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I am Jim Rome, and the program is presented by FanDuel. Always. And as always, Alvi, happy hump day. I mean, all of you, happy hump day, but most of all, happy hump day to hours. Obvious hump day brought to you by FanDuel.
No, it's not. I just brought that up. I just made that up. All right, let's get it. It's gonna be a good day.
Lots of good things to cover, as always. If you know what you want to talk about, I would suggest you dial. And I've been hammering the phone lines, and you know what? It's been working. The phones are ringing.
We are getting good calls. Hit me up: 1-800-636-8686. Or you can find me on X at Jim Roam. Or you cannot find me at all. I say the cameo.
I am on cameo. I don't hit that very often. But I am on cameo and somebody who wanted a cameo, a family wanted a cameo for their father. He's been listening for twenty years and has never called. Not once.
Not once. He actually, the daughter said, he took my phone and he quoted, tweeted at you, Rome, and you used it.
So I understand a lot of you would never call, but maybe today's the day to call. 1-800-636-8686. And yes, I am available on cameo. I do do that. Hit me up on the X.
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Go to our YouTube channel, find the sub button, smash that, ring the bell, then get into the chat. If you want to become a member, You can do that for a very nominal fee. Still a $1.99 a month, I think. And man, you get so much for that. I can't even believe what you get for that.
You know what you get for $1.99 a month? Nothing.
Well, you get one little R. You get an R next to your name, so everybody knows you're in the club. You get to be a distinguished clone. Hashtag DC. For a dollar, you can buy your way into the club.
You can be a distinguished clone for $1.99. All kidding aside, people do that because they just want support and they want to say thank you, and they want to say we're part of that crew.
So, thank you for doing that. Coming up at 12:40, the head football coach at Kentucky, Will Stein, coming off a huge win. We'll have that for you. Also, another one of my favorites: Vanderbilt head football coach. Clark Lee is back.
Top of our number three.
So, a couple of SEC coaches. The SEC has ten teams. In the top 25 this week.
So, as far as the demise of the SEC, Not Dead Can't Quit. And some really interesting matchups coming up this week. Also, Wednesday is an ATP day.
So we have all of that. Oh, it's our long day. Let's forget, we have a Jim Rome podcast coming up later on. Have not taped it yet, but will do so after the show. And I will tell you about that momentarily.
Let me start right here. It brings me absolutely no pleasure to say this, Giant fan. Not at all. But I have to say it nonetheless. And what I have to say is.
No! No, no, no, no.
Well, at least it's over, Giant fan. No more waiting around to find out what's going on with your alleged franchise QB. No more waiting for the Giants to figure out whether or not he was. pretty much okay or actually significantly hurt. I don't know that I've ever seen a team so confused about what appeared to be a pretty significant injury.
I don't know that I've ever seen a team misread such a significant injury to such a significant player like this. I have never seen a team have this much trouble diagnosing a serious injury to their most important player. But at least they finally figured it out, and it is official. Jackson Dart is going to have knee surgery. And he's going to miss.
the rest of the season. He's going to miss the rest of the twenty sixth season, which will also end the Giants twenty twenty six season, which is just about the biggest kick in the stick. To Giant fan ever. Even Plexico Burris shooting himself in the leg cannot believe the turn of events here. I mean, I cannot get over how brutal that whiplash must be for you Giant fans.
The Tiffany Orgs return to prominence lasted all of seven minutes. Twelve seconds ago, John Harbaugh and his era were off to a perfect start with immaculate vibes. Right through the roof. And then all of a sudden, the entire future of the team is once again in doubt. Yeah, I know that might sound dramatic.
But it really isn't. It isn't when you consider this question. Never mind this year. This year is already gone. It's over.
But looking ahead, can the Giants really be so sure that Dart is their guy anymore? Of course they can't. He's played 14 games and he's missed 17 games so far in his career. He's made a home away from home in that blue tent. And obviously, with the franchise QB, availability is everything.
We know the guy can play. We know he's got upside. We just don't know if it can stay healthy or available.
So, how can the Giants really know right now? How can they really say right now? That this is the future of their franchise, the future face of their franchise, and their legitimate QB1. How do you know? You don't.
So not only does Giant fan see their QB gone after one game. And one series. Not only does Giant fan see their entire season swirl right down the toilet bowl only two weeks in, but their whole long-term future just got that much murkier. Because how do you know?
