, they have brought in players that not only have not necessarily helped, they've brought in culture issues to the program. And I think it's pretty clear, even looking at this year's team, that the vast Majority of guys that had success were who Guys that they had recruited out of high school who played as freshmen or sophomores and did better than we thought. But who have been the disappointments, the people in the portal. And there's no way you can win in 2025 without crushing the portal. And it's clear they don't know how to do it. Last year, Stoops blamed that on not having enough money. I think he had a little bit of a point. Well, this year they spent a lot of money and I think the team is a little bit better. But they only had one more win and they actually lost to Louisville by more than they did last year. And they lost to Vanderbilt by more than they did last year. And they lost to Tennessee by more than they did last year. So did it matter? I don't really think it did. But beyond the on the field product, it's clear from Mark's comments he's not going to change. Tom Leach asked him, I thought as nice as you could ask him, what do you think? Are you going to be in the seat next year and what are you going to do? And his answer was basically like, well, we're going to recruit and develop. It's the same answer that he's given for 15 years. And an answer that's just not going to work in 2025. He said, we're going to work like we always do. We're going to try to build this roster. You know, we've been in tough spots before and we're going to continue to improve. Is that an inspiring message? Is that a message that makes you think, let's go? It's not. For me, this college football is a completely different sport than it was four years ago. You can now win at places like Kentucky. I don't know if that was true 15 years ago, but you can. You can spend money, you can do it intelligently, you can coach at a high level and you can have success. And there's nothing to me that says going forward that that can happen here. I wish it did. I like Mark. I sat here and thought, I didn't even watch the second half of this game. I just kind of walked around downtown Lexington trying to think about what I was going to say because, I mean, I knew the game was over. So if it happened the second half, I didn't even see it because I knew what was going to happen. And as I walked around, the people I saw or who screamed at me out of their car were all saying the same thing. Fire. Stoops. You got to get rid of Stoops. This fan base is for the most part, I don't think it's completely. But for the most part out they just are. I'm a hockey fan now because of my Carolina Hurricanes. And every year before the hockey season starts, the Athletic does something where they rank the 32 teams by how much hope their fan base has. I always like to read it because you can kind of see, like, where are the fans on their team? I have a question for you, Billy. If they did an SEC hope rankings with the fan base next year, if we bring Stoops back, what place are we going to be in?
- [15:12]
Matt Jones
I'm going to say dead last.
- [15:13]
Drew Franklin
We're going to be in 16th. Because the teams that had less hope than us, what did they do? They're switching coach.
- [15:21]
Matt Jones
Hired a coach. Yeah.
- [15:22]
Drew Franklin
Arkansas, Florida, Auburn, the teams that used to be on our level, Vandy, Missouri, are excited about their futures. We would be last and it. I don't. I think we would be last and it wouldn't even be close. This fan base is just kind of over it. And the reality is two weeks ago he had a chance. We were five and five with two games where it was programs that you should be competitive with. And we went out and got destroyed both times. Destroyed. That flips it for me. I was on the edge before, but that flips it for me. He knew what was at stake in those games. The team knew. And not only did we not win, we got destroyed and we quit in both games. How in the world am I going to see that and then assume that next year is going to be better? What is it there that gives me hope? A big part of football, a big part of life, a big part of sports is you hope for the future. I don't know what the hope is. I just don't. And I want Mark to succeed, but I just don't think the likelihood is high. We were talking the other day and Ryan wanted to bring him back and Drew said there should be a separation. Shannon and I were kind of in the middle, but then Drew asked a question I thought was a very good question. Whether you bring him back or not, do you think next year it'll work? And I realized later that my answer to that question was no. So if I don't think it's going to work, why am I doing it again? What's the point? I don't want to act like Mark Stoops has been a disaster. I think he's been like a really good coach. Here. But when it's over, it's over. Some people know they've been in relationships and it can have been great, but for people who've ended them, they know sometimes there's a moment when it's just over. And when it's over, it's over. And you can put it off until your kids graduate high school and you can put it off until you pay off your house. And you can put off for a million reasons, but when it's over, it's over. And I just think this is over, it's just over. So how do you get there? That's been my question to people. I don't think there's an easy answer. But you know what? I've become convinced in the last couple weeks. I think you just have to do it. You have to find a way to get the money and you got to make the change. Let's say you bring him back, you owe him $37 million. Let's say you bring him back and next year doesn't work. I would ask you how many of you all think it's going to work next year? All right, let's say it doesn't work next year. You know what you owe him then, Billy?
- [18:45]
Matt Jones
What?
- [18:46]
Drew Franklin
$26 million. So you still going to owe him a lot of money. The problem was the contract. Which brings me to my second point. The best athletic director in the history of Kentucky is Mitch Barnhart. If you look at it, the success he's had here is unbelievable. He has taken a school that was basically a basketball only school, and for most of his tenure he's had a competitive football program, a competitive women's basketball program, won a national championship in volleyball, went to the World Series in baseball and softball, and produced Olympic world record holding track stars, and for much of that time been really good at basketball, including winning a title. He's been here 23 years. I think his record is really good. But I also have to say it's time to move on. It's time for Mitch to do what I think he'll do anyway, but hand it off to somebody else. UK Athletics is behind and as good as he's done in the things that matter now, we're way behind and we screwed up our nil system. Mitch waited two years too long and we're behind. Luckily, in today's world you can still catch up, but we are behind and it's because of his personal aversion to it. That's a massive mistake in the realm of being a CEO, it's an Almost unforgivable, unforgivable mistake. You took the future of of your product and you refused to adapt and you caused your company to be behind. That's number one. Number two, in an almost unprecedented way from any other athletic director in the country, you gave two of the worst contracts that have ever been given to coaches. Not because you gave them, but because you let the agents put in a provision that required you to pay them immediately. No other coach except Jimbo Fisher has ever gotten a deal like that. And what happened to the AD that gave Jimbo Fisher that deal? He got fired. You got bailed out cause one coach left, but you were going to keep him. You did the video with him. You got bailed out. But as Stoops post game comments make clear, you're not getting bailed out of this one. You made a unforgivable, in the business term mistake, you made a contract where not only do we owe the money, we have to pay it in 60 days. I think if that 60 day provision wasn't there, he'd be let go. But if he's not let go, it will be because of your decision. And you did it not once, you did it twice. Behind on nil. Way behind. Two contracts that I think are egregious and then a future that I would say is at best a little tenuous. The new JMI Nil deal, I don't know about that. I was told it was the future and the whole country was going to follow. And so far no one has. We're still the only one doing it like that. And I got to tell you, at least looking at trying to lock up these top basketball recruits, I'm a little bit worried about how that's going to work. So 23 years of success, 23 years is a long time. And sometimes you can have people who are legends in their jobs and have unprecedented success. And there comes a time where you just need to move on. And there comes a time for everybody that you just need to have a change. There's a song I really like by one of my two or three favorite artists, Tom Petty, and it's called It's Time to Move On. And he has this. The course is like, it's time to move on, it's time to get going. What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing but under my feet grass is growing. It's time to move on. It's time to get going. That's how I feel about UK football and that's how I feel about UK athletics. The two people in those positions have done an amazing job. But under our feet in both levels, grass is growing and it's time for UK football and UK athletics to get going. 859-280-2287 that's my take. Forgive me for my length will now go to you. 859-280-2287 It's a local toilet dealers KSR postgame show. Well done. Getting the song there, Billy. It's like you're like Shannon getting doing the song that I, that I refer to. Well done. You've had a busy day and you got that made it happen.
- [24:11]
Matt Jones
Oh, it's time to get going, Matt.
- [24:12]
Drew Franklin
You go. Did you know that song or is that like before your time?
- [24:15]
Matt Jones
A little before my time. But I, I already like it.
- [24:17]
Drew Franklin
I love Tom Petty. Like Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Tyler Childers. If I was to have like one, I mean, these people are dead. Except Tyler Child. So I don't think I can see them. But like that would be my perfect Bill would be like those three.
- [24:32]
Matt Jones
But that's a good line.
