Kentucky fans showed back up to Historic Memorial Coliseum for another chance to catch the 2025 La Familia squad with a host of familiar faces and a few faces BBN has adopted as their own including DJ Burns now known as the hype man and Karem Kanter, brother to former UK player Enes Kanter. The crowd would be huge all night for La Familia helping build momentum for a wild ending that saw Anthony Clemmons of Eberlein Drive hit a late game three in the Elam Ending.
First Half
With a team full of previous college talent and former NBA player Gabe York Eberlein Drive would be a tough task for the La Familia. Eberlein Drive went up early, leading by as many as 11 points, raining three after three and banging down low in the paint. La Familia would find some energy however, Gabe York and Terry Taylor would hit some big shots and combine for 30 points. La Familia would inch within five points entering the halftime break.
Second Half
The start of the second half would become very physical, as La Familia started fighting their way back and making a push to close the gap. DJ Burns was bringing the energy on the court and the sidelines picking up his teammates to pull off the win. La Familia would even go up as many as 8 points late. Going into the Elam Ending where the shot clock would be turned off and the target score was set to 71, La Familia was up 63-58 and needed just 8 points to secure the victory.
Elam Ending
Eberlein Drive would pick right back up from the 1st half and go on to close in on La Familia. Archie Goodwin had a chance to seal the deal but missed the game winning free throw, shooting, in place of Willie Cauley-Stein in a bizarre turn of events that would take him out of the game with an apparent ankle injury suffered while making a play at the rim and being pushed in the back and out of bounds. Anthony Clemmons would hit a deep NBA range three after several Eberlein Drive failed attempts to seal the win and knock out La Familia for the remainder of TBT play. The team looks to make a return next year with more new faces.
Kentucky fans showed up to the newly renovated Historic Memorial Coliseum again for another look at the 2025 La Familia squad with past players that everyone loves from the great Coach Cal days of 2015 Willie Cauley-Stein and Harrison twin to the former high energy Murray State Racer DJ Burns Jr., Fans could get attached to this squad in a hurry. The crowd would be a huge factor late in the game to help them pull past a team of former Auburn stars.
First Half
The SEC foe with the likes of Wendell Green Jr. and others brought it to the Cats from the get go. La Familia got out to an early lead until War Ready started to heat up led by Wendell Green Jr. who was the team’s leading scorer (20 points). La Familia would pull away and lead by as many as fourteen points and before things began to get chippy between the squads ending in 7 technical fouls by the games end. Going into the half La Familia would lead War Ready 44-36.
Second Half
The game became more like a “war”, as War Ready would start to fight back and make a major push. DJ Burns was bringing the energy on the court and the sidelines picking up his teammates to pull off the win. Going into the Elam Ending where the shot clock would be turned off and the target score where 8 points were added to the pre shot clock score, La Familia was up 71-66 going into the Elam Ending.
Elam Ending
La Familia only needed 8 points which was easier said than done War Ready even tied the game late until Khalil Whitney dove on the ground and gave it to Archie Goodwin who quickly got a shot off the glass to win the game on a game winner as his teammates would storm the court and celebrate. The final score was in favor of La Familia 80-76. Goodwin’s shot moved the Cats to the next round versus Eberlein Drive led by former NBA player Gabe York, Tuesday at 6 PM inside Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Kentucky fans packed the newly renovated Historic Memorial Coliseum for its first look at the 2025 La Familia squad with past players that everyone loves from the older days of 2012 Doron Lamb to the new age first Mark Pope squad in Lexington in Ansley Almonor, All fans could get attached to this squad. Fans were up to the Coliseum early to pack it out with over 5,000 fans of the 6200 available seating options. Even before the game many would see the blowout coming. The loud pregame hype fueled the Cats early.
First Half
However, there were some jitters to open up the game, especially with a brand new roster and brand new pieces, but plenty of former pro talent. The former Cats got to an early lead until Stroh’s squad started to heat up lead by Riley Grigsby (Seattle U) who was the team’s leading scorer (11 points). Later La Familia would pull away and pretty much seal the game as they drained three after three and steal after steal. A pair of twins were shining stars in the early goings as Aaron and Andrew Harrison were shooting very efficiently from the field. The half would come to an end as La Familia would lead Stroh’s Squad 44-29.