So now there's going to be a 15-week debate in New York City about potentially drafting another QB in a draft class that is supposed to be an all-timer. What do we do? How does he come back? Will he be better for it? Or do we draft yet another quarterback?
It's just a bad, bad situation for Giant fan. Bad because they thought they were finally done climbing through a decade of crap. They'd finally come out the other end.
Meanwhile, the Giants do have to figure out how they're going to make it through the next fifteen weeks because I don't think anybody thinks that Jameis Winston is the answer, at least not after what we saw from him in Relief the other night. Look, I mean it's possible there were some actual first team reps. And some actual starters prep, that James could potentially look better for a few weeks. I would think. I would hope.
But it still just doesn't seem like there's any way Jameis is going to carry this team through the next three plus months. That's going to get pretty agonizing for everybody involved. No offense, Jameis. I'd have more sympathy for you, Jameis, if you had just remembered what your trainer once told you. Don't you remember?
He just told you. To be prepared. I just think we were prepared. You know, one thing my trainer told me, he said, what did he say? He just told us to be prepared.
Hey look, if there's one thing I'll never forget. Best advice I ever got from my trainer. You know what he told me? What do you tell me? Oh wait, wait, he told me.
He told me, be prepared. Best advice I ever got from anybody. Problem with that is, you didn't look very prepared the other night, which is why everybody is talking about the options. I love that. The options that the Giants now have that are not named Jameis.
My personal favorite is the Giants liberating the Vikings from JJ McCarthy. Which makes no sense to me, but apparently makes sense to some people because of the obvious Harbaugh connection. Like Jim love JJ at Michigan.
So obviously John loves JJ too. I'm not sure that's a given. And if I were John Harbaugh, I would not be calling Lil Bro for advice or recommendation when it comes to nine. Because we all know how that would go. Actually, given that they're the biggest disappointment in all football, I wouldn't be calling Lil Bro for anything football related.
But if you were to call Lil Bro, I think we already know what he would tell Big Bro. Jim would just tell John that McCarthy is going to go down as the greatest quarterback in the history of the National Football League. And then John will be confused, like, wait a minute, little bro. Lamar Jackson. I've already said it.
Lamar Jackson is going to go down as the greatest quarterback in the history of the National Football League. And then Lil Bro's gonna be like, no, hold up now, big bro. I'm on record as saying that Justin Herbert is going to go down as the greatest quarterback in the history of the National Football League. And then they're just gonna get stuck going round and round from there. Rat with two T's.
Listen, McCarthy, as much as I would love to see that happen, because it would be hilarious. It makes no sense. It makes no sense because the Giants actually need somebody who can actually play quarterback. This is the entire predicament, right? They don't need a project.
They don't need a guy to learn on the job. They don't need a hope and a prayer. They need somebody who can do the job more effectively than Jameis. That is the whole point here. Besides, if KOC If KOC could not make it work with nine, How the hell are the Giants going to?
How are they going to get more out of nine than KOC didn't? They're obviously not.
Now, I will say, in Nine's defense, It's still a slightly better idea than trying to get Russett Potato Wilson off of the CBS desk. Because you know Russett would answer that phone call in a second. I just don't think that a thirty seven year old Russett is any better of an option than Jameis already isn't. Another guy that I think might pick up the phone. Could work.
Derek Carr. Derek Carr, at least, was open to unretiring. Over the offseason. And he said, I had to feel right physically, and it had to be the right situation, but I might be open to that.
So maybe. Car seems like a better idea to me than going to the couch and pulling Jimmy G off. Jimmy G. Garoppolo. He hasn't really given any indication that he wants to play, but that is another name that's being thrown around.
And if Kyler Murray is back for the Vikings, why not go in there and just try and rip Carson Wentz? Incredibly, Wentz has them 2-0 right now. That would be an upgrade over Jameis. I'll give you more. Not that any of these are good ideas, they're just ideas.
I like the sane Browns fans on social media that are trying to offer up Deshaun Watson. The insane Browns fans are suddenly changing their tune and suddenly embracing the creep. But the sane Browns fans are like, yo, Giants, yo, Giants, you check out that second half tape in Tampa? The creeper Deshaun. Was really turning back the clock out there.
He's back to what he was. Houston to Sean again, Clemson to Sean again. The clock. The cat stock will never be higher than it is right now. Alvin Gabriel makes way more sense than the creep.
But then again, Dylan DeLoro is on IR and cannot return until week five at the very earliest. And he's currently dealing with a bad back.
