KSR Today: Kentucky Football Practice Kicks Off

It’s officially Football Time in the Bluegrass. We are now only one month away from the Wildcats vs. the Cardinals of Ball State at Kroger Field. Kentucky kicks off the 2023 season today with the first football practice of the season.

Long gone are the days of diving headfirst into practice with full pads. There’s an acclimation period that begins with two helmets-only practices, followed by two practices in helmets and shoulder pads, a.k.a. shells.

Even though they aren’t in full equipment, the Cats are a full-go as they install the offensive and defensive playbooks. It’s about a two-week process. We’ll get to see the Cats at the end of a four-day grind this Saturday at Fan Day. Kentucky will open its doors for an open practice that will begin around 11 a.m. We’ll hear from the coaches and players for the first time this Friday at UK Football Media Day. They say the wait is the hardest part. Let this hold you over for just a little bit longer.

Let's go to work. pic.twitter.com/gLPwyHwVvC

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) August 1, 2023

31 days till kickoff.

Can You Feel the Excitement?

It’s not sure the BBN that’s fired up for Kentucky football. The Cats have juice. Jordan Lovett can’t contain his excitement any longer.

How excited are you for fall camp? pic.twitter.com/7BKT0RRzTL

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) August 2, 2023

Join in the excitement by taking advantage of the KSR+ FALL CAMP SALE to get bonus preseason coverage, including practice reports, personnel rundowns, and scoop on KSBoard.

A Potential Kentucky Football Addition

Three-star EDGE Steven Soles is ready to announce his college decision. The 2024 pass-rusher from Powell, TN has drawn comparisons to former Wildcat Boogie Watson. After an eventful unofficial visit to Lexington last week, Kentucky enters decision day as the favorite. He plans on announcing where he will attend college at approximately noon EST. Be the first to know what Soles decides by signing up for the KSR Newsletter.

Two Recruiting Misses

The addition of Soles is needed after the Cats missed on two big-time targets on Tuesday. One is understandable. The other has left a lingering bad taste in my mouth.

There were four different players that could have pledged their allegiance to the Wildcats this week. Things got off to a rocky start when four-star running back Jason Patterson surprisingly picked Cincinnati over Kentucky. It’s the first time the BBN has ever encountered a loss to Scott Satterfield and I still don’t know how to feel about it.

The bad news for Kentucky didn’t end there. UK got the first visit from Nigel Glover but the Buckeyes got the last laugh. The a four-star 2023 prospect is transferring from Northwestern to Ohio State. Glover is a Top 300 prospect from just outside of Dayton. When Ohio State goes all in on a guy from nearby, it’s almost impossible to beat. Michigan tried too and failed.

That pill is easier to swallow. Losing top-tier guys from Ohio to Ohio State happens. Losing to Scott Satterfield in anything never happens, unless you’re a directional school from the Group of Five. It’s incomprehensible, but Adam Luckett tries to make sense of it all and what’s next for the Cats at running back.

One BIG Kentucky Recruiting Win

It wasn’t all bad news on Tuesday. In fact, the day started with a bang. Zvonimir Ivisic announced around 6 am EST that he will join John Calipari’s Wildcats for the upcoming Kentucky basketball season. A 20-year-old Croatian, the 7-foot-2 center withdrew from the NBA Draft twice. He only gets one more chance. He’s going to make the most of this opportunity at Kentucky.

“I decided to come to Kentucky because it’s the best spot in the U.S. for talented basketball players,” Ivisic told ESPN. “Coach Calipari is a Hall of Fame coach that sent more players to the NBA than anyone else.”

Ivisic did not post incredible averages during regular season play, but he shined for Croatia in the FIBA U20 European Championships. His team advanced to the quarterfinals and he averaged 11.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 blocks in just 19.4 minutes per game. The addition shores up Kentucky’s frontcourt that’s currently plagued by injuries, adding extra insurance of an important 2023-24 season.

• What Zvonimir Ivisic’s Commitment Means for Kentucky
• How Cal got his Groove Back: A Timeline of Kentucky’s Offseason
• Zvonimir Ivisic commits to Kentucky
• Film Room: Zvonimir Ivisic
• Scout’s Take on the 7-foot-2 Center

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.

11 Personnel Incoming

The unexpected announcement threw a slight curveball in our new schedule, but we’re getting back on track Wednesday evening with 11 Personnel LIVE at 5 on the KSR YouTube Channel. Adam Luckett and I take a closer look at Kentucky’s suboptimal summer recruiting send-off, look ahead to fall camp and discuss the latest in conference realignment, which doesn’t have the brightest forecast for our friends on the West Coast.

PAC-12 and AppleTV+?

The West Coast’s Power Five conference is at a crossroads. The Big 12 already poached Colorado and the Buffs might not be the last to leave. The league’s last chance at redemption lies in a new TV deal and commissioner George Kliavkoff is pushing all of his chips in on streaming.

The Pac-12 is considering a deal with AppleTV+. According to Pete Thamel, its less lucrative than the Big 12’s ESPN agreement, but has the potential to surpass its rival if they sell enough subscriptions. The question is, how many people are willing to pay $70 a year to watch Pac-12 After Dark? Member schools may not be willing to gamble on future revenues while losing exposure to streaming. The AP’s Ralph Russo shares more in the latest edition of Andy Staples On3.

Funny that this should pop up as I clicked on my Apple TV app to remind myself how much the MLS add-on subscription costs.

Legitimately curious how many of you would pay for this sub and another sub on top of that to watch Pac-12 games. pic.twitter.com/IJWkAyQQcv

— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) August 1, 2023

Significant World Cup Upset

And just like that, Marta’s illustrious international career has reached a conclusion. Racing Louisville’s Ary Borges made headlines by posting the first hat trick of the World Cup. Brazil ended its run with a scoreless draw against Jamaica. Marta has appeared in more World Cups and scored more goals in the event than any other player, but just like her previous five trips, she’s leaving the World Cup without a title.