SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 20, 2026

Ty Bryant

Kentucky Wildcats

Press Conference

Q. Team goals are obviously at the top of your list. What individual goals are you aspiring to to meet those team goals?

TY BRYANT: I think honestly I do have individual goals, but I really try to keep that between me and my family, my individual goals. But what I can tell you is that I want to go out there and play the best brand of football that I can each and every single Saturday in the fall and ultimately win games for the University of Kentucky.

Q. How did you become the leader in interceptions? What do you attribute to that success? Then what have you learned about Will Stein's defense so far?

TY BRYANT: I think Will Stein, he has his hand in on the defense, but it's more Jay Bateman. He has an aggressive style of defense. He's a guy who is going to get after you and we're going to send the blitz and be sticky on the back end.

But I mean, I think I led the league in interceptions by just trusting my technique, trusting the process, trusting my technique, and ultimately just being instinctive and just making plays on the football.

I think another big help today is use of Corker, RGA, who spent a lot of time during the summer last year just doing ball drills and we did the same this summer. So hopefully I have the same result.

Q. Wanted to ask you a little bit more on Jay Bateman, what's that transition been like with the new defensive coordinator, and how do you fit his style? What is his style like with you guys?

TY BRYANT: Like I said, he's an aggressive guy. His style is an aggressive style of defense.

But for me, ultimately, he just allows me to roam around and make plays, no matter if that's tackling or making plays on the football. And that's what I like to do.

So he's a guy that's (indiscernible) just his brain and his mind when it comes to what he thinks and the game of football. So I'm glad that we crossed paths and I'm able to play for him.

Q. When you're standing in the tunnel at Commonwealth Stadium, getting ready to play, do you still get goosebumps even though you've been there before?

TY BRYANT: Absolutely. Absolutely. I think, no matter how old I get, I'll still get goosebumps right before I run out of that smoke on Saturdays. But it's just the adrenaline. And I try to remind myself that as a kid I dreamed of this.

But I try not to let myself get too high. I try to find that evenness, where I'm still good to go when we run out there, because I don't want to be just straight amped up off the emotion.

But, absolutely, goosebumps still do come every time I start to think about the game that we're about to play.

Q. With the SEC scheduling, it's changed a little bit. Are you facing a couple of SEC times the first time now, teams you haven't played before?

TY BRYANT: Yes, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, that's just to name a few. I think those are the three that I've yet to play in my career.

Q. You get to go somewhere you've never been in the conference?

TY BRYANT: Yes, sir, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.

Q. Are you looking forward to those?

TY BRYANT: I am, but we're worried about one day at a time, first game. That's what we're worried about, but I am.

Q. You've been able to watch your new quarterback. What would you like to tell the Kentucky fans about some of his attributes?

TY BRYANT: We got a good one. That's what I like to tell them.

Q. What does he do?

TY BRYANT: We got a good one, man. He's a great leader. He takes command of the offense, command of the team. He's also really, really talented. During spring ball, he impressed us a lot with his arm angles and his overall accuracy and what he can do on the football field. And I'm so glad that he's suiting up with us on Saturdays in the fall.

Q. As a senior, what's something that you want to pour into the younger guys?

TY BRYANT: I just want to be that good helping hand that was there for me when I was a freshman, coming in as a freshman or even as a sophomore, you think you've got a lot of things figured out and you quickly see that you don't. It's a lot that goes into it.

But I just want to pour into them and ultimately just give back to them what was given to me. Zion Childress was a guy who as soon as I got on the campus in January 2023, he took me under his wing. He showed me how to do the things the right way.

And with us having this new culture, I want to show the guys how to do things the right way. Ultimately, I want them to pull the young guys, when I'm gone, pull the young guys, and it's just a culture that continues to just build and build and build. People graduate, but tradition doesn't.

Q. Back to the offense. I guess it's going to be different this year, the philosophy, the way they attack defenses. What have you noticed about what's different on that side of the ball with the new coaching staff?

TY BRYANT: Just an explosive, explosive style of offense. No matter if they're running the ball, no matter if they're throwing the ball. And on top of that, they get guys on the outside that are willing to block to free up holes for the running back to go score.

You have to have selfless guys in order to compete at the highest level. And ultimately that's what we have. And I can't wait to see them letting it rip on Saturdays.

Q. Looking at your schedule, three weeks in you'll have already played two SEC games. What are your thoughts on that and what it presents the team?

TY BRYANT: Ultimately, it's nothing new. People that have been at can I see, we've had to do that in the years past. It's nothing new.

Like I mentioned earlier, we're worried about week one just being where our feet are, just continue to get better at the little things, each and every day. We cross those bridges when we get to those SEC opponents, everything is going to take care of itself.

Q. This late in your career, what's it like having a new coach?

TY BRYANT: I think it is very different. I'd be lying if I said it was not different because you get used to doing things a certain way for three years, then out of nowhere change happens.

But not all change is bad. I feel like this change is definitely necessary for our program, for me as well, just to get a new perspective on the way things are ran, because ultimately I do want to go play in the NFL. I never know how that coach might run things. It's what I needed.

Q. The hardest thing to explain to someone who hasn't played football is the importance of culture. How hard is that to put into words?

TY BRYANT: It's really important because we have 120 guys around that on the roster. And, I mean, our emphasis is just like it's for you to know everyone. Everyone, know their background, where they come from, where they grew up, all of that. And I think that the team that is most connected is going to win the most games, at the end of the day. So I think that's something that you cannot get too good at.

As a leader, too, I feel that in order for me to lead somebody, I have to know how you react to things, and I have to know you on a personal level. I could sit here and yell at you and you get mad or I can yell at you and it actually amps you up. But I don't know that unless like I actually have a real connection and bond with you.

I think it's really important just to be together and be connected at the end of the day.

Q. You're the team leader in tackling. Space tackling, it's so difficult. What are some pointers you can give people on your team about tackling in space?

TY BRYANT: Just breaking down. When you approach a ball carrier, just break down, and when you wrap up and you hit them, come up with a body part.

I mean, it sounds simple, way easier said than done, but really just break down, pin the hip and come up on a body part when you come up.