Kentucky’s upset of Texas A&M last weekend gave Will Stein exactly the kind of win that can either launch a season or lull a team into a trap. With South Alabama coming to town Saturday, the first-year Wildcats coach is trying to make sure his group doesn’t drift after a big moment.
Stein recently went on The Triple Option and turned to Urban Meyer for a little perspective on what comes next after a breakthrough win. Meyer, a three-time national champion, said the lesson he learned came from Lou Holtz, who reached out to him after big victories and made one thing clear: the work has to get even sharper.
“Lou Holtz would call me every Sunday or Monday after a big win. He was my mentor.
He would always remind me that’s when you coach them the hardest,” Meyer said. “Everybody makes the drastic failure, the dramatic failure of just jumping them when you lose.
But everything’s fragile when you lose.”
Meyer said the responsibility falls on the head coach to keep the message pointed and the team locked in.
“When you’re winning, if you tell them to jump they’ll say ‘How high?’. Lou Holtz would call me every Monday after a big win and said: ‘You coach them and hold your staff accountable because everyone’s patting them on the back but they’re listening to you because you just went and beat A&M,” Meyer said. “So that’s my advice…Have a Tuesday like you’ve never had before.”
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Kentucky Fans Have Plenty To Debate About This Kansas Showdown
The annual Champions Classic will again put Kentucky in a high-profile early-season spot, and this years meeting with Kansas now has a formal landing point. The Wildcats and Jayhawks are scheduled to tip off Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 9:30 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago, with ESPN carrying the nightcap after Duke and Michigan State open the doubleheader at 7:00 p.m. ET.
For Kentucky fans, the announcement adds another circled date to a matchup that always brings plenty of conversation before anyone even reaches the opening tip. Presale tickets for the event are already available through Ticketmaster with the code WILDCATS, giving supporters a chance to lock in seats for one of the seasons most watched stages before the full picture around the game really starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Karl-Anthony Towns Suddenly Has A Knicks Decision Kentucky Fans Should Watch
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The wrinkle is what comes next. Contract extension talks between Towns and New York have reportedly stalled, with the Knicks seeking a significant pay cut while sorting through multiple deals on the roster. With owner James Dolan reportedly wary of pushing too far beyond the salary cap, Towns suddenly sits at the center of a decision that could shape the Knicks' offseason and keep Wildcats fans watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Has One Trap To Avoid After That Texas A&M Win
Fresh off the kind of win that can make a September feel bigger than it is, Kentucky comes home to Kroger Field on Saturday with a chance to keep its momentum rolling. The Wildcats will face South Alabama in a 12:45 p.m. ET kickoff on SEC Network, and the setting is exactly the sort that can test a team coming off an emotional high. Kentucky is trying to move to 3-1 and stay on track after taking down Texas A&M.
The danger is obvious enough: this is the sort of game where the favorite can spend more time fighting itself than the opponent. South Alabama arrives at 2-1 under Major Applewhite and has some uncertainty at quarterback, with Bishop Davenport dealing with a minor injury and Jared Hollins also in the mix. Kentucky is still favored by three touchdowns, but the challenge after a breakthrough win is keeping the same edge when the matchup on paper says it should be comfortable. [Read more 🡒]