First Down Kentucky: Did You Know UCLA is in LA?

It’s been a surprisingly busy day around the football world. There is plenty to get to closer to home, but first, I must lead off with something that happened in Indianapolis. I’ve sat through some uncomfortable press conferences over the last 10+ years. The Kentucky Football School vs. Basketball School one at Kroger Field was a surreal experience. I’ve also been subjected to some boring clunkers. What happened today at Big Ten Media Days was unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

DeShaun Foster is bringing UCLA into a new conference. His job is to inject some excitement and energy into the program. Instead, he spoke about his institution by informing us that UCLA is in LA. The bright lights of Lucas Oil Stadium may be too bright for the Bruins.

UCLA coach DeShaun Foster with a really awkward Big Ten media day opening statement pic.twitter.com/dHX5ayP7K3

— Heavens! (@HeavensFX) July 24, 2024

How About Those Comments from the Kentucky Head Coach?

When I opened the internet today I did not anticipate seeing a scathing assessment of Kentucky’s fundraising efforts from Mark Stoops. The Kentucky head coach made a public push for NIL help at SEC Media Days, but those were incomparable to what he shared with Darrell Bird at the SEC Spring Meetings.

The fiery comments did not feel directed toward fans, but rather at the UK administration for a lack of support. To use a business analogy, Mark Stoop is the CEO of Kentucky football and right now he only has the approval from the Board of Trustees to hire Eddie Gran to run the free agency department, arguably the most important department in the entire company. Stoops clearly wants more infrastructure in place at the administrative level to organize Kentucky’s roster-building efforts.

His comments bring up so many questions, it’s difficult to address them all, but we’re trying to on KSBoard. One thing is certain, these comments can’t help Kentucky down the road in recruiting or when they’re trying to find Stoops’ successor.

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Who is Fired First?

The Hot Seat conversation happens every summer during Talking Season. Now we have odds and three of the top five candidates to receive early pink slips are in the SEC. The Chicken Man has spent a lot of money in the last year, but I’d be willing to wager a good amount of money that we’ll see “Interim Head Coach Bobby Petrino” this fall.

Odds on the first college football coach to be fired from @BetOnline_ag pic.twitter.com/xW1qCgQMuy

— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) July 24, 2024

The Kentucky Football Cowboy Hats > Blue Cowboy Hat

The blue cowboy hat I brought to SEC Media Days turned some heads. It caught some attention, but it wasn’t as cool as the lids the Cats were rocking in Dallas. Deone Walker, Marques Cox, and D’Eryk Jackson are a trio of intimidating cowboys.