KSR Today: Offense Day at Football Practice, Day 2 of Hell Week at Basketball Practice
Good morning, friends. After what was hopefully one last blast of summer heat, the rain is moving in to make way for fall. It’s nice and dry here at KentuckySportsRadio.com, where we’re recapping a newsy Monday and looking ahead to Saturday’s game at No. 6 Ole Miss and the start of basketball season.
You know the drill. On to the rundown.
Headlines from a busy Monday
Monday was another busy one around these parts as we prepared for the Cats’ first road trip and second game against a top-ten squad. Between his weekly press conference and call-in show, here’s a quick rundown of what Mark Stoops said on Monday:
- Chip Trayanum cleared to play, Ole Miss status uncertain: The biggest news on Monday was running back Chip Trayanum has been cleared to return to action after missing the first four games of the season with a broken hand; however, Stoops said his status for the Ole Miss game is unknown and will depend on how the week goes.
- Starting punting job up for grabs: Newcomer Aidan Laros got some playing time vs. Ohio with a 58-yard punt, which was enough for Stoops to put the starting role up for grabs between him and Wilson Berry.
- Kentucky may redshirt Daveren Rayner: Linebacker Daveren Rayner was not on this week’s depth chart nor did he play vs. Ohio. That’s not due to injury. On Monday, Stoops said that the staff is considering redshirting him.
- Stoops on slowing down Ole Miss: Stoops had plenty to say about Ole Miss’ offense, which ranks No. 1 in the country and is known for its tempo and explosive plays. The Cats’ defense may be elite, but they need to slow down Jaxson Dart to have a shot on Saturday.
- Ole Miss’ defense is legit: The Rebels are also impressive on defense, ranking in the top ten nationally in several metrics after four non-conference games. Lane Kiffin admitted his team has yet to face a real test, but the Rebels are a complementary football team under former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding.
- Stoops is pleased with Brock Vandagriff: When it comes to his own offense, Stoops is happy with the progress Brock Vandagriff is making — especially given a leaky Big Blue Wall. To keep up with the Rebels, the line must protect the quarterback this week.
Adam Luckett will have more on the Rebels today in his Bio Blast. Until then, you can catch up on Stoops’ full Monday press conference below.
Shortly after Stoops spoke, Nick Roush, Drew Franklin, Adam Luckett, and Max Duffy sat down in KSOffice to discuss his remarks, the win over Ohio, and whether or not the Cats can pull off the upset at Ole Miss.
Updates from Bush Hamdan and the offense at practice
Kentucky’s offense did some good things vs. Ohio, but keeping up with Ole Miss is a much, much larger task. As mentioned, the Rebels have the nation’s best offense and a top-ten defense. Some pass protection would help, as could the potential debut of running back Chip Trayanum, who missed the first four games with an injury but has now been cleared to play.
Offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan and members of his unit will meet with reporters after practice to detail their preparations for the Rebels. Last night, Stoops said the team will be piping in crowd noise to prepare for their first road game. Check the site and YouTube Channel this evening for a recap and videos.
Men’s and Women’s Basketball practice is underway
Monday marked six weeks until the start of the college basketball season, which also was the day teams were allowed to begin normal practices per NCAA rules. Kentucky can now practice up to 20 hours per week, four hours per day. Mark Pope did not ease his guys in. According to Cameron Mills, it’s “Hell Week” at the Joe Craft Center, with the Cats pulling two-a-days, the first practice starting at 6:30 a.m.
“(First) practice of Hell Week. All out, 2X a day. Exhaustion, mental fatigue, jelly legs. It was all there,” Mills tweeted on Monday. “BUT so was the desire to drive each other across the line TOGETHER. This morning had it all & it was good.”
After working the phones, Jack Pilgrim shared what he’s hearing about that first practice on KSBoard. Although sloppy, the vibes are good so far, with one source telling Jack they “haven’t seen energy and enthusiasm like it in a while.” With crossover season approaching, bring me all the scuttlebutt. Jack and Shawn Smith will discuss all the latest on a new episode of Sources Say tonight at 8 p.m. ET on the KSR YouTube Channel.
Big Blue Madness tickets available on Friday
In just 16 days, we’ll get our first look at this team at Big Blue Madness. If you want to be there in person, you better be by your computer on Friday evening to get tickets. Tickets are free and will only be distributed online starting at 5 p.m. ET Friday on Ticketmaster and the Ticketmaster app due to the ongoing renovations to Memorial Coliseum. (If you haven’t been around Memorial lately, it’s not exactly fit for a campout.)
Mark Pope promised this year’s event will include things that “have never been seen in college basketball before,” so set a reminder or an alarm to get in the Ticketmaster queue Friday after work. Broadcast details are still to be announced.
Ray Davis scores first NFL touchdown on Monday Night Football
Ray Davis‘ rookie season is off to a good start. The former Cat got his first NFL touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Bills’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars last night. According to Corey Price, he is the fourth former Kentucky football player to score a rushing touchdown in Monday Night Football, joining Benny Snell, Carwell Gardner, and Marc Logan.
Tim Couch wins the KSR NFL Survivor League
As for the other game in the Monday Night Football doubleheader, the Washington Commanders beat the Cincinnati Bengals 38-35. We won’t linger on it too much, as we have plenty of Bengals fans reading who would like to forget that their team is 0-3 to start the season, but the Commanders’ victory also means that Tim Couch is the winner of the 1st annual KSR NFL Survivor League. College Football Hall of Fame honors, now this? What a year for the Deuce.
You can be a Pop Tart for Halloween
Want to honor your favorite frosted treat or bowl game mascot this Halloween? You’re in luck because Pop-Tarts released a Halloween costume on Monday. The 3-D foam costume will be available at Spirit Halloween stores. Giant toaster of death is not included.
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