So that's not the greatest option in the world either. No offense, Alvie. Happy hump day. Thank you. You know what, bro?
You probably wouldn't have such a bad back if you weren't always humping. Just saying. I'm not a doctor. I'm just playing what on the stream. Let's go.
It's about a bed. Just give that back a rest. Anyway, another option, a simpler option, sign Joe Milton from the Cowboys practice squad, which would have the added benefit of pissing off Cowboy fan. But Joe Milton is also a player with 0.0 career NFL starts and only 53 career pass attempts. I know the dude can throw the ball over the moon.
We know he's got that rocket. But that's about as far from a sure thing as it gets. Ask me. Even if you don't ask me, I'm gonna tell you anyway. I would try to pull Joe Flacco out of the pack.
Of course, Joe Flacco is on the Bengals because the Bengals need a real backup. Behind their injury-prone quarterbacks.
So they might not be in such a hurry, especially as well as their defense is playing right now. Especially since they look like they're a threat once again. But if I could do it, I would get Flacco, get the Jersey guy who's already won a ring with John Harbaugh before. To me, that'd be the best option out there, given all the ass that they have to choose from. There obviously is no sure thing.
There is no great option for the Giants. Hence, Consequently, subsequently, unequivocally, this is why it absolutely sucks to lose your quarterback in the first drive of week two. It's one of the few things that you're allowed to say sucks, because it really does suck. And it ruins everything. At least John Harbaugh made the important point on Monday that this dart thing, this dart injury, isn't life-threatening.
Actually, none of the giants' injuries Are life-threatening.
So at least they've got that going for them. Good to have perspective, John. Unfortunately for John, Dart's injury is not only season threatening, it just brutally murdered the season. And I do feel for Giant fan. who had legit reasons to be excited.
There are legit pieces on this team, on both sides. There's more talent on this Giants team than there has been in years. It's just never been on the field all at the same time. Check out the stat that ESPN dropped today. NFL on ESPN.
The Giants trio of Jackson Dart, Malik Neighbors, and Cam Scataboo. had been on the field together for only three and a half percent. Not 35, 3.5% of the team's total offensive plays in the last two seasons. Forty-three out of twelve hundred and eight offensive plays. Man, that's about as rough as it gets.
You want to talk about a kick in the stick. Kicking the stick? Giant fan stick just exploded into about a million different pieces. Been a long time since I've seen anyone get the rug ripped from underneath them as brutally as the Giants and Giant fan just did. Back to slumming it with the Jets in the never ending race to the bottom.
Damn, Giants fans.
Sorry about that. It is so brutal, man. I kid the vibes, were immaculate. The energy was off the charts. It was so fun again.
And then just like that, BAM And then, how do you jerk with everybody and misdiagnose that injury so badly? Yeah, I know. I know. He wanted to get back in the game. Damn good thing they didn't let him back in the game.
None of these injuries. Given how busted up he is. Had he talked his way back in the game, we wouldn't be talking about a reconstruction. We'd be talking about an amputation. My man probably would have had his leg cut off.
Good thing he didn't get back in the game. Man, the NFL. I want to talk more about other injured quarterbacks, too, including Caleb Williams. I mean, I don't wanna be the You're lucky he even performs for you bastards. Leave Caleb alone.
But can you leave this guy alone? Leave her alone! The internet, man. Again, there are people. who have an incredible threshold for other people's pain.
With is spe specifically his? Especially his. that have way too much time on their hands. and way too little to do. And hence they go to the internet to attack Caleb.
One guy who's a lot more credible than all the eggs and randos on the internet. That had his back was no less an authority than Max Crosby, to which the internet will rush in and say, of course, he's got his back. He's going to play with him pretty soon. Anyway. I want to talk about Caleb.
I don't think Max had his back because he's trying to, quote, get on the Bears. I don't think that's what Max is doing with this podcast. You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to use this pod to get the hell out of Vegas. I don't think that's his MO.
So, I want to get into that too a little bit later on. 1-800-636-8686. Hit your telephone number. Looking for your reaction. Hit me on the phones.
Hit me on the X. Hit me on email. Hit me in the chat. I know you're already in the chat. Will Stein coming up a little bit later on.
Clark Lee as well. And an ATP. And who knows what else? We've had a lot of really organic things happen lately, that have been good. O'Reilly Auto Parts can help take the guest work out of your check engine, ABS, or Mitten's Lite with O'Reilly Veriscan.
