Last night, Jay Williams dropped an explative on Twitter in response to Matt Jones’ comments that college basketball commentators, like Williams and Seth Greenberg, need to stop telling Kentucky fans how to feel about John Calipari. Williams agreed to come on today’s episode of KSR to talk it over. In the light of day, the discourse was much more civil.

The conversation started with Matt playing the clip from “College Gameday” of Williams saying that Kentucky fans reacting to Calipari’s struggles at Arkansas online makes life “difficult” for Calipari. Williams clarified that he wasn’t blaming Kentucky fans but simply highlighting their reactions to Arkansas’ losses. He also admitted he was wrong when he challenged Kentucky fans by asking who they thought could replace Calipari when the news broke in April.

“Matt, I’m okay with being wrong. Yeah, I was [wrong]. I talk on TV for four hours a day. We get it wrong. We’re all human. I didn’t know who Arkansas at the time. I didn’t know who Big Blue Nation was going to replace John Calipari with. Mark Pope has been an incredible replacement. He’s exceeded expectations.”

Williams went further, telling Jones that Kentucky Basketball is in a better place under Mark Pope.

“He has all the responsibility. 100% of it is John Calipari. Like, I’m not living in the world of making excuses. I never said — I’m not making excuses for Cal I mean, that comes along with the territory being John Calipari and missing the boat sometimes with the way things, rhythms and rotations, and how they’re established.

“Like, I’m not calling in to butcher John Calipari. He is no longer the head coach of Kentucky basketball. He has his own problems at Arkansas. He made that decision that’s on him. I think Kentucky has gotten better. I think Mark Pope brings in a new energy. I think what he’s done with all these transfers and the transfer portal, he’s gotten these guys to buy in, which is significantly difficult to do in today’s age. And I’m giving all the praise and credit to Kentucky basketball for it. They deserve it.”

Williams was banned from Duke practices because of Coach K criticism

The most interesting part of the interview came when Matt asked Williams if college basketball announcers are too protective of high-profile coaches like Cal, to the point they accuse fans of running coaches off. Williams used an example from his own life as proof of his objectivity, telling Matt and listeners that he wasn’t allowed to go to Duke practices because he criticized his own coach, Mike Krzyzewski.

“I don’t use the word attack. You can be critical, right? I criticize my own coach, Coach K, with grace now. I was not allowed to go to practices at Duke. I think if anything holds warrant to my character and how fair and objective I am to certain things — and I’m not saying that your comment isn’t right. A lot of coaches have friends. Cal has a lot of friends. He’s very personable. Maybe that has inhibited some people of saying what’s really been going on. But if I’ve been able to criticize my own head coach, a place where my jersey hangs and I go back to all the time because I have a home in Durham, let’s not question my objectivity.”

Interesting stuff. You can hear it all below.