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KENTUCKY VS. ALABAMA: WHAT WENT WRONG & WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? · Bluegrass State of Mind

• Dillon: What's up, guys? Welcome back to another episode of Bluegrass State of Mind. Woo! Well, fellas, the anticipation was fun. The atmosphere was amazing. The build-up was fun. but Kentucky and Alabama. That's kind of what this whole episode is gonna be. Before we get into the Kentucky, Alabama, I'm repping the Bluegrass Elite hat. Mason's repping his hat, Colton's repping his hat. Want to give a shout out to our friends over there. This episode is brought to you and sponsored by Bluegrass Elite. we still have our discount code going on there. Go visit their website and you need to type in BSM302. That is bluegrass-elite.com, and you will get 15% off. If you've listened into our episodes, you've heard us talk about them a lot lately just because it's a great company, great brand, good clothing. can't say enough about our friends over there, so go make sure you go visit their website and check out. All of the Kentucky gear that they have for this Kentucky sports season. All right, guys. So this past Saturday, the University of Kentucky hosted the number 12 ranked team in America, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama came into this one and and so did Kentucky. And the final score of the game was forty five to seventeen. But I don't think that the score does it justice. Before we get into really, I guess, the analytical and the stat portion of it, I think we gotta really talk about kind of the atmosphere and the buildup, right? I I think that is something that i is something that needs to be discussed. Mason, I know you both of us, me and you, were at the game itself. I wanna hear it from our perspectives. And then Colton, you got to watch it, so I want to hear your perspective as well what it was like looked watching it on the T V screen. But Mason, kind of, you know, just you you was down there f before me, kind of discuss like what what was the atmosphere like in your perspective? I know you've been to plenty of football games, but what what was your whole perspective on the build up and lead up to the game? Mason: Yeah. I mean we went up like you said, we we went up on Friday night. got out there about eight o'clock. and you could You we didn't really go anywhere Friday night, but you could still kinda feel the buzz and the atmosphere around Lexington. our kids woke us up pretty early Saturday morning. so we went to Waffle House right next to our hotel and I mean there was already I think six different Kentucky fans in there at seven AM. so they were up, you know, ready to go. And y you said it, Dylan. I atmosphere was great. it was incredible. We went to walk ons there before the game, you know, had some food set down. It was incredible in there. Every time a Bama fan walked in, you know, they were getting booed or They walk out, they were getting booed. so I mean Big Big Blue Nation was out in full force. and I I really don't think you could have asked for anything more from Big Blue Nation. And we can get into the game here in a minute, but Dillon: Yeah, I I'm right there with you. I mean, we we got to watch the cat walk. I did. Mason, I don't know if you all went and watched the cat walk, but Mason: We did. Dillon: man, like just the i it it was it was absolutely packed. the last game that I was there was whenever we we had beat Florida, which has been about two or three years. I hadn't been out to a game since then, in person when we had beat Florida and we stormed the field and I like, my goodness, am I gonna be able to make it two for two? Like, am I gonna be able to be a part of this again? And you know, You know, I I think that BBN answered Will Stein's call. You know, he he said make it the loudest environment that it's been. Get there early, show up and show out. And and I will tell you, the the student section, Colton, my goodness, dude. Hour and a half before the game, completely filled. I or completely full. You could not find an open seating spot for the student section. I'm assuming it was first come, first served. there was a little bit more Alabama's Alabama fans there really, really, really early. But there were still plenty of Kentucky fans. but all in all, the stripeout looked amazing in person. Colton, I've seen pictures from the TV, but was it like did it look the way that it felt? Kolton Myatt: Yeah, yeah it did. I mean it looked like it was a pack stadium. I mean it was the stripes looked good. I mean you could tell that the fans were there Mason: Pulled it off. Kolton Myatt: and ready way before the game started. so I mean you could tell it wasn't like people were just getting into their seats. They were already there, like he asked, and they're ready to go. You know, they they held up to their end of the bargain. Dillon: I think that first pick six that we had was I was sitting right next to the alley where they walked. Like I had the outside seat. And whenever that happened, it was right in front of us where I was able to just see it face to face. And I was already saying, I was like, man, Russell ain't ready for this. He ain't ready. And then boom, before you know it, pick six right off the start of the game, first defensive possession. I got so loud. I stood up. I was in the walkway, standing on the rail, going absolutely ballistically nuts. And then I screamed so loud. I'm serious. I'm not kidding. I got dizzy. I had to sit down and drink some water because I was screaming so loud. Mason, I know you was the same way. It was absolutely electrifying, wasn't it? Mason: yeah, I mean there was several times where I got lightheaded because I was screaming so hard and was like, Okay, I gotta take break. but I mean when that happened, like Dillon: Ha. Mason: everybody around me was jumping. I'm telling you right now, I was soaking wet 'cause everybody was just jumping up and down, like spilling their drinks. Like I was soaking wet after that pick six and I didn't care. I was just like, Let's go And then Dillon: Well it was a it was definitely a tail of two halves. That that is for sure. So Mason: Absolutely. Dillon: let's go ahead and get into the stats. So let's start with obviously the score was 45-17. Let's start with Kentucky. Total yards 209 to Alabama's 343. Passing Kentucky at 146 to Alabama's 188. Rushing 63, Kentucky to Alabama's 155. They ran 63 plays to our 64 plays. they had three turnovers. We had three turnovers. penalties, we both had eight. we had eight penalties though for 70 yards to their eight for 45. Time of possession, we had had it for 27 minutes to their 32. Man, this is a big stat right here. Third down conversions. We were one for 14. One for fourteen to their five for eleven. Fumbles, we had four to their two. I I if you had to pick one category there, Colton, what was one that stood out most to you? Kolton Myatt: I mean the third down somewhat, but theirs wasn't great. If anything, it's total yards. I mean if you look at that, I mean 'cause a lot of the stuff wasn't I mean, they were pretty similar as far as penalties goes, but look, they had a hundred and fifty five rushing yards to air sixty three. I mean, they had almost a hundred and forty more total yards than what we did. And I would like to see what the stats were going into the fourth quarter. Right, so that just tells you right. So Mason: Well they only had five rushing yards at halftime. Five. Kolton Myatt: I mean, Dillon: Yeah. Kolton Myatt: it just that's to me and really I mean that the reason they stand out to me is because if from my s from my viewpoint, when I was watching the game, the one thing you could tell still like we