- [24:33]
Drew Franklin
Very unlikely to happen at this point. 859-280-2287 One person says, Matt, that was amazing. But it was also clearly written. Is that what you did during the second half? Mario standing here. Did I write any. Did I even have notes? That was just. That was just off the top of my head. But also I thought about what I was gonna say, but I didn't write it down. Mar. Mario can tell. He was sitting there. I was watching his head bob. Yes or no as I was saying. 859-280-20287 I've talked enough. Let's just go to. You all might go ahead. Mike.
- [25:10]
Caller/Listener
Matt. So my buddies were asking me or asking us what we thought the prediction or the score of the game would be. And I said it would be the most Kentucky football thing ever if they got blown out in this game. And lo and behold, it became into existence 41 to nothing. I got a question. Could you educate me on nil for just a second?
- [25:35]
Drew Franklin
Sure. Well, as much as I know I don't understand.
- [25:39]
Caller/Listener
I don't understand. So does it hurt Kentucky that they are like, baseball's good?
- [25:48]
Drew Franklin
Yes, I think, I think it is an issue. Yes, I do think it's an issue. I think it is hard to be an everything school going forward. So to be in everything school going for. And I think that is an issue that a lot of the secondary programs at UK are thinking about. But I think you have to do what Craig Skinner is doing with volleyball. He's kind of creating his own little nil thing with donors there. That's working. But, yes, I think. I think something that's difficult for UK football is that we need. We want UK basketball to be really good. But with that said, so does Louisville, and they beat us 41 to nothing. Right. So I. That's not an excuse for this season. Right. So. And Louisville, like, also women's basketball team's good. Louisville's baseball team's good. Like, Louisville's volleyball team's good. Like, they're in the same possession position we are, and they just destroyed us two years in a row.
- [26:47]
Caller/Listener
So at the end of the day, it comes down to having people that make good decisions and are good coaches.
- [26:54]
Drew Franklin
I totally agree with you.
- [26:55]
Caller/Listener
Thanks, man.
- [26:55]
Drew Franklin
Appreciate the call. Ultimately, I think being smart is more important now than it's ever been in terms of making the decisions. Because now a lot of the decisions that are going to determine whether or not you are successful are decisions not based on how well you coach them up, but how well you make decisions, be they on the field or in the boardroom before. Let's go to Jerry. Go ahead, Jerry.
- [27:30]
Caller/Listener
Man. I agree with everything you said, everybody, and I appreciate you saying that. But, you know, I got two things. Don't want to bother me more than anything to work. This is two weeks in a row that this team is quit. I sat back and watched Louisville play last week against SMU. Gave up almost 500 total yards, and they completely dominated us today. And I hate it for color, baldy. But he never did. He never did have a shot today in that game.
- [27:56]
Drew Franklin
He really did appreciate the call. Louisville and Kentucky quit last week. Louisville quit against smu? Or was it Clemson they played last week? I guess it was Clemson.
- [28:05]
Matt Jones
Smu. He only scored six points.
- [28:07]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. So both teams came into this game having quit on their last game, but they got up for it and we didn't. So they were more ready. Todd, go ahead, Todd. Todd, go ahead.
- [28:24]
Caller/Listener
Todd, can you hear me?
- [28:27]
Drew Franklin
Yes.
- [28:28]
Caller/Listener
Okay. Yeah, man. I agree with everything you said. Stoops has done some great things here, and I hate to see that his legacy has kind of come down to this, but is there a world that that was just coach speak after the game and that he may agree to a lesser buyout to kind of save face and walk away? Or is he going to dig in like Brian Kelly, you think?
- [28:52]
Drew Franklin
I don't know. I would have thought. I've never known Stoops to be someone who doesn't mean what he says. So I think. I wouldn't have thought that was going to be what he said in the post game, but he did. So I have to think he believes that. And while I would wish selfishly that Stoops would be open to something, whether it be extending the payout over a term of years or whether it be taking less, ultimately asking a person not to take money a contract says they give them, they don't have to do that. And so while I. Part of me wants to ask him to, at the end of the day, the fact we owe him $37 million, if we do it, ultimately, that's Mitch Barnhart's fault. It's not Mark Stoops. His fault.
- [29:42]
Caller/Listener
Right. You know, Yeah, I just. It's. It's his fault we're in the same spot again. Just. Just like the whole cow situation. And then he turned around and done it to us again.
- [29:52]
Drew Franklin
That's right.
- [29:53]
Caller/Listener
Do you think that season ticket holders. Do you think that takes a hit? And honestly, I. I would love to have season tickets. I have a son at EKU right now, and he said, don't you dare buy season tickets right now. Yeah, and I would love to buy them, but I just don't want to in this kind of situation.
- [30:09]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. I don't know. I mean, I appreciate the call. I think it'll certainly lose some. The questions how many. I mean, you know, I think some people have season tickets for social reasons. So, like, I don't know. I don't know. I think attendance is usually a better measure than actual ticket sale, but I don't know. Listen, if he. If they do. If they do bring those. If they do bring him back, like, I mean, they. They couldn't have handled this offseason worse in pretty much every way possible. And, you know, how do you sell this to the. I just don't know how you sell this back to the fans. How. I mean, what is there to be excited about? I guess Cutter, maybe some of these young receivers, but, I mean, they just got destroyed. So I don't know. Let's go to Isaac. What's up, Isaac?
- [31:09]
Caller/Listener
Hi, Matt. How are you?
- [31:11]
Drew Franklin
Good. What's up?
- [31:14]
Caller/Listener
I've just kind of been growing apathetic towards his team this season. Like, it's. I mean, it's time for a change for sure. I mean, Bart Stoops has been the coach for my whole life, but he's got to go. But my main point is if. If I were Mitch Barnhart and Mark Stoops agents coming to me and putting that provision on the table where we have to pay in 60 days or he or Mark Stoops will walk. If that provision is not put in, how does Mitch Barnhart just not let him walk? In my opinion, there is no coach in the country that is worth putting that provision in the contract.
- [31:48]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I mean, I agree with you. In hindsight, I don't know what happened in that moment. I wasn't in the room. Did he have another job offer? I think when they did that contract there was a lot more. I mean, Stoopzz was very popular, so it would have been hard if he walked away. At the same time though, part of me would say, since I don't know of any other coach in the country that has that provision, I think he got out bluffed by Jimmy Sexton. The only other person that got that was Jimbo Fisher who was coming off a national championship. And while he was a failure, he also today said his protege Mark Stoops, that Louisville was a racehorse and we were a, what, a wounded donkey or something. I mean, that's his mentor, right, that said that. So, yeah, I, at best, and I appreciate the call, at best, Mitch got vastly out negotiated and that, that's the best read of it. At worse, he's just bad at that. You know, the other provisions in the contract, I don't even mind, I don't even mind the money amount because at the time we didn't want him to leave. I don't even mind the term of years. I just mind that 60 day provision because nobody else has that. That's not an industry norm. And I know of three coaches that have gotten that and two of them were here. That just doesn't make sense. The hateful truth. What does that mean?
- [33:17]
Matt Jones
Billy, that's his name.
- [33:19]
Drew Franklin
All right, go ahead.
- [33:21]
Caller/Listener
Yeah, Fire Mark Stoops and Fire Barn Heart. And I appreciate the call.
- [33:25]
Drew Franklin
Well, there you go. It's kind of what I thought was when I saw that, When I saw that, I just kind of thought that's what was coming. James, go ahead. James.
- [33:36]
Caller/Listener
James, after the game. Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Hello? Can you hear?
- [33:40]
Drew Franklin
Yes, go ahead.
- [33:41]
Caller/Listener
Sorry about that. So immediately after the game, despite the performance, with all the noise going on, Cutter wants to stay. Cutter wants to be a Wildcat and I really like seeing that. But my worry is if, what if changes do happen, how likely is he to stay or how likely is he, you know, to leave or transfer out? I mean, he could be a high target for some really good football team.