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It's a free service exclusively at O'Reilly Auto Parts. You're listening to the Jim Rome Show. My dough never sees a freezer. Faye Hollis makes the biscuits at Hardee's. I'm up at 5 a.m.
every day making biscuits from scratch. Easy there, biscuit lady. Ought to create the Hardee's $2 for $5 breakfast menu. Try the new Oscar Meyer bologna biscuit, sausage and egg biscuit, smoked sausage biscuit, biscuit and gravy, or a cinnamon roll. The $2 for $5 breakfast for a limited time only at participating Hardees.
I got up early. The least you can do is show up hungry. All right, so good first hour. I've got Will Stein, Kentucky head football coach, coming up in about 50 minutes from right now. Hey.
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It's nice. It's nice having that. All right.
So, one more thing about the Giants. Yeah, I know. It's a little harsh to say your year is already over. Except your year is already over.
However, if I were to make an argument on their behalf, I did mention they had immaculate vibes.
So what changed? They've been garbage for a decade. What changed? Garbage. Hey coach.
John Arbaugh comes in. One of the winners in the NFL. No, he's never won the big one, but he is a winner and a well-respected coach, right? It just had run its course in Baltimore. They had to try something new, but you get a harbaugh, you get a winner, you get a guy that can motivate, inspire, lead from the front.
So, if anybody is equipped and prepared to deal with this adversity and one of the all-time kicks in the stick, it's got to be. Let me take you back. The team might be in shock. The team might be wounded. The team might be traumatized by losing their quarterback and thinking their season's.
And you remember, you have this guy to circle the wagons. This guy to bring the team together and remind them: we're not giving up on anything. Fire, look at this energy, look at this swagger. This is the guy you want to lead your team when something bad happens. Welcome, man.
Good to see everybody here. Excited? Yes, sir. A little nervous? Nope, nope.
A little nervous? A little nerve, man. Nerves, excited nerves, you know? nervous sector full of dam almost amazing. Yeah.
Standing up here in front of the New York Giants. The New York Giants. It's a New York giant sitting in this room. The New York Giants. Wow, it's an hour.
Listen, Khan. to stand in front of this room right now. And I know those coaches back there feel the same way, right, coaches?
So it's an hour. We've been working, haven't we? Morgan Irving listening to this. It's cringy. In fact, you know how cringy it is?
I couldn't even play the video. I just wanted to go with the audio. The video was so cringe. I couldn't even play it. Wow.
Thanks, Abby. Have fun with that guy. And no wonder he looked like he had his soul snatched when his quarterback got hurt. He did. I've never seen that guy turn a shade of white like he did.
Like he's seen a ghost. Like he was a ghost. I don't think that that's the guy that's going to rally everybody around. In fact, The Harbaugh Bros. Can you imagine this?
What if both of their seasons already ended. Two weeks into the year. One was a straight up Bona fide Super Bowl contender. The other was a team that was expected to contend for the divisional title. But either way, the vibes were incredible.
And there was so much hype behind both these teams.
So much height behind the Chargers, so much height behind the Giants, and both, both coached by Harbaus, both of their years can already be over after two games. And that's not some hot take. I mean, the Giants here is over. And Statistically, teams that start 0-2 generally do not win the Super Bowl. It's happened.
But not very often. And again, the Chargers aren't just 0-2, they're a bad 0-2. A really bad 0-2. Not just because they lost to the Cardinals and the Raiders.
Well, because of that. But it's how they look. Totally out of sync. Nothing is going right. Mike McDaniel, who was going to make Justin Herbert the greatest quarterback ever.
Has made the guy look even worse. Herbert's not getting any help around him. Yeah, I don't think it's far-fetched to say that the Chargers season might already be over. Because their schedule is going to get so much worse. Man.
The Harbros. I don't think this is what they expected. That's not what they drew up. But that's what it is. Hey, Rome, how about your Texans?
See, I know what y'all think before you think it. How about my Texans? Yeah, they didn't want to start 0-2. That's not a good thing. But they did start 0-3 last year.
In fact, this is what they do. The Texans generally don't start very quickly. And they did start 0-3 last year, and they were in the divisional round. At dude from Cheers07. Oh my God, the quarterback is toast.
Oh my god, the quarterback is toast. This is off, chat. At radiation level, okay. The Giants will be fine. Go big blue.