were hanging in there, we were hanging in there, but the one thing you could definitely tell was that they they had playmakers. Right, and they they you were just waiting for these playmakers to kinda take like it was almost kinda like, Hey, we've gotta keep surviving, we've gotta take advantage because eventually these playmakers are gonna take over and t that's kinda what happened and that's kinda why the stats become what they did in the fourth quarter. Dillon: Well, going into halftime, we had the lead. It was fourteen to seventeen. but i i i it was one of those it was one of those halves, Mason, where yes we were leading, but it was almost as if we had played the best we could defensively and still was only up three. A and I know that their offense struggled and our offense struggled too, but For us to have played so well to have the pick six, and I know they had another pick six, but we had the the fumble recovery, we had another pick right before the half ended. It just felt like, man, we have not allowed Alabama to score one offensive touchdown. We should be leading this game probably more than what we should. And honestly, that that's kind of what happened in the second half with so much more to that story. So when looking at that though. Let's get into some of the the individual performances. Kenny Minche. Kenny Minchy was 18 of 31 for passing, had 146 yards, one touchdown, one interception. our rushing Jason Patterson had 11 carries for 53 yards. CJ Baxter, 11 carries for 29 yards. Total team was 63 rushing yards. Let's start with the backfield there. To me, Mason, I thought that Patterson was packing us the first quarter. and then it kinda switched. I I felt like CJ Baxter finally got in the flow of things the second quarter where Patterson kinda carried that low the the first quarter. Is that kind of what you had you had saw or did you see anything different? Mason: Yeah, I mean I don't know. It it was just it was tough for us to really get anything going, you know. I know you talked about it a little bit. but yeah, I in my eyes I think Patterson stood out more to me than Baxter did. You know, it I feel like it's a little bit easier to see that kind of stuff at home too, when you're watching from the T V. just because, you know, on the field if they're down on the other end, you know, opposite end of the field, it's kinda hard to really see what's going on and have a good look at it. but in my eyes I thought Patterson looked better for pretty much the entire game in my eyes. he was the one, you know, kinda picking up chunk yardage for us. I mean, you know, like you said, CJ Backs are eleven carries, twenty nine yards, averaging two point six carry, you know, and Patterson average almost Dillon: It's just not gonna get it done. Mason: Patterson averaged almost two. More full yards of carry. so yeah we we didn't get it done. But I will say this, I do think Bama's defense is pretty good. I mean they Dillon: Yeah. Mason: they're they've allowed one third down conversion. I know they played East Carolina and then us, but still like the third down conversions for Bama defense is like one for twenty-three or one for twenty-five or something like that on the season, which is impressive no matter who you're playing. Dillon: Yeah. And and Colton, I think this is where you really can help us out here because of what Mason said. It's just hard to see the whole game for what it is because there are times that you're on the very far end, because that's where I think me and Mason both are at. We're on different ends of the field, so we probably got to see different things, but you could probably see everything as it was. So looking at Alabama secondary, so Preseason rankings for Alabama secondary, and US today sports ranked Alabama number one among the nation's best secondary. CBS Sports ranked the Crimson Tide at number four, and ESPN analyst Greg McAlory ranked Alabama secondary number two nationally. So basically, so saying Alabama had one of the best secondaries in the country is pretty well supported. Okay. Is that kind of the biggest difference that you could see when looking at their defensive secondary of why not only you're looking at Kenny Minchie and you're looking at that stat. It maybe and may not have been Kenny Minchie, but maybe more so that our receivers. We just couldn't get open. I mean, like 'cause looking at our receiving yards while we're here, and then I'll throw it over to you, Colton. Willie Rodriguez had eight receptions for forty nine yards. Kenny Darby, five receptions for forty five yards. Henry Boyer, one reception. CJ Baxter, two receptions. Nick Anderson one reception. Javante Barnes, one reception. Other than Will Willie Rodriguez, Rias, you Kenny Darby, and all of his stuff kind of came late. It really wasn't one of those things that was really relevant during the game. Is that kind of what was like the biggest like, man, but this is the game right here. We just can't we can't run the ball every single time. We we can't throw it to Willy Rodriguez every single like we've got to get our receivers involved and we just couldn't find a way to do that. Kolton Myatt: Yeah. No, I mean I I think I sent y'all the message that the biggest thing to me, the biggest takeaway, especially from that last twenty minutes of the game, was that we don't have the dudes yet. we don't. we especially on the perimeter, we do not have that. We I mean there was no separation at all amongst the the receivers. I mean Minchie you could tell was looking and not seeing anyone. out there. And and the truth be told, I mean, the two guys that were decent is Willie Rodriguez, who is probably our best overall target as far as receiving goes. And Darby has the most potential to probably be something. Other than that, man, we I mean we don't have guys that are going to be able to get a lot of separation. And that was a big one of the biggest concerns, right? We're not so sure who we had at receiver. We obviously lost you know, before the season, I can't think of his name that come back from Nebraska. that left and and then come Mason: Gilmore. Kolton Myatt: Gilmore. Yeah. Got, you know, obviously dismissed from the team beginning of the season. So that that hurt obviously. But yeah, man, we j we just didn't have the dudes to compete at that level yet. And I'm hoping that's I say the word yet because I'm hoping that that's a difference in Stein, right? That that maybe he's able to get those dudes in here. And I know he's got a good recruiting class. And like I think like Darby give a a a junior Darby hoping he stays can be a dude at that time period. but we just didn't have yet, man. And and it caused Minchie to I think to panic. I I think that he he was on his back foot a lot throwing because he just didn't tr like he he he didn't have anywhere to go with the ball and by the time the pressure got to him he was throwing off his back foot a lot. but that's the biggest thing, yeah. I mean that's where I like, man, they've got playmakers. We don't we don't really have those guys right now. Dillon: Yeah, and kin another thing that was very, very I guess not eye opening, but you got to really see it versus an FBS school in Alabama is that Kenny Minchy just really he he d you you can't rely on his feet. He he's not that that type that's gonna be able to scramble and make something happen that you can rely on, I guess. I'm not saying he can't do it, but but to consistently say, okay Check one, check two, check three, not there, make something happen on your own with your feet, right? Like that, that's just kind of not his style. but when looking, you know, at all that, let's kind of shift gears and and let's I mean, we got to praise our defense, right? I