Second Half
The game became more like an all star game as La Familia would lead by more than fifty points late. Archie Goodwin was on Triple double watch down the stretch, he would come up short finishing with 17 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds. Aaron Harrison and Kahlil Whitney would both add in 14 points a piece. The former cats were far superior to the guys of Stroh’s Squad. Going into the Elam Ending where the shot clock would be turned off and the target score where 8 points were added to the pre shot clock score, La Familia was up 97-50 going into the Elam Ending.
Elam Ending
La Familia only needed 8 points which was quickly done and the final score was 105-52, La Familia won by 53 points. Ansley Almonor would finish the game off with a game winner to move the Cats to the next round versus War Ready (Auburn) Sunday at 2:30 inside Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Mark Pope’s first team was led by six seniors: Jaxson Robinson, Lamont Butler, Koby Brea, Ansley Almonor, Amari Williams, and Andrew Carr. The six seniors helped lead Kentucky to a school record 7 wins over top 15 opponents and top 5 for the most Quad 1 wins in college basketball (9). The seniors were introduced one last time and sent off by the iconic song “My Old Kentucky Home” sung by Marlana VanHoose. It was then time to play as the Cats welcomed the 14-15 (3-13) LSU Tigers who were at the bottom of the SEC standings and without 3 key players and were looking to salvage what has been a rough season for Matt McMahon’s Tigers.
First Half
It was a quick start for the Cats as they opened the game on a 15-4 run lead by Amari Williams and Lamont Butler at the beginning of the first half. Matt McMahon’s Tigers would later make an early push with Kentucky’s bench coming in making it slightly closer at 18-10 with 11:47 to go in the first half. The first half was smooth sailing from then on as Kentucky would end the half on a 32-13 run led by Otega Oweh with 15 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the floor. Four other Cats would finish the half with 6 points or more to take the Cats in the half up 50-23.
Second Half and Overall Thoughts
The second half would be much the same and a cakewalk as the Cats would cruise to a win up as many as 38 points and outscoring the Tigers 45-41 in the second half. One main key in the big second half was the great defensive ball pressure as Kentucky would hold LSU to just 45% from the field and 27% from behind the arc. The Cats were led by a trio of Oweh, Almonor, and Garrison who combined for 54 points in the game. To finish the game Kentucky had four players in double figures and 8 players over the 5 point mark in the game. The Cats leading scorer would be Otega Oweh with 24 points and 8 rebounds, and to go along with Oweh it was senior forward Ansley Almonor who finished with 15 points, 6-9 shooting from the floor, and 3-4 from behind the arc.
When do the Cats get back on the floor?
Kentucky will head west to Columbia, MO next to face off with the Tigers who have beaten the likes of Kansas, Florida, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Alabama. The game will be at 12 PM and the game will be televised on ESPN inside Mizzou Arena as the Cats look to clinch the single bye for the SEC Tournament down in Nashville, TN and another statement game over the top 15 ranked Tigers.
It was a quick start for the Cats as they opened the game on a 5-0 run led by Koby Brea and Andrew Carr at the beginning of the first half. Mark Byington’s Commodores would later make an early push trailing 15-12 into the first media timeout led by guard Chris Manon who had 4 early points. It was much the same throughout the first half with Kentucky leading much of the way until the Commodores took the lead 35-34 on a Jason Edwards jumper with 3:04 to go in the first. The Cats would keep chipping away and regain the lead and would take that momentum into the half up 41-40 led by Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh with 11 first-half points along with a breakout first half from 21-year-old freshman Collin Chandler who had a career-high 7 points in just the first half.