- [34:04]
Drew Franklin
Well, I mean, Mark. So Mark clearly screwed up earlier this week. Week. Saying that he was 100% in. As a matter of fact. How do you know he screwed up? Because he walked it back in the post game. I kind of heard that the Boli folks didn't like that. Now, with that said, Bowley did say after the game he wants to be at Kentucky. He did say, wants to be at Kentucky. I will note, I'm. I can't help but parse people's words. I do think it matters. He said, I want to be Kentucky. He did not say I will be at Kentucky. Mark Stoop said, we have lots of players locked up. Billy. He did not say we have Bowley locked up. Right. So, I mean, those, those things matter. With that said, I think there is a very, very good chance Bowley is back. And I think most of the young players that have done well this year, if Stoops were to come back, would also be back. But I don't think for me that's enough to just say, well, let's just run it back.
- [35:07]
Caller/Listener
I totally agree with that. Thank you for taking the call.
- [35:09]
Drew Franklin
Appreciate the call. And listen, you know, I think people probably know this. It's not easy for me to say that stuff because there's probably a good chance he will be back. And things are not going to be great for me for saying that. You know, they're probably not going to be very happy either Mark or the administrator, like Barnhart and those guys, for me saying it, but I also just have to tell you how I feel. And I really didn't get to the point that I was like, we just have to do it until halftime tonight. Because I still was like, well, it's a lot of money, but the money was always the issue for me and the money is still an issue. I can't magically say it's going to appear, but I now am like, what are we doing? If we bring back what are we doing? What is going to happen? What is going to change? I mean, I could pull up that schedule next year. Do you. I mean, winning six games? I mean, I don't. Maybe you see it. I don't. Nick. Go ahead, Nick.
- [36:15]
Caller/Listener
Hey, Matt, what's up? I was wondering, how do you think Mark Stoops lost the locker room between from now and Tennessee Tech?
- [36:26]
Drew Franklin
You know, I don't know if he lost the locker room. I haven't heard that he lost the locker room. I just think, you know, he wasn't able to get him to play. I don't think that means, like, they hate him or. I actually think the opposite. I think those guys want to succeed for him. I think especially this group. I think last year they lost the locker room. I don't think they lost it this year, especially the young guys. I just think, you know, they just couldn't do it. You can. You can have, like, you can have a nice guys, and you just can't get it done. And I. So I don't think he lost the locker room, at least that I've heard.
- [37:05]
Caller/Listener
All right. Thank you, man.
- [37:06]
Drew Franklin
Appreciate the call. I do think he lost the locker room last year, but I don't think that happened, at least from what I've heard this year. Andrew, go ahead. Andrew.
- [37:17]
Caller/Listener
Yeah. Hey, man. First time, a long time I was getting kicked off at computers in high school. Listening to Jai Lucas.
- [37:25]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. Way back.
- [37:28]
Caller/Listener
Never called in before. But I'm thinking over football and basketball. I'm fully prepared to get whipped on Tuesday. I just want to know where is this department going? Like, what. What is the motivation for me to continue to support the program? Donate the nil. Buy tickets to both. Both sports?
- [37:49]
Drew Franklin
Well, I mean, I think the motivation for basketball is. We're only six games into the season. Football, though, I think especially the donating Nil. I think that's a fair question. Where, like, who's excited to give to NIL for football next year?
- [38:04]
Caller/Listener
Not me. I mean.
- [38:05]
Drew Franklin
I mean, Grant, you, like, who is excited for that? I don't know who those people are.
- [38:12]
Caller/Listener
Right. I'm not poor. I mean, I'm, you know, I'm. I'm making okay money. UK grad with the. Went to bed. Listen, the UK football games put me to sleep right by the stadium as a baby. You know, I'm. I'm. But I just don't understand where I'm at. What is. What Stoops have to go. You can't keep doing this. I think Pope can get it right. That's a separate issue. But. But the Stoops thing. We gotta make a move.
- [38:39]
Drew Franklin
Well, I think a lot of people.
- [38:40]
Caller/Listener
Hang up and listen. Thank you so much.
- [38:42]
Drew Franklin
Appreciate the call. I think a lot of people agree with you. Yeah. I don't know how you. I don't know how you would get nil donations for next year for football. I mean, you know, maybe they will, but I don't know. And I. I just, like, just think about. People sometimes say we focus too much on pr, but let me just. Let me just give an example of where I think Mitch is unbelievably behind the times. When's the last time you all heard Mitch speak, anybody know? No, I don't even know. Now counter that with other ads. I have heard the ad at Ole Miss speak, like, four times in the last few weeks. Mitch Barnhart never says anything. We hear from him, like, twice a year. It's absurd. Even during all of this happening with Stoops, he never said a word. Even when we were 2 and 5, like, he never says anything. Can you remember the most passionate Mitch Barnhart moment of the last five years?
- [39:54]
Matt Jones
Maybe after hiring Pope.
- [39:56]
Drew Franklin
Okay, but again, that's an official press conference. Like, true, he was at football media day, but has he said a word since then? Like, he needs to speak today? Let me put it like this. If he's going to bring Mark Stoopz back, he needs to say it right now. Like, every moment you don't say it, what happens?
- [40:20]
Matt Jones
Billy, the void is filled.
- [40:22]
Drew Franklin
The void is filled. So if you're going to bring him back, you need to say it right now. Now, if you're not, or if you're thinking about it, then that's a different question. But if Mitch knows he's bringing Mitch Stoops back, he should be talking. Because every moment he doesn't talk, people are going to think, well, maybe, and I don't know that he ever thinks about the PR aspect of any of this. I think they are so bad at PR in the football and athletic department that it's like sometimes I go, listen, I volunteer to help you just do better, but they're just not good at it. Let's go to Brad. Go ahead, Brad.
- [41:07]
Caller/Listener
Three practical steps. Number one, get the attorneys in the room to see if they can negotiate out of the 60 or 60 or 90 days.
- [41:17]
Drew Franklin
60 days? 60 days.
- [41:19]
Caller/Listener
That's step one, you can't get it. Next thing you go to the money. Number two. Number three, if you can't. If you can't get the money, I think you got to make a switch with the. I guess the board of trustees and athletic department.
- [41:33]
Drew Franklin
I don't think that's a. That's not an impression. I mean, that's. That's at least a logical plan. I also think. Look, I. One more thing about both Stoops and Mitch. Let's say you believe they're both have a positive future. Let's say you believe they'll both turn it around. Billy, how many years could they possibly have left? How many years is Mitch really going to go from now on? Right?
- [41:58]
Matt Jones
Like at max, 3, 4.
- [42:01]
Drew Franklin
Not 2, 3. So let's just go ahead and do it right. Because this is the most important year or two that this will set up college sports for the next 20 years. There's something about people who have a lot of success, Mario, that they feel like no one else can do it. And that's not true. You can be successful, and then someone after you can do it, too. Remind me of this billion, like, eight or ten years or maybe five. Yeah.
- [42:38]
Matt Jones
When you give it up.
- [42:38]
Drew Franklin
Right. But, like, for me, it was really hard for me to, like, hand over the website. It was like, I built this. Like, can I. No, I need to. But you know what? They do fine. They're good. They don't. They don't need me. Mitch, he. He's not the only person that can run an athletic department. I saw no filter. The cut man say on Twitter. Like, well, who you gonna get? You think Mark Stoops is the only guy that can go five and seven? If we were 10 and two, Billy, that might be different. But we're five and seven.
- [43:15]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [43:15]
Drew Franklin
We can find other people to go five and seven. So, you know, just like Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi. And, like, you don't have to do it forever. You can let someone else do it. 859-280-2287. We'll take a break. Be right back. It's the local toy dealers. KSR post game show. Welcome back. It is the local Toyota Deers. KSR Postgame Show. 859-280-2287. One person says, matt, I love you. I think you're very smart. But you own a restaurant that's built on a radio show, and you cannot broadcast the radio show through the speakers without feedback. Hire a smart person like you tell Bernhardt to hire a smart person to get it to work. Fair point.
- [44:01]
Matt Jones
That is a problem.