mean, Mason, what I I came on here and I said the key to winning this game was the defensive front. I mean, you can't ask for much better, especially let's just highlight the first half. The first half, the defense recorded four sacks, had seven tackles for loss, an interception, or pick six, a forced fumble, another pick. I I mean I that's three turnovers. Our our our defense, if you would have told me, Mason, that our defense would have forced three three different times of a turnover, one in resulting into a score in a pick six, I would have said we had a very, very, very good chance of winning this game. Which we did up until about midway through the end of the third quarter. But I mean, man, do you think okay, let me ask you this, Mason. Do you think that that first half defensive Kentucky stance was that more Kentucky being good on defense? Was it a young QB Russell not really adapting to an SEC row SEC road game? Like what what what what was your vibe on that? Like what was it more of or was it just kind of they you you give one and you take one here? Like what what 'cause I I I don't know if I have my mind made up yet on it, to be honest. Mason: Yeah. And and I mean, that's kind of where I'm at 'cause I think it's a little bit of both. I think it's a little bit of our defense did it did their job, but they also come out with a lot of energy. I mean that place was rocking, they were hyped up, you know, Bama was a little bit rattled 'cause of all the fans and what was going on. so I I think it's a a mixture of both. I really do. And our defense did its job in the first half and and to be honest with you, like they they were doing their job in the second half until we go fumble inside our own forty and then you come back and you know, I don't have a problem with Stein's call to fake the plan. I don't. I really don't have a problem with Dillon: We'll get there. We'll get there. Mason: it. But and then you have, you know, the next possession, then you have a turnover on Downs inside your forty. You know, and and I think a lot of this boils down to the more that I sit here and thought about it, like you're rotating guys in and out on that defensive line especially, right? 'Cause these guys are getting gas. People can say it was only eighty degrees. It was hot. I got hot out there. Right. Dillon: Especially on the visitor side. The visitor side it was beaming. Mason: Right. It got hot. All right. So I I think a lot of this boils down to depth. Right? Like Bama just had more depth as well, right? Once you started seeing there in that second half and our defense was on the field a lot, we're having to rotate guys in there, that's when they really just started hitting us with shot after shot, pounding it down our throat, kinda getting whatever they wanted. and and Really you can't blame our defense. Right? I mean, they did everything they could Dillon: absolutely not. Mason: and they're working with a short field almost every single possession in the second half. So yeah, Bama did put up thirty-two in the second half on us and we put up a goose egg, but it's not on our defense. Our defense did their job. Dillon: Yeah. Mason: And I kept saying in the second half, you know, I kept talking to this older guy beside me who he just gave up his season tickets last year during Mark Stoops last year and he like, I I'm kinda disappointed now. but I kept saying I like, Our offense has to do something or this game's over. Like we were so stagnant, I was like If we don't I think we were down seven at the time or maybe thirteen. I don't remember what it was, you know, but I was like, if we don't at least move the ball past midfield, this game is over. And that's exactly what happened. Dillon: Yeah. No well I'm glad you brought that up. So let let's talk about that then, the short field stuff. Colton, Will Stein went on his postgrade postgame conference and he he he quoted this. He said to to turn them over three times was impressive. When you're defending short fields consistently, you were down. We didn't do a good enough job of helping our defense out. Our offense didn't. Mason: Hundred percent. Dillon: First off, Colton, we're gonna have to find a punter. And I I I'm I mean, I'm I'm not trying to throw shade, Mason: Not yet. Dillon: but like y when you're talking about thirty yard punts consistently like in a short field, having to get the ball nearly in your own end zone or in your own field territory at the fifty yard line almost every single like I mean it It wears your defense down. So what was your your whole take on like I guess y you can't blame the defense. The defense can only do so much, right? Kolton Myatt: Yeah, no, I don't d I don't know how talented our defense is. I do think that they played very inspired early. I think the crowd helped rattled the young QB. I I think that, you know, all these things, it was kind of a perfect storm for our defense in the first half. And then you kind of started seeing obviously they wore down, but so you started seeing missed tackles. I mean, there was still a couple of those plays that they ended up scoring on that we had in the backfield. And they scored Dillon: Yeah. Kolton Myatt: on it, right? Like, I mean, we just missed a tackle or we do whatever and and that's a that's fatigue taking over. But yeah, you can't blame you cannot blame the defense. They they came out with a good game plan. did did more than what I was expecting, 'cause I thought it was gonna have to be a shootout in a way. if we Dillon: Yep, I agree. Kolton Myatt: were gonna win and we and they did their part and the offense just it just looks so different. I don't know. I I don't know about y'all, I don't know what it looked like there, but It just seemed like we had so many more like motions and little check downs and things the first game, like where everything was like, Hey, you have this option one, two, but here's option three that's always gonna get you five or six yards. And it just seems like I don't know if they were taking away all those options or we weren't moving as much or what happened, but it just seems like we didn't have those little five, six yard gains consistently. Mason: I really wanna say this too, which Like Stein's kinda known for his offensive mind, right? I don't know why he's not calling the offensive place. Like I know we have an offensive coordinator, but like that's what you're known for. You're known for, you know, kind of creating these trick plays, you know, being being sneaky, doing all these motions, all these different things. Like, just go out there and call your own place. I I I and I'm not saying nothing against Sloan, I'm really not, but still at the same time, like we brought you in here because of your offensive mind. Yes, you're the head coach, but take control, run the game how you want to run it. And let's see where that takes us. I I just I I really wish he would. That that's what I'm getting at here. Dillon: Well, I I I I get what you're saying too, Colton, because it it it did seem like there wasn't as much motion going on, wasn't as much scheming. I will say this though. I don't know I don't want to say that a lot 'cause it that that that had this has nothing to do with the scheme itself, but I was the offensive line did kind of let me down. I I do think that there was a lot of times that you s you referred to Kenny Minchie as playing off his back foot. And is you gotta be careful, I guess, on how you're gonna say this just because again, their secondary so good, does does Kenny Minchie even have anybody to throw to? But at the same time, that then reflects on like the play con, like what where Where is that check down two? Where's that the check three? Like where where is this