Second Half and Overall Thoughts
The second half would be much different as the Cats would cruise to a win up as many as 24 points (82-68) and outscoring the Commodores 41-21 in the second half. One main key in the big second half was the great defensive ball pressure as Kentucky would hold Vanderbilt to just 29.6% from the field and only 10% from behind the arc. The Cats were led by a trio of Carr, Oweh, and Williams who all had over 8 points in just the second half. To finish the game Kentucky had four players in double figures and 7 players over the 5 point mark in the game. The Cats leading scorer would be Otega Oweh with 20 points and 7 rebounds, and to go along with Oweh it was European big man Amari Williams who finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and to go along with a perfect night from the floor shooting 6 of 6 from 2 and 5 of 5 from the free throw line.
When do the Cats get back on the floor?
Kentucky will head down to Tuscaloosa, Alabama next to face off with the Crimson Tide who beat the Cats earlier in Rupp 102-97 led by star duo Grant Nelson and Mark Sears who combined for 49 points in their effort to a win. The game will be at 6 PM and the game will be televised on ESPN inside Coleman Coliseum as the Cats look for a revenge statement game over the top 5 ranked Tide.
Mark Pope has landed a new Cat this time it’s 2025 five star guard Jasper Johnson who is ranked as a consensus top 25 player in America for the 2025 recruiting class. Johnson is the son of former Kentucky football player Denis Johnson who later payed in the NFL for a couple of season before hanging it up. Jasper Johnson played for Link Academy in Missouri last season before ultimately deciding to take his talents to Overtime Elite in Atlanta, GA for his final High School season. Johnson makes everyone better when he hits the court with a great skill set and the ability to create tough and efficient shots for him and his teammates. Jasper joins Malachi Moreno who is also a top 30 player in America for the 2025 class as Mark Pope looks to put together his first full high school recruiting class in his tenure after being hired in early April. 
The 2024 Wildcats were suppose to take the field at 7:45 versus Southern Miss to open the 2024 campaign, but mother nature got in the way of things as fans were halted from entering the stadium from the concourse at Kroger Field, it wasn’t until 7:30 that fans were allowed to sit in their seats. The kickoff was push back multiple times due to lightning reported in the area. The game was still set to be played although the kickoff wouldn’t happen until 10:05, regardless the late start time the nearly full stadium of faithful Kentucky fans were able to watch Cats kickoff the season.
After the long wait Kentucky and quarterback Brock Vandagriff received the ball first. The first drive was smooth until Vandagriff threw a pass intercepted by Dylan Lawrence of Southern Miss, at the Southern Miss 15 yard line, but this didn’t stop the Cats defense as the second play for Southern Miss quarterback Tate Rodemaker threw the ball across the middle which lead to a tipped interception from Georgia transfer Jamon Dumas-Johnson. This quick turn of events lead to Barion Brown getting a 12 yard touchdown for his first of the season finishing off a 10 play, 5 minute 54 second drive.
The game was smooth sailing the rest of the way some key plays included JQ Hardaway getting a interception in the endzone after it looked like Southern Miss would never get of the field after converting a 3rd in 18 in there own end of the field. After a shortened halftime the game was called in the 3rd quarter due to more lightning in the area at the 9:56 mark. The delay lasted 45 minuets until Kentucky, Southern Miss, and SEC officials decided to call the game off which lead to the SEC releasing this statement:
Kentucky starts the season 1-0, after the 31 point shutout, Kentucky’s Brock Vandagriff lead the way finishing 12 of 18 with 169 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, he also impressed with his legs finishing up with 5 rushes for 35 yards. Running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye finished up with 8 rushes for 59 yards and a touchdown in place of Ohio State transfer running back Chip Trayanum who’s out with a broken hand. The leading receiver of the night was North Texas transfer Ja’Mori Maclin who caught 2 balls for 66 yards, Barion Brown also pitched in 4 reception for 28 yards and 2 touchdown in the season opener. Brad White’s defense was stout for the night giving up only 5 rush yards, 126 passing yards, and ending up with two interceptions from Dumas-Johnson and Hardaway.
Kentucky takes host to South Carolina who is coming off a rough 23-19 win over Old Dominion in there opener in Columbia, The game will be on ABC at 3:30 PM, Saturday, September 7th, Kentucky opens as a 9.5 point favorite over the Gamecocks.