- [44:02]
Drew Franklin
Touche. Yes, touche. We can never get the equipment to work, but that's why if I was running, like, an audio department, I wouldn't hire me. Right. I feel like that's kind of where we are. One person writes, matt, I saw you walking downtown, and I thought, isn't the game on true? I wasn't gonna watch the second half. I mean, what was the point? I watched the first half. I thought I had somebody. I texted somebody, said, if we come back, let me know and I'll pop in somewhere and watch. Because I was trying to think of what I was going to say, and I needed to get my steps in. And then I had to go shave.
- [44:38]
Matt Jones
Oh, yeah, you came in, you said you needed shaving cream.
- [44:41]
Drew Franklin
I Forgot I didn't shave because, like, you know, now my beard grows gray. If I don't. If I don't do it. All right, one person says, madam, have you list of names who is working at Kentucky on July 1st?
- [44:53]
Matt Jones
I like this.
- [44:53]
Drew Franklin
Okay. Mark Stoops, Bush Hampden, Brad White, Mitch Barnhart. Okay, so this is not a who I think should be working here, but who I think will be. I think Bush Hampden is almost not certainly, but very unlikely to be here next year at this point. I think he could have been absent these last two games. Brad White. I think it's probably going to, no matter what Stoops does, do something else. So that's another thing you got to think about. If Stoops comes back, we might have two new coordinators. Is that good for a person that has one year to kind of show it? I think Mitch Barnhart is going to step away. I hope that's, again, not calling for his job in the sense of like, he should be fired, but I hope he does. It's time. It's time for him to move on. And then for Mark, I think it's over. But I don't think he knows it's over. And I'm not sure it's. Again, it's like a divorce, okay? Husband and wife, both in their hearts, know it's over. Husband's in denial. Thinks maybe if he can just act a little better, he can keep the wife around. Wife knows it's over. Does she think she ought to stay a couple more years for the kids, or do you just go ahead and do it now? That's where I think we are. That's the analogy, in my opinion. And all their friends are like, it's probably time. You know, you two can't stop fighting. Like, that's where we are. I just. It's. It's over. It was a good run. It was a really good run. In a Mitch Barnhart's case, it was a great run, but it's over. Let's go to Robert. What's up, Robert?
- [46:56]
Caller/Listener
What's going on, Matt?
- [46:57]
Drew Franklin
What's up?
- [46:58]
Caller/Listener
I'm sorry I missed your intro. It sounds like it was epic. I will go back and catch it.
- [47:02]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, we'll have it up on YouTube. And then Mario's making a little video of it, too. But go ahead.
- [47:08]
Caller/Listener
I've got to ask. So earlier this week, you've been saying, hey, Mitch may be going after this, this calendar or this sports year, like in May, June, whatever it may be. I mean, if that's the case, then Stoops has got to say, I don't see why we hire a coach. Mitch, go away. And then the new AD is stuck with the new coach.
- [47:31]
Drew Franklin
Well, it's a very fair point. I mean, it's a very fair point, but what do you do? Right? Like, like, I mean, let's say, let's say that Mitch. Let me just put, put a scenario. Let's say Mitch Barnhart in his, in his mind knows he's going to step away, but he also thinks he should replace the coach. She just keep the coach just cause or I mean, like, what do you do? I don't. I'm with you. I don't really know the answer to that question. You know, I don't know. I think.
- [48:06]
Caller/Listener
And I will, and I will tell you, I texted the text machine the other day when Drew was on his rant and he was right. You know, who needs to be ponying up right now? Mr. Barnhart. And I know that that's a snowball's chance in blank that that's going to happen.
- [48:21]
Drew Franklin
Well, I don't think he has $37 million to give, but, you know, he.
- [48:26]
Caller/Listener
Could, he could contribute those. Right.
- [48:28]
Drew Franklin
I wanted to be fair to Mitch. He contributes a lot to the universe. He's one of the few ads I know that gives back to the university. I mean, like, part of why he has an amount of money he's pledged, I think, to give to the university every year for like the last five years. And I think that ends this year, which is, I think, part of why I kind of think he resigns at the end of it. But to be fair to him, he's actually given a lot back to the university. More than almost any other ad I bet has.
- [48:55]
Caller/Listener
You make it tough on me.
- [48:56]
Drew Franklin
I just want to be fair to him. I mean, I just, I understand. You know, I actually think he has been. And I appreciate the call. I think he's been very generous in giving back. That doesn't excuse the contracts. But I mean, one person on text machine says, all right, let's say Mitch leaves. Who should be the ad? So here's what I would. Here's what I think should happen if he leaves. I'm a big believer that the way you make a decision, especially hiring decision, is you have a number of candidates, a set number. You don't want to have too many because then you get like, what is it, what's, what's the phrase, Billy? Like, well, something leads to indecision. Yeah.
- [49:35]
Matt Jones
If you have too many Choices, too.
- [49:37]
Drew Franklin
Many choices can lead to indecision. So you have like, let's say. Let's just say five is a number. In my opinion, two of those candidates, without question, should be Mark Hill and Dwayne Peavey. They've not only earned it, they know this school. They should be two of the candidates, but there should be more. It should not be handed to somebody just because they've been here. You should do a search and have a couple more. Then you should look at all of them and make the choice of who would be the best one. And I would argue it should not be Mitch Barnhart making that choice. It should be people apart. It should be a hiring committee. They should do it. Like, when they hired Mark Stoops, they put a committee together. They interviewed, like, five people. They chose Stoops. And I think that worked out. I think Mark Hill and Dwayne Peavey should be two of them, but they shouldn't be the only two. And I say that even though Dwayne Peavey is my great friend and I get along with Mark Hill, there should be more. And then you should decide who's the best of the group. You shouldn't just hand it to somebody. No offense. Nobody's earned that yet. Who's next?
- [50:49]
Matt Jones
Rooney.
- [50:49]
Drew Franklin
Rooney. Go ahead, Rooney.
- [50:53]
Caller/Listener
Matt's cleaning house tonight.
- [50:54]
Drew Franklin
Well, I mean, I love those guys. And if Mark Hill or Dwayne Peavey becomes the ad, I'm going to be their biggest backer. Hoping, helping, hoping I can make them succeed. But, like, everybody should earn their job, right?
- [51:08]
Caller/Listener
Yeah, I agree. I called in after the Vanda game and I said the only thing they have to do or the coach Stoop tested is not get smoked by Louisville, which he did. Yeah, I'm kind of with Drew at this point. It's not my money. But who. Who are we gonna get? Because we can't do another Billy G hire.
- [51:31]
Drew Franklin
There's a lot of people we could get. Let me ask you a question. Before Vandy hired, what is it? Lee, Clark Lee or whatever his name is, did you ever heard of him? Has you ever heard of Kurt Signetti? Have you ever heard of the new guy, that Arc that Oklahoma State just hired from North Texas? There's a lot of great coaches out there, you know.
- [51:52]
Caller/Listener
Yeah. But I think, you know, just. Just break down one of those examples. You got Vandy, they got a coach. I have no idea who he is, but he got lucky with his nil and got a great.
- [52:00]
Drew Franklin
Damn.
- [52:01]
Caller/Listener
He didn't get lucky.
- [52:02]
Drew Franklin
He didn't get lucky. He picked him. He didn't get lucky, but he picked the right guy. You. I mean, when people have success, and I'm not saying you are like this Rooney, but when people have success, the loser mentality is to go, they got lucky. No, he was smart. And by the way, Diego Pave is really good, but, like, they're not tied at Tennessee right now because he's the only good player they've got. Right?
- [52:29]
Caller/Listener
Oh, I agree. I agree with that. But there's. There's luck in everything.
- [52:34]
Drew Franklin
There is.
- [52:34]
Caller/Listener
I'm lucky, but I'm lucky where I'm at today. And you're lucky where you're at.
- [52:38]
Drew Franklin
You're exactly right.
- [52:39]
Caller/Listener
There's also.
- [52:40]
Drew Franklin
But Success is not 100% a good job there. But success is not 100%. There's, there's, there's others that luck is part of it. But, like, success is when talent meets luck. Right?
- [52:52]
Caller/Listener
Right. That's right.
