KSR Today: Football Weather, Updates from Kentucky's Practice, KSBar Reopens

I know you’re tired of us telling you football season is almost here, but this morning, it actually feels like it. Temperatures dipped into the 40s across the Bluegrass last night, giving us our first taste of football weather. If you haven’t yet, step outside and shiver; it’s wonderful.

Also wonderful: the routine of game week. On Monday, we heard from Mark Stoops twice, first for his weekly press conference and again on his call-in show in the evening. Let’s start there with a quick recap before moving to today’s rundown, which includes a conversation with Bush Hamdan and the much-anticipated reopening of KSBar and Grille.

Quick-hitters from a busy Monday

The first Monday of the season brought some news with it. Let’s roll through the headlines in case you didn’t have time to catch up on the 20+ posts on the site yesterday.

— Zach Calzada was named Kentucky’s starting quarterback, although Stoops expressed confidence in both quarterbacks, mentioning Cutter Boley‘s late surge in fall camp. He expanded on that on his radio show, saying, “It’s just a matter of when” for Boley at Kentucky.

— The biggest surprise on the first depth chart was safety Ty Bryant taking over as Kentucky’s primary punt returner, with wide receiver Troy Stellato listed as No. 2. That’s a position Ja’Mori Maclin held last season. Stoops said that Bryant’s baseball background helps him spot the ball easily in the air.

— Like the rest of us, Stoops just wants Saturday to finally get here. “You’re tired of hearing me talk, and I’m tired of talking, quite honestly, very excited to get going…If we want to change the narrative, then we have to go play well, and our performance will dictate what’s said about us.”

— Jacob Kauwe is listed as Kentucky’s starting kicker on the depth chart, but on his radio show, Stoops said he wants to see more consistency from the redshirt freshman before fully committing to him over senior Zach Schriener.

See Stoops’ complete press conference below.

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ICYMI, the KSR Football Podcast is BACK!

Shortly after Stoops’ press conference wrapped up, Nick Roush, Drew Franklin, and Van Hiles got together for the first KSR Football Podcast of the 2025 season. Hiles, a former Wildcat and certified ball-knower, is bringing his unique takes and in-depth breakdowns to the show this fall. Hit play below to hear what he thinks about the program entering Stoops’ 13th season. Adam Luckett had to miss Monday’s episode to get his wisdom teeth taken out, but he will be back in the saddle soon.

We’ll hear from Bush Hamdan after practice

As in fall camp, Tuesdays mean conversations with Bush Hamdan after practice. This evening, Kentucky’s offensive coordinator, members of his unit, and positional coaches will chat with reporters. I’m sure we’ll hear more about the quarterbacks and the many “or”s on the first depth chart.

Check the site tonight for updates, and the KSR YouTube Channel for the complete interviews.

Now is the perfect time to try KSR+

Before compiling their thoughts into posts fit for print, Nick Roush and Adam Luckett are sharing instant updates from practices and press conferences on KSBoard. If you’ve been curious about KSR+, now’s the perfect time to try it out. The board is buzzing with talk about a pivotal year for the football program, basketball excitement, and all the random chatter you’ve come to expect from the brand.

KSBoard will be home to our back-and-forth chatter during games this season as well. It’s not really football season until Luckett tells you how many stale coffees he’s had in the Kroger Field press box.

Need another reason? Join KSR+ now for $1 your first week and enjoy a complimentary year of The Athletic – included with your membership.

Powerball jackpot grows to $815 million

The fact that you’re reading words that I’ve typed should have been your first indicator that I didn’t win the Powerball jackpot last night; no one did, which means that Wednesday’s jackpot grows to $815 million. That’s a lot of KSR+ subscriptions. Get your lucky numbers ready.

KSBar and Grille reopens

Today is reopening day for KSBar and Grille, which took the summer off for renovations and a menu overhaul. I was at the friends and family soft opening on Saturday night and am happy to report that the new menu items are delicious and the place looks great. The tator keg appetizer seems to be the biggest hit thus far.

We’re excited to re-open our doors — especially ahead of Saturday’s season opener — but we do ask for your patience as our staff gets their feet under them. The radio show will be live from the bar today, tomorrow, and Thursday, so please come on by.

KSR’s Staff Predictions revealed tonight

While at KSBar on Saturday night, we also filmed our season predictions, which we’ll reveal tonight. To say we were a little off last year would be an understatement; our predictions ranged from 6-6 to 8-4. Will we be that wrong this year? Check the site and YouTube Channel tonight to see how we believe the Cats will do this season.

NFL roster cut-down deadline; New episode of Hard Knocks

It’ll be a tough day for some professional athletes, as the deadline for NFL teams to trim their rosters to 53 players is today at 4 p.m. ET.

We’ll have to wait a week to see cut-down day on Hard Knocks, but the penultimate episode of this season, which follows the Buffalo Bills, is tonight (9 p.m. ET, HBO). The trio of Kentucky Wildcats on the roster (Ray Davis, Deone Walker, Maxwell Hairston) got far too little screentime last week. Deone Walker looked good in the Bills’ final preseason game vs. Tampa Bay, so he’s due.

Through two drives Bills DT Deone Walker has already made three splash plays

He has flashed the most out of all the rookies in the three preseason games pic.twitter.com/74JYflTsIQ

— Carl Jones (@Jones11_) August 24, 2025

If we get this Deone Walker in the regular season the DL is gonna be a PROBLEM🔥#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/eTtV7vwwsK

— Buffalo Sports Talk (@BUFSportsTalk) August 24, 2025

New Sources Say

Need some basketball talk to break up all this football? You’re in luck because a new episode of Sources Say is coming your way tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Last week, the team returned to campus for the start of classes. Yesterday also marked 500 days since Mark Pope was named Kentucky’s head coach. Add in Todd Golden’s comments about Denzel Aberdeen and Brandon Garrison overcoming his fear of heights on the team’s retreat to Eastern Kentucky, and there’s plenty to talk about.