Kentucky is less than a week away from their opening game at Kroger Field scheduled for August 31st versus the Southern Miss Golden Eagles but many have questions about the Kentucky defensive and how Defensive Coordinator Brad White can help take the next step with what’s expected to be the best defense of the Stoops era and maybe even the best in schools history. Let’s take a look at how good they can really be.
Kentucky enters the 2024 season returning 9 defensive starters, which ranked 43rd in total defense in 2023 and lead the SEC in returning production on the defensive side of the ball. Kentucky’s defense also brings in a couple of big-time transfers including Jamon “Pop” Dumas-Johnson out of Georgia, who in 2022 was named First-Team All-American by Sporting News and ESPN, and landed on the Associated Press Second-Team All-American, as just a sophomore and helped lead the Bulldogs to a National Championship win over TCU, 65-7.
In the secondary we have Michigan transfer DJ Waller Jr. coming in as a projected starter to go along with Preseason First Team All-SEC Defensive Back, and SEC interceptions leader (5), Maxwell Hairston. DJ Waller Jr. was a true freshman last season on Michigan’s 2023 National Championship team. The former top 500 player totaled 11 tackles and 1 pass deflection for the Wolverines. Safety’s, Zion Childress and Jordan Lovett also return for the Wildcats bringing in a total of 89 tackles, 3 pass deflections, and 3 interceptions in the 2023 season.
The linebacking corps consisting of a couple returners in JJ Weaver, D’Eryk Jackson, and Alex Afari Jr., who were a solid group helping the Cats to finish 17th in rush defense in the 2023 season and combining for 70 starts. Finally, known as one of the best groups in the SEC, the defensive line, who is lead by pre-season First Team All-American, Preseason First Team All-SEC, and projected top 10 pick Deone Walker who has a career 8.5 sacks in his first two seasons, Tre’vonn Rybka a 5th year senior comes into 2024 with a career 6.5 TFL, and 2 sacks in his five years in Lexington, and former North Carolina lineman Keeshawn Silver comes in after a respectable sophmore season finishing with 17 tackles, and 2 sacks.
Brad White’s crew looks to bring a edge to themselves in the 2024 season but fans will finally get to see them in action on Caturday at Kroger Field with kickoff slated for 7:45pm and on the SEC Network for the first glimpse of the Cats.
Mark Pope and Kentucky gets their first big piece of the 2025 recruiting class with the addition of five star Big Malachi Moreno a top three center in his class and top 30 player overall per 247sports who brings an elite skill set with the ability to block shots and rebound the basketball, with a offensive skill set that is still raw with growth still to come at the college level Moreno has the ability to stretch the floor and shoot the three but has not proven it to be as consistent as it’s a work in progress. Mark Pope looks to bring in another fellow five star and in-state prospect Jasper Johnson, who first played his high school basketball at Woodford County and later transferred to Link Academy, in Missouri, who is focusing on a main three of Kentucky, North Carolina, and Alabama. The recruitment has gone back-and-forth in the last couple of days as Alabama was seen as the favorite, but now he’s starting to lean back to Kentucky as of late by many media members around the recruitment. This is a great start to Mark Pope‘s first recruiting class in the Pope era as he looks to bring a new style of recruiting that Kentucky fans have never seen before.
August 31st marks Kentucky Football’s home opener versus Southern Miss at 7:45 on SEC Network but media got to get some intel on how Mark Stoops is looking to have his best season yet. After last season finishing 7-6 and losing to Clemson in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Mark Stoops had a tough decision to make, stay at Kentucky or take a powerhouse job at Texas A&M. The decision nearly landing him in College Station could’ve change the Kentucky Football program entirely. If not for public backlash in College Station we may have never seen the remaining legacy of Mark Stoops at Kentucky.
Now turning the page to the 2024 season Kentucky brings in new transfer quarterback Brock Vandagriff, transfer running back Chip Trayanum to name a few, and new Offensive Coordinator Bush Hamdan into the mix. Media Day gave us some great intel on Kentucky’s upcoming season, down below you can find Media Day Questions and Answers from all three coaches (HC Mark Stoops, OC Bush Hamdan, and DC Brad White)
HC Mark Stoops talking to the media
Q Coach, what about leadership on this football team?