- [52:54]
Drew Franklin
So I appreciate. I mean, it's easy to go. Well, it didn't work out. So I'm unlucky. Yeah. I mean, I'm lucky Patrick. Patrick Patterson and Jay Lucas were there. I'm lucky Instagram didn't exist when John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins got here, but I also worked my ass off. Right. Like, John Calipari's lucky that this recruiter, that recruit hit, but he also knew what he was doing to get him here. You know, there's a lot, like, luck's part of it, but it's not all of it. Let's go to Noah. What's up, Noah?
- [53:30]
Caller/Listener
Hey, Matt, what's up? So I'm making my way back home. I was at the game today, sat up in the nosebleed, took my brother to his first ever Kentucky football game. What a start.
- [53:44]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, well, just tell him it's all. It's all down. It's all better from here.
- [53:50]
Caller/Listener
Yeah, hopefully. Because my first game that I went to was when Kentucky got trounced 40 to nothing to Vanderbilt in Joker's last game.
- [53:59]
Drew Franklin
Well, this is good bookends. It's a good bookend. Yeah.
- [54:05]
Caller/Listener
So what I'll ask is, with the success that we've had in the past few years and the success that we're seeing for teams like Indiana, teams like Vanderbilt, is this a new low for Kentucky? Does this feel worse than it did when Joker got fired?
- [54:18]
Drew Franklin
No, because I didn't think there was any hope of success when Joker got hired. Like, none. I was excited for a new era, but I just, I never thought Kentucky. I mean, if you Listen to the show. You know, I thought Kentucky football would always be horrible. I just had accepted it. I think in this new era, you can win. We can go get somebody and win. We just have to go get the right person. So, yeah, so, no, I don't think it's a new low. I mean, we went five and seven. That's better than last year. So this is a low. Last year was worse. But I would say to you that now I'm not as hopeless because I actually think you can win at this school. Whereas I used to not think that.
- [55:02]
Caller/Listener
Yeah, I don't. I guess it could just be the fact that they were playing Grove Street Party on the last kickoff.
- [55:06]
Drew Franklin
I didn't like that.
- [55:07]
Caller/Listener
Really burned me up, you know?
- [55:08]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, well, I mean, they trolled us. Well, I appreciate the call that Grove street. When I heard it, Billy and I were sitting in here and we were like, oh, but I would have done it too, if I were them. You know, what's amazing is we rescued their season, Billy. They were like. I mean, they were in the took tank.
- [55:27]
Matt Jones
I mean, yeah, they were playing their running back.
- [55:29]
Drew Franklin
They had lost three straight games and, like, just were a disaster. I mean, we were favored at kickoff and we lost 41 to nothing. Let's go to Jay. Go ahead, Jay.
- [55:45]
Caller/Listener
Yeah. Matt disagreed with your intro. You're saying that Kentucky as a business should look down the road. Well, their basketball intro music is right here, right now. Right here, right now. Louisiana Rams ditch golf, brought in Stafford one right now. Vandy brings in their players, wins right now. Indiana brings in their players. Rent wins right now.
- [56:16]
Drew Franklin
So what are you. What. What are you dish. What are you disagreeing with?
- [56:23]
Caller/Listener
UK president. Can I say something here? UK president. Are they going to have the cojones to pull the trigger to get rid of Barnhart, who I believe is on the. One of the commissioners for the basketball selection committee.
- [56:38]
Drew Franklin
He's got power.
- [56:40]
Caller/Listener
People with power do not leave their positions.
- [56:43]
Drew Franklin
What are you disagreeing with?
- [56:44]
Caller/Listener
Am I correct?
- [56:45]
Drew Franklin
What are you disagreeing with, though? I don't understand what you're disagreeing with. You said you disagree.
- [56:49]
Caller/Listener
Your earlier stable, your life. We're not looking down. Down. We're not looking ahead. You don't look ahead. You look for right now. You win right now. Not keep looking 10 years down the road, win right now.
- [57:05]
Drew Franklin
I appreciate. Okay. I got you a lot of right nows. Yeah, I don't. I still don't know that you. I mean, we came to the same conclusion.
- [57:15]
Matt Jones
Sounds like he agreed with you, honestly.
- [57:17]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I Mean, that seems like an argument you would make for keeping Stoops because you would go, I think he can turn it around right now. I don't totally understand this point, but, you know, I think I saw Justin Roland say, Mark Stoops has been the coach here for 13 years. Eli Capilouto has been the president of UK for 16 years, which is an enormous amount of time for a college president. I bet there are almost no college presidents in America that have been in their job for that long. Usually it's like a four or five year job. And then Mitch Barnhart's been the AD for 23 years. That's a lot of stagnation. You know, that's a lot of like the same names for a long time. I don't know. Sometimes you need to do something different. What's next?
- [58:09]
Matt Jones
We got another J on the line.
- [58:10]
Drew Franklin
Jay, go ahead.
- [58:13]
Caller/Listener
Hey, Matt. So you stole a bit of my thunder. But my whole thing is I want Soups and Mitch go, obviously. But if Stoop steps away, he has that advisory role. How do we know that you know he's not going to get one of his boys, Mark or Dwayne, your buddy and them just do the same exact thing.
- [58:33]
Drew Franklin
Because he shouldn't be the one. He shouldn't be the one picking it. I mean, Mark, like, like, let me go back to Mark and Dwayne. I'm not saying they can't be good ads. I think they actually can. But I think Mitch should have no role in picking the replacement. I think they should pick a group of people that are outside the athletic department and they should choose. And then if they end up choosing one of those guys, I'm good with it. Somebody has to choose. Right? But he shouldn't be the one to choose for the reasons you're talking about.
- [59:02]
Caller/Listener
Yeah, it just kind of scares me with that advisory role because, you know, like, everyone who is that successful has a little bit of, you know, control issues. They want to control it. And I think he's going to be the same way. And I mean, also Roland was talking a while ago that Capilouto is on his way out and they're just going to get one of his assistants too to be the next president. And so it's like we're not really moving forward if we get rid of Mitch and Capilouto and have the same stuff. It's kind of like hiring Brad White as our next football coach. It's the same exact thing. We need a whole new start. We need to get rid of everyone and just Start over.
- [59:38]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. Well, I appreciate the call. I mean, Eli Capilouto, that's a little different because the job of a university president's a lot more than sports. And I think in general, Eli Capilouto has been a successful president. University of Kentucky, it's a much better school as a university now than it was when he got there. So, I mean, sports is a small part of that job. And I actually think he's done pretty good job at that job. 859280, 2287. We'll take a break and come back for a final segment. It's a local toy dealers KSR Postgame show. Welcome back. Final segment, Local Toy dealers KSR Postgame show. You know, I, I cited a song in my opening. Do you think he was doing Billy, that Van Halen song? Right now? Do you know that song?
- [60:22]
Matt Jones
What song? What song are you talking about?
- [60:24]
Drew Franklin
The Van Halen song. Right now. Do you know that song?
- [60:27]
Matt Jones
I think I've heard that before.
- [60:27]
Drew Franklin
Right now. Hey, until tomorrow. You don't know that song?
- [60:32]
Matt Jones
No, I think I do. But you think Stoops is doing that?
- [60:35]
Drew Franklin
No, I thought that caller that said right now 15 straight times. That was saying.
- [60:39]
Matt Jones
That was, that was a little bit.
- [60:40]
Drew Franklin
That was a lot of right now. Yeah. I still don't know what his point was. Bandy and Tennessee tied at 21. Second half, Missouri leads Arkansas. 2017 might be the last time Bobby Petrino is a head coach today. And then LSU and Oklahoma just three. Three. So to where the game tonight? Alabama, Auburn, what else? Anything?
- [61:03]
Matt Jones
You know, Florida was playing Florida State, but that's already started. So I'm not sure what's tonight.
- [61:08]
Drew Franklin
Okay. All right. 859-280-2287. We'll go till just a little past six and then call it an evening. Thank you all. I mean, I. This is probably like a record number of listeners for posting when you think Billy and this has got to be up there, if not basketball. We probably had more the day Cal lost and all that national title. But it's got to be close.
- [61:28]
Matt Jones
When you think, yeah, these are, these are biggies. The State of the Union one.