at? Like there's gotta be something at some point that we can't rely on a deep threat, 'cause we didn't have one one deep ball pass, one time connect. Mason: Have one exposive play. Dillon: and and that's kind of what she was waiting for. I I will say though too, along those same lines is when looking at the offensive line, do you all think a lot of that is the depth? Do you like what you was accounting towards Mason? Or like do you think Or is that more just the defensive line in your opinion? Mason: No. I don't know that it's so much the depth because I feel like Russell didn't have as much of the time either, right? Like our D line was getting after him, but he had receivers who could get open and I think that's what it boils back down to. I really, really do. Because like it's not like they're in Minchie's face within a half a second, right? Like I mean he sit back Dillon: Mm-hmm. Mason: there for two seconds and three seconds and nobody's open. Like he has nowhere to throw the ball and then at that point he's trying to get out of the pocket and there's guys all over him. So I I I still and and again I know our run game didn't look great, but you you're going up against a great Bama defense. Like they're good. You know, their secondary's good, Dillon: Yeah. Mason: their D-line's good. Like it it's not it's not Youngstown State. So I I don't really think there's an issue with our line. I think it more so boils down to our skill positions, right? Those receivers not being able to get open against this better talent and Minchie looking around and being like, okay, option one's not open. Okay, option two's blanketed. Okay, option three is blanketed. Now I just gotta try to do something. And I think that's what led to you know some of the mistakes and some of the sacks and fumbles and interceptions and all those things. So I think it just boils back down to not being able to get open. I really do. Dillon: Colton, one of the big things that I guess whenever this point that I'm about to bring up is when I thought, okay, like we're we're we're we're gonna win this game probably. Whenever we opened up the second half on their first drive and they had a three and out, that was my biggest concern because we had such a great end game scenario there where we got the interception, we was able to hit one quick screen pass. Get and then or actually no, we ran the ball. We ran it up the middle, gained about ten yards, then spiked it and was able to kick a field goal to extend the lead. Seventeen fourteen. My biggest fear was like, okay, they're going to come back out at halftime. Alabama's going to punch us in the mouth. Are we going to be able to respond? Well, they didn't. They they they did they didn't punch us in the mouth. Like we had a three and out. And then at that point I was like, okay, like here we go. Like let's get some some momentum going. And then it's kind of That's whenever the rails started falling off. And that's whenever you saw thirty-two points put up to our goose head, like Mason referred to. 32 unanswered points. So now let's kind of shift gears, Colton, to to the fake punt. bef before we get into what did you like it or did you not like it? Let me just ask that, Colton. Kolton Myatt: I mean, I wasn't against it. I don't know that I did I I wasn't against calling a fake punt. I don't know that I like the play itself, but I wasn't against calling a fake punt there. Because here's the here's the thing. At the end of the day, regardless of what the situation is, you're still Kentucky football playing against Alabama, right? And I want a coach that's not gonna play scared. Like I'd I would rather go out trying to win the game like that than to continually punt and let them slowly work their way back in the game. Like if you've got a chance to actually make a make noise and do that type of stuff, I would I I was not against it. I do think it was a little bit of a like a desperation call. Like he was like, crap, here really come like we we've got we can't turn it like so it might have been a little more predictable because it was in a situation where it felt like the game was starting to slip or the gang and and you were trying to get it back real quick, so it seemed like a desperation moment. But yeah, look, if Kentucky football, I'd rather I'd I'd rather have a coach playing in that type of aggressiveness than not playing. Dillon: Well Mason, our coach, said on the post gate post game conference he's about the fake punt. He said, You play to win the game. You gotta be risky at times. If it worked, everybody would have thought it was great. I felt really good about that fake punt going into this game. We had a look that we wanted that was disappointing. I I'm right there with you. you're you're seeing a lot of people say, Well, you're only down six, because at this point it was seventeen to twenty three. What are you doing? Right? Like like what what why are why are we doing this? But let's kind of rewind that clock and how we got there. Okay. At this point, Alabama, we did stop them and held them to a field go, which then got it to seventeen, sixteen. But then they come right back down and then they score immediately. They would they don't get the two point conversion. All momentum is Alabama. And we decide to do this fake punt. on our own thirty two yard line. And that was an another thing. Everybody's thinking, why are you doing it on your own thirty two? And I I I I mean I look at it this way, Mason. I mean like what's the point of a fake punt if you're gonna do it at the you're you're if yeah Right, like like that's Mason: If you're gonna do it in mid fifties, might as well just line up and go for it on fourth, you know. Dillon: the that you're trying to get catch off guard, right? Like that Mason: Caught off guard. No point. Dillon: what's that's the whole point of it. My biggest thing, I don't know, watching it on T V may have felt different, but if you were in the stadium There was no momentum offensively. Defense, yes. Like we were still the the the fans were carrying our defense at that point. Like we have got like cause you could tell they were getting exhausted. They were tired. Our offense had nothing going for them. If we were going to win this game and be in this game, we had to make something happen. Colton, on our last episode, you said there's got to be one crucial play that we have got to make to kind of change that momentum. That was this play. Because if we do that, who knows? We might go down and score. And and whether rather than that turning around to then them scoring, we might score all of a sudden now it's twenty-four twenty-three, right? Like I mean that that's that that could that's huge right there. So personally, I can see why people may say and have that argument like, you're only down six, your defense has played so good. But at the same time, I'm sitting there thinking, Okay, at the same time though, guys, we we haven't really stopped They've scored. They've had a field go and then they scored. Okay. Mason, did did you like the call Mason: I did. and it it's kind of the things y'all said. I mean, one, our offense could not do anything. Right? So, I mean, if you if you convert this, one, it kinda gives the crowd a little bit of jolt, kinda gives the team a little bit of jolt. It's also mental for the defense, right? Like, shoot, we just gotta stop. We thought we were off the field. Now we're right back out here. I mean, it it changes everything, right? Momentum, Dillon: Mm-hmm. Mason: mentality. so I I really don't mind it because w we hadn't moved the ball since what, halfway through the second quarter, whenever we you know, that was the only touchdown we had. And other than that we hadn't been