Tent. I see what you did there. Big blue tent. Go, big lieutenant. Hey man, that big blue tense undefeated, at least as it relates to Jackson Dart.
Kevin W. 9252. Boy, seems like that whole We Are the New York Giants speech from Harbaugh went over really well. It was cringy. It was really, really cringy.
It's not aging well either. At X underscore goose team content. Wants Jameis Winston. Yes. Maybe for three and a half games.
But not for three and a half months. At DH Vargas 2450, how about Bacon45? All right, interesting. How about Bacon 45? But one problem, he's not making 49.
And the other problem is you spelled it beacon forty-five. And finally, I think he'd say yes. Problem is, he has a minority ownership piece. Of the Raiders. He's a Fox analyst.
Yeah, I don't think that he could cut through all that red tape. But you know what though? I'll bet you Bacon49 would be out there throwing quote. Piss missile. Absolute piss missile up the sideline safety.
He'd be out there throwing absolute piss missiles. Absolute piss missile up the sidelines. Be like, yo, Malik. Do what you do, Malik. Do what you do, Malik, and then I'll do what I do.
Throw you an absolute piss mission.
So we're pissed missile up All right, when we come back, we're talking some Kentucky football. Will Stein joins me next, Clark. Get up in here. You know where to find me. I'm looking for engagement.
We are farming engagement. Kentucky football, our next topic. Stay tuned. You're listening to The Jim Rome Show. My dough never sees a freezer.
Faye Hollis makes the biscuits at Hardee's. I'm up at 5 a.m. every day making biscuits from scratch. Easy there, biscuit lady. Off to create the Hardee's $2 for $5 breakfast menu.
Try the new Oscar Meyer bologna biscuit, sausage and egg biscuit, smoked sausage biscuit, biscuit and gravy, or a cinnamon roll. The $2 for $5 breakfast for a limited time only at participating Hardees. I got up early. The least you can do is show up hungry. Welcome back in Southern California.
I am Jim Rome. Nice to be here. Great to have you here. Coming up a little bit later on, the head football coach of Vanderbilt Clark Lee, but coming up right this second. The head football coach at Kentucky.
He is in his first season with the Wildcats. He was Oregon's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the last three years. The Wildcats had an enormous win over number nine, Texas AM, on Saturday, 31 to 21. They're two and one overall. They're one and one in SEC play.
They're going to host South Alabama on Saturday. We are joined right now by Will Stein. Will, it is great to have you back on. How are you doing, Will? I'm good, Jim.
Thanks for having me. I told you this before, but a huge fan of yours. I love the Guns N' Roses, too. Kind of got me fired up for this interview. Yo, man, I was already fired up for it, and I appreciate that.
Will I'm a big fan of yours, too, especially coming off of last week? Look, you've made it very clear: you're 0-0, you've turned the page, you've locked in, you're focused on South Alabama. Quote, can't go back. I get that, man. I get that as head coach.
Me, I'm a talk show host, so I got to go back. I have to ask you, what pleased you the most about your team going into college station and coming out with a huge dub?
Well, you know, I think number one was just our ability to execute our offense, defense, and special teams. I thought we played with elite strain and effort. Our guys were very physical at the point of attack and finished the game. You know, I think that was something reflecting back from the previous week against Alabama where we were up for 42 minutes of the game and did not finish. That was something that we took into the following week and really proud of our guys, the way that they fought.
And like you mentioned, we are really excited for this weekend against South Alabama, coming back home in front of our home fans. Will Stein joining us?
Well, looking back at that AM game, I know you're trying to move on. I'm trying not to, but fact of the matter is the defense did a hell of a job because you faced a team that had put up 98 points in their first two games. They hung 48 on Arizona State. What did you do to disrupt Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed and the rest of their weapons the way you did? Yeah, I think Coach Bateman, my defensive coordinator, and that entire staff put a great scheme together.
AM obviously has elite playmakers. They had some big plays early on, but I feel like our guys just kept fighting. We had a big fourth and one stop on the first drive that really, I think, flipped momentum early on. Ended up picking off Marcel twice. You know, we just had some big plays.
We disrupted the backfield. Our guys. Up front, I thought, really did a good job against their offensive line. And yeah, just played really, really hard. Kentucky had football coach Will Stein joining us once again.
When you and I last spoke, you were really high on Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchy and what he might bring to the offense this year. How do you think that he handled himself in a really hostile environment? And then what kind of marks would you give him after the first three games? He did a great job. Again, I think when we reflect back on all three games, and we started off really good against Youngstown State, a team that we should have beat the way that we did.