MARK STOOPS: Yet to be ‑‑ we will see as we move forward. There are certain some guys that been around a long time. When you look at JJ Weaver, D’Eryk Jackson, Marques Cox, even though he’s a transfer, he has been around for awhile. I feel really good about it. That has always developed as the year goes on and through training camp. Even yesterday was good. The first day we go out there it was beautiful weather and overcast it was almost cool. And then yesterday the sun broke out and there was some heat and humidity and as we go through practice, guys get tired and irritable, your true colors kind of shine when you get tired and hot and irritable so that’s gonna be a long camp. So that is when we will need great leadership coming in.
Q Transfers coming in?
MARK STOOPS: Yes. I like our team. I like ‑‑ I do. They’ve really helped our team. I think we took a transfer at just about every position accept tight‑end so I just want to supplement our roster in that area. I don’t have those numbers. I had them right before we went to the media day, but I want to say maybe overall we are at, maybe, 35 or 36 and that’s a good mixture right there. I still feel like the majority of our team is guys that we recruit out of high school and try to want to continue to follow that model. Recruit and develop young men and then supplement them with the portal when we need to.
Q Retention? Install? You said it’s going pretty well?
MARK STOOPS: Yes, if you look at our team, defensively we have returned a lot of guys that have played a lot of football for us and I think that is important, our defensive staff in the continuity that we have there, and the players that have gained experiences is invaluable. Then you have a guy like Pop who has played a lot a ball at Georgia, so there is pretty good experience there. Offensively, there are some guys who played a lot, I think we supplemented in some areas in areas that we needed to. Certainly, in the quarterback position, we have gone to the portal for several years, now. We feel really good about the high school guy we took in Cutter. He is going to be a special player, but we want to give him time to mature and grow. But Brock has done a very good job and we are excited about him. And then, also Gavin, and what he brings to the table and he’s got some snaps under his belt in the Big Ten. He is a big strong guy and he can throw it and he can run. And it was also very good to bring Beau back. You have seen what can happen in years past when you’re not deep in that position. Some funny things can happen, so we do think that we have some quality depth in that position.
Q Mark you’ve always had a stable of your offensive line in your early years, especially being a strong suit year? You had some bumps in the road a few years ago. You picked it back up again. What are your expectations? I know it’s early in camp, but how is that developing?
MARK STOOPS: I want to continue to grow. I think there is no mystery there. I’ve said it since day one. It’s very important. We have Eric Wolford back. I think Coach Wolford does a phenomenal job, not only coaching and at practice, but the way he recruits, and I feel like we are going to continue to progress in there, and then we are going to continue that depth and get better so I feel much better about that position.
Q We are a few years into that era of college football where bringing in 30 plus guys isn’t really an odd thing anymore. That continuity that you were talking about before, how have you had to adjust and how has this year maybe been easier in some ways?
MARK STOOPS: We have great leadership. I feel like that the transfers that we brought in fit in well here. I believe that that is an important piece to make sure that transfers are coming for the right reason and they fit our system. And then with us, we just try to ask expediate that process and have at them more in tune to our culture earlier than normal and try to, you know, continue to feed them that message and sometimes it is like drinking with a fire hose, but we want to do the best that we can to educate them and to see the culture that we want
Q You are saying that you have been wanting to snap the ball more frequently and play at a higher tempo this year, how you working with the tempo with the offense and how are you going to be moving forward and making sure?