able to do anything. So I think it was just kind of a okay, let let's go out here, let's see if we can pick this up, get a little momentum, move the ball down the field. you know, maybe drain a little bit more time off the clock, you know, see if we can kind of stretch this game out a little bit, put up another touchdown, let's see what our defense can do, give them a little break. You know, they're kinda gassed. They've been out here a lot already in the second half. Just had a short field. So I mean I get it. It gave a short field again, but I I really don't mind it at all. I You know, Colton said it's Kentucky football. If you're gonna win games like this, you almost have to do stuff like that and convert stuff like that, right? Like we didn't convert, we didn't win, but you know, who knows what happens if we convert that. Changes the whole momentum of the game. Dillon: Well, just to put it into perspective, in the second half, we had fifty seven yards. Our longest drive was eighteen yards. We never surpassed their own forty three yard line with those two fumbles. I mean, like we said, it's a tell of two halves, right? a couple of of key penalties really hurt us. I felt like we never could get ahead of the chains. I that that was something that killed us all game long. I I I felt like we was always playing behind the chains. I there was one I don't know when it was specifically, but I'm pretty sure it was in the third quarter. They kicked it, it was a punt, and we returned it for about twenty yards, but it was I think the call was unnecessary roughness or it was holding or something. Holding? Yeah, it was holding. Mason: Holding, it was holding. Moved us back to like the ten. Dillon: Put us back to like the ten yard line. That was huge because we were at almost nearly at mid yeah, yeah, what no, I th I thought we was closer Mason: We were like thirty six, forty yard line, something like that. Dillon: than that. I thought was closer to midfield, but I mean it was on the catch, right? It wasn't where you you got it. And I don't know where we caught it. I'm assuming it was close to the twenty, twenty-five yard line. Correct. Mason: That's where the penalty happened, yeah. Where the voting penalty was. Dillon: but just a couple of key penalties, and then we would pick up and we'd get behind third and long, and then we I know Willie Ragas, somebody caught one, and then it was like another penalty here. but you can't say that though that that that was the reason why because The first half I thought Alabama got some pretty rough calls. the delay of game. I have never seen that before. Was was it the delay of game of defense? Mason: It's it's it's when the defense is trying to draw the offensive false start. Like if they're clapping or saying something, Dillon: I know, but I had just never seen that in person. Mason: yeah. And I couldn't see it on the T V, but somebody said somebody I seen somebody saying something about how can you get a delay game when or like I guess they were clapping and they were like, How can you get that when the QB's under center? And I was like, I mean, I I get where you're coming from, but still if the defense is trying to do something to get the offense a start, then it's a delay game. Like you can't sit there and that. Kolton Myatt: Yeah. We d we we did get a and I I know you guys probably didn't say yeah. Yeah, that that pla th Mason: But I obviously didn't see it either. Yeah, the w the Willy first down. I had no idea. Kolton Myatt: that one with the instant replay that gave us the first down that Willie Rodriguez caught it was not a catch. It was a hundred per Mason: So it was not a c it was not a catch, is what you're saying. Okay, 'cause when they were showing Dillon: The I was on the other side. Mason: it, it looked like he was at the line to gain and I was like, if it's a catch Kolton Myatt: He was right at the line of the game. Now granted, the way they called it, I don't really know how they overturned it because it was not like obvious that he got he got like right at it wasn't like he was clearly over Mason: Yeah. Kolton Myatt: or right like he was right at it when it fumbled, so it'd been tough to overturn, but it was it was crazy that it wasn't called incomplete. And I don't know if y'all remember, but Bama caught one in the end zone. and then like and it was hold it was held longer Mason: Yeah. They called it incomplete. Kolton Myatt: than what really Dillon: Yeah. Kolton Myatt: Juan Rick is this was. Like the guys Mason: Yeah. Kolton Myatt: on the announcing on the T V was like The they went to like the official rules official with Jeans there or whatever. He was like, I don't know how this is not incomplete. Like they've got this Mason: Yeah. Kolton Myatt: how they didn't call it incomplete or whatever. And so obviously we ended up scoring with that. That's when we Dillon: Mm-hmm. Kolton Myatt: threw the further to tight end, Boyer and so Dillon: It's a boyed boyer. Kolton Myatt: Boyer Mason: Way. Kolton Myatt: and so I mean that so we did get yes. So the first half everything went our way the first half, which is what happens a lot, right? You get the home game, Dillon: Right. Kolton Myatt: the momentum, everything like that. Everything it it was per the stars aligned perfectly and and then reality a little bit set in. Rush you back down to Earth. Yeah. Mason: Yeah. Dillon: I remember that play now because Chad Chad looked at me and he was because we couldn't see it very well. I could, he couldn't, and I said I thought that was a catch for sure. Like I thought he had it plenty long enough. Like I thought it was going to be a touchdown. but they caught it, I guess, incomplete. but you know, one thing I also want to tou touch on that I'm seeing a lot about I I that I I just I don't know. I want to stick up for BBN. I wanna I want to stick not only because I was there, but because y if you There's a lot of I've been seeing a lot online about Kentucky fans being Kentucky fans leaving a little early later in the fourth quarter and I'm sitting there and I'm like okay guys now let let's let's have a little bit of grace here like you this atmosphere was absolutely crazy pre-game catwalk The build up, the anticipation, the walk in with Will Stein, fans showing up early. You name it. We were there. We were the it was rocking. And at that point, I think the score was let's see here. It was twenty three. Then they scored again, right? So thirty one th was it thirty two or was it thirty one? Thirty one seventeen at that point, I believe. 'Cause then they scored Yeah, was Mason: Thirty one seventeen. At the at the end of the third it was thirty one to seventeen. And then they scored again with like nine minutes left in the fourth. Dillon: It was 31 to 17. Right. So when looking at that, I mean I I don't know. I just I can't get on board with that because with like eight minutes left, you're down by two plus touchdowns. You got people who have kids drive like for example, we we had a three hour drive to get home. I have two little kids. I gave my entire day there. And I done my part. Right? Like I mean we we showed up and we we we were there. I I just whenever I'm seeing that and not staying till the very, very end of the whistle, we were there. BBN showed up and I I was happy. Colton was the announcers or anybody saying anything about the atmosphere. Kolton Myatt: I mean they and they were all you know, early on they were giving a lot of praise to the fans and they were talking about of course they went through all the quotes how Will Stein was talking about the flask and all that stuff and and they were talking about how Big Blue Nation had showed up. they you know, they were talking how it was a very intense