KSR Today: Alabama prep, Rupp Arena, and Will Levis

Good morning, folks! Crossover season is in full effect. We’ve got Kentucky football and basketball in the coming days.

We’ll start on the gridiron, where the Wildcats continue to prepare for Saturday’s showdown against No. 8 Alabama at Kroger Field. On Tuesday, we heard some good news about Kentucky’s quarterback situation as the offense spoke with reporters following practice (more on that in a minute). It’ll be the defense’s turn following this afternoon’s practice as defensive coordinator Brad White will give us some insight into how he plans to slow down Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.

Kickoff is set for noon EST on ESPN. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart has been kind enough to open up the tailgating opportunities an hour early at 7:00 a.m. While you’re here, make sure to check out Adam Luckett’s Bio Blast of the Crimson Tide to prepare for the weekend.

On the hardwood, Kentucky men’s basketball is only two sleeps removed from opening up the 2023-24 season with an impressive 86-46 win over New Mexico State. We aren’t far away from game two though. The Wildcats will be back in Rupp Arena on Friday night to host Texas A&M Commerce at 7:00 p.m. EST on the SEC Network+. There is no media availability scheduled for today, but we should hear from some of the players tomorrow.

Now let’s dive into the rest of today’s news and notes, but not before you check out our KSR+ Tip-Off Special deal.

Take advantage of the KSR+ TIPOFF SPECIAL to get bonus coverage of Kentucky Basketball, including live game threads, in-depth scouting reports, behind-the-scenes scoop, and the latest recruiting intel. 50% off the annual price or $1 for 1 month.

Devin Leary is good for Alabama

Good news, BBN. Quarterback Devin Leary is going to be all right. During Tuesday’s media availability, both Leary and Kentucky’s offensive coordinator Liam Coen confirmed that QB1 will be on the field this Saturday when the Wildcats host No. 8 Alabama.

“I’m good to go,” Leary said. “Just got a little bit banged up but feel really good now and 100 percent for this week.”

“Devin will play this weekend,” Coen said. “Devin’s a competitive kid and he wants to be out there and play for us this Saturday, and that’s the goal. He’s doing everything he can to put him in a position to be able to play on Saturday and we’re expecting him to be available and be ready to go.”

Leary left Kentucky’s most recent win against Mississippi State after appearing to suffer an injury. He was dealing with blurred vision and was unable to properly read the plays following a tough hit in the third quarter. After head coach Mark Stoops didn’t provide much of an update on Leary on Monday, we were given the “all good” on Tuesday.

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Rupp Arena finally upgrading floor

Always trust the random KSR caller.

UK Athletics announced on Tuesday that the Rupp Arena hardwood is getting a long-awaited upgrade. Yes, those giant, ugly Central Bank stickers are finally going away, and are being replaced with a much cleaner look. The new court is expected to be installed by December 2 in time for Kentucky’s game vs. UNC-Wilmington.

Kentucky WBB opens ’23-24 with a win

It wasn’t always pretty, but Kentucky women’s basketball overcame a two-point halftime deficit against ETSU to win 74-66 on Tuesday night at Transylvania’s Clive M. Beck Center. After a slow start, the Wildcats shot over 55 percent from the field in the second half, including a 7-12 mark in the fourth quarter. All five Kentucky starters scored in double-figures.

Amiya Jenkins led the way with 16 points on 5-7 shooting while Ajae Petty posted a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double. Saniah Tyler and Maddie Scherr both contributed 14 points with Brooklynn Miles rounding out the group with 10 points and four assists. Kentucky turned the ball over just seven times on the night, but a poor 2-15 clip from beyond the arc was far from ideal. Regardless, a win is a win. Up next for the Wildcats is a showdown against USC Upstate this Saturday at Rupp Arena.

More in the UK Athletics world

Elsewhere in the world of UK Athletics, there are a pair of important top-25 matchups taking place later tonight. For starters, Kentucky men’s soccer will take on No. 1 Marshall in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals. The last time these two teams met, the Wildcats came out on top 2-0 in a victory that sparked UK’s current four-match winning streak.

Kentucky — a five-seed in the tournament field — took down four-seeded James Madison in the quarterfinals on Sunday. Tonight’s semifinal matchup against the Thundering Herd is set for 7:00 p.m. EST in Huntington, WV on ESPN+. A win would push the ‘Cats through to Sunday’s championship.

30 minutes after that game starts, No. 13 Kentucky volleyball will face No. 24 Auburn in an SEC road match. The Wildcats now sit atop the conference standings (11-1) by themselves after rattling off its 10th straight win over No. 20 Florida on Sunday. Tonight’s game against Auburn will begin at 7:30 p.m. EST.

Will Levis named Titans starter

The future in Nashville is Will Levis. Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel finally recognized that this week, naming Levis as the team’s starting quarterback moving forward. Ryan Tannehill, who started the season at QB for the Titans before suffering an injury, will serve as Levis’ backup once he returns to full health.

“Will is gonna be our quarterback. We’re gonna go with Will,” Vrabel told reporters. “We think that’s the best opportunity for our football team right now.”

Levis started the previous two games for Tennessee, throwing for four touchdowns in his debut against the Atlanta Falcons before putting forth a solid performance in a loss on Thursday Night Football to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Titans (3-5) are set to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (which rank second-to-last in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EST on CBS.

Early Signing Period

The Early Signing Period for high school basketball officially opened on Wednesday. Kentucky has a pair of 2024 commits that are expected to put ink to paper during the week-long period. Four-star center Somto Cyril expects to sign his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday while four-star point guard Boogie Fland will do so sometime this week.

Could more be on the way? Kentucky is going after a handful of uncommitted 2024 recruits, including five-stars Jayden Quaintance and Karter Knox plus four-star Billy Richmond. John Calipari appears to be in good shape with all three, but there isn’t an expectation that any will sign during the early period.

KSR podcasts in your feed

How did the freshmen put it all together on night one, led by Rob Dillingham? What was John Calipari’s “tweak” in the second half? And what do we need to know ahead of Texas A&M-Commerce on Friday, then Kansas in the Champions Classic next week? The Sources Say crew broke it all down during last night’s episode, which you can watch in full below.

Make sure you come back to the KSR YouTube channel tonight for a fresh episode of 11 Personnel from Nick Roush and Adam Luckett, too.

More Kentucky News and Views on the KSR YouTube Channel

Kentucky Sports Radio has expanded its coverage of the Wildcats in the most ridiculous manner possible on our YouTube Channel. Here you will be able to find interviews with coaches and players, as well as commentary from the KSR crew. From Rapid Reactions following big events to our lengthy lineup of live shows, subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel to stay up to date on everything happening around the Big Blue Nation.

• Monday: Mark Stoops Press Conference & Rapid Reaction
• Monday, 8 PM: KSR Football Podcast
• Tuesday evening: Interviews with Liam Coen and the offense
• Tuesday, 8 PM: Sources Say
• Wednesday, 1 PM: Stoops’ comments from the SEC Teleconference
• Wednesday evening: Interviews with Brad White and the defense
• Wednesday, 8 PM: 11 Personnel
• Thursday Afternoon: Pigskin Preview
• Thursday evening: Final comments from Stoops after practice
• Thursday, 8 PM: Point Kentucky, KSR’s new Volleyball Show
• Friday night: Kroger KSR Game of the Week recap, highlights
• Saturday: Postgame Press Conferences, Interviews, Rapid Reaction