- [61:32]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. Biggest one we ever had was the. When we won the national championship. But I think that after we lost, Oakland was probably pretty close. Nothing will ever get close to Katina Powell though, like that. The numbers there were just stupid. Terry and Shepherdsville. Go, Terry.
- [61:50]
Caller/Listener
Well, the song, the guy the caller's referencing is the one that goes right here. Right now. Right here.
- [61:57]
Drew Franklin
Okay.
- [61:58]
Caller/Listener
Right now.
- [61:58]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I know.
- [62:01]
Caller/Listener
Okay. So I, I came out to my happy place. I came out to my fire pit. I got my fire going, hoping to look up and get some guidance from brother South End Steve. I just, I really did. I thought today, win or loose, in my heart of hearts, I thought Stoops was going to walk away. I thought he was really. I thought, I thought he was going to say, I've done all I can do here. Yeah, I'm going to hand it off to someone else. The fact that he doubled down and said 04 times really hurts me at my core because he still has to look in the mirror and ask himself, am I doing a. Am I doing this, this fan base justice? And it has to be no. Every. Every answer has to be no. It can't be anything other than that. Now, Matt, you're probably not going to agree with this, what I'm going to say here, but if you go back and watch the second half, you might change your mind. My message to the fans, are you watching the games? Why do you care if Cutter Bowley comes back? He's not good. He's not good. He misses wide open, receivers cross the middle. He forces the ball into coverage. He can't run, and when he does run, he makes the wrong. And he throws the ball to the other team all the time. He's got like 13 or 14 interceptions, and he didn't even start the year off.
- [63:23]
Drew Franklin
So I would say you got two points here. Let's. Let's go back to the first one. I, I would not have thought he was going to walk away, but I was a little surprised by his kind of defiance in that answer. He kind of laughed when the question was asked and he was like, zero. That was a little surprising to me. I mean, I would have thought he would have taken the view of, you know, this has not gone well, and I, But I want to be here and hopefully, you know, we figure out a way to, you know, something like that. I was surprised because that was. It reminded me of when Jim Calhoun was asked if he was going to give up any of his salary. Do you remember that? And he was like, not $1 or something like that. And it kind of reminded me of that, which is not a great memory. On your second thing, I disagree with you about Cutter. I understand what you're saying. My, like, my.
- [64:17]
Caller/Listener
If he was, if he wasn't from Kentucky, people wouldn't be saying that may be true.
- [64:22]
Drew Franklin
We do care a lot more about people from Kentucky. What I would say to you is, I'd love Cutter to be back. I actually think Cutter has a lot of talent. I would say this, though. Whatever decision you make can't be made because of Cutter bowling one way or the other. I mean, I want. I want Cutter to come back, and I appreciate the call. I think he can be good here. But you don't make this decision, whatever it is, you don't make it based on Cutter bowl. You make it based on what's good for Kentucky football and Kentucky athletics long term going forward. Branson, Go ahead, Branson. Who are. What's up?
- [64:59]
Caller/Listener
Hey, real quick. That last call just completely caught me off guard. But to respond to that, why in the world would he walk away from $37 million?
- [65:10]
Drew Franklin
He wouldn't. He wouldn't and he shouldn't. But he maybe should be flexible to talk to us about saying, hey, man, do you have to. We have to give it to you in 60 days. Can we find a way to, you know, that. To me, that would be good of him.
- [65:26]
Caller/Listener
Completely agree with you there. And his answer in the press conference was kind of smug. I mean, he's kind of been.
- [65:31]
Drew Franklin
It was smug. I agree. It was kind of smug. Yeah.
- [65:35]
Caller/Listener
Real quick. Just to get away from the big picture type of things. In the nil world, I think it's probably as important as ever to evaluate talent. Without question, we have a backup. We have a backup quarterback making $1.5 million in the SEC.
- [65:53]
Drew Franklin
We screwed up. We screwed up our evaluations. We screwed up. I mean, Devin Leary I think was okay, but probably not a good fit for our Liam Cohen at the time. Brock Vandergriff was a whiff. Zach Cazada was a whiff. And they're not the only ones. We have a lot of money sitting on the bench while we play freshmen. I think this season is a perfect example. We got a lot of money sitting on the bench that are not playing because they didn't evaluate the transfers well. And the guys that were surprisingly good were actually dudes that we recruited and developed. I wonder if Mark Stoops is a dude that's like kind of like Dabo Sweeney in the sense that he's really good at. He's good at recruiting and developing, but he's not either willing. Well, he's willing to take transfers, but he doesn't pick the right one ones.
- [66:35]
Caller/Listener
And look into the future. I mean, we're. We've heard all off season about how, you know, the. The portal was used to add depth, depth, depth. And then Stoops after the game today, all he talks about is how we have a lack of depth. So it's just extremely contradictory.
- [66:53]
Drew Franklin
Well, they also don't have a cons appreciate the call. They don't have a consistent philosophy of what they want to do. I mean, last. Okay, so go back two years ago, 2023. The theory was let's go get guys who are super talented and can come plug holes. But then they ended up getting a lot of guys. And then the next year it was like, well, they're not talented enough. So let's go get dudes who were backups at the big programs. But then that didn't work because they didn't have the good attitude. Then this year it was like, all right, let's go get guys who were big time contributors at small programs. And then that hasn't really worked. So now like they're saying, let's go get juco guys. Billy. It's almost like they don't know what to get. They don't have a philosophy.
- [67:40]
Matt Jones
Yeah, you gotta pick one.
- [67:41]
Drew Franklin
You gotta have a philosophy. You know, you gotta decide, okay, what is. What am I gonna do? Because they've had like four different philosophies which tells me they don't know what to do. Go to Paul. Paul, go ahead.
- [67:55]
Caller/Listener
Paul. Carl, Not Paul.
- [67:58]
Drew Franklin
All right, Carl.
- [68:01]
Caller/Listener
Matt. First time forever. Long time.
- [68:06]
Drew Franklin
Who are.
- [68:08]
Caller/Listener
Who. Okay, what we're talking about earlier, the recruit. I mean why is. Why Stoop is even terrible. I've lost.
- [68:24]
Drew Franklin
You know what I give him credit for knowing it wasn't going well. You know what I mean?
- [68:29]
Matt Jones
Yeah. Admitted when he was down and like.
- [68:31]
Drew Franklin
He realized this isn't happening. So I'm just going to stop. I give him credit for that. He knew when to fold them. Like let's do six more and we'll call it a night. Jake. Go ahead. Jake.
- [68:46]
Caller/Listener
Hey man, how are you doing this this evening?
- [68:48]
Drew Franklin
Jake, I can't believe you got through. This is the phone lines. This is the closest I've ever seen to like the moment we hang up, Billy, another one rings like it's. Is it always like that?
- [68:59]
Matt Jones
Big games? Yeah.
- [69:01]
Drew Franklin
Unbelievable. Go ahead, Jake.
- [69:03]
Caller/Listener
Hey, I was curious what you had to say about the fan like me that. That hasn't seen the. The lowest and the highest things. I just saw what Devin Larry did and what Brock did and what. What we did this year. But I'm not really, really ready to get rid of Mark yet.
- [69:21]
Drew Franklin
Okay, so why is that?
- [69:23]
Caller/Listener
I. Well, because I haven't seen his. I haven't been where you guys are. Right. I haven't seen the worst that he's done and I haven't seen the best he's done.
- [69:35]
Drew Franklin
What do you mean?
- [69:36]
Caller/Listener
Does that make you. Well, I haven't. Wait, the, the 10 and two season that was. Was in 2021, if I'm doing my.
- [69:44]
Drew Franklin
Math correct, there was two of them.
- [69:46]
Caller/Listener
One of the tenants. That was the first. That was one. That was one of them. And he was. And he was a coach then, right?
- [69:54]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. But you were a fan then? J.
- [69:58]
Caller/Listener
No, I wasn't. I wasn't listening to the games yet.
- [70:01]
Drew Franklin
Oh, I didn't realize that. Okay, so you, when did you start.
- [70:05]
Caller/Listener
No torrent. When I, When I called you back in 2023.