And then we played at home against Alabama where we all weren't at our best. It wasn't just the players. It was me as a head coach. And it was a reflection of where we were up to that point as a team. And Kenny competed as hard as he could.
We just didn't play that great against Alabama in week two. And so to come out on the road, first road start for us. I thought he was very poised. He was composed. He was extremely accurate.
He made the right checks at the line of scrimmage and did really well. He grew from week one to week two. Week two wasn't his best, wasn't our best as a team, as a unit, as a head coach. We all grew together and ended up going and getting a big win on the road. Yeah, that to me is the most impressive thing, the bounce back from week two to week three, especially in that environment.
You know, I thought there was really a key moment, at least in my opinion, Will, early in that game when true freshman Kenny Darby couldn't hang on to that pass on a deep ball that looked like he maybe could have taken it to the house instead of you letting Him know, like, come on, man, you got to make that play. The TV broadcast showed you picking him up and encouraging him. What did you tell him in that moment?
Well, Kenny Darby is one of our best players. He's young, but he's going to be an elite player across college football, I think, for a long time. He has a really bright future. And so I've seen him make that play a million times. I just told him, hey, one play focus, no big deal.
We're going to come right back to you. And we ended up doing that later in the game. And he caught a big touchdown pass and really changed the momentum, I think, for us as a team. My next point, you did come back to him. You told him that, and he made a play later in the game, and it was a touchdown.
Big, big play. Will Stein joining us.
So, Will, now, just to revisit, you're in it now. You're in it.
So, has the transition from high-level offensive coordinator to running your own SEC program as a first-time head coach, has it been pretty much what you expected, or maybe even more, even a little more intense? I think it's more intense. You know, I think you never know about a role, about a job, about anything until you really dive into it. And so there's been things that have happened, honestly, since January to now that, you know, I could have never imagined. We've dealt with a lot.
You know, I mean, um, A lot of change at the university when I first got hired, which was, you know, you weren't really planning on. You know, we had a death in our family, a player of our own, which was really tough on all of us. We've had ups and downs. We've had injuries. We've persevered, but that's why I think our connection is so deep as a team, as a coaching staff, as a university, as a fan base.
And I couldn't be more proud of our team where we are right now. But I'm so excited about everything that's to come. And it just takes old school work, Jim. It's not. It's not magic pics he does.
It's not luck. It's work. And I really like the way my guys are working right now. Wait a minute, Will. You mean there's no hack?
There's no shortcut. There's no magic bullet. There's no, we have to actually grind this thing out and put in the time and put in the work behind during the unseen hours. There are no hacks. There's no hacks.
There's no hacks. You know, it's old school work. It's coming up, showing up early, leaving late, putting the time as players, as coaches, as everybody in this organization. And that's, you know, a credit to our players. They have accepted the challenge of work.
And I'm just more proud of how they practice. I know we play well on Saturdays, but it's everything in between the Saturdays that to me is not shown because football is a really, really hard game because we practice a game that is so physical. And you only get 12 guaranteed opportunities on Saturdays.
So that's what I'm proud of. We got a lot of work to go. We're nowhere near the team that we want to be. We want to continue to grow each week. And we'll not get too far off the beaten path, but how powerful is it if you've got an entire room full of guys that think that every single rep counts?
If you treat every single rep, like if you're so present that every single rep matters as much as anything, how powerful is that if the entire program buys into that? I mean, I think it's transformational. I really do. I think it's really tough to do because there's so many distractions, not just for our players, but for our coaches. I mean, I don't know how many people crowned us after one game.
And did we play well? Sure, we did. We got a road win in the SEC, which is really hard to do. There's still plenty of work to do. There's still plenty of reps ahead of us.
We got an entire night meetings tonight. We got practice tomorrow morning. And we're going to continue to prep and to make sure that we're one play focus, one rep focus up until we kick the ball off on Saturday. Hey, Will, on that topic of distractions, I was talking to my staff about this this morning. Has there ever, since you've been doing this, do you ever remember a time when there was more noise, just noise, general noise, noise everywhere?
And it's ever been more important than it is right now to block out that noise? What do you tell your team about that? Yeah, I mean, there's noise in everything. I mean, that's why I really try not to get on social media specifically during the season because there's so much noise. I mean, you can open up any social media app, and it's not just noise about our team or teams across college football.