atmosphere and then of course obviously the game got out of hand and they were like, you know, a lot of fans were all were starting to head towards the exit and and stuff like that. But no, look, Big Blue Nation did its part, I mean, for football. mean if there's anything that you take away is that they are invested in it. But we want to be invested and the reality of it is is that we're still not there yet. And we're excited. I I know people are gonna look at that second half and think and I know I have it my own thoughts. man, that looked like old Kentucky, right? Like that that looked like old K the last twenty minutes of the game look like old Kentucky. But look, Mark Stoops went two and ten his first year. Right. He had to come in and take over a program that had really fallen off and develop his own culture and he went to an 10 the first year and we saw where he got the program to. It's f it went back down. And so Stein's gonna it's gonna take time to get guys in there that he wants. He's gonna have to get some dudes. He's gonna have to adjust the SEC play too. I know he come from Oregon, but now he's a head coach. He's gotta see it from all different aspects, not just drawing up scheme, not just drawing He has to understand the different aspects of the game that he's responsible for. he's gonna be fine. I I'm I'm a big Will Stein guy. I don't think there's no reason to panic on Will Stein. Look, if even if we d got beat by 10 in this game, the fact is it's a loss in a in the loss column. So whether it looks like that or not, it's a loss and a loss column. We knew the schedule going into this. let's just hope that we see improvement as we go throughout the year. That's what I wanna see. Is take what you Take what happened the last twenty minutes of this game and improve on it so that if you're in that situation again against another good team, you got LSU coming into your house, you got Florida coming in, Vandy coming in. Make sure that the last twenty minutes goes different the next time. Dillon: Yeah. And you know, I I love that point that you made there. The the score forty five seventeen does not do do justice to what we actually got to witness. Mason Cohen kind of gave his spill on like where he's at with this game after the fact. I want to hear yours and my take on that. What is your not not the question isn't where do we go from here, but how are we feeling about Will Stein now? After seeing him play against a top ranked Alabama. Coming in SEC powerhouse. Where are we at right now? After seeing what we've got to see with us playing Alabama. Mason: Yeah, and I mean I I texted all this I think after the game. I don't think we're far. I really, really don't. I I think it just boils down to, like Colton said, we don't have the dudes yet, hopefully, right? Like we had the number two overall recruit for the class of what, twenty twenty eight, I think, at this game. Have we ever been able to say that in the history of Kentucky football that we've had the number two overall recruit in the country that's on a visit to us and potentially thinking about coming to Kentucky? and The more that I sit here and keep thinking about it. are receivers, right? Like not being able to create that separation. Alabama realized that within the first quarter, right? They probably do that coming into the game. So what do they do? They load the box. That's what limits our run game. That's what allows them to pin their ears back and come after the quarterback. Like it changes the whole game whenever you don't have dudes on the outside who can get open and beat somebody and help out your quarterback. So I I'm still all in on Will Stein. I I don't think we're far off. I really don't because like like we've been talking about this score is not reflective of the actual game. I really don't think it is. You know, that that fumble, then we have that fake punt, just trying to change the momentum. And then after that, you know, it was almost out of hands, right? We were just trying to do stuff to try to get back in the game, Dillon: Got desperate. Mason: forcing things. Yeah. So I I really don't think we're far off. and I think you give Will Stein another couple years. you know, I I know I sent y'all that video I think of they kind of b after the Youngstown State game, they released that clip kind of showing, you know, the pregame and how they did that walkthrough before and all this stuff. And I really do think Will Stein's a great coach. Like you just see bitch and pieces throughout that video and the little things that he does and how much attention and focus he requires from his players, his coaches, you know, how bought in he is, how much he he's trying to raise these these players to be great men too. Like you could see that portrayed throughout that video. So I I'm still all bought in on Will Stein. I I He's gotta be patient, right? It's not gonna change overnight. He kinda had a short time, right? Oregon was in the college football playoff, then he has to come in and build a roster. so I I think we're gonna be just fine. and I'm I'm still very, very excited for Wilstein. Dillon: Hey, shout out to Mark Pope. He also had had a big recruit there this week. The number one center in the 2027 class, Lewis Ofwo, was also there on his official visit. It was a great, great time to bring in recruits just for that atmosphere alone, and for the fan base to kind of see them and for that for also these recruits to see what BBN has to offer and what it can and and will be like in the future. for me, you know, I I think it it it it's still an exciting time. I I'm not worried. Look, we have what was it, the the number three ranked hardest schedule in in the country. Like for Will Stein on the being on a short amount of time getting here to do what he's been able to do to change just the culture itself. I can't tell you how many hats that I got to see every other person had a hat on that said feed the studs. Like people are bought in. They are bought in to Will Stein for sure. Now That it it it's new, right? Everybody loves something new. I get that. But it it it's it's refreshing. I think that there obviously is a lot of things that we have to change in order to be elite, in order to get those studs, but I think we're headed down the right direction. I mean, for starters, just look at the game atmosphere itself. That's what I that's my biggest takeaway is you have the fan base spot in right now. And I think that collectively as a whole, for anybody that knows anything about the program, Kentucky football, and looking at who we have to play this year, listen, we get it. We understand it is going to be brutal. We just want to see competitiveness. We just want to see competitive football. We want to see guys be out there and make the right decisions and put us in the best case scenario to be successful. And I think that you got to see that at times. but ultimately towards the end of the game, like it just come down to what you all said. We just didn't have the studs and the dudes that Alabama had. and that's kind of where that separation come about. But now it's kind of I I got one more question before we shift gears to Texas AM, one more thing. Colton, is Kenny Minchie our guy? I know it's I know it's kind of a a short question and a really quick question to ask because we've only got to see him against Youngtown State, FCS, and more and one in Alabama. Two it's like a one hundred eighty on the competition level. But I'm already hearing and seeing people say, Kenny Minchy's not our guy, Kenny Minchy this. I'm like, Whoa, what in the world? What are we doing? what what's your thoughts on that? Kolton Myatt: Yeah, I'm gonna give Kenny Minchie this year. One because he didn't