MARK STOOPS: I want everybody to understand this. I’ve said it 20 times. Yes, I do, but I am not trying to be a tempo offense. We are not trying to be Old Miss and Tennessee and some of those teams that do it exceptionally well. And just snap it with 30 seconds on the play clock. That is a different style and it’s very difficult to defend and they do it very well. That’s just ‑‑ we can’t be that overnight and I just don’t want to staff it with two and three and four seconds on the play clock as well. I like to see more snaps. There needs to be a balance there. We are not trying to be in a complete hurry. We are just trying to be more efficient, get in a rhythm, and get some more plays. So, you know, any of these offensive coordinators have that ability to go superfast to go medium to go at the line, I think, just trying to get in a rhythm and, you know, hopefully get some more snaps, that also comes from getting first downs. If we get first downs, guys are going to get more touches. So you have to make sure that you’re still putting them in a position to be successful. And again, just as I touched on earlier, defense getting off the field. Special‑teams putting us in good position. You do that, and we’re not going to sit here after games and say why did so‑and‑so only get so many of this and so many of that, because we only have 55 plays, you know, 60 plays. That sometimes is frustrating because I feel like we do have some playmakers, but we have to get first downs and then we will get more touches.
OC Bush Hamdan talking to the media
Q What do you see emphasizing with Brock in the fall after the spring and summer?
BUSH HAMDAN: We have discussed it before. I think so much of it is a leadership part. You are a new guy coming into a new program. New office coordinator. So much is about scheme and plays, but don’t lose sight about what that looks like when you are in a locker room building those relationships with the guys as the true signal caller. Certainly from a play style standpoint it always comes down to accuracy, decision‑making, toughness, but we really don’t want to lose sight of that leadership part.
Q Is he adjusting pretty well?
BUSH HAMDAN: He is doing a great job. He really is.
Q Smart guy.
BUSH HAMDAN: Smart player, tough, can run, all those things. Again, I think we’ve had success with the last 3 to 5 years, a guy like Brady Cook at Missouri, you see what his skill set looks like what Taylen Green did last year at Boise, Maddox Madsen, we think he is right in the mold of a guy we like for the system.
Q What is the biggest trait that you have liked from him so far at the quarterback position?
BUSH HAMDAN: He is a consummate pro. I’ve said that multiple times. This is a big time football league. We get done with practices at 6:30, he wants to be up in the facility. He’s always watching games on opponents. We know at this position it comes down to kind of locking yourself in that room, if you will. Taking a side with the naysayers have to say and just working and keep getting better every day and I think that he is a guy that understand that.
Q How do you go about establishing the run, be more physical upfront, what are your thoughts going into the season, about the offensive line? It seems like has the most experience line when you talk about starts. How much can that help accomplish that goal?
BUSH HAMDAN: We’ve got good depth. I think you mentioned it right there. Certainly there is the comfort feelings about Eli Cox at center and the amount of games that he has played in. Certainly feel good about those guys. We have a long way to go. As you know, most folks are going to say that, just three practices in, but certainly needs to be a really solid group for us with the amount of starts these guys have made.
Q We brought in an NFL schematic last year and started to challenge Devin Leary’s ability to get plays on. Is it your expectation that using the new helmet system is going to make your ability to do complex plays easier?
BUSH HAMDAN: I think so. I think the starting point is still trying to keep it as simple as possible for guys to go play fast. I think the more critical thing is the challenge on me of what information to give them. As you guys know, we are all maybe parents, sometimes our kids don’t want to hear a lot, but they just have to hear enough, and I think of that. When we get that play call in, how can we be clear, concise, competitive, and give them just the things he needs to be successful in that play.
Q Coach, you guys have a lot of folks in that wide receiver, but Barion and Dane have been here for three years, three offensive coordinators, three quarterbacks, how do you feel like some of these guys who have been in the room for awhile are adjusting to your system, this quarterback, as they have been through so much already?
BUSH HAMDAN: They’ve got a level of experience again they have played for some great coaches, some great systems, so a lot of it just comes down to ‑‑ we used to call this scheme and now we are calling it that scheme. Guys like that, what they never lose is the technique and the fundamentals and the experience. That always stays with you even with the change in the coordinator. So excited about those guys, there is a level of maturity in this league; right? From one week to the next just staying the course, we are going to rely on their experience in that position. Certainly with some of these younger guys who are extremely talented who we think and get going.
Q Bush, you just spoke a little bit about the tempo and finding a balance. And what does that looks like?