- [70:11]
Drew Franklin
Wow. I feel like you've been calling a lot longer than two or three years. I didn't realize that. Okay, all right, so you. Well, that means you've only seen a struggle.
- [70:21]
Caller/Listener
Yeah.
- [70:22]
Drew Franklin
Okay. All right. Well, Jake, I thought you've been around a lot longer than two or three years.
- [70:30]
Caller/Listener
No, when I, when I called you back in 2023, wanting to get the. Wanting to get the iHeart app was when I first started listening to this to the games.
- [70:38]
Drew Franklin
Billy, did you know it's only been a couple years for.
- [70:40]
Matt Jones
I did not. I thought he was quite an impression.
- [70:44]
Drew Franklin
In those couple years. Jake. Well, I appreciate the call. You will put you down as a vote for keeping Stoops, okay?
- [70:51]
Caller/Listener
Yes, sir.
- [70:52]
Drew Franklin
All right, now that's a shock to me.
- [70:56]
Matt Jones
I didn't think you'd get a shock in the last segment of the tonight's postgame, did you?
- [70:59]
Drew Franklin
The biggest shock in the history of KSR was when I saw how old Madison was. That's the biggest shock. But Jake only having called for two years, I don't even know if I believe him.
- [71:13]
Matt Jones
He's so genuine.
- [71:14]
Drew Franklin
I don't know.
- [71:15]
Matt Jones
I do.
- [71:16]
Drew Franklin
All right, Jordan, go ahead, Jordan.
- [71:21]
Caller/Listener
Hey, Matt, just really quick, what sort of emotions do you feel when on every single broadcast they show Mark Stoops longest tenured head coach in the sec?
- [71:32]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I don't know if I have emotions I will say I had today. I definitely had emotions of kind of sadness because it felt like to me, and I can only speak for me personally, that for me it was like, okay, the last remaining hopes that I had that this could be turned around, it's kind of over. And so that made me sad because I like, I've always liked Mark and I also think this has been a really good time and I'm hoping we don't have what I'm worried is going to happen, which he's going to dig in and stay. Mitch is going to feel like he can't raise the 37 million. Then he doesn't get rid of him. And we have this situation where the fans are against the coach. And a relationship that was really good turns, like, toxic in a way that's really not healthy for everybody.
- [72:30]
Caller/Listener
Yeah, I was kind of leaning more toward, like, you know, a couple of years ago before, I guess he was the longest coach and, you know, before Saban retired, it was like, oh, yeah, we've. We've held on to our guy. You know, we kept him from going to, you know, Texas A and N. And I think Michigan State at one point was maybe tossed around. It was like, yeah, we've held on to our guy. We've. We've had him for a while. But now it's almost like, you know, just looking at it in hindsight, it feels like his career's done a bell curve, you know, like it.
- [72:56]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, that's a good way to peak.
- [72:57]
Caller/Listener
With the two 10 and two seasons. And now it's just sort of on the way down. And if it was a stock, when would you sell it kind of thing.
- [73:04]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I. And that's a really great way to put it. I agree. I had a stock once during the whole post Covid thing where I was like, made a lot of money and I should have sold it then, but I kept it. And then I was like, well, I'm not going to. I mean, it's day. It's on its way down. I can't let it go now because what if it bounces back? And I kept letting it inability. It just kept going down and down and down. And then it was like, oh, I should have cut my losses a couple of years before. It just feels like the soups, things going down. And I appreciate the call. I don't know who out there. I mean, Bill, do you think there are people out there that are confident this will turn around for the positive?
- [73:46]
Matt Jones
Sure, there's somebody out there.
- [73:48]
Drew Franklin
Like, what's the case? Truther, Give me the case for not just he should be back. I do think there's a case for that. But what's the case for things are going to be better in the coming years.
- [74:03]
Matt Jones
You know, new offensive coordinator.
- [74:05]
Drew Franklin
But I mean, how many times are we going to have that? I mean, like. Like how many times?
- [74:09]
Matt Jones
I mean, you're right. You're preaching to the choir here.
- [74:11]
Drew Franklin
I mean, how many times can we do that, you know? Yeah.
- [74:16]
Matt Jones
Brad White, he's been around for a while. Too. And that defense was abysmal these last two weeks. I get they had injuries, but that's embarrassing. It's a fifth string running back doing that against.
- [74:25]
Drew Franklin
It's a walk on. A walk on freshman that was playing against Corbin last year.
- [74:33]
Matt Jones
Your metaphor was they were staying together for the kids. Well, this seems pretty detrimental to the kids if you're standing together.
- [74:38]
Drew Franklin
You know, that's exactly right. I meant to say that in my little thing, when you stay together for the kids because you think it's for their best interest, you might actually make it worse for the kids. And I do wonder if, like, you know, this will be worse for the. If we do this again next year, it will be even worse than it is now. Who wants that? Dan. Go ahead, Dan.
- [75:07]
Caller/Listener
Hey, Matt. First time, long time. So, you know, I go back to one of your first points where, you know, you talk about how, you know, it was clear that the team had just quit in the second half. Especially, you know, that that starts at the top. I mean, you know, kids. Kids are watching their coaches. They see the attitude of their coaches. I just got to have a big question about that. You know, I. I grew up in Columbus, came to UK and decided that I was all in as a UK fan. And to this day, I still catch hell about it from my dad. But, you know, I gotta think that what we see today. And as for all the good things that Mark Stoops has done for the program, you know, we. We appreciate it, but everybody's got a timeline.
- [75:54]
Drew Franklin
Everybody has. Everyone has. That's a great way to put it. Everybody. To use a different point. Everyone has an expiration date, right?
- [76:03]
Caller/Listener
Yeah.
- [76:05]
Drew Franklin
For a job. I'm not saying Mark can't still be a coach, but his expiration date for this job has hit.
- [76:14]
Caller/Listener
Exactly. And, you know, not say, you know, we're gonna go out and find a Ryan Day or whoever it is, but we might find a guy who is going to be a Ryan Day someday.
- [76:25]
Drew Franklin
Yes.
- [76:25]
Caller/Listener
And maybe that's with us. And there's no reason why we can't do that. And I just hate the. The kind of. The attitude of the program thinking that, or at least seeming that they think that we can't make that happen.
- [76:38]
Drew Franklin
I didn't think we could make it happen, but I do now because the world has changed, and the college football world, I appreciate the call, has changed. It is nil. Has made things possible that weren't possible before. Go ask Texas Tech, Go ask Indiana. Go ask Vandy. It's different now. You can do different things. And the traditional powers are not guaranteed success. They certainly have a leg up, but they're not guaranteed guaranteed success. So you have a shot and everything has an expiration date. That's right. You can have a perfectly great gallon of milk. Billy, that was great. But when it hits the expiration date, no matter how great it was, it'll be worse. Yes, that's a good analogy.
- [77:33]
Matt Jones
I don't know what you're.
- [77:35]
Drew Franklin
That guy's analogy is good. Are you making fun of his analyst? A good analogy.
- [77:40]
Matt Jones
When's the last time you've had milk?
- [77:41]
Drew Franklin
Okay, that's a different point. But the point. But this is about his analogy. Let's go to James. Go ahead, James.
- [77:49]
Caller/Listener
Hey, guys, I'm calling from Louisville, and first off, I got a shout out Ryan Lemon. Go Kentucky Wesleyan down here in Owensboro, but you know, we made Marilyn Moss look like a Heisman contender today, and I'm tired of that. But how long do y' all think Stoops is going to be here, man, he's the longest sec. Co. Longest tenure SEC coach. I'm tired of that. And we. We gotta quit that. But I will say next year, when we play them down there and down. Down here in Lexington, it's not gonna be 41. Nothing because it's gonna be 44 to nothing. We're gonna. We're gonna lose bigger because. Go, go, Cards. Little brother. You gotta.
- [78:29]
Drew Franklin
It was a good. A good. Good attempt. I appreciate the call. I was trying to think. You think Ryan Lemon is still. Is still probably bringing him back. That would be an interesting. Should we end with a Ryan living what he thinks? Yeah. Okay, I'll tell you what. Call. Get Logan next and quickly call Ryan Lemon. See if he'll. I mean, he answers any call, you.