play any at Notre Dame, right? I mean, here and there, a couple blowouts, he got a few reps in on later on the games. So, I mean, you're talking about his really true first college football, you know, playing and he's playing against the SEC. Like it's Dillon: That's right too. Kolton Myatt: it it's not like he's it's not like he was putting up numbers and all this stuff. Like these are guys that it's kind of unknown and he's coming in and he's gonna Dillon: That's it. Kolton Myatt: have he's gonna have to he's gonna have to learn as along with anyone. And if you put you putting with the receivers that aren't getting open and you put in with de SEC defensive linemen, you know, it's not it's gonna make anyone look bad. I think a lot of that talk is kinda coming from maybe our our boy Cutter Bowley over at Arizona State having a f a couple of decent games so far as a starter. yeah, yeah. But Mason: Heck, he threw two pick sixes in the fourth quarter, didn't he? Get out of here. Kolton Myatt: I saw I I mean you see a lot of that rumbling on the on the on X and stuff, but Look, I I think Kenny Minchie throws a good ball. I think he seems like he's got a a high IQ of the game. but I mean like anything else, he's gonna have to learn. I trust Will Stein. I still just kinda continue to think like he pulled the trigger so fast on him. In a in a transfer portal that was loaded full of quarterbacks that we had mentioned several guys like visiting Kentucky, like that Kentucky was interested in, he come in and immediately pulled the trigger on this guy. He has to have seen something in him along the years, like whether they were looking at him at Oregon or what that he really likes. And so an until I'm gonna give him time, but I'm gonna trust Will Stein that he sees something in him that he's he's gonna be our future. Dillon: And we still had Matt Ponatowski y to to be here, the four start recruit for freshman, right? I mean, like he's he's the backup so I agree totally Kolton Myatt: Yeah. Dillon: with that. Like pull to pull the trigger that fast and you know, Will Stein, he's he you look at his track record with with quarterbacks, the dude has done something, right? So for us to question that so fast and so soon, I I agree, Coton. I think that's kind of silly and you know, just man, I I just I I hope that we as a fan base can kind of really acknowledge and look at and just put our trust and faith in our coach right here because his track record speaks for itself on what he has actually been great at and that's offensive scheming, quarterbacks. Like he done this for a reason. He knows more that he knows more than I do and a lot of us and everybody, right? He he knows this through and through. Mason, what's what's your take on Kenny Minchy? Mason: Listen, that that kind of stuff drives me crazy. Like it it's one game and you know, Colt brought out the Cutter Bowley thing. Cutter Bowley also had a receiver who had a hundred and eighty nine receiving yards. We don't have a receiver who will sniff that all season. I'm gonna go ahead and tell ya. So, I mean, like, just sit here, trust your coach, like look at his track record, like you said. I mean, he's produced quarterbacks, that's what he does. so I I'm still in on Minchie. Like I I've said it over and over, I think it just boils down to people being able to get open. Like if you if you have nobody who can get open, what are you supposed to do as a quarterback? Like you're gonna take all the blame, right? Like you're gonna sit back here and be like, well he can't do nothing. Well, yeah, look look down the field and nobody's open. What am I supposed to do? So I Dillon: Yeah. Mason: I'm I'm still body in. Like I I think Kenny Mitchell's gonna be just fine. Just let him settle in, you know, get a few SEC games under his belt and hopefully our receivers can start helping him out a little bit. Dillon: Well, you know what another thing too is you you didn't and I guess I I take it as a good thing here. You didn't see any hero ball. Like you didn't see Kenny Minchie whether when he's do looking down on his option one, two, three, looking, nothing there, double coverage and trying to force something. Like you didn't see that. Now if he got sacked, but a lot of times he would just throw it out, take it as it is, next play. Like I I think he does have a good head on his shoulders. It's just It boils down to these receivers have got to get open. They've got to allow him to get a full of the game, and we can't rely on Willy Rarias every single pass to be because that that's who everybody's going to be looking at from here on out. Like w we gotta have these wideouts to get open and find ways to get more space between them and their man. So how where do we go from here, fellas? Bounce back game. Now it the schedule does not get any easier. We are headed to the twelfth man. We are headed to Texas and This is going to be Will Stein's first true road SEC game at Kyle Field, which is a complete different environment. I think it holds 108,000, is what maybe I I'd heard. this if we think that we was in a hostile environment, be ready. Like this was a good test for for Kentucky, but like you better get ready because now you're going to your first true road SEC game. and hey A and they have only allowed just twenty points through two games. they they're coming off a forty eight twenty win over Arizona State, four turnovers, including two pick sixes. I honestly don't know what to expect out of this game. I I don't. I I I I Mason, what do you expect? I I I really don't. I don't know what to expect ultimately. Mason: Yeah, I Dillon: Just because our their defense, like I've not got to watch them enough to be able to get on here and be like, Okay, here's what we're looking at. Like I was really just focused on what we just played. Mason: I'll say this and I I don't really know how great Arizona State is, but I can't see them being much better than us. Like I'd I'd say we're probably close to about the same as in Arizona State, maybe a little bit better, but Arizona State was only down four going into the fourth quarter. Okay, so I mean I think if we can go in here and we can handle this hostile environment, then I think we can keep it halfway close and be competitive. Do I think we're gonna win? No, probably not, right? First real true road game in the SEC at A and I I don't think we win, but I do think that, you know, based off what I saw from Arizona State and if it wasn't for those two pick sixes in the fourth quarter, I mean they're right there in the game. only down four going into the fourth, so I think if if we can can handle that hostile environment and freaking have some receivers get open. That's my only worry moving forward. That's my biggest worry is that everybody's gonna look back at this Bama game and be like, okay, they have nobody can that can get open. Let's just load the box, set up on the run, and see if the receivers can beat us. And I don't think they can. So if teams start doing that, then I mean what are we gonna do? You know Dillon: Colton, I think when looking at where to go from here for Kentucky, I think Alabama showed Kentucky where we well, let me rephrase rephrase it. Alabama showed us where Kentucky has to get to. Texas AM is going to show us whether Kentucky is ready to start making that next step. Like I think Alabama kind of show okay, like here's where you are. But when we go there, that is gonna that's where we'll be able to see, okay, now are you ready to take that next step? Are you ready? I think that's gonna be the biggest the biggest question. Kolton Myatt: Yeah, no, I I think Texas A and so their defense is very aggressive. And I think that's why Arizona State scored early. It's because