It's just worldwide. I mean, there's just some crazy things that go on throughout the universe. And so we try to really focus on what we can control. And like last week's theme was all about being the eye of the storm. This week is all about like starting the fire, like bringing the energy, bringing the juice, bringing the intensity and the focus and that mindset to every single rep and everything that we do.
All right.
So that last thought: Will, you know, this. Your staff knows this. You are dealing with some younger players, but after playing a pair of SEC games, you're going to host a non-conference opponent when South Alabama comes in.
So the good news is they're coming to Lex Vegas. They got to deal with you. But given that you're coming off such an emotional win and it's an out-of-conference game, how is practice going this week? And what is your message to your team about playing a team from the Sun Belt? The practice has been really good.
It's been physical. It's been intense. Our guys have showed up. And listen, I got a ton of respect for Major Applewhite. I mean, he's a really, really, really good football coach that's been calling plays for a long time and had a lot of success.
And his defensive coordinator, Todd Orlando, you know, I was with him at Texas. He was at USC. Like, they've been in big games. They've coached big time players. And so I'm expecting them to come in here and play really well because they're a really well-coached football team.
And I got a ton of respect for that program. One last thought, I promise you. The fan base, like I've spent enough time in Lexington because we had horse business there and I've seen the BBN and I know John Caliperi well. I've been to their games. How about from the football standpoint?
Are you feeling that energy? Because Kentucky basketball is like just an entity onto itself and Kentucky football has had its moments, but is there that same, not the same energy, but are you feeling that energy? How excited are they about the thing that you're building? Yeah, I mean, I feel Big Blue Nation every single day. It's pretty incredible.
Their support, their love, their care, their intensity, their opinions, everything. Like, that's why I love this place is because of our fans. And I could not be more proud to be their coach and to continue to put really good product on the field for them to cheer for. I love to hear that. I love that you're feeling that energy.
I love that place. I love that place. I love that fan base, but they are intense, man. They are intense. But when you're winning, everything is great.
It's a great town. Will Stein is the head coach at Kentucky. They're coming off a huge win. Got another opportunity at home this week. Will appreciate you a lot, man.
Thanks for making time. Great to have you back on the show. Congrats on that win, even though you are 0-0. Don't forget that, coach. That's right.
Thanks, Jim. Go Katz. You got it. Go Katz. Will Stein joining us.
Man, he's putting it in. He's getting it in. I like it. Remember, he said when he was asked at SEC Media Days, why do you think that you'll be successful there? You know, intimation being that that's a tough gig.
That's a tough gig. Why do you think you'll do well? Why do you think you'll be successful? He said, I think because of me. To be honest, I think I know what it takes, and people were kind of taken back by that.
I loved it. I loved it. You put yourself out there like that. That could boomerang on you if it doesn't go well. Except he's right.
He's got them headed in the right path. Or in the right direction. Huge win over A ⁇ M. But It doesn't matter if you don't take care of business this week. The SEC is definitely the SEC still.
What a meat grinder. Again, 10 teams in the top 25. And four different matchups this week of SEC teams in the top 25. NordVPN, Alvi, now comes with a next-gen antivirus. Can you dig it?
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Our number two. is coming up. Don't forget, Wednesday is an ATP day. Let me jump in on that. Post your question is brought to you by O'Reilly Auto Parts.
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Then listen later on, and we might answer your question. Thank O'Reilly Auto Parts for all of your car care needs. Get the parts and service you need fast from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Got an update on one of my favorite dudes. Dejaun Dejan and the Niners.
Apparently the feds have found a bunch of new women that have come forward to say he scammed us too. And the internet thinks they caught the Niners in a lie.
So, I want to get to that topic too. Don't go anywhere. I would normally say two hours to go, but actually, three hours to go because we do have a podcast after the program.
Alright, so plenty still ahead, don't go anywhere. My dough never sees a freezer. Faye Hollis makes the biscuits at Hardee's. I'm up at 5 a.m. every day making biscuits from scratch.
Easy there, biscuit lady. Ought to create the Hardee's $2 for $5 breakfast menu. Try the new Oscar Meyer bologna biscuit, sausage and egg biscuit, smoked sausage biscuit, biscuit and gravy, or a cinnamon roll. The $2 for $5 breakfast for a limited time only at participating Hardee's. I got up early.
The least you can do is show up hungry. Mm.