- [78:54]
Matt Jones
Think he'll answer the hotline number, text.
- [78:56]
Drew Franklin
Him and say you're going to call here. All right, open the lines. Let's take one more person. So you have two calls to get Ryan. Plus, that was a card fan. He doesn't count. 859-280-22-2877. We'll take one more, then I'll have two calls and then Ryan. So we'll do Logan. All right, you got one right there. Just stop. Okay. Cut him off. Okay, Logan. Go ahead, Logan.
- [79:16]
Caller/Listener
Well, first of all, you put me on after a Cardinal stand. Tell that dude to get lost. Yes, they. They don't beat us, hardly ever. We'll give him his. We'll give him his due. But my second. My. Actually, my first question to you is, is does the board of trustees not also review those contracts?
- [79:33]
Drew Franklin
They do.
- [79:33]
Caller/Listener
Garnhart approves.
- [79:34]
Drew Franklin
They do.
- [79:35]
Caller/Listener
And so we can't. We can't put all this on Mitch because I think he's done a great job overall. Now, those two, I'm gonna hold.
- [79:44]
Drew Franklin
All right, so here's the thing. When you have had a lot of success, my guess, and I don't know this, I'm not at the board of trustee meetings, but my guess is, because Mitch has done so well, they give him. They have given him a lot of difference over the years, and he's earned it. Right. And so it's on you. You know what I mean? I mean, there are things I heart lets me do with my show that no other host probably gets to do, but that means if it messes up, it's on me. And I think that's probably how this is with Mitch.
- [80:19]
Caller/Listener
All right, my second question is. So this is. College football is, especially in nil era, is a rich man's game. So you get your donors, like Joe Kraft, for example. You think this didn't get under his skin a little bit? Like, I think in the background right now, there's a ton of conversations going on, phone calls being made. I just don't think you can lose to your rival and get shut out like that and embarrassed and not stir up a hornet's nest.
- [80:50]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, well, I can't speak for Joe Craft. I appreciate the call. I mean, he has a big. He plays a big part in all this. I mean, he. He is a huge donor. I don't think he makes the final decision by any means, but. But I don't know what he thinks, to be honest with you. I really don't. But he's certainly very, very involved in football and is, without question, probably the person that has had the most impact financially on the football program during the Stoops era. Adrian. Go ahead, Adrian. All right.
- [81:22]
Caller/Listener
So, Matt, I think you hit it right on the nail when you started out. Mitch was far behind, being able to keep up with the new way college athletics work. Stoops, even in his comments later on, said, hey, we're just going to keep recruiting. We're going to develop. Well, that's just not the way it works. His system works that way. Unfortunately, we're not in that area where we have a year or two for that to happen.
- [81:48]
Drew Franklin
It's a really good point. It's like. It's like you're like Jim Bayheim running the zone defense when everybody learned to shoot threes. You know what I Mean, like that system just doesn't work anymore.
- [81:58]
Caller/Listener
That's right. And we have to find somebody who can adjust and adjust on the fly, so to speak. Unfortunately, if this was. Let's just look at it as basketball. You had some of the greats walk away because they couldn't keep up with it. You had Coach K, you had Roy Williams. Now let's go to Saban and let's.
- [82:19]
Drew Franklin
Use the better analogy. Let's use the better analogy because those guys were old. Think about Tony Bennett and Jay Wright, okay? Those were. Those were guys that still had years left in them that just decided this isn't for me. And while I didn't like that they quit right before the season, I do think with both those guys, they were just acknowledging what I do may not work now.
- [82:43]
Caller/Listener
That's right. That's right. And that's where UK is right now. And that was the point I think you were trying to make earlier in the show that some people may have missed.
- [82:51]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I appreciate the co. That's exactly. If I wasn't clear that's what I meant. Now Ryan's here because I started with my okay, it's time to change. Ryan was of the opinion, he was the most adamant on the show last week that you bring him back after back to back drubbings to Vandy and Louisville and back to back years of Louisville. Ryan, are you still in the same spot?
- [83:16]
Caller/Listener
Well, you know, I mean, my. My dad was a coach and he got fired one time and I've been, you know, I've been through that where your. Your coach loses their job, gets fired. So maybe I definitely admit I had a longer leash that I probably should have when it comes to issues like this. But man, you know, you sat right beside me. I said I changed my tone after Cal lost to Oakland last year and to be honest, I changed my tune after this loss today. Today.
- [83:41]
Drew Franklin
So you've changed. Now you're. You think he shouldn't be the Today flipped you.
- [83:47]
Caller/Listener
I think the program needs to change. It's sad for me to have to fire a coach, but you can't run it back next year. There won't. There will not be anybody lining up for season tickets. There won't be anybody lining up for nil donation. The program needs a change. And to me, I changed today.
- [84:06]
Drew Franklin
House. So Billy, he said last week nothing would change. It was that bad today, don't you think it was?
- [84:13]
Caller/Listener
I mean, that was an embarrassing yes.
- [84:15]
Drew Franklin
I didn't think you would have flipped like that. But to me, if you flipped then I don't know who's left?
- [84:25]
Caller/Listener
Like I said, I think. I admit I probably have a longer leash than most people. And I want it to work. And to be honest, man, I'm a little sad. I wanted to work for Mark.
- [84:34]
Drew Franklin
I'm sad. I'm sad without question. And I'm sad in part because I hate to see it in and in part because I think it's not going to end. And I think we're going to have.
- [84:46]
Caller/Listener
Who's going to be buying season tickets next year if they try to run it back again?
- [84:49]
Drew Franklin
You know, I don't know if anybody. But I mean, do you think. I mean, look, we'll know. Let's put it like this. I'll ask the two of you, will Mark Stoops be the coach Monday morning when we do ksr? Because if he's the coach Monday morning, he'll be the coach. So is he the coach Monday morning? Yes, Ryan.
- [85:07]
Caller/Listener
I'm gonna say no because I think if a change has to be made and it's got to be made quickly, so it probably happens tomorrow.
- [85:16]
Matt Jones
But it's Mitch that's making that decision. That's Mitch's guy. He's about to ride off in the sunset himself. Now he's gonna make a whole new coaching search. Yeah, I just don't see that happening.
- [85:27]
Drew Franklin
Okay, let me be very clear. I do not know I'm going to spend. I've been preparing for this show and dealing with the show. So I've done no phone calls, no looks, no anything. So I have no notion. Now, there's something, though, that sort of tells me that I'm kind of like with Ryan, I wonder if maybe it's going to happen. And the only reason I say that is I expected after that intro, Ryan, you know how it goes. Like already blowback. And I haven't gotten it.
- [86:04]
Caller/Listener
Nothing yet.
- [86:05]
Drew Franklin
No, that doesn't mean I won't get it.
- [86:08]
Caller/Listener
But that's a telltale sign if nobody's reached out.
- [86:10]
Drew Franklin
Nobody said anything or not even like said anything. But like, there's usually. Sometimes there's people who would be like, matt, I can't believe you did that. Because that ain't gonna happen. And how, you know, like none of that now that maybe that'll come. But it hasn't come yet. So that's the only reason, I think maybe. But if he's the coach when we come on Monday morning, then he's the coach. So we'll find out. Stay tuned tonight and especially tomorrow, we'll see. All right. Thank you guys. Ryan, thank you for coming on. We will see you later. Thanks to everybody listening today. Terrible end of the season. We'll see what happens. This has been the local toy dealers KSR Post game Show.
- [87:00]
Matt Jones
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- [88:01]
Drew Franklin
This episode is brought to you by pbs, home of Ken Burns. His newest film, the American Revolution, reveals untold stories of people, some familiar, many forgotten, who risked everything to change the course of history. It's the story of a war that was bloody, complex and profoundly consequential. Ken Burns and his co directors, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt shine a light on how this historic fight for independence lit the spark for freedom that still burns today. Stream the American Revolution on the PBS app. Don't miss it.
- [88:33]
Matt Jones
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