it's one of those that they're gonna take a lot of chances their defenses. They're gonna come at you, they're gonna try to to play press covers. So if you can scheme up things that kinda and that that's gonna so after what you just witnessed with Alabama, to me that's gonna be what I look forward to see if our coaching and our players make a progression, right? They make changes. I I think you now have to go into this. How can we scheme up some guys open? Right? They're not gonna beat one on one. So what kind of motions do we have to do? What kind of screens and picks and and different things do we have to do to confuse the defense enough to just get these guys open. And if you can do that and k and keep the time of possession, right? And and don't turn the ball over, then you should be able to keep it competitive for a while. but if you come out once again, you can't get open, you allow to just come full steam ahead, no worries at all. I mean it's gonna be another game that it's just gonna, you know, if if you do that, it won't take long to get, you know, out of hand in a hurry and and so I'm I'm looking for those type of changes to happen. I I think I'm hoping Will Stein's a meeting with the coordinator all week and being like, Hey Like these are the things we're gonna have to implement. Like this is what we have to do to get these guys open. And I wanna see him have his touch on his, you know, on the offense and and hopefully we can we can be there come the fourth quarter. That's all you really ask. Yeah, I that's all Dillon: Mm-hmm. Kolton Myatt: I ask in these games. We get in we end up getting beat by ten to fourteen in these type of games. It it's not gonna bother me. I you just can't be up one with three minutes left in the third and lose by twenty eight. Like that That has to get better. Like Dillon: Mm-hmm. Kolton Myatt: that that I don't want I you don't want that to keep happening throughout the throughout the year. So Dillon: I think too, just don't come out and lay an egg. Like you can look at the score here, forty five seventeen and say, well, you laid an egg. No, no, no, we didn't. Like we we was competitive for three and a half quarters. Like it it was a good football game. We were up at halftime. Like we we had we were in this game. So it wasn't no come out and lay a goose egg. Like that that's not the case with this. That's the biggest thing for me moving forward in these games, the LSU, the the Oklahoma, this game, Texas AM. Those true tests of, you know, like can we get to that level of play in SEC? One final take before we get off here. I want to hear each of yours biggest take take, like just moving forward. We kind of already given that, but I just want to like, what is your final mindset? If you have to, if somebody asks you, okay, what was your final overall thoughts? And I'll I'll kick it off one more time. My biggest thing is trust our coach. We are bought in You got a brutal schedule. I've said it before and I'll say it again. You got to trust the process. it you you you can't build an empire over a night, right? Like it's going to take some time. You gotta be knocked down to get to know where you're at. It's not about how hard you get knocked down, it's about how how fast and how hard you get back up. And that that that's my biggest thing here. I was happy to see Kentucky football. being not back, but just being electric and just being excited again. That that that was the biggest thing for me. I loved the environment that that we had there against Alabama and I'm looking forward to I I I'm excited. I'm still very excited. Mason what what's your final thoughts? Mason: Yeah, just to reiter reiterate kind of what you said. I I'm I'm still body and I think we gotta trust in Will Stein. When when's the last time we've even played Bamba that close or led at the half? You I saw a stat earlier that that's the that's the first game de Boers one since he trailed it at half. but I I just think it boils back down. I know, I know, Kentucky football. But I it and that's what I was getting at. Like Kentucky football, yes, that sounds like a Kentucky football stat, right? But I think it boils back down to and and I've said it over and over, one, us just not having those guys, right? Like most importantly the skill position. And then it comes down to depth. Right? Like you see our guys starting to get tired and we're starting to roll in our second, you know, our second strength guys or our guys who are backups and there's a big gap right now. Right, but I I don't think it's gonna be that way. I really don't with Will Stein. I think he's already come in and he was able to build a pretty good roster off the time that he had. So I I still trust in Will Stein. I'm still very, very excited. we were competitive. I don't think the score represents the true you know, how the game really went. there were a lot of things that happened in the second half, but I'm still excited. I still trust in Will Stein. and and even though we have a tough schedule, I I think it can still be a a pretty good season for us. Dillon: Cause the saddle dog. Kolton Myatt: Yeah, so my biggest thing is if you look at take Oklahoma State. They went one and eleven last year, right? Mike Gundy had been there forever. That program had fell off. It was time for a change, right? He he brought it to new places. The last few years he he was old school, the NIL stuff, he wasn't ready. They Oklahoma State had fell off. He went one and eleven last year and got fired. They brought in Eric Morris from North Texas, a high flying offensive guy. the expecting to make a change. They get beat to Tulsa first week. Oklahoma State gets beat to Tulsa first week. And I'm sure their fans are thinking, pfft, same old, same old, right? Here we go again. You just beat the Tulsa as Oklahoma State. Like they were like a 20 point favorite, got beat to Tulsa. And then they turn around and they beat Oregon. Right? A national title contender, Oregon. And the quarterback looked better and the offense looked more high flying and it and it looked like this. So so that would be my message to Big Blue Nation is let's let's see if we have those type of changes. Right? You might have a game like an Alabama because it's not gonna happen overnight. But can we learn from what we just finished the last twenty minutes of that game and can we be better going into Texas AM? And if we show that improvement, we may not win the game. I'm not saying we're gonna win the game, but if we get in that similar situation And it's mid third quarter and we're down five. Can we end up finishing that game no more than down twelve, right? Don't let Dillon: Yeah. Kolton Myatt: it go from five to twenty eight with a quarter and a half left. Can you finish down twelve? Can you fight to the end and show that you were there, that you're close, that you're close, you're missing a guy or two. And then when we get those guys guys or two, assuming that we do, hopefully we do, then you know then we'll see. Then we'll we can make a better judgment. But that to me that's their biggest message. It takes time, but I'd be very shocked if we get in that situation again and it's not better than what it was. Dillon: Yep. I like that. I like that. Way to close us out strong, Bulldog. Well, appreciate y'all tuning in on this episode of Bluegrass State of Mine. make sure you go follow us on our socials Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us over also on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Spotify. It was an electrifying weekend. Hopefully the cats can bounce back. We will see on Saturday. But this has been another episode of Bluegrass State of Mine. And as always, go cats. Kolton Myatt: Okay. Mason: Cats.