BUSH HAMDAN: We are going to run 100 games per game and be the fastest offense in the country. (Laughter.) I think I lose sleep over the tempo question and you guys coming in here and asking me. I think the biggest thing is with tempo and the systems that we had. Again, if you go back to the tape, right, I think about last year at Memphis. We get down. We’ve got the ability. I think we put 17 points up in seven minutes, because we have the ability to play extremely fast. We always want to be somewhere in the middle. And what that means is, have the flexibility depending on how the game is going to do whatever it takes to win the football game. And I think that’s important for all of us to know. I think the checklist in fall camp is, we have periods where it is fast as anyone in the country. One‑word plays, getting up there, snapping the ball within seven seconds, we also have that focus where we can huddle, operate, execute, take time off the clock. I know everybody wants to play fast. It always comes back to execution with us. So I think the thing that you we want you guys to know is we are going to have the ability to play fast and keep people on their feet.
DC Brad White talking to the media
Q Brad, what are some things that you were not happy about last year that you really want to focus on with your guys this year.
BRAD WHITE: Yeah, when you look back and you self‑scout yourself, look at what you need to do better obviously, there third‑down defense and specifically, with the backend of the season, third and long situations, especially extra long, was an area that, historically, if you look we have been really good, and we were not. Not anywhere close to the standard that we need to be at and it cost us. When you give up third‑downs, you extend drives and extended drives leads to points, it leads to less opportunities for the offense. So obviously, that is going to be a primary focus. Again, the year before ’22, was, sort of, our best year ever in third‑down defense, and there is a correlation to how well we played as a defense. We need to get back there.
Q There were times last year, the secondaries were doing their job, but the front, not getting enough pressure on the quarterback, sack numbers were low at time, so with the unit that’s probably going to be as good as anyone the SEC with pass coverage, how important is it that if you get more pressure on the quarterback, you could bring your defense to another level?
BRAD WHITE: Yeah. We have talked about it since I’ve been here. They all tie together. It’s funny ‑‑ there were times last year when we would get plenty of pressure, we would miss a sack ‑‑ the South Carolina game jumps to mind. We had two opportunities on the very first drive to get off the field on the first down. One we lost leveraging and coverage, something that we shouldn’t have done. It should have been off the field. We were walking into a sack. And then number two, we had a missed sack which, led to a third down conversion. There were breakdowns on all sides last year at times, and that’s why it’s so important that they work together. Obviously, really excited about the front that we return because, like anything else, I think people’s interceptions, turnovers, sacks, a lot of times they come in bunches. It’s not always super consistent. But from purely statistics, and that is what it is, this was the defensive line and what they did last year was the second most sacks since I’ve been here, only behind the Josh Allen year, so they were disruptive upfront. Obviously, when you return those guys this year we need to keep that production going up front, and then you mix in being able to play sticky and stick year and coverage at times and being able to make some plays on the back end and then when you have a chance to be at the quarterback, you’ve got to be able to finish.
Q You’ve got two kids that are Silver and Walker?
BRAD WHITE: Yes, we got Silver, we got Walker, we got Oxendine we’ve got Rybka. I think, obviously, everybody in this room understands the impact that Deone has on a football game. I think people don’t necessarily realize how well guys like Keeshawn Silver or Tre Rybka played last year. How well Ox played. The jump from two years ago for Ox to last year, and this year his weight is back up to where it was when he was ‑‑ before the injury and is as powerful as ever. You know we have Khalil Saunders who makes big plays for us and he is big and athletic. This is as good as a cumulative front as we have had, and then you throw in young guys, and a guy like Jerod Smith in there, and Kendrick Gilbert coming back off of injury from last year, where he was ‑‑ he was a freshman coming off of a shoulder, he was stronger, he already made some flashes in some of these early practices. So you have depth there, and you can roll these guys, and keep them fresh, so that is exciting, and then, obviously, the position we haven’t talked about is that outside linebacker position, and to be able to return JJ who ‑‑ there are times that he can just dominate a game and take over. He understands that this is the year that he needs to do that consistently. It can’t just be one or two games. We need that consistent force, presence, from him and then we will see who can rush opposite him.
The KY Press 